The Reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of Religion as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of Chronicles and Histories and nowe newly both diligently corrected greatly augmented to the singuler profit of the Readers by Thomas Becon 1563. Esay 5. Wo be vnto them that call euill good and good euill whiche make darknesse light and lighte darkenesse that make soure swet and swete soure Wo be vnto theÌ„ that are wise in their owne sighte and thinke theÌ„selues to haue vnderstaÌ„dyng ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath Saint Martines ¶ Cum Priuilegio THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAÌ„C TAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR Ora expressa vides viuos imitantia vultus Quod potuit calimo pictor arte vides Mentis quam nullus potuit tibi reddere pictor Effigiem scriptis praebuit ipse suis. ¶ A Prophecie of Antichrist ANtichrist shall be borne in great Babilon of an Harlot that shal come of y e tribe of DaÌ„ He shalbe replenished with y e deuill in his mothers woÌ„be He shalbe nourished with spirituall euils mischiefes He shal rule ouer the whole world He shal subdue all maÌ„kind vnto him by foure maÌ„ner of wayes First he shall bring the coÌ„mon people vnder his dominion by terrour feare for he shal exercise great cruelty tyraÌ„ny against the true worshippers of god SecoÌ„dly he shall win vnto him the noble personages suche as be in authoritye by geuyng theÌ„ greate gifts riches wherof he shal haue great abouÌ„dauÌ„ce plenty for al the hid mony shal be open vnto him Thirdly w t his wisedome eloqueÌ„ce which shalbe wonderful and incredible he shal make the clergy to cleaue vnto him for he shall haue great knowledge of al arts of the scripture Fourthly thorow signes and wonders he shall deceaue such as despise the world as monkes suche like For he shal shew wonderfull signes and tokens He shal be thought to cause fyre to come downe from heauen to consume his aduersaries before him and to raise vp the dead to geue witnesse of hym But he shall not rayse vp the dead in deede But thorowe hys witchcraft and forcery he shall cause the deuill to enter into the body of some damned dead persoÌ„ this shal he cary about him by this shall he so speake that euery maÌ„ shall thinke hym to be aliue as it is written of hym His comming shall be by the working of SathaÌ„ with al lying power signes wonders in all deceauablenesse of vnrighteousnes among theÌ„ that perish The Iewes and al misbeleuing persons out of all places of the worlde shall flock flow vnto him But thorow the preaching of Enoch and Hely the people shal forsake him returne vnto the true and christeÌ„ religion wherof shal ensue greate persecution and manslaughter in so much that all in a manner shal suffer hard martirdome He shal rule and obtaine the monarchy by the space of three yeares an halfe Afterward he shall pitche his tente in the mouÌ„t Oliuet to the ende that he may destroy the rightuous But he shall not preuayle For in the very same mount shal he be found sodenly dead For he shalbe slaine at the commaundement of God with the breath of the Lordes mouth as it is written the Lord shal cast downe Hedlong and vtterly destroye in the holy hill the stoutest gyaunt of the whole worlde After these thynges peace and righteousnesses shall spryng vp and the earth shalbe filled full of the knowledge of the Lorde so that the Gospell of the kingdome shalbe preached in al the worlde For there shal go vp sauiours vnto the mount of Sion to iudge the hill of Esau and the kyngdome shal be the Lordes Osey 14. Who so is wise shal vnderstand this and â—e that is right instruct will regard it Math 24. Who so readeth it let him vnderstand 2. Timoth. 2. The Lorde geue the vnderstandyng in all thynges A Table of the principall matters contayned in this Booke 1 Of the Pope of hys vsurped power fained authoritie fol. 1. 2 Of the Popes election 15 3 Of Cardinals 18 4 Of Bishops 19 5 The othe whiche the popishe Bishops vse to swear wheÌ„ they are coÌ„secrated 24 6 Of Priestes 26 7 Of the single lyfe of Priestes 32 8 Of the Mariage of Priestes 35 9 Of Uowes and that the vowe of chastitie hindereth not him or her froÌ„ mariage whiche hathe not the gift of continencie 37 10 Of benefices and Prebendes 39 11 Of impropriations of benefices 42 12 Of tythes offrings 45 13 Of monastical sectes 46 14 Of heremites of theyr sondry orders 46 15 Of anckers anckresses and all other recluses 52 16 Of monkes of the diuerse sectes of the same 54 17 Of Chanons and of the diuersitie of them 66 18 Of Friers and of their manifold sectes 66 19 Of Nunnes and of their diuers orders 73 20 Of the Monastical apparell and who was the fyrste deuiser therof 76 21 Of teÌ„ples or churches 77 22 Of Church yardes 79 23 Of Churche goods 80 24 Of the ornamentes of the Churche 80 25 Of Images to be had in Churches 85 26 Certayne godly lawes of Emperours and kinges against the hauing of Images in Churches with the aduise consent and iudgemeÌ„t of diuers godly learned men 88 27 Of Baptisme 95 28 Of the Lordes Supper commonly called of the Papistes The Sacrament of the aultar 97 29 Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes institution 102 30 Of receauing the Sacrament vnder one king accordyng to the Popes tradition 103 31 Of confirmation or Byshopping of children 105 32 Of Matrimony 106 33 Of auriculer coÌ„fessioÌ„ 107 34 Of annointyng or extreme vnction 108 35 Of prayeng for the dead 108 36 Of diuine seruice as thei cal it Mattens Prime and Houres Euensong Complain c. 109 37 Of playne song Prickesong Discant c. 116 38 Of singing in the church the iudgement of diuers learned men 117 39 Of the Masse and of all the partes therof 122 40 Of certayne decrees appertaynyng vnto the Masse 138 41 Of y e massing priest 14â— 42 Of the dignitie and power of the massing priest of the honor that is due vnto him be he good or bad 148 43 Of the ceremonies of the Popishe Churche 158 44 Of holy water and the vertue of the same 158 45 Of holy bread and the power therof 162 46 Of Procession 162 47 Of sensyng Idem 48 Of candeâ—s bearyng on Candlemasse day Idem 49 Of ashes spryncklyng 165 50 Of palmes bearing 165 51 Of Palmes ashes candels and halowyng Idem 52 Of crepynge to the Crosse. 166 53 Of halowyng the paschal Idem 54 Of Oyle and Creame and of the halowyng of the same Idem 55 Of the fire on Easter euen and of the halowyng therof 167 56 Of halowyng the fonte on
no meanes admit For sayth he as there ought to be no feast of y e Vnitie no more oughte there to be any feast of the Trinitie In the yeare c. 590. Guilielmus Durandus Pope Vrban the fourth ordained the feast of the Sacramente of the Altare otherwyse called The feaste of Corpus Christi with pardons and indulgences greate plentye to allure the foolyshe and simple people to commit spiritual whoredome with that Sacrament by adoryng and worshipping it as theyre God Maker and Sauioure and willed it to bee kepte holy the Thursdaye after Trinitie Sonday In the yeare c. 1254. Christianus Massaeus Ioan. Stella Polyd. Pantal. The beginning of thys feaste was thys In the countrey of the Leodicenses there was a certayne Recluse or Anckresse called Eua whiche of a vayne foolyshe and superstitious deuotion and loue towarde the Sacramente of the altare as they terme it procured thorowe earneste sute of Pope Vrban the fourthe that the Sacramente of the Altare commonly called Corpus Christi might also haue a feast and holy day being as wel worthye as the Gallowe tree or crosse y t Christ was haÌ„ged on which was alredy celebrated in the Church and y t the same feaste of Corpus Christi myghte with all solemnitye bee kepte holy thorowoute the whole worlde Pope Vrban being an holy and deuoute Father doubte ye not consideryng the greate deuotion earneste zeale and Godlye mynde of thys holy and religious woman accomplyshed foâ—le graciouslye her tender requeste and dyd not onely ordayne that thys feast of Corpus Christi shuld be kept holy but he also graunted plenarye Indulgence and large pardon to so many as eyther do say or heare the seruice belonging to y t feast which Thomas Aquinas the Blacke fryer made Arnoldus Bostius Guili Durand Chron. Before that time there was no such feaste knowen in the church of Christ. But thys is moste certayne that thorowe thys feaste greate Idolatrye and muche spirituall whoredome is daylye coÌ„mitted with the Masse bredde in all those places where the true doctryne of the sacrament is not knowen Pope Innocent y e thyrde sayth Theodorus Bibliander in the Councell Lateranense placed y e fond fansye of Monke Lanfranke concernyng Transubstantiation amonge the articles of the faith of the most high Trinitie In the yeare c. 1215. And bicause nothing should want to the worshippynge of the newe founde God of bread and wine and that the bishop of Rome myght haue his God Mazin as Aaron with the idolatrous Israelites had the goldeÌ„ Calfe in the wildernesse Pope Vrban the fourthe ordayned the feast of Corpus Chrâ—sti with large pardons Concil saâ— dom Of this feast we read in the English festiuall on this maner Good frendes ye shall vnderstand that this day is an highe and solemne feast in holy church and is the feast of Corpus Christi It is the feast of our Lordes owne body the whiche is offered to the highe father in heauen at the altare for the remission of our sinnes for all Christen people y t liue here in perfect loue and charitie for the great succour and helpe in releuing them that bene in paines of Purgatorye there abidyng the mercye of God Ye shall vnderstaÌ„d that this feast was founde by a Pope that was called Vrban the whiche had great grace and deuotion in the holy Sacrament of the altar considering the great nede helpe and succour to mans soule and to the â—urdering of liuing to all Christen people here in this present worlde Therfore he did establishe and ordayne thys present feast to be halowed in the next thursday after the feast of the holy Trinitie For all christen people that will be saued must haue sad beliefe in the holy Sacrament whiche is Gods own body in fourme of breade made by the vertue of Christes wordes that the priest sayth and by working of the holy Ghoste Then for this holye Pope thought to drawe people to more deuotion and better wil to this holy Sacrament and to do the seruice this day he graunteth to all that be worhy that is to say that be very contrit coÌ„fessed of their sinnes and be in the Church at both eueÌ„songs at Mattens at masse for eche an hundred dayes of pardon for eche houre of the daye xl dayes of pardon euery day of the Vtas an hundred dayes of pardon in remission of al their sinnes for euermore enduring c In serm de corpore christi Pope Gregorye the ninth appoynted y e feast of y e Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptiste whiche we commonly call Mydsommerday to kept holy In the yeare c. 1225. Chron. Germ. Pope Siluester the firste at the desire of the Emperour CoÌ„staÌ„tine instituted y e feast of LaÌ„masse called Ad vincula Sancti Petri. In the yeare c. 315. Grat. Polid. Pope Eusebius ordayned the feast of the InueÌ„tion of the crosse In the yeare c. 309. Crat. Guil. Durandus Pope Honorius deuised the feaste of the ExaltatioÌ„ of the crosse In the yere of our Lord. 622. Plat. Pant. Some attribute these feastes to Pope Vrban the fourth â–ª Pol. Virgil. Pope Calixte the thirde inuented the feaste of the Transfiguration of oure Lord and commaunded that it should be celebrated and kepte holye with as large indulgences and pardons as the feaste of Corpus Christi In the yeare of oure Lorde 1455. Matth. Palmer Ioan. Stella Pantaleon This feast as the festiual reporteth is greatly priuileged in holy Churche in so much that orders be geueÌ„ this day thorow out all Christendome great pardons be graunted to this day in diuerses places as in Syon plenare remission and all is to the weale and coÌ„forte of man and for a purueaunce to sanctifie his soule that in the last resurrection the said soule ioyned to the body may together be glorified and transfigured in clerenesse more brighter thaÌ„ is the Sunne and so euer to endure Pope Leo the fourthe instituted the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Uirgine Mary and commaunded that it shoulde in all places be kept hye and holy by the space of right dayes In the yeare â–ª c. 858. Lib. Concil Sigebert Ioan. Functius Pope Innocent the fourth ordayned y e Feast of the Natiuitie of Mary the Uirgine with the Octaues thereof In the yeare c. 1242. Volat. Sabel Pant. Pope Felix the thyrd appoynted the Feast of the Archaungel Michaell to be kept holy In the yere of our Lord. 486. Lib. Concil Chron. Pope Felix the thirde ordayned also the Feaste of the Dedicacion of the Temple commonly called Church holy day and coÌ„maunded y t euery Citie Town or village should yerely kepe for euer y â— day wheron y e Churche was halowed Volat. Plat. Polid. Albertus Krantzius Pope Boniface the fourth ordayned the Feast of all Saintes called All Halowes In the yeare of oure Lorde 606. Plat. Volat Polid. Pope Gregory the
fourth afterwarde willed that the Feaste of all Sainctes should be kept the first day of Nouember In the yeare of our Lord. 486. Plat. Sabel Polid. D. Barns Pope Iohn the .xviii. confirmed the Feast of all soules whiche was begoÌ„n by a certayne Monke called Oclilo and commaunded that it should be kept â—oly in euery Churche the day followyng the Feast of all Saintes In the yeare of our Lord. 999. Petrus Damianus Christianus Massaeus Volat. Fascicuâ—us Temporum Ioan. Stella Polid. This Feast as they write toke the begynnyng on this manner A certain Monke named Oclilo prouinciall of the Monkes of Clunâ—acensis order vpon an occasion that he hearde about Etna the mountaine of Sicilie oftentimes great weping lamenting and crying which he supposed to be the yellynge of euill spirites that wailed bicause the soules of dead men were taken out of Purgatory from theÌ„ by the peticioÌ„s prayers suffrages and sacrifices of well disposed Christen people persuaded his Couent to make a generall Obite for all soules the daye next after the feaste of all Sainctes and desired Pope Iohn the xviii to set it forth by his authoritie and to commaund it to be obserued generally as a godly Institution full of louyng tender and pitifull charitie Whiche thinge Pope Iohn did with all expedition so that of this Monkes foolishe supposition there hath sprong vp muche vayne superstition Volat. Polid. Ioan. Laziard Pope Sixtus the fourth ordayned the feastes of the Conception and presentation of Marye the Uirgine and the Feastes of Anne her Mother and of Ioseph her husband and also of Fraunces In the yeare c. 1469. Decret Extravagant Ioan. Laziard Pope Vrban the sixt made the visitation of Mary holyday In the yeare c. 1390. Christ. Mass. Chron. Germ. Pope Sergius otherwise called Popes Swinesnoute confirmed the feast of the Purification of Mary commonly called Candelmassedaye whiche before was instituted at Constantinople Pope Vigilius beyng Byshop of Rome In the yeare of our Lord. 684. Sigeb Pantal And he commauÌ„ded that all the people shoulde on that daye go procession cary brennyng candels about with them in their hands Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand Pope Boniface the eyght ordayned that the feastes of the foure Euangelistes Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn agayne that the feastes of the foure Doctours Ambrose Hierome Austen and Gregorye shoulde be double feastes in holye Churche In the yeare of our Lorde 1286. Fasciculus Temp. Christ. Massaeus Ioan. Stella Pope Leo the firste commaunded that the Sonday shoulde be kept holy and that all Christians should behaue themselues Godlye and vertuously all the daye long in praying in hearyng readyng the worde of God in visityng the sicke and poore and in comforting the comfortlesse In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Volat. Sabel Pantal. Pope Leo the thirde bearyng rule a CouÌ„cell was holden at Magontia in Germany where it was decreed that al SoÌ„dayes should be kept holy with al reuerence and that all men on those dayes should abstayne from al seruice worke and worldly businesse and that there shoulde be no Markets no Faires no bying nor selling on the Sonday Againe that no man on that daye shoulde be iudged either vnto death or vnto any payne In the yeare c. 817. Lib. Concil Barth Carranza Pope Innocent y e fourth bearing rule it was agreed in a certain councel holdeÌ„ at Lyons what holydayes should specially be obserued and kept where it was decreed that the Sondayes should be kept holy from Saterday at noone till Sonday at night Item the feastes following should also be halowed and kept holy that is to say the feastes of the Natiuitie of Christ of S. Stephen of S. Ihon the Euangeliste of the Innocentes of S. Siluester of the CircuÌ„cision of y e Epiphanye of Easter with the whole weekes y t go before after of the Rogation dayes of the Ascention of Christ of Whitsontide with the two daies following of S. Iohn Baptiste of the xxii Apostles of S. Laurence of blessed Marye of S. Michaell of the Dedication of the Temple of al Saints of S. Martine and to be short all such feastes of Canonised Saintes as euery Byshop in his diocesse with y e consent of the Clergye and the people haue determined to kepe holy As for all other feastes y t are in the yeare the people ought neither to be compelled to kepe them holy day nor yet to be forbidden but euery man to do according to hys deuotioÌ„ In the yere of our lord 1242. Libro Concil Polydor. Guilielmus Durandus This decree also was made in a couÌ„cell holden at Maguntia Bartholom Carrantz A councell holden at Basille confyrmed the feast of the Conception of Mary the Uirgine and graunted to so many as deuoutlye kepe it holy daye and bee presente at the seruice an hundred and fyftye dayes of pardon Lib Concil In y e councel Toletane it was decreed y t the feast of the Annunciation of Mary should be kept holy the fyftene daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye and that the feast of the Natiuitye of her sonne that is to saye Christmasse should bee celebrated and kepte holye the eyghts daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye Lib. Concil Item in a councell holden at Basille the feast of the visitation of Mary was confyrmed an hundred dayes of pardon graunted to all them y e with good deuotion be present at the seruice of y e day Lib. Concil Of Canonysing and making of Saintes POpe Leo the nynthe holdyng a councel at Vercellis made Gerardus Bishop somtime of the Leâ—corians a saint And this pope was the fyrst as some write y e euer presumed toke vpoÌ„ him to make saints In the yere c. 1049. Christ. Massae Pope Gregorye the nynth made frier Dominike and fryer Fraunces and fryer Anthony de Padua Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary Saints In the yeare c. 1225. Plat. Albert. Krantz Ioan Stella Pantal. Pope Alexander the fourth made Clara the Nunne Peter Martyr the Blackfryer and Stanslaus Bishop of Cracouia saintes In the yeare c. 1248. Chronic. Volat. Pantal Pope Iohn the .xxii. made Lewes Byshop of Tolossa sonne to Charles King of Fraunce a Saint He sainted also Thomas of Aquine the blackefrier and Thomas Byshop of Hereforde In the yeare 1308. Plat. Volat. Pant. Pope Nicolas the fyft among a greaterable of others made Bernardine the Grayfryer a Sainte In the yeare c. 1447. Matth. Palmer Platina Chronic. Germani Pope Calixt the thyrde made Vincent the blackefryer and Edmunde Kyng of Englande Saintes He also canonysed Osmunde sometyme Byshop of Salisburye caused hym to be counted in the number of saintes In the yeare of oure Lorde 1455. Volat. Matthe Palm Pisamus Ranulph Cest. Pantal. Pope Pius the second made Katerine a Sainte In the yeare c. 1458. Volat. Chron. Pope Clement the sixte made Iuo the priest
bonde of sinne that thei being resuscitate or raised vp in y e glorie of the resurrection maye liue among y e saintes and chosen people Thorowe Christ our Lord. So be it A shorter forme or manner of bidding the beades MAsters and frendes as for holy dayes and fasting dayes ye shal haue none thys weke but y t ye maye doe all manner of good workes y t shall bee to the honoure of God and y e profyt of your own soules And therefore after a laudable consuetude and a lawfull custome of our mother holy Churche ye shal knele down mouyng your heartes vnto almightye God and makyng your speciall prayers for the .iii. estates concernyng all Christen people that is to saye for the Spiritualtye the Temporaltie and y e soules being in the paynes of purgatorye Fyrst for our holy father the Pope with all hys Cardinalls for all Archebyshops and Byshops and in especiall for my Lorde Archbishop of Cantorburye your Metropolitane and also my Lorde Bishop of this diocesse N. and in generall for all persons vicares parishe priests hauing cure of mannes soule with the ministers of Christes church as wel religious as not religious Secondly ye shal pray for y e vnitie and peace of al Christen Realmes and specially for the noble Realme of England for our soueraigne Lord y e King for the Prince for my Ladye y e Kinges Mother with all their progenye and for al y e Lords of y e councel and al other of the nobilitie whiche dwell in the countreyes hauing protection and gouernaunce of y e same y t almightie God may sende them grace so to gouerne rule the lande y t it maye bee pleasing vnto almightye God wealth and profyte to the lande and saluation to their soules Also ye shall praye for all those that haue honoured the church wyth light Lampe Uestmente or Bell or with any ornamentes by the whiche the seruice of almightye God is the better maintayned and kepte Furthermore ye shall praye for all true trauailers tillers of the earth y t trulye and duelye done their dutye to God holye church as they be bounde to do Also ye shal pray for al manner of frutes y t be done vppon the grounde or shal be y t almightye God of hys greate pitye and mercye maye sende suche wederynges y t they maye come to the sustenaunce of man Ye shall praye also for al those y t be in debt or deadly sinne y t almightye GOD maye geue them grace to come oute thereof and the soner by our prayer Also ye shall praye for all those y t bee sicke or diseased eyther in bodye or in soule y ◠almyghtye God maye sende them y e thing whiche is moste profitable aswel bodilye as ghostly Also ye shall praye for all pilgrimes and Palmers y t haue taken the waye to Rome to S. Iames or Ierusalem or to any other place y t almightye God maye geue them grace to go safe and come safe and geue vs grace to haue parte of their prayers and they parte of oures Also ye shal praye for y e holy Crosse y t is in the possession and hands of vnryghtful people y e almightye God may sende it into y e possession of Christen people when it pleaseth hym Furthermore I commit vnto your deuoute prayers all women y t be in our ladyes bondes y t almighty God may sende thē grace y e childe to receaue y e sacrament of baptisme and y e mother purification Also ye shall praye for the good man or woman y t thys daye geueth bread to make the holy lofe and for all those y t fyrste began it and them y e longest continue For these and for al true Christen people euery man and womā say a Pater noster an Aue. Deu◠misereatur nostri c cum Gloria patri c. Thirdly ye shal pray for your frends soules as your fathers soule your mothers soule your brethrens soule your sisters soule your Godfathers soule your Godmothers soule for all those soules whose bones rest in this church or Churchyarde or in any other holye place for al y e soules being in paines of purgatorye but specially and aboue al for those soules whose names be accustomed to be rehearsed in y e beadrolle as I shall rehearse them vnto you by y e grace of God c. For these in speciall and for all other in generall that it is needefull to praye for for euery man and woman saie a Pater Noster and an Aue. De profūdis c cum Oremus Absolue quesumus c. The general sentence taken out of the Englyshe Festiuall GOod men and women I doe you to vnderstande y t we that haue cure of your soules bee commaunded of oure ordinaryes and by the constitutions lawes of holy church to shewe to you foure tymes in the yeare in eche quarter of y e yeare once when the people is moste plenarye in the church the articles of the sentence So y t not for our default no man nor woman fal therein And if any be therin fallen he may through the helpe of God almightye and al holy church with shrifte and penaunce makyng good for his sinne vprise and hym amende ▪ Wherefore I doe you to vnderstande y t cursing is such a vengeaunce takyng that it departeth a man from the blysse of heauen from housel shrifte and all the Sacramentes of holye Churche and betaketh hym to the deuill and to the paynes of hell wythoute ende but if he haue grace of hym to amende But therefore see y t no man nor woman saye that I curse them For it longeth not to me but to shewe the pointes and y e articles of the sentence of cursyng For I doe you wel to wite who so doth agaynste any of y e pointes y t I shall shewe you he is accursed in the deede doing of the Pope Archebyshop Byshop and of al holy Church And y t god almighty geue you grace to kepe you out of cursing listen and heare and I shal thorowe y e helpe of God the father almighty to you thē tell and shewe By the authoritye of God y e Sonne and the holy Ghost and hys glorious Mother and mayden oure Lady Saint Marye and the blessed Apostles Peter and Paule and all Apostles Martyrs Confessours and virgines and the halowes of God I denounce and shewe for accursed all thoe that fraūches of holye Churche breake or distrouble or beene agaynst the state of holy church or thereto assente wyth deede or councell And also all thoe that depriue holy Churche of any ryghte or make of holy churche any Laye fee y t is halowed or sanctified And all thoe y t withholde the rites of holy church y t is for to say offringes tithes rents or fredome of holye Churche let or distrouble or breake that is to saye if any man flee to the Churche or Churchyarde Who so
Christe in his members than he was in tymes paste The aduersaries of Gods truth haue no delight nor pleasure in heauenly and spirituall thyngs but like bellie beastes only borne to consume the good frutes of the earth they desire and seke after nothyng but the thynges of this world that their sonnes as the Psalmographe sayth may grow vp as the younge plantes and that their doughters maye be as the polyshed corners of the temple that their garners maye be full and plenteous with all manner of store â–ª that their shepe may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in their stretes that their Oxen may be strong to labour that there be no decay no leding into captiuitie and no complayning in their stretes If all thinges go well and prosperously with them then are they mery and diligently offer sacrifice to to their God the belly But if any aduersity come then knitte they the forehead and worke their malice vpon Gods word and the faithfull professours of the same The worde they call heresie erroure doctrine new and straunge seditious and cause of rebellion of all other plages wherwith the commoÌ„ weale is afflicted The professoures of thys worde they blaspheme they â—aile vpon they curse with booke bell candle they excommunicate they apprehende they accuse they condemne they stocke they cheane they manacle â–ª they racke and in fine they most cruelly with sweard fyre and halter brynge them vnto an ende so farre is it of that these Epicures and bellygods do as they ought render thankes to God for his corporall benefites so richely poured vpon them and vpon other his creatures Now as touching the spiritual benefites and heauenly giftes of the minde as the knowledge of the holy scriptures the vnderstanding of the Lordes blessed will the preaching of the Gospel the true administration of the SacrameÌ„ts the abolishment of all false worshippings superstitions c. wherwith God in this our age hath most mercifully blessed vs â–ª far passing many other nations that be vnder the heauens as these wise wicked worldlinges knowledge not the benefits of the body nor yet are thanckfull to God for them so likewise are they altogether vnthanckfull for the gifts of the minde whiche do so far excel the other as gold surmouÌ„teth coper or siluer tynne For lyke as Owles caÌ„ not abyde the golden and glysteryng beames of the Sunne nor the light of y e day so in lyke maÌ„ner caÌ„ not these bellygods and Antichristes slaues suffer the glorious and pleasaunt light of Christes most glorious and pleasaunt Gospel They crye out with the wicked of whoÌ„ the Prophet maketh meÌ„tion on thys manner Se not Loke not out right thynges for vs but speake fayre wordes vnto vs. Loke out erroures Get you out of this way Depart out of this pathe and turne the holy one of Israel froÌ„ vs. In the trifling traditioÌ„s â–ª croked constitutions idle inueÌ„tioÌ„s drousy dreames deuilish decrees false fables fond fantasies of meÌ„ is theyr whole delight as for the sincere pure religion of God that they vtterly neglect set at nought coÌ„teÌ„ne despise And if for shame they seme to approue alowe any part therof yet they do so maÌ„gle it bring it in captiuitie to the traditioÌ„s of meÌ„ that it looseth the sincere simplicitie simple sinceritie whiche it receaued of the holye Ghost Some of theÌ„ are not ashamed so to diminish the authoritie of Gods sacred scriptures that they affirme the word of God to be so far the worde of God as the Church doth allowe it meaning the pope his spiritual shauelinges as though God gaue vs in his holy Scriptures an vnperfecte doctrine and not sufficiently authorised of him without the consent of Antichrist of hys broode Is not this to set God to schole and to make him a Nouice So should it follow that the word of God is grounded on the Church not the Churche on the worde of God Is not this right Antichrist that should turne y e rootes of trees vpwarde Christ saith speaking of his Church My shepe heare my voyce Againe he that is of god heareth the wordes of god IteÌ„ Euery one that is of y e truth heareth my voice And the holy Apostle saith speaking to the faithfull congregation of God Ye are no straungers and forreyners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God and are built vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christe hymselfe beyng the head corner stone in whome what buyldyng soeuer is coupled together it groweth vnto an holye temple in the Lorde The worde of God is not buylte vpon men althoughe neuer so holye and perfect neyther receaueth it any authoritie of maÌ„ although of neuer so greate excellencie wysedome and power but such as are the congregation of God are built vpon the worde of God whatsoeuer authoritie they haue euerye one in their degree and office they haue it altogether of Gods worde without the whiche word there can be no Church for asmuch as there caÌ„ be no faith as the Apostle saith Faith coÌ„meth by hearing and hearing commeth by the worde of God so farre is it of that either pope or Cardinall or anye other person hath any power to geue authoritie to the worde of God whiche already is authorized by the most hygh and supreme power euen God himselfe Some obiect olde and auÌ„cient customes affirming that this our religion as they terme it new and straunge disseÌ„teth in order and vsage greatly from the manner heretofore practised in our temples I graunt neither can the sinceritie of Gods worde suffer and abyde such olde vnsauory croked customes as heretofore haue bene vsed in the popish Religion as the coniuring of salte water bread bowes flowers fire ashes caÌ„dles c. creping to the crosse worshipping of Images calling vpon dead Sainctes sensing of altares Idols praying in a strauÌ„ge tong offering the missall sacrifice for the quicke and for the dead receauyng of the Sacrament vnder one kind with a thousand moe errours and heresies and other greuous abuses which of longe vsage and custome in tymes past haue bene exercised among vs taken for true Godlynesse But who knoweth not â–ª that custome ought to geue place to reason and truth for reason and truth exclude alwaye put out of place custome be it neuer so olde and auncient laudable and commendable Christ is the truth therfore ought we rather to followe the truth than the custome If thou lay to our charge custome sayth S. Gregorye Thou must marke what the Lorde saith I am saith he the way the truth and the life He sayd not I am the custome but I am the truth Custome without truth saith Saint Cyprian is nothing els thaÌ„ an olde errour Therfore leauing the error let vs followe the truth When the truth is once come to light saith Saint Austen let custome geue place For who doubteth that
c. 590. S. Huldrichus in epist ad Nicol. Papam Pope Constantine the seconde whom the seditious tirannicall and superstitious papistes did afterwarde violentlye depose cruellye thruste into a monasterye as into a prison and moste vnmercifully put out hys eyes gaue libertye not only to secular priestes for to marrye but also to Monkes Friers and Nunnes that they by this meanes auoyding whooredome myghte the more quietlye geue theyr mynde to the studye of Godlynesse In the yeare of our Lorde 769. Chroni Ioan. Laziardus Cestrensis Pope Gregorye the thyrde being Bishop of Rome the Emperoure Constantine perceauyng the greate abhomination and to muche vncleannesse of lyfe that reygned among the monkes Nunnes thorow y e vowe of their vnchast chastitye set the Monkes and Nonnes at libertye commaundyng them rather to marrye according to Gods ordinaunce than so filthily and wickedly to lyue made of their monasteryes houses necessarye for the coÌ„mon weale In the yeare c 741. Chro. Sebast. Franck. Christ. Massaeus Pope Pius the seconde tofore called Aeneas Siluius was wont to saye that there are many causes why maryage should be taken away froÌ„ the priestes but there are many mo vrgent weightye and necessary causes why it ought freely to be restored to them agayne In the yeare c. 1458. Chron. Ioan. Laziardus Plat. Pope Peter as they write whom Lewes the Emperoure made bishop of Rome before he was choseÌ„ pope made himself a gray fryer without the consent of his wyfe called Ioan y e doughter of Mathew de Corbario When thys Peter was chosen consecrated Pope hys wyfe claymed hym to bee her true and lawfull husbande and desyred of the Emperoure and of the Byshoppes that they mighte lyue together agayne as manne and wife Whyche thyng brought into question iudgemeÌ„t was geuen that she oughte to bee restored vnto him Thus the woman obtained agayne her husband although before firste a professed Frier and afterward a consecrate pope Ioan Laziard Pope Leo the ninth is not so greuoê° an enmy to the mariage of priests but that he graunteth that priestes haue power to haue wiues and to lead them aboute with them being moued with these wordes of Saincte Paule Haue not we power to lead a sister to wife as the other Apostles doe and the brethren of the Lord and Cephas Pope Innocent in his decretals writeth that those priests which haue wiues of their own after the maner of the couÌ„trey where they dwell are greuouslye to bee punished if they doe breake their Wedlocke Pope Paule the second many tymes greuously complained of y e heauy yoke of priestes constrained chastitie and was ful determined if God had spared him longer life to haue taken awaye that wicked decree of the single life of priests and to set mariage againe at liberty as certayne write More largelye of this matter thou maiest rede in my boke of Matrimony whether I send thee moste gentle reader Of this mater also in our English tongue very learnedly and truely haue written M. D. Barnes that constant glorious martyr of Christ doctor Poinet somtime bishop of Winchester M. George Ioy c. Of the vowes and that the vowe of chastitie hindreth not him from mariage which hath not the gift of continencie POpe Celestinus the thirde gaue licence to the Emperour Henry the fyft yf that name to mary take vnto wife a certayne vowesse or professed Nunne called Constantia the daughter of Rogerius king of Cecilia In the yere c. 1188. Mar. Polonius Ioan. Laziardus D. Barnes Pope Theodorus made a lawe that if any man chaunced to marry after that he hath vowed chastitie he should not be diuorced from his wife but that his mariage should stand in full strength and vertue notwythstandyng the former vow In the yeare of our Lord. 902. Disti 27. capit Si vir votum Bergom There was an Abbote at Redyng whoÌ„ meÌ„ for his perfect liuiÌ„g called abbot saint This maÌ„ beiÌ„g in dauÌ„ger of a certain disease by the reason he had no wife sent vnto the Pope desiring him to dispense wyth hym for his vowe And the Pope dispensed with him and gaue hym licence to marry a wife but vnder a condition that it should be secretly done and not in facie ecclesie D. Barnes in Libro De coniugio sacerdotum Sainct Cyprian beeyng demmaunded what shoulde bee done with those religious personnes that coulde not keepe theyr chastitie as they had vowed aunswered on thys maner Thou doest aske what we doe Iudge of those Uirgines whyche after they haue decreed to lyue chastlye are afterwarde founde in one bedde wyth a man Of the whyche thou sayest that one of them was a Deacon We doe with great sorowe see the great ruine and fall of many persons which commeth by the reason of suche vnlawfull and perillous companying together Wherfore if they haue dedicated them selues to Christe out of faythe to lyue purely and chastly then let them so remayne without any fable and strongly and stedfastly abyde the rewarde of Uirginitye But if they wyll not abyde or elles canne not abyde then is it better to mary than to fall into the fyre of concupiscence And let them geue vnto the brethren and systern none occasion of slaunder c. Some affirme saith S. Austen that such as marrye after they haue vowed chastitie are adulterers But I say vnto you that they synne greuously that seperate and put asunder such There are that say that for religion sake mariage ought to be dissolued and broken But we must vnderstand that although maÌ„s law hath graunted this yet the law of God hath forbidden it For he that is the selfe truthe saieth Whome God hathe coupled together let no man seperate He saith also It is not lawful for a maÌ„ to put away his wyfe except it be for fornication Who then maye speake agaynst the geuer of this lawe In euil promises breake thy faithe in a filthy vowe chaunge thy determinatioÌ„ That thou hast vncircumspectly vowed loke that thou perform not For that is a wycked vowe and promise that is accomplished with sinne If any man sweare or promise anye thing contrary to faithe and charitye which beyng kepte shoulde turne into a worse end it is rather to be chaunged than to be fulfilled Woulde God sayeth S. Bernarde that they whiche cannot liue chaste would geue ouer the single lyfe that they mighte not burne it were wythout doubt better to marry than burne and to be saued in a lowe degree than to lyue worse in the noble state of the cleargy Of Benefices and Prebendes POpe Gregory the tenth gathered a counsell at Lions sixe hundred bishops and a thousande Prelates wherein it was decreed that no person shoulde haue any spirituall promotion with cure except he were first of all a Prieste and also able to discharge it Moreouer that no manne should from thenceforth paye his
For Paulus fasted but they are fylbellyes and Epicures He was pore but they are riche He was solitarye but they runne aboute He had simple clothyng and a cleane hearte but they haue a white garment and blacke heartes so that of this Paulus a Godly and religious maÌ„ our Pauliane Heremites haue no more than all other orders haue I meane onely the name and title Theyr rule is S. Austens wherein are reckened to be .xxiiii. orders Ex Lib. Germanico ex vitis patrum Besydes this aforesaid Paulus there was an other Heremite of that name called Paulus simplex that is to saye simple Paule or Paule the playne Thys Paulus as wee reede in vitis patrum was one of the Disciples of saint Anthonye and made hymselfe an Heremite bycause that hys wyfe had geuen her selfe to an other man than hym Of whiche thyng when he was aduertysed he was maruelouslye troubled Neuerthelesse he tolde it to no bodye but wente to the desertes And after y t he had long gone in the same he put hymselfe into the monasterye of Saint Anthonye which among many other lessons taught hym howe somtyme he must laboure and vse bodilye exercises to refreshe hys spirites wherby he shuld after be more prompt and readye to praye vnto God Also how with al hys thought and strength he oughte to keepe the commaundementes of God and at euen in takyng hys refection he shuld eate and drinke litle and how he shuld drinke but water Thys Paulus was so simple that wheÌ„ s. Anthony w t his brethreÌ„ at a certain time talked of y e holy scriptures he demauÌ„ded of theÌ„ if god had bene before y e prophets But S. Anthony beholdiÌ„g his simplicitie bad hiÌ„ holde hys peace and he gladlye obeyed The aforesayd Anthony willing to proue y e obeysance of thys Paule y e playn or simple soule ofte tymes coÌ„maunded him to do thynges against reasoÌ„ as to drawe water out of a depe pitte al the day long and to caste it on the earth and sometyme to vnsowe hys gowne after to sowe it agayn and so of many other things But thys Paul the plaine in al things was much obeysaunt and lowly And therefore sayd S. Anthony whosoeuer will be perfect he ought not to be master ne obey to hys owne wil be y e thinges reasonable or vnreasonable that are commaunded hym to do For oure sauioure sayth that to fore al thynges one ought to renounce hys owne wil. Thys Paulus as we rede was a man of such vertue and holynesse that he farre excelled S. Anthonye in workyng miracles in so muche that they came vnto hym that were sycke out of al regions to recouer theyr health and anon by hys deuout Orisons vnto God they were made hole I rede not y t any secte of Heremites had their beginning of thys Paule The cause paraduenture was bycause he was so symple playn and homely a man without al fraude gyle and deceate whiche the monasticall sectes moste chiefely practyse in all theyr lyfe and conuersation Ex vitis patrum Of the Heremites of Saint Iohns order IN the yere of our lord iii. C.lxxx was Iohn an Heremite in Egipt of great reputation for hys holynesse He could comfort the feble minded in God and bryng them to perfection as writeth of hym S. Hierome He dwelt fyftye yeare continually vpon an hyll or rocke in feruente prayer and meditation to God of whom hee was fedde He was of so pure mynde that God opened vnto hym not onely what was necessarye for hym to know but also thynges for to come He was so endued with the gyfte of Prophecye that he Prophecyed not only thinges that shoulde chaunce thereabout but also the warre of the Emperoure Theodosius agaynst Maximus the tirant When he was an hundred yeare olde he payed nature her dutye whose life Hierome doth discribe Nowe he that will compare the full brethren that weare a blacke cloke and a crosse theron with thys mannes liuyng whose followers they aduaunce themselues to bee beyng called Ioannites of this Iohn shall fynde them farre vnlyke hym seing theyr religion is theyr own inuention and that they lyue of other mennes sweate But howe can they beare hys name and chalenge hym to be their patrone seyng in no poynt they lyue like him but euen playn coÌ„trary If they wil thinke to be grounded vpon Iohn the Euaungelyste and Apostle then ought thei to leade a continente lyfe and to goe aboute and preache the Gospell of Christ. But they are so farre estraunged from these godly exercises that in no state of people any can bee founde more vnchaste in theyr liuyng nor greater aduersaryes to the true doctryne of Christ being in deede the patrones defendoures and mayntayners of all superstition and false worshippyng of God But I shoulde bee sooner persuaded that theyr Patrone was some good tankerd yeoman whose order lyke good Dysciples and brethren they haue euer kepte and followed It is great pitye and shame that wee are so peruerse mynded that we do not see this mocke and abhomination but rather worship it as holynesse geuyng freely vnto it both landes and goodes and disheryte oure naturall children God bee mercyfull vnto vs. Ex Libro Germanico Of Anckers and Ankresses and all other Recluses AS concernyng the monasticall secte of the Recluses and suche as bee shutte vp within walles there vnto the death continuallye to remayne geuyng themselues to the mortification of carnall affectes to the contemplation of heauenly and spirituall thynges to abstinence to prayer and to suche other ghostlye exercises as men deade to the worlde hauyng their life hidden with Christ I haue not to write forasmuch as I caÌ„not hitherto fynde probably in any author whence the profession of Anckers and Anckresses had the beginning and foundation although in thys behalfe I haue talked with men of that profession which could very litle or nothing saye in the matter Notwithstanding as the white Fryers father that order of Helias the Prophete but falsely so lykewyse doe the Anckers and Anckresses make that holy and vertuous Matrone Iudith their patronesse and foundresse But how vnaptly who seeth not Their profession and religion diffreth as farre from the manners of Iudith as lyght from darkenesse or god from the deuill as it shall manifestlye appeare to them that wil diligentlye conferre the history of Iudith with their lyfe and conuersatioÌ„ Iudith made her selfe a priuy chamber where she dwelt saieth the Scripture beyng closed in with her maydens Oure Recluses also close themselues within the walles but they sufferre no man to be there with them Iudith ware a smocke of haâ—re â–ª but our recluses are both softly and finely apparelled Iudith fasted all the daies of her life few excepted Our Recluses eate and drinke at all tymes of the beste beyng of the number of them Qui curios simulant Bacchanalia viuunt Iudith was
valley vnder Benets rule with adding therto chaungyng of black clothes into gray In the yere c. 1038 Chron. Polyd. Lib. Germ. Of the Grandimontensis order POpe Alexander the second beyng bishop of Rome the secte foâ—the Grandimontensis Monks was inuented by Stephen of Auernia their order is to lead a streight life as Monks vse to do to geue themselues to watching fastyng and praying to weare a cote of males vpon their bare bodyes and a blacke cloke thereupon In the yeare c. 176. Chron. Pol Lib. Germ. Of the Cisterciensis order POpe Vrban the seconde bearing rule Roberte Abbot of Molisme in Cistercium a wildernesse or Forest in Burgundy dyd institute the order of Cistercians albeit some ascribe this to one Ordingus a Monke that persuaded the aforesaid Roberte to y e same They weare red shoes and white rochets on a blacke coate all shoren saue a little cyrkle In the yeare of oure Lorde 198. Ibidem Of thys Religion was that greate clearke s. Barnard Of the Humiliates order POpe Innocentius the thyrd confirmed and allowed the order of the Humiliates fyrste of all deuysed by certayne personnes exiled by Frederichus Barbarosa which when thei were restored to theyr countreye apparelled themselues all in white and promised to goe in lowlye and simple clothyng the men and women to bee seperate eche from other to laboure euery one what he was skilled in They had one common purse among them They professe S. Benets rule Thys order in processe of tyme hath encreased so both in goodes and persons that it was confyrmed and endowed wyth many priuileges of diuerse Byshops of Rome In the yeare of our lord 1166. Ibidem Iac. Phil. BergoÌ„ Of the Celestines order POpe Celestinus y e fifth willingly gaue ouer hys bishoprike and returned agayn to hys solitary lyfe wherin he quietly liued before his papacie Certayne supersticious persons lyke apes counterfayted thys Bishop taking vpon them an order vnder y e rule of s. Benet in a wildernesse and called themselues Celestines after Celestine Their orders garment cloke â—oule and cappe are blew In the yere c. 1297. Ibidem Of the Gilbertines order POpe Eugenius the fourthe bearyng rule in England S. Gilbert at Tirington and Sempryngham began an order of monkes called after hym Gilbertines In the yeare of oure Lorde 1148. Chron. Polid. Of the Iustinians order POpe Eugenius the fourth confirmed the ReligioÌ„ of the Iustinians adourning the same with many liberties priuileges It was fyrst of all inuented by Lewes Barbus a Councelour of Uenice practised in y e partyes of Treuisâ— in the cloyster of S. Iustine by the citye Badua They professe Monke Benets rule but in habite and apparell they differ In the yeare of oure Lord. 1412. Ibidem Of the Charterhouse Monkes POpe Gregorye the seuenth being bishop of Rome Bruno of Colein y e Philosopher diuine whom Barnarde calleth a faire piller of y e church did institute y e order of y e Charterhouse moÌ„ks in y e diocesse of Gracianopolis at a place named Curtusia Their lyfe was outwardlye full of paynted holynesse in forbearyng fleshe in fastyng breade and water euery fridaye in wearyng hayrye clothes nexte theyr bodye full of solitarynesse much silence euer pinned in neuer going oute refusyng all womens company with other semblable ceremonyes In the yeare of oure Lorde 1620. Ibidem Of the Templares orders POpe Gelasius the seconde bearing rule the order of the Templars beganne at Hierusalem and continued nerehand two hundred yeares whose beginning was thus After that Gotfraye Duke of Lorayne had conquered Ierusalem certayne Knights perceauing y t such pylgrimes as came to them of their deuotioÌ„ were robbed and murthered by the way thei made a bonde among theÌ„ to serue God in Chiualrye At the beginning they were but fewe and gaue themselues to wilfull pouertye and theyr chiefe master was a keper of the temple dore wherof they wer called Templarij Thei dwelt together not farre from Christs Sepulchre lodging the pylgrimes keping them from mischiefe and shewing them much kindnesse bringing theÌ„ from one holy city vnto an other The badge of their order was a white cloke with a redde crosse Saint Bernarde made them a rule according to the appointment whereof they framed their liues Afterwarde they became very riche thorowe the giftes of great men and pilgrimes But Pope Clement the fifte put them downe and destroyed them all in one daye partlye bycause as they write they renounced y e fayth of Christ and conspired with y e turkes partly for other notable crimes Not withstanding some say y t this rooting out of them was more bicause of enuy of their prosperitye and royaltye than of giltinesse For wheÌ„ their gaundmaster Iames Burgonion was burnt at Paris with manye of hys brethren he tooke hys death thereon that he was neuer giltye of the accusations layde to hym Thus peryshed thys order of the Templares all in one daye theyr landes and possessions beeyng distributed and geuen to other In the yere of our Lorde 1110. Of the Premonstratenses order POpe Calixtus the second approued and allowed the monkyshe order of the Premonstratenses which was fyrst of all deuysed by a certayne maÌ„ borne at Colein called Noto hobertus a priest They be vnder the rule of Benet the monke They be clothed in white from top to toe to declare their vnstayned virginitie In the yeare c. 1119. Chron. Pol. Lib. Germ. Of the order of the white Monkes of Mount Oliuet POpe Gregory the twelfth reigning the monks of mount Oliuet sproÌ„g vp thorow the deuice of Bernardus Ptolomeus Their clothyng is all whyte Their rule is Benets with some addicions vnto it In the yeare of our lord 1406. Ibidem Of the Georgian Monkes POpe Gregory the twelfth confyrmed and stablished also the order of S. George of Alga by Venice which was begun by a spirituall man y e patriarke Laurence Iustiniane a man of an incredible straightnesse of life These moÌ„ks are vnder S. Peters rule and the fyrst order with certayne ordinaunces ioyned thereto In the yeare c. 1407. Lib. Germ. Chron. Of the white Monkes POpe Vrban the Seconde reignyng the order of white Monkes began fyrst deuised by one Stephen Harding and afterwarde in y e yere of our lord â–ª 1135 it was brought into Englande by a certayne man called Walter Espek whiche builte an Abbey of the same order called Meriuale Ranulphus Cestrensis Of the Ioannites order POpe Honorius bearing rule Raymund a man of nobilitye fyrst of all inuented the order of s. Iohn Baptist at Hierusalem about the yeare c. 1130. Chron. Angl. Of the order of scourgers or flagellatours POpe Clement the sixt being Byshop of Rome a certayne pestilent secte of false religious persons sprong vp in high Almayne which called themselues Penitentes Cruciferos seu Flagellatores that is to saye Penitent crosse bearers or scourgers of theÌ„selues Their manner was to go
from place to place hauyng a banner vpon the crucifixe borne before them and neuer to tarye in one place but on the sondaye Euery day also they dyd penaunce both mornyng and euenyng by scourging themselues before y e people with a great whip of .iii. cordes ful of knots vpon their bare bodies sharp byg nedles being put into the cordes affyrmyng y t it was reueled vnto them by an Angell from heauen that they thus scourging themselues shoulde within .xxx. dayes and .xii. houres thorowe the suffryng of those paynes bee made so cleane and free from synne as they were when they fyrste receaued baptisme In the yeare c. 133. Ioannes Laziardus Mat. Palmer Christ. Mass. These martirs of the Diuell were afterward destroyed by Phlilip kyng of Fraunce Like vnto these aforesaid is there at Rome and in other places of Italye a sect which so are called Flagellatores or scourgers The true brethren of this order go barefoote and beat themselues vppon the bare skin till the bloud followeth They go in long white linnen shirtes hauing an hole on the backe and are open vppon the bare skinne Thereupon they doe beate themselues with scourges â–ª y t are made for the purpose yea and that so long til the bloud doth ruÌ„ out bothe ouer their shoulders and also downe to their feete These be admitted of the bishop of Rome as peniteÌ„tiaries They go barefoted in procession two and two together on good Friday when the passion is preached The white linnen garmeÌ„t which they vse hath an hood sowed vnto it which they drawe ouer their heades when they wil not be sene This commeth ouer their faces and it hath holes like a visar where thorow they both see and draw their breath Suche as force not whether they are sene or not or haue not breath inough they drawe downe the coule froÌ„ their heads and so scourge themselues openly Greate men also and diuers other citizens vse this fantasy with them also but specially vpoÌ„ good Friday which of great inwarde deuotion disguise themselues also as the aforesaide so that some time .iii. or iiii hundreth are seene of them in one procession But the noble men and citizens go for the most parte vpon slippers the shirtes put on aboue their hoses and haue a scourge in theyr handes wherwith some strike themselues â—ome weare it only betwene theyr armes This do they that they maye bee pertakers of their pardon do penauÌ„ce for their sinnes and come to Gods fauour Lib. Germ. Of the order of the starred Monkes POpe Clement the sixte bearing rule Iohn king of Fraunce son of Phillip the Frenche king inuented the secte order of those monks which in latin are called Stellati whose maner is alway to weare a star vpon their brest signifieÌ„g hereby that there is nothing in them but the light of perfection and the cleare shining of good workes yea that they themselues are the lighte of the world according to this sayeng of Christ vos estis lux mundi Ye are y e light of the world Item that they shall rise agayne at the laste day all shining and glisteryng as the most cleare and pleasaunt starres according as it is writteÌ„ by the Prophete They that haue instructed and taught other shal shine as the glisteryng of the firmament they that inform many vnto righteousnesse shall be as the starres worlde without ende In the yeare of our Lorde 1336. Christ. Mass. Lib. Germ. Of the order of the Gerardians POpe Boniface y e ninth reigning a certain maÌ„ called Gerardus being of greate learning of vertuous conuersation ordayned a certain fraternitie or brotherhode of learned godly meÌ„ to teach scholers and to bring vp youth onely in good letters but also in good maners that by this means there might be learned men alwaye in store apte to beare rule in the church of Christ also to gouerne the common weale according to the prescript and rule of gods doctrine Thys Gerardus beyng but a Deacon preached the word of God both purely and feruently And when he was moued by his frendes to be a priest he alwais answered that he was vnworthy to haue such an high office He was wont ofteÌ„times to say that he would not haue y e cure of soules not so muche as by the space of one nighte for all the golde of Arabie In the yeare c. 3379. Chron. Christ. Mass. Of the order of the Iesuites POpe Vrban the fifth greatly alowed the order of the Iesuites and gaue vnto it many great and singuler priueleges commaundyng the Monkes of that order to weare a white kyrtle a russet coule and that they should be called of all men Clerici Apostolici that is to saye the Apostels clearkes This order of the Iesuites was the inuention of Ioannes Columbinus in Sena a city of Hethruria they wer at the beginning no priestes nor consecrated persons but wer men of the lay sorte geuen and addicte willingly and freely to prayer and to labour getting their meat with the trauail of their haÌ„des and with y e sweat of their browes liuing as it were in common after the example of Christ and of his disciples They are called Iesuites bicause the name of Iesus should be often in theyr mouth In the yere c. 1368. Phil. Berg. Libro Germ. Of the order of white dawbed Monkes POpe Boniface bearyng rule the order which is called Ordo de albatorum was inuented by a certayne priest in Italy which preteÌ„ded such a modesty and grauity both in woordes and in countenaunce that euery man toke him for a Sainct The professors of this order were cladde all with long white lynnen clothes euen down to the ground hauyng coules vpon theyr heads lyke vnto other Monkes The chief point of their profession was to lament the state of mankind to bewaile the sinnes of the people and to pray for a redresse of y e same at gods hand They neuer wente abroade but they had a crosse with the image of the crucifyx borne before theÌ„ which crosse y e Lucenses kepe at this day with great reuerence as a moste precious relique and daily make vowes offer diuers giftes vnto it But Pope Boniface aforesayd conceauyng that they should do no good to hys honourable estate if they continued forasmuch as they all appeared before men righteous good and Godly and the Pope with hys coÌ„plices most wicked euel and vngodly caused the author of thys order as a seditious person to be beheaded at Viterbium Some say that he was brent as a superstitious hipocrite and attaynted of some heresye In the yeare of oure Lorde .1400 Lib. Germ. Philip. Bergom Polid. c. But why do I trauayle to set forthe the number of these Monkyshe orders seeing they be almoste innumerable and a man in a manner maye assone number the sandes of the sea and tell the starres of the firmament as to prescribe a certaine number
but they shall die out of hād ▪ a most shamefull death The seuenth priuilege is that the frendes and louers of saint Fraunces order ▪ be they neuer so wicked and vngodly shall notwithstandyng at the last obtayne mercy and dye a most blessed death Of the Frierly order of Maries seruantes POpe Benet bearing y t swinge Philip deuised the order of Friers whiche are called the seruaūts of our Lady He raised this order vnder the rule of Saint Austen with euen like wordes and fashion making difference of it with certayne ordinances of the Friers of our Lady which order afterward was confirmed by three byshoppes of Rome namely Benet the xi Boniface the eyght and Urban the sixte and is reckned among the beggyng orders At the the last it was wholy sanctified and halowed of Pope Innocentius the eighte and deliuered of the euell will that some cloysterers did owe them Theyr garmentes are lyke oure Ladyes brethren This order began in the yeare of our Lord .1304 Chron. Lib. Germ. Of the new order of the Friers of our Lady THys order is founded vnder the preachers order whiche also cal thēselues Maries brethrē They weare a white cote and a blacke cloke thereon with a blacke Friers coule Chro. Lib. Germ. Of the Austen Friers POpe Innocent the thyrde bearyng rule one Guilihelme a Duke of Aquitania and county of Lictauia inuented or rather repared and renued the order of the Austen Friers whiche had bene longe decayed and almoste made desolate before Thys Guilihelme fyrst dwelt in y e wildernesse with his brethren chastyeing his fleshe and subduyng it with a coate of males on hys bare body alwaye watchyng ▪ praying and fasting so that he was called a father and restorer of that order Afterwarde by the consent of Anastasius and Adrian Byshoppes of Rome he left the wildernesse and built about or as some saye within Paris a cloyster for that beggyng order of the Austen Friers whiche was confirmed by Pope Anastasius the fourth After that his apes and counterfayters with beggynge built manye other cloysters so that now this beggyng broode is spred ouer a greate parte of the worlde vnto the greate hindrance both of mennes purses and also of theyr saluation and by this meanes is beggyng which once was forbidden become a Goddes seruice In the yeare of oure Lorde .1195 Lib. Germ. Chron. Angl. Rules concerning all orders of Friers POpe Eusebius ordayned that a yong mā or a young womā although being assured together in the waye of mariage may notwithstanding their promises made departe one from an other and become Cloysterers In the yeare c. 309. Quest. 27. Cap. 2. Desponsatam Phil. Bergom Pope Gregory the ninth reygnyng a certayne blacke Fryer called Iordanes cōmaunded that silence should be kept of all his brethrē at the table This custome was shortly after receaued and practised of all other cloysterers generally In the yeare c. 1221. Vola Sabell Carranza c. Pope Gregory the tenthe approued some states of the orders of beggyng Fryers as the blacke and Grayfriers and some he suffered as the white and Austen Fryers and some he vtterly reproued as Sacke Fryers which were called Fratres de panitentia and Fratres de valla viridi and such like In the yere of our Lord .1271 Ranulphus Cestrensis Pope Sixtus the fourthe when the foure orders of beggyng Fryers did cōtende and stryue among themselues which of their order were moste holy most acceptable to god and of greatest perfection to auoyde the contention debate of these bragging boasting braulyng begging Fryers affyrmed all their orders to be of lyke holinesse perfection graunted to them al like priuileges graces and liberties In the yeare of oure Lorde .1471 Ioannes Laziardus Chron. Pope Alexander the fourth defended and approued y e vnshamefaced begging of the rauenyng fryers and whereas afore they dwelt in solitarye places he gaue them licence to dwell where they woulde euen in the middes of cities townes and there to preache to heare cōfessions to enioyne penaūce to geue absolutiō to serue cures c garnishing and confyrming their orders with many immunities priuileges libertyes exemptions indulgences pardons c. In the yeare of oure Lorde .1254 Ioannes Stella Of Nunnes and of the diuersitye of that secte POpe Iohn the fyrst being Byshop of Rome Monke Benet after that he had placed hymselfe and hys monkyshe brethren in a certayne noble and famous cloyster built vpon the Mount Cassinus raysed vp also an order of Nunnes and made hys Sister Scholastica Abbesse ouer thē The apparell of these Nunnes is a blacke cote cloke coule and vayle And least the scripture should disceaue her and hers it was commaūded that none of that order should rede the holy scripture without consent or permission of their superiour In the yeare c. Chron. Lib. Germ. Of the Nunnes of S. Clares order POpe Innocent the thyrd bearing rule a certain maide called Clara a countreywoman and Disciple of Fraunces the Fryer assembled and gathered together a congregation of poore women and gaue them an order of lyfe like vnto the rule that Fryer Fraunces gaue hys couent Theyr garment is graye Their order admitteth none but woman kynde excepte it bee for to saye Masse Thys order of Clara both Pope Honorius the thyrde and Pope Gregorye the nynth endowed with many gyftes and priuileges In the yeare of our Lord .1225 Lib. Germ. Volat. Polidorus Ioannes Laziardus in hys Chronicle writeth that pope Innnocent the fourth made the rule whiche the Nunnes of Saint Clares order vse at thys presente Of the Nunnes of S. Brigittes or Brides order POpe Vrban the fyrst beyng Byshop of Rome a certayne wydowe called Brigitta Princesse of Suetia began the order of Nunnes called Brigittians But it is to be vnderstand that thys order of Brigit receaueth as wel men as women although they dwel seuerally by themselues the men deuided from the women and the women from the men For thys holy woman Brigitte ordayned that both men and women beeing of thys order myghte well dwell together and haue their habitation both vnder one roofe but yet men and women seperated eche from other so y t the one might not come to the other except only whē nede required to minister the Sacramentes The Church shoulde be common to both Neuerthelesse y e Nunnes shoulde be closed aboue in a closet and the men beneath wayting vpō the diuine seruice and that these should tend the altare and thei the quere The Abbesse shoulde haue the primacye and the brethren to bee vnder her so that she shoulde prouyde both for man and woman meate drinke and clothyng Among the brethren shuld one be called Prior Warden or Confessour and be aboue the other The women shuld be consecrated and brought in by the Byshop Their clothing is a gray cote with a gray cloke theron a red crosse in a white circle They may weare no linnen after the
of Aungels Martyrs virgins saints yea and of Christ and burnt them in the opeÌ„ market made a law that whosoeuer resisted his procedinges in this behalfe he should suffer death In the yeare of our Lord. 784 Blondus Eutropius Platin. Matth. Palmeâ—us c. Constantine the Emperour kept a couÌ„cell at Constantinople in the which were present a greate number of godly Bishops and other learned men where it was lykewyse decreed that Images should be cast out of Churches and by no meanes be suffred in such places as christen men resorte vnto for to praye vnto their Lorde God In the yere c. 739 Sigesb P. Aemilus Pantal. The noble and Godly Emperours Valens and Theodosius made a law that no man shoulde make or cause to bee made any Image of oure Sauioure Christ neyther by paynting nor by grauyng nor yet by any other waye but that wheresoeuer any such Image shoulde bee found it shoulde vtterlye bee taken awaye and destroyed And whosoeuer woulde attempte to doe contrarye to thys theyr acte they appoynted certayne greuous punyshementes to be executed vpon the transgressoures and breakers thereof as a lawe grounded both vpon the worde of God and vppon the decrees and constitutions of the most worthy aunciente Emperours and reuerende byshops Petrus Crinitus Lib. 9. de honestae disciplina Sabanus King of y e Bulgarians made also the lyke lawe in hys Realme for y e abolyshmente of Images oute of the Churches In the yeare of our Lorde 765. Sabell Mass. Pantal. Philip y e Emperour likewise made a straight lawe for the abolishyng of Images In the yeare of our Lorde 730. Sabel Paulus Diaconus The noble Emperoure Adrian commaunded y t there shuld be no Images set vp in temples or Churches Ioan. Laziardus Calcobertus King of England destroyed in hys Realme when he receaued the faith of Christ all the Idolls poppettes Maumettes and Images that he founde or coulde come by In the yeare of oure Lord. 640. Ioan. Laziard â–ª Vincentius Pope Gregory the fyrst after that he was appoynted Byshop of Rome coÌ„maunded that all the Idolles and Images of the Heathen should vtterlye be defaced theyr heades cutte of and theyr other members in all poyntes mangled and disgraced and so in fine destroyed that no occasion of Idolatry mighte afterwarde be geuen In the yeare of our Lorde 590. Ioan. Laziard Chronica Pope Constantine the second whom the seditious tirannicall and superstitious papistes did afterward violently depose cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a vyle and stincking prison and most vnmercifully put oute hys eyes commaunded that no Christian shuld worship any Image eyther of God or of any Saint or inuocate or call vpon the Uirgine Marye or any other saint in heauen with their prayers but worship God in spirite and truth and call vpoÌ„ his glorious name thorow Iesus Christ our alone Mediatour Aduocate and Intercessoure In the yere c. 769. Ioan. Laziard The Councel Agathense made a decree that there shoulde be no pictures in Churches and that no thyng should be painted on the walles of Churches that is honoured and worshipped In the yeare of oure Lorde 440. Libro Concil Durand The Councell Toletane the twelfth holden in Spayne made constitutions both agaynst Images and agaynst the worshippers of images In the yere c. 712. Chron. Concil The Councell Elibertine likewise holden in Spayne decreed that all pictures should be had out of churches and that nothyng that is honoured or worshipped shoulde be paynted on the church walles In the yeare c. 345. Isidorus Tom. 1. Concil The holy Byshop Epiphanius commyng into a churche to praye sawe a vayle there haÌ„ging wherin was paynted y e image of Christ or of some saint So sone as he saw it he cutte y e Image away and sayd that it is contrarye to the authoritye of the holy scriptures to haue the Image of any man in the Churche of Christ. In the yere of oure Lord. 565. S. Hieronymus Chron. Thys Epystle which the aforesaid holy and godly learned Byshop Epiphanius wrote of thys matter vnto Iohn Byshop of Ierusalem in the Greke toung and Sainte Hierome translated into Latyn and the words are these in Englishe WHen we went forth together vnto the holye place whiche is called Bethel y t we shuld make there a collectioÌ„ for the poore accordyng to the custome of Christs Church came vnto a village which is called Anablatha and as I passed by sawe there a candle burning I demaunded what place it was And when I had learned that it was a Churche I entred into it for to praye where I found a vayle hanging on the dore of the same church dyed paynted and hauing an Image as it were of Christ or of some saint For I do not well remember whose Image it was Therefore when I sawe thys in the church of Christ contrary to the authority of the scriptures that the Image of a man did hang there I cutte it away and gaue rather couÌ„cell to the kepers of y e same place that thei shuld lappe and burye some poore dead man in it But they murmured at the matter and said If he wuld cutte it it wer conuenient that he shoulde geue an other vayle in the steade of the other Which thing wheÌ„ I heard I promised y t I would geue theÌ„ one send it vnto them out of hand But while I sought to send a good vaile for y e other I haue made some delay in the matter For I thought I shuld haue had one sent vnto me froÌ„ Cyprus But now haue I sent such as I could gette and I pray thee y t thou wilt commaunde the priests of the same place to receaue the vayle of the bringer y t we haue sente to geue commaundement y t froÌ„ henceforth no such vayles be hanged vp in y e church of Christ as be contrary to our religion Here thys most Godly byshop with manyfest playne and euident wordes pronounceth and declareth that it is agaynst the holy scripture our religioÌ„ that the Image of Christ shuld be had in the temples of the Christians so far is it of that the Images of any saints ought to be placed in theÌ„ Hereof maye we easely gather that S Hierome also and all the other godly Byshoppes whiche were both before and in hys tyme dyd agree in thys poynte with Epiphanius that the Images of Christe and of the Saintes are by no meanes to bee suffered in the Churches of the Christians For in the tyme of Saint Hierome and certayn yeres after him we do not reade that any Byshop beeing of a sounde and perfect iudgement coulde euer abyde that images should be placed in the temples of such as professe Christ. The Godlye learned Byshop S. Athanasius proueth euidentlye agaynste all Imagemongers that men maye learne to knowe God better by liuyng creatures whether they be
from y e beginnyng vnto thys daye would y e churche of the Grekes neuer receaue it but alwayes haue abhorred it as a newe straunge yea a deuelysh and damnable tradition of Antichrist as they in lyke manner woulde neuer admit that wicked exeâ—rable traditioÌ„ of receauing the sacrament of Christes bodye and bloude vnder one kynde contrary to the institution of Christ nor the damnable and deuelyshe decree of the syngle lyfe of priestes althoughe that Romyshe Antichrist with the Satanicall Sectaryes haue soughte all meanes possible to bring it to passe Pope Honorius the thyrd dyd not only commaunde y t the sacrament of the altare as the papistes terme it should be worshipped and kneled vnto of the people but also that it should be borne vnto the sycke after a most comely sort with al reuerence and honour yea and that with candlelight also thoughe it be at hye noone dayes In the yere c. 1214. D. 3 Tit. 1. Cap. 10. Lib. Concil Pant. Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that the sacrament of the altare should be kept in y e churches coÌ„tinually vnder locke and keye to the entent to be in a redinesse at al times least saith he thei that are sicke should want y e spirituall coÌ„fort in y e troublesome tyme of death In the yere c. Lib. Concil Chron. Pant. But in y e primatiue church there was no such reseruation and kepyng of the sacramental bread eyther for the sicke or for the hole as it is at this presente For in the Apostles tyme and manye yeares after if any bread remayned of the communion it was not reserued hanged vp in the Pixe to be worshipped as the vse is among the papistes brought in by the deuil and Antichrist but it was geuen to the poore people to eate And in the tyme of Hesichius of Origen as their commentaries vpon Leuiticus do testifye the bread that remayned after the coÌ„munion was brent to ashes And Clement Pope of Rome made a decree that if any of the sacramentall breade remayned after the Lordes Supper was once done the clarkes should not reserue it to be hanged vp and worshipped but consume and eate it The old custome was this sayth Euagrius in hys ecclesiasticall historie that when much of the holy partes of the vndefyled body of Christ our God did remayne that the young children whiche were wonte to goe to schole shoulde bee called to eate them And Saint Hierome witnesseth also in hys commentarye vppon Sainte Paules Epistle to the Corinthians that after the communion whatsoeuer they lefte sayth he of the sacrifices he meaneth the sacramentall breade and wine they consumed it there together in the Churche eatyng their common Supper Pope Iulius the fyrst appointed that the Sacramente of the altare shoulde not be ministred with milke In the yeare of oure Lorde .338 Guili Durand Notwithstanding we read that in the tyme of Pope Innocent the eyghte it was suffered that the priestes of Norduegia mighte syng Masse with water for lacke of wine In the yeare c. 1484 Math. Palmer Pantal. Pope Innocent the third bearing rule it was ordained in the councel Laterane y t when soeuer the Sacramente of the altare is caryed aboute there shoulde be borne before it a bel ringing with a light to cause the people to knele down and worship it In the yeare c. 1195. Iacobus de visaco In the councell Arelatense it was decreed y t if any priest were negligent in keping the bodye of Christ so y t eyther mouse or any other beaste did eate it y t priest for hys offence shuld do penance fortye dayes Dist. 3. De. consecrat In the couÌ„cell Remense it was enacted y t whereas afore the manner was for the priests oftentymes to deliuer y e sacrament of Christes body and bloud to Laymen and to Laywomen yea to childreÌ„ for to beare it vnto the sicke the priestes from thenceforth shoulde no more so do but beare it themselues vnto them saying that it is an horrible and detestable thing for such to carye the holy body of the Lord to y e sicke whiche are forbidden to come into the Chauncel or to approche nye vnto the altare De consec Dist. 2. In a certayne councel holden at Rotomage it was decreed y t the sacrament should be geuen from henceforth neyther to Laymen nor to Laywomen in their handes any more but y t the priest should put it in their mouthes contrary to the vse and practise of the primatiue church and many hundred yeares after Lib. Concil Pope Boniface the second made a decree that at the ministration of the Lordes Supper the people the Clergy should be present not to be gasers but partakers of those holy mysteries In the yeare c. 529. Ioan. Stella Pope Anacletus decreed y t a priest whensoeuer he doth coÌ„municate shall haue two at the least to be partakers with him and that such as be present and will not communicate shal as vngodly persons be excommunicate and put out of the coÌ„gregatioÌ„ In the yeare c. 101. Grat. Plat. Phil. Bergom In the câ—uÌ„sell Antiochen it was like wise agreed that suche as were in the Churche and present at the common prayers heard the preaching of gods worde and yet refused to receaue the Lordes Sacrament they should be taken for none of the number of the true Christians Lib. Concil Pope Zepherinus appoynted that all that professe christ or beare the names of ChristiaÌ„s being of the age of twelue or thirtene yeres or vpwarde should at the least once in the yere as at Easter receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe In the yeare c. 208. Plat. Sabell Volat. Laziard c. Pope Fabiane commauÌ„ded that euery Christian should receaue the Sacrament of Christes body and bloud thrice in the yeare that is to say at Easter at Witsontide and at Christmasse In the yere of our lord .242 Eusebius Plat. Sabell Volat. Ioan. Stella Pantaleon In the Councell Agathense it was decreed that those seculare men which did not receaue the Communion at Christmasse Easter and Witsontide shoulde not be taken for true Catholikes Lib. Concil There is a decree as Guilihelmus Durandus writeth that suche as ought to receaue the Sacrament at Easter muste abstayne ab amplexibus that is to saye from gyuing their wiues the due beneuolence as Sainct Paule calleth it three dayes afore and three or fiue or vii dayes after as though the acte of Matrimonye were vncleane when notwithstandyng the holy Apostle calleth Wedlocke honorable and the bedde vndefiled Rationale di off Of receauing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes Institution POpe Gelasius ordayned that all Christians be they spirituall or temporall as they terme them shoulde receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both kinds according to Christes
Requiem to be done for the dead He also commaunded that the priestes at theyr Masses shuld daylye praye for the dead in theyr seconde Memento In the yere c. 52. Grat. Plat. Pol. Pope Gregory the thyrde commaunded that oblations sacrifices shoulde be offered of the Priestes at their Masses for y e dead In the yere of our Lord. 740. Nauclerus D. Barns Pope Leo appointed the Masse to be a sacrifice for the dead In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Vol. Ansel. Ryd Pope Benet the thyrd ordayned that the Clergy should be present at the burial of the Byshops and sing Dirige for their soules and that the Bishops likewise should be present at the buriall of the Clergy syng Dirige also for their soules In the yeare c. 861. Chron. Plat. Pope Iohn the .xviii. at the instante desyre of Oclilo the Monke appoynted one seuerall day in the yeare to praye for all Christen soules departed which we cōmonly call the feast of all soules In the yeare c. 999. Chron. Pope Gregory the fyrst by prayer obtayned of God as they write that the soule of Traianus the Emperour which many yeares before had bene most miserably tormented in the most bytter paynes of hell fyre where they saye is no redemption was deliuered oute of hell brought vnto the glorious kingdome of heauen In the yeare of oure Lord. 590. Polichronicon Of diuine seruice as they cal it Mattens Prime and Houres Euensong c. POpe Sabiniane decreed first that y e people should be assembled together to heare their diuine seruice at certayne houres of the day by ringyng of belles In the yeare of our Lord. 603. Volat. Fasci Temp. Chron. Plat. Polid D. Barns Pope Damasus at the instance of the Emperour Theodosius commaunded ▪ S. Hierome to take an order for the seruice to be vsed in Churches and to appoint what prayers should be sayd on euery day that there might be an vniformitie in the seruice Whiche thing S. Hierome did with all diligence in somuche that he appoynted what prayers and howe many Psalmes should be sayde euery daye in the weke When he had finished the seruice he sent it vnto Damasus whiche did right well allowe it and commaunded that all Churches should vse that order and none other For before that tyme euerye Churche had suche prayers appoynted as were thought by the Elders thereof moste mete for the congregation and serued best for the present time In the yeare c. 371. Guil. Durandus Chron. Pope Gregorye the firste brought in Deus in adiutorium c. and ordayned it to be sayd euerye houre at seruice In the yeare of oure Lorde 590. Plat. Iac. Phil. Bergom Poly. Pope Damasus thorowe the councell of S Hierome appoynted that Gloria patri whiche as they write was made at the councell of Nice should be sayd at the ende of euerye Psalme In the yeare of our Lord. 371. Volat. Sigeb Polidor Pantal. Pope Gregory the seuenth ordayned that from Easter day vnto the Saterdaye before the feaste of the Trinitie there shuld be sayd at Mattens but .iii. Psalmes and .iii. lessons onely at all other times .ix. lessons c. In the yere c. 1073. Some wryte the contrary and ascribe thys inuention to Alcuinus whiche was scholemaster to Charles the great Guil. Durand Chron. The Legendes or liues of Saints that be redde in the quiere at seruice time were made by Paulus Longobardus at the desyre of Charles the great And he appoynted conuient lessons for euerye feaste of the Sainctes thoroughout the yeare Bergom Isuardus the Frenche Monke at the the desire of Charles the greate made the booke whiche is called the Martiloge Iac. Phil. Pope Gregorye the fyrste and Pope Gelasius brought in the Respondes and Collectes that be sayde at Mattens Guil. Durandus Pope Damasus added the Himmes wherof he himselfe made part and the residue wer made by saint Hilary saint Ambrose and other Guil. Durandus Pope Gregorye the firste deuised the Anthemes and made the tune or songe vnto them Guil. Durand Ioan. Laziard Notwithstandyng some write that in y ◠tyme of Pope Euaristus Anthemes were brought into the Church by Ignatius Saint Iohn the Euangelistes disciple yea that by this occasion Ignatius at a tyme standing vpon a certaine mountain heard the Aungels in Heauen singing Anthemes He beyng moued by their example ordayned in lyke maner that Anthemes should be songe in the churches and Psalmes likewise after the Anthemes In the yeare c. 109 ▪ Phil. Bergom Tripart Hist. Pope Damasus ordayned that the quier being deuided in two parts they should singe one verse of the Psalmes on the one side an other on the other side Sigeb Durand Polid. Pantal. Pope Alexander the second cōmaunded that Alleluia should not be said nor song in the churches from Septuagesima vnto Easter euen ▪ but in the steade of that Laus tibi domine In the yeare c. 1063. Nauclerus D. Barns The same commaundement gaue Pope Telesphorus also as Durand writteth Rat. di off Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned that whensoeuer the Mary or the holy Ghost or saint Crosse is serued on the working daies Te deum shal not be said at Mattens nor Gloria in excelsis the Crede at Masse In the yeare of oure Lord. 1195. Guil. Durand Pope pontianus made a decree that the Psalmes should be songe throughout all Churches both day and nyght In the yeare c. 230. Fas. Temp. Chron. Pope Pelagius the first commaunded first of al that Priestes should say dayly Mattens of the day In the yeare c 552. Grat. plat polid Chron. Pope Vrban the secōd ordayned likewise that priestes should say euery day our Ladies mattēs openly in y e church and that vpon the Saterday the whole seruice shoulde be of our Lady In the yeare c. 1086. Sabel Ioan. Stella Nauclerus pol. Durand polichron Pope Leo the first commaūded that in Septuagesima and Quadragesima and Aduent and Lent Alleluya should not be song nor Gloria in excelsis In the yere c. 444. Durandus Ioan. Stella Iac. phil Bergom Sainct Ambrose and S. Austen made Te deum as they waite Catalog Sant Specul Eccles. Iac. phil Bergom Pope Leo the nynth made certayne songes of the Sainctes In the yeare c. 1040. Sigebertus Chron. Paulus Longobardus made this hymne vt queant laxis with diuerse other moe at the desire of charles y e great Bergom Pope Zepherinus made the Legend on Childermasse day whiche begynneth Zelus quo tendat c. and also the Legend of the decollation of Saint Iohn Baptiste phil Bergom Pope Gregory the nynthe ordayned Salue regina to be songe in Churches with all deuotion and with all solemnitie In the yeare of oure Lorde 1225. Blondus Crantz The maker of this Antheme was one
a sainte In the yeare c. 1336. Volat Christ. Massae Pope Sixtus the fourthe made Bonauenture the Grayfryer a saint In the yeare c. 1471. Chron. Chronica Pope Alexander the thyrd made Barnarde the Monke a saint In the yeare c. 1161. Iacobus Meyer Pope Innocent the eyght made Heliopolde sometyme Duke of Austria a Saint In the yeare c. 1484. Chroni Ioannes Stella Pope Innocent the thyrd made Hughe of Lincolne a saint In the yeare c. 1195 Fasciculus Temporum Pope Clement the fourth made Hedwigis sometime Duchesse of Polonia a saint In the yeare c. 1165. Ioannes Laziardus Fasciculus Temporum Ioannes Stella Pope Boniface the nynth made Brigite the Nunne a saint In the yere c. 1379 Ioan. Laziardus Chron. Pope Leo the nynth made Vuolfgange Byshop of Ratisbone a sainte In the yeare c. 1049. Chron. Pope Gregory the seuenth made Iohn Gaulbert the Monk a saint In the yere 1073. Chron. Pope Innocent the second made Hughe the Charterhouse Monke a sainte In the yeare c 113 â–ª Chron. Pope Boniface the eyght made Lewes Kyng of Fraunce a saint In the yere 1290. Ioan. Laziard Chron. Pope Innocent the fourth made Edmunde Archebishop of Cantorburye a saint and Peter de verona the Blackfryer he canonised also for a saint willed hym to be taken for a confessour saint In the yere c. 1242. Sabell Ioan. Stella Ioan. LaZiard Chron. Pope Eugenius the fourth made Nicolas de Toleto an Austen frier a sainte In the yeare c. 1430. Ioan. Stella Chron. Pope Clement the fyfte made Pope Celestine a saint vnder the name of Peter In the yeare c. 1304. Ioan. Laziard Pope Paschalis made Charles y e great a Sainte In the yeare c. 1164. Christi Massaeus Pope Leo the tenthe made Fraunces the Heremite a saint In the yere 1507 â–ª Christ. Massae Pope Alexander the thyrde which I had almost forgotteÌ„ made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Cantorbury a saint In the yeare c. 1161. Plat. D. Barns Pope Alexander sayth the Englishe Festiuall sent letters into England to the Archbishop Stephen and to other Abbottes and Prelates commaunding them to take vp Thomas Beckettes bones and to lay them in a shryne and to set it where it might be worshipped of all Christen people Then the Byshop ordayned a day when y t should be done So ouer euen while they might haue space he toke with hym the Byshop of Salisburye and other monkes and Clerkes many and wente to the place where Thomas had layen fyftye yeres Then they kneled al on y e earth praying to Thomas deuoutly of help Then foure tooke vp the tombe with great dreade and quakyng and there they founde a little writing whiche was thys Here lyeth and resteth Thomas Archebyshop of Cantorburye Primate of Englande and the Popes Legate slayne for the ryghte of holye Churche the fyfte daye of Christmasse Then for greate deuotion that they had of the syghte all cryed Sainte Thomas Saint Thomas And then they toke the head to the Archebyshop to kysse and so they kyssed it al. And then they beheld his woundes and sayd They were vngratious that wounded thee thus And so layde hym in a shryne and couered it with clothe of golde and set torches aboute it brennyng and the people to watche it all nyght Then on the morowe came all the states of thys lande and bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe with all reuerence and worship that they coulde The author of the festiuall sayeth y t thys Thomas did weare harde hayre next his bodye and a breche of y e same the whiche was so full of vermyn y t it was an horrible syght to see And yet he chaunged but once in fortye dayes The same author also writeth that the aforesayde Thomas Beckette made hys Confessoure euerye Wednisdaye and Fryday to beate him with a rodde vpon his bare body as a childe is beaten in the Schole that is to say on the arsse that he myghte suffer worthye penaunce Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Chronicle writeth that when Thomas Becket was translated Stephen Archbishop of Cantorburye duryng the said solemnitie founde haye and prouender to all men that would aske it in the way betwene London and Cantorbury Also in the day of the Translation he made wyne to runne in pypes continuallye in diuerse places of the Citye and so y e coste that Stephen made in thys solemnitie his fourth successour Bonifacius hardly payed it In Polichron Lib. 7. Cap. 34. Pope Alexander the thyrde ordained y t none shoulde be taken for a saint except he wer fyrst canonised and admitted to be a saint by y e byshop of Romes bull In the yeare 1161. Dec. 3. Tit. 46. Ca Reliquijs Polydor. Pantaleon From the tyme that the Popes began fyrst to canonyse to make saints vnto the reygne of Pope Iohn the .xxii. there are founde to be canonysed fyue thousande fyue hundred fyftye and fyue Saintes y t the Popes haue made as writteth the author of the Chronicle entitled Fasciculus Temporum Isuardus the French Monke diligently searching out the number of saintes found that euery day in the yeare there are moe than CCC Saintes to be serued suche a multitude of newe saintes haue the Popes of Rome brought into the Churche of their owne authoritye whom they haue sainted partly for fauour partly for mony partly of a blind zeale and partly for the satisfying of other mens corrupte affections And these must we take for saints worship pray vnto call vpon make our Intercessours Mediatours and Aduocates and yet know we not for all the popes canonisation whether they be saintes in heauen or deuils in hell It is much to be feared least this common saying be founde true in a greate number of our Popishe saintes The bodies of many are worshipped on earth whose soules are tormented in hell fier Of the Reliques of Saintes POpe Paschalis the firste deuised first of al the glorious setting out to sale of saints Reliques In the yeare c. 820. Fasciâ— Temp. Chron. Germ. Pope Clement the first commaunded that the Reliques of Saints should be reuerently kepte and had in greate honour In y e yeare c. 1300. Clement Lib. 3. Tit. 16. Capi. 1. Volat. Pantal. Pope Gregory y e fourth made a decree y e masse should be sayd ouer the bodyes of the Martyrs In y e yeare c. 831. Pol. Pope Boniface the fifth decreed that such as were but Benet Colet should not touch the Reliques of Saints but they onelye whiche are Subdeacons Deacons and Priestes In the yeare of our Lord. 617. Onuphrius Panuimus â—ac Phil. Bergom Pope Sergius y e first deuised the gorgious shrines of saintes to kepe Reliques in In the yeare c. 684.