of Iesus Christ reserued by his mother when hée was a little one and that hée had now brought it from Bethleem Hée had no sooner finished these things but all the Citty was full of the newes so that he was presently called before the Seigneury demanded whether it were true that hée had brought with him Moyses hornes and the breath of Christ and hée answered that it was true then they asked him if he were not ashamed to make men worship a paire of hornes If you said the Priest are not ashamed to make men worship and fall downe before the taile of the Asse on which Christ rode on Palme Sunday Dught I to thinke it a shame to make men worship these glorious hornes of Moyses dost thou beléeue said one of the Seigneurie that these are the very hornes of Moyses and that in this viol there is the very breath of Iesus Christ Then he answered and said I doe as verily beléeue that in this viol is the breath of Iesus Christ and that these are the hornes of Moyses as I beléeue that to be the milka of the Uirgin Mary which is in your viols which you say is hers making men reuerence and worship it as an holy Relique When hee had thus said they let him goe The 7. Apologue in which is shewed the folly of many who laugh when they should weepe and weepe when they should laugh POpe Iulius the third on the day of his coronation made a great feast especially for the Ladies of S. Peters Palace amongst which there was one who said wee women are the veriest fooles in the world and being asked why she answered because when Iesus Christ went to be crucified hee went to his soueraigne tryumph ouer sinne death and hell to the great glory of his heauenly father and to our saluation and perfect happinesse and then we wept and made great lamentation but now on the contrary at this mans coronation whence will procéede the great dishonour of God and the certaine ruine and destruction of many Christian soules we passe the time in feasts and merriment The 8 Apologue in which is shewed plainly that there is no Purgatory THere was in Rome an excellent and learned preacher of whom Pope Paul the third as of one in whom hee put great confidence demaunded on a time secretly whether he did belieue that the Pope had as men said so great power and authority ouer Purgatory that hee could thence set at liberty all the soules therein and cause that none should euer come thither againe but the preacher durst not bouldly speake his minde herein and would by no meanes say any thinge against his owne conscience and therefore remained in doubt Wherefore the Pope perceiuing it gaue him incouragement saying that he would haue him speake his mind freely without feare or rather respect Then seeing that the Pope desired to knowe the truth hee answered that he had no power at all ouer Purgatory Againe perceiuing that the Pope did greatly wonder at his words he said thus vnto him Holy Father had your Predecessors as great power and authority as you or had they lesse the Pope made answer that it was equall to his then replied the Preacher if they had as great power as you and by the same were able at any time to empty Purgatory as you suppose your selfe able to doe it is fit we belieue that among so many Popes some one was found so ful of charity to free al soules thence for euer The Pope answered that he could not tell that But said the Preacher I know this well that Iesus Christ the Soueraigne Priest hath of himselfe infinite charity and power and seeing that with his owne proper blood he hath truely and for euer purged the soules of his elect what need haue they of any other purgation wherefore I know not what that power is whereof you brag and boast so much The 9. Apologue by which is shewed the great ambition of the Popes Prelates the meanes they haue to come vnto dignity POpe Paul the third being asked of his kinsmen by what meanes hee did ascend to the Papall dignity answered and saide wee came vnto it by shewing that by the course of nature our time in this life could be but short and that we with patience had long expected it by exquisit practises by liberall promises by bragging what great friendes wee had to terrifie the Cardinalls if they did not elect vs to be Pope and finally by subtill sleights and a large conscience The 10. Apologue by which is in part discouered the auarice and superstition of the Priests and Monkes A Rich Seigneur of Paris being very sicke the thiefe of all the Religious in the citie went at seuerall times to visite him more indéede respecting the guiftes and rewards they hoped for at his hands then his soules safety And the Cordeliers exhorted him to call vpon and put his trust in S. Francis the Iacobins in S. Dominicke and the other in those Saints of whose order they were Mōks The Priest likewise exhorted him that hee would commend himselfe into the hands of S. Peter or of the Saint to whom their Church was didicated The Noble man perceiuing this diuersity caused them all to be sent for and to be assembled into his Chamber and then said thus vnto them When I first fell sicke I caused all the Phisitians in the City to come vnto mée and they could not agrée among themselues to giue me a medicine because that euery one of them to séeme more learned then the rest reproued all that the other would haue giuen mée counselled mee to take that which he would administer vnto mee Therefore calling them togither I said vnto them euery one of you would haue me take the Phisicke which he hath ordained for mée now if I should take all they would bring my body into worse estate then it is already if not kill mée and if I should resolue to take but one I know not which to choose wherefore you shall goe into this next chamber from whence you shall not come vntill you doe agrée to giue me a medicine approued of you all to be the best then the Phisitians knowing that long fasting would bring danger to their owne bodies did quickely consent and brought me physicke assuring mee that it was farre better and more agreable to my maladie then any they would before haue giuen mée Now in like manner you being come to medicine my soule are different among your selues for euery one of you doth exhort me to call vpon such a Saint and I by reason of my great sicknes and debelity of body am not able to make prayers perticulerly to so many Therefore goe you into the Phisitians Chamber and assure your selues that yée shall not come forth thence vntill you tell mee all with one accord to whom especially and onely I ought to commend my selfe for my soules safety Then the Priests and Monkes
truth wherein said the Cardinall haue you perceiued that the Pope did erre in faith Pope Paul said he on a time as he was at dinner said in my hearing to many yet liuing whom I can produce for witnesses that he beléeued that he should recouer Placentia before he died but yet died before he recouered it therefore I am perswaded that he did erre and was deceiued in faith Then the Cardinall answered and said we thought that you had spoke of the faith in spirituall things no said the Courtier I spoke onely of faith in matters of this world for as touching the faith in things which appertaine vnto God so farre am I from knowing whether he erre or not that I am altogether ignorant whether the Popes or you their Prelates haue any beléefe at all The 2. Apologue by which is shewed that the Pope cannot deliuer soules out of Purgatory IN the time of Bourbon Pope Clement being affraid withdrew himself together with some of the Prelates which were his friends into the Castle of the Holy Angel being there as it were shut up in prison a Romane Gentleman said vntill this time I haue alwayes beleeued that the Pope could deliuer soules out of Purgatory but séeing that at this present hée cannot deliuer himselfe and his deare friends out of prison I am constrained to beleeue that hee is much lesse able to deliuer soules out of Purgatory The 3. Apologue by which is discouered the folly of Priests and Monkes who pray vnto God singing A Certaine Priest went vnto Rome so beg a Benefice which was void and such good friends he had that he was permitted to enter into the Consistory the Pope and Cardinalls being there assembled where deuoutly falling downe vppon his knées hee began to demand the Benefice singing after the same manner hee was went to sing the Letanie saying with a loud voyce Most holy Father I humbly craue such a Benefice heare me I beséech you then turning himselfe towards the Cardinalls and naming them one after another singing as hée did before he said Most reuerent Lord such a one pray for mee that I may obtaine the Benefice which I desire of the Pope They hearing this began all to laugh being notwithstanding very angry with him because they thought that hee had mocked them Wherefore the master of the Ceremonies went vnto him and reprehended him saying that hée ought to aske that which hée would haue with greater reuerence to whom he answered and said I know not how to desire a fauour of the Pope and Cardinals with greater reuerence and deuotion then with the same wherewith the Popes who as we hold cannot erre haue taught me to begge things héedefull for mee of Christ the Apostles and other Saints And because when I would haue any thing of Christ or of the Saints I pray for it singing as the Popes haue taught vs to doe in the Letanics I should neuer haue imagined that it had béene ill to doe as I haue done At this they all laughed and granted his request The 4. Apologue by which is shewed what force the Councils haue as also vpon what the Popedome is founded POpe Paul on a time exhorted some of his Prelates to study the holy Scriptures that at the Councils they might be able to ouerthrow and confound the reasons and arguments of the Lutherans and one of them said it is needlesse that we should take so much paines in vaine and to no purpose séeing that your Holinesse may easily and with a few words annihilate them all When the Pope asked him by what meanes hée answered in not accepting but reprouing and condemning as heresie all that they shall say contrary to your profit The Pope confessed that indéed that was true but neuerthelesse hée thought it good that they thence shewed some reasons which moued him therevnto as also that the Popedome and doctrine thereof had good foundation It is not best for vs said the Prelate to read the Scriptures to that purpose for they are contrary vnto vs but wee must betake our selues to your and our decrees Decretals and extrauagants then the Pope answered and said although nothing may be directly had out of the Scriptures yet it is good to study them that when néed shall require we may be able to cauill and wrest them to our purpose and phantasie The 5. Apologue whereby is shewed that Simonie is a sinfull thing and whose successours the Popes Prelates are A Certaine Romane made his confession of some matters which must not be spoken of to a Confessor in the Temple of S. Peter in Rome but the Confessor would not absolue him vnlesse hée would giue him ten Crownes wherefore the Romane said Gratis accepistis gratis date fréely you haue receiued fréely giue To this the Confessor answered he lies in his throat who either saith or will say these words for I had not this office gratis but I bought it and it cost me more then an hundred Crownes Then the Romane said do you not know that these are the wordes of Iesus Christ will you say that Christ doth lye To this the Confessor answered although these words are his hee spoke them not to vs for wée can at no time haue of the Pope the least office Benefice or fauour that is without mony wherefore you must adresse your selues to the Apostles to whom Christ spake these words It is true said the Roman he spake to them indéed but he also meant thereby all that should succéed them If it be so said the Confessor wée are not the Apostles successors but theirs who bought and sold in the Temple The 6. Apologue by which is discouered the folly of those who beleeue in Reliques and worship them A Priest of Geneua moued with deuotion trauelled to visit certaine holy places and after a time returned home againe but with much lesse deuotion then hée had before and with his purse quite empty And being asked of many where the Reliques were which hée had brought to regaine the mony which hée had spent in his iourney after a little deliberation he answered that he had brought two most excellent and most holy Reliques and began to tell of them but secretly to his friends intreating them that they would not speake openly of them for feare least they should be taken from him by the Signeurie withall promising them that if they would be secret he would impart the sight of them so that they would make him some contribution towards his great expences in procuring them finally many being desirous to see them gaue him money and then he hauing before ordered his busines drew forth a piece of silke a goodly paire of Dreshornes and holding them vp said vnto the people that hée had brought them from mount Sina and that they were the hornes wherewith Moyses descended from thence after hée had ended his spéeches with God Then taking a viol in his hand he said that therein was contained the breath
onely by meanes of his tooth-pickers and that they could more preuaile in procuring him fauour with the Prince then the Lord Ianotin But said he if yee well consider it see Capuchins are verier fooles then I in that you thinke and stedfastly beléeue that by your good workes you may be able to free your selues from sinne and seruitude of the Diuell wherein you are pacifie the anger of God towards you purchase his fauour and become his children and inheritors of the kingdome of heauen and which is more that your said workes can more preuaile with God then Iesus Christ his welbeloued Sonne in whom hee is well pleased The 35. Apologue by which is shewed what the Popes are and what is their authority THe Pope beeing dead the Cardinalls could not agrée in the creation of a new Pope for the Gibellins would haue a Gibellin and the Guelfes would haue a Guelfe to be Pope and although they had already béene some monthes in the Conclaue yet were they still so obstinate that euery one of both parts had sworne that hee would much rather make the Diuell Pope then one of the contrary faction Now the Diuell well knowing their mindes appeared to them in the forme of a man and shewed them that by delaying the creation of a Pope they did wrong both their Church and themselues exceeding much and that seeing they could not otherwise agrée they were best to choose him to be their Pope saying vnto them If you will elect mée I can greatly increase the Popedome seeing that none of the Counsells of the great Seigneurs are hid from mee and moreouer being that I haue no Children nor Parents I will bestow all the benifices and offices and distribute all the treasure of the Church only amongst you and your friends These conditions so wel pleased them all that they agréed to elect him and called him Siluester the second After this it happened on a time that a Cardinall returning from the Popes Pallace was demanded of a friend of his which met him from whence he came And hee answered that he came from the Pope of whom he had obtained plenary indulgence and remission of all his sinnes but his friend said what Do you not know who is our Pope Doe you beléeue that the Diuell is able to forgiue sinnes Then the Cardinall replied and said other Popes héeretofore haue béene sinners not onely full of vices but also the very fountaines of all impiety and oftentimes worse then the Diuell himselfe and do you thinke that being such they had power to giue indulgence and remission of sinnes Yes said the other as they were Popes though not as sinners In like manner said the Cardinall he that is now Pope hath power to giue remission of sinnes as he is Pope although not as Diuell so that it sufficeth that they be Popes to saue men for the rest it is all one whether they be good or bad men or Diuells but I said the other beleeue that onely Iesus Christ can forgiue sinnes and not the Diuell nor his Ministers and that God hath ordained the Diuells to be his executioners and not his Apostles The 36. Apologue by which is shewed the folly of the Romans who yeeld themselues to the Pope THe Lord Duke of Melphe being sent for by the Emperor to vndertake the gouernment of Sienes tooke Roome in his way and visited Pope Clement who disswaded him from going thither saying that the Sieniands were madbraind and furious people and that if any toy should come into their heads they would either kill him or chase him thence with great disgrace but the Duke answered and said I beléeue that to be true which your Holinesse saith that if they should become madmen they would either kil me or driue me thence and yet I hope I shall spéed well enough for the Romanes would doe the like to you if they should become wise men yet you are here at Rome without feare without all doubt then said the Pope if the Romans were well in their wits they would not indure me and therfore we kéepe them alwayes drunk with the swéet Maladeies of S. Peter The 37. Apologue by which is in part shewed what and how great the authority of the Popes is AN Astrologer went on a time to Pope Paul and foretold him that in the yeare 1549 the heauens by reason of some maligne influences would threaten him a very grieuous malady with great danger of death and the Pope demanded of him whether he knew any remedy Yes said the Astrologer if you will goe that yeare to Germany and abide there you shall auoid the danger that is true without doubt said the Pope for the Germans will take away my life and by that meanes I shal be deliuered from all maladies but tell me may not I auoyd the danger if I continue still at Rome there is but one way said the Astrologer which is seeing you haue the Keyes of Heauen that you kéepe them fast shut all that yeare so that the influences may not descend vpon you Is that sufficient said the Pope Yes said hee for if the Soules which are spirituall cannot pierce the Heauens and enter into Paradice unlesse you open them with your Keyes the influences which are corporall can much lesse come downe vnto you if you kéepe them well shut vp in the heauens but said the Pope what meanes may we vse to shut them the same said the Astrologer which you vse in opening them that is make a signe of the Crosse and command them to remaine shut At this the Pope laughed and departed The 38. Apologue wherein is discouered the cruelty and impiety of the Spanish inquisition THe Spanish Inquisitors or rather Inquinators and defilers of the faith being desirous to extort and violently take away the goods of a simple but rich Countriman cited him to appeare before them with an intent subtilly to examine him in all the Articles of faith hoping that being hee was a simple and ignorant fellow altogether void of learning they might easily intangle him in some of his spéeches so put him to death as an hereticke and lay hands on his goods Well the Countryman at the day appointed was present and they with seeming graue religious countenances demanded of him what he beléeued and he said I beléeue that which the holy Church belieues Tell vs said they what the holy Church belieues that which I belieue said hee And though they proposed diuers questions vnto him they could not draw him out of this answer for when they said vnto him dost thou belieue that the Masse is a sacrifice agreeable to the will of God and that it profiteth the dead and that the breach of the commaundements of the Pope is a mortall sinne hée answered still I beléeue that which the holy Church beléeues What said the Inquisitours dost thou beléeue nothing else but that which the holy Church beleeues Is it not sufficient said the Countrey-man
God absolue me first and being so what would you haue me doe with your vaine Absolution When hée had thus said he departed from him The 62. Apologue whereby is shewed that in the Church of God there ought to be no Pope nor Cardinalls POpe Adrian was asked on a time why S. Paul speaking of Ministers ordained by God to gouerne his Church and saying that hée had appointd some to bée Apostles some Prophets some Evangelists some Pastors and Teachers had not also added as it was conuenient necessary he should that hée had ordained that there should bée one Pope and a great number of Cardinalls and hee answered that in the Primatiue Church men were so simple grosse of vnderstanding that if hee had named such kind of Creatures they would not haue vnderstood what they had meant The 63. Apologue whereby is shewed the folly of them who beleeue they shall bee saued by the Masses of S. Gregory and how the world is abused A Cerretan or Popish Marchant trauelled about the Country to vtter his commodities and wheresoeuer he came he said vnto the people when any of you is likely to dye hee ordaines by his last Wil and Testament that his friends shall after his death giue a Crowne to the Cordeliers to say the Masses of S. Gregory for him but you do not consider that before they are begun and ended many dayes doe passe away during which time yée must néedes remaine in the fire of Purgatory Now if yée will giue mee but halfe a Crowne for a man I will assure you that yee shall not come thither at all so that yée will onely weare about your necks continnually a little crosse which I will giue you and die with it about you And so many of the people receiued these crosses that the Masses of S. Gregory lost their credit wherefore the Cordeliers made all meanes they could against him calling him a seducer of the people and a preacher of lies but the Cerretan excusing himselfe said that hee had spoke nothing but the truth What said the Friers will thou affirme that thou hast authority to bring back Soules out of Purgatory If I had so said answered the Cerretan I would acknowledge my selfe the greatest sinner in the world I said indéede that I could préserue them from going thither but I spoke not a worde of bringing them backe thence Dost thou presume then said they that thou canst send them immediately into Paradice No said he then I were a foole and an hereticke but I said that if they would weare my little crosses and pay mee halfe a Crowne a man I would assure them they should neuer goe into Purgatory and my reason why I said so is that in such a case they shall be sure to goe to the Diuells in Hell because they beléeue they shall abtaine remission of their sinnes not by Iesus Christ but by paying halfe a Crowne and wearing a little piece of wood about their necks If that you would take as great héede to those thinges which you say when you preach your Indulgences Suffrages Merits Benedictions Absolutions Masses of S. Gregory as haue taken to my words so many false and faigned thinges which would neuer procéede out of your mouths to the detriment and ruine of so many simple people who giue credit to your lies after that yée haue blinded their eyes with your hipocrisie The 64. Apologue of the Cardinall of Chiety THere was two men on a time talking of the Cardinall of Chiety and one of them said that hee had a braine so dry and hard that a man could not with mattockes roote vp the superstitions which grew there much lesse imprint Iesus Christ in it and the other answered It is no maruaile if his braines be so hard and dry for heretofore the measure thereof did consume away w t his studying to bée Cardinall and since hee was Cardinall to bee Pope so that it doth wast and consume continually The 65. Apologue shewing why Pope Paul made the Bishop of Chiety Cardinall AFter that Pope Paul had made the Bishoppe of Chiety Cardinall one of his friends came vnto him and said that hee had done ill seeing that the Fishoppe was not so holy a man as the foolish world was perswaded and the Pope answered wee did not make him Cardinall because wee iudged him an holy man but that the world might iudge vs holy in that wee exalt those which are commonly thought good men Then his friend replied that the Bishop had taught some Venetian gentlemen part of Luthers doctrine wee know that said the Pope and therefore to bee reuenged on him wee made him Cardinall is it a reuenge said the other to make him Cardinal Yes very great said the Pope for whereas the world before tooke him for a Saint now euery one will account a Diuell and wee will yet make him more resemble a brast for wee will not onely not esteeme or regard him at all but also make him commit a thousand grosse and absurd errors The 66. Apologue shewing how men are abused by the Pope CErtaine Germanes beeing asked why they went not to Rome as the custome was answered that it was because they did no more giue credit to the Iubilees and Indulgences of the Pope but onely to the indulgences of Iesus Christ which through faith are offred by God in all places and to all persons when the other replied that it were good to goe thither if for no other cause but to see the Cittie of Rome which is so famous and admirable for monuments of antiquity they answered and said Seing that for a long space wee haue béene so blinde and foolish that wée haue beléeued that Antichrist was our God and vpon that confidence haue not spared our purses to buy Paradice wee are now much ashamed to goe abroad to be seene and knowne to be Germans Thr 67. Apologue wherby is declared the great perfection of the Chartreuse Friers THe Chartreuse Friers doe in vertues excéede all other religious men which is prooued first because they keepe Charity alwaies locked in their Cloisters for feare least they should loose her and neuer suffer her to enter into the Hospitall where they lay their Sicke least shee should bee infected with their diseases Againe they neuer suffer dame pouerty to come amongst them least that being a woman she should defile their chastity Thirdly because they would not offend through disobedience they kéepe themselues for the most part in their chambers to the end that no man should command them any thing Fourthly the greatest part of their time they spend in sléep that they may obserue the great vertue silence Fiftly they keepe patience alwaie prisoner least she should escape them so that there is none among them hath patience but hee that is in prison Sixtly they eate alone that they may lay vp what they leaue Lastly that they may bee humble in the lowest degree they tye their humility
Benet Carmelites Basilianists Iesuits Chartreuses Teatines and Christians also with all these religions why may not we well be Mosaicks Christians seing y e Moses doth in nothing repugne Christ but doth foretel him plainly and the law doth comprehend in it the Gospell All these reasōs so wel pleased y e Cardinal that he promised to speake to the Pope for them not doubting but he would graunt their request on this condition y e they would promise obedience to him be his followers worshipping him as their God on earth The 42. Apologue wherin is shewed the authority of the Pope TWo Romans on a time were talking together of the power of the Popes and one of them said that they as bicars of Iesus Christ on earth had all the authority that Iesus Christ had but the other said vnto him thou art much deceiued for as here in Rome the deputy of the Pope hath authority onely to lay hands on wicked men to put them into prison to binde them torture them and finally to lead them to the place of execution so the Pope as he is Uicar of Christ hath authority onely as the Taylor executioner and very scourge of God to apprehend men which are reproued of him with his external shew of probity and hippocriticall sanctity to imprison them with vowes to bind them with his commaundements to torment them with his importable impositions and in the end to put them to death eternally with his superstitions Idolatries impieties false indulgences and absolutions and moreouer he hath power as the Taylour executioner and Uicar of the great Diuell to persecute imprison torment burne and slay the elect of God to the end that passing through the furnace of persecutions they may bee the more replendent and glorious in the sight of God The 43. Apologue whereby is discouered the folly of them which place their daughters into Monasteries THere was a Germaine Lady who hauing many daughters and not wherewithall to marry them according to their degree bred them up and instructed them in all kinde of honesty and vertue in her owne house and some of her friends comming on a day to sée her said that it was small honour and credite for her that she did not vse meanes to place her daughters abroad and that it were better to marry them to Carremen and Posters then to suffer them to spend the flower of their age in her house The Lady answered if my daughters were willing to marry I could finde honest men to match them vnto although they were not of so noble an house but they are contented to remaine vnmarried If they will not marry said her friends you were best to place them in a Monestery both to auoid all inconueniences as also for the honour of the world then the Lady said I am not in that so vnwise as you who keep your daughters locked vp in your houses while they be little and young at which time they might without any danger goe all abroad and afterwards when by age they are marriageable which is the tune wherein they ought either to bee well married or else most carefully looked vnto you put them into Monasteries and suffer them to goe abroad in publike Doe you thinke that strangers Monks Priests and Abbesses can haue greater care of your Daughters then your selues as for mee I cannot beléeue that any one will keep my daughters more carefully and faithfully then I my selfe and mine house is a more holy and honourable Monastery for them then al these of the Priests and Monks but if my daughters doe change their minds and desire to hee married I will prouide husbands for them whereas yours not hauing the guift of continence doe commit such things as turne to their owne confusion and your great dishonour To this her friends beeing vanquished with the truth could not tell what to answere The 44. Apologue whereby is shewed the folly of them who would haue God painted A Certaine Bishop spake to a painter to drawe the picture of the Trinity in his Chappell which the Painter promised to performe so that hee would giue him a hundred Crownes for his paines and also pay them before hand alleaging that else he should not be able to buy colours the Bishop hauing granted him that hee also added that beeing the Trinity was a thinge very difficult to be painted hee must haue the key of the Chappell and haue none to sée it that hee might haue no hindrance vntill hee had finished the worke to this also the Bishoppe agreed and caused couerings of boords to bee set vppe against that place where hee would haue the Trinity painted to the end that none might see what was done there All thinges thus ordered the Painter with his tooles and colours entred euery day for a months space into the said Chappell and busied himselfe secretly in painting not the Trinitie but other workes of his owne which hée brought in with him and after the end of a month hauing carried forth all his owne thinges and taken downe the bordes hee went and deliuered the key to the Bishoppe saying that he had finished the worke and that he had neuer in al his life made any thing so fayre and perfect as that was whereat the Bishop reioyced so much that hee gaue him sire crownes more and as one full of oftentation and vaine glory inuited some of his friends to goe with him to sée thée said Chappell and so accompanied bee entred into it but casting his eyrs towards the wal where the trinity should haue beene painted hee perceiued that there was no painting at all wherefore in a great rage turning himselfe to the Painter and said and where I pray thee is the Trinity which thou didst bragge thou hadst made so fayre why ur said the Painter doe you not see it painted in the ayre not I said the Bishop but what dost thou tell me of in the ayre or not in the ayre I would haue had thée painted it on the wall and not in the ayre At said the painter doe not you know that a man can paint none but visible thinges on walls and that it is vnpossible to paint inuisible things such as the Trinity is any where but in the ayre the Bishop was constrained to laugh at this answer although not well pleased and to leaue the Painter with his hundred and sire crownes which he had pocketed The 45 Apologue shewing hew little the reuerence of them is who belieuing that Christ is in the host doe keepe him as it were in prison THere was a certaine countrey Curate who being greedy of gaine would serue now at one Church and now at another and leaue his owne cure void so that his parishioners oftentimes could not haue him to administres the Sacraments nor to performe other necessary duties in their greatest necessity Wherefore after they had often tould him of it and saw no token of ament by the consent of the whole
to the Cordeliers and said procure the soule which yée haue deliuered to come and tell mée that he was deliuered by your Masses or else to send two other soules to testifie vnto me that it is true which yée say or at least to send me a writing subscribed with the hand of Christ to confirme your words and yée shall presently haue the crowne otherwise I cannot in iustice compell him to pay it When the Cordeliers had heard these words of the Duke they went their waies hanging downe their heads and very much ashamed but nothing at all amended The 91 Apologue shewing that the Cordeliers of the Obseruance enioy more worldly pleasure then all other THere were certaine men talking of the felicity of this world and one of the company asked the rest whom they thought had the happiest life of all and an old man answered him that the Cordeliers did excéede all other in happines for first saith hée as touching their goods they are exempted from all tithes impositions taxes charges molestations and troubles they may haue what they will and yet they liue in continuall idlenesse Againe they néede not feare banishment seeing that there are Monasteries euery where and that the folly and superstition of the world is such and so great that they should bee sure neuer to want any thinge concerning their credite so grieuous that if the viless rogue and greatest sinner aliue were of that order hée should bee reuerenced of all and for carnall pleasures man and wife from the first time they fall in loue haue no greater delight and pleasure then they for they neuer marry that they may bée frée from the trouble and charge of marriage but as continuall louers wholy apply their minds by pleasant deuises and loue tricks to win the loue and good will of the Nunnes deuout sisters and other of their spirituall daughters as they tearme them Finally if wée speake of their consciences it is certaine that they perswade themselues that they are perfect Saints that they can distrbute an ouerplus of their own merits to their benefactors indeed they are so ouer charged with them that if they did not disburdē themselues on other they were in danger by reason of the great and horible weight of them to sinke downe into the déepe pit of hell and they thinke that they neuer offend God but iudge themselues the greatest friends hée hath on earth so that they passe all the time of their life without any remorse of conscience perswading themselues that Paradise is their owne as sure as if they had it in their hands The 92 Apologue shewing the superstition of them that whip themselues THere was on a time a Tyrant in a citty of Italy who fearing least hée should bée staine by treason did strictly forbid all kind of Maskes so that euery one for feare of punishment did abstaine from them but it chanced that in the wéeke which they call holy certaine young men apparelled after the manner of whippers went as the custome is at that time in Italy in procession through the stréetes whipping themselues cruelly to gaine pardon for their sins The Tyrant being certified of this caused them to bée aprehended and brought before him and then hée demanded of them how they durst be so bould to goe masked contrary to his expresse commaundement But they answered that they were not masked but onely apparrelled after the maner of those that whippe themselues Then the Tyrant said are yée not masked when ye are so disguised that no man knowes you And the whippers answered that they so disguised themselues not with an intent to doe any euill thereby but to gaine remission and pardon for their sins If it be so said the Tyrant I hold you excused and that I may not hinder but rather further your good worke and bee partaker with you in it you shall goe hence to all the Temples in the Towne to gaine pardon for your sinnes and the Beadle shall follow you at the héeles and whip you after his best fashion to ease you of your labour and so hee commanded that they should bee our after another well scourged Thus they who at the first went forth whipping themselues of their owne accord departed very much discontented and well slashed by the Beadle The 93. Apologue shewing that the Popes doe nothing else but sucke and eat the Church IN the time of Pope Leo one asked a Florentine which came from Rome what he brought thence And hee answered good newes for the Pope hath giuen the Church to be a nurse to his kindred The 94. Apologue shewing the liberty of a Councell POpe Paul the third being certified that the Councell of Trent was fled away did reioyce greatly for many reasons but especially because by that flight the World might plainely perceiue that the Councell was frée and not tyed for if it had béene tyed it could not haue fled away as it did The 95. Apologue shewing that the Emperour had not taken hold of a good occasion THere were certaine men talking of the Emperors friends and one asked them who they thought had béene his greatest friend And some said the Prince Dorie other the Marques of Pescaire other Don Ferrand but in the end there was one said that it was Martin Luther because that hee had opened him the way and giuen him the occasion to make himselfe an absolute Monarch which notwithstanding hee hath not made vse of The 96. Apologue shewing how Pope Paul repented POpe Paul as hee lay on his death-bed fell into an agony therefore was exhorted by his Confessor to haue patience and to bewaile his sinnes recommend himselfe to God and haue stedfast faith in Iesus Christ and after that his Confessor was departed a priuate friend of his came vnto him and said holy father haue not these wordes of such great importance which your Confessor spake vnto you augmented the paine and griefe of your heart no surely answered the Pope for they did not moue me at all The 97. Apologue which sheweth what euill proceedeth from bad examples A Certaine Gentleman reprouing his sonne said vnto him art thou not ashamed to liue as thou dost Thou dost not lead the life of a Gentleman no nor of a Christian but of an idle leaud wicked fellow for thou dost nothing else but eate drink sleep play and do all the villanies which may be inuented And his son answered and said Truely Father I haue hitherto thought that I had liued the holiest and most honorable life of al séeing that such is the life not onely of many Lords and Gentleman but also of Priests Monkes Prelates and Cardinalls yea and of the Pope himselfe The 98. Apologue shewing what maner of fellow the Pope is THere were certain men talking together of the wickednes which was in y e world especially of whoredome and the Patrons thereof and one of them said vnto the other whom doe yée thinke to be the most notorious Band aliue And although for a time their opinions were different yet at last with one consent they answered that it was the Pope for first as a Band hee is y e Protector of that Whore hee kéepeth himselfe and secondly is the safegard and Defender not onely of one Queane but of more then fiftéene thousands which are in Rome so that hee punisheth those which offend or displease them and doth participate with them in the gaine which they make as appeareth by the yearly tribute they pay vnto him The 99. Apologue whereby is discouered the vnsatiablenesse of the Mend cant Friers A Frier said on a time that he did wonder the Sea did not increase seeing that so many riuers did runne into it dayly and not goe out againe but a secular said vnto him yee ought much rather to maruell at your selues seeing that euery one throughout the whole Papisticke common wealth doth giue vnto you and yee giue nothing to other and yet like vnsatiable gulles yée deuoure all and so farre are yee from being rich that on the contrary yee are alwaies in one same estate of pouertie The 100. Apologue whereby are shewed the qualityes of the Friers TWo Cordeliers on a time met with some of the Monkes of Saint Bennet and mocking at them said wée are in farre better estate then you seeing that wée pay no tithes as yee doe the Monks of S. Benet answered and said vnto them it is not to be maruelled at for men doe neuer sheare Asses nor milke Fores. The 101. Apologue by which is shewed what benifite men receiue by the spirituall medicines of the Pope THere was on a time in a city of Italie a Phisician of great fame who did not cure the diseases of his patients but with certaine syrups and drugges made them stupide and sencelesse in such sort that although they did still remaine sicke and worse then they were before yet they felt no griefe but thought themselues cured wherefore certaine Monkes reprehended him for it And hee said vnto them yée doe the like for so far are yée from curing those which are spiritually diseased that on the contrary with your humane traditions superstitions and hypocrisies yée make them inwardly stupid and vnsensible of their sinnes and spirituall sickenesses so that when they giuing credit to your lies thinke themselues freed from them they are in a far more dangerous estate then they were before Epigramme Englished A Curate old within the Towne of Bresse Did an a time to Masse himself addresse He was an honest man esteem'd of all But yet a great mishap did him befall For 's sight being bad and also being in hast I' th Alter cloths he wrapt his God of paste So when he minded was on him to feed Hee could not find him out to serue his need Wherfore he turnd gropt look't cri'd Ho ho thou diuell where dost thou now abide FINIS