repetynge the same that in the yeare of our lord a M. a C. and x. the mone apered all darke without lyghte Wherby God declared in the open face of the worlde that hys church by the monkes hypocresy in that age was darkened with a beastly ignorauÌ„ce of hys lyuely doctryne For the mone betokeneth commenly in the scryptures the congregacyon of the lorde About thys tyme sayth Iohan Tritemius entered all the craftye learnynge Yea the subtyle phylosophye of the paganes began here to defyle our sacred theologye with her vnprofytable curyosytees The Gospell was put a part sauynge only to be red by parcels in the temple in a foren language without vnderstandynge and the corrupted doctryne of fylthie bastardes Peter Lumbarde Peter the great eater and Gracyane the monke which were thre chyldren of one bawdy nonnes fornycacion receyued and only had in pryce for it The monkes of that age sayth Iohan Carion in hys chronycles perceyuynge the knowledge of the holy scriptures to waxe faynt and to be nought set by for the study of the popysh lawers they thought also to practyse a newe kynde of dyuynyte and set vp scholasticall dysputacyons of diuyne matters But be ware of subtyle sophysters in the doctryne of the churche sayth Iohan Baconthorpe in prologo quarti sententiarum viij quest For their property is to withstande the veryte and to snarle mennys conscyences by darkenyng the clere lyghte therof If it be to the contrary reasoned sayth he that sophystycall argumentes are fytt to confounde heretykes by I vtterly denye that reason For only is it the open veryte that must confounde them As for sophysiues their wycked nature is to brynge in all errour and heresyes All thys hath Baconthorpe ☞ Raufe the archebyshop of Canterbury honoureth hys kynge IN the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xiij the kynge was mynded to haue gyuen the archebyshopryck of Canterbury to Faricius the abbot of Abendon But at the instaunt request sute of the clergye in the counsell of Wyndesore he altered hys purpose and gaue it to Raufe the byshopp of Rochestre a ruffelar to their myndes Hym he adourned with hys owne pryncely handes mynystrynge vnto hym both the ryng and metropolycall crosse For than ones agayne Mathew Paris sayth he had taken an earnest stomake agaynst the byshop of Romes vnshamefast procedynges hys brother duke Robert imprysoned and hys other enemyes brought vndre In the yeare of our lord a thousand a. C. and xv was the seyd Raufe consecrated receyued hys patryarchal palle of Anselme the other Anselmes nephewe whych was thaÌ„ the popes great legate a latere As the kynge was same yeare marryed after his first wyfes â—â—sseace to Adelphe the duke of Loraines doughter and was agayne crowned with her by the byshop of Wynchestre thys heady archebyshopp fell into a palseye for wodenesse and sayd vnto hym the next day after that eyther he shulde leaue that crowne vnlawfull he sayd for so much as it was not taken of hym or els he wolde leaue of hys masse sayng which was no small matter And the lordes about him had much a do to staye the lunetyke prelate from strikynge downe the crowne from the kinges heade and stampynge it vndre hys fote Yet ded the gentyll kynge gyue him fayre wordes the chronycles sayth Loke Wyllyam of Malmesbury li. i de pontificibus Ranulphus li. xij ca. xv Rogerus li. vij and Iohan Capgraue li. ij de nobilibus Henricis And Treuisa addeth vnto it in fyne Englysh that thys hawtie prelate was a great Iaper the terme is sumwhat homelye Ded I not tell yow afore that kynges for their power had sped as yll as the prestes for their wyues And I thynke I tolde the truthe ☞ Of Pope Calixtus and the heade churche of Wales MVche were it to rehearce the turmoylynges of Pope Calixte the seconde for renuynge of the execrable actes of hellysh Hyldebrande and prestygyouse Paschall agaynst the marryage of prestes and power of prynces for inuestyture of prelates In the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and .xix. He helde counsel at Remis in Fraunce and in the yeare a M.a. C. xxiij he helde an other wyth CCC byshoppes at Rome And in these ij counsels he depryued all prestes of the commen Christianyte that held styll their wyues wyllynge them from thens fourth to be taken for no better thaÌ„ paganes and helhoundes and to want their ChristeÌ„ buryall The prynces that had gyuen out ecclesyastycall offyces he condempned of sacrilege preposterously allegynge the scriptures that they whych were admytted by them entered not by the dore but they scattered from Christe dyuydynge hys coote without seme As though in their exceding pryde and couetousnesse they had bene the same Christe whyche was full of Godly symplycyte and lowlynesse and their glytterynge synagoge that symple coote without seme In thys lattre yeare dyed Raufe the heady archebishop of CaÌ„terbury and Wylliam Curboâ—l which was a chanon succeded FroÌ„ the tyme of Augustyne tyll that daye by the space of more than fyue hondred and. xxiiij yeares none occupyed that seate but monkes and that caused so many corrupcyons to entre into the church of England for all they maynteyned Antichrist A lytle afore this that is to saye in the yeare a. M.a. C. and. ij bicame the archebyshopryck of Meneuia or Prymates seate of S. Dauid in wales fyrste subiect to the churche of Canterbury And from the dayes of kynge Lucy to the yeare a. M.a. C. and. xv none other were archebyshoppes there than Brytaynes or Welchemen and all that tyme had their ministers wyues But sens the Englyshe monkes occupyed they haue had concubynes for wyues and wyll not change at thys daye men saye Thus entered fylthienesse in that quarter also the time wolde be marked Suncon Dunelmensis Rogerus Houeden Giraldus Cambrensis Ranulphus ☞ Kynge Henry plaged for sufferinge marriage to be condempned ALl foren warres ended and controuersyes pacifyed in the yeare of our Lorde a. M. a C. and xx King Henrye the fyrst with great ioye and triumphe departed out of Normandye and entered after hys great victoryes by sea into Englande But within fewe dayes folowinge was thys gladnesse turned into a moste heauye and horryble sorowe For William and Rycharde his ij sonnes Marye hys doughter with Otwell their tutoure scholemaystre Rycharde the earle of Chestre and hys wyfe the kynges nece all the merye chaplaynes companions and ruflars of the courte chambrelaynes buffares and seruytours the Archedeacon of Herforde the Prynces playe fellowes syr Jeffrey Rydell syr Robert Malduyte syr Wyllyam Bygot wyth manye other greate heyres lordes knyghtes and gentylmen ladyes and gentylwomen to the nombre of a. C. and xl Besydes the yeomen and maryners whiche were more than halfe an hondred takynge passage by nighte were al drowned in the bottom of the
head shauinge other vnsauerye ceremonies and wrote afterwarde an earnest treatyse agaynst Agilbertus a frenche man and at that tyme byshop of Wynchestre All thys myght not helpe then but in processe of tyme they had theyr whole myndes magry al their hartes Bedas Giruninus li. 3. ca. 25. De gestis Anglorum Guilhelmus Malmesburye li. 3. De Pontificibus Ranulphus lib. 5. cap. 17. Iohannes Caphraue and other ¶ Religiouse examples dysuadynge mariage After Laurentius folowed Melitus in the archebyshoppes seate of Caunterburye in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xix whiche they saye both alyue dead dysuaded yonge men from christen marryage As Saynt Columbanus a Scott about the same tyme came to the sell of an holye Nonne for ghostlye counsell She bad hym awaye least wanton youthe would bryng them togyther wylde they nylde they Saynt Edwyne kynge of Northumberland gaue vnto saint Paulinus the archebyshop of yorke hys yonge doughter Eanfleda so sone as she was baptysed in the yeare of our lorde DC and. xxvi that he shuld make her an vnholye Nonne And the daye after the said Edwyne was slayne he toke with hym both the doughter and mother and so fled with them vnto Rochestre in kent be water neuer returning thydre agayne Saynt Fiacre a Scottysh heremyte had so great malyce vnto women that he plaged so many of them with the fowle euyll as came within the precynct of hys monasterye because one woman had ones complayned to the byshop of hys prodygyouse charmynges Hector Boethius Saynt Foillanus an Irysh Byshop with his brethren was very famylyar and seruysable vnto Saynt Gertruyde and her nonnes at Nigella made dyuerse barren women full graciouslye to conceyue Saynt keynwirye a virgyne of wales contempnynge marryage fled from thēs to Saynt Myhels of the mounte to kepe her vowed virginite amonge the holye fathers there as vower with vowers All these storyes hath Iohan Capgraue ¶ Other relygyouse examples of that age SEbba kyng of the East Saxōs was so by wytched of the Byshop of Londō and his calkyng collygeners there for hys substaunce that he had made hymselfe a monke leauynge vnto them both hys wyfe and possessyons yf she had bene no wyfe then he nor more godly dysposed Yet was she by their incantacyons at the last deceyued they hauynge of hym an innumerable summe of money and he nothynge of them agayne but a mangye monkes cowle and hys buryall in Paules Whan Saynt Egbynes father was ones departed in wales his mother resorted wyth hym to the Abbeye of Saynt Sampson and there receyued of hym the habyte of a Nonne bestowyng the rest of her lyfe amonge the good bretherne there Saynt Eanswyde abbesse of Folkstane in kent inspyred of the deuyll dyffyned christen marryage to be barren of all vertues to haue but transytoryouse frutes and to be a fylthye corruptyon of virginite Yet ware Marye Iohan Baptyst and Iesus Christ swete frutes therof the iust fathers of the olde lawe not rekened Saynt Paule sayeth also that by vertue of marryage the vnfaythfull man is sanctyfyed by the woman that is faythfull i. Cor. vij Neither dyd he at anye tyme teache marryage to be eyther a corrupcion or yet an impedyment of christen virginite whan he coupled the Corintheanes whiche continued styll marryed a chaste virgine to Christ. 2. Cor. ii But thys gentylwoman Eanswyde was muche better acquaynted with the monkes learnyng then with Christes and with a chastyte rather to their behoue than to hys Yet droue she out all the gantes or bystardes there yf their churche legende be true These storyes shewed Iohan Capgraue ¶ The wanton toyes of the holye fathers ABout thys same tyme sent Pope Bonyface the fyft a shyrte with a golden collor and a fyne petycote of straunge makynge vnto kynge Edwyne with the blessynges of Peter and Paule And vnto hys wyfe Ethelburge a syluer glasse and a combe of yvorye with the same to vpholde them in thys newe christianite Se these wanton fathers what toyrs they vse to set vp their kyngdome here Neuer shall ye reade that Christes dysciples had anye suche wyttye polycyes Saynt Petrock an her myte of Cornewale was fayne euerye nyght from the crowe of the cocke to the sprynge of the mornynge to stande naked in a pyt to abate the hote mouynges of hys fleshe And neuer coulde he haue remedy of that dysease tyll he went onpilgrimage to Rome and Hierusalem Here was a newe sought out salue for that sore Saynt Pyrane a Byshop also in Cornewale had a fayre dammesell in the monastery of hys mother wyngell called Brunet whom the Lord of the soyle toke vp for his occupieng At the last he agreed with him no longer to haue her then the bernacle or butture shuld breake him of his slepe which chaunced sone after thā he sent her home agayn If these be not good honest legendes to be redd in the Popes holy church tel me Plēteouse shall ye finde Iohā Capgraue in the rehersall of them and suche other The ghostly bestowing of their vowes A Nonne belonging to saynt Cota and a monke perteyning to saynt Pyrane about the same tyme strake vp a couenaunt of loue And as they met in a wode for performance of the same a yong pigeon fell betwixt them and made them both ashamed so they went home agayne A lyke matter Such an other pagent was played at yorke but it was longe after The monkes of saynt Mary abbeye and the nonnes of Clement thorpe mett togyther there at hay making the abbottes fole being wyth them And as the abbot enquired of him at supper for pastyme where he had bene all that daye He fell in a great laughynge and declared before all hys gestes that a sore battayle had bene foughten that after none betwixt hys monkes and the monkes of clement thorpe But he thanked God that hys monkes had the best for they laye euer aloft Bycause that one of Saynt modwens maydes had layed her beste beloues shoes at her beddes head the spretes of heauen that were wonte to vysyte her wolde not come there that nyght After she had bene at Rome and was comen home agayne she dwelt at Scaleselyf where as an holye hermyte ded oft tymes vysyte her and muche refreshe her wyth a legende boke of sayntes lyues But no tydinges was there among them of Christes holy Gospell Loke Iohan Capgraue ¶ Erkenwalde and Osith with their Nondryes SAynt Erkenwalde the sonne of Vffa the fyrst King of the east angres abbot of Chertesye and Bishop of London buylded a Nondrye at Berkynge And bycause there were at that time in Englande no Nonnes to his mynde for Hilda hys kynswoman was to great a scripture woman in those dayes he sent ouer the see for an old acquayntaunce of hys called Hildelitha learned in arte
cytye he dyd hym selfe for feare they saye vndre one of the prestes copes saynge He myght wele be bolde there considerynge he had by hym the fleshly occupienge of the generall proctours doughter there This religiouse example of holy churche sheweth Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus Nauclerus and Masseus Herin affirme they their holy water to be of more strength than eyther their presthode or yet their eaten maker and more able to driue away the deuill In the yeare of our Lorde DLCC lxxv was the Emprour Ludouicus the seconde tormented in purgatory say they only for that he wolde not regarde the admonishmentes of Gabriell the Archangell agaynst prestes marriage called there of them the heresye of Nicolaitanes Marke these packynges The religiouse fathers had than made a boke of their religiouse factes and practises comprehendinge xij chapters to put downe matrimony and sett vp Sodome and Gomor in their spirituall generacion Which they had sent vnto the seyd Emprour by one Emarchus Sigebertus Vincencius Antoninus et alij Farre vnlike was this Gabriel to him which apered vnto Zachary the prest in the tyme of his sacrifice For that Gabriel both allowed and commended his marriage This Gabriel coÌ„dempneth it vtterly Of such Saynt Paule warned the Corinthianes to be ware tellinge them that Sathan wold resemble the Angell of light 2. Cor. 11. ¶ Other chast miracles of that age SAynt Odulphe a prest aboute the same tyme goynge to hys masse was sodenly taken vp and carryed ouer the sea to tryer in Germanye to do that offyce there vpon Eastre daye bycause Saynt Frederick the Arcyebyshop there had lyen the nyghte afore wyth an holye nonne whych was hys owne naturall systre to helpe forwarde the lawe Deut 27. The bones of this Odulphe were first buried at London and than from thens translated to Euesham abbeye in the west contreye Saynt Clarus of Orchestre iudginge marryage synne and wyckednesse by the doctrynes that than were taught in dyspyght of the Christen perswasyons of hys frindes made hymselfe first a prest and after a Monke so fleynge into Normandye Where at the last he was slayne by procurement of a woman These ij historyes sheweth Iohan Capgraue their churche legendarye As the Danes ouer went this lande their common custome was to haue a do with Nonnes where they founde them for lacke of their owne wyues Tyll at the last they came to a nondrye Coldyngham some saye where all the good systers had cut of their owne noses their ouer lappes to disfygure them selues so to escape the daunger ye may beleue yt and ye wyll In those dayes kinge Alphrede made Donwolfe the conâ—eâ—de of Ethelyngay Byshop of Wynchestre which had both wyfe and chyldren These ij lattre stories shall ye finde in Iohan Harding Ranulph and Fabian ¶ A parelouse foule bugge is mariage NOt longe after hym was there a Byshop of Wynchestre called Elphegus the Balde Whose tyrannouse custome was alwayes in the begynnynge of lent to seclude all publique penitentes from the churches enteraunce and to requyre all married men not to lye wyth their wyues tyll Eastre were fully past Parauenture that he and hys prestes might for that tyme of their mart haue the fre occupieng of them For other goodnesse knowe I non belongynge therunto non other consyderacyon had This storye hath Guilhelmus Malmesburye li. 2. de pontificibus Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Cap. 6. In the first eleccion of thys Elphegus muche stryfe was there betwyne the prestes and the monkes the prestes electing oute of their owne sort to vpholde them styll concerning their wiues and children and the monkes chosinge this Hipocrite to place them in theyr rowmes bycause they had no wiues as at the lattre it came to passe IohaÌ„ Capgraue At the same time was there a poore prest in the Dyocese of Durham Egelricus beyng Byshop whych had both wyfe â—nd chyldren Hym haue the Sodomytysh knaues dyffamed in the legende of Cuthbert that for vsynge hys owne wife the breade and wyne at hys Masse apered so blacke as pytche But neuer write they in their legendes what change it hath whan they lye with other mennys wyues or playe the moste fylthye sodomytes for lacke of women Much be holden is mariage vnto them For though all fylthye synnes maye wele stand with their offye yet can they not agre therwith I thynke they tell here a good worshypfull tale for their masse yf it be wele marked Loke Iohan Capgraue In uita Cuthberti ¶ Mysfortune of ij marryed prestes and other AN other maryed prest at the same verye season attempted they saye to touche the dead bones of Saynt Audrye the Nonne at Helye suche tyme as marryed prestes inhabyted that monasterye And for hys presumpcyon bycause he was marryed both he his wife and chyldren hys kyndred fryndes and acquayntaunce died all sodenly For marryage maye touche nothynge that longe to that generacyon vnlesse whoryshnesse be good mastres vnto it and come as a mean betwixt both Loke IohaÌ„ Capgraue in uita Etheldrede Ethelstanus a monke at one tyme takynge presthode with Dunstane and Ethelwolde wytâ—in a whyle after lefte all hys orders aâ—â— toke him to a wyfe Wherfor they prophecyed of hym that hys ende shulde be myserable And bycause they wolde apere no false Prophetes they inchaunted him charmed hym and changed him in to an ele and so he lyued in the water euer after with a great sort more of hys companye Wherupon they saye that monastery and towne hath euer sens bene called Elye Guilhelmus Malmesburye et Ioannes Capgraue A yong infant called Brithgina beyng no more than one daye olde professed Elphegus into the monasterye of wylton aboute the same tyme So ded he also an other called Wilfhilda into the nondrye of Wynchestre so sone as she was weaned from sucke Whom afterwarde Kinge Edgare claymed in marryage but she was to famylyer with Ethelwolde a monke and a byshop to graunt therunto Whan he came to the howse where she was afterward abbasse there was no small fyllinge in of cuppes Ioannes Capgraue ¶ Miracles and wonders wrought Whan Odo the Byshop of Salysburye was elected Archebyshopp of Caunterburye in the yeare of our Lorde DCCCC and. xlvi he wolde in no case be consecrated tyll he was by the abbot of Floriake professed a monke Partly bycause all his predecessours in that seate to the nombre of xxi had bene monkes and partlye for that the prestes in those dayes were in hate of the people for their marryage at the monkes suggestyons And after he had receyued his palle with Antichristes autoryte from Rome he wexed so frantyck vpon the Kinges concubines that some of them he sealed in the â—aces with hote burnynge Irons moste shamefullye and some of thâ—m he bannyshed into Irelande for euer but vnto his owne
that our lady gaue sucke to an olde byshopp a thousand yeares almost after her death Marke thys poynt for your learnynge ☞ The coÌ„ueyaunce of prelates in this age BVt ye must consydre that at Carnotus was a churche of our ladye in buyldynge whych coulde not wele be fynyshed without such clarkely coÌ„ueyaunces And by thys meanes bycame Canutus a great benefactour therunto The prelates as byshoppes abbotes and prestes for their coÌ„modyte ye must wele knowe were so good to this Danysh vsurper the cronycle sayth that they in receyuyng hym for their kynge at Southampton vtterly renouÌ„ced by othe the successyoÌ„ of their naturall Englysh kynge Etheldrede causinge the noâ—ylyte to coÌ„sent to the same Yea to bryng the spyghtful enterpryse of theirs to full effâ—ct they hyred a cruell traytour called Edricus to slee kynge Edmonde â—ronsyde hys naturall heyre and caused yeâ—eyd Canutus to sende his ij sonnes Edmonde and Edwarde into Denmarke to be slayne to extynguysh that successyon or â—yscent of Englysh bloude so to ouerâ—hrowe the maiestie of thys nacyon for there â—ryuate commodyte Alphredus Beuerlacenâ—is Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Ioannes Capâ—raue Polydorus atque alij historiographi By meanes of thys Achelnotus also an hunâ—red talentes of syluer and one talent of â—olde were gyuen at Papia in Italy for â—he wythered arme of S. Augustyne therâ—ith to augment the ydolatry here in Enâ—lande Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. ij de â—gibus And as concernynge Burye abâ—eye afore mencyoned It was first a colâ—ge of prestes founded by kynge Ethelâ—ane in the yeare of our lorde DCCCC â—â—v and nowe at the sute of Ailwyne â—yshopp of Helmam in Southfolke it â—as changed by kynge Canutus to a moâ—â—sterye of Benettes monkes in the yeare of our lorde a M. and xxi the prestes with their wyues and chyldren dyscharged Chronicon Buriense ac â—oannes Lelandus in commentario cygneae cantionis ☞ The Emprour maryed Canutus doughter IN the yeare of our lord a M. and xxxvi Henry the second Emprour of that name marryed Guynylde the doughter of the aforeseyd Canutus the kynge of Euglande Thys Henry had a systre whych was a professed nonne So inteyrly he loued thys systre of hys that oft tymes he wolde haue her to lye within hys palace very nygh to hys owne preuye chaÌ„bre In a wynter nyght a sowle chaplayne of the courtelaye with her which had bene dyuerse tymes complayned of afore In the mornynge least hys fotynge shuld be seane in the snowe newly fallen that nyght she toke hym vp in her necke and carryed hym out of the courte towardes hys chambre The Emprour chaunced to ryse at that houre as hys custome was to make water and se the pageaunt Anon after fell a byshopryck whych the prest gaped for and the gouernaunce of a nondrye whych the nonne desyred Wherupon the Emprour called them vnto hym the one after the other Take that benefyce to you sayth he to the priest but saddle no more the nonne And you the abbeye sayth he to hys systre and horse no more the prest Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. ij de regibus Ranulphus li. vi ca. xxi Polychronici Vincentius li. xxv ca. xviij Speculi historialis Here were a couple of no badde gouernours in that spirytualte but al was chast relygyon so longe as marryage was absent Thus coulde the worldely rulers thaÌ„ laugh vpon wyckednesse and suffre vertu and ryghteousnesse to dwell vndre contempt wyth Christ. ☞ Two dyuerse examples for that age ANother nonne was ther at the same very tyme whom a certen ryche maÌ„ toke out of the monastery and marryed not farre from the seyd Emprour bycause she complayned her that she could not lyue chast The byshopp of the dyocese hauynge knowledge therof by thys Emprours assystence dyssolued that marryage and sent her agayne to the cloystre Afterwarde thys man whan he se hys tyme toke her out agayne and kept her in howse with hym In the ende they were both excommunycated of the byshop and could neuer obtayne their absolucyon Antedicti autores cum Ioanne Treuisa This Emprour had also in hys chapell a syngynge maÌ„ a prest whych had both a good voyce and was wele learned but inordynatly he loued a certen whore not farre of whych was not vnknowne vnto him On a daye to proue a mastry the Emprour coÌ„maunded hym to saye masse before hym whych he vtterly refused to do for so muche as he had lyen with that whore the nyght afore If thou saye no masse sayth the Emprour I bannysh the both the courte and contrey I am wele contented sayth the prest and so by and by with hys stuffe departed The Emprour with that called the prest agayne and much commendynge hys constauncy rewarded hym with the next byshopryck that fell autores praefati cum Antonino Thus is whoredome muche made of styll but marryage whom God left for an honest yea and an holy remedy for that dysease is not yet by the doctryne of S. Paule persuaded i. Cor. vij ☞ Lecherie for lucre doth great myracles ALwinus the byshopp of Wynchestre in the yeare of our lorde a M. xliiij was of S. Edwarde the kyng commytted with imprysonment to the examynacyon of the clergye for beynge to famylyar with Emma his mother or for lyenge with her whether ye wyll she put to the nondry of Warwell tyll the daye of her purgacyon It was layed to her charge sayth Polydorus that she of myschefe had marryed Canutus the Tane whych was a cruel enemy to the land consequently that she had nothynge holpeÌ„ but rather hyndred her naturall chyldren in exyle whom she had afore by kyng Etheldrede fynally the rumour was that she had dysceytfully sought their destruccyoÌ„s to preferre the Danysh bloude to the crowne of Englande to the great derogacyon of the same Ricardus Diuâ—siensis reporteth that Robert the archebyshop of Canterbury gaue euydence agaynst her that she had coÌ„sented to the murther of her elder sonne Alphrede procured poyson for her yongar sonne S. Edwarde that she had ioyned her self in that treason with her louely peramoure the byshopp of Wynchestre afore named But se what folowed in the ende After she had ones commoned with the spirituall prelates and gyuen vnto S. Swythunes abbeye in Wynchestre the possessyon of ix lordeshyppes or mayners she was able by helpe of S. Swythune to go barefoted vpon ix burnynge plough shares of Iron for that byshoppes tryall and hers On. iiij for her selfe on v. for her swete louer to do other myracles besydes But ye must first coÌ„sidre that she was borne ouer them betwyn ij byshoppes whych knewe afore hande how to qualyfy those heates that the kyng beynge a simple man was easy to deceyue Ricardus Diuisiensis Guilhel Malmes Marianus Scotus Thomas Rudborne IoaÌ„nes Capgraue post uitaÌ„ vvlstani Robertus
Lanfrancus of Canterbury Thomas Norman of Yorke whych of them shuld be hyghest in that mytred kingdome of ydelnesse And as they mette at Rome they fell into a great dysputacion of that matter afore Pope Alexandre Where as Lanfrancus to amende hys owne matter proued the seyd Thomas to be a prestes sonne Remigius the byshopp of Dorsett beynge present whych Fabyane sayth was a prestes sonne also In the ende thys Lanfrancus by the helpe of Aristotles logyck Gregoryes olde constytucyon and the popes authoryte obtayned both at Rome at Wyndesore in Englande that Canterbury shuld from thens fourth haue the superporyte ouer the see of Yorke He that wyll beholde the mad folyshnesse of thys doltysh disputacyon lete hym loke Wyllyam of Malmesbury li. i. de pontificibus Ranulphi Polychronicon lib. vij ca. ij Antoninum Fabianum atque Polydorum li. ix ☞ An olde bawdy byshopp slayne of a wenche IN the dyocese and cytie of Herford was a graye headed byshopp called Walter that inordynatly loued a yonge wenche there whych was very connynge sowster in the yeare of our lord a M. and lxx Yet remembrynge in hym self sayth the storye that nothynge was more busemynge than an olde dottynge fole specyally a byshop so to rage oft tymes withdrewe froÌ„ folowyng that affect At the lattre as the deuyll wolde she entered the byshoppes bed chambre by entycementes of hys chamberlaynes the preteÌ„ce beynge that she shuld there cutt them out shyrtes and napkyns And as she was in doynge her werke those preuy prouyders auoyded and the old bawdy byshop came in as was appoynted He fell to the talke of as fyne brothelry as anye craftes man in that art myght vtter And whan that wold not helpe he fell to her by force wrastelynge and tomblynge with her for the best game But se what folowed immedyatly As she perceyued her self ouercomen and that she was no longar able to withstande hys lecherouse purpose she thrust her sharpe sheres whom she had in her haÌ„des vp into hys share or vndre hys preuy meÌ„bers with vyolence and so slewe that Babylonysh bore or ij horned gote of the deuyll as chast Iudith ded Holophernes Guil. Malmes li. iiij de pontificibus Ranulphus li. vij ca. ij A commen practyse of chast relygyon kepynge haue thys bene amonge the horned prelates and oyled prestes in all ages of Antichrist Wold God those ydell bellygoddes had alwayes in that fylthie occupyenge bene thus worthely handeled For than had not the worlde bene so depely deceyued in them and their knaueryes ☞ Cecila kyng Wyllyams doughter and Thurstinus MAtthaeus VVestmonasteriensis in the floures of hystoryes and Polydorus Vergilius in the ix boke of his chronycle reporteth that Cecyly the doughter of kyng Wyllyam Bastarde professed her self a nonne in the yeare of our lord a. M. and. lxxv to serue the deuyll in the monkes hypocresy in the burnynge heates of Sodome So daynty mowthed wer these greasy grouteheades and so crafty in their generacyon that they could fynde out kynges doughters to serue their lustes and yet apere chast ghostly fathers to the world Thurstinus a monke of Cane in Normandy was of the seyd kyng Wyllyam constytute abbot of Glastenbury for a great summe of moneye in the yeare of our lorde a M. and lxxxiij Thys holy abbot consumed the substaunce and possessyons of that ryche abbey in all kyndes of lecherie and other prodygyouse fylthynesse On a tyme there fell betwyn hym hys monkes a great stryfe for that he had restrayned their accustomed fare He brought in men of armes to defende hys cause the monkes layed about them lyke praty men with stoles pottes and candelâ—â—yckes tyll the warryours heades were wele fauerdly broken In the ende of the batayl were iiij monkes founde slayne and xviij greuously wounded their bloude flowing on the pauyment Henricus huntington li. vi Guilhel Malmes li. ij de pontificibus Matthaeus Paris in historia anglorum Ranulphus li. vi ca. iij. Fabianus par vij ca. ccxxij Was not thys thynke yow a relygyouse rule Had it not bene muche pytie but the commens of this realme had bene beggered for their mayntenaunce beynge suche ghostly vowers O blyndnesse and madnesse of vngodly gouernours ☞ Hildebrande by sorcery and murther obtayneth the Papacy HIldebrandus a monke of Clunyake beynge hygh archedeacon of Rome was taught the arte of Necromancye by Theophilactus afore mencyoned whose custome was in wylde forestes and on hygh hylles to do sacryfyce to deuyls by magycall arte to make women both to loue hym and folowe hym Other instructours he had besydes sayth Cardynall Benno whych had bene Syluesters dyscyples were most connynge in that speculacyon that is to saye Laurence an archebyshop Iohan Gracyan afterwarde called Pope Gregory the syxte In shakynge hys sleues or myttaynes to delude the eyes of the symple many tymes he sent out sparkles of fyre whyche was iudged a wonderfull myracle a signe of holynesse in hym For so muche as the deuyll sayth Benno coulde not persecute Christ in the open face of the worlde he sought fraudulently to deface his name honour by thys hypocryte false monke Hyldebrande vndre a monasticall coate coloured pretence of relygyon Thys Iudas â—ote of hys maistre Pope Gregory the sixte to be the hygh stewarde of S. Peters aulter so receyued the offerynges of pylgrymes tyll all hys bagges were full Than hyred he one Gerardus Brazutua a man gyuen to myschefes incomparable This forcerouse wurker to make hym Pope in the space of xiij yeares poysened vi of hys predecessours one after another that is to saye Clement the. ij Damasus the. ij Leo the. ix Victor the. ij Steuen the. ix Benedict the. x. Nycolas the. ij hys owne selfe poysened and vyolently murthered Alexander the. ij in preson Thus by great and outragyose murthers he enioyed the papacy was called Gregory the. vij hys first ordynaunces were these He transubstancyated the Eucharistycall breade condempned the marryage of prestes commaunded monkes to abstayne from flesh Valerius Anselmus Ryd ☞ The first busy buyldynges of this Hyldebrande BEnno Cardinalis reporteth of thys hellysh Hyldebrand that in the first entraunce of his Romysh Papacy he had all these deuylysh prouysyons to wurke hys myscheues with The scriptures he had so trayned with the rules of logycke that by them he was able to maynteyne all falshede The temporall powers he prouyded by all flattery false fryndeshyp gyftes and other subtyle meanes to depresse He had for moneye hys secrete spyes and trayterouse searchers in the emprours and euery great prynces howse to knowe thynges to hys mynde After demaundes and answers agayne from deuyls he toke vpoÌ„ him to prophecie lyes in hypocresye Hys excedynge tyranny was suche that hys enemyes he neuer spared but gaue them death without remyssyon to the terryfyenge of
the sea into frauÌ„ce and made hym selfe there a regular chanon becommynge at the lattre the abbot of S. Rufus in prouynce Thus clome he vp from one degre to an other tyll he gote the Papacye wherin he wroughte suche wonders as ded hys predecessoures Oft tymes in famylyare talke with Iohan of Salisbury hys contrey man he had these fyne tryckes and sentences most true To take the Papacye sayth he is to succede Romulus in murther and not Peter in shepe fedynge For neuer is it gotten wythoute the shedynge of oure brothers bloude None is more wretched than the Romyshe byshoppe nether is any mannis condicyon more myserable than hys The seate is thornye and hath sharpe pryckes on euerye syde and the crowne is fyerie fearce and as hote as helle wyth suche other lyke Thys hath Helinandus Monachus Radulphus de Diceto Ranulphus of Chestre and chefely Ioannes Salisburiensis lib. viij ca. xxiij De nugis aulicorum At the last was the breathe of this Adriane stopped vp with a flye whiche entered into his throte and the Papacye left to an other in the fyft yeare of the same ☞ S. William of yorke S. Wulfryck and S. Robert ME thynketh it is a very straunge thynge to consydre the ende of S. William the archebishop of Yorke whiche dyed in the yeare of our lorde a. M a. C. and. liiij conplynge it with the degre of hys sayntwode For he dyed a martir and is allowed in theyr temple seruice but for a confessour only But I thynke there hangeth some mystery in it Roger Houeden sayth that he was poysened at hys masse by the treason of his owne chaplaynes And Mathewe Paris sheweth that in the tyme of hys celebracyon suche a deadely venym was put into hys chalyce as depâ—yued him of lyfe Iohan Euersden commeth after and he declareth the same Whye shulde he not than be allowed for a martyr I suppose the answere to rest in this poynt They were no laye men that put hym to deathe but anoynted and spirituall confessours And the shepe of theyr slaughter can become no martyrs as apereth by al them whome they haue slaine and brent sens Sathan went at large It is ynough I trowe that they haue made hym a saynt for hys recompens for other vertues we reade none that he hadde If yorke minstre had had afore as other great churches had a shryned patrone he might wele haue chaunced to haue lost that promocioÌ„ O subtyle sorocerers your craftes now apere so that ye can not hyde them I shulde wryte of S. Wulfrycke whyche dyed the same yeare bicause he so conningly with colde water could quenche the whote flames of hys fleshe and dyscharge so manye prestes of theyr lecherouse heates I shulde also shewe the vertue of S. Roberte the religyouse abbot of Guaresborough that so familiarly ded visite good wholsome matrones But at thys tyme I leaue it to Iohan Capgraue and such other for want of layser ☞ The marryage of Marye the abbesse of Ramseye MArye the doughter of kynge Steuen beyng a professed nonne and abbesse of the famouse monastery of Ramseye in the yeare of our lord a M. a. C. and. lv bicame werye of her professyon and coÌ„sented to marry with Mathew the earle of Bolayne preferrynge gods holye instytucyon to the vngodly yoke of the Romysh byshop Mathew Paris Thomas Rudborne sayth that beynge in the cluystre she was afore that infamed of lyghte conuersacyon Coulde there be any better waye than for cuttynge of that vncomely slaundre than Gods first ordynaunce Well she marryed hym he her some writers saye by dyspensacyon and some saye without dyspensacyoÌ„ But how so euer it came to passe she had two doughters by hym called Ida and Matilda Thomas Becket that tyme beynge hygh chauncellour of Englande shewed hym selfe to thys marryage a contynuall aduersarye but he could not therin preuayle the kyng and the great lordes of the realme so depely holdynge therwith But of thys arose the first grudge that the kynge had agaynst hym as some of the historyanes reporteth it In the ende after that she had contynued with her husband by the space of xvi yeares she was compelled by the byshop of Romes tyrannye Beckettes callynge on to returne agayne with manye slaunderouse rebukes of the world to her cloystre Thys hath Robertus Montensis in additionibus Sigeberti Ricardus Premonstratensis in annalibus Anglorum Thus ded that wycked Antichrist treade vndre hys fylthie fete all power in heauen and in earth exaltynge hymselfe aboue the great God of all ij Thes. ij ☞ The begynnynge of the ordre of Gylbertynes IOcelyne a knyght of Lyncolneshire perceyuynge hys sonne Gylbert to be a man muche deformed not fyt for the worlde procured hym to be made a preste gaue hym the two fat benefyces of Sempyngham and Tiryngton within hys owne domynyon The exercyse of this Gilbert was chefely to teache boyes and gyrles of whom as they were growne to more persyght age he made a newe relygyon called of his name the ordre of Gilbertynes As he ones became person of Sempyngham with hys pâ—rrysh prest was he hosted in the howse of one whych had a fayre doughter as the custome hath bene alwayes of prestes for the most And beyng tangled with her bewtie on a tyme as she had serued at the table he a dreammed the nyght folowynge that he had put hys hande so farre in her bosome as he coulde not pull it backe agayne Thys mayde sayth the legende was one of the fyrste vij of whome he began that holye religyon He secluded them from the talke of the worlde and from the syght of men enclosynge them vp within hygh walles teachynge them monasterye rules Hys buyldynges were suche that thoughe he had both men and women wythin one monastery yet were the men so disseuered froÌ„ the women that they coulde not mete and they hadde dyuerse rules The monkes obserued the rule of S. Augustyne and the nonnes the rule of S. Benedyct but who kepte S. Christes rule there I can not tell Thyrtene couentes he had wythin the realme containing afore his death to the nombre of DCC bretheren and a. M and. D. systers Loke Iohan Capgraue in uita Gilberti confessoris ☞ A nonne at watton biget with chylde by a monke EThelredus the abbot of Ryenall vttereth in hys small treatyse de quodam miraculo that in an howse of the same ordre at Watton in yorke shire was a yonge nonne put thydre by Henry Murdach the archebyshop a Cysteane monke whan she was but. iiij yeares olde I praye God she were not hys doughter in the darke for of suche packynges were plenti in those dayes As thys wenche grewe in yeares so grewe she in lascyuyousnesse Her eyes her talke her pase all were vnsober wylde and wanton Thys nonne fel in loue with a yong moÌ„ke of that
to depart again froÌ„ London the purpose of his coÌ„ming not perfourmed Rogerus HouedeÌ„ Lo here was much a do for a thynge of nought And no smal matter was it in those daies to breake their apishe tradicions about the same tyme Hugh Nonaunt the byshop of Chestre droue all the blacke monkes out of Couentre and turned their monastery into a college of prestes sortyng their lyuynges into prebendes The cause was this They had kepte noughty rule and wolde not be refourmed Moreouer they were in dayly contencyon with the byshopp so that on a tyme not only they vyolently strake him but also they drewe bloude of hym afore their high aultre Radulphus de Diceto Radulphus Cogeshale Ricardus Diuisiensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Rogerus Houeden Matthaeus Paris Ranulphus Treuisa Fabianus About vij yeares after thys at the coÌ„maundement of Pope Celestine the third the monkes were restored agayne and the prestes reiected by Hubert the archebyshop of Canterbury Hugh the byshop of Lyncolne Samson the abbot of S. Edmondes Bury Radulphus de Diceto IoaÌ„nes EuersdeÌ„ in AngloruÌ„ aunalibus atque Polydorus ☞ Prestes prouyded poysons dyuerse wayes AS a certen chaplayne belongynge to the archebyshop of Yorke and called Raufe Wygetoft in the yeare of our lord a. M.a. C. and xcvi laye vpoÌ„ his death bed at Rome he openly coÌ„fessed that he had sent into Englande false letters and poysons to the dyspachement of hys enemyes And whan diligent searche was made at London by them that folowed Roger of Rippun a prest which was the conueyar therof it was so founde in dede This poyson was brought thydre to haue destroyed maistre Simon the deane of Yorke and certen of the canons there And chefely it was in a rynge and girdle which both were brent at Totehyll before a great multytude of people the prest enprisoned This myschefe was layed to the archebishop Geffreye of hys enemyes but it was founde otherwyse Rogerus Houeden Radulphus Cogeshale Was not thys thynke yow a vertuouste studye of these holye votaryes At the same tyme was there a crafty knaue an holye monke I shulde saye in the abbeye of Euesham whiche laye long in a traunce And afterwardes he wrote a newe Apocalips or boke of reuelacions concerning the paynes of helle and ioyes of heauen not vnlyke to Tundalus praefati autores cuÌ„ Ioanne Scuish An other false tole was there in the dyocese of London whyche about the same season had visyons wonderfull they say of the peynes of purgatorye Thus went the deuyll about in this doubtfull age after dyuerse sortes to deceyue the ignoraunt multytude and very fewe there were thaÌ„ whiche in the true fayth resysted him ☞ A byshop and an archedeacon taken in the warres IN tyme of the warres whych were betwixt the frenche kynge and kyng Richarde Cor de lyon Iohan the kynges brother and Marchades a great captayne went abrode with a nombre of horsemen to â—roue mastryes Anon as Phylyp the byshop of Beluace a man more gyuen to warre than to preachynge had knowledge therof thynkynge them to be a mete praye for him came freshly out of the cytie with sir Wyllyam Marlon and his sonne and a great nombre more of valeaunt warryours In the ende the byshop the archedeacon and all the chefe captaynes were taken the resydue all slayne and dyspersed These ij prelates IohaÌ„ presented with great tryumphe to the kynge hys brother as those whyche had bene afore tyme hys great enemyes I haue gotten sayth he the great chaunter and a good quere man to answere hym in tâ—e same note and here I delyuer them to you The kyng smyled as one very glad that they were taken consyderynge the displeasurs whiche they had done and commaunded them armed as they were to be enprysoned Pope Celestyne hearynge therof by the canons of that churche commaunded hym to delyuer agayne hys sonnes To whome he sent their armour with thys massage in questyon Are these the garmentes of thy sonnes or mete apparelynges for thy chyldren No sayth the Pope nor yet of my bretherne but rather they are the vestures of the chyldren of Mars And so he lete them be styll at the kynges pleasure Where as they remayned for the space of iiij yeares after Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Rogerus Cestrensis Ranulphus Treuisa Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Euersden Ioannes Scuish ☞ Fulco for the marryage of iij. spirituall wyues Wyls these warres yet endured theee came vnto kynge Richarde one Fulco a frenche prest whiche had preached very muche against vsurers and whores This Fulco required the kyng in any wyse to put from hym iij. abhomynable doughters whych he had and to coÌ„myt them to marryage least God ponnyshed hym for them Lytle was marryage beholden to suche a preacher Thou lyest hypocryte saith yâ— kinge to thy very face for all the world knoweth that I haue not one doughter I lye not sayth Fulco for thou hast iij. doughters One of theÌ„ is called Pryde an other couetousnesse and the third lecherie With that the kynge called vnto him his lordes his barons This hypocryte sayth he hath requyred me here to marry fourth my thre doughters And now that I haue founde out apte husbandes for them I wyll do it in effecte I therfore biquethe my pryde to the hygh mynded Templars and Hospytelers for they are as proude as helle My couetousnesse I gyue to the Cisteane monkes for they couere the deuyll and all My lecherie I commytt to the prelates of the church for they haue therin most felicyte Wyth this was the preacher coÌ„fused for he knew it was no lye Compendium noui chronici Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Radulphus Cogeshale Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Ioannes Scuish To this agreeth that which Giraldus Cambrensis writeth li iij. ca. xij Speculi ecclesiastici Which is that Pope Alexandre the thirde was wont to saye that he had iij. howses whome he inteyrly loued that aboue all others enioyed hys specyall protection Whyche were the thre religyons of Templars Hospytelers and Cysteanes Ye maye be sure it was for no goodnesse that they so highly stode in his fauer ☞ Men possessed of deuyls and Ciâ—teane monkes ROger Houeden sheweth li. ij historiae Anglorum that in the yeare of our lord a. M. a. C. and xcviij many were possessed of deuyls vexed with horryble freuesyes For remedye of this many monkes were sought to as men of most holy conuersacyon chefelye the Cysteanes Amonge whome there was an abbot whyche toke vpon hym to expell them in the name of Christ. And as he was doyng with one the euyll prete spake in him and said We are the same legion of deuils whiche Christe droue out of the Gergesytes into the heard of swyne and that drowned them in the sea Math. viij A power we haue receyued to entre