auncient writers the Sacrament of baptisme was not commoÌ„ly ministred but at two tymes in the yeare that is to say at Easter and Witsontyde at whiche tymes it was solemnely and with greate reuerence ministred in the presence of all the congregation In the yeare of oure Lorde 676. Lib. Concil Volat. Pol. Châ—on Pope Gregorye the firste made a decree that Monkes shoulde not baptise nor be Godfathers to children at their baptisme In the yere of our Lord â–ª 590 Sabell Pantal. D. Barns This decree did Pope Eugenius the thyrd renue In the yeare of our Lord. 1147. Lib. Concil Chron. The aforesayd Gregorye also ordained that NuÌ„nes by no meanes should be Godmothers to chyldren eyther at Baptisme or at Confirmation Chron. Ioan. Stella Pope Calixte the seconde pronounced all suche excommunicated as toke money eyther for baptisyng or for burying In the yeare of our Lorde 1120. Ioan. Tilio Volat. Pantal. Pope Nicolas the first ordained that the sacrament of baptisme should staÌ„d in effecte althoughe it were ministred of a Pagane and Infidel In the yeare of oure Lorde 871. Achilles Dist. 4. De consecratione The same Pope made a decree that baptisme shoulde not be twyce ministred to one person Ioan. Philip. Bergom Pope Iginius decreed that children whiche were to be Christened â–ª shoulde haue a Godfather and Godmother for to be witnesses that they were baptised In the yeare c. 143. Lib. Concil â–ª Sabell Polidor D. Barns Pope Leo the third appoynted that when the childe is eyther christened or bishoped he should haue but one Godfather be it a man childe or a woman childe In the yeare of our Lord. 817. De consec Dist. 4. Capi. Non plures Guil. Durand Ioan. Stella â–ª Phil â–ª Bergom Pope Theodore the fyrste made a decree that no father should be Godfather to hys owne sonne or doughter nor no mother Godmother to her own sonne or doughter In the yeare of our Lord. 936. Ioannes Laziardus Item he ordayned that if any man were Godfather to another mannes doughter hys sonne myght not afterward take her to wife 30. Quest. 1. Cap. Non Oportet Pope Vrban the seconde made a decree that a man and his wife may not be Godfather and Godmother to one childe at Baptisme 186.30 Quest. 4. Cap. Quod autem Pope Alexander the thyrd ordayned that when it is doubtefull whether the childe be baptised or not he shoulde be baptised on this maner If thou be baptised I baptise thee not agayne but if thou be not baptised I baptise thee in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost Amen In the yere of our Lord 1161. Guilihelmus Durandus Pope Leo Pope Damasus and Saint Ambrose brought in the exorcismes coniurations the benedictions blessings with the other solemne ceremonyes Guil. Durand Pope Celestine made a decree that neither young children nor any other of what age soeuer they bee shall bee christened before y e priests thorow their coniurations breathings spittyngs saltings do driue the deuill out of theÌ„ In the yeare c. 428. Chron. Germ. Dist. 4. de Cons. Pope Clement the fyrst put oyle and creame to the baptisme and coÌ„maunded that all y t shall be baptysed should be annoynted therewith crossed in y e forehead In the yere c. 92. Chron. Lib. Concil Ioannes Laziardus Pope Siluester the fyrst also ordayned that al y t were baptised should be annoynted with oyle creame In the yeare c. 315. Plat. Volat. Sabell In the Councell Braccarense it was ordayned that there should be no money payde for oyle and creame â–ª wherwith y e infantes be annoynted in their baptisme Lib. Concil In the Councell holden at Chartage it was decreed y t a woman althoughe neuer so well learned maye not presume to baptise except necessitye compelleth Concil Durand In the councell Ilerdense it was ordayned that euery prieste that can not haue a fonte of stone maye haue any other conuenient vessell meete for that purpose Prouided alwaye that it be neuer after caryed out of the church Guili Durandus Of the Lordes Supper commonly called of the papistes The sacrament of the altare POpe Alexander the fyrste commaunded that only vnleuended bread shuld be vsed at the Lords supper In the yeare c. 119. Lib Concil Grat. Plat. Sabell Before that time the bread appoynted for the Lords Supper was indifferent whether it wer leuended or vnleuended Notwithstanding the Grekes from the Apostles tyme vnto this daye haue euer vsed leuended bread in the ministration of the Lordes Supper as they vse also wine only in their cuppe where as suche as be vnder the Pope customably mingle water w t the wine according to Pope Alexanders decree Pope Nicolas the seconde decreed y t the bread and the wine whiche are set vpon the altare are not only after the conseeration the sacramentes of y e bodye and bloud of Christ but they ar also the very self same body and bloud of our Lord sauiour Iesu Christ y t was borne of Mary the Uirgine so that the very bodye of Christ is there truly and vnfaynedly handled of the priests handes broken and torne on peces with y e teeth of y e faithfull In the yere c. 1961. De consecrat Dist. 2. Ego Berengarius Pope Innocent the third assembled at Rome in the councell Laterane a wonderfull swarme of spirituall smeared shorelinges to the number of .xii. hundred and odde wherof .viii. hundred at the least wer monkes fryers chanons and such other monkyshe monstures which with one consent for y e maintenaunce of theyr beastly idlenesse idle beastlinesse deuised confyrmed y e doctrine of transubstaÌ„tiatioÌ„ making it an article of our faith to beleue in payn of damnation that after the prieste hath whispered ouer y e bread wine a fewe latine words as Hoc est enim corpus meum Hic est enim sanguis meus c the bread is turned into the natural bodye of Christ fleshe bloud bone sinowes guttes loynes euen as he was borne of Mary the Uirgine and hanged on y e crosse Agayne the wine is turned into y e very naturall bloud of Christ which he receaued of Mary the Uirgine as it was shedde for our redemption on the crosse no substance of bread and wine remayning but the very substance of bread wine turned vnto the naturall substance of the body bloud of Christ onely y e accidentss of bread wine remaining this monsture of transubstaÌ„tiation was hatched and brought forth by Antichrist and his chaplaynes In the yeare c. 1215. Decret de summa trinitate Cap. Firmiter But as this doctrine of transubstantiation was vnknowen to the Church of Christ before y e wicked and vnlawfull assemblye of y e venimous dragon pope Innocent hys pestilent papistes euen so lykewyse
institution and that if any would not so receaue it the same should abstayne from the whole In the yeare of our Lord .494 dist 2. de consecrat cap. Comperimus Pope Iulius the first also commaunded that the people should receaue the mysteries of Christes body and bloude accordyng to Christs institution both the breade and the cup one seuerall from the other as the Apostle sayth let a man examine himselfe and so eate of that breade and drinke of that cup. In the yeare of our Lord .338 de consecrat dist 2. cap. Cum omne In a certain councell holden at Basile it was concluded that according to christes institution the lay people also should receaue the Sacrament in both kindes And this decree was not onely established by the authoritie of the emperour Sigismund and the coÌ„sent of the other noble and learned men whiche were there present but it was also confirmed approued and allowed by Pope Eugenius the fourth In the yeare c 1430. Lib. Concil Chron. Not only in the primatiue churche but also in the time of S. Cipriane s. Hierome S. Ambrose S. Austen S Iohn Chrisost c. and many hundred yeares after the lay people receaued the SacrameÌ„t of Christes body and bloud vnder both kindes as they lykewise had the SacrameÌ„tal bread geuen theÌ„ in theyre haÌ„des and not put in theyre mouthes as the Papistes vse in these our dayes Are not these the wordes of saint Ambrose vnto the Emperoure Theodosius when he would haue receaued the Sacrament comming blustring and blowyng from sheding innocent bloud O Emperour saith he howe shalt thou with such handes take the holy body of the Lord With what folishe hardinesse shalt thou receaue in thy mouth the cup of the precious bloud seing that thorow the madnesse of thy wordes so muche bloude is wrongfully shed Seuen thousand men sayth the historye were slaine at the commaundement of the Emperour Tripar hist. Lib. 9. cap. 30 That this Emperour Theodosius was a lay man the Papistes themselues will confesse I doubt not Here then learne we two notable thinges one is that in the tyme off Ambrose the lay people accordyng to Christes institution receaued y t Sacrament vnder both kinds The second is that the lay people also had the Sacramentall bread geuen theÌ„ into theyr hande of the ministers and not thrust into theyre mouthes as the massyng Papistes vse at this daye but this godlye plant of Christe hath that wild bore of Rome with his Antichristiane and filthy pigges â—oted vp subuerted and destroyed Take eate sayth Christe Drinke ye all of this sayth he Matth. 26. Marke 14. Luke 22. 1. Cor. 11. All saith he and not priestes only The cup of the mysterie of Christes bloud was so frelye suffred before the tiranny of the Romish bishop preuayled that not onely it was ministred to auncient people but also to yong children as the monumentes of the olde writers do manifestly declare Cipr. in serm de lapsis The Grekes the Ethiopes and the Bohems with diuers other nations as histories make mention haue vnto this daye alwayes obserued and kepte the auncient and Apostolique maner of receuing the SacrameÌ„t vnder both kinds according to the institution and ordinauÌ„ce of y e Lorde Christ by no meanes obeying the wicked decree of y e bishop of Rome vnto the contrary Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder one kinde after the popes inuention POpe Innocent the thyrd as some write did firste of all forbid in the councell Laterane that the lay people should receiue the holy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ vnder both kindes about the yeare c 1215. Other affirme whiche I iudge to be more true that that wicked decree of taking awaye the cup of the mystery of Christes bloud from the laye people contrary to christes institution and commaundement was first of al grauÌ„ted confirmed and established in a couÌ„cel holden at Constance the xiii session where y e most famous clerk Iohn Wicklief our countrey man was condemned for an heretike the two learned men Iohn Hus Hieronymus de Praga were most cruelly and most vniustly murthered and brent also for heretikes of the bloudy Papists notwithstandyng the Emperours safeconduct for deniyng the Popish article of Transubstantiation and maynteyning the receyuing of the Sacrament vnder both kindes In the yeare c. 1415. This is worthie to be noted that the Papistes them selues in that theyr deuilish decree confesse and graunte that Christes institution is that the lay people shoulde receaue the Sacrament vnder both kinds and that in the primatiue Churche all the communicaÌ„tes did not only receiue the mystery of christs body but also y e mystery of Christs bloud one seuerall from the other according to y e institucioÌ„ of christ And notwithstandyng the premisses they straightly charge and commauÌ„de that from that time forwarde none of the Laytye shal receaue the SacrameÌ„t but onely vnder the kind of bread and that they must beleue certeinly and by no meanes doubt that the whole body and bloude of Christ is truely contayned as well vnder the kinde of breade alone as vnder the kinde of wine also that therfore it is sufficient for the laytye to receaue the Sacrament vnder one kynd and that whosoeuer froÌ„ that tyme fourth shall presume to receaue the Sacrament vnder both kindes except he be an holy annoynted or think of this decree otherwise than well he shall be taken iudged condemned and punished like an heretike accordyng to the appointment of the ecclesiasticall lawes that is to say brent to ashes as the good moÌ„ke of Eye in Suffolk was in the dayes of kynge Henry the eight O woluish and bloudy Antichristes A Christen man to be murthered for obeiyng the commaundemeÌ„t of Christ yea and that of them whiche will be taken for the heades of Christs church whiche also ought rather to shed theyr owne bloude than y t any iot or title of Gods worde should be left vndone O tirannye incomparable It is not lawfull eyther to put to or take ought froÌ„ y e testament of a mortall man if it bee once allowed and shal y e vile donghills of the earth presume to alter chauÌ„ge the blessed and euerlasting Testament of y e only begotten sonne of god which he sealed with his most precious bloud deliuered to his church to be inuiolably kept vntil his returne Drinke ye all of thys sayth Christ and not ye smeared shorelyngs only In a councell holden at Basile it was decreed y t not only the lay people but the priests also when they themselues make not Goddes body shuld communicate onely vnder one kynde In the yeare c. 1437. Of confyrmation or bishoppyng of Children POpe Clement the fyrst as the papistes fayne fyrste of all ordayned the confyrmation or byshopping of children and commaunded y t the childe being once baptised shuld as sone as is possible be bishopped For sayth he
consecration should communicate together if they woulde not that they should be excommunicate For so sayth he did the Apostles appoint and the holy Church of Rome kepeth that order In the yeare of our Lorde 217. Grat. de consec dist 1. cap. Paracta Item Can. Omnes This aforesaide constitution is also ascribed to Pope Anacletus De consec dist 1. cap. Episcopus Lib. concil In the primatiue Church saith Durande all that were present at the celebration of masses that is to say at the ministratiō of the Lordes supper were wont euery day to communicate that is to receaue with the minister the Sacrament of the body bloud of Christ bicause all the Apostles did drynke of the cup accordyng to this saying of the Lord Drinke ye all of this c. Againe he sayth Uerely the priest himselfe nowe eateth all the partes of the Host. Notwithstanding in certaine Churches he taketh one parte and distributeth the other two partes to the ministers that is to saye to the Deacon and Subdeacon accordyng vnto that whereof S. Luke maketh mention that Iesus in Emaus tooke the bread and brake it vppon the table and also as some say he did eate before the two Disciples and what remayned he gaue it vnto them ▪ He also afterwarde did eate part of the broyled fish and of the honycombe and the residue he gaue to hys Disciples And therefore after that the Deacon and Subdeacon haue communicated the clerkes and religious persōs come also vnto the communion that they also may be partakers of the holy Communion Afterwarde the people also doth communicate bicause Christ did not only eate with his Apostles which were fewe in number but also when he shoulde ascende into heauen he did eate with a multitude of hys disciples And a little after he sayth The high Byshop the pope receaueth one part of the hoste and geueth an other parte thereof to the Deacon with a kisse an other portion to the Subdeacon without a kisse c. Of these thinges aforesayd may we euidently perceaue that in times paste before papacye bare rule in the church of Christ the celebration of the Lordes Supper was not a priuate repaste of one alone but a banket of many accordynge to thys sayinge of the Apostle my brethren when ye come together to eate the Lordes Supper tary one for an other Agayne All we are partakers of one breade Pope Gelasius the first commaūded that the communion shoulde be ministred in both kindes to them that come vnto the Lordes table and that if any were otherwise affected they shoulde be put awaye from the Lordes table For saith he the diuision of one and the same mystery can not be done with out great sacrilege In the yere c. 494 De cons. dist 1. cap. comperimus A councell holden at Constance did first of all by publique law forbid that the lay people should receaue y e Lordes supper vnder both kinds charging and commaunding that from thence forth the layty shoulde communicate onely vnder one kind when notwithstāding the commaundement of Christ is farre otherwise Drink ye al of this saith he And Sainct Marke sayth They all dranke of it Here is no exceptiō of the laytye The holy Apostle saint Paule also whensoeuer he maketh any mention of the Lordes supper ioyneth alwayes the bread and the cup together not diuiding the one from the other after the doctrine of the pope In y e yere c. 1417. Lib. Concil Gabr. Biel. c. The Author of the postcommunion is not knowen saith Durandus Notwithstanding Platina maketh Gregory y e first Author of it So likewise writeth Ioannes Stella and Iacobus phillippus Bergomensis Pope Leo y e first brought in Ite missa est and Benedicamus domino with Deo gratias for a final conclusion of the masse so that now euery man may go home as wise as they came In the yeare c. 444. Michael Bucchingerus It is to be noted saith Durand that y e masse is ended three maner of wayes Firste of all by Ite missa est and that is in solemne feastes when Te deum laudamus and Gloria in excelsis is songe And it is so much to say Be packing homewarde For the wholsome sacrifice for mankynd is sent or offered vnto God Or it sheweth to the people that the masse or the prayers are done Or the meaning of Ite missa est is this Go after christ and folow him for we may not abide in this worlde but by good workes we must make hast vnto the country of heauen whiche thynge we maye easelye do for the sacrifice is sente to appease God y e father by the power whereof the helles are broken and the gate of paradyse is open Ration di offi Secondly the Masse is ended by Benedicamus domino and y t is on workyng dayes and generallye when there are no songes of gladnesse songe before whereby the people shoulde be allured and stirred vp to geue god thankes Agayne the masse is concluded by Benedicamus domino on all fasting dayes and lowe feastes Rat. di offi Thirdly the masse is finished by Requiescant in pace and y t is when they sing masse of Requiem for the dead And then ye maye not aunswere Deo gratias but Amen that is to saye So be it For reast is wyshed vnto them c. Rat. di off The councel Aurelianense ordayned y t the people should not depart out of y e church after y e masse be done til they be blessed of the priest Hereof commeth it to passe y t the people on the solemne feasts be blessed with an empty cuppe after y t the prieste hath dronke all vp Lib. Concil Guili Durand Pope Alexander the fyrst made a decree that the people should be sprinckled with holy water after Masse bee done that they may sayth he thereby be made holy pure and cleane In the yeare of oure Lorde 119. Grati. Platina Sabellicus Of these things aforesayd most gentle Reader whiche I haue truly and faythfully alleged out of the popyshe Chronicle writers mayest thou euidently see y t the Romishe and popyshe masse is not so auncient of so greate antiquitye as the Romanistes and papistes bragge but rather that it is a late and yesterday inuention Agayne y t it was not instituted of Christ nor of hys Apostles but fyrst of all clouted together of certayne Popes euerye man bringing in hys patch and at the laste beautifying it with straunge feathers like vnto Esopes crowe More than a thousand yeare was thys monstrous masse in patching before it culd be brought vnto any perfection if that may receaue perfection that is most of all imperfecte Uppon this wicked superstitious and Idolatrous masse are all monasteries colleges chauntries free chappels fraternities and all the sectes of Antichrist y t pope founded and builded purgatorye also and y e whole
from y e beginnyng vnto thys daye would y e churche of the Grekes neuer receaue it but alwayes haue abhorred it as a newe straunge yea a deuelysh and damnable tradition of Antichrist as they in lyke manner woulde neuer admit that wicked exeâ—rable traditioÌ„ of receauing the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude vnder one kynde contrary to the institution of Christ nor the damnable and deuelyshe decree of the syngle lyfe of priestes althoughe that Romyshe Antichrist with the Satanicall Sectaryes haue soughte all meanes possible to bring it to passe Pope Honorius the thyrd dyd not only commaunde y t the sacrament of the altare as the papistes terme it should be worshipped and kneled vnto of the people but also that it should be borne vnto the sycke after a most comely sort with al reuerence and honour yea and that with candlelight also thoughe it be at hye noone dayes In the yere c. 1214. D. 3 Tit. 1. Cap. 10. Lib. Concil Pant. Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that the sacrament of the altare should be kept in y e churches coÌ„tinually vnder locke and keye to the entent to be in a redinesse at al times least saith he thei that are sicke should want y e spirituall coÌ„fort in y e troublesome tyme of death In the yere c. Lib. Concil Chron. Pant. But in y e primatiue church there was no such reseruation and kepyng of the sacramental bread eyther for the sicke or for the hole as it is at this presente For in the Apostles tyme and manye yeares after if any bread remayned of the communion it was not reserued hanged vp in the Pixe to be worshipped as the vse is among the papistes brought in by the deuil and Antichrist but it was geuen to the poore people to eate And in the tyme of Hesichius of Origen as their commentaries vpon Leuiticus do testifye the bread that remayned after the coÌ„munion was brent to ashes And Clement Pope of Rome made a decree that if any of the sacramentall breade remayned after the Lordes Supper was once done the clarkes should not reserue it to be hanged vp and worshipped but consume and eate it The old custome was this sayth Euagrius in hys ecclesiasticall historie that when much of the holy partes of the vndefyled body of Christ our God did remayne that the young children whiche were wonte to goe to schole shoulde bee called to eate them And Saint Hierome witnesseth also in hys commentarye vppon Sainte Paules Epistle to the Corinthians that after the communion whatsoeuer they lefte sayth he of the sacrifices he meaneth the sacramentall breade and wine they consumed it there together in the Churche eatyng their common Supper Pope Iulius the fyrst appointed that the Sacramente of the altare shoulde not be ministred with milke In the yeare of oure Lorde .338 Guili Durand Notwithstanding we read that in the tyme of Pope Innocent the eyghte it was suffered that the priestes of Norduegia mighte syng Masse with water for lacke of wine In the yeare c. 1484 Math. Palmer Pantal. Pope Innocent the third bearing rule it was ordained in the councel Laterane y t when soeuer the Sacramente of the altare is caryed aboute there shoulde be borne before it a bel ringing with a light to cause the people to knele down and worship it In the yeare c. 1195. Iacobus de visaco In the councell Arelatense it was decreed y t if any priest were negligent in keping the bodye of Christ so y t eyther mouse or any other beaste did eate it y t priest for hys offence shuld do penance fortye dayes Dist. 3. De. consecrat In the couÌ„cell Remense it was enacted y t whereas afore the manner was for the priests oftentymes to deliuer y e sacrament of Christes body and bloud to Laymen and to Laywomen yea to childreÌ„ for to beare it vnto the sicke the priestes from thenceforth shoulde no more so do but beare it themselues vnto them saying that it is an horrible and detestable thing for such to carye the holy body of the Lord to y e sicke whiche are forbidden to come into the Chauncel or to approche nye vnto the altare De consec Dist. 2. In a certayne councel holden at Rotomage it was decreed y t the sacrament should be geuen from henceforth neyther to Laymen nor to Laywomen in their handes any more but y t the priest should put it in their mouthes contrary to the vse and practise of the primatiue church and many hundred yeares after Lib. Concil Pope Boniface the second made a decree that at the ministration of the Lordes Supper the people the Clergy should be present not to be gasers but partakers of those holy mysteries In the yeare c. 529. Ioan. Stella Pope Anacletus decreed y t a priest whensoeuer he doth coÌ„municate shall haue two at the least to be partakers with him and that such as be present and will not communicate shal as vngodly persons be excommunicate and put out of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ In the yeare c. 101. Grat. Plat. Phil. Bergom In the câ—uÌ„sell Antiochen it was like wise agreed that suche as were in the Churche and present at the common prayers heard the preaching of gods worde and yet refused to receaue the Lordes Sacrament they should be taken for none of the number of the true Christians Lib. Concil Pope Zepherinus appoynted that all that professe christ or beare the names of ChristiaÌ„s being of the age of twelue or thirtene yeres or vpwarde should at the least once in the yere as at Easter receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe In the yeare c. 208. Plat. Sabell Volat. Laziard c. Pope Fabiane commauÌ„ded that euery Christian should receaue the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud thrice in the yeare that is to say at Easter at Witsontide and at Christmasse In the yere of our lord .242 Eusebius Plat. Sabell Volat. Ioan. Stella Pantaleon In the Councell Agathense it was decreed that those seculare men which did not receaue the Communion at Christmasse Easter and Witsontide shoulde not be taken for true Catholikes Lib. Concil There is a decree as Guilihelmus Durandus writeth that suche as ought to receaue the Sacrament at Easter muste abstayne ab amplexibus that is to saye from gyuing their wiues the due beneuolence as Sainct Paule calleth it three dayes afore and three or fiue or vii dayes after as though the acte of Matrimonye were vncleane when notwithstandyng the holy Apostle calleth Wedlocke honorable and the bedde vndefiled Rationale di off Of receauing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes Institution POpe Gelasius ordayned that all Christians be they spirituall or temporall as they terme them shoulde receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both kinds according to Christes
ought by their office to haue giuen their minde to the preaching of the gospell and the prouision making for the poore set all their pleasure on pleasaunt singing not caryng how they liued afore god so that with their voyces they might please y e world He was therefore compelled to make a decree that all suche as be in the holy ministery should from thenceforth vnder the payne of excommunicatioÌ„ geue their minds no more to singing but apply themselues to the studies of the holy scriptures and the reading of the gospell In Regist. part 5. cap. 44. Undoubtedly sayth S. Gregory true prayer câ—Ì„sisteth not in the voyce of the mouth but in the thoughts of y e heart For our words do not make the voices the pithier of y e greater force to come vnto the most secret eares of God but our desire and affections Therefore sayth the Lord in the gospel Enter into thy closette sparre the doore He sparreth the doore and prayeth in hys closet whiche holdeth his peace with his mouth poureth out the affection of his minde in the sight of god aboue Moral Lib. 22. cap. 18. S. Iohn Chrisostome also writeth on this maner It is the duty of a deuout mynde to praye to God not with the voice or with the souÌ„d of the voice but with the deuotion of the minde and with the fayth of the heart Agayne he saith the crieng of the voyce is not the worke in prayer vnto god whome we knowe that he beholdeth the secretes of the heart but the crieng of faith and the deuotion of a godly and pure mind Therfore the beste waye to pray is to pray with hart minde spirit soule and and inwarde man HoÌ„ 44. de Ioan. Paul Festo The Emperoure Iustiniane made a law that all byshops and priestes both in the time of diuine seruice and also in the ministration of the holy sacrameÌ„ts should with so open and cleare voyce pronounce all thynges in the tounge which the people vnderstand that they might therby be the better edified and also be the more feruently stirred vnto deuotion and prayinge to God For sayth he so doth the holy Apostle teache in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying If thou geue thankes onely in the spirite that is to say in an vnknowen tounge howe shall he that occupyeth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen at thy thankes geuinge seynge he vnderstaÌ„deth not what thou sayest Thou verely geuest thankes well but y e other is not edifiedâ— And again in his Epistle to the Romans he sayth on thys manner to beleue with the heart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe In consideration whereof sayth that Godly Emperoure it is conuenient that amonge other prayers those thynges also whiche are sayde in the holy oblation that is to saye in the ministration of the Lordes super or the hloy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ be vttered spoken with a loude voice of the deuout Byshops priest to our Lord Iesu Christ one God with the father and the holy ghost willyng theÌ„ to know that if they neglect any of these things they shall not only geue accoÌ„pt therof in y e dreadeful iudgement of the great God our sauiour Iesu Christ but we also hauing knowledge herof wil not be coÌ„tent nor leaue the things vnreuenged In constitut Authen 123. Guilihelmus Durandus sayth that the vse of singing was ordained for carnal and fleshlye men and not for spirituall and godly minded men Rat. di off Polidorus â—ergilius writeth on thys manner Howe greatly that ordinauÌ„ce of singyng brought into the Churche by Pope Damasus and Sainct Ambrose began euen in those dayes to be profitable Sainct Austen declareth euidentlye in the booke of hys Confessions where he asketh forgeuenesse of God bicause he had giuen more heede and better eare to the singing than to the weighty matter of y e holy wordes But now adayes saith Polidore it appereth euidently y t it is much lesse profitable for our commen wealth seyng our singers make such a chattering charme in the teÌ„ples that nothyng can be heard but the voice and they that are present they are present so many as are in the Citie being content with such a noyse as delight their eares care nothyng at all for the vertue pithe and strength of the wordes so that nowe it is come to this point that with the common sort of people all the worshippyng of God semeth to be set in these singsters although generally there is no kynde of people more light nor more leud And yet the greater parte of the people for to heare them boing bleating and yelling â—locke into the Churches as into a common gameplace They hire them with money they cherishe and feede them yea to be short they thinke them alone to be the ornamentes and precious iewels of Gods house c. Wherefore without doubt it were better for religion to cast out â—f y e churches suche chatteryng and â—anglyng â—ayes or els so to appoynt them that when they sing they should rather rehearse the songes after the manner of such as reade than followe the fashion of chatteryng charmers whiche thyng S. Austen in his aforesayde booke doth witnesse that S. Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria dyd in hys diocesse and he commendeth him greatly for it Lib. 6. de inuent rerum Cap. 2. Cornelius Agrippa writeth of singing in churches on this manner Athanasius dyd forbyd singing in hys Churches bycause of the vanitye thereof But Ambrose as one more desyrous of Ceremonyes and pompe ordayned the vse of singing and makyng melodye in Churches Austen as a man indifferent betwixt both in hys booke de confessionibus graunteth that by this meanes he was in a greate perplexitie and doubt concernyng thys matter But nowe a dayes Musicke is growne to such and so greate licentiousnesse that euen at the ministration of y e holy Sacramente all kynde of wanton leude trifelyng songes with pipyng of Organs haue theyr place and course As for the diuine seruice and common prayer it is so chaunted mynsed and mangled of oure costlye hired curious and nise Musitions not to instructe the audience withall nor to stirre vp mens mindes vnto deuotion but with an whoryshe armonye to tickle theyr eares that it may iustly seme not to be a noyse made of men but rather a bleating of brute beastes while y e children ney discant as it were a sorte of coltes other bellowe a tenoure as it were a companye of oxen other barke a counterpoynt as it were a number of dogges other roare out a treble lyke a sort of bulles other grunte out a base as it were a number of hogges so that a foule euel fauoured noyse is made but as for the wordes and sentences and the very matter it selfe is nothing vnderstranded at all but the authoritye and power of iudgemente is taken
ceremonies must alone be couÌ„ted worthy to beare office in the Church to be reputed and taken for the only pyllars of our mother holy Churche to be had in estimation aboue all men and to be reuerenced as Gods of all men and so many as be of contrarye opinion teaching that our whole saluation commeth only from God thorowe fayth in the bloude of Christ must be adiudged seditious persons sowers of discorde authors of new learning teachers of strauÌ„ge doctrine and heretikes But as I may by coniecture speake my minde coÌ„cerning this ceremonie I thinke verelye that as the ceremony of dealing holy bread on the Sondayes wherof we shal hereafter speake was ordained of y e fathers of Christs Church at that time to put the people in remembraunce of Christes body breakyng so lykewise at the same time was this ceremony of water sprinckling brought into the Churche to put the people in remembraunce of Christes bloud sheadyng on the altare of the Crosse for their sinnes But as the papistes in processe of time lost the signification of holy bread of al other ceremonies therfore ioyned vnto the certain doctrines of error false faith so likewise haue thei done in y e ceremonie of holy water They not knowing the cause of the first instititution haue fayned the holy water as they cal it to be of such and so greate vertue might and power that it is able to put away sinne to geue health both of minde body to make so many holy and pure as be sprinckled with it to geue abundaunce of thynges to dryue awaye deuils to chase awaye all the power of our ghostly enemye yea and to plucke him vp by the rootes and vtterly to destroy him with all his Apostatike aungels to put backe diseases to expell all corrupte and pestilente ayres to dispatche all y e guyles subtilties sleyghtes and disceates of the lurkyng enemye â—o banyshe al thynges that be contratye to the healthe prosperitye and quietnesse of all such as dwel in y e houses where it is sprinckled to geue securitie of hope corroboratioÌ„ strengthning of faith to bring the holy ghost at the laste what not Are not all these things read in their exorcismes coniuratioÌ„s of their bewitched salted water as we haue tofore hearde and in other Popishe treatyses Reade we not these wordes in their Popish primare which we are taught commauÌ„ded to say wheÌ„ we sprinckle our selues with y e water in the Church porche before we enter into y e Church Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus â— vita Praesta mihi domine per hanc creaturam aspertionis aquae sanitatem mentis integritatem corporis tutelam salutis securitatem spei corroborationem fidei nuÌ„c in futuro Whiche is thus Englished The blessed water mought be vnto me health and life Graunt me O Lord by thys creature of the sprincklyng of water health of mynde wholenesse of body defence of health safegarde of hope strengthnynge of faith now and in tyme to come And bicause this their dreame should be of the more credit they haue fathered those their lyes as they do many other of an auncient Byshop of Rome called Alexander the first whiche liued In y e yere c. 119. And here mayest thou see what a lying generatioÌ„ the Papists are as I maye speake nothyng of their pestilent and abhominable doctrine Of Holy Bread THe vse among the Christians was firste of all y t so many as came together into the church dayly for to pray and to heare the worde of God the same should also dayly receaue together the holye communion of the body bloud of Christ. But when the multitude that professed Christ began to encrease and waxed very great so that that order could not conueniently be obserued kepte the auncient fathers of Christes church made a decree y e all y e Christians shuld communicate on the Sondayes together and be no more bounde vnto the dayly communioÌ„ as they to fore were And here of commeth thys sentence of S. Austen Dayly to coÌ„municate I neyther coÌ„mende nor discommend but on the SoÌ„daies to receaue y e communion I would couÌ„cell all men WheÌ„ this receauyng of the communioÌ„ euery Sonday was not done with such deuotion sobernesse and grauitie as it ought to haue bene but thorowe that often coÌ„ming vnto it much dissolution lightnesse was shewed of diuerse people the Elders of Christes Church thought it mete for y t present tyme to take awaye the custome of receauing the communion euery Sonday to appoint that the Christians should receaue the communion together thrice in the yeare y t is to say at Easter at Witsontyde and at the feaste of Christes natiuitie But when this order also was not duly and reuerently obserued it was iudged and thought mete that the people shoulde commonly receaue the Lordes Supper but once in the yeare that is to say at Easter and that in the stead therof bicause the remembrauÌ„ce of Christs passion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and precious bloud sheadyng fall from the remembraunce of the people whiche is preached declared and set forth to the faythful at the Lordes supper by breaking and eating the bread and by pouring out by drinkyng the wine The Fathers of Christes Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water to put the people in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of Christes body breakyng and bloude sheding y â— as they see the bread whiche is distributed euery Sonday of the minister broken on many peces so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christs body on the altare of the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes again that as they see the water sprinckled abrode so they should remeÌ„ber that Christes bloud was shed for them on the Crosse by the effusion and sheading wherof they be purged clensed and purified from al filthinesse of sinne iniquitie by thys meanes addresse themselues to be thankefull to God the Father for so inestimable and excedyng greate benefites giuen vnto them in the death of his Sonne And these ceremonies of holy bread and holy water at that tyme were not onely ministred to y e people of the Godly Pastors but it was also euerye Sondaye preached and declared vnto theÌ„ what the ceremonies signified and wherefore they were instituted of the rulers of Christes church eueÌ„ to put theÌ„ in remeÌ„braunce of Christes body breakyng and bloud sheadyng on y e altare of the Crosse for the remission forgiuenesse of their sinnes And it is not to be doubted but the Godly Ministers in those dayes did with sorowfull hearts minister those ceremonies to the people seyng that they for their vnthankefulnesse dissolution of lyfe were depriued of the holy communion of Christs body and bloud and fedde with ceremonies of mans inuention and dyd lykewise diligently exhort the people so to frame
of thundring the senteÌ„ce THe Prelate hauyng on hys Albe with the other Priestes that are in the Churche the Crosse beyng lyft vp and the candels lyght standing in the pulpit let them pronounâ—e the wordes that folowe EX authoritate dei patris omnipotentis beatae Mariae Virginis omnium sanctorum excommunicamus anathematizamus diabolo commendamus omnes supradictos malefactores Excommunicati sint anathematizati diabolo commendati Maledicti sunt in villis in campis in vijs in semitis in domibus extra domos in omnibus alijs locis stando iacendo surgendo ambulando currendo vigilando dormiendo comedendo bibendo aliud opus faciendo illos a luminibus omnibus bonis ecclesie sequestramus diabolo damnamus in paenis inferni animas eorum extinguamus sicut extinguitur ista candela nisi resipiscant ad satisfactionem veniant That is to saye By the authoritye of God y e father almyghtie and of the blessed Uirgyne Marye and of all Sainctes we excommunicate we cursse and committe to the Deuyll all the aforesayde malefectoures and euyl doers Excommunicate mought they be curssed and giuen ouer to the Deuill Cursed be they in Townes in Fieldes in Wayes in Pathes in Houses out of Houses and in all other places Standyng Lighyng Rysyng Walkyng Runnyng Watchyng Sleaping Eatyng Drinkyng and whatsoeuer thynge they doe besydes We sequester them from the thresholdes and all the goodes of the Churche and we giue them ouer to the Deuill And let vs quenche their soules in the paynes of hell as this candle is now quenched and put out except they amende and come vnto satisfaction Finita sententia extinguat lumen ad terrorâ— pulsatis caÌ„panis That is to say When the senteÌ„ce is ended let him put out the candle to make the people the more afraide and ring the belles In an olde written boke I find thus written The Articles of the generall senteÌ„ce must be read foure times in the yeare openly in the Churche before all the people yea and that in the mother tong that is to say the first sonday of Aduent and the first sonday of Lent Trinitie sondaye and on the sondaye whiche is within the Octaues of the Assumption of the blessed virgine Mary And when the Priest hath read the Articles of y e general sentence let hym with all hast put out the candle which he holdeth in his hand and with great violence cast it away from him saying Auctoritate dei patris omnipotentis filij Spiritus sancti sanctae Mariae Matris domini nostri Iesu Christi sanctoruÌ„ Apostolorum Petri Pauli omnium Sanctorum sanctorum Canonum nostri Ministerij excommunicamus anathematizamus a Sacramentis sanctae ecclesiae a coÌ„munione corporis sanguinis domini nostri Iesu Christi sequestramus omnes illos vel illas qui praenominati sunt Et sicut extinguitur haec lucerna hominum ita extinguatur lumen eorum in secula seculorum nisi ad emendationem satisfactionem venerint Fiat fiat Amen That is to saye By the authoritie of God the father almightye and the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of S. Marye the Mo of our Lorde Iesu Christ and of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of al Saintes and of the holy Canons and of our ministerie we excommunicate we curse and we sequester from the sacramentes of holy church and froÌ„ y e coÌ„munion of the bodye and bloud of oure Lorde Iesu Christ al those men or women that are to fore named And as thys candle which meÌ„ vse is quenched and put oute so let their light be quenched and put oute worldes withoute ende excepte they amende and make satisfaction So be it So be it AMEN The priest must take hede sayth the olde written boke that he reade not on the foresayde sondayes the generall sentence at masse time after y e Gospel as certain vndiscrete priests do by this meanes interrupting the masse but he shal read it either immediatly after the aspersion or sprinckling of y e holy water or els after the procession Hereafter followeth a treatise of the articles of the generall greater curse found among other old bokes at Cantorbury in the parishe church of S Paule In the yeare c 1562. GOod men and women it is ordayned by the councell of al holy church fyrst of oure holy father the pope of Rome and his Cardinalls and by all hys councel and sithen of al Archbyshops and Byshops and by all the Clergye of holye church y t euery man of holy churche y t hath cure of mans soule that is to say persons vicares and paryshe priests should shewe among hys parishoners foure tymes of the yeare the articles that bene written in the generall sentence that is to saye the poyntes that longen to the greate curse The one daye is the fyrst sondaye of Aduente The second day is the fyrst Sonday in cleane lenton The thirde daye is the sondaye next after Whitsontide And the fourth day is the next sonday after the Assumption of our Ladye And the poyntes muste openly bee taught and shewed to the people or leude men y t they maye knowe the greate mischiefe and disease thereof y t no man or womaÌ„ should be perished for defaulte of learning ne haue matter to excuse hem by Wherefore ye shoullen vnderstande at the beginning y t thys worde Curse is thus much to say as departing fro god and al good workes Of two manner of cursing holy church telleth The one is cleped the lesse curse The other is cleped the more curse That we clepen the lesse curse is of this strength y t euery man and woman y t falleth therin it departeth hym froe al the Sacraments y t beene in holy Churche y t they maye none of hem receaue tyll they bee assoyled for ryghte as a swearde departeth y e head or y e lyfe from y e body right so as to saye ghostlich Curse departeth mans soule fro god fro al good workes The more curse is much worse is of this strength for to departe a man fro God and fro all holy church and also fro y e company of all Christen folke neuer to be saued by y e passion of Christ ne to bee holpen by the Sacramentes that bene done in holy Churche ne to haue parte with any Christen man â— Clerkes sayen that a childe before that he is christened it hath a wicked spirite dwelling within hym in hys soule the whiche wicked spirite is halsed or coniured or caste out of hym thorowe the prayer of the prieste before the churche dore when it shall be christened The which sacrament of baptisme is grouÌ„ded in holy writ and is beginning of al other sacramentes and was veriliche betokened in the passion of oure Lord Iesu Christ by water that ranne oute of hys side from
any other thing Also al thoe that letters purchaseÌ„ in any lords courte that no processe of right may be determined ne iudged in holy churche courte Also al thoe y e bloud drawen of any man or woman in violence or in any other vilonye in churche or in the churchyarde where thorowe y e churche or churchyarde is interdited polluted or suspended And all robbers rouers by day or by night that any maÌ„s good stelen for the whiche goodes a maÌ„ or woman were worthye to heare iudgement And al those that out of houses of holy church graunges personages or vicaries or any maneries of mens of holy church agaynst her will or her kepers wil any maÌ„ner of goodes with violence beren out of holy place church or abbey or any house of religioÌ„ which weren lefte there for sikernesse or succour for to kepe all that therto assenten Also al thoe that withholdeÌ„ a wydow her right or her dowry after her husbandes death or taken her good wrongfully All that procuren or geueÌ„ leue or commaundement any other to flea or to maime or to beate or by any other waye a greue any Ordinarye or iudge of y e lawe in body or in goods Al these aforesayd bene accursed with the greater curse Et cetera Many other pointes also longen vnto this greate sentence but I trowe to God it be no neede to rehearse here no mo Et sic finitur BUt thorowe authoritie of oure Lord God almightye our Lady S. Marye and all Saintes of heauen of all Aungells or Archeaungells Patriarches and Prophetes Euangelists Apostles Martyrs Confessours and Virgines also by y e power of all holy church y t oure Lord Iesu Christ gaue to S. Peter We denounce all thoe accursed y t we haue thus reckned to you And all thoe y e mayntayne hem in her sinnes or geuen hem thereto eyther helpe or councell so that thei bee departed from God and all holye churche and that they haue no parte of the passion of our Lord Iesu Christ ne of no Sacramentes that beene in holye Church ne no parte of the prayers among Christen folke but y e they bee accursed of God and of holy church fro the sole of theyr foote vnto the crowne of her heade sleapyng and wakyng sitting and standing and in all her wordes and in all her workes and but if they haue grace of GOD for to amende hem here in this life for to dwel in the payne of hel for euer withouten ende Fiat Fiat Do to the boke Quenche the candle Ring the bell AMEN AMEN Here folowe certayne Fragmentes of papistrye WE haue tofore heard where we entreated of the Lordes supper howe y e Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that the mysterye of Christes bodye otherwise called the sacramental bread should be kepte in churches continuallye vnder locke and keye to the entent to bee in a redinesse at all tymes leaste sayeth he they that are sicke shoulde wante y e spirituall comforte in the troublesome tyme of death Some curious fellowe peraduenture will here demaund why the sacramental wine is not also reserued and hanged vp as well as y â— bread seing Christ gaue thys generall commaundemente and sayde Drinke ye all of thys To thys question aunswereth Guilielmus Durandus saying The bloud of Christ is not reserued and kept for diuerse causes The fyrst is bycause wine which is liquide may easely thorowe negligence be spilt The seconde is bycause y t by the chalice whiche is on Maundye thursdaye receaued the ende of the olde lawe is vnderstanded The third is bicause y e body y t is reserued is not without bloude The fourth is that in y e the bloud is not reserued it is declared y e the olde sacrifice ought to cease For the bread signifyeth the newe testament but the wine signifyeth y e old testament To make euident prâ—se of this matter the Lord when he haâ— dronke sayde Consumatum est It is finished Therfore the chalice is receaued and the bread is reserued bycause the lawe hath now his ende the Gospel hath his beginning The fift cause is bycause Christ at the Lordes supper sayd Uerely I say vnto you I wil not from henceforth drinke any more of this frute of the Uine til I drinke that newe in the kingdome of my father He spake not of the body or of eatyng Yea we fynde that afterwarde he dyd eate part of the broyled fyshe and also of the hony combe but we do not finde that he euer dronke after Durandus in Rat. di off Lib. 6. Cap. 79. No bodye or Corps ought to be buried in the Churche or nigh vnto the place where the body and bloud of the Lorde is made but the bodyes of holye fathers whiche are called Patroni that is to saye defenders whiche thorowe theyr worthye and noble actes defende all the countreye Agayne Byshops and Abbottes and worthye Priestes and laye men whiche be of most highe holynesse As for all other they oughte to be buryed aboute the churche as in the yarde or in the porch or in y e voltes and suche lyke places as are nigh vnto the Churche Durandus in Ratio di off Lib. 1. When any Churche is to be halowed thys order muste be obserued Fyrst all the people muste departe out of the Church and the Deacon must remaine there onely hauyng all the doores shut faste vnto hym The Byshop with the Clergye shall stande withoute before the Churche doore and make holy water mingled with salt In the meane season within the churche there muste be set vp .xii. candles brennyng before xii crosses that are appoynted vppon the churche walles Afterwarde the bishop accompanied with the Clergye people shall goe thrice aboute the church without and the bishop hauing in hys hande a staffe with a bunche of Ysope on the ende shall with the same cast holy water vpon y e church walles and at euery time the bishop shal come vnto y e church dore strike y e threshold therof with his Crossierstaffe and say Tollite portas Principes vestras et eleuamiâ—i portae aeternales et introibit Rex gloriae That is Lifte vp your gates O ye Princes and be ye lyfte vp O ye euerlasting gates the King of glorye shal enter in Then shal the Deacon or minister that is within saye Quis est iste Rex gloriae That is Who is thys king of glorye To whom the Byshop shall aunswere and saye Dominus fortis et potens Dominus potens in praelio That is It is the Lord strong and mightie eueÌ„ y e Lord mightye in battayle At y e third time the Deacon shall open the church doore and the Byshop shall enter into the churche accompanied with a fewe ministers the clergye and the people abiding still without Entring into the church the Byshop shall saye Pax huiâ— domui That is Peace be vnto thys house And afterward the Bishop with
them y t are in the church shall saye the Letanye These thynges done there must be made in the pauemente of the church a crosse of ashes and sand wherin y e whole Alphabete or Christs crosse shall be written in Greeke and Latin letters After these things the Bishop must halow an other water with salt and ashes and wine and consecrate y e altare Afterwarde the twelue crosses y t are paynted vpon the church walles the Byshop must annoynt them with chrisme cōmōly called Creame These thinges once done the clergye and the people may frely come into the church ring the bells for ioye c. Ibidem Holy water proprely euen of her own vertue hath power and strength to expell and put out deuills And therefore it is sayde in the coniuration thereof That it maye be made a coniured and be witched water to chase awaye all the power of thee nemye yea to plucke vp that same enemye euen by the verye rootes c. Ibidem The manner and order of consecrating or halowing altars is this First the byshop muste beginne Deus in adiutorium meum intende Secondly he shall make holy water Thyrdly at y e foure corners of y e altare he shal make foure crosses with holy water Fourthly the Byshop shall goe seuen tymes aboute the altare and seuen tymes he shall washe the table of the altare or altare stone with holy water hauyng y e holy water sprinckle made of Ysope The churche also shall be sprinckled agayne with holy water and whatsoeuer holy water doth afterwarde remaine shall bee poured out beneath at the altare Fiftlye in the foure corners of the Sepulchre wherein y e Reliques are laide the Byshop shall make foure crosses with y e creame and y e Reliques shall be layde vp in a bagge with three graines of Franckencense and put agayne in the Sepulchre Then shall there be made in the middes of the Sepulchre a table with the signe of the crosse Sixtly the stone which is called the table shall be made mete and laide vppon the altare and being so made mete the Byshop shal annoynt it with oyle in fiue places and lykewise shall he afterward doe w t the Creame as it is sayd of y e oyle The Byshop also shal confyrme the altare in the forehead or forefronte with a crosse of creame and shal burne franckensence vpon the altare in fiue places Afteral these things be done y e altare shal be couered with fayre clothes And the priest may now lawfully sing masse vpon it when he will Ibidem The Apostolike See as Anacletus the Pope sayeth is the heade and the hanggell Cardo of all other Sees For as the doore is gouerned by the hanggell so are all churches gouerned and ruled by the authoritye of that See And therfore thei are called Cardinalls bycause y t by thē the whole churche is gouerned sicut ostium per cardinem as y e doore by the hanggel The prelate of y e see is called Papa y t is father of fathers namely the vniuersall bishop for he is the prince lorde and ruler of the whole church vniuersal And he is called Apostolicus bicause he occupieth y e roume of the prince of y e Apostle Peter He is also called Summus Pontifex y e highest bishop bicause he is y e head of al bishops frō whō thei as membres frō the head descend and al receaue of his fulnesse euen so many as he calleth in partem solicitudinis non in plenitudinem potestatis into part of the carefull trauayle but not into the fulnesse of power He is y e Melchizedech whose priesthoode farre excelleth al other Guili Durand In R at di off Lib. 2. In the administration of the Sacramentes some spiritual sanctification is geuen thorow the blessing or cōsecration of the garmentes of the water and such like Ibidem Priestes when they are ordered take of y e byshops hand a chalice with wine in it a paften with the hoste or singing cake y t by these instrumentes they may know y t thei haue receaued power to offer vp vnto God propiciatorye sacrifices euen the bodye and bloude of Christ. In consideration wherof when the byshop geueth these thinges vnto them he saith Take power to offer sacrifice vnto God and to singmasse both for the quicke and the dead in the name of our Lorde There is great difference betwene byshops and priestes For albeit there are six things which cōmonly pertaine vnto all priests y t is to say to catechise or teach or baptise to preache to make gods bodye to losen and to bynde yet belong there specially vnto the bishop nine things y t is to say to order clerks to blesse virgins to consecrate bishops to laye on handes to halowe churches to put down them y t ar to be degraded to celebrate sinodes to make crisme to halowe vestmentes or vessels There are other things also which appertain vnto y e office of a bishop as to cōfyrme children to geue the solemne blessing before the Paxe suche lyke Ibidem When the priest pronounceth these wordes of Christ Hoc est corpus meum Hic est sanguis meus This is my body This is bloude the bread and wine are conuerted and tourned into fleshe bloud with y e power of the word wherwith y e word was made flesh dwelled amōg vs wherwith he spake it was done he cōmaunded they wer made wherwith he chaunged a woman into a pillar of salt turned a rod into a serpent wherwith he chaunged the fountaines into bloud turned y e water into wine For if the word of Helias could bring downe fyre from heauen shall not the word of Christ thē be able to chaunge bread into flesh Uerely it is a greater thing of nothing to make y t is not thā to chaunge y t which already is into an other thing Yea it is a greater thing without al comparison y t God is made man and yet continueth still God thā the bread is so made fleshe y t it ceaseth to be bread That was once done by incarnation but this is continually done by consecratiō At y e pronoūcing therefore of the wordes of y e bread is by the mighty power of god transsubstantiated chaūged into y e substance of flesh The deuine materiall substance of this sacrifice is y e word whiche ioyned vnto y e element maketh a sacramente as y e word vnited to flesh maketh christ mā For it is to be noted y t in the body of christ he speaketh of the sacrament xi miracles are considered of y e whiche no euidente reason can be rendred and shewed although reasons made by similitudes may serue for this purpose The fyrst is y e bread wine are turned into the substance into y e body bloud of Christ wherof we alredy shewed certayn reasons An other reason also serueth for this purpose For both corporall meate
we kylled al the day lōg and are counted as shepe appointed to be slayne As I may among many touche one Ecclesiastical history What shall I speake of the vnhappye time of that most vnhappy and wicked heritike Arrius Although the Fathers of the councell Nicene did iudge truly rightly according to the doctrine of the holy Scripture of the true euerlasting diuinitie or Godhead of Christ the Sonne of God Yet not long after that wicked heresie of Arrius dyd so preuaile and take roote in the heartes of men that it was not receaued only in one realme or two but also Pope Liberius Bishop of Rome with the Emperoure and all the East parte of the world admitted that most damnable heresie to be most sounde and wholesome doctrine persecuting most cruelly al such as defended the cōtrary whereof was a very little number as Athanasius Paulinus and verye fewe other Byshops whiche by no meanes would geue place to so great furour and madnesse although most miserably entreated In a Councell also holden at Nice a great nūber of Byshops with other gathered there together consented to disanull and put away the mariage of Priestes or spirituall ministers contrary to the practise of gods Churche from the begynning and contrary to the doctrine of the holy ghost which saith Wedlocke is honourable among all men and the bed vndefiled for what purpose I knowe not nor with what reasōs persuaded am I able to say Notwithstanding the holy and blessed Confessour Pahnutius although vnmaried withstood them all and by no meanes would consent vnto theyr entreprise and deuise but franckely and freely confessed that the mariage of Ministers is honourable and that it is chastitie for a man to lye with his owne wyfe By thys meanes he persuaded the councel that they proceded no further in this matter but sette euerye man at hys lyberty to marrye or not to marrye Whoe seeth not nowe howe foolyshe a thynge it is and muche vnworthye a Christen man to leane to the multitude whiche for the moste parte is nothynge elles than a beaste of manye heades Seyng we haue euidentlye shewed that the greater parte in matters that appertayne to Christes Religion is alwayes the worsest parte and the lesser parte dothe more earnestlye embrace the truthe of Gods worde so that not withoute a cause Christ calleth his people a litle flocke ▪ Feare not ye lyttle flocke sayeth Christe for it hath pleased my father to geue you a kyngdome Thys therefore is a vayne obiection of the aduersaries to saye We haue the greater number on our syde therefore haue we the truth on our syde For the deuill the worlde and the fleshe haue a greater company attendyng vpon them than Christe hath vpon hym seyng that the greatest parte of this worlde rather embraceth thinges present than with ioye looketh for thinges to come Finallye some can by no meanes fynde in their hearte to approue and allowe that present state of Religion whiche is nowe receaued among vs bicause it greatlye differeth saye they from the old◠and accustomed order It is demaunded in what points It is answered In these Fyrste The Byshop of Rome is not knowledged and receaued anye more to be Supreme head of the vniuersall Churche of Christe I aunswere We knowe no Supreme head of the Churche by the worde of God but Christ alone and vnder Christe euery Prince in hys owne Realme Secondly The Sacrament is receaued vnder both kyndes I aunswere So hath Christe commaunded saying Drinke of this all ye Also the Apostle so oft as ye shall eate of this bread and drinke of the cup c. Thyrdly The seruice and publique prayer is done in the tēples no more in the latin tong as heretofore but in the common and Englishe speache I answere So hath the custome bene from the beginning in the Church of Christ in al places and is so vsed at this present generally wheresoeuer the Byshop of Rome hath no authoritie And God by his holy Apostle commaundeth vs that in our congregations all thinges should be done to edifie approuing and allowing rather fiue wordes so spokē that they may be vnderstanded than ten thousand otherwise Fourthly All the laudable ceremonies are neglected and set a side as the halowing of salt water bread candles palmes fire ashes c. I aunswere All these are the triflyng traditions of men and haue bene the cause of much Idolatrye and superstition And it is written They worship me in vaine teaching doctrines which are the commaundementes of men Item God is a spirite they that worship hym must worship him in spirite and truth Fiftly Purgatory is denied I answere we know none other purgatorye for the soule but the precious bloud of our Lorde and Sauiour Christe Iesu as it is writtē The bloud of Iesus Christ gods sonne maketh vs cleane frō all sinne Sixtly The Sacrifice of the Masse is vtterly reiected and caste awaye as a pestilence moste hurtfull blasphemous and iniurious to the passion and death of Christ ▪ I answere The word of God teacheth vs in all places that there is no sacrifice for sinne but the death of Christ alone But Christ dreth no more Therfore is there no more sacrifice offered vp for sinne With one only oblation sayth the Apostle hath Christ that euerlasting Byshop made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified Agayn we are sanctified made holye by the offeryng vp of the bodye of Iesu Christ done once for al. Seuenthly The inuocation and intercessiō of Saintes is cleane omitted and left I answere God alone is to be called vpon as he himselfe ▪ commaundeth saying Call on me in the tyme of trouble and I will deliuer thee We knowe by the worde of God no Mediatour no Intercessour but Christ alone as it is written There is one God one Mediatour he sayth not many Mediatoures betwene God and man euen the man Iesus Christ whiche gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men Againe if any man sinne we haue an Aduocate with the father he sayth not Aduocates Iesus Christe the righteous one And he it is that obtayneth mercy for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for all the worlde Item Christ is on the right hād of God and maketh intercession for vs. He saith not Saintes make intercession for vs. And our sauiour Christ him self sayth Whatsoeuer ye aske the father in my name he sayth not in the names of the saītes he will geue it you Eyghtly The article of trāssubstantiation is reiected and cast awaye as an errour or heresie I answere The holy Scripture knoweth no suche article neither haue the holy old fathers euer taught or left writtē such doctrine behinde them It is a new and late inuention brought in by the Pope and his adherentes Saint Paule calleth the Sacramentall bread ▪ not onely bread before the consecration but also after the consecration And our Sauiour Christ calleth
and liuely and not fayned and dead and declare as Dauid speaketh of hymselfe that he is as a trutefull Olyue tree in the house of the Lorde For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then dyed Christe in vayne A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges And an euill man out of euill treasure bringeth forth euill thynges The good treasure is faith euill treasure is vnbelief Either make the tree good and his frute good or elles make the tree euill and hys frute euill The man must be good before he can bring forth good works Fourtenthly Auricular confession is set at nought and no more vsed I aunswere Auricular confession is the inuention of man no where grounded on the worde of God and hath bene the occasion of muche mischiefe in tyme paste Confession of our sinnes to God and to suche as we haue offended the Scripture teacheth and commauÌ„deth but such Auricular and caryshe confession to be made vnto a Priest with all circumstances where when howe with whom howe often c. as the pope commaundeth is no where founde in Gods booke Notwithstandyng we freely permitte and suffer any man that will to go vnto a Godly learned and discrete minister of Gods worde either for doctrine councell or comfort not only in the tyme of Lent but at all tymes of the yeare For it is written The lyps of a Priest kepe knowledge and at hys mouth they shall require the law for he is the Aungell or Embassadour of the Lorde of Hostes Fyftenthly The name of satisfaction is abhorred and counted vnworthy the Christen profession I aunswere To God there is satisfaction â—or sinns but the death of Christ alone as Sainct Iohn saith he Christ is the satisfaction for our sinnes Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul God made Christ to be sinne that is a satisfactory sacrifice for sinne which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse whiche before God is allowed God requireth of vs repentaunce fayth and amendement of lyfe when we haue gone astraye but to satisfie the iustice of God for those our sinnes we are not able though al righteousnesse of the whole worlde shoulde be offered vp to God of one man for one sinne that he had committed agaynst God in whose sight the starres are not pure nor the Aungels of heauen free from imperfection if they shoulde be compared with the purenesse and perfection of God Therefore to make satisfaction to GOD for oure sinnes Christe came downe tooke our frayle nature vpon hym dyed for our wickednesses and rose agayne for oure Iustification And thys hys satisfaction is counted oure satisfaction if we beleue in hym as it is written Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren that thorowe thys man CHRIST is preached vnto you the forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustifyed from all thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses There is an other kynde of satisfaction that concerneth oure neyghboure whome we haue offended eyther in worde or in deede That satisfaction ought in this behalfe to be made no man that feared God denyeth Yea we playnly affirme that whosoeuer hath offeÌ„ded his neighbour and seketh not to be reconciled vnto him by makyng due satisfaction vnto him to the vttermost of his power whether it be in worde or in dede that person is farre from the true Christianitie If the offence be in worde sactisfactioÌ„ must be made in worde If it be in deede then must the satisfaction be made in dede lykewise after the example of Zachee whiche sayd If I haue done any man wrong I restore him foure folde Sixtenthly Free will is denyed to be in vs that we haue no power to do any good I aunswere Our libertie of well willing well doing was lost in AdaÌ„ in whoÌ„ as all we sinned so are al we iustly coÌ„deÌ„ned Before AdaÌ„s fal we had freewill both to will wel and to do well but since his fall all perished in vs that good was and all grewe vp that euill and wicked was as it is writteÌ„ All the imagination of mans heart is only euill euery day Againe the imaginatioÌ„ of mans heart is euill euen from hys youth Hereof doth it manifestly appeare what free will there is in vs to do good or to will good seing that all our imaginations and thoughtes of our heartes are euill and wicked at al tymes eueÌ„ froÌ„ our very youth as the Prophet saieth Leude is the heart of man and vnsearcheable Saint Paule also sayeth that of our selues we be not able somuch as to think a good thought And our Sauiour Christ sayeth Without me ye can doe nothyng Notwithstandyng this we saye that in naturall and humane thynges we haue a certayne choise of will as to eate this or that meate to put on thys or that garment to speake or to kepe silence c. yea and to sinne or to abstayne from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterye fornication false witnesse bearyng and such lyke whiche notwithstaÌ„ding we muste acknowledge and confesse to be thâ— gift of God as Saint Paule sayeth What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Also Sainct Iames Euery good gift euery perfect gifte is from aboue and come down from the father of lightes But with our whole hearts to asseÌ„t and consent to the holy will of God to accomplyshe and performe the same with such perfection and puritye as the lawe requireth that lyeth not in our power neither can the streÌ„ghts of free will do any thing in this behalfe eyther to wil it or to do it For as Saint Paule saith It is God that worketh in vs both the wil and the deede The regenerate man in Christe hath only this will and this dede as Christ sayth If the Sonne make you free then are you free in deede The naturall man perceaueth not those thinges that belong to the spirite of God Not they whiche are borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but they that are borne of God haue this freedome Where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie saith the Apostle Seuententhly Prayer is called lyppe labour I answere Outward prayer pronounced with the lippes without the affectioÌ„ of the heart and consent of the mynde is not onely lyppe labour but also vayne labour not approued but reproued of the Lorde our God as Christ hym selfe witnesseth saying This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes howbeit their hearts are farre from me Uerelye they worshippe me in vayne And to the woman of Samaria he sayd thus The houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and in truth For suche the father also requireth to worship him God is a
windes to cease they driue away also al wicked spirites and deuills Ration di off Pope Vitalian brought in Organs to make the people merye In the yeare of oure Lorde 653. Chronic. Volat. Platina c. Pope Sixtus the seconde ordayned fyrst of al that the Supper of the Lord shuld be celebrated at an altare which before was not the vse For the holy mysteryes of the Lordes bodye and bloude vntill that time was ministred vpon a table according to the practyse of Christ of hys Apostles and of y e primatiue Church And here may all men see from whence the popyshe altares come for the which the stubborne sturdye stoute papistes doe so stoutly striue Aboute the yeare of oure Lord if stories bee true two hundred three score and fiue came in the altares fyrste into the Church Other affyrme that they came in aboute the yeare of our lorde 294â— But I beleue that altares came not in the Churche before the yeare of our Lorde 590. When the popishe peuyshe priuate Masses beganne fyrst to creepe in â–ª Volat. Durandus Fasciâ— Temp. Mas. Pet. Aequillinus Ioannes Stella Pope Felix the fyrst instituted the halowing of altares commaunding y t no Masse shoulde be song vpon any altare til it be halowed In the yeare c. 272. Sabell Pantal. Pope Hormisda decreed y t no altares should be set without the consent and special licence of the Metropolitane or of the Byshop of the diocesse In the yere of our Lord. 514. Chron. Ioan. Stella D Barns Pope Boniface the thyrde appoynted white linnen clothes to be layd vppon the altares In the yere c. 605. Pol. Pope Sixtus the fyrst ordayned that the corporasse clothe which the prieste vseth at hys masse shoulde be made of fine white linnen cloth In the yere c. 129. Plat. Sabell Grat. D Barnes Pantal. The same Pope also ordayned that laye men but specially laye women shoulde not once touche the ornamentes of the Church as copes vestments altare clothes c nor the halowed vessell as Chalice Pixe Crosse Chrismatorye Sensers Candlestickes c. Plat. Sabell Pope Stephen the fyrst made a decre y t a priest in hys diuine seruice shoulde vse none other but halowed garments In the yeare c. 261. Sabell Pope Adriane the fyrst being bishop of Rome there was a synode or councell holden at Franckforde in y â— which it was decreed that whosoeuer doth any seruice in the Churche he shoulde weare a surples vpon hys backe in seruice tyme and no man to goe in hys common apparel withoute a surples no not so muche as the sexten or Belringer In the yeare of our Lord. 796. Christ. Massaeus Pope Siluester the fyrst coÌ„maunded that the priest at his masse shuld weare no silke nor any coloured clothing but a white linnen Albe only For Christ sayeth he was buryed in a fyne white linnen cloth In the yeare c 315. Grat. Plat. Ioan. Stella D. Barns Pope Zepherinus commaunded chalices of glasse to bee vsed in the ministration of the Lordes Supper In the yere c. 208. For before that tyme the sacrament of the holy signe of Christs bloude was ministred in cuppes made of woode accordyng to y e vse of Christ of his apostles of y e primatiue church Petrus de nat Plat. Math. Pal. Pantal. Pope Vrban the fyrst ordayned afterward that the chalices should be made eyther of siluer or of golde or of tinne In the yeare of our Lord .222 Platina Grat. Pol. Bergom The saying of Byshop Boniface concerning chalices and byshops is very notable and aunswereth iustly to our tyme. Olim inquit Episcopi aurei ligneiâ— vtebantur calicibus nunc vero lignei Episcopi calicibus vtuntur aureis In times paste sayth he Golden byshops vsed wodden chalices but now wodden bishops vse golden chalices Pope Leo the second deuised y t Paxe In the yeare of our Lord. 676. Platina Pasc. Temp. Pope Innocent y e third inuented pixes and boxes for the reseruation of the sacramentall bread In the yere c. 1195. Paul Volat. Phi. Pol. Pantal. Pope Agapetus the fyrst commaunded the people to go on procession on y e Sondayes to folowe the crosse In the yere c. 533. Plat. Pal. D. Barns Pope Gregorye the fyrst broughte in banners into the churche Thys was that Gregorye whiche sente Austen the Monke into Englande to preache to the englyshe nation the fayth and doctryne of the bishop of Rome with al hys superstitious traditions counterfayte religions and such other wicked abhominations Thys Monkyshe Austen with xl Monkes moe when they arriued and came on lande in the easte side of Kent in y e Iland of Thanet entred in with a crosse with banners displayed hauing a crucifixe paynted vppon euery one of them singing the Letanye with orate pro nobis to al aungels Archangels Patriarches Prophets priestes Apostles Martirs Confessors Uirgins Monks Nunnes Heremites and finally to all he saintes and shee Saintes y t they mighte haue good lucke and well to fare in settyng forth their Romyshe religion Whiche swarme of monkes when they hadde once thorow their hipocrisy and flattering obtained of y e Kyng to inhabite at Canterbury went ioyfully forth on their iourney hauyng their crucifiâ—e crosse and banners borne before them and singing Alleluia with a lustye courage and merye voyce vntil they came to y e city where they practised al kinde of superstition as beades bidding popyshe fasting wiuelesse liuyng long laten Mattens and Masses singing Saintes reliques boastyng c. In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Chron. Ranulphus Cestrens Pope Fabiane the fyrste deuised the Chrismatories In the yeare c. 242. Plat. Volat. D. Barns Pope Leo the thirde brought in the sensers In the yeare c. 817. Pol. Doct. Barns Pantal. Pope Alexander the fyrste as they fayne inuented the holy water with the holy water buckets and sprinckels In the yeare c. 119. Libro Concil Grat. Pol. Plat. Sabel Pope Siluester the fyrst with y e oyle brought in also the oyle pots In the yeare c. 315. Sabell Plat. Pantal. Pope Iohn the eyght made a decree that if any man dyd take awaye anye thyng once appoynted and dedicated to y e seruice of god either out of an holy or vnholy place y e same man should be counted gilty of sacrilege In the yeare of our Lorde c. 887. Quest. 17. cap. 4. Siquis Ioan. Laziard Of Images to be had in Churches PAulinus Bishop of Nola as some write was one of the firste promoters chiefe proctors to haue Images in Churches In the yeare c. CCCCL Pantal in Chronogra Pope Gregory the first ordained that Images should be had in Churches for to be laye mennes bookes but by no meanes to be worshipped nor kneled vnto In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Greg. Lib. 9. Epist. 9. Chron. Pope Gregory
him out draweth and al thoe y t therto procure or assente And all thoe y e purchasen letters of any Lordes court y e processe of righte maye not bee determined nor ended And all thoe y t the peace of y e land distrouble And al thoe y e bloude drawe of man or woman in violence or in vilonye or make to bee drawen in Churche or Churchyard wherefore the Church or Churchyarde is interdicted or suspended and thoe y t be against right of our Lord the King and al thoe that warre sustaine against the King wrongfullye And all thoe y t be common robbers rouers or man-slayers but it bee themselfe defendyng And thoe that beene agaynst the great Charter of the Kyng that is confyrmed of the Courte of Rome And all thoe y e false witnesse beare wronglye namely in cause of Matrimonye in what court so it be or out of court And all that false witnesse bring forth in righte of Matrimonye for to destroye man or woman or for to disherite any man of land or tenement or any other cattell And all false aduocates that for mede put forth any false exceptions or quarels through the which right of Matrimony is fordone or any other manner of right in steade of iudgement and al thoe y t for mede or fauour or for any other encheson maliciously mā or womā bryng out of their good fame into wicked or make them for to leese their worldly goods or honour or them put wrongfully to their purgation of the whiche was none before And al thoe y e maliciously distrouble or letten the right presentement of holy Churche there the very Patrone should present and all that therto procure with worde or deede or with false enquest or with other power And all that maliciously despisen the maūdement of the kyng to take a cursed man fro the time y t he hath lyen in cursyng lx dayes no remedie will seeke And all those y t their liueraunce purchase agaynst the right of holy Churche And that mede take for to distrouble peace there loue shuld be or charitie or strife maintaine with worde or dede and till they haue yelded again their mede that they toke of them they may neuer be assoiled And al those that hold houses māners gronges of parsons vicares or any other man of holye Churche against their wil or their attornies wil. And al thoe that any manner good moueable or vnmoueable awaye beare w t strength or wrongfully away draw or waste of the whiche cursing they may not be assoiled til they haue made satisfaction to whom the wronge is done And al thoe that any manner of goods with violēce or malice beare out of holy Churche stede or Abbeye or house of Religion whiche that therein is layde or done for warrandise or succoure or for to be kepte And all thoe that therto procure or assent and all thoe that them maintayne or sustayne and all thoe that haue layde hande on priest or clarke with malice but it be himselfe defendynge And all thoe that Sarrazens Coūce◠or helpe against Christendome And all thoe that their children wrongfully father wittingly or their children wittē any other mā with malice And al thoe y t wearry or slea their generations or their children destroye with drinkes or with any other crafte And al thoe that false money clippe or sheere them to aduauntage to disceaue any man with And all thoe that false the Popes Bull or counterfaite the Kings seale And al thoe that bye or sel with false measures or false waights that is to saye to bye with one sell w t an other And all thoe that false the kings standard themselfe witing And all thoe that any testament distrouble or therto procure with worde or with deede wherefore the deades will is not fulfilled And all thoe that forsweare them vpon the holydome willyng or witing for mede or for hate for to doe any man or womā to lose their worldly goods or honor And all robbers or rouers openly or priuily by daye or by night or any mans good steale wherefore they were worthye to haue iudgemēt And all thoe y t withhold any mās good that haue bene spered axed for thrice in holy church themself weting And all those that distrouble the peace of holy Churche or of the land and all fellons and thoe that them maintaine And all false conspiratoures al false forswearers in assises or in any other court And al those y t any false plaints put forth against the fraunchise of holy Church or of the king or of the realme And all those that offringes that bene offred in holy Churche or in any other sted within the prouince of Caūterbury witholden put away in any other place agaynst the wil of the parson or vicare or theyr attourney in the parishe y t it is offered in And al those that their goodes awaye geue for dread of death in fraude of holye Churche or to forbeare their debts paying al those that such giftes take or therto helpe or Councel And all those that let or hinder prelates or Ordinaries for to hold consistory Session or chapiters for to enquire of sinnes of excesse in good amendemente of mans soule And all witches and all that on them beleue al heretikes that beleue not in the Sacrament of the altare that it is gods owne body in flesh and bloud in forme of bread and al other Sacraments that touchen health of mans soule And all iuglars vsurars that is to say y t if any man or woman lend their cattell vnto man or woman for any auauntage to take by couenaūt more thā their own and if there be any such found in town or citie the citie or the towne should be enterdited by the old law and nouther done their Masse nor Sacrament vsed til he were out thereof And al thoe y t withhold tithes or withdraw theyr tithes witingly or maliciouslye to the harme of holy Church or tithes letten to be geuen of the goods which y t bene commaunded to be geuen by the lawe of holy Church y t is to say of al fruites of yardes cornes herbes that waxe fruites of trees of all manner beastes y t be newing of wolle lambe these in time of yeare of swannes gees dowes duckes of bees hony waxe of hay also as often as it neweth of flaxe hemp of windmils and of all manner mils of all manner of marchaundise of chaffaryng men and of men of craft And all those that maliciously or wittingly any other withhold the which ought to be giuen to holy church and thoe that therto procure in word or in dede Modus fulminandi sententiam PRaelatus Alba indutus cum ceteris sacerdotibus in ecclesia existentibus cruce erecta candelis accensis stans in pulpito pronuncient verba quae sequūtur Whiche is thus in Englishe The manner
agreed y t if any noble maÌ„ do spoyle a priest or any poore man or religious person and y e Byshop shall commaund hym to come vnto hym y t the cause maye bee heard he refuse to come letters shall be seÌ„t thorow out al bishops one to another which shall declare to al y e countreyes round about y t that man is excommunicated and is so to bee reputed taken til he hath shewed hys obedience to the ordinary and made restitution Caus. 24 â–ª Quaest. 3. Capit. Si quis de polentibus In a councell holden at Paris it was ordayned y t no priest should excommunicate any man before y e cause be euidently proued and openly knowen Ibidem Cap. de illicita In the councell Rothomagense it was decreed y t all manner of tythes should bee payde to the Priestes both corne Haye Fruite Oxen Shepe Goates c. For all tythes are sanctifyed to the Lorde And forasmuche as many are stubborne and disobedient and wil not truely and faythfully pay their tithes as they ought to doe it was ordayned in that Councell that all suche as will not pay them shoulde be admonished once twice or thrice according to the coÌ„maundement of the Lord. If they will not then amende that they shall then be excommunicate and accursed till they haue made due satisfaction and sufficient recompence Caus. 16. q. 7. cap. Omnes decimae The manner and fourme of Excommunication TWelue Priestes must stand about the Byshop and holde burnyng candles in their handes whiche candles at the latter ende of the curse or excommunication they must throw downe vpon the grounde and treade them vnder their feete Afterward letters must be sent rouÌ„d about vnto Parishes contayning the names of them that are excommunicate and also the cause of their excommunication Caus. 11 â–ª quaest 3. cap. Debent In concilio Arausicano we reade these wordes we folowing the canonical ordinaunces and examples of the holy fathers do vtterly sequester and banish by the authority of God and the iudgement of the holy Ghost al violatours disturbers hinderers and destroyers of Gods churches froÌ„ the lap of holy mother Churche from the company and felowship of al christianitie vntil they repent amend and satisfie the Church of God Ibidem cap. Canonica The manner of reconciliation of them that were excommunicate WHen any man y t is accursed or excoÌ„municate is peniteÌ„t sory for his sinne desireth forgeuenesse promiseth to amende the Bishop y t did excoÌ„municate him shall come before the church dore and xii priestes with him shall stande round about him on euery side And if the person y t is excommunicate fal flat downe on the grounde and asketh forgeuenesse promising amendement theÌ„ shall the Byshoppe take hym by the ryght hande and leade hym into the Church and restore him to the christen congregation Afterward they shal sing the seuen penitentiall Psalmes with these prayers Kirie eleyson and Pater noster Saluum faâ— seruum c. With this collecte Praesta quesumus domine huic famulo tuo dignum paenitentiae fructum vt ecclesiae tuae sanctae a cuius integritate deniâ—â—erat peccando admissorum veniam consequendo reddatur innoxius Per Christum dominum nostrum Amen Whiche is thus Englished â–ª Graunt we beseche thee O Lord to this thy seruaunt the worthy frute of repentauÌ„ce that be obtaynyng forgeuenesse of his sinnes may be restored pure and faultlesse to thy holy Churche from the integritye and purenesse wherof thorow sinne â–ª he had wandred and gone astray By Christ our Lord. So be it Causa 11. Quest. 3. cap. Cum aliquis Of penaunce POpe Nicolas the firste appoynted that this shoulde be the penaunce of hym y t hath slayne his mother First by y e space of an whole yere he shall not be suffered to come into the Churche but he shal staÌ„d before the church dore praying beseching god coÌ„tinually to forgeue hym so haynous horrible a sinne Secondlye when the one yeare is ended he shal haue licence to come into the Churche and to stand among y e hearers but he by no meanes shalbe suffred to come vnto the communion or Sacrament of the bodye and bloud of Christ. Thirdly wheÌ„ the third yeare is once past he shall be admitted vnto the holy communion c. All this time he may eate no fleshe nor presume to drincke wine excepte it be on soleÌ„ne feastes and sondayes and from Easter vnto Whitsontyde And whensoeuer he will take any iourney he maye not ryde but go on foote He maye not go vnto the warres except it be to fyght agaynst the paganes He must also euerye weeke faste three dayes eate no meate till it be night c. In the yeare c. 8711. Caus. 33. tract de paenitentia cap. Latorem praesentium Pope Siricius made a decree that those which are penitents may not in the tyme of their penaunce mary nor excercise y e worke of mariage lest they shoulde be counted as dogs returnyng vnto their vomit or as sowes whiche beyng cleane washed walowe tomble them selues again in the miry puddels In the yeare of our Lorde 389. Caus. 23. quaest 2. Cap. De his vero Pope Leo the first notwithstandyng of his great fauour and singular goodnes graunteth to al such as are already maried that they euen in the time of their penance may lawfully enioy the libertie of matrimony lest peraduenture while they abstaine from y t which is lawfull they shal fall into the daunger of that which is vnlawfull In the yeare c. 444. Ibidem G. Audiuimus The same decree also Pope Leo the thirde made declaryng that it is more tollerable and may better be suffered that a yonge man euen in the time of his penance to auoyd the dauÌ„ger of incontinency do ioyne vnto him a wyfe than he should incurre and fal into the sinne of fornicatioÌ„ In doing this saith he it semeth that the matter whiche he hath done is venial and pardonable so that he knowe none other besides hys owne wife Notwithstanding saith he in speakyng thus we make no law but we shewe what is more tollerable In y e yere c. 817. Ibidem cap. In adolescentia Pope Gregorye the fyrste ordayned this to be the penaunce of the maryed man that he shall not enter into the Churche before he hath purified and washed himselfe with water if he haue had the knowledge of his wiues body and geuen her as the Apostle saith the due beneuolence In the yeare of oure Lord. 590. Caus. 33. Quaest. 4. cap. Vir cum propria vxore Pope Pius the fyrste made a decree that if thorowe the negligence of the priest any of the bloud he meaneth the Sacrament of Christes bloude as the expositour doth declare in the same place do droppe down vpon the grouÌ„d the Prieste shall lycke it vp wyth hys tounge c. and he shall do penaunce for
that faulte fortye dayes c. In the yeare of our Lorde 147. De consec dist 2. cap. Si per negligentiam In the Cautels of the Masse we rede thus If thorow negligence there droppe downe any thing of the bloude vpon a bord that sticketh to the earth let it be lyckt vp by the Prieste with hys tounge and the place of the borde scraped and the scrapyng brent in the fire and let the ashes be layd vp beside the altare with the reliques and let hym to whome that happened do .xl. dayes penance If the chalice drop vppon the altare let the droppe be supte vp and let hym haue iii. dayes penance But if the drop came thorow vpon a linnen cloth vnto an other thinge let him haue .iiii. daies penance If it come thorowe to the thirde thinge let hym haue .ix. dayes penaunce In a drop of the bloud come thorowe to the fourth thynge let him do penaunce twentye dayes And as for the linnen geare that the droppe hath touched let the priest or deacon wash them the chalice being set vnder and let the washing be kept with y e reliques Itē if a mā by any chaūce of glotony do spue out y e sament the same spuyng must be brent and the ashes ought to be layde vp byside the altare And if he be a clarke a Religious man Priest or a deacon let hym do forty dayes penance A Bishop lxx dayes a lay man .xxx. dayes But if he did spue by reason of infirmitie let him do penance .v. dayes Who so doth not kepe the Sacramēt so y t a mouse or an other beast eateth it let hym haue xl dayes penance But who so looseth it or if a part of it fall and be not foūd let hym do penaunce .xxx. dayes The same penance semeth the Prieste to be worthy of ▪ by whose negligence the consecrated hostes do putrifie Upon the sayde dayes must the penitent faste and abstaine from the communion and from celebration Pope Innocent the third decreed that they whiche are of the clergye beyng founde gilty of thefte or of any other great faultes shoulde on this manner be punished Firste they shalbe degraded Secondly they shalbe depriued of all their ecclesiasticall promocions Thirdly they shall be strayghtly kept in some monastery there to do penance al their lyfe time Lib. Cōcil Decret Gregorii de paenis tit 36 cap. Tuae discretionis In the Councell Triburiense it was ordayned that if any were enioyned penāce to eate nothing but bread certain dayes and could get no bread to eate it should be lawfull for them to eate fish leekes or any such kynd of meat seyng the necessitie doth so require Prouided alway y t they eate not those meates for pleasure sake but for the sustentation of theyr hungrye bodyes Decret Gregorij 9. Libro 5. de penet et remiss Tit. 18. Cap. Licet In a certayn general councel it was decreed y t at the least once in the yeare euery person both of mankynde and womā kynde being of reasonable age and sufficient discretion shuld priuately confesse hys synnes to hys own Curate and to the vttermost of hys power fulfyll all suche penaunce as hys Ghostly father hath enioyned hym Ibidem Capit. Omnis vtriusque sexus Libro Concil In the eyght Synode it was agreed y t suche penaunce shoulde be enioyned of y e ghostly father to his ghostly childe as is agreable to the qualitie and quātitye of sinne Caus. 26. Quaest. 7. Capit. Proqualitate In the same Synode it was also determined y t the priestes shuld haue authoritie and power to enioyne what penaunce they wuld and for how long a tyme and after what sort Ibidem Ca. Hoc sit positum Of Absolution POpe Gelasius the fyrst ordayned y t if a man were vniustlye excōmunicate accursed he shoulde not regard it nor yet go aboute to seke absolution from y e sentence or censure which was vniustlye layde vpon hym In the yeare c. 494. Caus. 11. Quaest. 3. Cap. Cui est Pope Gregorye the fyrst affyrmeth y t the priest can absolue no man excepte God hath absolued him fyrst alleging the historye of Lazarus whom the Lord raised vp vnto life before he cōmaunded his Disciples to losen hym and to set hym at libertye In the yere of oure Lorde 590. Ibidem Cap. Tunc vera est absolutio Pope Nicolas the fyrste ordayned y t the Byshop of Rome mighte absolue men from their lawfull othe promyse fidelitie made to princes seing y t it lyeth also in hys power to depriue kings and Emperours of their kingdomes dignities In the yeare c. 871. Caus. 15. Q. 7. Cap. Autoritatem The same readest thou also in y e Canō following which beginneth Alius item Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y t no Prelate shuld lightly forgeue absolue men frō those sinnes y t they haue committed against God The offences committed agaynst vs saith he we may easely forgeue but the synnes which are done agaynst God we maye not release without great discretion penaunce doing In the yeare c. 590. Caus. 23. Quaest. 4. Cap. Si is qui. In the councell Carthaginense it was decreed y t the person which shoulde bee absolued should mekely and reuerently knele downe to take the absolution and y t the Priest should laye hys hande vpon hys ghostly childes head when he absolueth hym Caus. 26. Quaest. 7. Capit. Sacerdos Libro Concil Martinus frater Certayne fourmes of Absolution OURE Lord Iesus Christ whiche hath full power to absolue he moughte absolue thee And I by the authoritye of him of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of oure Mother holye Churche and by the authoritie y t is committed vnto me in this behalfe as much as I can and am bounde to absolue thee do fyrst of al absolue thee from the bond of y e lesser excommunication if thou be failen into it I absolue thee also from y e fault of companye kepyng with excommunicate persons if thou haue nede and by the same authoritye I absolue thee from all thy synnes mortal criminall and veniall being confessed vnto me I absolue thee also frō all other sinnes forgotten confessed committed and neglected as much as I can so farre as my dutye is in y e vertue of our Lord Iesu Christes passion and in y e blessing of the father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost AMEN And the very passion of our Lorde Iesus Christ the merites of all he Saintes and shee Saintes and all the passions of y e holy Martyrs and the suffrages of y e church Militante and the remissions of the same and also the pardons prayers pilgrimages whatsoeuer good dedes besydes all other faythfull Christians haue wrought Agayne the fastynges almosse deedes and the workes of mercye whiche thou haste done or shalt do or entendest to doe moreouer whatsoeuer tribulation thou
longeth to And all secular iustices or iudges y t bene in offices and han the lawe to kepe when they be proued and required to doe her office in helping of the people y t han suffered wronges and harme but if they do rightfulnesse and truth by her coÌ„ming be they learned meÌ„ or leude els they ben accursed And al thoe y t ben wedded together against the lawe of God and of holy churche in degrees that bene forbidden as in consanguinitie or in affinity or gossibred And all that bene professed in any religion and broken out of her order and become wedded men or women Also priestes y t beene within holy orders forsaken her order and be comen wedded and al y t procuren helpen or assenten therto And al that knowen in matrimonye when it shall be made anye great defaulte or letting but if they by some way doe holy church to know it And when any churche or chappell is suspended or interdited by lawe they bene accursed openly that constreynen any priest for to sing therin or by ringing of bells or by any other waye maken hem to heare masse that beene openliche accursed by name And also when any man of holy church by commission doeth oute of holy Churche or curseth any man or woman and nameth hym by name on holy church behalfe that he goe oute of the Churche while masse gods seruice is in doing but if he do his bidding he is accursed And also al y t maynteynen hem or bidden hem holde them stil in the church and none of them may be assoyled but by y e court of Rome And al y t her goods geuen in drede of death in fraude of holy church or to forbarre her dettes and al thoe also y â— such giftes taken or couÌ„celen or helpen thereto bene accursed Also al thoe y t letten Prelates or Ordinaries or Chapiter for to enquire of synne there nede is for helpe or health of mans soule And al thoe y t against y e lawe of holy church byen or sellen any benefice of holy church And all y t byen or sellen holy orders or falsely stelen 〈◊〉 thoe bene accursed y t maken any â—ate or plee in y e patronage wherethorowe the very patrone is let of hys ryght And al y t breken any point of the Kings great Charter or els any point of the Charter of the forest in whiche bene writteÌ„ the fredomes of this land y e diuerse Kings han graunted both to learned to leude In the great Charter bene contayned .xxxv. poyntes and y e Charter of the forest comprehendeth xv points vt in tractatu vocato Pars oculi in prima parte et in tract vocat Regimen animarum in prima sui parte plenius continetur Also al men and women y t which in perill of death bene assoyled or in any other perils of hym y t hath not power by lawe oute of peril of death to assoyle hem assone as they be recouered but they take absolution of hym that hath power to assoyle hem they turneÌ„ agayn bene in the same curse as thei wer before worse forâ— vnbuxumnesse Al y t bene open lechouris open aduouteris coÌ„mon wemen all thoe y t wittingly and quietly defend them y t they be not punished by the law after monishing vpon paine of cursing y t no man let them house to hire ne receaue hem into her house after the time that they be knowen Also al that comynen with hem that bene accursed in eating drinking in receauing in helping in fauouring but only in hope to bring hem to amendment And all Okereris and vsureris that is to say if man or woman lende good or cattell to her neighbour for to take aduauÌ„tage for her lending and thoe y t it maintaine assenten to such geuing or taking or filling y e derer therfore And if there wer such one in a city y e citye should be interdited and no masse ne sacramente done therein till he were out of the citie And all thoe y e maken when vsurye is taken that it bee not restored agayne And al that beleuen on witchecraftes or vsen it And all that wilfully sleen hemselfe or ells any man woman or childe and all witches and all y t on witchecrafte beleuen maynteinen or vsen Also al that heresye maynteinen or sustaynen and all heretikes that beleuen not in the sacrament of the alter the whiche is Christes owne bodye hys fleshe and bloud in forme of bread and in other Sacramentes of holye Churche y t touchen health of soule And all thoe women that distroyen her owne children or any other womans children wyth drinkes or with any other witchcraft eyther wercke vnleefull And all y e fadren her children wrongfulliche on any man for malice or couetesie And all y t her children wilfulliche sleen or casteÌ„ awaye or leyen at churches or Church doores or at hospitalls or in fieldes or in high wayes or leauen her children christened or vnchristened and goen away from hem and forsaken hem And all thor that offeringes that bene offered in holy Church or in chappels or in oratories or in any other stead within a paryshe with holden or putten away into other places agaynst the will of y e person vicarye or curate but if thei be priuileged Also Iohn Stratford sometime Archbyshop of Cantorburye hauing regarde to muche harme of mans soule and default of deuotion thorowe vilanye and synne y t weren vsed done about dead bodyes ligging vp yet is vsed about in many places or the body be borne to church there y t sometyme weren vsed and ordained about a corse for holy prayers for the soule now it is forbidden by constitution vpoÌ„ paine of y e great curse that no maÌ„ vndirsong or take any folke into his house where the dead bodies bene watched to make any maÌ„ner plaies but pray for y e soule And al y t there ought ells done or thither comen than to bidde for the soule thei mowen drede of y e same curse And al y e vsen simonye or geuen or vndersongen in way of simonie Al sacrilegiers y t is to say al y e wrongfulliche doen away any thing halowed or geuen to holy church ligging to be kept where 〈◊〉 it be or that any thing w t violence beare out of holy church al y t this procuren or assenteÌ„ Also al thoe y â— doen in holy church or in holy place any foule sinne wherfore it hath nede to be newly halowed or reconciled Also all thoe y t withholden any mans good vniustly wetingly that hath bene axed openly in holy church three times And al that in violence lien hand or drawen bloud on father or mother and y t is to vnderstand both of bodilich ghostlich but it be himself defendaÌ„t And al y t helpeÌ„ the Sarazens against ChristeÌ„ meÌ„ in warre of armes or in