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
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
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
vytayles but also of the fowles fode Amos. viij Whych is the veryte of God and sede of saluacyoÌ„ Marke chronicon Sigeberti Mathew Paris Mathew of Westmynstre Roger Houeden Scalamundi and chronicon chronicorum Yea to make the matter more playne vnto vs for the fulfyllynge of those hydden scryptures in our owne nacyon Radulphus de Diceto Sigebertus and Thomas Rudborne in their chronycles addeth thus muche to the storye Amonge the whych fallen starres saye these autours one which was the greatest of theÌ„ all semed to fall on the other syde of the sea in Fraunce as it had bene a blasyng fyre brand And whan the place was marked in Normandy and dylygently sought out the searchers behelde a fearful flutteryng and terryble boylynge in a serten water an horryble stynkynge smoke arysynge therof By thys partycular fallen starre is signyfyed first Lanfrancus afterwardes Anselmus ij Normandy moÌ„kes archebyshoppes of Canterbury by whome in those dayes was all the hurly hurly turmoyle and change in relygyon here in Englande Lanfrancus conteÌ„ding for transubstancyacyon of the Eucharysticall breade to aduaunce ydolatry and Anselmus condemnynge the marryage of prestes and autoryte of prynces for inuestynge of prelates to sett vp sodometry impunyte of synne in the clergye Wherby the one was constytute the adoptyue sonne of Antichrist and the other the pope of England as hereafter wyll apere The water betokeneth the wauerynge multytude and the stynkynge smoke the fylthie doctryne of those fallen starres ☞ Of a lecherouse byshop and ij supersticyouse earles RObert Bloet whyche had bene a monke of Euesham abbeye went not thens so poore but that he was able to gyue for the byshopryck of Lyncolne fyue thousand pounde in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcij. after the death of Remigius By lyke he had bene abbot of the place that he was so wele mouyed Never was Orpheus Palemon nor Sardanapalus more expert they saye in the fyne feates of lecherie than he was For Wylliam of Malmesbury reporteth that he was totus libidinosus all gyuen to fylthie lyuynge And yet he was brought vp in the cloystre vndre Saint Benets rule a great professour of chastyte and a worthie gouernour in that relygyon At the last he dyed sodenly and was buryed at Lyncolne where as the church kepers were sore anoyed they saye with his sowle and other walking spretes tyll that place was pourged by prayers Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li iiij de pontifi Ranulphus Rogerus Thomas Rudborne ac Polydorus Whan Roger the earle of Shrowesbury perceyued ones that he coulde not lyue muche longar he sent Reynolde the pryour of Shrowesbury to Clunyake in Fraunce for the kyrtle of holy Hugh the abbot there that by lycence of Adelyse hys wyfe he myght for socour of hys sowle depart to God in the heate of hys holynesse As muche mede had he therof Treuisa sayth as had Malkyn of her maydenhede whych no man was hasty on Hugh the olde earle of Chestre beynge spoke vnto death in the same selfe yeare caused by the entysement of Anselme the prestes clerely to be expelled out of the high churâ—he of Westchestre and the monkes to be placed there for them So frantyck were the worldly rulers in thys age Henricus huntendune li. xi Ranulphus Rogerus Treuisa Fabianus alij ☞ Of byshop Herbert whych buylded Christes church at Norwych Thys Herbert was called by surname losinga the father whyche bigate hym was Robert the abbot of Wynchestre But who was hys mother the story telleth not to leaue it as a secrete matter within relygyon First was he here in Englande by fryndeshyp made abbot of Ramseye and afterwardes byshop of Thetforde by flattery and fat payment in the yeare of our lorde a M. xci For the which he is named in the chronycles yet to this day the â—yndelyng matche of symony and that noteth hym no small doar in that feate Notwithstandyng he so repented that symony they saye that he went to Rome and there resigned vp hys ryng pastorall hoke to Pope Vrbanus the seconde in the yeare of our lord a M. xciiij not without an other great summe of moneye ye maye be sure for there myghte nothynge passe without ready payment But here ye maye axe me whye the byenge of a byshoprycke was symony in England and not at Rome Wherunto I answere For in Englande a kynge receyued the moneye whych hath none autoryte to meddle in that marte of byenge sellynge wantyng the character or marke of the beast whych they haue at Rome Apo. xiij Also they haue lyberte in that generacyon to iudge blacke whyte euyll good sower swete and darkenesse lyghte also to wurke therafter Esa. v. And whan he had ones returned home agayne by vertu of Antichristes commissyon he remoued hys seate of poysenynge Christes flocke from Thetforde to Norwyche in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcvi dyspossessynge the prestes and theyr wyues and placynge the monkes in their rowmes to make that church a Sodome Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Ranulphus Rogerus Thomas rudborne Ioannes Eucresden Ioannes Capgraue Fabianus alij ☞ The robbery symony and sacrilege of the seyd Herbert OF thys byshop Herbert were many straunge thynges written but yet very couertly and craftely I thynke to hyde the open shewe of hys euyls because he was so great an abbeye foundar Some there were that scoffyngly bestowed vpon hys predecessour Arfastus and hym thys texte Non hunc sed Barrabam Ioan xviij Not hym but Barrabas For Arfastus had translated the byshopryck from Helmam to Thetforde whyche were in those dayes but vyllages But he traÌ„slated it froÌ„ theÌ„s to Norwych whyche was a famouse towne and of great occupyenge An other sort gaue thys texte by the waye Amice ad quid uenisti Mathae xxvi Frende wherfore art thou come Thus slyely they compared hym to Barrabas and Iudas whych both were theues Malmesburius Ranulphus Treuisa Moreouer a Poete or versyfyer of that age made these verses of hym Surgit in ecclesiam monstruÌ„ genitore losinga Simonidum secta canonum uirtute resecta Petre nimis tardas nam Simon ad ardua tentat Si praesens esses non Simon ad altauolaret Proh dolor ecclesiae nuÌ„misuenduntur aere Filius est praesul pater abba Simon uterque Quid non speremus si nummos possideamus Omnia nummus habet quod uult facit addit aufert Res nimis iniusta nummis fit praesul abba ¶ A monstre is vp the sonne of Losinga Whyls the lawe seketh Symony to flea Peter thou slepest whyls Simon taketh tyme If thou wert present Symon shulde not clyme Churches are prysed for syluer golde The soÌ„ne a bishop the father an abbot olde What is not gotten if we haue rychesse Moneye obtayneth in
euery busynesse In Herbertes waye yet it is a fowle blot That he by symonye is byshop abbot Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis li. iiij de regibus Great sute made the monkes of Norwych to haue had thys Herbert a canonysed saynt But suche impedimentes were alwayes in the waye that it coulde not be obtayned ☞ Other anoynted prelates of the lame race SImon the hygh Deane of Lyncolne occupyed that rowme not without a cause For his father Robert Bloet was the lecherouse bulle byshop I shuld saye of that large dyocese This Simon was a lusty bloude the scory sayth as good a treadyng cocke as euer was his father with sterne lokes on both sydes as proude as a pecock Henricus huntendunensis in libro de contemptu mundi Ranulphus in polychronico Guilhelmus Horman in fasci rerum Britannicarū It is also reported of Radulphus de Diceto in hys chronycle called Imagines historiarum that Robert Peche the byshop of Chestre Couentre and Lychefelde begate Richarde Peche the archedeacon of Couentre whyche afterwarde as reason was succeded hys father as byshop on same dyoceses by inheritaunce Radulphus praefatus Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis in opere de pontificibus Guilhelmus Hormā in abreuiatione etusdē The thyrde example wyll I there bryng iii though it chaunced longe afore whych I haue left out in the first part of my votaryes Ethelwolf the sonne of kynge Egbert was professed a monke at Wynchestre and receyued the ordre of a subdeacon vndre byshopp Helmestane Afterwardes ascendynge from one degre to an other he was constytute byshop of Wynchestre and a Cardynall as some chronycles hath about the yeare of our lorde viij hundreth and iij. By dyspensacyon of Pope Gregory the fourth he reygned kynge after hys father and marryed Osburga hys owne butlers doughter by whom he had foure sonnes whyche all reygned kynges after hym and one doughter In the tyme of hys monkery afore he was marryed he begate a bastard called Adelstane whome he made vndre him the duke of Westsaxons Rogerus houeden Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Henricus Bradsha Iacobus Mayer Ionnnes Scuysh ☞ Of Wulstane the mysbegotten byshop of Worcestre Wulstanus the canonysed bishop of Worcestre had a monke of that abbeye to hys father called Estanus and a nonne not farre of to hys mother that was named Vulgena By byshop Brithegus was he made a monke so was sent fourth to the monastery of Peterburg to be instructed and so brought fourth in the ydel rules of monkery Whā it came to passe that he was ones byshop muche loue they saye he had of fayre women and yet lyued alwayes a vyrgyne whych is a matter very harde to be beleued The pontyfycall rynge wherwith he blessed the stretes in stede of Christen preachynge he wolde neuer put from him no not at hys very death but commaunded it to be buryed wyth him I thynke to blesse therwith whan he shulde aryse at the lattre daye Matthaeus paris Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis Ranulphus Rogerus Radulphus de Diceto Thomas Rudborne Ioannes Capgraue alij Olde wyues in Worcestre shyre by the helpe of ydle headed monkes to whom parauenture they had bene bawdes practysed vpon the Ethymology of hys name a most shamefull and folyshe fable whych yet remayneth amonge them Hys father they sayde wyllyng to haue a do with hys mother vpon good frydaye and she not consentynge therunto for the dayes sake was compelled to leaue his begettynge vpon a stone which she fyndyng there lamentynge the losse therof wrapped it vp in a locke of wolle and so noryshed him vp vndreneth her arme hole By this meanes they saye he was first called Wulstone Thys had bene a straunge begettynge of a chylde but that it was in monkery whose wayes were not in that wurkynge lyke other mennys wayes O most prodygyouse sodomytes how haue ye illuded the symple with hypocresye and lyes ☞ Of Steuen Hardynge and hys Cysteanes STeuen Hardyng was first a monke of S. Benets errour ordre I shuld saye at Sherborne not farr from Salysbury Thys man to sprede abroade the braunches of hypocresye went from thens into Scotlande and so fourth into Fraunce and Italye tyll he came to Rome We reade not all thys tyme that euer he taught any Christen doctryne by the godly offyce of preachynge or yet of writynge But after he had visyted Rome and wandered ouer all Italye muche good stuffe ye maye thynke he gathered there he returned into the prouynce of Burgundy and there made hymselfe a monke agayne Yet was he not so quyeted marke the subtyle workynge of Sathan but he toke with hym a certen of hys ydell companyons and fled into the wyldernesse of Cistercium and there he began the wycked secte of Cisteanes otherwyse called the whyte monkes to be noysed abroade a newe authour of relygyon And thys was in the yeare of our lorde a M. xcviij It remayneth yet to the glory of Englande sayth Wyllyam of Malmesbury that the ordre of Cisteanes was firste begonne by an Englysh man Vincentius Antoninus Houeden Capgraue Bergomas Aegidius Faber Thomas Scrope Ioannes Paleonydorus ac Polydorus Vergilius de iuentoribus rerum Of the ambycyon lecherie and couetousnesse of thys abhomynable secte and how it came first into Englande I wyll shewe more at large hereafter About thys tyme arose other sectes of perdycyon as the Grandimontensers Camalduleanes Cartusyanes darke alleye bretherne Rhodyanes Templers Hospytelers Premonstrates Iosephytes and others with innumerable swarmes of their laysye leaue locustes crepynge slowly out of the smoky bottomlesse pytt Apocal ix ☞ Graue sentences declarynge the malyce of thys age Wernerus Roleuinke a Charterouse monke of Coleyne thus reporteth in hys wurke called fasciculus temporum that we commynge after shulde marke therof the daunger A wanton tyme sayth he beganne about the yeare of our lorde a thousande and so folowed on For than the Christen fayth very muche decayed vtterly declynynge from her accustomed strengthe and olde manlynesse to a feble faynt folwyng as mayde Hildegarde sheweth in her prophecye For in many regyons of the Christianyte were the rytes of the church poluted with mennys inuencyons and the sacramentes wyth sorceryes defyled the mynisters becommynge both sothsayers and coniurers So that many thought and not without cause that Antichrist was than in full power Benno sayth also in the lyfe of Hilbebrand that the relygyō of the clergy was none other in those dayes thā a very treason or vtter betrayenge of the worldely gouerners to maynteyne their insacyable ambycyon couetousnesse lecherie Thus were the golden calues had in honour in that age sayth Wernerus meanynge the glytterynge prelates And the other sort slayne or yll handeled by them vnderstandynge the true symple preachers as was Berengarius Oclefe and such other lyke impugnynge their newe ydolatryes Iohan Capgraue writeth that a great reformacyon a dyfformacyon he
oft after that the victory ouer hys enemyes vnloked for to their vtter shame and confusyon Matthaeus Paris alij ☞ The chast procedynges of dyuerse holy prelates IN the same very yeare whych was the yeare of our lorde a M. a C. and one Thomas the archebyshopp of Yorke surnamed the eldar whome Lanfrancus proued a prestes sonne afore pope Alexandre the seconde as is vttered afore departed the worlde Thys Thomas had a nephewe Ranulphus sayth called also Thomas the yongar Ye knowe what a nephewe is by the rules of Rome whose fotesteppes the fathers most studyously folowed in that age as naturall subiectes and chyldren of their creacyon By ryght he shulde haue folowed hys father in that offyce as a naturall inheritour to the myter but he was preuented by one Gerarde Wyllyam of Malmesbury Ranulphe Roger of Chestre saith which was a man as the commen same went gyuen all to lecherouse lyghtnesse to sorcerouse witchcraftes For whan he on a tyme was fouÌ„d dead in an herber a boke of curiouse artes was fouÌ„d vndre his pyllowe made by Iulius Firmicus whom he vsed to reade to himelfe in the none tyde For the whych his owne clergye wold scarsely suffer hym to be buryed wtout the church vndre tyrfes or soddes of the grasse Roger HouedeÌ„ sayth that thys yongar Thomas at the last beynge archebyshop of Yorke and lyenge in extremes was a persuaded of hys phesycyanes to take to hym a woman for remedy of hys dysease whyche he vtterly refused to do and so dyed If thys were true as I much doubt of it than was he a phoenix in that generacyon for Danyel sayth that their hartes shulde be set all vpon women Danie xi But who so euer shall resort to hys doctryne and fruytes in Antichristes prelacie shall fynde hym a virgyne of a farre other sort than Christe hath allowed in the scryptures ☞ Prestes marryage condempned of our Anselme HEnry of Huntyngton in the first boke of hys chronycles sayth that in the yeare of our lorde a M. a C ij which was the iij. yeare of kyng Henry the first at the feast of S. Michael the archangell Anselme the archebyshopp of Canterbury helde a great counsell at London at Westmynstre some chronycles hath whyche is all one Kynge Wyllyam Rufus for hys tyme wolde suffre the clergye to holde no such assemblyes and therfore they mortally hated hym In the which counsell sayth the seyd Henry Roger of Westchestre confirmynge the same he forbad the prestes of Englande their wyues neuer afore the daye prohybeted Mark this Whyche semed to many saye they a very pure relygyon but some men there were whyche thought it a matter full of parell and wolde not haue had it so passe least the prestes professynge a chastyte aboue their strengthes shulde therby fall into most horryble â—yndes of fylthynesse a Christen sentence to the great blemysh and shame of Christianyte And bicause I wolde thys poynt to be the more earnestly marked of my readers to the confusyoÌ„ of antichristes bullish buggerers of Anselmes Hildebrandes brode I put here the vâ—ry wordes of those autours as they staÌ„d in their latine workes In quo concilio inquiuÌ„t Anselmus prohibuit uxores sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas Quod quibusdaÌ„ mundissimum ursum est quibusdam periculosum ne dum munditias uiribus maiores appeterent â–ª in immunditias horribiles ad Christiani nominis summum dedecus inciderent For other Englysh writers sheweth not the matâ—er so lyuely as doth thys Henry Roger. ☞ The actes of Anselmes great synode FIrst they enacted in thys counsell by vertu of Hyldebrandes constytucyon and Vrbanes Bulle that the horryble vyce of symony shulde be condempned for euer whyche was not commytted whan they solde bishopryckes abbeyes deaneryes prebendes orders dedycacyons consecracyons benefyces or any other ecclesyastycall doynges or promocyons but only whan the kynge or any other laye persone ded gyue them or dispose theÌ„ Thys was their spirituall meanynge Next vnto that they enacted that no archedeacon thâ—y spake of no byshoppes preste deacon subdeacon collygener nor canon shulde from thens fourth marry a wyfe nor yet kepe her styll if he had bene marryed to one afore They ordayned also that a preste kepynge company wyth hys wyfe shulde be iudged vnlawfull that he shulde saye no masse if he sayd masse that it shuld not be hearde They charged that none were admytted to orders from that tyme forward marke the tyme vnlesse they professed a chastyte neyther yet that any prestes sonnes shulde clayme by heretage the benefyces of their fathers as the custome had alwayes bene Other actes they made there els concernynge prestes garmentes shauynges shopynges offerynges tythynges buryenges buyldynges confessynges eatynges and slepynges no preachynges to folyshe to be rehearced Loke the boke of Anselmes ccc lxvij epystles Se here hardely if the kyng were not as wele dyspatched of hys pryncely power and autoryte one waye as the prestes of theyr wyues an other waye O wylye wurkers in that kyngedome of inyquyte Nothynge was done here by the worde of God to hys glorye but by the byshop of Romes autoryte to their vayne glorye ☞ Penaltees for them whych broke these actes BEsydes their synodall actes these iniunccions gaue they to the prestes whych were dyvorced First that they and their wyues shulde neuer more mete in one howse neyther yet haue dwellynge within their parryshes If any of them shulde be accused by ij or iij. wytnesses and coulde not pourge hymselfe agayne by sixe able men of hys owne ordre he shulde be iudged a transgressour of the statute depryued of hys benefyce and made an infame or be put to the open reproche of all men He that rebelled or in contempt of their newe statute helde styll hys wyfe and presumed to saye masse vpon the. viij daye after shulde be solempnely excommunycated All archedeacons and deanes were strayghtly sworne not to colour their metynges neyther yet to beare with them for moneye And if they wolde not be sworne to thys that than they shulde lose their offyces wythout recouer All the moueable goodes of them that were proued to transgresse the former statute remayned as forfaytes to the byshoppes their poore wyues condempned for commen whores Anselmus in epistolis Neuer was there any tyranny agaynst the let ordynaunce of God lyke vnto thys tyranny of Antichrist sens the worldes begynnynge neyther vndre Pharao Antiochus Nero nor yet Dioclecyane All thys tyme was not the shamefull sodometry whych secretly lurked among the ydell monkes ones refourmed nor yet spoken of Was it not happye thynke yow for Englande that these fylthie buyldynges of Antichrist had the good helpe of Whynchesters vowes of xxi yeare to vphold theÌ„ whan they were droppyng away in this lattre age If ye consydre it well ywys it hath passed all stage playe ☞
Praefati autores cum Polydoro Fabiano ☞ The kyng derydeth the byshoppes procedynges NOt all forgetfull of their wycked fathers affayres the prelates of Englande in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and. xxix gathered themselues togyther at London yet ones agayne in the first daye of August to put the prestes clerely from their wyues At this great counsell sayth Ricardus Premonstratensis were all the bishoppes of England except iiij whych dyed as it chaunced the same yeare that is to saye of Wynchester Durham Chestre and Herforde Their processe was all agaynst the cocasses or she cookes of the curates that they shuld not dwell in house with them For after the prestes had bene compelled to renounce the tytles of their wyues they kept them in most places vndre the name of their cocasses lawnders and seruyng women The kyng perceyuyng the malyce of the bishoppes and seynge aduauntage to growe therupon by thys propre polycye deceyued them He toke vpon hym the correction of them and promysed to execute true iustyce But in the ende Mathew Paris sayth he laughed them all to scorne and takyng a pensyon of the prestes he permytted them styl peaceably to holde their wyues Polydorus reporteth that the kynge gote of the clergye thys autoryte ouer the prestes by a fyne craft of conueyaunce And whan he had so done mysused it A very fyne iudgement of a man learned so to dyffyne of a prynces power The kyng deceyued them Roger Houeden sayth by the symplycyte of Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury For whan they had ones vncircumspectly graunted hym to execute iustyce vpon the prestes wyues it turned in the ende to their rebuke and shame the prestes for moneye set agayne at lyberte for them Praedicti autores cum Ranulpho Matthaeo VVestmonasteriensi Rogero Cestrensi ☞ A myddle swarmynge of Antichristes sectes in England FOr causes dyuerse whych some of my readers shall fynde necessary to be knowne I haue added here the tymes wheâ—in the seconde swarme of locustes or synnefull sectes of Antichrist hath entered into this realme of England The first swarme was of the Benedictynes and chanons of S. Augustyne called the blacke monkes and blacke chanons of whose fattynge vp I haue reasonably treated both in the first part of this wurke and also in thys seconde The first of this lattre swarme â–ª were the Cisteanes otherwyse called yâ— whyght moÌ„kes which came into this lande in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and. xxxij settynge their first foundacion in the deserte of Blachoumor by the water of Rhie wherupon their monastery was called Rhieuallis Saint Robertes fryres began at Gnaresborough in Yorke shyre in the yearr of our lorde a M.a. C. and xxxvij And the ordre of Gilbertines at SempynghaÌ„ in Lincolne shire in the yeare of our lorde a M.a. C. xlviij The Premonstratensers or white chanoÌ„s came in to the realme buylded at Newhowse in Lyncolne dyocese in the yeare of our lord a M.a. C. and xlv The Chartrehowse monkes came into the lande were placed at Wytham in the dyocese of Bathe in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. lxxx I recken not the hospytelers Templars with such lyke Ioannes Hagustaldensis Ricardus Praemonstratensis Ioannes Capgraue Thomas Scrope Polydorus Vergilius All these at their first enteraunce were very leane locustes as they are in S. Iohans reuelacyon described barren poore and in outwarde aperaunce very symple But in processe of tyme through symulate holynesse they grewe fat lyke their fellowes They gote them lyons faces and were able to buckle with kynges Their lecherouse actes I shall hereafter declare ☞ Kynge Steuen professeth a slauery to Antichrist HOw kyng Steuen bicame an instrument to their wycked vse in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and xxxv it is easely knowne by the othe which they compelled hym to make at hys coronacyoÌ„ what though he ded not in all poyntes obserue it Thys is the othe as Ricardus prior Hagustaldensis hath written it in hys small treatyse de gestis regis Stephani Marke it I Steuen by the grace of God good wyll of the clergye and consent of the commens elected kynge of England and by Wyllyam the archebyshop of Canterbury and legate of the holye Rome church vndre Pope Innocent the seconde confirmed make faithful promyse to do nothing here in Englande in the ecclesyastycall affayres after the rules of symonye but to leaue admyt and confirme the power ordre and distrybucyon of all ecclesyastycal persones and their possessyons in the handes of the byshoppes and prelates of the same The auncyent dignitees of the church confirmed by olde priuyleges and their customes of longe tyme vsed I promyse appoynt and determyne inuiolably to contynue All the churches possessyoÌ„s holdes and tenementes which they hytherto haue had I graunt them from hens forwarde without interrupcyon peaceably to possesse etc. Beholde here what popettes these lecherouse luskes made of their kynges se I praye yow if they sought any other commen welthe than of their ydell bellyes in that proude kingdome of Antichrist Was thys a folowynge of Christ after the Gospell thus to illude their Christen gouernours Naye it was rather a ronnyng after Sathan in the blasphemouse imytacyon of the byshop of Romes decrees The last plage of God lyghte vpon thys vnfaythfull generacyon if they wyll not yet beholde these euyls of their wycked fathers and abhorre them from the harte ☞ The rebellyon and cantels of byshoppes agaynst the kynge IN the next yeare folowynge notwithstandyng thys othe kyng Steuen reserued to hymselfe the inuestynge of prelates Mathew Paris sayth and shewed vnto the clergye many other displeasurs Wherfore in processe they caused Maude the empresse contrary to their othes of allegeaunce to come into the realme and to make clayme to the crowne and strongely to warre vpon hym For the whych he enprysoned and bannyshed certayne of the byshoppes chefely Alexandre of Lyncolne Nigellus of Helye and Roger of Salisbury He feared not to go vnto Oxforde and to sytt there in open parlyament whyche no kynge myght do they sayde wythoute a shamefull confusyon From Roger the byshoppe of Salisbury he toke the. ij Castels of Vyses and Sherburne fyndynge in them more than xl thousande markes in moneye wherwith he perfourmed the greate marryage betwene Constaunce the Frenche kynges sistre and Eustace hys sonne and heyre Thys byshoppes sonne by lyke he hadde a wyfe whyche had bene the other kinges chauncellour this kinge handeled harde to come to hys purpose He kepte hym fastenynge threttened him hangynge and at the lattre bannyshed hym the realme whyche cost the byshoppe his lyfe A naturall father Anon after the byshoppe of Wynchestre beyng the popes great legate and perceyuynge the clergye not to be regarded the realme beynge than in diuysyon betwixt them bothe that is to saye
howse which was sumwhat pleasaunt She loked smothely vpon him the storye sayth and he as gentyllye vysed her agayne They began wyth louynge lokes and continued with beckes for breakynge of sylence At the lattre they came to talkes and to nygthe metynges tyll she was left wyth chylde For Nigellus Wireker sayth in Speculo stulto rum which he wrote in the same age Quid de Sempyngham quantum uel qualia sumam Nescio nam noua res me dubitare facit Hoc tamen ad presens nulla ratione remittaÌ„ Nam necesse nimis fratribus esse reor Quod nunquam nisi clam nullaque sciente sororum Cum quocumque suo fratre manere licet ☞ Thus are these verses Englyshed Of Sempingham what shulde I muche prate An ordre it is begonne but of late Yet wil I not lete the matter so pas The sylly bretherne and systers alas Can haue no metynges but late in the darke And thys ye knowe wele is an heauye warke Whan this yonge monke ones perceyued that her bellye was vp he threwe of his disgysed garmeÌ„tes and fled by nyght out of the monasterye thynkyng at his layser to haue conuayed her awaye also But she poore sowle tarryed behinde beynge vnreasonably beaten and ponnyshed in the pryson ☞ The nonne dismembreth the monke and is delyuered AS thys yonge man resorted to the abbeye agayne myndynge in the dead of the nyght to haue stollen awaye hys louer the nonnes watched hym and toke hym Yea they stript hym all naked bounde him fast to a stole Than brought they forth the yonge nonne put a sharpe knyfe in her hande compellynge her by most cruell enforcementes to gelde him And whan she had vnconnygly perfourmed that acte they toke vp the peces and with violence thrust them into her mouth The yong moÌ„ke was neuer heard of after for I thynke he coulde non other but dye of that incision The nonne returned to pryson agayne WhaÌ„ the houre was come of her delyueraunce Henry Murdach the archebyshop of Yorke sumtyme whyche was dead more thaÌ„ vi yeares afore brought with him the story sayth two hansom mydwyues from heauen whych discharged her of her chylde without peyne and toke it fourth with them if the iakes swellowed it not in so that it neuer was seane after Their holye father Gylbert allowed thys miracle by hys lyfe tyme and declared it to the forseyd Etheldred that he shulde chronycle it If this be not an honest conueyaunce to excuse these shameful murthers I report me to yow But thys storye was not alone if there had bene more Etheldredes to haue brought them to lyghte Of these double Gylbertynes of both genders men and women thus writeth the forseyd Nigellus Canonici missam tantum reliquumque sorores Explent officij debita iura sui Corpora non uoces murus disiungit in unum Psallunt directo psalmatis absque mero Thus are they to be Englyshed The monkes synge the masse the nonnes synge the other Thus do the syster take part with the brother Bodyes not voices a walle doth disseuer Without deuocioÌ„ they syng both together ☞ The chastyte of all other monkes and nonnes in that age NIgellus the forseyd Poete doth largely touche the corrupt lyuing and hypocresye of hys tyme chefely in byshoppes prestes abbottes monkes chanons and nonnes Hys boke is all in olde latyne verses and is named the glasse of foles that euery dyssolute prelate myghte beholde hys folye therin Of the abbottes thys iudgement he gyueth amonge other Qui duce Bernardo gradiuÌ„tur uel Benedicto Aut Augustini sub leuiore iugo Omnes sunt fures quocuÌ„que charactere sancto Signati ueniant magnificentque Deum Ne credas uerbis ne credas uestibus albis Vix etenim factis est adhibenda sides Quorum uox lenis uox Iacob creditur esse Caetera sunt Esau brachia colla manus Rursus in Aegyptum quam deseruere reuersi Dulce sibi reputant a Pharaone premi Carnis ad illecebras nullo retinente ruentes In foueam mortis carne trahente cadunt They that pretende to folow S. Bernard Benet or Austen whych is not so harde False theues they are all seme they neuer so goode Nor yet so deuout in their cowle and whode Beleue not their wordes nor aparell whyte For nothinge they do that afore God is ryghte As gentil as Iacob in wordes they apere But in all their workes they are Esau clere To Egypt agayn they are come to dwell Vndre great Pharao fearyng no parell They folowe the fleshe seke no restraint Which wyll at the last with hell them acquaint Thys also he writeth of the nonnes HaruÌ„ sunt quaedam steriles quaedam parientes Virgineoque tamen nomine cuncta tegunt Quae pastoralis baculi dotatur honore Illa quidem melius fertiliusque parit Vix etiam quaeuis sterilis reperitur in illis Donec eius aetas talia posse negat Some nonnes are barren and some bearynge beastes Yet are all virgynes at principall feastes She that is abbesse as her both befall In fruitfull bearynge is best of them all Scarse one shall ye fynde among the whole rought Which is vnfruitefull tyll age cometh about ☞ Malcolmus S. Edwarde and abbot Eldrede OF Malcolmus the kyng of Scottes whiche was the. iiij of that name we reade that at the suggestion of supersticiouse monkes he vowed neuer to marrye Arnoldus the bishopp of S. Andrewes hauynge knowledge therof and coÌ„syderyng the inconuenyence that might ensue for want of successyon wysely and Godly dyssuaded hym agayne from that vayne purpose He required hym to considre by the sayng of Plato that he was not borne only to himselfe neither stode it with hys vocacion beynge the hygh head or king of that commen welthe to dye wythout an heyre of hys owne bodye wyth other necessary counsels Hector Boethius li xiij Scotorum historiae If our great S. Edward had had store of suche good counsellers as he had of Romysh hypocrytes I thinke the câ—owne of this realme had neuer bene distamed with the bastardes bloude firste of the Normannis and than of the frenche men the noble Englyshe bloude so extynguyshed and the lande decayed tyll God rayled it vp agayne But as Iohan Maior thought in his Scottysh chronycle of thys Malcolmus so do I thynke of our S. Edwarde that he mighte wele be nombred among the folysh virgynes Which seking heauen by that kinde of virginite ded find the gate shut vp agaynst them Math. xxv Thomas Becket of a great deuocyon to chastyte by lycens of pope Alexandre the iij. translâ—ted the corâ—upted carkeys of thys Edwarde in the yeare of our lorde a M. a. C. and. lxiij and set a shryne ouer it garnyshed with golde syluer pearle and precyouse stone to cause the people to do therunto ydolatry Thomas Rudborne in medulla chronicorum Colde water
hâ—d nothynge ado with theÌ„ whiche were anoynted and shauen they beynge therby the Romysh Popes creatures and not hys Radulphus Niger Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVestmonasteriensis Rogerus Houeden Ricardus Croilande Nicolaus Treueth alij plerique An excedyng great thynge were it to declare the subtyle practyses deuâ—ses dysguysynges craftes colours conueyauÌ„ces other tryfelynges to brynge all hys matters to pâ—sse agaynâ—t the kynge and a werynesse to the reader to rehearce them wherfore I lete them ouer passe ☞ Artycles for whome Becket is admitted the Popes martyr DIuerse of our chronycle writers doth testyfye in their workes that these were the artycles wherfor he stroue with the kynge That no spirituall cause ought to be pleaded in the temporall court No clarke may be compelled to answere in matters before the kynges offycers Patrâ—nes maye lawfully and frely gyue benefyces without the kynges allowance A byshop or pastour maye frely go out of the realme without the kynges lycens for the ryght of his churche He that is ones excommunycated must haue hys discharge of the spirituall court and not of the kynge The clergye and layte must be clered of their offences by the ordynaryes and not by the kynges iustyces Appellacyons made from one degre to an other as from lowar oâ—dynary to the hyghar maye be ended without the kynges consent Landes and teneamentes maye lawfully be gyuen to the clergye in almes wythout the kynges commyssyon Spirytuall promocyons ought only to remayne in the handes of the superiour ordynaryes whaÌ„ theyr occupyers are dead till others succede in their roumes and not in the handes of teÌ„poral meÌ„ Religiouse men men ought not in the quarell of their kynges to go to the warres They that flee vnto sayntwaryes ought there to be socoured agaynst the temporall power their dedes made open to the iudge ecclesyastycall Clarkes curates and prestes are not bounde to come to the commen iudgementes at sessyons or assyses neyther yet to be at them though they be commaunded Se what good stuffe here is to make a martir All is to demynyshment of a kynges power and nothynge els ☞ Becket stayeth the Popes churche by confoundynge heretykes IN the same yeare of our lorde a M. a C and. lxiiij was Thomas Becket reckened Mathew Paris sayth suche a mightye stedefast and strong sure pyllour as the whole church both leaned vpon and was also staied by But ye must consydre that it was the Popes churche that he ment and not Christes for that hath a staye stronge ynough of him without mannys helpe Marke the forseyd artycles The church sayth he shaken was ready to haue fallen and the Pope which was set vp as a staffe to haue staied it was at that tyme so broken that the shyuers or peces wounded him Thomas lokyng for nothynge els but martyrdome for the churche In the same yeare were in England certen godly men whome some Popysh writers dysdaynously calleth Waldeanes some publycanes some false Apostles Thâ—se were at Oxforde straightly examyned of the byshoppes and so brought to iudgement by this Becket for holdynge these opynyons That the churche of Rome was that whore of Babylon whych had forsaken the fayth of Christe and that barren fygge tree without fruite whych he reproued and that no Christen man was bounde to obeye the Pope and hys byshoppes That monkerye was as the dead carreyne that stynketh and that their vowes were fryuolouse ydell and abhomynable beynge the vpspryngynge braunches of Sodome That their orders were the great beastes characters and their temples the wurse for their hallowynges That purgatory sayntes worshyppyng masses and prayenges for the dead with such lyke were most deuylysh inuencyons For maynteynynge these and other lyke opynyons agaynst the proude synagoge of Rome they were sealed in the faces at Oxforde wyth whote fyerye keyes and so bannyshed the realme for euer Radulphus de Diceto Matthaeus Paris Guido Perpinianus de heresibus Thomas VValden ad Martinum quintum Bernardus Lutzenburgus ☞ Hys trayterouse ende and aduauncement aboue Christ. Whan Becket was returned again into Englande in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxxi after vi yeares exyle he outragiously troubled certen of the byshoppes to the kynges great dyshonour Mathewe Parys sayth For the only cause why he so hatefullye persecuted them was for that they hadde fulfylled the kynges desyre in anoyntynge his sonne Henry the yongar to raygne after hym not hauynge hys consente beynge pope of Englande For thys he entered the pulpet more lyke a mad Bedlem thaÌ„ a sober preacher Not to teache Chryste in mekenesse but in hys wode furye to execrate those byshoppes to curse theÌ„ wyth boke belle and candell and by the popes autoryte to condempne them to helle Vpon thys the kynges seruauntes fell on hym in purpose as they toke it to reuenge their liege lordes great iniury and hys sonnes dyshonoure They pared his pylde crowne wyth theyr swerdes and cut of the popes marke to hys very braiue whyls he in ydolatry coÌ„mended himselfe and the cause of hys churche to hys patrone S. Deuyse beynge but a deade ymage there standyng vpon the aultre Stephanus Langton Richardus Croilande Rogerus Houeden Nicolaus Treueth Ioannes Capgraue Thus ended he his lyfe in most ranke treasoÌ„ was for his labour made a god of that papistes Yea they charged christ in the ende by coÌ„maundement to delyuer vs heauen frely by the shedynge of Thomas bloud as though that had bene a payment of satisfaction for our synnes And as therby apered they put Christ cleane out of office for him by this coÌ„iuracion Tu per Thome sanguinem queÌ„ pro te impeÌ„dit fac nos Christe scandere quo Thomas ascedit O thou Christ suffre vs to clyme vp to that place by the bloud of Thomas whych he shed for that to the which Thomas maÌ„fully asceÌ„ded Marke this hardely for suche a defeccyon froÌ„ Christ as Saynt Paul speaketh of and for the stronge delusyon that they shulde haue whyche beleued lyes that they myghte be dampned ij Thessalo ij For here Thomas redemeth Christe and ascendeth to hauen leauynge vs hys bloude to clyme thydre by Were there euer greater heretykes theues sowle murtherers than were our Papistes I can not thynke it ☞ The false miracles and canonisacyon of Becket OF Christe and of all hys Apostles and prophetes are not written so many great miracles as of this one Becket As that so many sycke so many blynde so many bleare eyed bedred croked broused mangled lamed drowned palseyd leprosed sorowful exyled wyth chylde enprysoned hauged and deade were by them as by him deliuered Neyther were there euer so many writers of any popyshe saintes lyfe or so manye great volumes made as of hys as is shewed afore And all thys was to blemyshe the kynge and to depresse the hygh power both in hym and in
not thought in those dayes holye though it were of God He tombled all naked among bryres and thornes He wore sumtyme a shyrte of heare and sumtyme a coote of mayle nexte hys skynne Of barelles he made wythin hys own chapell a welle wherin he stode to the chynne in the tyme of hys heates For in the night alwaies was he most greuously teÌ„pted with she deuyls But one of them transfourmed into an he deuyll turned vp hys brode bumme if deuils haue buttockes made suche a shewe there as I am ashamed to wryte He that hath deuocyon to knowe the whole storye lete hym resorte to the holye legende of hys lyfe that was wont to be redde vpon hys feastfull dayes wyth no small deuocyon Thys deuyll hadde a nombre of yonge deuils folowing hym lyke pratye blacke boyes wyth shauen crownes and I thynke he was the great abbot of our votaryes So was S. Godrycke terryfyed wyth this lecherouse deuyll that all the heares of hys holye bodye the legende saith stode vp lyke sowes brystles Suche men as hadde barren wiues complayned to thys holye Godrick and he made them frutefull by tyenge hyâ— gyrdle aboute them Thys fat carle and fowle fornycatoure the storye sayth dyed at Fynkale in the yeare of oure lorde a. M. a. C. and. lxx doynge more than CC. and. xxviii myracles wythin fewe yeares and was made a saynte wyth Thomas Becket Loke Iohan Capgraue ☞ A counsell at Rome agaynste Buggerers THe buggerye of prestes and relygyouse prelates was in that age so noysed abrode and complayned of that in the yeare of our lorde a. M. a. C lxxix Pope Alexandre was compelled to call a generall counsell at Rome of CCC and. x. byshoppes Where as he ordeyned agayne that prestes in anye wyse shulde lyue chaste And if it chaunced anye of theÌ„ to be found a buggerer as they were none other but sodoâ—ytes and whoremongers all the packe he shuld be fyrste excoÌ„munycated and than hydden from the syghte of the people tyll suche tyme as they dyspensed wyth hym Here was a sore ponnyshemeÌ„te for so horryble a myschefe but that they sumwhat teÌ„dered them selues in the same as occupyers in one arte He ordeyned also that archebyshoppes shulde ryde in vysytacyons wyth no more than halfe an hondred horses byshoppes wyth xxx legates wyth xxv archedeacons wyth vij and deanes wyth ij sequestrynge all ecclesyastycall persones from the iudgementes of the laye magistrates For by that tyme had they gotten of king Henry the second a ful reuocacion of â—egal customes a coÌ„firmacioÌ„ of the churches liberties that they might frely appeale to the pope against all powers that no clarke shuld be brought afor a lay iudg for no maner of wickednesse that he whiche strake a priest shulde be alwayâ—s ponnyshed at the byshoppes pleasure Matthaeus Paris Matthaeus VVesâ—monasteriensiâ— â–ª About this tyme were the seâ—ular canâ—â—â— remoued from Waltham by this Popes autoryte bicause some of them had wyues and regular chanons whyche were men without wyues vnlesse they were other mennys placed in their rowmes the kynge of gentylnesse recompensynge Guye the deane certen other of those canoÌ„s an other way Radulphus de Diceto Rogerus Houeden Ranulphus Treuisa Ioannnes Euersden ☞ Notable sentences of a learned man in thys age IOhan Salisbury a chaplayne first of the court and afterwardes byshop of Carnote in Fraunce beyng a man exercysed in all kyndes of good lyterature and perceyuynge abuses intollerable dayly to encrease in the clergye with very sharpe rebukes as with fyerye dartes oft touched them both in his famylyar epistles and also in hys great wurke called Polycraticon In the Rome church sayth he sytteth the scrybes and the pharysees and vpon mennys shulders they laye burdens importable The great byshop ther is greuouse to all men and scant to be suffered of any man Hys legates are so furyouse and ragynge mad that a man wolde thynke as they steppe foewardes that Sathan were sent from the face of God to flagelle the churche They noye where they go and therin are they lyke to the deuyll Ryght iudgemâ—â—â— with them is none other than an open byenge and sellynge Gayne take they for godlynesse the gatherynge of goodes for most high religion For moneye they iustifye the wicked and ouerloade the afflicted consciences They decke their tables with golde syluer and reioyce in thynges which are most wycked They eate the synnes of the people are clothed with the same Yea they diuersly abuse themselues in lykynges of the fleshe whyls the true worshippers worshyp God their heauenly father in sprete and veryte He that in any poynt dyssenteth from their doctryne is eyther iudged an heretyke or a scysmatike Christ therfore of mercye in this age shewe hymselfe and teache vs what waye we maye walke a right to his pleasure with manye suche other clauses Ex lib. v. cap. xvi ex li. vi ca. xxiiij Polycratici ☞ The insacyable glottonye of Benettes monkes GIraldus Cambrensis reporteth in hys wurthye wurke called SpeculuÌ„ ecclesiae li ij ca. iij. that as kyng HeÌ„ry the seconde was huntynge at Gildeforde the pryour of S. Swithunes of Wynchestre and. xiij of hys monkes fell down vpoÌ„ their knees afore him iâ— the â—apre and with wepynge teares complayned that Richarde More their bishop had demynyshed their face of iij. dishes at euery meale whyche their founders had allowed them for the maintenaunce of Gods seruyce The kynge demaunded of them how many remayned They answered but. x. only where as afore of custome they had xiij contynuynge from the dayes of S. Swythune to that present With that the kynge called hys lordes vnto him and swore as hys fashyon was By the eyes of God quoth he I iudged of these monkes that their howse had bene brent or that some other yll chaunce had fallen vnto them And now I perceyue their matter is none other but that their byshop hath shortened them of their bellye chere If their bishopp do not by theÌ„ as I whiche am their king do by my court that is to saye brynge them to iij. dyshes I praye God he be hanged Than sayd the monkes Thys request of ours is chefely to refreshe the poore therby No sayd the kynge it is rather to pamper your glottonouse mawes whiche neuer are satisfyed The poore maye otherwyse and in more honest ordre be prouyded for than to rede of your so glottonouse leauynges to the publyque slaundre of Christianyte A lyke storye he sheweth of the monkâ—â— of Christes church at Canterbury whyche were serued with xvi dyshâ—s euery daye and of other more He 〈◊〉 that the cattell whyche was th◠〈◊〉 fed were as raâ—â—e as stoned horses and as vnable to perfouâ—me their vowe of chastyte as euer were they Sancti ordinis professores de ferculorum numerositate contendunt sayth Petrus Blesensis vpon
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
were sumtymes cast in the tethe that their conuersacyon was not accordynge to the Apostles lyuâ—s they made a mocke at it commenly excusynge themselues by thys hombly verse Nunc aliud tempus alij pro tempore mores Now is it an other maner of tyme than was than and requyreth a farre other fashyon of lyuynge Marianus Scotus Ranulphus lib. vi ca. xxiiij Pabianus par vi ca. ccxij Polydorus li. ix About the yeare of our lorde a M. and. lxxxij one Wyllyam byshopp of Durhan dyspossessed the prestes of the college or cathedrall church of Durham bycause of their wyues and placed the monkes there in their rowmes as witnesseth Polydorus li. ix Anglicae historiae as he had hearde that kynge Edgare had done long afore in the churche of Excestre Olyuer a monke of Malmesbury of some authours called Elmer was at the same tyme so we le seane in Necromancy that he couâ—de with wynges flye abroade and worke many wonders Ranulphus li. vi ca. xxviij Vincentius Nauclerus alij ☞ Saynt Freswydes and Westmynster sanctuary IN the yeare of our lorde a M. and lx was the church of S. Frideswyde in Oxforde gyuen vnto the moÌ„kes by the chast kynge Edwarde of whoÌ„ we haue spoken afore at the request of Pope Nycolas the. ij in recompence of hys pylgrymage that he vowed to Rome the prestes wyth their wyues dysplaced vtterly Yet was it afterwarde restored to them agayne by hys successour kynge Haralde whyche with other lyke matter agaynst our prelates cost hym parauenture hys lyfe the monastery at the last consumed with fyre Ioannes Capgraue in uita Pridesoâ—dâ—e This Romysh Antichrist Nycolas coÌ„stytuted kyng Edward hys vycar here in Englande bycause he was a chast vower that he and hys successours shuld se that hys sodometrouse chastyte were wele there maynteyned Moreouer he gaue fredome to the sanctwary of Westminstre for theues and for whores not only to be vnto them a place of refuge but also a sauegarde from ponnyshment for terme of their lyues Ioannes Capgraue in uita Edâ—uar di cum alijs autoribus O â—hostly founders of chastyte Thys great patryaeke of Sodome sent fourth Petrus Damianus a monke and Cardynall to preache S. Gregories Dyaloges agaynst marryed prestes For he afterwarde wrote a boke Antoninus sayth par ij â—i xvi ca. viij De direptione nuptiarum of the takynge awaye or vtter dyssoluynge of marryage Tritemius mencyoneth also that he wrote ij bokes agaynst marryed prestes one de incontinentia sacerdotum an other de clericorum uxoribus and. ij for the vnmarryed monkes the one called regula solitariorum the other de monachorum profectu ☞ Berengarius and the synode of Wynchestre MVche a do had Berengarius Turonensis the archediacon of Angew with the foreseyd Popet Nycolas for Christes naturall presence in the eucharisticall breade whych he had in opeÌ„ preachynge and disputacyon denyed callynge both hym hys masmongers pulpifices that is to saye fleshe makers in his boke de Eucharistia Truely not an holy churche sayth he haue the veryte proued that congregacyon but a malignaunt churche a counsel of vanyte and the very seate of Sathan Lanfrancus contra Berengarium Whych opynyon he afterward compelled hym to recant not by force of argument but by terrour of cruell threttenynges Notwithstandynge he returned agayne persystyng more stroÌ„ge than afore Anon after in the yeare of our lorde a M. and lxix in the generall synode at Wynchestre were many byshoppes and abbotes deposed by the legates of Pope Alexander the seconde for yll rule kepynge in bankettes of baudry Amonge whom Stigandus was one whych myserably dyed in preson Ricardus Diuisiensis Guilhelmus Malmesbu li. i. de pontificibus Ranulphus lib. vij ca. i. Fabianus Polydorus li ix Thys Alexander made a constytucyon generall that none shuld heare the masse of prest whych kept a concubyne vndre payne of excommunycacyon meanynge a marryed wyfe Gracianus monachus in uolumine decretorum VVernerus in fasciculo temporum Iacobus Bergomas Yet graunted he that prestes sonnes myght by the Apostles autoryte receyue holy orders whych includeth contradiccyon Idem Gracianus ☞ Lanfrancus and hys lowsye legerdemaynes A Yonge monke assystynge Lanfrancus the archebyshopp of Canterbury at hys masse not farre from the shryne of Dunstane beheld a swarme of deuyls and was sodenly possessed of one of them Anon he opened hys mouthe and vttered the good rule of hys lecherouse bretherne suche matters sayth the storye yea so abhomynable and fylthie as are not to be spoken Than were they all called to the chapterhowse where as it was amonge them decreed that all the holye bretherne shuld be shryueÌ„ of Lanfrancus Wherby they were anon so newe bournyshed that in their returne the deuyll had nothynge to laye agaynst them For the vertu of confessyon and absolucyon is suche they saye that it taketh from the â—euyll both hys wyttes and remembraunce that he hath no longar any power to accuse them Forget not thys workemanshypp but marke it wele So good was the foreseyd Dunstane they saye to thys Lanfrancus that iiij score yeares after hys death he taught hym how to recouer agayne the possessyons and landes pelfered awaye by the kynges from hys archebyshopryck He made open vnto hym if dead men maye speake the craftes of all hys enemyes and shewed good wayes to recouer at their handes to auoyde their cantels Ioannes Capgraue in uitis Dunstani Lanfranci Vincentius li. xxv ca. xxxvii Antoninus par ij ti xvi ca. x. The whyche Antoninus sayth that Lanfrancus played the same part agayne at Rome suche tyme as he impugned there the doctryne of Berengarius concernynge the sacrameÌ„t For the whyche lordely acte Pope Alexander gaue hym ij maÌ„tels or Legates robes one of honour an other of loue Ranulphus cum caeteris autoribus ☞ Byshoppes change their seates and tytles IN the dayes of kynge Wyllyam the bastarde the Popes baâ—tard byshoppes here in Englande changed their seates and tytles from the meane vyllages to the most famouse cities of the realme to apere more gloryouse in the reigne of their father Antichrist As from Dorcestre to Lyncolne froÌ„ Lychefelde to Westchestre from Thetforde to Norwych froÌ„ Shirborne to Salysbury from Wellys to Bathe from Kyrton to Excetur froÌ„ Selwey to Chychestre with such lyke And this was done some writers sayth in the yeare of our lorde a M. and lxviij by a decre of the Popes canons Ranulphus li. i. ca. lij Vndre the same kynge also a solempne othe and profession by writynge to the bastarde byshop of Rome was demauÌ„ded and taken by hys vycar Lanfrancus in the yeare of our lord a M. and lxix and so euer after continued from thens fourth A sore stryfe besell in the same selfe yeare betwyn these bastarde byshoppes specyally betwyn