in the English Seminary And how then can it be all at Rome And in the Reliquary of St. Ignatius-Colledg I have seen half a yard of Linnen which the Jesuits have and call it a piece of that Napkin that was laid upon Christs face and surely we may believe them Item That part of our Lord Jesus which was cut away when he was circumcised Skin That a little bit of skin cut off a Babes Yard when Eight days old should last and look like such 1500 or 1600 years none but the Father of lyes and his Children can be the countenancers of it And it is very unlikely it should be at Rome when as the Monks of the Order of St. Jerome near Vallidolyd in Spain pretend to have it also Item That Water and Blood which flowed out of Christs side when he hanged on the Cross Note that one drop of this was never saved A Tun would not hould all if this blood and water were in one place it is of such an encreasing quality And how can it be shewn 1600 year after If it were Who saved it and who required it to be kept and to whom was the keeping of it committed and why do the Fathers of the English Colledge at Vallidolyd challenge a Glass full of it containing at least half a Pint Item A large piece of Christs Cross with many other Reliques which are there shewed on Easter-day after Dinner That we are delivered from such intollerable cheats is a great mercy but to think the people well in their wits that believe such Lyes were to create another wonder But to conclude the pretenders to these things are doubtless the greatest deceivers in the world which will appear if we consider the circumstance of time And certainly we may expect to find the whole Cross in time if the Papists will but stand to their tackling in this case as they would seem to do in other cases that refer to Reliques Of the second Principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE second Principal Church is at St. Peters in the Golden-Hill in which Church also are many Reliques When the Pope his Whores and Bastards otherwise wrapping it in clean linnen his Nephews and Neeces are there then I say there may be a jolly company of Reliques 1. Half the bodies of Peter and Paul The half part of the bodies of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul rest in the aforesaid Church under the high Altar And the other half lyeth at St. Pauls How incredible this is If the Publishers memory fails him not he see an Arm and a Leg of St. Paul in Valladolid that bodies thus divided should be shown 1600 years after makes me remember St. Pauls words 2 Thes 2.7 8 9 10 11 12 which I pray read But what have we to do with what St. Paul saith since St. Peters successor saith it Therefore let us not question it for the Pope is an excellent divider Also in the aforesaid Church rest the bodies of the Holy Apostles Simon and Jude Symon and Jude's bodies And Parnel and also the body of St. Parnel the Virgin who was the Daughter of St. Peter the Apostle Item The Head of St. Andrew the Apostle which is shewed in his Feast and on that day when it was brought and conveyed unto Rome This Head is shewn also in no less than Nine or Ten places in Spain and Flanders A wonderful multiplication and great sums of Money are received by the Clergy both Regular and Secular for the sight thereof Item Luke The Head of St. Luke the Evangelist The Head of St. Sebastian the Martyr James's Head the Head of St. James the bodies of the Saints Processus and Martinianus and many other bodies with divers Reliques of holy Martyrs Confessors and Virgins How James's Head who was 1600 years before slain by Herod at Jerusalem and the bodies of men slain so many thousands of Miles off should after so many hundreds of years be lodged in the City of Rome is credible by none but them that are as St. Paul saith given up to believe Lyes Item Vernicle or Face-cloath this is judged by the sober Papists themselves to be a cheat as the Author of Onus Ecclesiae saith The Vernicle or the holy Face-cloath of our Lord Jesus Christ remaineth in the aforesaid Church and is many times shewed in the Holy-week and on Ascension-day and the next Sunday both before and after the Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot At the shewing whereof the Romans that come unto it have 3000 years of pardon And they that dwell about Rome and come unto it have 6000 years of pardon But they that come unto it through Mountains Vallies and Hills they have 12000 years of Pardon and as many Lents and remission of the third part of all their sins This of Pardon of sins by going to see such sights is a damnable Lye and doth shamefully derogate from the merits of Christ and the promoters must be stark mad and in a far greater guilt than the fallen Angels For certainly it must be by faith in his blood and not by the sight of the Face-cloth that men must get pardon of sin but seeing the Pope hath said to the contrary let Papists believe the Pope and not Christ but I must believe Christ and not the Pope Item In the aforesaid Church is the chair in which St. Peter did sit when he was Bishop at Antioch and gallantly decked and trimmed Chair This chair at every Feast that is called Cathedra Sancti Petri is set before the Quire-door with great solemnity where all the people according to their devotion may come and touch it In stead of worshipping God and honouring him they worship and honour Reliques and instead of trusting in God through Christ they trust in old rotten rags and worm-eaten chairs But stay it is like it was an Iron chair Also in the same Church there is a pillar 12. Pillars upon the which our Lord Jesus was wont to lean both when he preached to the people and when he prayed unto his heavenly Father in the Temple of Solomon This pillar is of so great vertue and power that it driveth out Devils and maketh them whole that were before vexed with unclean spirits and it worketh daily many miracles This pillar with eleven more were brought from Jerusalem out of Solomons Temple for the garnishing and setting out of this aforesaid Church When Titus Vespasian burnt the Temple it 's unlikely these twelve pillars escaped and as unlikely that Devils should be driven out by them You may see that Church is not the pillar of Truth that upholds such lyes and such horrid Fanaticisms and Impostors Popes Priests and Papists I am amaz'd at one thing That the Pope had not the manners to Canonize Titus that great Hero for a Saint seeing he procured for holy Church such Devil-expelling Reliques for sure it is that no Saint
the Three principle Churches Piece of the Cross and then it could speak and now here is a piece of it Cannot that speak also 4. Two Thorns Two Thorns of Christs Crown Who saved these the Disciples How came it at Rome But it 's not a Thorn matter how they Romance But I should be glad to know when they will have an end of their Thorns for they have at least a Bushel of them as divers will justifie when it is necessary 5. One Nail A noble increase One of the Nails wherewith Christ was fastued to the Cross There was but Three have they got one And the Publisher hath seen four that are so called one at Burgos one at Vallidolyd two in Flanders 6. A piece of the Cross of that Thief which did hang on Christs right hand and turned unto Christ before his death Is a Thiefs Cross become a Sacred Rellique I fear they are Thieves themselves that made it so Yet why should we fear that of which the Princes and people of Europe have been so long convinced The Reliques that are in other Churches at Rome IN the Church of St. Chrysogone are these Reliques Arm of St. James Shoulderplate of St. Andrew An Arm of St. James The Shoulder plate of St. Andrew the Apostle And the Head of the aforesaid St. Chysogone Abundance of Saints without Heads I doubt the Priests cut them off to make merchandize More wonders yet St. James put to death in Palestine by Heroes Sword and yet his Arm at Rome In the Church of St. Cecily these Reliques are contained Maximianus The body of St. Cecily Item The bodies of Tyburtius of Valerianus of Lucius the Pope the first of that name of Maximianus which all lye buried under the high-Altar There are many other Reliques in the said Church In this Church we cannot find any Reliques worth the noting If the Reader doth not apprehend the meaning of this passage let him inform himself at the Rainbow Coffee-house in Fleetstreet and if the Reader will not believe them to be in this Church let him go to Rome to disprove the Pope But now I think on 't it is further thither than it is to St. Albans and therefore he had better believe it and stay at home In the Church of Bartholomew Body of Bartholomew there is the body of St. Bartholomew the Apostle in a certain Tabernacle which is set upon the high Altar There is also the body of St. Pauline of St. Albert of St. Marcell and of St. Superante Besides there are many other Reliques which with those aforesaid are shewed on St. Bartholomew-day and on Palm-Sunday In what proportions these bodies appear I know not but if in their full proportions they have very roomly Altars and that these bodies are not rotten ere now would be a wonder nay a great one But that the world hath been taught to believe A Power that our Lord Christ did not give to his Apostles Rib of St. Matthew Hand of St. Nicholas that Mr. Popes Holyness hath an infallible way of saving bodies from putrefaction and hath been so kind to the General of the Jesuits as that in the year 1668 to give this power to him and to the Generals of some other Orders In the Church of St. Nicholas there is a Rib of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist There is also an Hand of St. Nicholas and an arm of St. Alexius Truly it is to be believed What matter is it since we get money by it Our Ladies Milk I believe this poor Church was endowed when our Ladies Wardrobe was plundered but Clouts rather than nothing that Thieves and Robbers have had better quarter with Papists for if they do not be-lye themselves the bodies of the Saints have had little or no rest in their graves In the Church of St. George are these Reliques part of our Ladies milk certain pieces also of her Garments There is also the banner spear and head of St. George That there was such a St. George is as great a question as that of our Ladies Milk is a Lye but if they have any part of St. George how came it to pass they did not get part of his horse and of the Dragon he killed they would have made excellent Reliques In the Church of St. Anastasins is the pillar whereupon the blessed Apostle St. Paul was beheaded The Pillar on which St. Paul was beheaded But alas there is no Sword to be found that did it and this is most miserable ill fortune And of this Pillar there are so many pieces in the world insomuch that if there were a collection made of them they would make ten pillars But I pray have they not the arm of the man and the sword that cut off his head it would do well if they were produced In the Church of the blessed Virgin Mary is the Altar which is called Scala Coeli Upon this Altar all they that sing Mass or cause Masses to be sung for the souls that are in Purgatory through the Merits of the same blessed Virgin Scala Coeli the said souls are delivered out of hand from the bitter pains of Purgatory and brought unto the everlasting joys of Heaven Moreove whatsoever is devoutly asked in that place it is without all doubt granted In the same Church are hidden also the bones of ten thousand Martyrs all which are most precious Reliques It 's ten thousand to one if this be not all found false and that it may appear so do but call to mind what St. Peter said Acts 4.12 with 1 Tim. 2.5 which shows the Virgins Mediatorship and her Altars vertue to be a cheat to bring grist to the Pope's Mill. And it 's to be noted that he that invented Purgatory contrived the way out of it that he might bring money into his own pocket In the Church of St. Gregory there are besides divers other these two principal Reliques 1. The arm of St. Gregory the Pope 2. The thigh of St. Panthaleon Note how these Cannibals pull the Saints in pieces that they may not eat their bones but by showing their bones may eat up the people In the Church which is called Sancta Maria 〈◊〉 is the Image of our Lady Luke the Painter Good imployment for an Angel to turn Image carrier which St. Luke painted at Troas a City 〈…〉 This Image an Angel brought into the aforesaid Church The 〈…〉 this Image is so great that when all the Church was burnt yet this Image had no harm * A very considerable Miracle Pieces of Fragments I suppose they encrease as well as the rest but I pray tell me the virtues of these reliques Cursed be the Image and the Image-maker saith the Scripture and therefore if any Angel it must be one of the fallen Angels who also taught the priests to put such a Lye upon St. Luke Moreover in the aforenamed Church there are kept as
where it is now kept in the Monastry of the Austin-Friers as a most holy Relique and had in great reverence of the people Her Body with the Bodies of the other 11000 Virgins which suffered with her lye buried in Colon a City of Germany You may see every place will pretend some holy Relique to invite people to gaze Note The Body of St. Mark the Evangelist was brought by a certain Merchant from Alexandria unto Venice where it know kept and had in great reverence the Venetians taking St. Mark for their chief Patron When men turn Papists they go from God to creatures and instead of Gods protection put themselves under the Patronage of dead creatures Note instead of the living God Thomas Paleologus graciously escaping out of the hands of the Turkish Emperor brought with him out of Achaia the head of St. Andrew the Apostle unto Rome and with great humility gave it unto Pope Pius who garnishing it most sumptuously placed it with great honour and high reverence in the Church of St. Peter at Rome as we have heretofore heard How the Heads and Members of their Saints are halled about to make a show of Note The Black Friers gave to King Henery the third for a most precious Relique a white Marble-stone wherein was the print of a mans foot making the King believe that it was that stone whereupon Christ stood when he leaving this world ascended into the Kingdom of his Father and that it was the print length and breadth of Christs foot left here in the earth for a worthy remembrance of his wonderful ascension The Gray Friers gave to the aforesaid King the blood of Christ The White Monks presented unto him our Ladies Milk with most humble supplications unto his Grace that he would be good and gracious favourable and liberal to his poor Beads-men and daily Orators The great quantities of Christs Blood Note and our Ladies Milk show the cheat as well as the length of time that they pretend to have kept it But I confess they that can turn Wine into the Blood of Christ may find great store The Bones of Samuel the Prophet were translated from Rome unto Constantinople and there placed as Reliques of great virtue To confute this Lye Note take notice Samuel was turned to his dust hundreds of years before the Papists began to show these tricks and therefore this is feigned any man may see There hath been an old and long contention between the French men and Italians concerning the Bodies of St. Benet the Monk and of St. Scolastica his Sister The French men say plainly that without all fail they have those bodies and that they were translated from Mount Cassine unto the Monastry Floriacens and there they are kept and honoured as most precious Reliques The Italians stoutly deny this matter 〈◊〉 that their bodies remain still in Mount Cassine so that whosoever 〈◊〉 worship them they must come thither and there make their oblation When these Fops agree Note I shall begin to enquire into this matter but never shall believe it The Body of St. Dionise is so holy and precious that as it is reported Clodoveus King of France became mad and utterly out of his wits because he unreverently discovered the foresaid body broke off one of his arms and privily carried it away with him And sure no man that is in his wits will believe this story Note When the Body of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz was brought unto Fuldes Monastry to be buried all the Bells in the Countrey rung in most goodly and comely order yea and that without any help of mans hand only by the power of God to testifie what a noble and precious Relique was brought unto them O the blasphemy of these people Note that will intitle the Holy and Wise God to be a countenance of 〈◊〉 Follies and Fanaticisms At Aquisgranum there was so great a company of Reliques brought thither by Charles King of France that there was a very solemn Pilgrimage appointed unto them which endured the space of seven years Among all these Reliques the Crown of thorns was Here is the Crown of thorns again which was put on Christs head this they say had so great virtue in it that the King holding it in his hand it flourished and gave out leaves The aforesaid King brought it from Constantinople unto Paris and there placed it among the other Reliques I cannot but pity these people Note where the King joins with the Clergy to seduce or mislead them for woful expâ—â—â—â—â—ce shows that people for the most part will follow the Religion and Manners of their Kings All the Idolatry that the Jews were guilty of they were led into it by their Kings and Priests what they believe and do people think it is right Aaron King of the Persians sent to Charles King of France the bodies of St. Cyprian and Spiratus with the head of St. Panthaleon for most precious Reliques What the Pagan Prince sent Note might have been refused by the pretender to Christianity if he had not been as great a fool as the other It 's not the name but the power of Christianity or Spirit of it that makes men wise The head of St. Gregory the Pope and the arm of St. Leo were translated by Pope John unto the Church Sinonse and there placed as holy Reliques Reliques they might be but not holy if the Limbs of Popes Note The body of St. Martin was so holy a Relique that after it was translated as they write it cleansed the Leper of his Leprosie it healed a man diseased of the Palsie and restored a blind man to his sight and made all the Trees in the Countrey to bring forth such leaves as far passed the course of nature If it had ever such a power when did it leave or lose it Note it's a wonder it do not so still but it may be a Lye for all it flourished so with leaves The Popish Miracles are but tricks of art and tales to please fools St. Bruno Bishop of Colen brought with him from Rome St. Peters staff and placed it at the City of Colen in Germany as in holy and precious Relique If the Papists did own St. Peter's golden doctrine Note they would not much admire his wooden stick but any thing will serve wooden Christians Rainoldus Archbishop of Colen translated the bodies of the three Kings that came to worship Christ from Maediolanum unto Colen These bodies were before taken away by Helen Constantine's Mother out of India and brought unto Constantinople Afterward they were translated by Bishop Eustorgius from thence unto Mediolanum and so from that place unto Colen where they now remain as most worthy Reliques and work great Miracles as they say Is it not a shame that Christians should be so bewitched Note as to think that the dead bodies of three Pagan Kings which doubtless were hundreds
what the Priests say right or wrong In a Chest of silver and gilt with a round Crystal and a Vine graven thereon were these Reliques contained the bones of St. Laurence and a piece of his Gridiron whereon he was broyled In another Chest of silver and gilt and adorned with precious stones was the Hair and the Girdle of St. Laurence In some places they have St. Laurence's whole body here is but a piece and a piece of his Gridiron I have seen a whole one in several places The Hair of St. Laurence was rosted but that may be for if the Whore lies not there was an Angel that held his Head whilest he was roasting and so did preserve his Hair In a Chest of silver and gilt set with precious stones and a long Crystal were contained a Tooth and a Bone of St. Bennet the Monk St. Bennet's Tooth an excellent Relique and a Bone which is as good as the other I pray how many Devils have these rotten Reliques cast out In a Coffin of silver and gilt garnished with divers precious stones were a Tooth and a Finger of St. Stephen also divers of his Bones Item certain of the stones where with he was stoned unto death also part of his Blood I have seen as many of St. Stephen's Teeth as would fill a Peâ—k St. Stephen I believe was never troubled with the Tooth-ach for he saved all his Teeth for Reliques and as great a quantity of his blood I suppose song Angel saved that These are admirable Reliques but the Vertue of the stones I cannot as yet learn In a Chest of Copper gilt without precious stones with a long round Crystal were these Reliques contained part of St. John Baptist's head and one of his bones Item a bone of St. Blase a bone of St. Pantaleon and a boâ—â—… of St. Menna the Martyr We found a whole head in one Church and now poor St. John Baptist hath but a piece of one here but it is all one Neighbour Pope thy ipse dixit will rather pass than be proved unless one of thy graving Angels will bring this Church to us In a Coffer of silver and gilt having a great round Crystal at the foot thereof were contained certain of the bones of those Innocents whom Herod slew Really the Pope hath a great advantage of us Hereticles there is not many of us that can say any thing against this Relique but a little proof for the confirmation of our Faith would have done no hurt In a little Chest of silver and gilt set with precious stones having in it a little long Crystal were part of the bones of St. Nicholas St. Nicholas's bones are very efficacious to cure the Itch therefore if any be troubled there with let them repair to Rome and it shall cost them nothing but their Charges In a Chest of Silver and gilt having in it a long Crystal were contained divers parts of our Ladies Cloaths Certainly the Virgin Mary had the best Wordrobe of any in her time for in Spain France and Flanders I have seen as many of her Cloaths as a good handsom Cart would contain In divers other Chests of silver whereof some were gilt and enamell'd and some ungilt some set with Precious Stones some without Precious stones these Reliques following were contained Part of Thom is Becket's Flesh resolved a piece of the Flesh of St. Nicholas a Finger and a Tooth of St. Alban Part of the Hair of St. Edmund the Confessor and part of his Garments and one of his Teeth A Tooth of S. Mildred the Virgin Also of the Rib of St. John Baptist The Shirt of Thomas Becket and his Sandals Part of the Blood of St. Edmund the Martyr with his Hose Shirt and Pillow A Bone of St. Mildred A Bone of St. Edburg The Powl of Thomas Becket The Dust of his Body The Arm of St. Jerome The Bones of St. Corduba one of the eleven thousand Virgins A bone of St. Martin with a piece of his Cloak or Mantle The Oyl of Saint Demetris Part of the Flesh and Skin of Thomas Becket St. Thomas Beckets Flesh certainly is a precious Relique and will appear so if we consider the Qualifications of the man and besides I have seen as many pieces of his Skull as an ordinary man can carry and I have seen no less than four or five Arms of St. Jerome but the Papists may make as many Arms as they please In an Ivory Chest were these Reliques contained The Cheek-bones of Cosmas and Damian with nine Teeth The Bones of St. Peter the Apostle St. Peter's Beard and part of his Cross Certain pieces of our Ladies Garments Part of St. John Baptist's Hairy Coat Of the Dust of St. Furseus Head Certain Bones of St. Hipolytus the Martyr The Blood of St. Paul the Apostle Certain Reliques of S. Stephen Part of Christs Crib Part of our Ladies Bed Certain Bones of St. â—ore of the â—ross Agnes of St. Julian of St. Praxed of St. Wandregesile and a large piece of the holy Cross These costly Chests in which these pretended Reliques were kept as these Lyars say Note might amaze the ignorant beholders but to see their pretended Saints thus pulled in pieces to be shown sheweth planny the Tyranny of these Merchants of Rome and that St. Peter's Beard was pulled off to be shewn if it were true was Inhumane but where were all these Trinkets kept the 800 years before they thus set them out to view In a little round Chest of Ivory was contained the stone upon which St. Stephen stood when he was stoned unto death Also a Bone of Saint James the Apostle How does it appear Saint Stephen stood upon one stone or upon any stone at all Note And there are so many of these stones that a sober Dominican wished that Relique were taken out of the way it appearing so ridiculous In a great Coffer of Ivory with a round head and barred about with Copper and gilt were these Reliques Thomas Becket's Mitre made of white silk with the Tunicle wherein he was buried Another Mitre of his made of white Sattin which he used to wear on single Feasts Also his Gloves which he used in Divine Service with three goodly Ouches upon them Also his Sandals embroidered most costly with Roses and other Flowers of Gold Item his Breeches of Hair Part of his Bed and of his Girdle The Dust of his Body His Cap and other Vestures His Coul The Lace or band wherewith his hairy Breeches were tyed together Part of his Flesh and Blood resolved His Girdle his Hair his Pillow his Coat his light Cap of silk which he wore under his Mitre His Stamine his Hood A Tunicle of white silk to wear over an Albe A Cloth dyed in his blood In fine a Whip wherewith he used to scourge himself when he felt Carnis insurrectionem that by this means he might obtain Vitam aeternam Hem hem hem very witty Note All these
of the Pope's Canonizing ever deserved more from the Pope than this brave Prince did Of the third principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE third principal Church is at St. Pauls in the which are these Reliques 1. The Arm of St. Ann our Lady's Mother Arm of St. Ann. 2. One of the chains wherewith St. Paul was bound and many other more without number That our Lady's Mothers name was St. Ann is unknown but this I know that all these are inventions of them who are his followers that is the Father of Lyes for the good Saint is returned to her dust long before this Lye was invented But be it so if they have St. Pauls chain I pray the next time they open shop let us see the virtue of the holy Relique Item Half the bodies of Peter and Paul The Popish party are wonderful exact in dividing Saints bodies Under the high Altar is the other half of the bodies of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul Also the body of St. Timothy who was St. Paul's Disciple And infinite number of the Reliques of Saints whose souls are merry and joyful in Heaven But the wonder is where they found the body of St. Timothy But what need that since they have the happy opportunity of having so many bodies at one time of him in several places and certain it is that they may turn any body into the body of St. Timothy when they can turn a piece of bread into the body of God In this Church also is a devout Image of the Cross That the Cross spake which spake to Saint Briget because she prayed so many times and so devoutly before it That a Wooden Cross should speak none but a brazen-fac'd Popish Priest dare affirm I am certain that the best of St. Brigets revelations are very suspicious and never yet is there the least mention of this story I confess in her Lise the Papists take notice of such a passage but never any Church receiv'd it but the Whore of Rome Of the fourth principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE fourth principal Church is at St. Maries the greater in which are these Reliques following 1. Body of St. Mathew and others The body of St. Mathew the Apostle lyeth under the high Altar Also the head of the said St. Mathew resteth in the said Church Item The Body of St. Jerome who is one of the Doctors of holy Church Item The Bodies of St. Ramula and St. Redempta Here is a crowd of Saints pretended by such a crew of Impostors as are not found amongst the heathen In the same Church is 2. A little clout in which Mary the Virgin wrapped her Son Christ when he lay in the Manger at Bethlem being newly born O horrid and great lye that a little clout should last such a great while as 1600 years and be brought from Bethlem to Rome which is I believe nigh 2000 miles 3. St. Jerome's Stole St. Jerom's stole The arm of St. Mathew the Apostle and Evangelist The arm of St. Luke the Evangelist The arm of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury The hand and arm of St. Vibian Virgin and Martyr Certainly these Saints had wonderful effects shewn upon their bodies after they were dead for eight of St. Mathews arms are to be seen in Flanders Spain and France I have seen three of St. Lukes but of Beckets there is no end 4. Manger The Popish Shavelings tell us the virtue of this Manger and how many of them ye have The Manger wherein Christ lay at Bethlem when the shepherds came unto him That a Wooden Manger should be brought from Bethlem to Rome which is nigh 2000 miles and last to be seen there 1600 years after Christs birth can be credited by none but them that love to make lyes whose doom you may read Rev. 21.27 cap. 21.15 Besides these there are many other Reliques both of he-Saints and she-Saints whose souls rejoyce in heaven and these Reliques are shewed to the people upon Easter-day about Even-song time That so holy a time should be prophaned by such shows sheweth the unholiness of Popish Priests Of the Fifth Principal Church and of the Reliques comained in the same THE Fifth Principal Church is at St. Laurences without the Walls The Stone on which Laurence laid in which besides other is this Relique viz. the Stone upon which blessed Laurence was laid after that he was roasted and dead I think it would almost make a Stone bleed to hear of the horrid forgery of the Church of Rome This Stone hath an excellent faculty at casting out Devils as Father Anderton wrote when he sent a piece of it to St. Omers in a Letter dated March 10 1678. And the Dog at St. Omers being not well this piecee of Stone was hanged about his neck in a Bag to cure him of madness what effects it wrought I cannot tell but this Stone and a good breakfast filled the Curs Belly Of the Sixth Principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE Sixth Principal Church is at St. Fabian and St. Sebastian in the which besides other innumerable are these Reliques that is to say the body of blessed Sebastian the Martyr The body of Fabian Pope and Martyr The body of blessed Stephen Pope and Martyr The body of St. Lucy the Virgin c. It 's a grievous thing that the bodies of the good Saints may not rest in their Graves but must be dragged out to be made a Market on by a company of covetous Paplings But it is Money that makes the Mare to go And if we consider the vast treasures that the Clergy of the Church of Rome have acquired we shall not need much to wonder But I hope that the Princes of Christendom will be wiser than to believe them for time to come Of the seventh principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE seventh principal Church is of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem in which are these Reliques following 1. Two Cups of which one is full of the blood of Christ Blood of Christ Milk of Mary and the other is full of the Milk of the blessed Virgin Mary She gives a jolly deal of that we had a Glass full before and now we have got a Cup full But I pray how came they by a Cup full of Christs blood Sure the Jews saved it not and the Disciples were all fled Mat. 26.56 And that this Milk and Blood should not be dryed up all this time looks like one of their lying wonders 2. The Sponge which being full of Vinegar and Gall the Jews reached unto Christ hanging on the Cross a little before his death This is like the rest as if the Jews had reserved that Spunge it is a wonder they do not lye and say they have the Reed also 3. A good large piece of the Holy-Cross Some-time they have the whole Cross as in
Reliques certain pieces of the fragments which remained of the five barley Loaves and two fishes when Christ in the Wilderness fed so miraculously five thousand people There are divers others Reliques which were brought out of the churchyard of St. Calixt But whether fragments of the bread or of the fishes or both we will not contend and he that is minded to fish for lyes let him cast his nets into the Roman Ocean which Sea is certainly stored with such fish As for the bread of life I am sure they have none and as for their nameless Reliques I suppose we may give as much credit to them as to the fragments and we may look upon them with as much veneration but any thing good Mr. Pope to fill our Treasures and maintain our pride and tyranny In the Church of the holy Apostles are these Reliques following The Bodies of Philip and Jacob. Bodies of St. Philip and Jacob. St. Thomas his Cloak The Body of Sabinus the Martyr The Cloak of St. Thomas the Apostle The Foot of St. Philip. The Arm of St. James A Rib of St. Lawrence The Shoulder-plate and the Arm of St. Blase We have but their bare word for all this and they which we have taken in so many lyes already how shall we give them credit in this Arm of Saint Matthew In the Church of St. Marcellus is the Arm of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist In the Church of St. Sylvester is the Head of St. John Baptist Head of St. John Baptist Hands and Feet of S. Lawrence the Hands and Feet of St. Lawrence and a piece of St. Francis Cowle and many other Reliques which are shewed on the Feasts of St. John the Baptist and of St. Sylvester This looks as like a cheat as all the rest for can any wise man think that Herod preserved it and in four days it would stink as bad as any dead flesh therefore this untruth accuseth it self and as for the Cowle of St. Francis he being a notorious thief is as miraculous as the Cross of the Thief which they say is preserved In the Church of St. Lawrence are these Reliques following The Blood the Fat the Clout the Gridiron Two Flagons full of the Fat and Blood of St. Lawrence Also a Vessel full of the roasted flesh of blessed Lawrence The Clout wherewith the Angel did wipe the Body of St. Lawrence Item the Cridiron whereupon St. Lawrence was roasted That St. Lawrence was roasted is true but first Saints did not use to be very fat 2ly His fat dropt into the fire so did his flesh 3. How could they separate his fat from his blood as it dropt through the Gridiron and that the Tormentors should give the Christians his flesh is as uncredible as that they have vessels full of it and that the Angel stood in need of a clout to wipe his body is as likely as that they have the Clout or Gridiron In the Church of St. Julian there is a certain kind of holy water whose virtue and power is so great that it easily healeth all them that be diseased of the Ague It cureth also all other infirmities and diseases so that they which will be made whole take that holy water fasting and say three Pater Nosters and as many Ave Maries in the honour of Almighty God and of the glorious Virgin 〈◊〉 and also of St. Julian and St. Albert or else cause one Mass to 〈◊〉 in the honour of the aforenamed Saint Albert. I wonder so many Papists die of the Pox and that the old Priest was so long in a Doctors hands that kept an Apothecaries shop in St. Giles Parish if there be such healing vertue in their holy water But one thing I note that the Virgin and the Saints have honour but Christ is forgotten and how the Popes themselves have not been cured of those foul diseases by which they have perished if they have had such excellent and infallible Remedies In the Church of St. Vitus there is a Marble stone set about with Iron Stone on which a 1000 poor Saints was slain upon which were slain more than a thousand bodies of holy Martyrs In this Church there is so great virtue and grace through the merits of those holy Martyrs Vitus Modestus and Crescentia that if so be any man be bitten with a mad Dog or of any other beast and take a piece of bread and dip it in the Oyl of St. Vitus and so eat it he shall straightway be made whole All their healing is ascribed to the Virgin or to Saints not to Christ And if they were not all bit with some Beast or another they would not set Saints of their own coining above the Son of God Jesus whom God hath made to all a means of spiritual health and eternal salvation But of this Oyl of St. Vitus I find not one word but at Rome and its virtues are not there mentioned In the Church of St. Braxed there is a Chappel which is called Libera nos a penis inferni and Ortus Paradisi in the which is a Pillar whereunto our Lord Jesus Christ was bound in his passion But our comfort is That we are not bound to believe it In the midst of this Church there is a round stone inclosed with Iron under this stone is the blood of many holy Martyrs which blessed St. Braxed gathered up with a certain Sponge and put it in a pit laying that round stone upon it They that tell these lyes will be in a pit one day in which there is no water to cool their tongues Luke 16.24 In this Church also there is an Altar upon the which Pope Pascalis said five Masses for a certain soul departed Which Masses being once finished he saw the blessed Virgin Mary take that soul out of Purgatory and carry it into the bosom of Almighty God as ye may see it plainly painted upon the wall of the said Church When Pope Pascalis had seen this miracle he granted by his Apostolique Authority That whosoever did either sing mass or cause mass to be sung on that Altar he should deliver for every time so doing one foul out of the bitter pains of Purgatory That this looks as the rest do like a piece of Forgery from top to the bottom for the Virgin never came near any other place but where Gods blessed presence is since she left this World her spirit went to God that gave it and thence it did never stir In the Church of St. Potentiana is the Altar upon which St. Peter did sing his first mass Also a Pit in which lieth hid the blood of three thousand martyrs It is as scandalous to fasten saying mass upon St. Peter as upon St. Paul who knew that your Massing-trick never came into the heart of Christ or any of his sincere followers if St. Paul himself say true Acts 20. ver 20 comp with ver 27. and if the Popes Massing had been Gods
Reliques of St. Michael the Archangel and likewise at St. Julians of Toures They do shew at great St. Michaels which is so well haunted of Pilgrims his Sword which is like a Childs Dagger and his Buckler likewise which is as it were the boss of a Horse-bit That Angels should have Swords and Shields is so vain Note that all the wit the Pope and Clergy of Rome have can never defend themselves from the imputation of being most horrid Impostors in asserting but that the Sword should be like a Childs Dagger and the Shield or Buckler like the boss of a horse-bit none but knaves will say and none but fools will believe it Although we 〈◊〉 before that the head of St. John Baptist is in divers places yet they 〈◊〉 Amiens boast to have the visage of St. John And in the Mask which they shew there is the sign of the cut of a knise overthwart the eye which they say Herodias gave him But they of St. John of Angel deny it and shew the like part As concerning the rest of the Head from the crown to the forehead it was at Rhodes and is now at Malta as it is thought at the least they have made men believe that the Turk did render it them The hinder part is at St. John of Nemoures The Brain is at Noyon Besides all this they of St. John of Morein do not want some certain part of the Head His Jawes are seen at Besanson at St. John the great There is another part at St. John of Latians at Paris and at St. Floura in Auvergne They keep his Hair at St. Saviours in Spain the Brow and some of the Hair There is also a little thereof at Noyon which is shewn very authentickly There is also some part I know not of what place at St. Lukes As for St. John Baptists Arm they of Sene boast to have it which is repugnant to all ancient Histories Now as touching that finger wherewith St. John did point and shew our Lord Jesus Christ saying Ecce Agnus ille Dei c. Behold that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world it is found to be in many and divers places There is one at Besanson in the Church of St. John the great another at Lions another at Bruges another at Florence another at St. John of Adventures near to Mascone One of St. John's Shoos is at the Charter-house of Pa is His Jacket is at Rome in the Church of St. John of Lateran where also as they say is the Altar whereon he prayed in the desert As if in those days they used to make Altars for every purpose and in every place It is a marvel that they make not the people believe also that he sung Mass In Avignon is the Sword wherewith he was beheaded At Aix is the Linuen Cloth that was spread under him when he was beheaded At Poicters they have the Jaw-bone and beard of St. Peter At Trier there are divers bones both of St. Peter and St. Paul At Argenton in Bury one of St. Paul's Shoulders At St. Saviours in Spain one of St. Peter's Slippers They of Poicters also brag that they have St. Peter's Slippers but those are wonderful trim and brave made of Satin and broidered with Gold as though he had been like to our Popish Bishops when they are dressed and decked like Puppets in their Pontificalibus When it is well known that Peter lived a very poor man as it evidently appeareth by these words which he spake to a certain man that was lame from his mothers womb Silver and gold saith he have I none such as I have I give thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk And are not these the words of St. James Hath not God chosen the poor of this world Saith not St. Paul of himself and of his fellow Apostles in this wise Even unto this time we hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted with fists and have no certain dwelling place and labour working with our own hands This Paragraph shews that their Reliques are of their own invention by the gayness of them Note which agrees not at all with the poor estate of the holy men they talk of St. Peter's Pontifical Chair with his Cope wherein he said Mass as the Papists fain are at Rome and kept as precious Reliques About the Altar whereon he said Mass there is great contention they of Rome affirm that they have it and they of Pise likewise say they have it But how the lying Papists strive among themselves for â—â—ye who knoweth not seeing that neither that monster the Mass nor yeâ—â—â—…tars were received into the Church of Christ many years after the death of St. Peter By this they pretend to justifie their own foolish Gayeties Note and therein be-lye the Primitive modesty and plainness of the Christian Religion The Sword also wherewith St. Peter cut off Malchus his ear is reserved and reverenced of the Papists in divers and sundry places The having one Sword in so many places Note is a reasonable ground to conclude they have it no where Saint Peter's Crosier is shewed at St. Stephens of Grees at Paris But they of Collen plainly affirm that they have it So likewise say they of Trier But it is truly to be thought that none of them all have it for in St. Peter's time there were no such baubles as the Popish Bishops use now-a-days neither Miter nor Crosier Cope nor Vestment Altar nor Altar-cloth Saint Bartholomew's skin is at Pisa and there kept for an holy and precious Relique notwithstanding in the Kingdom of Naples they plainly affirm that they have the whole Body of St. Bartholomew with skin and all And in St. Bartholomew's Church at Rome they stoutly maintain that he is there both body and skin and in no other place Poor St. Bartholomew is at Pisa and at Rome too what place next an Arm with the Walloon Jesuits at St. Omers and five Ribs at Leige in Germany and a Leg at Burgos and an Head at Villa Garsia Saint Mathias hath one Body at Padua Note here is a blessed in crease of St. Mathias another at Rome in the Church of St. Mary the greater and a third Body at Trier Besides this he hath a Head and an Arm at Rome and another Body at Salamanca in Spain and another at the Cathedral at St. Omers and another where Mr. Pope pleaseth Nay he hath any thing but Truth and true Religion but these have left Rome long since At Ortone the Body of Saint Thomas the Apostle is kept and taken for an holy Relique notwithstanding they of Trier say they have certain of his Bones and at Rome they boast to have his Arm and Head The Chalice out of which St. John the Evangelist drank the Poyson being condemned by Domitian the Roman Emperour is found in two places and taken for a great Relique One is at Rome in
to St. James and come again In this Church also on the right hand of the Quire is a devout Image of the Cross which spake to St. Bridget because she used to pray before it In the Church of St. Laurence without the walls lie the bodies of Saint Laurence and of St. Stephen and at the high Altar ye have 18000 years of pardon and as many Karins And whoso visiteth the other Altars hath at each Altar 7000 years of pardon and as many Karins Also Pope Pelagius granted there at four Feasts of the year at each Feast 700 years of pardon and as many Karins And he that goeth thither every Wednesday in the year delivereth a Soul out of Purgatory and is himself quit of all his sins Likewise the holy Father Pope Calixt the third hath granted to all men and women that devoutly visit the aforesaid Church full remission of all their sins Also if any man enter into the aforesaid Church by the door that is on the South-side and so goeth from one Cross to another devoutly praying he shall have clean remission of all his sins toties quoties In the Church of St. Crosse there is a Chamber or Chappel which Pope Sylvester named Jerusalem in which Chappel is that Bond wherewith Christ was led to his Crucifying Also two Sawcers the one full of Jesus's blood and the other is full of our Ladies milk Also the Spunge wherein was mingled Vinegar and Gall. Item one of the Nails wherewith Jesus was nailed to the Cross Item a part of the block upon which St. John's head was smitten off Item two Arms the one of St. Peter the other of St. Paul Item there standeth a Chair in which Pope Anicetus was martyr'd And to all them that sit in the Church they gave an hundred thousand years of pardon and as many Karins and every Sunday a Soul out of Purgatory and the third part of all sins released Item in the same Church is a great part of one of the Crosses that one of the Thieves was put on that was crucified with Christ I believe this Cross grows in Spain for there is a Jolly company of them for I have seen at least 40 or 50 of the Thieves Crosses and all to be the Crosses of the good or bad Thief besides pritty gobbets of this Cross in their little Pigeon-houses or Hovels where Mass is said Item In the same Church is the title of Christ which Pilate wrote in Latin Hebrew and Greek which title was found in the time of Pope Innocent the Eighth of that name in the 7th year of his Reign To which title the same Pope hath granted great pardon to be received of all them that either look upon the title devoutly or with reverence either hear it read or else read it themselves This Pope was very happy in this Find-all I suppose it was one of his Image-graving Angels that contributed this Worthy Relique to this Church And it is to be noted that into that Chappel which is called Jerusalem women do not enter but only one in the year that is to say on the Dedication day of that Chappel which is on the even of St. Bennett the Abbot in the month of March. At which time there is full remission of all sins none excepted In the Church of St. Mary Major there standeth on the high Altar the head of St. Jerom and there ye have 14000 years of pardon and as many Karins And on the other Altar on the right hand there is the Cradle that Jesus lay in part of our Ladies milk and a great part of the holy Cross and many bodies of many holy Saints And there ye have 19000 years of pardon and as many Karins And Pope Nicholas the 4th and St. Gregory each of them granted thereto 10000 years of pardon and as many Karins And from the ascension of our Lord unto Christmas ye have there daily 14000 years of pardon and as many Karins and the 3d. part of all sins released Well for my part I do believe a man may go to all the Cathedrals in England yea and Parish-Churches and not find so much pardon as the Pope is pleased to confer on those that go to St. Mary Major Item That on the even of the Ascension of our Lord in which the Feast of the translation of St. Jeroms body is celebrated whose body resteth there Pope Pius the second hath granted to so many as devoutly visit in that Church the Altar of St. Jerom clean remission of all their sins toties quoties Item On all the Feasts of blessed Mary the Virgin there are 1000 years Also on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary the Virgin to the Feast of her Nativity there are 12000 years of pardon besides the daily Indulgences aforenamed In the Church of St. Schastian without the Town is a place that Pope Calixt named Talundas where an Angel appeared and spake to St. Gregory the Pope In that place is forgiveness of all sins and of all penance At the high Altar is granted 2800 years of pardon and as many Karins And he that cometh to the first Altar that standeth in the Church hath 2400 years of pardon And there is a Cellar or Vault wherein lyeth buried 49 Popes that died all martyrs Whoso cometh first into that place delivereth eight Souls out of Purgatory of such as he most desireth and as much pardon thereto as all the world cannot number nor reckon and every Sunday deliver a Soul out of Purgatory And in that Cellar standeth a Well or Fountain where the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul lay hid fot the space of 250 years so that no man wist where they were become And whoso putteth his head into that Pit Well or Fountain is clean of all sins Pope Gregory Pope Sylvester Pope Nicholas Pope Pelagius and Honorius each of them granted to the same place 1000 years of Pardon and as many Karins And also there lie the bodies of divers holy persons which were too long to write of And so the grace that is at St. Sebastians is so surely grounded that it cannot be taken away Here is all in all what need we have any more than all our sins past present and to come forgiven us ay and Souls out of Purgatory too here is not only a bit for our selves but our Friend may come in for a snack we heartily thank his Holiness Item In this Church of St. Mary Major before the Quire is the Image of our Lady which St. Luke did paint which Image St. Gregory did bear from St. Mary Major to St. Peters the Apostle and so coming before the Castle of St. Angell he saw an Angel in the top of the Castle having in his hands a mighty flame of fire and with him a great multitude of Angels which sung afore that image Regina caeli laetare c. And St. Gregory answered Ora pro nobis Deum Allelujah I am not yet satisfied about St. Lukes
OF RELIQVES The Introduction AS the Holy Prophets of old made it their business to shew the vanity and folly of the Apostate Church of the Jews and wherein they had gone away from God to the foolish inventions of idolatrous and superstitious men So our late zealous Reformers laboured to discover the madness and folly of them which did abide still in the Communion of the Popish Religion by shewing wherein the people were cheated by the superstitious pretences feigned miracles and useless reliques with which the seducing Priests Fryers Monks and Antichristian Popes of Rome had deceived the poor sons and daughters of men And herein the faithful Servants of God in the days of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth have laboured and have discovered the fanaticism of the Church of Rome in many instances and shewn what horrid Fanaticks the Popes and their followers have been And because the Papists are to my own knowledg still such Fanaticks and will not be reclaimed I have thought it my duty for the Honour of God and the preventing the good Christian people of this Generation from being any longer deceived by them to revive and recover out of oblivion the old observations and collections of the Servants of Christ which time hath buried in forgetfulness which together with my own Observations I have transcribed and caused to be published that so the madness and folly in which they persist may be known to all men that so as St. Paul saith of the Fanaticks of his time they may proceed no further read 2 Tim. 3.8 9. And I think it but reason if the disease be still the same the means of curing should be continued and of this I am sure that they do still cheat the people with their pretended Miracles and Reliques of pretended Saints and amongst the rest with the Fanatical pretences of Pardons and Indulgences by going to such a Saints Shrine or Sepulcher and of being healed of diseases by the touch of a Relique of a pretended Saint And because you shall see that I do not impose new fictions of my own brain but do follow the wise example of them who to undeceive the people and recover them out of the Fanaticism of the Church of Rome did discover her â—ollies and frauds to all men I have not only followed their methods but transcribed their very Collections which I doubt not but will be as useful in the present recovery of the English Christians as in the the days past And as the Prophets of old used no other means to reduce men but bringing them back to the Law and Testimony shewing them the folly and madness of their forefathers and of them that would or did mislead the people in the days in which they prophesied so ought the Servants of God in this day and I doubt not but the same method will have the same good effect AT Rome in times past as St. Sylvester the Pope writeth in his Chronicle there were One thousand five hundred and five Churches whereof the greater part at this present is destroyed But among those that remain there are Seven principal Churches which as they say * Query Who endued these Churches I am sure not Christ for he bestows spiritual Gifts on persons not Places are endued with greater and more singular priviledges than the rest are yea and that for the grace holiness and dignity which is found in them passing all other Churches * All are but Stone and Timber and dead matter and not capable of any holiness one more than other In those Seven principal Churches there are many yea almost innumerable Indulgences Pardons Priviledges c. and Reliques also as they fain And first I will rehearse the names of all such Reliques as be at Rome not only in those Seven Principal Churches but in the residue also and afterwards rehearse the Indulgences Pardons Priviledges c. that appertain unto the same And because no man shall think that I invent these things of my own head I here truly and faithfully confess that whatsoever in this Treatise is written of Rome is translated out of a Book Printed in Latin at Rome by Mr. Stephen Plank of Patavia in the year of our Lord 1489 the 7th of November the sixth year of Pope Innocent the Eighth And whatsoever is added is declared out of what Books they were taken and the judgment of all these things left to the indifferent Reader But first of all we will go in hand with such Reliques as be in the Churches at Rome and begin with the Seven Principal Churches whereof the Church of Lateran is the first Of the Church of Lateran and of the Reliques contained in the same THE Church of Lateran was dedicated of St. Sylvester the Pope in honour of St. Saviour St. John Baptist and St. John the Evangelist In the Relique-House of this Church there is the Altar of St. John Baptist which he had in the Wilderness It is a likely matter they should have the Altar of St. John Baptist who had no Altar there nor had he use for one A blessed company Why did they not tell us what he offered upon that Altar And besides this the Altar of which they boast is in eight or nine several places Also in a certain Chappel at the end of the said Church Ark. there is the Ark of the Lord which Moses made at the Commandment of God in the Desert after the Children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt They that will believe this story must needs be ignorant and willing to believe lyes seeing the Prophet Esdras 2 book ch 10. v. 22 saith it was spoiled by the Babylonians which any man will believe sooner than the Pope But to put it out of doubt that they do wickedly read Jer. 3.16 There is also the Table whereupon our Lord Jesus Christ did eat his supper with his Disciples when he ordained the Sacrament of his Body and Blood The Table I have seen a great part of this Table so called in Spain and Flanders and it is of excellent virtue if we may believe the holy Fathers of the Society of Jesus Item The Rod of Moses and Aaron which being cast on the ground Rod. became a Serpent wherewith also many and notable Miracles were wrought by the power of God It is strange to hear that they should have that stick or rod of Moses which was 2000 years before Christ in the wilderness of which the Scripture makes no mention after Moses smote the Rock with it Numb 20.11 and one of the Jesuits forgetting that it was said to be at Rome preached this Doctrine that Moses broke it when he smote upon the Rock All these things aforesaid did Vespastanus and Titus bring unto Rome from Jerusalem Padre Antonio de Laudayada on the Feast of St. Alban June 21. 1677. with four Pillars of Brass which are set up and stand about the high Altar of the said Church If we
have but folly enough to believe all before said we may believe this into the bargain but believe it for all this because that Vespasianus and Titus were admirers of those Pillars for the sanctity that was in them and certainly did intend them to be for Reliques and may be as precious as the Virgin Mary's Chamber-pot which the Fryars of the Order of Augustine at Burgos are said to have and keep it as a very precious Relique but if they have the Chamber-pot I wonder who had her Close-stool Upon the said high Altar there stand the heads of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul and whensoever those are shewed to the people Peter's head Paul's head there are so many Indulgences and Pardons granted as there are when the Napkin of the Lord is shewed at St. Peters Church Quaery Who granted these Pardons Not Christ I am sure at either or both the shows but here the Church of Rome shews her self to be like her Father the Devil that was a lyar from the beginning The Fryars of Augustine's Order in Bilbao say they have a great piece of St. Peter's skull and the Franciscans of St. Pauls In this Church also is the head of St. Pancras out of which head Pancras head when this Church was set on fire by a sort of Hereticks issued and followed out great plenty of blood by the space of three days and three nights This Head with divers other Reliques is shewed on Easter-day after dinner That this is a bloody lye a weak eye may perceive It 's a wonder they did not save some of that blood to shew amongst the rest of the Reliques Under the high Altar of the aforesaid Church Oratory is that Oratory of St. John the Evangelist where he prayed when he went in and out and was prisoner at Rome This is said also to be at Genoua now and also at Rome and several pieces at St. Diego in Spain Item In a certain Tabernacle which is upon the Altar of Mary Magdalen these Reliques are hid that follow 1. Diadem THE Imperial Diadem wherewith St. Sylvester the Pope was crowned by Constantine the Emperor Whether or no that ever Sylvester the Pope wore an Imperial Diadem I will not in this Book contend but the Diadem the Popes after him challeng'd hath been a vexation to many good Princes 2. The head of St. Zachary the Priest Father to St. John Baptist Zachary dyed in Palestina 2000 miles from Rome and how should his head be shown at Rome so many hundred years after for it was some hundreds of years after Zachary's death before the Church of Rome was so filthy as to invent such lyes 3. Divers Reliques of St. Mary Magdalen Which are called as he that shews them pleaseth 4. Shoulder-plate The shoulder-plate of St. Lawrence Martyr It is a wonder if they which roasted him did not burn his bones and the wonder is greater because that his Ashes and Urn were presented to the Cathedral Church at Sevill in Spain 5. A Tooth One of the teeth of St. Peter the Apostle 6. Cup. The cup wherein St. John drank the poyson and yet it did not hurt him How could that be known so many hundred years after seeing that no less than four Churches in Rome pretend to have this cup to the certain knowledg of the Publisher 7. Chain The chain wherewith St. John the Evangelist was bound when he was led from Ephesus to Rome How is it possible that the chain should be perceived or known to be the same if it lasted so long 600 years yea all the people being dead and neither Pagan Rome nor Christian Rome had got the art of shewing those tricks till Rome grew Antichristian 8. Petticoat The Petticoat of St. John the Evangelist rather of Pope Joan which was laid upon the three dead men and they straightway rose up from death to life That St. John should wear Petticoats is strange but that this Petticoat should last 800 years is more strange but that any body should be such Fanaticks as to believe this is to be admired 9. Ashes Coat Part of St. John Baptists Ashes and his Coat made of hair which he did wear in the Wilderness There could be no Ashes of his for he was not burnt but his body buried by his Disciples Mat. 14.12 And that he had a Coat is uncertain but that his Coat should be shown six or seven hundred years after is incredible and it 's a wonder they had not the confidence to show the Taylor that made it 10. Milk Part of our Ladies Milk Hair and Garments Good Reader observe this Tale well and compute the time when the Virgin Mary gave Milk and the time when the World were such fools to believe and you will find it about 800 year and that a Womans Milk should last till this year 1679 is incredible Item Shirt The Shirt which the Virgin Mary made with her own hands for Christ which Shirt is of such virtue that Devils themselves are driven out by whole Legions of persons possessed if you will believe this abominable Harlot and Impostor of Rome But I pray then how are Jesuits in the East-Indies possessors of this Shirt if it be at Rome Item Towel The Towel or Linnen-Cloth wherewith Christ wiped his Apostles feet This is another lye for the Publisher hath seen as many pieces of this Towel as will fill an ordinary bag and half a yard at least was shewed him at St. Barlines Abby in St. Omers and yet Rome challengeth the whole Towel Item The Reed wherewith Christ was stricken Reed And the hand that struck him I hope the one is as true as the other and may prove as good a Relique It seems that the Reed as the Papists say is of such efficacy and force that several persons have been delivered from great pains of body that have kissed the same The Spanish Jesuits at Madrid having also the said Reed say so therefore it must needs be true Item Garment The Garment of Purple which was dyed with the drops of blood from Christ This is an unworthy and filthy lye for there are so many pieces of this Garment said to be in Spain Portugal Flanders France and Germany There is scarce a Conventicle in all these places but challenge a good piece of this Garment as is able to make Ten such Garments as Christ wore when mocked by the Jews Item The Vail of the blessed Virgin Mary Vail which she put about the privy-Members of Christ when he hanged on the Cross This Veil is seen in a dozen places and works wonderful things in Spain for in one day it begot such a devotion in the people of Vallidolyd that the Franciscan-Fryars got above a Thousand pieces of Eight besides Gold for the sight thereof Item The Napkin which was laid upon Christs face Napkin The Jesuits at St. Omers have a good piece
mischief on 't is the poor Rag merchants have been abominably put to it to lose so good a quantity of Rags but St. Blase Church hath them and so much good may do her with them I suppose that some little two-penny miracles have been wrought with them In the Church of St. Mary Transpontin there are this day the two Pillars whereunto the holy Apostle Peter and Paul were bound and so afterward whipped and scourged the which Pillar all men according to their devotion may daily come unto and touch Did God ever appoint or did it ever come into his heart to appoint such Devotion He may well say Who required these things at your hands to go in devotion to Wooden Pillars In the Church of St. James is the stone of that Altar upon which Christ was offered in the Temple when Simeon took him in his arms The Stone on which Christ was offered embraced him and said Now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word c. Titus Vespasian had burnt the Temple many hundred years before Note and how could the Priests when they began to shew such tricks find such stone or stones and Rome being 2000 miles off how got they the stone and if they had it what good can be expected from it but to set fools a gazing In the Church of St. Katharine is part of the Oyl which flowed out of the Sepulcher of the aforenamed St. Katharine There is also of the Milk Catharine Milk and Blood which instead of Blood flowed out of her holy body when she was beheaded How credible this is I will leave the Reader to judg but must boldly say that the tricks the Priests of Rome have to get money are both many and strange In the Church of the Holy Ghost is the Arm of St. Andrew Andrews Arm. Kates Finger the Finger of St. Katharine and many other Reliques I perceive the Holy Ghost is in no great credit with them for his church is but poorly endowed that is only furnished with an Arm and a Finger As for the many Reliques oft-times named I perceive they are of no great value A Register of such Reliques as I have found in reading Chronicles and Histories POPE Leo the third bearing rule there were given to Carolus Magnus King of France for the good service he did to Mother holy Church these Reliques following A Crown of Thorns A Nail A large piece of the Cross The Napkin he wiped his face with The Lady's Smock The Swadling Clouts Simeons Arm. First of all the crown of thorns wherewith Christ was crowned 2. One of the Nails wherewith Christ was fastned to the cross 3. A large piece of the Tree whereon Christ was hanged when he suffered his Passion 4. Christs Napkin wherewith he used commonly to wipe his face 5. The Smock of our blessed Lady which she had on when she brought forth Christ 6. The Swadling-clouts wherein Christ was wrapped when he lay in the Manger 7. Old Simeons Arm wherewith he embraced Christ in the Temple of Solomon when he broke out into these words Nunc dimittis c. One may see by this Paragraph the fountain of all the Popish cheats is the Pope himself and that he endoweth persons and places with what of those Reliques he pleaseth and if he say This is the Ladies Smock it is believed to be so and truly it may by some be thought rational because that Mr. Pope is a very honest Gentleman and never told a lye in plain downright English in all his life The Head of St. John Baptist is affirmed of some to be in a certain Monastry which King Pipinus built in France Head of St. John Baptist Some say it is at Constantinople some hold that it is apud Castrum Nogenti some maintain that it is at Rome in the church of Sylvester but I believe it is consumed to dust according to Gods Ordinance upon all flesh This his head St. John himself did reveal to tvvo Monks vvhich came to Jerusalem on Pilgrimage That St. John Baptist had more heads than one Note for in the church of St. Sylvester as before you find his head But it seemeth by this Paragraph they cannot agree where it is by which you may see the folly of these men and their followers who are so fond of devised fables that they will believe contradictions Yet by the way we are to consider that the Pope can turn what he pleaseth into John Baptists Head and can say to his Reliques Encrease and multiply Pope Vrban the second bearing rule St. Andrew appeared to a Husbandman The Spear that pierced Christ which at that present was one of the Army which went to conquer the Holy Land and to win Christs Sepulcher out of the Infidels hands and said unto him Come I will shew thee where the spear is that pierced Christs heart when he hanged on the cross for it lay hid in the ground The Tale of the Spear His apparel was not hurt because he had none on but his body was so scorched that it cost him his life being buried at St. Peter's Church at Antioch This Soldier at the commandment of St. Andrew went unto the place appointed and digged out the Spear which was so virtuous noble and precious a Relique and of so great power that a certain man called Bartholomew caused a great fire to be made of thirteen foot in length and he having the Spear in his hand went through the fire and was not hurt neither in himself nor in his apparel Moreover through the virtue of this Spear I wonder they would stay so long from victuals till almost starved when they had such a miraculous Spear about them I would wish the Saracens to have a care of this Spearl when the Army of the Christians were so pined away with hunger that they were almost compelled one to eat another this Famine ceased and plenty of all things was ministred unto them yea through the virtue of this Spear they overcame their Enemies and had most glorious victories By the virtue also of this Spear a certain man called Boemundus flew in one battel an hundred thousand Saracens and besides many other notable spoils he got Fifteen thousand Camels wherewith the Christians were greatly comforted after so great labours taken for the recovery of the Holy Land and of Christs Sepulcher It would pierce any Christians heart to hear such invented lyes imposed on the pretenders to Christianity But what is it that the Father of lyes and Mother of abominations cannot invent I will be bold to say that in the Kingdom of Spain this Spear is to be seen in forty places nay they have pretended to have obtained great Victories against the Moors nay they have attributed much of their expelling the Moors out of the Kingdom of Spain to these Spears and every one of them is the very Spear that pierced the side of our Lord
Christ when upon the cross Balduinus Emperor of Constantinople gave unto Lewis King of France The Crown of Thorns More great pieces of the Cross The Spunge that the vinegar was given in for most precious Reliques and things of incomparable virtue the Crown of thorns that Christ did wear upon his head and a great part of the cross whereon Christ dyed with the Spunge wherewith they gave Christ vinegar and gall to drink and the iron of the spear wherewith Christ was thrust to the heart on the cross O the Frauds of Rome we had the spear given before by Vrban and the great Wonders it did without its head What would it have done if the head had been on it We have before found a piece of the crown and the whole crown and behold it 's here again sure they that can make a Wafer Christ can make Christ many crowns Pope Gregory the first being Bishop of Rome Christs coat which had no seam was found as they say and brought unto Jerusalem and laid up by the cross of Christ as a most precious and healthful Relique Thus they ascribed the power of healing to the old coat which they pretend to have found which they would not have done if they had not lost the right faith of Christ St. Sibel the Daughter of Fuleo King of Jerusalem and Wife to Theodoricus by whom she had many goodly children afterward by the consent of her Husband returned unto Jerusalem and became a Religious woman where she found as they write a good quantity of Christs blood which Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea got out of the wounds of Christ when they washed his body and she sent it to her Husband Which blood as they say is at this day kept at Bruges and is shewed every year to the people on the third day of the Month of May. These men are gone from the virtue of Christs blood to the matter Note and that Christs blood can be saved 1600 years is incredible but that the people should make a piece of Pageantry of it set it out to shew for money on such a day in the year is prophaness Pope Eusebius the first The Cross again being Bishop of Rome the cross whereupon Christ died was found at Jerusalem by Helena Mother to Constantine the Emperor and kept for a noble and precious Relique Of this Cross there have been cut out for Reliques so many pieces since that time that if they were gathered together they would come to a greater quantity than five of the greatest Oaks in Italy And to encrease the honour of this cross the aforesaid Pope Eusebius ordained the Feast of the Invention of the cross and commanded it to be kept holy for ever after The use of the cross is an invention of foolish men Note This is not the cross St. Paul gloried in as the Papists do The aforesaid Helena found at Jerusalem the three Nails wherewith Christ was fastened to the cross and brought them with her to Constantinople with great reverence and honour and gave them unto her Son Constantine who took one of them and put it upon his bridle which he used always when he went to the Wars and at no other time that by virtue thereof he might have good success against his Enemies This Nail is at this day kept at Mediolanum and had there in great reverence The second Nail he put upon his Helmet which he used in the time of Wars that by virtue thereof he might the sooner get the victory over his Adversaries The third Nail he threvv into the Sea called Mare Adriaticum to repress mitigate appease and assvvage the cruel storms and nerce compests of that cruel and raging Sea Thus you see the three Nails disposed of Note and these lying Priests do feign to have them as Monuments in other churches in Rome as you heard before The said Helena brought vvith her also a good part of the holy cross from Jerusalem to Constantinople Here is now a good part of the Cross again vvhich she caused to be sumptuously garnished and gallantly trimmed vvith a case of silver and precrous stones And this part of the cross thus decked and adorned she brought aftervvard to Rome vvith great reverence vvorship and honour and placed it in that church vvhich is novv called The church of St. Cross Thus these men that have forgot to reverence Christ Note do adore and adorn the cross Pope Gregory the first reigning Here is the Coat again Christs coat that vvas vvithout seam vvhich the blessed Virgin Mary made vvith her ovvn hands for him vvas found not far from Jerusalem in a Tovvn called Saphat of these three Bishops Gregory of Antioch Thomas of Jerusalem and John of Conslantinople This coat vvas laid up in a fair Marble chest and vvas found very fair vvithout breach and uncorrupt The three aforesaid Bishops taking this coat of Christ out of the chest brought it unto Jerusalem and laid it up very devoutly in a chest of Ivory and with great honour as a most precious Relique This is that coat for which the Soldiers did cast lots when Christ hanged on the cross And yet these lyars pretend to have it as a Relique in other places Lyars had need have good memories It 's a like matter the Roman Soldiers should part with a coat that wanted cloathes as most Soldiers do Egelvotus Archbishop of Canterbury found at Papia in Italy one of St. Austins arms and gave for it an hundred Talents of silver and one of gold and brought it with him into England with great reverence and placed it as a most precious Relique in the City of Venturia You may see that they will be at great charge to maintain their superstition Note But how can they say this was his Arm one mans Arm may be like another The Dish which was set before Christ with the Paschal Lamb that night wherein he instituted the Sacrament of his body and blood was afterward found by the Genoueses at Caesarea and brought home into their own City with great joy and is now there kept as a most precious Relique As the fool thinks so the bell clinks How came Christs dish at Caesarea Note And how 1500 years after could they know that from another dish The aforesaid Genoueses have also the ashes of John the Baptist which they brought with them from Mirea unto their own City and keep them as most precious and blessed Reliques as by whose virtue they have gotten most triumphant victories and most victorious triumphs John the Baptist was not burnt but buried by his Disciples Mat. 14.12 Note which was a 1000 years before the Genoneses were a people The Head of St. George is kept of the Venetians even at this day as a most precious Relique This is a Fiction like the story of his killing the Dragon The Head of St. Vrsula was translated from Cales unto Bergomo in Italy Note
the Church of St. John of Lateran and the other at Bullen At our Lady of the Isle near Lions are kept for precious Reliques the twelve Combs of the twelve Apostles St. Anne Mother of the Virgin Mary hath one of her Bodies at Apte in Provence the other at our Lady of the Isle at Lyons Besides this she hath one Head at Trier the other at Turen another at Turinge a Town named after her name I omit the pieces of her Body which are in more than a hundred places as an arm in St. Paul's Church at Rome c. When they are agreed amongst themselves Note it will be time enough to believe them of the story of the twelve Combs and Cups Bodies and bones they talk of in these four last Paragraphs Lazarus the Brother of Martha and Mary Magdalen hath three Bodies one at Marseilles the other at Authum the third at Avalon Every one of these places boast that they have the true Body of Lazarus But how this may be no man may demand except he will be taken for a Lutheran Mary Magdalen is known to have two Bodies Mary Magdalen 's Noli me tangere hath great Veneration in the Romish Church one at Veselnere Auserre the other which is of greater renown at St. Maximius in Provence Besides she hath divers parts of her Body in divers places as her head with her Noli me tangere her bones her hair c. With what face can these people look men in the face Note and boast of unity of the Church of Rome when they cannot agree about a few bones and old invented Reliques about which they prove themselves lyars and under the curse of believing lyes But as for the Noli me tangere of Mary Magdalen I suppose the Priests have a great devotion and the people kiss it with as much St. Longus the Knight who pierced the side of our Lord Jesus on the Cross with a Spear hath two Bodies in two sundry places the one is at Mantone the other at our Lady of the Isle near Lyons Truly I should be as well contented if he had had two and twenty The Bodies of the three Kings which came to worship the new-born Saviour of the World whom the Papists have baptised with these names Balthasar Melchior and Gaspar are constantly affirmed of many to be at Colen but they of Millain say plainly that they have these Bodies of the three Kings so that whosoever will worship them they must come unto Millain and offer there unto them or else all their labour is lost About this matter there hath been great contention in times past insomuch that it was brought before the Apostolique See to be determined And could not the Pope by his art perswade the fools they are in both places Note and if I am not misinformed they are in the great Church in Portugal also And they pretend to have the Bodies of one of those three Kings at Palencia and another at Toledo in the Kingdom of Spain St. Denis whom some take to be one of the Apostles Disciples and the first Preacher of the Gospel in France hath two Bodies in two sundry places one is at St. Denis in France the other at Regensburg in Germany About this matter also there hath been no small ado who have the true body of St. Denis insomuch that the Apostolique See was fain to give judgment therein And yet both of them persist in their fancy And well they may persist for it is but a fancy Note like all the trinckets we have heard of in this whole Inventory of their Merchandize The Body of St. Stephen is reported to be whole in his Church at Rome Notwithstanding his Head is affirmed to be in Arles and his Bones are in more than 200 places Thus do these fools prove themselves Knaves and Lyers Note and would not England be blest to entertain such a sort of Religion and Religious men The Stones also wherewith St. Stephen is reported to be stoned to death are kept as Reliques at Florence again in Arles at the Augustines and at Vigan in Languedock There is also at Poictiers one of the aforesaid Stones which as they say if it be aptly applied to a certain part of a Woman that is big with Child is very profitable unto the safe deliverance of the Child to the hasty expedition of the Birth and easing of pain Would it not be well to find out who gathered these stones together Note and kept them till the Church of Rome began to show such tricks and invent this Trade cheating her followers St. Sebastian hath four whole bodies in four sundry places whereof one is at Rome in St. Laurences Church the other at Soison the third at Pilligne near Nantes the fourth near Narbon in the place where he was born besides this he hath two heads the one at St. Peters at Rome the other at the Jacobins of Tholouse But all these are but empty skulls if it be true what is reported for the Gray-friers of Anger 's affirm that whosoever have St. Sebastians head they have all his brains which they keep for holy and precious Reliques Item the Jacobins of Angiers have an Arm of his and they of St. Servine of Tholouse have another Another also of his Arms if one man may have so many Arms is at Avergne and another at Mombrison in the forest besides the small little pieces that are in many other Churches This Story if well observed doth so fully confute it self Note that one half blind may perceive it And what is the reason that they at Lisbon who do one day every year go down to the Water-side to look for him do not rather go to these places to meet him The Arrows also wherewith St. Sebastian was shot are preserved and kept for Reliques whereof one is at Lambest in Provence another at Poictiers at the Augustines and the rest are here and there Mr. David Rivers when he kept a Cooks Shop in Nortonfallgate at the Sign of the Plow there lodged two French-men at his house which were as they said Pilgrims and had been at Jerusalem Among several other discourses said Mr. Rivers you could not chuse but be exposed to great want in so long a Journey No said one of the Pilgrims the other standing by we did seldom want long for by one means or other we were soon supplied But we were once in a very great strait night coming on and we having neither food nor money but only a few odd things that might yield some small matter So we entred into an house required Lodging which being granted we demanded of the Woman if she had any thing to eat No indeed replyed the Woman I have nothing in the house but Bread that is fit for this day it being then a Fish-day but had it happened on another day I could have furnished you with a good Rib of Bacon bring us that said we
bread and water that Friday seven year Item In seven years not to sleep one night where he sleepeth another Item In 7 years not to come under no cover'd place except it be to hear Mass in the Church-door or Porch Item In 7 years not to eat or drink out of any Vessel but in the same that he made his avow in He that fulfilleth all these points seven years successively doth and winneth a Karin or Lenton Thus may a man have at Rome great pardon and Soul-health Blessed be those people and in good time are they born that receive these Graces and well keep them Of which pardon and grace our Lord Jesus grant to every good Christian man Here followeth the Indulgences granted to other lower Churches in Rome IN Rome there is a Church of St. Peter ad vincula which Pope Pelagius did Consecrate and Hallow To this Church the aforesaid Pope Pelagius granted to remission of all sins the first day of August by the prayer of the Son of Theodorus the Emperor who brought the Chain from Jerusalem wherewith Peter the Apostle was bound In the Church of St. Vitus Modestus Crescentia Marcellus and others to the number of 5000 martyrs whose bodies were slain in the same place in the time of Antoninus the Emperor is granted 100 years of pardon and as many Karins and forgiveness of the 4th part of all sins In this Church also is a Vault wherein lyeth the body of Sylvester the Pope to which is granted 800 years of pardon and as many Karins and remission of the third part of all sins The old Latin Book saith that the Indulgences and Pardons that belong to this aforesaid Church are 7000 years and as many Lents And that in that Church there is such grace through the merits of the holy Martyrs Vitus and Modestus c. that whosoever is hurt of any mad dog c. or of any other noisom beast and dippeth his bread in the Oyle of St. Vitus and eateth it he is presently made whole In the Church of all the Apostles is every day a year of pardon and every Feast of one of the Apostles 300 years of pardon In the Church entituled Quatuor Coronatorum is 40 years of pardon In the Church of St. Julian is a 100 years of pardon In this Church is a certain kind of holy water very medicinable and easily cureth all kind of Diseases but especially Agues be they never so fervent sharp and hot Provided always that they which are diseased and come to take this blessed and holy water be fasting and say three Pater Nosters and as many Ave Maries in the Worship of Almighty God and of the glorious Virgin Mary and of the sweet Saints Julian and Albert Or else either say Mass or cause it to be said in the honour of the aforenamed St. Albert. In the Church of St. Foelix is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Visy is 100 years of pardon In the Church of St. Peter and St. Marcellin is 1000 years of pardon Moreover Pope Alexander who consecrated and hallowed this Church granted unto it from the day of the Consecration unto the Vtas every year 3 years of pardon and as many Lents And after that he removed the said pardon from that time unto the Monday after the second Sunday of Lent and added the pardon of one year and forty days In the Church of Marcell is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Cire and Joannes is the remission of the fourth part of all sins In the Church of St. John and St. Paul is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Eustace where his own and his Wifes body lieth with their two Sons is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Bartholomew where his body lieth and the body of St. Pauline is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Gregory is 300 years of pardon and in the same Church whosoever be buried he shall never be damned This Church which before was dedicated saith the old Latin book to St. Andrew the Apostle St. Gregory did hallow and endowed the same with great and singular priviledges And after he had finished the Consecration of the said Temple he kneeled down and most humbly prostrated himself before the Majesty of God and prayed on this manner saying O Lord Jesus Christ the Son of the living God which saidst to thine Apostles and by thine Apostles to all faithful Christians Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name he shall give it you I desire of the Omnipotency and Almightiness of thy Majesty that whosoever for ever after shall choose his burial in this Church or Church-yard so that he hold the Christian faith may never be adjudged to the pains of Everlasting damnation but be exalted to the joys of Everlasting life When he had thus prayed the Angel of the Lord appeared unto him saying O Gregory thy prayer is heard In the Church of St. Augustin is 1000 years of pardon In this Church is the chiefest Image of our Lord that ever St. Luke painted which Image he always carried with him whithersoever he went And it was found in the Grave of St. Luke about his head And this Image is called Sancta Maria Virgo Virginum mater omnium that is Saint Mary Virgin of Virgins and Mother of all This Image throughout all the City of Rome did excel and was very famous in working of Miracles in the time of Pope Innocent the 8th in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ 1485. In the Church of St. Jerom is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Alexius where his body lieth is 2000 years of pardon In this Church saith the old Latin Book are every day in the year 100 years of pardon and as many Lents In this Church also is a worthy Image of our Lady which sometime was in a Church of the aforesaid Lady at a certain City called Edesia where blessed Alevius being a Pilgrim was and greatly desired to come and pray before it and he could not be suffered In consideration whereof the most blessed Image miraculously spake twice to the Keeper of the Church and said Let Alexius the man of God come in who sitteth without at the door and is worthy of the Kingdom of Heaven In the Church of Salvator is 1100 years of pardon and 40 days In the Chappel of 3 Wells where St. Paul was beheaded is 1000 years of pardon and as many Karins and the third part of all sins released In the Church of St. Salvator in the way to St. Pauls is an hundred years of pardon In the Church of St. Sylvester is 1000 years of pardon and there is the head of St. John Baptist. In the Church of St. Jacob is 1000 years of pardon and the third part of all sins released and there 's the head of St. James the Apostle In the Church of St. Nicholas is 100 years of pardon In the Church