and such Feasts were called by the name of Vigills and observed with no lesse reverence then the Fast of Lent This remedy was provided after St. Hieromes time which dyed the year of our Lord 422 when Bonifacius the second was Bishop of the See of Rome The like custome was also observed among the Aegyptians which on the Evens of their high feasts fasted and after they had slept they offered a Cow all such night Sacrifices and observances for like causes were by a perpetuall Law in Greece abrogated by Diagundas a Thebane The Fast of Wednesday and Friday was commanded by the Fathers because on the one day Christ was Crucified and on the Wednesday Judas purposed in his mind to bewray him as Apollonius the Eloquent Oratour supposed Silvester the first Bishop of Rome abhorring the memorial of the vain Gentile gods decreed that the dayes of the Week which had before the names and Titles of the Sun Moon Mars Mercury Jupiter Venus and Saturn should be called the first second third fourth fifth sixth and Seventh Ferie as the Jews counted their dayes from the Sabbath day He did also call the first Ferie Dominicus Dies that we name Sunday and called Saturday Sabbatum of the old holy day and rest of the Hebrews all these things were done at the Suit of Constantine then Emperour Albeit the Apostles before that time had consecrated the Sunday to the Lord because that day he rose from death and the Jews Sabbath was turned into it as may appear by the decree of Pius that ordained the Easter to be kept on the Sunday and therefore I think Silvester did but onely renew the same Act of the Sunday It was the invention of the Egyptians that the dayes were first named after the 7 Planets as Diodorus recordeth Saint Gregory was the Author that neither flesh nor any thing that hath affinity with it as Cheese Milk Butter Eggs should be eaten on such dayes as were fasted We have also a manner and usage of hallowing the Table and meat before we be set that began of the imitation of Christ which used the same fashion over the five loaves in the Wildernesse and at Emaus also he did likewise consecrate the Table in the presence of his Disciples so was the form of saying Grace after Supper taken likewise of the custome that Christ commonly kept at his Suppers The manner to read a part of the Bible at dinner time hath been of long continuance and did proceed of the Godly doctrine that Christ instructed his Disciples in at all times but namely at his last Supper wherein he treated of the perfection of all the Mysteries of our Religion And thus our fathers to keep in memory such an wholesome institution did bring in this manner of reading the Scripture at meat or meal-time CHAP. V. The original of holy-dayes Paschal Candles Birth-dayes LIke as the Jews had in their Law which was but onely a shadow of things to come holy-dayes appointed for the execution of the mysteries of their Religion whom they in one general term named Sabbath-dayes of the rest and vacation that they had from bodily labours semblably our fathers have ordained Feastival dayes in the Nâ—w Testament wherein Christian men all prophane businesses and evil matters laid apart might whol'y apply themselves to godly and spiritual meditations As the perusing and reading of Scriptures hearing of devout Sermons rendring honour to God by sacrificing praying and well doing be works fit and convenient for the holy-day and also reverencing the memorial of Saints on such dayes as be assigned to that purpose is on the holy day laudable For Oblation is onely due to God as Paul and Barnabas did openly testifie at Listra For when he had commanded by the power of the Word of God that the man which was lame from his Mothers womb should arise and walk the people for wonder and marvail of the Miracle would have done sacrifice to them but they renting their cloathes departed out of the press and with sharp words rebuked their enterprise as a thing unmeet to be done to any mortal man or worldly creature First of all the Feast of Easter was instituted by the Apostles and prescribed by Pius the First to be solemnized on the Sunday Afterward Victor that was Bishop of Rome about the 196th year of our Lord decreed That it should be kept and celebrated on the Sunday from the fourteenth day of the first moneth that was March untill the 22 of the same lest our order and account should agree with the Jews which kept it somewhat sooner then that appointment speaketh of albeit many forraign Bishops at the first refused that Constitution because they thought it not amiss to keep that Feast after the president of Saint John the Apostle who renewed the Rite of the Jews in the Feast of Easter The custome of hallowing Paschall Candles on Easter Eve was commanded by Zozinus to be frequented in every Church The manner of keeping holy the birth-day of every man was much used in Rome albeit the Persians had that usage before them For there it is the fashion that every man after his ability should with observance of dainty feasts worship the day of their birth and of them the Romans received that superstition CHAP. VI. Of the Institution of Holy-dayes and Canonizing AS you have heard that Saint John the Apostle did celebrate the Feast of Easter even so the other Apostles as it is said were authours not onely of the same Easter-Feast but also ordained That those dayes wherein our Saviour had done any mystery concerning our salvation or information should be kept holy and to the intent they might be more reverenced of their posterity they themselves kept them during their lives very devoutly as the Sundayes Advent the Nativity Circumcision and Epiphany of our Lord the Purification of our Lady called Candlemas Lent palm-Palm-Sunday Maunday-Thursday when Christ after Supper washed his Disciples Feet Good-Friday Easter the Ascension and Whitsunday the Feast of Pentecost was before used of the Hebrews For fifty dayes after that the Lamb was sacrificed in Egypt the Law written by the hands of God was given by Moses in the Mount Oreb in the wilderness of Sinai And 50 dayes after the death of Christ who like a Lamb was offered of the Jews for our Paschal the Apostles received the law of the Spirit The Feast of transfiguration came also of the Jews for like as Moses his face was transposed into a perfect brightness after he had communed with God in the Mount so now after the shadow and vail were taken away by Christ his coming it pleased God to shew to his disciples his transfiguration as a declaration of the shadow past and a figure or signification of the Immortality to come In consideration whereof the holy fathers perceiving the use of such holy-dayes confirmed and ratified them by a
it might move them to Sedition or Treason Mausoleum that was the Tomb of Mausolus King of Caria his wife Artemesia builded most sumptuously and for that faithfull love that she bare to him she remained a Widow all her life time The manner of burial in divers countries is of sundry fashions as the Massegetes and Derbians judge them that dye in sicknesse very wretches and therefore when their Parents and kinsfolk wax aged they strangle them and eat them supposing that it is better that They should eat them than the Worms The Albanes the dwelled by the Mount Caucasus take it to be a mortal crime if they regard or once name them that be dead The Thracians kept solemnly the Funerals of the dead Corps of men with great joy and solace because they be discharged by death from humane miseries and rest in eternal felicity and contrariwise at the birth of their Children they made great sorrow and lamentation because of the calamities that they must sustain in this miserable life The Women in India take it for a great honesty and Triumph if they be buried with their Husband for it is granted to her that loved him best There be other diverse manners of burying among the Pagans and Heathen people which forasmuch as they exceed the bounds of humanity and have in them no hope of Resurrection which I shall at this present omit and over-passe them The Romans because the dead corps that died in battel were after their burial digged out of the ground instituted the manner of burning the carcases of men departed which Rite was executed on Sylla chief of all the house and kindred of the Cornelians which feared lest he should be served as he had used Marius They had also in Rome a manner of deifying or hallowing their Emperours dead bodies after this sort When the Emperour was dead and his body reverently buried with great exequies they formed an Image of the Emperour pale as though he were sick and layed it at the Gate of the Pallace in a bed of Ivory and the Physicians resorted thither to the bed six dayes continually the Lords of the Senate and Noble Ladies and Matrons standing on every side of the bed The seventh day the young Lords and Nobility bare him on their shoulders in the bed first into the old place of judgments called Forum Vetus and then into the field named Campus Martiuâ— where they chose their Magistrates and high Officers where they layed him intent builded for the purpose like a Tower and filled it with dry wood and sweet Oyntments and after they had finished the Rites and Ceremonies of their Law he that should succeed in the Empire put a Fire-brand to the Tent and then others did the like And after all was burned they let fly an Eagle out of the top of the Turret which as they supposed carried the Soul of the Emperour to heaven and from thenceforth they honoured him as a god Commendations to the worship of the dead bodies at Funerals Valorius Publicola first made in the praise of Brutus and that was long before the Greeks had any notwithstanding Gellius writeth that Solon ordained that law in Athens in the time of Tarquinius Prisoâ—s The Romanes used to praise the Women at their burialls because on a time they were contented to give their Golden Jewels to make a boul to send to Dolphos to the god Apollo CHAP. VIII Who made Spires called Obelisci the marks of the broaches the Aegyptians Letters first Sanctuary OBelisci which may be called long broches or Spires were great and huge stones in Egypt made by Masons from the bottome smaller and smaller of a large length and were consecrated to the Sun because they be long much like to the beams of the Sun The first of them was instituted by Mitres which reigned in Heliopolis being commanded by a Vision to make it and so was it recorded and written in the same King Bochis set up four that were every of them 48 Cubits long Rameses in whose time Troy was destroyed reared up one fourty Cubits of length and another of 819 foot and every side was four Cubits broad Ptolomeus Philadelphus made one at Alexandria of four Cubits And Phoron set two in the Temple of the Sun of an hundred Cubits length a piece and four Cubits broad on this occasion It fortuned that this King for a great crime that he had committed was stricken blind and continued so ten years and after by Revelation at the City Bucis it was told him that he should receive his sight if he washed his eyes with the water of a woman that was never defiled with any strange man but was alway content with her Husband First he tried his own wife and afterwards many other till at the last he received his sight and married her by whose Urine he was healed and recovered his sight and all the other with his first wife he caused to be burnt at once Then for a remembrance he made his oblation with the two foresaid Spires in the Temple of the Sun Augustus Caesar brought two of these Broches into Rome and set one in the great Tilt-yard or Listes if I may call Circus in those terms the other he set in the field called Campus Martius In these broaches for the most part were written Images of beasts whereby their posterity and successours might perceive the renown of such Princes and the manner of their â—ows and oblations For the Egyptians used the Images of beasts in the stead of letters and as Cornelius writeth they declared their minds by the figures and shapes of beasts as by the Bee they signified a King ruling his Commons with great moderation and gentlenesse by the Gos-Hauk they meant speedy performance of their affairs Sanctuary as Stacius writeth was made first by Hercules Nephews in Athens and was called the Temple of Mercy From thence it was not lawfull to take any man violently that repaired thither for aid and comfort notwithstanding Moses which was long before Hercules did institute three franchised Towns whither it was permitted for them to go that had done any Murther unawares oâ— by chance-mâ—dly Next after him Romulus ordained a Sanctuary in Rome to encrease his Citizens and to have more number to build the City There was a Sanctuary in the Isle Calvaria dedicated to Neptune and another in Egypt at Canopus consecrated to Hercules and another to Osiris and in Syria one hallowed to Apollo And there be many at this day in Christendome and namely in England but now the liberty and number of them is diminished because they were occasion of great crimes and enormities CHAP. IX Of Theatres Amphitheatres and Baths THeatres were certain places as Scaffolds with Pentises wherein the people of Athens stood to behold the enterludes that were shewed and they were made like half a Circle with benches one above another that they might without any impediment see
Patriarchs and Archbishops Patriarchs at the first were of Rome Antioch Alexandria Jerusalem and Constantinople Archbishops had their title to be called Metropolitans because their See was in the Mother-City of the Province 〈◊〉 the first ordained that all Patriarchs and Archbishops shouâ—d wear a Pall which which doth signifie Meekness and Justice wherewith they should especially be garnished Then also the inferiour Orders began to be divided as that the Arch-Deacon should be above a Deacon and Arch-Priest above the Priest and over them the Deans and then were ordained Canons that sing in Cathedral Churches 〈◊〉 permitted that a Bishop might change his Bishoprick for another upon an honest cause if he were thought sufficient to discharge a greater for his learning and godlinesse Caius first made a Statute that a Priest might not be Convented before a Temporal Judge but lest any man should be circumvented by fraud or guile Euâ—â—chianus instituted That the accusatiâ—â— should be put in writing before the Judge Likewise Cornelius decreed 〈◊〉 a man should not take or require 〈◊〉 oath of a Priest but onely in matterâ— concerning Religion and Faith The manner of Swearing was in olâ— time of this sort He that should sweâ—â— took a Stone in his hand and said If I deceive you that I know Jupiter banish me out of all good mens company preserving the rest of the City as I cast away this stone from me And as Pliny 〈◊〉 write it was not lawfull for any man to bear an Office five dayes unless he were sworn In like manner our Bishops Kings Priests or other Offices-swear before they be admitted to the Office Justinianne Emperour appointed first that men should swear by the Gospel and now adayes all that swear lay their hand on the book and kisse it saying So help me God and the holy Gospel because as the Gospel of our Religion and Faith may for no cause be violated so an Oath in no case may be broken The fashion of excommunicating men that be obstinate and disobedient to the Officers or common tranâ—gressors came as some think out of the Rites of the Jews which banished out of their Synagogue all those that ran in obstinacy against their Traditions And some suppose it sprung of the Religious folk in France named Druides which as Caesar recordeth if either a private man or officer were â—ot conformably ordered after their Ceremonies excluded him out of their company CHAP. IX Consecrating Nuns taking off our Caâ—kissing the Popeâ— feet and washing of feet THe custome to consecrate Virgins making a vow of chastity was 〈◊〉 by Pius the first which instituted 〈◊〉 that none should be made before 〈◊〉 were 25 years old and that they mighâ— be consecrated at no time but in the Epiphany or twelf-Twelf-day Easter Eavâ—â— and on the Feasts of the Apostles 〈◊〉 it were when any professed were 〈◊〉 point to dye And Sotherus caused 〈◊〉 a Decree was made that no such Professed should touch Cope or put Inceâ—se into the Censors the year of our Lord God 175. It seemeth to have begun 〈◊〉 the Apostles which is proved by Pauls words where he saith let no Widow be chosen before she be threescore years of age with divers like sayings Lynus Bishop of Rome commanded that no woman should enter into the Congregation or Temple with her head bare which appeareth to have been taken of the Hebrews for the Bishop iâ— the old Law might not uncover his head and in Arabia and Carthage it 〈◊〉 taken for an unhonest and unreverent thing if a Woman should uncover her head and go bare The taking off of our caps to our Superiours signifieth that we should disclose and shew them all such things as we have in our custody The Rite diabolick of Kissing the Bishop of Romes feet took its original of the manner of the Romans which in their Paganism used to kiss the feet of the people and other nobles in token of obedience as Seneca telleth how Caius Caesar stretched out his left foot that Pompeius a Carthaginian might kisse it Pompenius Laetus writeth that the Emperours used to give their hands to be kissed of the Nobles and then to take them up to kisse their mouths and the Commons kissed their knees but Cuius Caligula and Dioclesianus made them to stoop to their feet This Pagan example our Christian Bishop and Gods Vicar full uncomely and ungodly doth counterfeit All other Bishops used to deliver their right hand to be kissed of such as came to salute them For the Right hand as Pliny saith in the 11th book hath in it self a certain Religion and therefore we make all Covenants and Promises with it The manner of saluting with kisses is very ancient for it was the manner of the Hebrews to kisse strangers at their first meeting as Jacob kissed Rachel before he broke unto her that he was of kinred and Laban after he knew him to be his sisters son embraced him with his Arms and kissed him And the Romans custome was to kisse their kinsfolk but afterwards it was extended to further familiarity and is now frequented very lasciviously Albeit in Rome it was an Ordinance that Women should kiss their kinsfolk because that if Sshe had drunk any Wine contrary to the Law made against the Women for drinking of Wine by such means she might be espied Washing of feet on Maundays-Thursday that the Priests use among themselves and Nobles to inferiour persons is a counterfeit of the institute of Christ who to shew them a pattern of humility and meekness washed the Apostles feet The Kings and Queens of England that day wash the feet of so many poor men and women as they be years old and give to every of them so many pence with a Gown and an ordinary Alms of meat and kisse their feet and afterwards give their gowns on their backs to them that they see most need of all the number It is a godly institute I would there were more such Ceremonies to help the poor For they be now neglected and not regarded but lie dead often in the streets for lack of sustenance CHAP. X. The Institution of Priests called Flamines with other Religions of the Romanes NUma Pompilius the second King of Rome willing to reclaim that fierce Nation from war and Chivalry to the regard of Justice and keeping of Peace ordained to the High God Jupiter a Sacred person called Flamen Dialis that is Jupiters Priest And to advance the order he set him in a Chariot of Ivory and a costly Robe but so soon as his Wife was deceased he was discharged and gave over his Office He never road out nor might not lye one night out of the City lest any sacrifices should be neglected by such absence Swearing was clean forbidden him because an Oath is a manner of punishment to any free-born man and namely to a Priest which hath charge of all divine observances For
Decree made in the Council had at Lions in France and furthermore commanded that such dayes as either the holy Saints departed this life or else wrought any miracle or did any notable deed to the encrease of our Reâ—igion should be kept holy because Christians might have more opportunity to hear the Word of God and more devoutly serve him in an uniform order Then were instituted the Feasts of Saint Stephen Innocents Sylvester John Baptist the Apostles dayes Conversion of Paul our Lady-dayes Laurence Michael Martine and generally of Al Saints which was the constitution of Bonifacius the fourth For he caused that the Temple which Marcus Agrippae did edifie in honour of all the Romans Idols as the name Pantheon doth pretend was by the license of Phocas then Emperour turned into the Church of All-hallows and consecrated the 12th day of May and Gregory the fourth afterward willed it to be kept the first day of November The Feasts of the Invention and Exaltation of the Cross and Corpus Christi day were dedicated by Urban the fourth and pronounced for holy-dayes Sylvester at the suit and instance of the Emperour Constantine assigned the day of ad vincula Sancti Petri called commonly Lammas in memorial of Peter's pains persecution and punishment that he suffered for Religion Felix the first to magnifie the glorious commendation of Martyrs made a Statute that a yearly oblation should be had in memorial of them and Gregory would that Masse should be said over their bodies which thing Vigilantius thought worthy to be rejected and refused albeit the report goeth that Anacletus was of this constitution the first Authour The same Felix instituted first That the day whereon any Temple was dedicated should be hallowed of that Village or Town and made also a law That such Churches as men doubted of whether they were consecrated or no should be hallowed again And Felix the fourth did ordain That Bishops onely should dedicate them and that the same dedicated day should be kept holy yearly afterward The fashion to deify men that had done any benefits to the Common-wealth is one of the most ancient usages that I read of For antiquity even from the beginning was accustomed to make gods of their Kings which either by abundance of benefits or notable qualities and prowess had won the hearts of their Commons And specially the Romans did that with great pomp and many observances as I did declare before in the third book out of Herodian Of them our Bishops learned as by a pattern their rite of canonizing Saints and the yearly sacrifices that Gregory and Felix appointed concerned nothing else but to declare that those Martyrs were Saints and of the houshold of God Last of all Alexander the third ordained That no such divine solemnity should be given to any man openly without he were canonized and admitted to be a Saint by the Bishop of Rome his Bull because no man should choose himself any private Saint or commit any peculiar Idolatry CHAP. VII Institution of years dayes or Obites and the manner of mourning FUneral exequies that be done over dead bodies were the institution of Pelagius Albeit Isidorus ascribeth the original of it to the Apostles and he himself did augment the Rites that we use in this time Ambrose supposeth that it proceeded of the custome of the Hebrews which lamented Jacob fourty dayes and Moses the space of thirty dayes for that time is sufficient for the wise to weep in It was also the usage of antient Romanes to mourn For Numa Pompilius assigned Oblations to the infernal gods for the dead and did inhibite that a child under the age of three years should be bewailed and that the elder sort should be mourned no more Moneths then he had lived years But commonly the longest time of a Widows mourning was but ten Months and if any were married within the space again it was counted a great reproach wherefore Numa ordained that such as had mourned up before the day limitted should offer a Cow that was great with Calf for an expiation Neverthelesse if that rite were used now a dayes and namely in England we should have small store of Veals there be so many that marry within the time prescribed Plutarch writeth that the Women in their mourning layed a part all Purple Gold and sumptuous apparel and were cloathed both they and their Kinsfolk in white apparel like as then the dead body was wrapped in white cloths The white colour was thought fittest for the dead because it is clear pure and sincere and least defiled and when the time of their weeping was expired they put on their other vestures Of this Ceremony as I take it the French Queens took occasion after the death of their Husbands the Kings to wear onely white cloathing and if there be any such Widdow she is commonly called the white Queen The Jews ended their mourning after thirty days and Englishmen keep the same Rite Their mourning garments for the most part be altogether of black colour and they use to wear them a whole year continually unlesse it be because of a generall Triumph or rejoycing or new Magistrate choosing or else when they be towards Marriage But the custome of mourning is no other thing then meer superstition specially if women or men have a louring look and a laughing heart For all such lamentation helpeth nothing the dead Corps or Soul of the deceased and disquieteth sore the living The manner of washing dead bodies and specially of Noble men and anointing them was received of our Ancestry which used to wash the bodies of the dead and it was the office of them that were nearest of his Kinred to do it Soul-Masse day that is the second day of November was begun by Odilo that was Provost or Provinciall of the Monks of Cluniacenses order upon the occasion that he heard about Aetna the burning Mountain of Sicily oftentimes great weeping lamentation and crying which he supposed to be the yelling of evill spirits that bewailed because the Souls of dead men were taken from them by the petitions and sacrifices of well disposed Christians therefore he perswaded his covent in the time of John Bishop of Rome to make a general obite of all Souls the day next after the Feast of all Saints About the year of onâ— Lord 1002 our fathers received it as a godly institution full of pitiful charity and thus by processe of this Monks supposition sprung much vain superstition CHAP. VIII Of the seventh day thirtieth day old manner of burial hallowing Chalices Priests Garments with other things HOratius the Poet and Servius write that the Romans used câ—stomably the ninth day after the burial to renew the sacrifices and solemn rites of the funeral which they named in Latine Novem-diales of this we in our Religion have gathered the fashion of keeping the seventh day with Exsequies and other ordinary oblations And in England the
The Crouch or Crosse Friers began about the year of our Lord 1215. by the device of Syracus Bishop of Jerusalem which shewed Helen mother of Constantine where the Crosse lay hid and in memorial of the Cross he caused this brotherhood and Colledge of Friers to bear the Cross and yet they never knew what the Cross weighed in their bodies or in their hearts and forasmuch as they were sore wasted Innocentius the third renewed the Religion CHAP. IV. Black and Grey-Fryers the Trinity-orderâ— Brigidians Jesuits new Hermites and Bonhomes ABout the time of Innocentius the third arose two famous founders of two superstitious Sects I mean Dominick the Spaniard and Francis the Italian of the Country of Vmbria Dominick at the first was a Canon but because he could not suffer to have a superiour and was also weary of the Cloyster he invented a new fraternity named Dominicans Black-Fryers or Fryers-Preachers because they had the charge to preach the Gospel without mixture of any Pharisaical leven The new guise of their Vesture made innocent Innocentius to wonder But Honorius the third by his Bull honourably admitted them the year of our Lord 1220 and Gregory the 9th put the matter all out of doubt canonized Dominick and by his Bull under Lead allowed him for a Saint Frances that was first of the Friers Augustines thinking that sect not to be sufficiently furnished with Hypocrisie began a new trade of living in the Mount Appenninus in a place named commonly Laverna doubtless a ground worthy for such a foundation as was beside the Word of God it was set up in the time of Honorius aforesaid They were named Minoribes of the humility and lowliness of heart that they should have but that was smally regarded and farthest from their study Two years after the year of our Lord God 1229 Francis was sanctified by Gregory and made a Saint Francisoans afterward fell at contention for the rules of their profession They that failed somewhat of the unperfect perfection of them retained the name of Minorites still the other entituled themselves Observants more worthy to be called Obstinate The latter fellows were brought inâ—o England by King Edward the 4th and were greatly inhanced by the famous Prince King Henry the 7th At the same time was Clara the Virgin Countrey-woman to Saint Francis which was a great Foundress of Nuns of the same Rule that Francis gave his Covent of them sprung the bastard Penitencers in the dayes of John the 22 and the year of our Lord 1315. The Order of the Trinity under Innocentius was begun by John Matta and Felix Anachorita in France in the County of Meldine Then also was founded or else not long after in the time of Martin the fourth the Religion of Virgins or Servants by one Philip of Florencia a Physitian and Benedict the 11th confirmed it in the year of our Lord 385. The Order of Brigidians was instituted by Brigidia a Widow that was Princess of Sueta under Vrban the 5th in the year of our Lord 1370 it was as well of men as women albeit they dwelt severally by themselves The Family of Jesuits was the Invention of Johannes Columbinus in the City of Senes in the time of the same Urban the year of our Lord 1368 they were no Priests nor consecrated persons but were men of the lay sort given and addicted to prayer and had the name of Jesuits because that name of Jesus should be often in their mouth they be much like to our Beads-men in England The Sect of new Hermites began in Urbin a City in Italy in the Countrey of Umbria where Polidore Virgil was born and was the device of one Petrus an Hetrurian and they had in the same City a goodly Hospitall or Guild-Hall The Bonhomes were instituted in England by Edmund son of Richard Earl of Cornwall which was brother to Henry the third and was elected King of the Romans and heir apparent to the Empire by the principal Electors about the year of our Lord 1257. The speciall head place of that Religion was Astrige where the noble King Henry the eighth hath now a goodly Palace This Edmund brought the bloud of our Saviour as it was said into the Realm CHAP. V. The original of sacred Knights and white sect WHilest the City of Jerusalem before our Christian men had conquered it in the year of our Lord 1099 was in subjection to the Saracens the Latine Christians that lived there tributaries purchased a licence to build near unto the Holy Sepulchre dwelling houses and among other they made an Hospital of our Lady to receive the strange Pilgrims and appointed a Provost to entertain them This was in Silvester the first his time the year of our Lord three hundred twenty and four and renewed the year of Christ one thousand three hundred ninety and seven in the time of Celestine the third Bishop of Rome After the pattern of this house was devised a like house of Virgins in memorial of Mary Magdalen to receive the Women that resorted thither It began in the 2d Vrbanes dayes the year of our Lord 1099. Notwithstanding because the multitude of Latine Pilgrimes waxed very great they builded three Hospitals of Saint John Baptist as some say Albeit some think it was of John Eleemosinarius that was the Patriarch of Alexandria in the reign of the Emperour Phocas This Sect one Gerardus adorned with a white Cross in a black vesture grand Captain of these Knights was Ramundus when Clement the fifth had the See of Rome about the year of our Lord 1310 yet some affirm that the beginning of them was in the 3d Alexanders dayes the year of Christ one thousand one hundred seventy and nine and they be called of the order of Saint John or Knights of the Rhodes because they won the Rhodes from the Turks which afterwards they lost again in January in the year of our Salvation one thousand five hundred twenty three albeit they did long defend it manfully The Temples order was begun in Gelasius the second his dayes in the year of Christs Incarnation one thousand one hundred twenty and eight by Hugo Paganus and Gaufridus de sancto Alexandro they were named Templers because they kept in a part of the buildings near to the Temple they kept Bernardus rule in their living But Clement the fifth deposed them partly for that they renounced the Faith and conspired with the Turks and partly for other notable crimes The order of Teutonicks or Dutch Lords began in Jerusalem by a Dutch man whose name is not known Their office was to fight against the enemies of Christs Cross it began in the dayes of Clement the third the year of Christs incarnation 1190. Petrus Ferdinandus a Spaniard began the order of Saint James Knights that lived after St Austins rule under Alexander the third and in the year of our Lord one thousand one hundred and sixty in the same
by the Saracens into a City of Persia called Mecha and laid in a Coffin of Iron Caliphas succeeded Mahomet but he was deposed for his superstition and another of the same name was substituted in his room Homar was the third that reigned and he after the conquest of the Persians wan Hierusalem and all Syria the year of our Lord 680 in the time of Agathon Bishop of Rome and Constantine the 4th Emperour This Sect waxeth daily bigger and bigger partly through the discord of Christian Princes and partly by reason of our sinfull living that daily groweth to greater enormities that deserve the heavy hand of God over us The End of the Seventh Book Polidore Virgil. The Eighth BOOK CHAP. I. Of Reliques Stations the year of Jubilee Pardons NOt long after the Martyrdome of Peter and Paul both many and that of divers sorts as well men as women by the example of their constancy were encouraged to suffer sundry kinds of torments in several parts of the World for the maintaining of Christian Religion But namely in Rome much murther of innocent blood was committed of Tyrants by many manner of punishments and a great number dyed in Christ's cause among others certain Bishops to the number of thirty and two were slain by extream persecution unless it were seven of them which by death were prevented before they attained the Crown of Martyrs Therefore considering that much Martyrs blood was spent and that specially in Rome and many from other places were conveyed thither Cletus and Anacletus Bishops there did seriously go about to reverence them For the one appointed a place where Martyrs should severally have their Sepulchres apart from the lay people and the other by decree denounced him accursed as sacrilegious that by word or deed hindred mens devotsion from visiting the Tombs of the Apostles Upon this occasion Calistâ—s the First builded beyond Tyber a Church in honour of our Lady and Constantine Emperour edified to Peter Paul and Laurence Temples This matter was by Gregory the Saint set forward to the encrease of superstitious devotion For he appointed the Letanies of Saints with Orapro nobis to be sung with Masses in certain solemn dayes in the chief Temples of the City promising them that repaired thither at such solemn Feasts clean remission of sins by his pardon And he named the pompous sacrifices Stations because they were celebrated on certain dayes limited and prescribed by Statute Bonifacius the eighth in the year of our Lord 1300 appointed the year of Jubilee or grace to be kept every hundred year with clean remission à poena et culpa to all them that visited the Temples of the Apostles Peter and Paul And this was taken up of the example of the Hebrews albeit they did keep it every 50. years or else as some think he assigned the years according to the old Feasts of Apollo and Diana which the Romans Heathen solemnized every hundred year and of that they were called Ludi seculares About fifty years after Clement the sixth decreed That it should be celebrated every fifty years as the Hebrews rite was because no man was able to attain the old Jubilee of an hundred years Last of all Sextus the fourth restrained the year of grace to the 25th year and he himself kept it at that day which was in the year of Gods grace shewed by his Son Jesus Christ to the World a thousand four hundred threescore and fifteen About the same time Pardons were much used but who was the first author of them I have not read in any Writer saving that Saint Gregory as I said before proclaimed Pardons as a reward for them that came to his Stations This seed sown by Gregory grew to a ripe Harvest in the time of Bonifacius the 9th who reaped much money for that chaff After this Alexander the sixth that was in the year of our Lord 1500 assigned the Jubilee and Stations to be had in sundry Provinces and Countries to the intent that lesse throng of people and more thrift of money might come to Rome and so the people should onely lose their money and save their labour But Moses was the first author of the Jubilee as appeareth by Josephus in the Old Testament CHAP. II. The Bishop of Romes Titles Colledges of Scribes Sealing Bulls with Lead Annates FOrasmuch as nothing is so decent for a Priest as gentlenesse nothing so fit as lowlinesse nothing more comely then humbleness according to the saying of our Saviour Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart nor nothing more against their order then pride and arrogancy Gregory the S. Bishop of Rome named himself Servus servorum Dei which thing he did not onely usurp in Title but also express in deed This name and preface was received and used of his Successours but his hearty meekness was refused as a thing that diminished their Pontifical estate Cletus added to Salutem et Apostolicam benedictionem as a Salutation condigne and appertaining to vertue and godliness and a resemblant to Christs greeting which was Peace be with you or of the Hebrews that used to say in their meetings Peace be with thee And this all our Bishops have reserved to themselves as a peculiar saluting As concerning the Scribes that used to write the letters Apostolicall where before time they were wont to write for nothing or else asked very little John the 22th desirous to encrease and enlarge his substance founded a Colledge of Scribes that should write and endite letters of their own device and do other offices but they must be chosen out of his own Clerks and must pay and be dismissed of money before they could be admitted to the room He did also pay to those which had benefices of his gift and presentation all such things as belong to the Apostolical penitencers Bennet the 12th devised first and determined the price of Writs and Bulls The custome of sealing the Bishop of Romes Bulls with lead was taken up by Steven the third and Hadrian the first to the intent they should endure longer where before time the usage was to Seal in wax with a Rirg And this was the year of our Lord 772 at which time Hadrian was Bishop before those dayes I find no mention of sealing with Lead as before Carolus Magnus none of the Roman Emperours sealed letters with Gold Pius the second did create Breviators and set them in an Order which Paul deposed but Sextus afterward renewed them and also instituted a new Colledge of Solicitors and Proctors by whose Counsell and advice all Bulls and grants were made and ratified He also ordained 9 notaries of the Treasure Apostolical and assigned to every of them certain fees and profits that he might have speedy utterance of the rooms Innocentius that succeeded next Sextus devised the Colledge of Secretaries and Alexander the sixth increased the number of writers of his Briefs to the number of eighty
in France The division oâ— Davids Psalter into seven parts called Nocturns according to the seven dayes in the week was the Work of Hierome at the request of Damasus Bishop of Rome which also gave Commandement that it should be read alâ—o in the Churches and added Gloria Patri to the end of every Psalm Damasus also instituted that the Psalms should be sung and said by course Though some say Ignatius did devise that before his time which thing was learned of David or Asaph for in the old Synagogue they used to sing their Psalms after that sort but our singing 〈◊〉 far from their manner For our singers cry out so loud that we hear nothing saâ—e a noise and those that be present cannot be edified with the word It were great furtherance to Religion If those singers were either banished out of the Temples or else their singing were more moderated that the words might be understood to the edifying of the Laity which is sore blinded with singing and sound of Instruments that be not fit to edify but to delight the Ears This modest singing was used by the holy Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria through all his Province and Diocess as Austin witnesseth Damasus commanded that the common Creed should be said every hour Vitalianus invented the decent tunes wherein the Hymns be sung and joyned the Organs to them Legends of Saints were made the year of our Lord 800 by Paulus Diaconus and Isuardus a Monk at the desire of Charls the Great And for as much as the Persecutions were so great that in the time of Dioclesian the Emperour there died 17000 Christians within 30 dayes space they could not particularly write all their lives but made certain general Legends of Martyrs Confessours Virgins which we now call the Common and the Fathers commanded those to be read in the Church on â—uch sSaints dayes Afterward many thinking that they should be heard rather for their much babling sake devised sundry manners of praying and divers uses as Bennet's Monks had one use Bernard's another and Dominicks brethren had one order by themselves and every Provincial Bishop made a several Use in his Diocess and all were confirmed by the Bishops of Rome CHAP. III. The beginning of â—asting Alms Advent Lent Embring dayes FAsting and Alms-deeds be as St. Augustine saith the two wings of prayer wherewith it is made stronger and lighter to fly into the presence of God and be more accepâ—able in his sight Fasting hath been used from the beginning of the World when the Fruit of the Tree of knowing good and evil was forbidden to our first Parents in Paradise because by such abstinence they might obtain and enjoy everlasting felicity Alms in like manner sprung of the infirmity and neediness of the nature of men for as they felt hunger cold nakedness and such other calamiries as be in our mortal life they were constrained to desire ayd and succour of other men as of alms Albeit Moses was the first that ever prescribed any law of giving alms as appeareth in the book of Deuteronomy Charitable alms must be so freely given that we exempt none from the use and part-taking of it and as the Scripture saith without respect of persons As for Fasting of that original proceeded further for the use of Flesh and Wine from Adam till the time of Noah was unknown And Moses forbare meat fourty dayes and Elias did likewise Our Saviour Christ fasted the same space And God pardoned the Ninivites of their crimes because they fasted with repentance The Jews also in their law so oft as they either asked any benefit of God or would pacifie his wrath or render thanks for his benefits or kept any solemn Feasts used commonly to fast And certainly he keepeth not the true fast which forbeareth flesh or foregoeth his Supper but he that diminisheth his affections abateth his anger asswageth his Pride moderateth his desires mortifieth his lusts suffereth patiently all adversities that man is the true faster Albeit the other is a coadjutor to that thing and helpeth much that purpose Therefore to the intent we might reclaim such corruptions of our old Adam The Apostles did ordain the Fast of Lent as Hierome in an Epistle to Mercella doth plainly declare Wherefore they that refer it to Telesphorus be deceived for he did not institute it first but appointed that it should be kept before Easter And added another Week to it which we call Quinquagesima This week he commanded Priests to fast more then the Laity because that they which ought to be Holier then the rest should in this ordinary Fast shew more abstinence then other The Apostles also instituted that there should be a solemn Fast for three Weeks before the Nativity of our Lord named Christmas which constitution was a while kept universally but afterwards it was resigned to the Monks and Religious persons Calistus or as some think Vrbanus did begin the Embring dayes quarterly for the preservation and amplification of fruits ordained for the sustenance of men and beasts Albeit I rather take it to be an imitation of the old Roman feasts which thrice in the year had sacrifices for the prosperous successe of their Corn. One Vinalia for their Wines The other Robigalia for all their grain lest it should be mildewed The third Floralia for all their fruits These vain superstitions the old Bishops of Rome turned to a Godly use and transported their Feasting into Fasting that they might the rather at the contemplation of our Prayers and Fasting God might prosper the increase of all fruits to the sustentation of his Creatures CHAP. IV. ☞ Watches were turned into Fasts Fasting on Fridayes and Wednesdayes naming the dayes of the Week in sundry wise IT was the manner from the beginning of our Christian Faith that forasmuch as our Saviour was born in in the night Priests did rise in the night season and sung the hours Canonicall otherwise named the Mattins and the Lay people was accustomed on those Saints Eves that were any solemn Feasts to watch at the Tombs of Martyrs Praying and singing holy Psalms Which thing the Testimony of Pliny doth approve where he writeth in an Epistle to Trajane how much number of people was slain in whom he could never espy any fault saving that before day at certain times and Feasts they arose and sung the commendation of Christ whom they called God But as time is the corrupâ—er of all worldly things So devotion began to abate and instead of Hymns they sung dissolute ballads and prayer was turned into wanton dalliance The youth went about light amorous company the eldest persons practised baudry women were not ashamed to give themselves to be corrupted in all kind of whoredome Upon this occasion the old fathers fearing lest it should grow to a further inconvenience turned the Vigils into Fasting dayes Notwithstanding the Priests used their ordinary times of Service as they were wont to do