y e one was more then a prophete so the other was aboue the state and condicion of Monkes Some assigne the original of it to Antony other referre it to one Paule a Thebane surnamed Heremite bycause he laide the fouÌ„dacion of y e maner of liuyng solytary Neuertheles for so muche as euery maÌ„ may speake his phantasye in a thing doubtful I thynke y e institucion of this monastical life to haue proceded of y e Essees a religiouse brotherhod among y e Hebrues that liued after a greater perfection then the Monkes did in their supersticiouse phaÌ„tastical tradicioÌ„s as appeareth by the .viii. boke of Eusebius de preparatione euangelica Of their precedence Antonye and Paule the Thebane toke example of orderyng the rules and preceptes of theyr religiouse scolars Albeit it shal agre of good right to ascribe the oryginal of it to Antony whiche although he were not the fyrst yet he did specially encorage the endeuours of al other to lead that lyfe and aucthorised the discipline of Monkes in Egypt And afterwarde Basilius in Grece and Hilarion in Syria dyd muche augment amplifie that purpose For this Hilarion a man of great vertue by callyng on the name of Iesus healed at the cytie of Gaza the sonnes of a noble woman whervpon the brute of him was so noysed that many out of Syria Egypte repayred vnto him he fouÌ„ded abbeys in Palestine instructed theÌ„ w t rules of liuyng As for Antony he liued in the wildernes of Thebais in Egypt builded there an abbeye where he him selfe w t Sarmatas Amatas and Macarius his disciples liued in so ernest contemplacion and praier â–ª that they liued onely with bread and water his holynes was suche that Helena mother of Constantine dyd commende her selfe and her sonne to his praiers He dyed in the wyldernes when he was an C.v. yeres olde the yere of oure saluacion CCC.lxi his disciples Amatas and Macharius encreased muche the religion after his death Sarmatas was slayne by the Saracenes The institucion of this state of liuyng came I graunte of a good zeele to godlynes but the deuil peruerter of all good thynges dyd so empoysone the heartes of them that folowed that they had more trust in their workes then fayth in Christes blod then euery man beganne new rules of workes to be theyr owne sauiours and went so supersticiousely to worke that al was out of rule and abhominable in the sight of God ⧠The .ii. Chapiter ¶ The diuision of monastical life into sundry secâ—â—s and â—actions AN hundreth .lxvi. yeare after y e death of Antony Benet an ItaliaÌ„ borne at Nursie in Vmbria when he had liued long in solitarines resorted to a cytie of Italy named Sublaque a cytie of the Latines forty miles from Rome And forbecause he was greatly delited with wyldernes and also the people preased there muche to see and heare his preachynges he departed thence to Cassine And in y e tyme of Iohn the fyrst about y e yere of our lord CCCCC xxiiii he buylded ther an abbey and assembled the Monkes that were dispersed alone in diuerse places into one couente and ordered them with instructions of maners rules of liuyng confyrmed with thre vowes that is chastitee wylfull pouertie and obedience because they shuld al together mortify their owne wyl and lustes These thre forenamed vowes Basilius bishop of Gesaria did fyrst institute and publishe in the yere of oure lorde CCC.lxxxiii And also assigne the yere of probacion or trial that religiouse persons had afore they were professed The order of CluniaceÌ„ses were ordeyned by one Odon an abbotte at Masticense a village of Burgundie And WilliaÌ„ duke of Aquitany gaue them on house the yere of our lorde ixC xvi in the tyme of Sergius the thyrd Not long after the religion of Camaldimenses was begoÌ„ne by Romoaldus of Rauenna in the mounte Apenninus the yere of our lord .viii. C.l. they kept perpetual sileÌ„ce euery wednesday friday they fast bread water they go barefoote lye on the ground In a part of the same mountayne called Vallis Vmbrosa or the shadowed valey in y e yere of Christes incarnacion M lx vnder Gregory y e vi Iohn Gualbert begaÌ„ne a new sect of Monkes named theÌ„ of the place where the abbey stode the shadowed valie order The Monkes of Oliuere sprong vp as a fruite of discorde the same yere that the variance was amoÌ„g the thre bishops were instituted by Barnardus Ptolomeus y e yere of Christ M. cccc.vii vnder Gregory the .xii. The faction of Grandimontensers beganne by Steuen of Auerne in Aquitany or Guyen the yere of our lord M.lxxvi vnder Alexander the second had theyr tytle of y e mountayne where their abbey stode A litle after y e same tyme Robert abbot of Molisme in Cistercium a Forest of Burgundie dyd institute y e order of Cistercians albeit some ascrib this to one Ordingus a Monke that persuaded Robert to the same aboue the yere of our lord M.xcviii vnder Vrbane the second Of this religion was the great clerke s Barnarde Almost an C. yere after this in y e yere of our lorde M.C.lxvi The order of Humiliates was diuised by certeine persons exiled by Fredericus Barbarussa which when thei were restored to theyr couÌ„tre apparelled the selfes in white liued by a kynd of vow in praiers penury workyng wulle were admitted by Innocentius the thyrd and other his successours Celestines were founded by Celestinus the fyfte of that name bishop of Rome in the yere of our lorde M.C.xcviii In England saint Gylbert at Tyrington Sempringham begaÌ„ne an order called after him Gylbertines in the tyme of Eugenius the fourth the yere of Christes incarnacion Mcxlviii The Iustinianes were inuented by Lewes Barbus a religiouse man of Venice In the abbey of sainct Iustine at Padway the yere of our saluacion M. CCCC.xii in the daies of Iohn the .xxiii. There were also orders of NuÌ„nes diuised after the same rules of supersticion as the other be ⧠The .iii. Chapiter ¶ Of the Hierominians Chanons Chatterhouse Monkes Whyte frears Crouchefryes with other HIERONIMIANS had theyr beginnyng of s Hierome whiche leauyng his natyue couÌ„tre went into Iury and ther not farre froÌ„ Bethlehem builded him an house where he liued very deuoutly the latter ende of his life in the tyme of Innocentius the .vii. The yere of our lorde M. CCCC.v After his example other counterfetted a resemblant of perfeccion namyng theÌ„ selues Hieronimians wearyng their cloothes of whyte and a coope playted aboue ouer their coate girde with a leather gyrdel There were also certayne Heremites called Hierominians of the foundacion of one Charles Grauel of Florence which made him selfe an Hermite of the same religion in the mouÌ„taynes of Fessulus other there
diuerse laÌ„guages that accordyng to the varietee of countries ther be sondry speches And therfore I thought it coÌ„uenient to shew the occasion of y e same What tyme Nemroth the soÌ„ne of Cham that was sonne to Noe after the vniuersall flud went about to withdrawe men whiche dreade the daunger of drounyng from the feare of God supposyng all their hope to consist in their owne might power persuaded them to buylde a towre of suche altitude that the water should not be hable to ouer flowe it Whilest they were thus earnestly occupied aboute their enterprise God deuided their speches in suche sorte that one of them could not perceyue another by reason of the discord and disagreyng of their languages And thus began the diuersytee of tonges that we vse haue nowe The same oâ—casion was that the posterities of Noe were dispersed and scattered a broade For when one could not vnderstand anothers language it came to passe that euery maÌ„ departed into sundry prouinces and countries and there named places wherof they had the gouernauÌ„ce also cities whiche they builded after their owne names as Eusebius testifyeth The soÌ„nes of Noe were Sem Cham and Iaphet The yssue of Sem was Elam whereof the Elamites came Assur of whom the Assirians were named Arphaxad was auctoure of the Arabians and Lud of the Lidians the children of Cham were Chus that named the Ethiopians and Mesre the beginner of the Egyptians Chanaan of whom the Cananites had their name the linage of Chus was Saba wherof the Sabees came Euila auctoure of the Euelites And semblably we must beleue that of them came al other nations and people of the worlde whiche be now in so great nombre that they cannot easely be nombred counted ⧠The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ The beginnyng of mariage and sundry rightes of the same GOD after that he had fully accomplished and perfectly polished the world and the rest of his creatures were in their kind coÌ„summate then as Moses teacheth made man last of all to be lorde and souereigne of the whole bodye of the world as one to whom the other his worke should be subiect in obedience bycause he was fashioned after his owne lykenes And lest so worthye a creature should by death peryshe or the world might wante his gouernor and ruler it lyked him to make woman out of the bodye of man and so with the bond of matrimony combined them together y t they should not lyue after the maner of brut beastes Therefore hath God ioyned Adam Eue in mariage in Paradyse afore they knewe sinne that by the coÌ„gression and company of these two sexes and kyndes their yssue might be enlarged replinishe the whole world In this sorte was matrimonye instituted albeit antiquitee feyneth Cecrops kyng of the AtheniaÌ„s to haue ordained matrimony for which cause he was reported to haue had two faces But all countries dyd not entre like bond of matrimony nether kept it after one fashion For the Numidians Egiptians Indians Hebrewes Persians Parthians Thracians and almost al the Barbarians euery one accordyng to his substauÌ„ce maried wyfes some .x. some mo The Scithians the Scottes and Atheniens vsed their children and wyfes in common and occupied with them abrode openly lyke beastes The Massagites maried euery one a wyfe but they vsed theÌ„ coÌ„monly Among Arabians it is the maner that al kynsmeÌ„ should haue but one wife and he that came to meddle with her shoulde set his staffe at y e doore for their custome was to beare a staffe albeit she lay euery night by the eldest by this meanes they were all brethren An aduouterer was there condemned too death whiche was perceiued by this if he were of another familie or kynred Where chaunced on a tyme a strauÌ„ge thing worthy to be had in memorye there was a certayne kynges doughter of excellent beutie whiche had .xv. brethren that loued her all interely well and vsed therefore one after another to resorte and companye with her she beganne by suche dayly daliaunce to be werye of theyr wanton companye and deuised this feaâ—e she prepared staues lyke her brothers staues and bi and bi as one was gone she set a staffe at the doore lyke to hys and by that deceyte the other when they came too the doore supposyng one to be within preased no further and it fortuned on a day when they were all together in the court one of them departed from the other and repaired to her house and when hee espied a staffe at the gate thinkyng it too be some aduouterer for he was assured that he lefte hys brethren in the court he ranne to his father and accused hys syster of aduouterye but when the matter was knoweÌ„ it was perceiued that he had falsely sclaundered her The Assirians and y e Babilonians bought theyr wyues in open market at a common pryce whiche custome among the Saracens and Arabiens yet styl remayneth The Nasamones when they be fyrst maried vse to suffer their wifes the fyrst night to lye with all her gestes in the worshyp of Venus from thencefurth they kepe them selues chast and pure of liuyng A certayn people of the Carthagens whiche border on Egypt were wont to offre suche maydes as should bee maryed to the kyng of that regioÌ„ to defloure whom it pleased him In Scotland also the vsage was that the Lorde of the soile should lye with the bryde afore her husbande but for somuche as it was vnsittyng to be frequented among Christians their kyng Malcolme the third of that name aboute the yere of our Lorde M.xcix. dyd abolishe that beastly abhominacion ordeyned that euerye mayde should geue the Lorde for the redempcion of her maydenheade a croune of golde Some people liued single as certain nacions called Cristae Esseni amoÌ„g the Hebrues whiche did abhorre the calamities and trouble in Mariage Wedlocke was obserued syncerelye and reuerently of the Romaynes tyl deuorcement began which although it be an occasion that women should more earnestly keape theyr chastitee yet our religion doth scarcely permit it One Spurius Seruilius the yere after the cytie was fouÌ„ded CCCCC xxii Marcus Pomponius and Caius Papirius beyng Consulles fyrste sued a deuorce froÌ„ his wyfe because she was barren for whiche facte albeit he toke openly another afore the censoures that he dyd it because too haue yssue yet he was among the comon sorte euyl spoken of This decre of deuorcyng was takeÌ„ out of the lawes of Moses which made y e fyrst constitucion of that matter yet was there thys dyfference for by Moses it was onely lawful for the husband to forsake his wyfe but the Romaynes decree gaue theim bothe lyke lybertye The rytes of Mariage were diuers in Rome the maner was that two chyldren should leade the bryde and another bare afore her a torche of
onely vsed in the congregacion first deuided theim into Patriarches and Archebishoppes Patriarches at the firste were of Roome Antioche Alexandrie Hierusalem and Constantinople Archbishoppes had their title to bee called Metropolitaines bycause their sea was in the mother citee of the prouence Clement the first ordaigned that all Patriarches and Archbishoppes should weare a paule whiche dooth signifie mekenesse and iustice wherwith thei should specially bee garnished Then also the inferior orders begonne too bee deuided as that the Archedeacon should bee aboue Deacon and Arche-prieste aboue the prieste and ouer theim the Deanes and then wer ordained cannons that syng in cathedrall churches Antherius permitted that a bishoppe might chaunge his bishoppericke for another vpon an honeste cause if he wer thought sufficient to discharge a greater for his learnyng and Godlinesse Caius firste made a statute that a prieste might not bee conuented afore a temporall iudge but least any manne should bee circuÌ„ueÌ„ted by fraude or gyle Entichianus instituted that the accusacion should bee putte in writyng afore the iudge Likewise Cornelius decreed that a manne should not take or require an othe of a priest but onely in matters concernyng our religion and faithe THE maner of swearyng was in old time of this sorte He that should sweare tooke a stone in his hande saied if I deceiue you to my knowledge Iupiter banishe me out of all good meÌ„nes compaignie preseruyng the reste of the citee as I cast awaie this stone from me And as Plinie dooeth write it was not lawfull for any manne too beare an office fiue daies onlesse he wer sworne In like maner our bishoppes kynges Priestes and other officers sweare afore theâ— bee admitted to the office Iustinianus emperour appoyneted firste that menne should sweare by the Gospell and now a daies al that sweare laie their hande on the booke and kisse it saiyng so helpe me God and the holy Gospell bycause as the Gospell of our religion and faithe maie for no cause bee violated so an othe in no case maie bee broken THE fashion of excomunicatyng menne that bee obstinate and dissobediente too the officers Or common transgressours came as some thinke out of the rites of the Iewes whiche banished out of their Sinagoge all those that ranne in obstinacy against their tradicions AND some suppose it sprong of the religiouse folcke in Fraunce named Druides whiche as Caesar recordeth If ether a priuate maÌ„ or officer wer not coÌ„formably ordered after their ceremonies excluded hym out of their compaignie The .ix. Chapiter ¶ Consecratyng Nunnes takyng of our cappes kissyng the Popes feete and washyng of feet THE custome to consecreate Virgyns makyng a vowe of chastitee was first found by Pius the first whiche instituted â–ª also y t none should bee made afore she were twenty and fiue yeres olde and that thei mighte bee consecrated at no tyme but in the Epiphanie or twelfe daie Easter euen and on the feastes of the Apostelles oules it were when any vnprofessed wet in poyncte to die And Sotherus caused that a decre was made that no suche professed should touche coape or put eâ—sence into the Censoures the yere of our Lorde GOD an hundred thre score and fiftene It semeth too haue begonne of the Apostelles whiche is proued by Paules woordes wher he saieth Lette no widdowe bee chosen afore she bee three score yeres of age with diuerse like saiynges Linus byshoppe of Rome commaunded that no woman should entre into the congregacion or temple with her heade bare whiche appereth to haue bene taken of the Hebrues for the bishoppe in the olde lawe might not vncouer his head and in Arabia Cartage it was takeÌ„ for an vnhonest and vnreuerent thyng if a woman should vncouer her head go bare The takyng offe of our cappes to our superiours signifieth y t wee should disclose and shewe them all suche thynges as we haue in our custodie The rite diabolike of kissyng the byshoppe of Romes feete tooke it originall of the maner of the Romaynes whiche in their Paganite vsed to kisse the feete of their priestes and other nobles in token of obedience as Seneca telleth howe Caius Caesar stretched out his left foote that Pompeius a Carthagien might kisse it PoÌ„ponius Laetus writeth that the Emperours vsed to gyue their handes to be kyssed of the nobles and then to take them vp to kysse their mouthes and the coÌ„mons kyssed their knees but Caius Caligula and Dioclesianus made them to stoupe to their feete This Pagane example oure christen bishop and Goddes vicar ful vngodly and vngoodly doeth counterfet Al other bishoppes vsed to deliuer their right hand to be kyssed of suche as came to salute them for the right hande as Plinie saieth in the leuenth booke hath in it selfe a certain religion and therefore we make all couenaunces and promises with it The maner of salutyng with kysses is verie auncient for it was the vsage of the Hebrues to kisse straungers at their fyrst metyng as Iacob kyssed Rachel afore he broke vnto her that he was of her kyndred and Laban after he knewe him to be his sisters sonne embraced him with his armes kissed him And the Romaynes custome was to kysse theyr kinsfolke but afterward it was exteÌ„ded to further familiaritie is now frequented very laciuiously Albeit in Rome it was an ordinaunce that women should kysse their kinsefolke bycause that yf she had dronke any wyne contrarie to the lawe made against the women for drinkyng of wyne by suche meanes she might be espied Washyng of feet on Maundye thursday that the priestes vse among them selfes and nobles to inferiour persons is a counterfeete of the institute of Chryste whiche to shew them a patron of humilitie and mekenesse washed the Apostles feet The kynges and quenes of England on y t day â–ª washe the feete of so many poore menne and women as they be yeres olde and geue to euery of them so many pence with a gowne and an other ordinary almes of meate and kysse their feete and afterward geue their gownes of their backes to them that they se most nedy of al the nomber It is a godly institute I would there were mo suche ceremonies to helpe the poore For they be now neglected not regarded but lye dead often in the stretes for lacke of sustenaunce The .x. Chapiter ¶ The institucion of priestes called Flamines with other religions of the Romaynes NVMA Pompilius the seconde kyng of Rome willyng to reclayme y t fierse nacion froÌ„ warre and chiuarie to the regarde of iustice and kepyng of peace ordayned to the highe God Iupiter a sacred persone called Flamen Dlalis that is Iupiters priest And to aduaunce the order he set him in a chariot of Iuorie and a costely robe but so sone as his wife was disceased he was discharged and gaue ouer his office He
God and therefore it wer no harme if the fourme of consecratyng therof wer redressed chaūged into a more godly fashion ⧠The .vii. Chapiter ¶ Who ordaigned praiyng why wee loke Eastward preachyng the Sacramente of the alter FOR so muche as wee are created of God after his owne Image for the entente to honoure and serue hym ▪ and so finally too enioye the eternal enheritaunce of heauen whiche we muste attain to by praier acknowledgyng oure owne infirmitie and referryng vs to the mercie of our moste louyng father It shall bee conuenient therfore to declare y e institucion of praier PRAIER therefore was frō the beginnyng as Abel praied Noha Abrahā Isaac Iacob with other Patriarkes praied to GOD in all their doubtfull affaires gaue thankes for the good acheuyng of theim Moses Aaron with other as Anna the wife of Helcana shewed vs example of praier But Christ is the first that did shewe to vs any speciall fourme of praier as appeareth in the Gospel of Matthew Afterward when men began to coumpte reken their praiers as though God were in our debt for often beggyng of hym there wer diuised by one Petrus Heremita a Frenchman of the citee of Amias bedes to saie lady psalters on the yere of our Lorde a thousande .xc. that is foure hundred .lvi. yeres ago The maner of turnyng our faces into the Easte when wee praie is taken of the old Ethnikes whiche as Apuleius remēbreth vsed to loke Eastwarde and salute y e sonne we take it in a custom to put vs in remembraunce y t Christe is the sonne of righteousnes that discloseth all secretes But that was not lawfull for the Hebrues as maie seme to vs by the settyng of y e tabernacle thei muste euer looke toward the temple as the story of Daniell declareth Moses whē he had receiued the ten cōmaundementes assembling the people together shewed them the will of God and that was the firste sermon or preachyng and the prophetes had without doubt open collacions And afterwarde Ihon Baptiste in the wildernesse of Iury preached and so did Christe hymself and gaue autoritie to y e Apostles disciples by special cōmaundemēt to do thesame THE blessed sacramēt of the alter was instituted by our sauiour Iesus Christ a litle before his passiō in Hierusalē at his supper whē he had ended y e Paschal lābe in this wise He toke bread after he had giuen thankes he brake it gaue it to his disciples saiyng take and eate this is my body y t shalbe giuen for you And takyng the cup gaue likewise thākes toke it to theim saiyng drynke all of this for this is my bloudde of the newe testamente whiche is shed for the remission of synnes This vnder the fourme of breade wyne he gaue to theim particularely his body and bloud sanctified in and by the word And gaue commaundement that like sacrifice should bee made in remembraūce of hym Alexander the bishop of Rome did ordain that this oblaciō should be made of swete bread wher afore it was leuened breade And he commaunded that water should bee mixte with wyne in the cuppe The .viii. Chapiter ¶ Who sacrificed first after Christes tradicion and encreased the partes of Masse EVERY thyng at the first in the mistery of the lordes supper was plain sincer and without any misture of ceremonies conteinyng more vertue then solemnite For it is manifest that Peter whiche either first of all or els with the rest of Apostelles did consecrate often tymes after the rite that he had receiued of Christ by and by after the consecraciō ioyned to the Lordes praier or Pater noster And I suppose it was not muche differyng from the Masse that is vsed in the churche on good Frydaie Celestinus ordaigned the praiers that the priest saieth when he reuesteth hymself to Masse or at puttyng on his clothes that begynneth Iudica me deus c. Albeeit it semeth by the woordes of Chrisostome in y e .xi. homely on Mathewe that it was taken of the churches of Grece and Asia whiche vsed to syng psalmes while the people assembled together Damasus instituted the confession at the beginnyng of Masse and some referre it to Pontianus Kyrië eleëson was frequēted in Grece first and Gregorius caused it to bee saied nyne tymes in the latine churche Gloria in excelsis is ascribed of some too Telesphorus of some to Hylarius of some to Symmachus and the counsaill of Toletane thynketh that the doctoures of the churche made it Collectes Gelasius Gregory gathered And the grayle was appoyncted by theim also Alleluya was trāslated from Hierusalē to the latyne churche in the tyme of Damasus The tract Durandus saith was diuised by Telesphorus and sequences were inuented firste by one Nothgerus an Abbot The Epistles and Gospell were as Hierom wryteth vsed in the East churches of verie auncient tyme wherefore I suppose wee had the maner to reade the Epistle Gospell of those churches albeit some saie Telesphorus ordaigned theim some suppose that Hierom at the request of Damasus did diuide theim as we reade them now at this daie Anastasius commaunded y t we should stand at the Gospell in tokenyng that menne should be in a redinesse to defend the doctryne of the Gospell The first part of the Crede Marcus ordaigned to bee red after it was made by the coūsaill of Nicene And the second part Et spiritum sanctum that the counsaill of Constantinople composed Damasus caused to be read in y e churche Entichianus instituted the offertory to bee songen whilest the people offred suche thynges as wēt to the relief and comfort of the poore The offertory remaigneth but the pouertie is forgotten as though thei had no part in Christ and were vile abiectes of the worlde Gelasius made the prefaces howbeeit in the beginnyng thei vsed but one preface And Sextus putte to the sanctus out of the Prophete Esaias Washyng of handes beganne either of the olde testament where thei did nothyng with vnwashed handes or els of the Gētiles whiche afore their sacrifices vsed too washe their handes as Hesiodus witnesseth BVRNYNG of encense y t was occupied in the old testament by Aaron and of the Panimes in their supersticiouse rites Leo y e third ordaigned to be had in the latyne churche The priuitie of the Masse called the Canon was made by diuerse persones as Gelasius made Te igitur Sitirius added Communicātes and Alexander the firste that was long before them made Qui pridie and that was the beginnyng of the Canon before that tyme. For Alexander was three hundred .lx. yeres more before Gelasius Hanc igitur Leo ioyned and Gregory annexed three peticiōs in thesame Diesque nostros and so furth Innocentius the first instituted that priestest in the vpper part
geÌ„tlenes for her couÌ„tremen at Florus his haÌ„des but al in vaine for his auarice was so vnsaciable y t no lowlines could pacifie it Euen so we in any of our afflictions sickenes or other heuines make vowes to God his sainctes performe theÌ„ goyng to y e place barefoote in seÌ„blable maner as y e Iewes did Supplicacions were ordeyned in a great yearth quake by Mamercus bishop of Vienne in the tyme of Leo the fyrst These be called of y e Greke worde Letanyes are coÌ„monly named processions because the people procede furth a long in array .ii. ii together and go froÌ„ place to place praiyng loud They be called the lesse Letanyes And Agapetus as it is reported â–ª fyrst appointed theÌ„ to be song euery soÌ„day in or about the churche although it seme by Tertulians wordâ—s y t they haue be vsed froÌ„ the beginnyng of y e churche therfore it maye be supposed that Mamercus did only renew y e custome Afterward Gregory ordeined the great Letanies called septiformis letania y e same time that muche people in R. perished through a great plage of swellyng of the preuy meÌ„bres whiche came of a corrupt ayre that was poisoned with adders and snakes that were cast out of Tyber at a merueilous high tyde There was another plage wherby many as they neesed dyed sodeynly wherof it grewe into a custome that they that were present when any maÌ„ neesed should say God helpe you A like deadly plage was sometyme in yawnyng wherfore menne vsed to fence them selues with the signe of y t crosse bothe whiche customes we reteyne styl at this day In al other extreme affayres that we go about we vse to signe our selfes with the tokeÌ„ of the crosse And this hath bene the vsage froÌ„ the beginnyng of y e church ⧠The .x. Chapiter ¶ Of Images tithes and who permitted the Clergye to haue possessions AT the fyrst there was no Imagery nor pictures in the churches but all occasions of Idolatry were withdrawen accordyng to the coÌ„mauÌ„dement of the olde lawe Notwithstandyng it crepte in among christans by lytle and lytle and men made Images of Christ on the crosse after the example of Moses whiche set vp y t brasen serpent and Abagarus duke of Edissemans a nacion beyond the riuer Euphrates sente a Painter to drawe the Image of our sauiour Iesus but for somuche as he could not beholde the brightnes of his face Chryst layde a napkyn on his face wherin he by his diuine power prynted the reseÌ„blauÌ„ce of his visage and sent it by the painter to the duke A lytle napkyn was geuen by him as it is sayd to a woman that had the blody flixe whose name newe writers say was Veronica and Luke the Euangelist had the Image of Mari the virgyn in a table painted And in the sixt couÌ„sel had at Constantinople by the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of CoÌ„stantine Iustiniane the second his sonne it was decreed that Images should be receyued into the churches and worshypped with great reuerence as a thing wherby the laitie might be instructed as in steade of scripture and that encense might be burned and tapers lighted afore theÌ„ This was about the yere of our lord vi C.xxxii or as some take it aboute the .vii. C.iii. yere of our lorde what tyme Agathus was bishop of Rome Afterward Constantine bishop there confirmed that decree and caused Images in the churche of sainct Peter and pronounced Philippe the emperour an heretike bycause he had shauen scraped away y â— Imagery that was in sainct Sophies temple Not long after they were ratified established in the counsel of Nice where were assembled by the procurement of Hyrene mother of Constantine the sixt CCC.l. byshoppes The great prophet of God Moses and his successour Iosue diuided the land of Canaan among y e Israelites assignyng no parte therof to the tribe of Leuye because they were the lordes porâ—ion sauyng that he gaue theÌ„ habitacions in euery tribe and a lytle pasture for their neeâ—e shepe and other cattel Therefore because they mâ—nistred in the tabernacle of the lord and executed suche ceremonies as apperteined to theyr religion he appointed for them the fyrst fruites and tenthes to liue on And after this sorte begaÌ„ne the paiyng of tithes by the institucioÌ„ of Moses And Origene on the boke of Numery affyrmeth that this commaundement is to be obserued of vs after the letter without any allegory or mistical interpretacion And it appeareth by Christes wordes that he alloweth the litterall sense of the olde lawe wher he sayth in y e gospel wo be vnto you Scribes and Pharises ye that tythe Mynte and Rue and al maner of Herbes passe ouer iudgemeÌ„t y e law of God these ought to haue bene done not to leaue the other vndone where you maye perceyue howe that as he commaundeth one so he would not haue the other omitted that be signified there litterally Eutichianus bicause in the olde testament the fyrst fruites were offered to the lorde ordeyned that corne should be consecrated on the alter as Oyle and encense was burned in the Hebrues Synagoge and that decree remayneth styl in effect in some places But so the priestes vertue is so olde and mennes deuocion waxeth so colde that in stead of the fyrst fruites nowe a daies the people vse to bryng on the sondaies a fewe loaues of bread in some places two or thre as they bee disposed and those the priest consecrateth and parteth by peeces among the people that where as in time past they vsed to receyue the sacrament on those dayes now they eate this bread halowed in memorial of it And this they do after the paterne of Christ whiche was euer woÌ„t to halowe bread afore he either eat it or gaue it to his disciples Other nacioÌ„s also vsed to offer their fyrst fruites tithes as the Romaynes offered to Hercules and Bacchus offered to Iupiter Mars gaue to Iupiter the tenth of his pray of Lydia Vrbanus a man of godly liuyng and singular learnyng aboute the yere of our lord CC.xxii decred that it was lawfull for priestes to receyue suche rentes or landes as were geuen theÌ„ Albeit there was nothyng priuate to any man but coÌ„mon to all And thus by lytle lytle the spiritual possessions were enlarged and bishoppes of Rome were greatly enriched Lucina an holy mayd of Rome made Marcellus byshyp there her heyre and executour and afterward Constantine dyd largely endowe the same bishop ⧠Here endeth the abrydgement of the syxt booke The seuenth booke The fyrst Chapiter ¶ The beginnyng of the solytary lyfe of religiouse persons THE MATTER hath bene long in controuersy who fyrst begaÌ„ne to enhabite wildernes for some as s Hierome witnesseth that haue ransaked y e vttermost say that Helias and Iohn Baptist were auctours of the life solytary but as
be y t say one Redo earle of mount Granel did institute them in Fessulus in the tyme of Gregorye the .xii. Yet there be that say that the originall of this brotherhod was instituted of Hierom in deserte that Eusebius of Cremona with other deuoute and holy men whiche kept conuersacion with him did enlarge and augment the familie of that profession As concernyng the Channons reguler ther be two opinions for some saye that Austen by and by after he was created byshoppe broughte hys Chānons in this rule and fourme of liuyng wherin they haue bene so lōg trayned and noseled vp other some bragge and make their vaunt that it was deuised of the Apostles and of this opinion was Thomas of Aquine But howsoeuer the matter go Austen was doubtles ether the inuentour of the secte or renewer of it and therfore maye be iustlye taken for an autoure of that faction and so was he likewyse of Augustines Hermites The Chanons clothyng was a white cote a linnyn rochet vnder a blacke coape with a scapuler to couer their head and shoulders The Hermites haue a contrary vesture a blacke coat with alike scapuler and another coat of whyte a lether gyrdle Of these there be diuerse orders As y e order of s Sauiour of the scopettines whiche wer ordeined by one Steuen Iames two men of Senes in the tyme of Vrbane the .v. the yere of Christ M.ccc.lxx and Gregory the .xi. by his consent confirmed thē in their hipocrisie The Frisonaries is another brood which began among the Hetrurians in the countie of Luces that is other wise called lateraneuse by the diuise of Iames Britiane in y e tyme of Ihō the .xxiiii. the yere of Christ M. cccc.xii thei were amplified encreased bi Eugenius the .iiii. The .iii. order is titled y e brethred of s Gregory de Alga this was ordeyned at Venece by Laurence Iustinian in the time of Innocencius the .vii. y e yere of our lord M cccc vii with diuers other orders whiche forsomuche as they rise sodēly like toad stoles in a raine I wyl omit thē Bruno of Colen y e red sometime the philosophi lecture at Paris did institute the Charterhouse monkes in the diocese of Gracianopolis at a place named Cartusia in the yere of our lord M.lxxx vnder Gregorye the .vii. their life was outwardly ful of painted holines in forbering flesh fasting bread and water eueri friday ful of solitarines muche silence euer pinned in and women were banished out of the house with other semblable ceremonies The Carmelites or white friers wer as some say begon in mount Carmelus after the example of Helias y e prophet which liued their lōg solitary they wer fyrst assēbled together by Almericus B. of Antioch y e yere of our lord M.clxx in y e time of Alexander the .iii. they wer so called our Lady friers of a chapel of our lady y t was in y e hil Carmelus Neuertheles vpon cccc yeares after in the tyme of Innocentius the third they were reformed by Albartus byshop of Hierusalem accordyng to the rule of Basilius and the colowre of their coape was turned into whyte by Honorius the third where afore it was russet The order of Pemōstratenses was instituted in the diocesse of Laudune by Northbergus a priest and the preceptes of that couent were gathered out of s Austens rules and admitted for good by Calixtus the seconde in the yere of our lorde M.C.xx. The Crouch or crosse Friers began about the yere of our lorde M.cc.xv. by the diuise of Cyriacus bishoppe of Hierusalem whiche shewed Helene mother of Constantine wher y e crosse lay hyd And in memorial of y e crosse he caused this brotherhod colledge of Friers to beare the crosse And yet they neuer knew what y e crosse weied in their bodyes or in their heartes forsomuche as they were sore wasted Innocentius the .iii. renewed the religion The .iiii. Chapiter ¶ Blacke and Gray friers the Trinite order Brigidians Iesuates new Hermites and Bonhomes ABOVTE the tyme of Innocentius the third arose two famouse founders of two supersticious sectes I meane Dominicke the Spaniarde and Frauncis the Italian of the countrie of Vmbria Dominicke at the fyrst was a Chanon but bycause he could not suffre to haue a superior and was also wery of the cloyster he inuented a newe fraternite named Dominicans black Friers or Friers preachers bycause they had the charge to preache y e Gospel without mixture of any pharisaical leauen The newe guyse of their vesture made innocente Innocentius to wonder But Honorius the .iii. by his bulle honorably admytted them the yeare of our lorde M.CC.xx. and Gregory the ninth putte the matter out of all doubt canonised Dominicke and by his bulle vnder lead alowed him for a sainct Frauncesse that was fyrst of y e friers Austens thinkyng that secte not to be sufficiently furnished with hipocrisie beganne a newe trade of liuyng in the mounte Appoeninus in a place named cōmonly Iauerna doubtles a ground worthy for suche a foūdacion as was besyde the worde of God it was set vp in the tyme of Honorius aforesayd They were named Minores of the humilitie lowlynes of hart that thei shuld haue but that was smally regarded furthest from their study Two yeres after y t was the yere of oure Lorde M.CC.xxix Frauncisse was sanctified by Gregory made a sainct Fraunciscanes afterward fel at cōtencion for the rules of their profession They that fayled somewhat of y e vnperfecte perfection of them retayned the name of Minorites styl the other titled them selues obseruauntes more worthy to be called obstinate The latter felowes were broughte into England by kyng Edwarde the iiii were greatly enhaunced by the famouse prince kyng Henry the .vii. At the same tyme was Clara the Vyrgyn countrie woman to sayncte Frauncisse whiche was a great foundresse of Nunnes of y e same rule that Frauncesse gaue his couent of them sprōg the basterde penitencers in the dayes of Iohn the .xxii. and the yere of our lord M.CCC.xv The order of the Trinite vnder the sayd Innocentius was begonne by Iohn Marta and Felyx Anachorita in Fraunce in the countrie of Meldine Then also was founded or els not long after in the tyme of Martin the fourth the brotherhod of Mayres seruauntes by one Philip of Florencia a Phisician and Benedicte the .xi confirmed it in the yere of our Lorde M.CCC.lxxxv The order of Brigidians was instituted by Brigidia a wyddowe that was princesse of Sueta vnder Vrbane the .v. in the yeare of oure Lorde M.ccc.lxx it was aswell of men as women albeit thei dwelled seuerally by them selues The familie of Iesuites was the inuēcion of Iohannes Colūbinus in the citie of Senes in the time of the same Vrbane the yere of
oure lord M.ccc.lxviii they were no priestes nor consecrated persons but wer men of the laye sort geuen addicted to praiers had the name of Iesuites bycause the name of Iesus should be often in their mouth they be muche like to our bedemen in England The secte of new Hermites began in Vrbine a cytie in Italy in the coūtre of Vmbria where Polidor Vergile was borne and was the deuise of one Petrus an Hetruriane and they had in the same cytie a goodly hospital or guylde hal The Bonhomes were instituted in England by Edmunde sonne of Rychard erle of Cornewel whiche was brother to Henry the .iii. and was elected kyng of the Romanes heyre apparant to the Empyre by the princes electours aboute the yere of oure Lorde M.CC.lvii The special head place of that religion was Astrige wher the noble kyng Henry the .viii. hath nowe a goodly Palace This Edmund brought the blood of our sauiour as it was sayd into the realme The .v. Chapiter ¶ The original of sacred knightes and white secte WHILEST the cytie of Ierusalem afore our christenmen had cōquered it in y e yere of our lord M.xcix. was in subieccion to the Saracēs the Latine christians that liued ther tributaries purchased a lycence to buylde nere vnto the holye sepulchre dwellyng houses and among other they made an hospital of our lady to receyue the straunge pilgrimes and appoincted a prouost to entertain thē This was in Siluester the fyrst hys tyme the yere of our Lorde .ccc.xiiii. and renewed the yere of Chrst M.ccc xcvii in the tyme of Celestine the .iii. bishop of Rome After the paterne of this house was deuised a like house of virgyns in me mortal of Mari Magdalen to receiue the women that resorted thether It beganne in the .ii. Vrbanes daies the yere of our Lorde M. lxxxxix Notwithstandyng because the multitude of latine pilgrimes waxed very great they builded thre hospitals of s Ihō Baptiste as some saye albeit some thynke it was of Iohn Eleemosinarius that was the patriarke of Alexandria in the reigne of the emperour Phoca This secte one Gerardus adourned with a white crosse in a black vesture grand captain of these knightes was Ramundus when Clement the .v. had the sea of Rome about the yere of our Lorde M.ccc.x yet some affirme that the beginnyng of them was in the .iii. Alexanders dayes the yere of Christ M.c.lxxix and they be called of y e order of s Iohn or knightes of the Rhodes because thei wāne the Rhodes from the Turkes which afterwarde they lost againe in Ianuary in the yere of oure saluacion M. CCCCC.xxiii albeit they dyd long defend it manfully The templers order was begon in Gelacius the .ii. his daies in the yere of Christes incarnacion M.C.xxviii by Hugo Paganus and Gaufradus de sancto Alexandro they were named templers bycause they kept in a parte of the buyldynges neare to the temple they kepte Barnardus rule in their liuyng But Clement the .v. deposed thē partly for that they renoūced the faith conspired w t the Turkes partly forother notable crimes The order of Tentonickes or dutch Lordes beganne in Hierusalem by a Dutche manne whose name is not knowen Their office was to fight against the enemies of Christes crosse it began in the dayes of Clement the third the yere of Christes incarnacion M.C.xc. Petrus Fardinandus a Spaniarde began the order of sainct Iames knightes that lyued after s Austens rule vnder Alexander y e .iii. and in the yere of our lord M. c.lx.iii the same bishoppes daies ¶ Sāctius a kyng ordeyned the factions of Calatrauean knightes which professed the rule of y e Cisterciences Of the same profession be they of the order of Iesus Christes knightes whiche were instituted by Iohn the xxii bishop of that name in Portingale to resist the Saracens Alexandrians brotherhod of knightes in the realme of Castel y t begonne in Gregories tyme the .ix. aboute the yere of oure saluacion M.CC.xl. but who was auctor of thē is vncertaine Iames kyng of Aragonia dyd foūd ii sectes of knightes one named of s Mari de Mercede of those the office was to raunsom suche as were taken prisoners in warres against the Turkes The other sect is called Montasian knightes and they were a redde crosse both these orders Gregory the xi did alowe the yere of our lord M. The order of Minimes or lest brethren were founded by one Franciscus Paula a Silician after the example of Frauncisse his Mmorites The Apostolike brethren begāne in the yere of our lord M.cclx by the institucion of Gerardus Sagarelus in the toune named Perma in Lōbardie in the tyme of Alexander the fourth The whyt sect sprong vp in the Alpes descended into Italye hauyng apriest for their captayn But Bonifacius perceiuyng they should do no good to his honourable estate if they continued caused their captain to be headed at Viterbium as attainted of some heresie the yere of our lord M. cccc They wer a great nomber dyd no other thyng but lamēt the state of mākynd bewayle the sinnes of the people Theren as of this fashion both men women were called the whit sect because they weare whyte clothyng The .vi. Chapiter ¶ The Niniuites Assirians Antonians and Ceretanes NO lesse supersticion is in the fraternite of the Niniuites although they auaunce thē selues to haue receyued their maner of liuyng of y e Apostles for the end of their doynges is to worke their owne saluacion by dedes satisfactory to God wher in dede they derogate the effecte and power of Christes blod The rites be specified with outward holines as often assēblyng to praier hiryng of chauntry priestes supportyng pouertie be clothed in sackcloth and scourge one another w t whippes Of this painted penaunce they call them selues Niniuites as though they appeaced Gods wrathe in the same wyse as they of Niniuie dyd where in deede they had heartie cōtricion for their offēces these haue but pretenced holines and penitence they beganne vnder Clement the .iiii. the yere of our lorde a thousand two hundreth threscore and fiue The maner of theyr whyppyng came of the Romayne sacrifices and Lupercalia whereof I spake afore for thei vsed the same custome of a supersticious opinion Or if a manne wold be curious in boultyng out the original of their beatyng it may appeare to haue proceded of an obseruaūce of the Egyptiens For y e vsage was there that whilest they offered a cow with many ceremonies to their gret Idole as Herodotus witnesseth during y e burnyng therof they shuld one beate another miserably with wandes or roddes The title of their fraternitie came of the Romaynes whiche had diuers felowshyppes as Sodales Titii and Fratres Aruales that sacrificed to Ceres Goddesse of corne Another sort there is not onely idle but also
theuishe they be called Assirians the same that we name commonly Egyptians These as all men haue hearde and many haue by experience proued be so lyght fyngered and suche rigbies chyldren that they wyll fynde two thynges afore they lose one The men by suche pyllery thefte and playne stealyng and women by palmestrye blessynges with lyke other sorcery and wytchecrafte furnished with lyes seduce and deceyue a great nomber of symple people in euery country and region And bicause they should haue more libertie to spede their purposes they saye it is their vowe and penaunce is geuen them to go in continual pilgremage Fye on that pylgremage that is mayntayned by pickyng and redoundeth to the profit of none but to the extreme losse of manye as well countries as men The occasion that these vacabundes stray thus abrode came of an old Idol that they worshypped in their Paganisme named the goddesse of Siria wherwith they vsed to gadde froÌ„ place to place to begge monye wyne mylke chese corne and other stuffe as Apuleius writeth The same people nowe thei be christened playe theyr partes in like maner with sundry subtilties and that they get by liyng pickyng stealyng brybyng they make monye of and so returne home laughyng to scorne all those symple persons that they haue thus deceyued Seyng all other supersticions be abolished and roted vp it is pitie that this should take styl effect and be vnpunished The Antonians were a counterfect of Antonies perfection but they differ as muche froÌ„ his holynes as whyte froÌ„ blacke they haue a on their brest that meneth Tolle teaching them to take what they can get be it cowe oxe calfe or pigge for they offer swyne to him as they dyd sacrifice shepe to Bel in Babilon thei were instituted in the yere of Christ CCC.xxiiii The Ceretanes began in Ceretum a cytie of Vmbria euer they vsed to go a beggyng at the latter end of haruest when the barnes were stuft with corne and so like drones deuour that that other haue gotteÌ„ with the swet of theyr browes Of these valiant beggers there be in euery place mo then a great meny but I caÌ„not tel what tyme they were instituted and howe sone they be put doune it skylleth not ⧠The .vii. Chapiter ¶ The originall of Mahometes sectâ— OF all these supersticâ—ouse sectes afore rehersed ther is not one so diabolicall as the sect of Mahometanes as well for the filthinesse of al vnlawfull lustes as other outrageouse naughtinesse that thei occupie daily to the greate endomagyng of christendome and encrease of their owne infidelite OF this vnreuerent religion Mahomete a noble manne borne in Arabie or as some reporte in Persie was authoure his father was an Heathen Idolater and his mother an Ismaelite wherfore she had more perceueraunce of y e Hebrues lawe This wicked plante brought vp and fostered vnder his parentes and enstructed like a mungrel in either of their lawes be came experte and of a redy witte And after the deathe of his father and mother he was in houshold with one Abdemonaples an Ismaelite whiche putte hym in truste with his marchandice and other affaires and after his decease he maried his mastresse a widdowe There he fel in acquaintaunce with the Monke Sergius an heretike of Nestors sect that fled from Byzans into Arabie and by his counsaill and aduise this Mahomete aboute the yere of our Lorde sixe hundred and twentie and the .xii yere of the reigne of the Emperoure Heraclius began in Arabie to found a newe secte by sedicious sermons seduced muche people and many couÌ„trees He conquered by helpe of the Arabians diuerse landes and subdued theim as tributories and compelled theim too liue after the tradicion of his lawes that he gathered out of the newe and olde Testamentes and diuerse heresies of Nicolaires Maniches and Sabellians He died the fourtie yere of his age and his body was caried by the Saracenes into a citee of Persia called Mecha and laied in a coffyne of Iron Caliphas succeded Mahomete but he was deposed for his supersticioÌ„ and another of the same name was substituted in his roume Homar was the thirde that reigned and he after the conquest of the Persians wanne Hierusalem and all Siria the yere of our Lorde fiâ—e hundred and fourescore in the tyme of Agathö bishop of Rome and Constantyne the fourthe Emperoure This secte waxeth daily bigger and bigger partely throughe the discorde of Christen princes and partely by reson of our synfull liuyng y â— daily groweth to greater enormities that deserue the heuy hande of GOD ouer vs. ¶ Here endeth the abridgemente of the seuenth booke The eight booke ⧠The firste Chapiter ¶ Of Reliques stacions the yere of Iubilie Pardons NOT LONG after the martyrdome of Peter and Paule bothe many that of diuerse sortes as well men as women 〈◊〉 the example of their constaÌ„cie were encoraged to suffre sundery kindes of tormentes in seuerall partes of y e world for the mainteignance of Christe his religioÌ„ But namely in Rome muche murther of innocente bloudde was committed of tyrantes by many maner of punishementes and a greate number died in Chrstes cause emong other certain bishoppes to the soume of thirty and twoo were slain by extreme persecusion onlesse it were seuen of theim whiche by deathe were preuented afore thei attaigned the croune of Martyres Therefore consideryng that muche martyres bloud was spente that specially in Rome and many from other places wer coÌ„ueighed thither Cletus and Anacletus bishoppes there did seriously go about to reuerence them For the one appoinâ—ted a place where Martyres should seuerally haue their sepultures aparte from the laye people and the other by degree denounced hym accursed as a sacrilege that by word or deede hyndered mennes deuocion from visityng the toumbes of the Apostles Vpon this occasion Calistus the firste buylded beyonde Tyber a churche in honoure of our Lady and Constanstyne Emperoure edified to Peter Paule and Laurence temples This matter was by Gregory the sainct sette forwarde to the encrease of supersticious deuocion For he appoyncted these Letanies of sainctes with Ora pro nobis too bee songen with Masses on certayne solemne daies in the chief temples of the citee promisyng theim â–ª that repaired thyther at suche solemne feastes cleane remission of synnes by his pardone And he named the pompouse sacrifices stacioÌ„s bycause thei wer celebrated on certain daies limited and prescribed by statute Bonifacius the eight in the yere of our Lorde a thousande three hundred appoyncted the yere of Iubile or grace to bee kepte euery hundred yere with cleane remission A pena culpa to all theim that visited the temples of the Apostelles Peter Paule And this was taken vp of the example of the Hebrues albeet thei did kepe it euery .l. yeres or els as