in the English Seminary And how then can it be all at Rome And in the Reliquary of St. Ignatius-Colledg I have seen half a yard of Linnen which the Jesuits have and call it a piece of that Napkin that was laid upon Christs face and surely we may believe them Item That part of our Lord Jesus which was cut away when he was circumcised Skin That a little bit of skin cut off a Babes Yard when Eight days old should last and look like such 1500 or 1600 years none but the Father of lyes and his Children can be the countenancers of it And it is very unlikely it should be at Rome when as the Monks of the Order of St. Jerome near Vallidolyd in Spain pretend to have it also Item That Water and Blood which flowed out of Christs side when he hanged on the Cross Note that one drop of this was never saved A Tun would not hould all if this blood and water were in one place it is of such an encreasing quality And how can it be shewn 1600 year after If it were Who saved it and who required it to be kept and to whom was the keeping of it committed and why do the Fathers of the English Colledge at Vallidolyd challenge a Glass full of it containing at least half a Pint Item A large piece of Christs Cross with many other Reliques which are there shewed on Easter-day after Dinner That we are delivered from such intollerable cheats is a great mercy but to think the people well in their wits that believe such Lyes were to create another wonder But to conclude the pretenders to these things are doubtless the greatest deceivers in the world which will appear if we consider the circumstance of time And certainly we may expect to find the whole Cross in time if the Papists will but stand to their tackling in this case as they would seem to do in other cases that refer to Reliques Of the second Principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE second Principal Church is at St. Peters in the Golden-Hill in which Church also are many Reliques When the Pope his Whores and Bastards otherwise wrapping it in clean linnen his Nephews and Neeces are there then I say there may be a jolly company of Reliques 1. Half the bodies of Peter and Paul The half part of the bodies of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul rest in the aforesaid Church under the high Altar And the other half lyeth at St. Pauls How incredible this is If the Publishers memory fails him not he see an Arm and a Leg of St. Paul in Valladolid that bodies thus divided should be shown 1600 years after makes me remember St. Pauls words 2 Thes 2.7 8 9 10 11 12 which I pray read But what have we to do with what St. Paul saith since St. Peters successor saith it Therefore let us not question it for the Pope is an excellent divider Also in the aforesaid Church rest the bodies of the Holy Apostles Simon and Jude Symon and Jude's bodies And Parnel and also the body of St. Parnel the Virgin who was the Daughter of St. Peter the Apostle Item The Head of St. Andrew the Apostle which is shewed in his Feast and on that day when it was brought and conveyed unto Rome This Head is shewn also in no less than Nine or Ten places in Spain and Flanders A wonderful multiplication and great sums of Money are received by the Clergy both Regular and Secular for the sight thereof Item Luke The Head of St. Luke the Evangelist The Head of St. Sebastian the Martyr James's Head the Head of St. James the bodies of the Saints Processus and Martinianus and many other bodies with divers Reliques of holy Martyrs Confessors and Virgins How James's Head who was 1600 years before slain by Herod at Jerusalem and the bodies of men slain so many thousands of Miles off should after so many hundreds of years be lodged in the City of Rome is credible by none but them that are as St. Paul saith given up to believe Lyes Item Vernicle or Face-cloath this is judged by the sober Papists themselves to be a cheat as the Author of Onus Ecclesiae saith The Vernicle or the holy Face-cloath of our Lord Jesus Christ remaineth in the aforesaid Church and is many times shewed in the Holy-week and on Ascension-day and the next Sunday both before and after the Feast of St. Anthony the Abbot At the shewing whereof the Romans that come unto it have 3000 years of pardon And they that dwell about Rome and come unto it have 6000 years of pardon But they that come unto it through Mountains Vallies and Hills they have 12000 years of Pardon and as many Lents and remission of the third part of all their sins This of Pardon of sins by going to see such sights is a damnable Lye and doth shamefully derogate from the merits of Christ and the promoters must be stark mad and in a far greater guilt than the fallen Angels For certainly it must be by faith in his blood and not by the sight of the Face-cloth that men must get pardon of sin but seeing the Pope hath said to the contrary let Papists believe the Pope and not Christ but I must believe Christ and not the Pope Item In the aforesaid Church is the chair in which St. Peter did sit when he was Bishop at Antioch and gallantly decked and trimmed Chair This chair at every Feast that is called Cathedra Sancti Petri is set before the Quire-door with great solemnity where all the people according to their devotion may come and touch it In stead of worshipping God and honouring him they worship and honour Reliques and instead of trusting in God through Christ they trust in old rotten rags and worm-eaten chairs But stay it is like it was an Iron chair Also in the same Church there is a pillar 12. Pillars upon the which our Lord Jesus was wont to lean both when he preached to the people and when he prayed unto his heavenly Father in the Temple of Solomon This pillar is of so great vertue and power that it driveth out Devils and maketh them whole that were before vexed with unclean spirits and it worketh daily many miracles This pillar with eleven more were brought from Jerusalem out of Solomons Temple for the garnishing and setting out of this aforesaid Church When Titus Vespasian burnt the Temple it 's unlikely these twelve pillars escaped and as unlikely that Devils should be driven out by them You may see that Church is not the pillar of Truth that upholds such lyes and such horrid Fanaticisms and Impostors Popes Priests and Papists I am amaz'd at one thing That the Pope had not the manners to Canonize Titus that great Hero for a Saint seeing he procured for holy Church such Devil-expelling Reliques for sure it is that no Saint of
the Pope's Canonizing ever deserved more from the Pope than this brave Prince did Of the third principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE third principal Church is at St. Pauls in the which are these Reliques 1. The Arm of St. Ann our Lady's Mother Arm of St. Ann. 2. One of the chains wherewith St. Paul was bound and many other more without number That our Lady's Mothers name was St. Ann is unknown but this I know that all these are inventions of them who are his followers that is the Father of Lyes for the good Saint is returned to her dust long before this Lye was invented But be it so if they have St. Pauls chain I pray the next time they open shop let us see the virtue of the holy Relique Item Half the bodies of Peter and Paul The Popish party are wonderful exact in dividing Saints bodies Under the high Altar is the other half of the bodies of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul Also the body of St. Timothy who was St. Paul's Disciple And infinite number of the Reliques of Saints whose souls are merry and joyful in Heaven But the wonder is where they found the body of St. Timothy But what need that since they have the happy opportunity of having so many bodies at one time of him in several places and certain it is that they may turn any body into the body of St. Timothy when they can turn a piece of bread into the body of God In this Church also is a devout Image of the Cross That the Cross spake which spake to Saint Briget because she prayed so many times and so devoutly before it That a Wooden Cross should speak none but a brazen-fac'd Popish Priest dare affirm I am certain that the best of St. Brigets revelations are very suspicious and never yet is there the least mention of this story I confess in her Lise the Papists take notice of such a passage but never any Church receiv'd it but the Whore of Rome Of the fourth principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE fourth principal Church is at St. Maries the greater in which are these Reliques following 1. Body of St. Mathew and others The body of St. Mathew the Apostle lyeth under the high Altar Also the head of the said St. Mathew resteth in the said Church Item The Body of St. Jerome who is one of the Doctors of holy Church Item The Bodies of St. Ramula and St. Redempta Here is a crowd of Saints pretended by such a crew of Impostors as are not found amongst the heathen In the same Church is 2. A little clout in which Mary the Virgin wrapped her Son Christ when he lay in the Manger at Bethlem being newly born O horrid and great lye that a little clout should last such a great while as 1600 years and be brought from Bethlem to Rome which is I believe nigh 2000 miles 3. St. Jerome's Stole St. Jerom's stole The arm of St. Mathew the Apostle and Evangelist The arm of St. Luke the Evangelist The arm of Thomas Becket Archbishop of Canterbury The hand and arm of St. Vibian Virgin and Martyr Certainly these Saints had wonderful effects shewn upon their bodies after they were dead for eight of St. Mathews arms are to be seen in Flanders Spain and France I have seen three of St. Lukes but of Beckets there is no end 4. Manger The Popish Shavelings tell us the virtue of this Manger and how many of them ye have The Manger wherein Christ lay at Bethlem when the shepherds came unto him That a Wooden Manger should be brought from Bethlem to Rome which is nigh 2000 miles and last to be seen there 1600 years after Christs birth can be credited by none but them that love to make lyes whose doom you may read Rev. 21.27 cap. 21.15 Besides these there are many other Reliques both of he-he-Saints and she-she-Saints whose souls rejoyce in heaven and these Reliques are shewed to the people upon Easter-day about Even-song time That so holy a time should be prophaned by such shows sheweth the unholiness of Popish Priests Of the Fifth Principal Church and of the Reliques comained in the same THE Fifth Principal Church is at St. Laurences without the Walls The Stone on which Laurence laid in which besides other is this Relique viz. the Stone upon which blessed Laurence was laid after that he was roasted and dead I think it would almost make a Stone bleed to hear of the horrid forgery of the Church of Rome This Stone hath an excellent faculty at casting out Devils as Father Anderton wrote when he sent a piece of it to St. Omers in a Letter dated March 10 1678. And the Dog at St. Omers being not well this piecee of Stone was hanged about his neck in a Bag to cure him of madness what effects it wrought I cannot tell but this Stone and a good breakfast filled the Curs Belly Of the Sixth Principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE Sixth Principal Church is at St. Fabian and St. Sebastian in the which besides other innumerable are these Reliques that is to say the body of blessed Sebastian the Martyr The body of Fabian Pope and Martyr The body of blessed Stephen Pope and Martyr The body of St. Lucy the Virgin c. It 's a grievous thing that the bodies of the good Saints may not rest in their Graves but must be dragged out to be made a Market on by a company of covetous Paplings But it is Money that makes the Mare to go And if we consider the vast treasures that the Clergy of the Church of Rome have acquired we shall not need much to wonder But I hope that the Princes of Christendom will be wiser than to believe them for time to come Of the seventh principal Church and of the Reliques contained in the same THE seventh principal Church is of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem in which are these Reliques following 1. Two Cups of which one is full of the blood of Christ Blood of Christ Milk of Mary and the other is full of the Milk of the blessed Virgin Mary She gives a jolly deal of that we had a Glass full before and now we have got a Cup full But I pray how came they by a Cup full of Christs blood Sure the Jews saved it not and the Disciples were all fled Mat. 26.56 And that this Milk and Blood should not be dryed up all this time looks like one of their lying wonders 2. The Sponge which being full of Vinegar and Gall the Jews reached unto Christ hanging on the Cross a little before his death This is like the rest as if the Jews had reserved that Spunge it is a wonder they do not lye and say they have the Reed also 3. A good large piece of the Holy-Cross Some-time they have the whole Cross as in
Reliques of St. Michael the Archangel and likewise at St. Julians of Toures They do shew at great St. Michaels which is so well haunted of Pilgrims his Sword which is like a Childs Dagger and his Buckler likewise which is as it were the boss of a Horse-bit That Angels should have Swords and Shields is so vain Note that all the wit the Pope and Clergy of Rome have can never defend themselves from the imputation of being most horrid Impostors in asserting but that the Sword should be like a Childs Dagger and the Shield or Buckler like the boss of a horse-bit none but knaves will say and none but fools will believe it Although we 〈◊〉 before that the head of St. John Baptist is in divers places yet they 〈◊〉 Amiens boast to have the visage of St. John And in the Mask which they shew there is the sign of the cut of a knise overthwart the eye which they say Herodias gave him But they of St. John of Angel deny it and shew the like part As concerning the rest of the Head from the crown to the forehead it was at Rhodes and is now at Malta as it is thought at the least they have made men believe that the Turk did render it them The hinder part is at St. John of Nemoures The Brain is at Noyon Besides all this they of St. John of Morein do not want some certain part of the Head His Jawes are seen at Besanson at St. John the great There is another part at St. John of Latians at Paris and at St. Floura in Auvergne They keep his Hair at St. Saviours in Spain the Brow and some of the Hair There is also a little thereof at Noyon which is shewn very authentickly There is also some part I know not of what place at St. Lukes As for St. John Baptists Arm they of Sene boast to have it which is repugnant to all ancient Histories Now as touching that finger wherewith St. John did point and shew our Lord Jesus Christ saying Ecce Agnus ille Dei c. Behold that Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world it is found to be in many and divers places There is one at Besanson in the Church of St. John the great another at Lions another at Bruges another at Florence another at St. John of Adventures near to Mascone One of St. John's Shoos is at the Charter-house of Pa is His Jacket is at Rome in the Church of St. John of Lateran where also as they say is the Altar whereon he prayed in the desert As if in those days they used to make Altars for every purpose and in every place It is a marvel that they make not the people believe also that he sung Mass In Avignon is the Sword wherewith he was beheaded At Aix is the Linuen Cloth that was spread under him when he was beheaded At Poicters they have the Jaw-bone and beard of St. Peter At Trier there are divers bones both of St. Peter and St. Paul At Argenton in Bury one of St. Paul's Shoulders At St. Saviours in Spain one of St. Peter's Slippers They of Poicters also brag that they have St. Peter's Slippers but those are wonderful trim and brave made of Satin and broidered with Gold as though he had been like to our Popish Bishops when they are dressed and decked like Puppets in their Pontificalibus When it is well known that Peter lived a very poor man as it evidently appeareth by these words which he spake to a certain man that was lame from his mothers womb Silver and gold saith he have I none such as I have I give thee in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk And are not these the words of St. James Hath not God chosen the poor of this world Saith not St. Paul of himself and of his fellow Apostles in this wise Even unto this time we hunger and thirst and are naked and are buffeted with fists and have no certain dwelling place and labour working with our own hands This Paragraph shews that their Reliques are of their own invention by the gayness of them Note which agrees not at all with the poor estate of the holy men they talk of St. Peter's Pontifical Chair with his Cope wherein he said Mass as the Papists fain are at Rome and kept as precious Reliques About the Altar whereon he said Mass there is great contention they of Rome affirm that they have it and they of Pise likewise say they have it But how the lying Papists strive among themselves for â—â—ye who knoweth not seeing that neither that monster the Mass nor yeâ—â—â—…tars were received into the Church of Christ many years after the death of St. Peter By this they pretend to justifie their own foolish Gayeties Note and therein be-lye the Primitive modesty and plainness of the Christian Religion The Sword also wherewith St. Peter cut off Malchus his ear is reserved and reverenced of the Papists in divers and sundry places The having one Sword in so many places Note is a reasonable ground to conclude they have it no where Saint Peter's Crosier is shewed at St. Stephens of Grees at Paris But they of Collen plainly affirm that they have it So likewise say they of Trier But it is truly to be thought that none of them all have it for in St. Peter's time there were no such baubles as the Popish Bishops use now-a-days neither Miter nor Crosier Cope nor Vestment Altar nor Altar-cloth Saint Bartholomew's skin is at Pisa and there kept for an holy and precious Relique notwithstanding in the Kingdom of Naples they plainly affirm that they have the whole Body of St. Bartholomew with skin and all And in St. Bartholomew's Church at Rome they stoutly maintain that he is there both body and skin and in no other place Poor St. Bartholomew is at Pisa and at Rome too what place next an Arm with the Walloon Jesuits at St. Omers and five Ribs at Leige in Germany and a Leg at Burgos and an Head at Villa Garsia Saint Mathias hath one Body at Padua Note here is a blessed in crease of St. Mathias another at Rome in the Church of St. Mary the greater and a third Body at Trier Besides this he hath a Head and an Arm at Rome and another Body at Salamanca in Spain and another at the Cathedral at St. Omers and another where Mr. Pope pleaseth Nay he hath any thing but Truth and true Religion but these have left Rome long since At Ortone the Body of Saint Thomas the Apostle is kept and taken for an holy Relique notwithstanding they of Trier say they have certain of his Bones and at Rome they boast to have his Arm and Head The Chalice out of which St. John the Evangelist drank the Poyson being condemned by Domitian the Roman Emperour is found in two places and taken for a great Relique One is at Rome in
the Three principle Churches Piece of the Cross and then it could speak and now here is a piece of it Cannot that speak also 4. Two Thorns Two Thorns of Christs Crown Who saved these the Disciples How came it at Rome But it 's not a Thorn matter how they Romance But I should be glad to know when they will have an end of their Thorns for they have at least a Bushel of them as divers will justifie when it is necessary 5. One Nail A noble increase One of the Nails wherewith Christ was fastued to the Cross There was but Three have they got one And the Publisher hath seen four that are so called one at Burgos one at Vallidolyd two in Flanders 6. A piece of the Cross of that Thief which did hang on Christs right hand and turned unto Christ before his death Is a Thiefs Cross become a Sacred Rellique I fear they are Thieves themselves that made it so Yet why should we fear that of which the Princes and people of Europe have been so long convinced The Reliques that are in other Churches at Rome IN the Church of St. Chrysogone are these Reliques Arm of St. James Shoulderplate of St. Andrew An Arm of St. James The Shoulder plate of St. Andrew the Apostle And the Head of the aforesaid St. Chysogone Abundance of Saints without Heads I doubt the Priests cut them off to make merchandize More wonders yet St. James put to death in Palestine by Heroes Sword and yet his Arm at Rome In the Church of St. Cecily these Reliques are contained Maximianus The body of St. Cecily Item The bodies of Tyburtius of Valerianus of Lucius the Pope the first of that name of Maximianus which all lye buried under the high-Altar There are many other Reliques in the said Church In this Church we cannot find any Reliques worth the noting If the Reader doth not apprehend the meaning of this passage let him inform himself at the Rainbow Coffee-house in Fleetstreet and if the Reader will not believe them to be in this Church let him go to Rome to disprove the Pope But now I think on 't it is further thither than it is to St. Albans and therefore he had better believe it and stay at home In the Church of Bartholomew Body of Bartholomew there is the body of St. Bartholomew the Apostle in a certain Tabernacle which is set upon the high Altar There is also the body of St. Pauline of St. Albert of St. Marcell and of St. Superante Besides there are many other Reliques which with those aforesaid are shewed on St. Bartholomew-day and on Palm-Sunday In what proportions these bodies appear I know not but if in their full proportions they have very roomly Altars and that these bodies are not rotten ere now would be a wonder nay a great one But that the world hath been taught to believe A Power that our Lord Christ did not give to his Apostles Rib of St. Matthew Hand of St. Nicholas that Mr. Popes Holyness hath an infallible way of saving bodies from putrefaction and hath been so kind to the General of the Jesuits as that in the year 1668 to give this power to him and to the Generals of some other Orders In the Church of St. Nicholas there is a Rib of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist There is also an Hand of St. Nicholas and an arm of St. Alexius Truly it is to be believed What matter is it since we get money by it Our Ladies Milk I believe this poor Church was endowed when our Ladies Wardrobe was plundered but Clouts rather than nothing that Thieves and Robbers have had better quarter with Papists for if they do not be-lye themselves the bodies of the Saints have had little or no rest in their graves In the Church of St. George are these Reliques part of our Ladies milk certain pieces also of her Garments There is also the banner spear and head of St. George That there was such a St. George is as great a question as that of our Ladies Milk is a Lye but if they have any part of St. George how came it to pass they did not get part of his horse and of the Dragon he killed they would have made excellent Reliques In the Church of St. Anastasins is the pillar whereupon the blessed Apostle St. Paul was beheaded The Pillar on which St. Paul was beheaded But alas there is no Sword to be found that did it and this is most miserable ill fortune And of this Pillar there are so many pieces in the world insomuch that if there were a collection made of them they would make ten pillars But I pray have they not the arm of the man and the sword that cut off his head it would do well if they were produced In the Church of the blessed Virgin Mary is the Altar which is called Scala Coeli Upon this Altar all they that sing Mass or cause Masses to be sung for the souls that are in Purgatory through the Merits of the same blessed Virgin Scala Coeli the said souls are delivered out of hand from the bitter pains of Purgatory and brought unto the everlasting joys of Heaven Moreove whatsoever is devoutly asked in that place it is without all doubt granted In the same Church are hidden also the bones of ten thousand Martyrs all which are most precious Reliques It 's ten thousand to one if this be not all found false and that it may appear so do but call to mind what St. Peter said Acts 4.12 with 1 Tim. 2.5 which shows the Virgins Mediatorship and her Altars vertue to be a cheat to bring grist to the Pope's Mill. And it 's to be noted that he that invented Purgatory contrived the way out of it that he might bring money into his own pocket In the Church of St. Gregory there are besides divers other these two principal Reliques 1. The arm of St. Gregory the Pope 2. The thigh of St. Panthaleon Note how these Cannibals pull the Saints in pieces that they may not eat their bones but by showing their bones may eat up the people In the Church which is called Sancta Maria 〈◊〉 is the Image of our Lady Luke the Painter Good imployment for an Angel to turn Image carrier which St. Luke painted at Troas a City 〈…〉 This Image an Angel brought into the aforesaid Church The 〈…〉 this Image is so great that when all the Church was burnt yet this Image had no harm * A very considerable Miracle Pieces of Fragments I suppose they encrease as well as the rest but I pray tell me the virtues of these reliques Cursed be the Image and the Image-maker saith the Scripture and therefore if any Angel it must be one of the fallen Angels who also taught the priests to put such a Lye upon St. Luke Moreover in the aforenamed Church there are kept as
where it is now kept in the Monastry of the Austin-Friers as a most holy Relique and had in great reverence of the people Her Body with the Bodies of the other 11000 Virgins which suffered with her lye buried in Colon a City of Germany You may see every place will pretend some holy Relique to invite people to gaze Note The Body of St. Mark the Evangelist was brought by a certain Merchant from Alexandria unto Venice where it know kept and had in great reverence the Venetians taking St. Mark for their chief Patron When men turn Papists they go from God to creatures and instead of Gods protection put themselves under the Patronage of dead creatures Note instead of the living God Thomas Paleologus graciously escaping out of the hands of the Turkish Emperor brought with him out of Achaia the head of St. Andrew the Apostle unto Rome and with great humility gave it unto Pope Pius who garnishing it most sumptuously placed it with great honour and high reverence in the Church of St. Peter at Rome as we have heretofore heard How the Heads and Members of their Saints are halled about to make a show of Note The Black Friers gave to King Henery the third for a most precious Relique a white Marble-stone wherein was the print of a mans foot making the King believe that it was that stone whereupon Christ stood when he leaving this world ascended into the Kingdom of his Father and that it was the print length and breadth of Christs foot left here in the earth for a worthy remembrance of his wonderful ascension The Gray Friers gave to the aforesaid King the blood of Christ The White Monks presented unto him our Ladies Milk with most humble supplications unto his Grace that he would be good and gracious favourable and liberal to his poor Beads-men and daily Orators The great quantities of Christs Blood Note and our Ladies Milk show the cheat as well as the length of time that they pretend to have kept it But I confess they that can turn Wine into the Blood of Christ may find great store The Bones of Samuel the Prophet were translated from Rome unto Constantinople and there placed as Reliques of great virtue To confute this Lye Note take notice Samuel was turned to his dust hundreds of years before the Papists began to show these tricks and therefore this is feigned any man may see There hath been an old and long contention between the French men and Italians concerning the Bodies of St. Benet the Monk and of St. Scolastica his Sister The French men say plainly that without all fail they have those bodies and that they were translated from Mount Cassine unto the Monastry Floriacens and there they are kept and honoured as most precious Reliques The Italians stoutly deny this matter 〈◊〉 that their bodies remain still in Mount Cassine so that whosoever 〈◊〉 worship them they must come thither and there make their oblation When these Fops agree Note I shall begin to enquire into this matter but never shall believe it The Body of St. Dionise is so holy and precious that as it is reported Clodoveus King of France became mad and utterly out of his wits because he unreverently discovered the foresaid body broke off one of his arms and privily carried it away with him And sure no man that is in his wits will believe this story Note When the Body of Boniface Archbishop of Mentz was brought unto Fuldes Monastry to be buried all the Bells in the Countrey rung in most goodly and comely order yea and that without any help of mans hand only by the power of God to testifie what a noble and precious Relique was brought unto them O the blasphemy of these people Note that will intitle the Holy and Wise God to be a countenance of 〈◊〉 Follies and Fanaticisms At Aquisgranum there was so great a company of Reliques brought thither by Charles King of France that there was a very solemn Pilgrimage appointed unto them which endured the space of seven years Among all these Reliques the Crown of thorns was Here is the Crown of thorns again which was put on Christs head this they say had so great virtue in it that the King holding it in his hand it flourished and gave out leaves The aforesaid King brought it from Constantinople unto Paris and there placed it among the other Reliques I cannot but pity these people Note where the King joins with the Clergy to seduce or mislead them for woful expâ—â—â—â—â—ce shows that people for the most part will follow the Religion and Manners of their Kings All the Idolatry that the Jews were guilty of they were led into it by their Kings and Priests what they believe and do people think it is right Aaron King of the Persians sent to Charles King of France the bodies of St. Cyprian and Spiratus with the head of St. Panthaleon for most precious Reliques What the Pagan Prince sent Note might have been refused by the pretender to Christianity if he had not been as great a fool as the other It 's not the name but the power of Christianity or Spirit of it that makes men wise The head of St. Gregory the Pope and the arm of St. Leo were translated by Pope John unto the Church Sinonse and there placed as holy Reliques Reliques they might be but not holy if the Limbs of Popes Note The body of St. Martin was so holy a Relique that after it was translated as they write it cleansed the Leper of his Leprosie it healed a man diseased of the Palsie and restored a blind man to his sight and made all the Trees in the Countrey to bring forth such leaves as far passed the course of nature If it had ever such a power when did it leave or lose it Note it's a wonder it do not so still but it may be a Lye for all it flourished so with leaves The Popish Miracles are but tricks of art and tales to please fools St. Bruno Bishop of Colen brought with him from Rome St. Peters staff and placed it at the City of Colen in Germany as in holy and precious Relique If the Papists did own St. Peter's golden doctrine Note they would not much admire his wooden stick but any thing will serve wooden Christians Rainoldus Archbishop of Colen translated the bodies of the three Kings that came to worship Christ from Maediolanum unto Colen These bodies were before taken away by Helen Constantine's Mother out of India and brought unto Constantinople Afterward they were translated by Bishop Eustorgius from thence unto Mediolanum and so from that place unto Colen where they now remain as most worthy Reliques and work great Miracles as they say Is it not a shame that Christians should be so bewitched Note as to think that the dead bodies of three Pagan Kings which doubtless were hundreds
Reliques are pretended to be his to countenance the use of such Formalities Every Covent would do well to get this Whip and these Vestments and to bring Whipping in the more credit But this St. Thomas Becket's Whip and Vestments I know are excellent Reliques for they have cured Watton College of an extraordinary Distemper viz. Poverty for if Father Williams did speak the truth an old Lady gave the College 20000 l. Sterling or else for ought I know said the Father Williams we might have starved In the first standing Table made of Wood with two doors covered over with silver and gilt and adorned with divers precious Stones were these Reliques following contained A Tooth of St. Laurence the Martyr with divers of his bones Beckets lowzy Breeches were sweet Reliques A blessed Crop of Reliques Also a Rag of the hairy Breeches of Thomas Becket Certain bones of Saint Urban Pope and Martyr of St. Sebastian Martyr of St. Nicholas Bishop of St. Eugenius Pope Of S. Clement Pope and Martyr Of S. Felix Pope of St. George Martyr of St. Bennet and also of the Innocents whom Herod slew How they came a thousand years after by the bones of the Babes that Herod slew makes them that understand themselves wonder Note In the second Table was a bone of St. George a bone of St. Stephen the Pope a bone of St. Salvius and a bone of St. Mildrid What the Vertues of these bones are these Popish Doctors are able to give an account to the people but the most sober men of their party look on them as abominable Cheats In the third Table was a piece of Christ's Cross a piece of his Napkin More of the Cross and a piece of that Table whereon he made his Supper with his Twelve Apostles when he ordained the Sacrament of his Bodywand Blood Item A bone of St. Philip the Apostle a bone of S. James the Apostle and a bone of S. Thomas the Apostle Item A bone of S. Stephen the Martyr a bone of Mary Madalen the Hair of S. Cecily a bone of S. Margaret and the blood of Thomas Becket More blood of this †cket blood Saint still good God! when shall we have an end of it Certainly the blood of Traytors hath greater veneration amongst Papists than the blood of Jesus Christ In a long Crystal with a Foot of silver and gilt and a round Cover set with four precious Stones were these Reliques contained The Oyl of S. Katherine the Virgin part of the body of S. Osith Virgin Also a good lump of the stone whereon Christ stood when he ascended into the Kingdom of his Father These Papists are excellent Chymists they have extracted more Oyl out of poor S. Katherine who before she suffered was almost starved than out of any Saint I can read of I have seen at least a Quart my self in Spain and Flanders In the first Chest of Ivory were the Napkin of our Lady the Arm of S. Pauline the Bishop a bone of S. Ciriack and of S. Modevine the Virgin Certainly our Lady was an excellent House-wise and provided good store of Napkins or else how would this poor Whore of Rome have had Napkins enough called our Ladies Napkins to have bestowed on Churches In the second Chest of Ivory were part of Christs Sepulchre part of our Ladies Coffin with part of her Hair Also a bone of S. Stephen the first Martyr a bone of S. George the Dust of S. Ignatius Martyr A piece of the Cross that the good Thief called Dismas did hang on A Rib of blessed S. Edburg Virgin Also certain bones of S. Theodore the Martyr Item A bone of one of the Innocents with divers bones of S. VVilgan Confessor Here is a jolly Crop of Reliques Certainly if our learned Jesuites in England could but get a lusty Fardel of them they would store a bonny company of shops with them In the third Chest of Ivory were contained these Reliques following certain of the bones of S. Damian Martyr a bone of S. Nereus Martyr certain bones of S. Innocentius Martyr of S. Sebastian Martyr of S. Theodorus Martyr of S. Demetrius Martyr of S. Grisand and S. Dariss Item A bone of the head of blessed S. Amphibalus Martyr also certain Reliques of the man of God which were found with the body of S. Sebastian Martyr Again The bones of S. Pentaleon Martyr of S. Julian Bishop and Confessor A Tooth of S. Francis also part of his Hair Also the bones of S. Fortunate Bishop and Confessor A piece of the Sepulchre of S. Lazarus Item The bones of S. Aguss Virgin Also the Reliques of S. Christina Virgin Item The Spunge of S. Praxed Virgin which was dipped in the blood of many Martyrs Item A Penny that was bored through with the Spear of S. Cyriack Martyr Item A Penny that was bored through with the Spear of S. Maurice Martyr Moreover the bones of S. Eustathius Martyr of S. Vitale Martyr of S. Cyriack Martyr of S. Agapit Martyr of S. Roniface Martyr of S. Algar Martyr of S. Sylvester Pope and Confessor of S. John Chrysostom of S. Nicander of S. Secundius Virgin and finally a piece of the Sepulchre of S. Seba. Note How these people are fooled and cheated with a multitude of idle things under the notion of holy Reliques But that a Penny should be a Relique because it had a hole bored in with the spear of a pretended Saint is such a Foppery as none but men and women bewitched by their jugling lying Priests would set any value upon In the fourth Chest of Ivory were contained these Reliques following The Bones of the holy Martyrs which were put to Martyrdom with blessed St. Priscus Item certain bones of St. Ireneus Bishop of Lyons and Martyr and of his Fellows Also bones of St. Flavian Martyr of Potentian Martyr of St. Darius Martyr Item the Oyl of St. Mary of Gardmey which flowed out of the Breafts and Paps of the Image of the blessed Virgin Mary Item certain bones of St. Nictarius of St. Liberius of St. Serenus of St. Marian of St. Julit of St. Cyrick of the 11000. Virgins and part of the Head and Hair of St. Trocia Virgin As one may stand amazed at the great multitude of their Bones Note and Hair and Clouts that are mentioned in the eight last Paragraphs so may they wonder at the horrid lye in this last that when they have made the Image of a Woman of Clouts or Wood or Stone Oyl should flow out of it In the fifth Chest of Ivory these Reliques were contained A piece of the Table whereon Christ did eat his Supper with his Disciples when he ordained the Sacrament of his Body and Blood Et de quadragena Christi Some of the Flesh and Blood and many other Reliques of Tho. Becket Item a Tooth of worshipful Odo Abbot of Battell They take great care to set up Tom. of Becket Note who was a great
Cheater and horrible Traytor and yet one of the Popes Saints In the Sixth Chest of Ivory were these Reliques contained The Bones of St. Peter the Apostle of St. Paul the Apostle of St. Clement Pope and Martyr of St. Urbian Pope and Martyr of St. Facundine Martyr of St. Cyprian Martyr of St. Maurus Bishop and Confessor of St. Macharius Confessor of St. Justin Virgin and Martyr of St. Barnaby the Apostle of St. Chremes Martyr of St. Tiburtius Martyr of St. Cornelius Pope and Martyr of St. Adrian Martyr of St. Maurus Abbot and Confessor Also of the dry Blood and Vestures of St. Eufemia Virgin and Martyr We find the Bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul in the Churches in Rome Note and that their bones should be in this Chest looks like the rest of their Frauds and proveth them Forgers of Lyes in the sight of all rational men In a Cupboard of Ivory with a Crucifix upon it were these Reliques contained The bones of Cosino and Damiane the bones of St. Austin Bishop and Confessor and a great Doctor a bone of St. Leo Pope and Confessor the dust of St. Disciple the bones of St. Machutus Vulfrannus and Martinianus The bones of St. Anastatius Martyr of St. Agnes Virgin and Martyr of St. Amalburg Virgin of St. Keinburg Virgin the hair of St. Barbara Virgin Item three fingers and two teeth with other bones of St. Alban the first Martyr of England the bones of St. Cyriack Levite and Martyr with three of his teeth Also the bones of St. Gervasius and Prothasius Martyrs the bones of St. Wandregesile Abbot and Confessor of St. Samson Bishop with one of his teeth of St. Albine Confessor of St. Remigius and Germanns Bishops of St. Margaret Virgin of St. Oportune Virgin of St. Batilde Queen the hair of St. Alburg Virgin the Vestures of St. Aldegund Virgin Item The dust of St. Pancras Martyr the bones of St. Adrian Martyr of St. Christo Martyr the dust of St. Crispian and Crispine Martyrs the bones of St. Pantaleon Martyr of St. Sixtus Pope of St. Apelliner Martyr of St. Stephen Pope Item The dust of St. Medard Confessor also a rib of St. Apolliner Martyr with one of his teeth Item The bones of St. Firmine Martyr and Bishop and of St. Quintin Martyr a piece of Christs Sepulchre a lump of the Pillar whereunto our Lord was bound when he was scourged of the wicked Jews a piece of the stone whereupon the Angel stood when the Women came to anoint the Body of Christ Also a good big lump of the stone whereupon Christ stood when he ascended into heaven Item More of Moses Rod. Sure there was abundance of Olive branches we find of them so many in this story A piece of Moses rod that was turned into a Serpent Also a parcel of that stone whereupon the Lord stood in Galilee also the Palm and Olive branch which Christ bare in his hand on Palm-Sunday as he was riding towards Jerusalem Item Part of the Table whereat Christ sate at his supper when he washed his Disciples feet a piece of the Garment which our Lady made for our Lord a piece of the prison out of the which the Lord delivered blessed Peter the Apostle a piece of the cloth which was laid upon Christs sepulchre part of the hair and garments of St. Anne our Ladies Mother also of the garments of St. Helias of the two sisters Mary and Martha and also of St. Sophy the Virgin again part of the wooll which our Lady did spin Item The dust of St. Benet the Virgin the bones of St. Chrystopher Martyr of St. Lambert with his dust and part of his garments a piece of the beard and Vestures of St. Cuthbert Bishop and Confessor the bones of St. Gregory the Pope with one of his teeth the bones of S. Wingunalock Abbot and Confessor of St. Sebastian Martyr of St. Quintin Martyr In fine a piece of the Manger wherein Christ lay That all these Reliques should be shown were more than a days work to produce and thus they busied the minds of the poor people to fetch in money to them that made the show but that some of the Wool that the Virgin Mary spun should be kept to Tom. of Becket's time which was nine hundred or a thousand years none but Cheaters would pretend and none but deluded souls believe how happy was England when all these Frauds were detected and how is the rest of the world abused by Papal Pettifoggers In the first Coffer made of Copper are contained these Reliques The bones of St. Vulstane Bishop and Confessor and of St. Prisca Virgin Item The hair of St. Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury Certainly Anselme's hair must needs have much virtue in it because our blessed Lady used to comb it once or twice in a week and because that he was very devout to her Ladyship she did assume the Popes power and gave Indulgences her self to this hair witness a Sermon Father Conniers the Jesuit preacht In the second Copper Coffer were these Reliques contained The Reliques of St. James the Apostle the bones of St. Thomas the Apostle the bones of St. Thaddeus the Apostle and also of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist Item The Staffe of St. Paul the Apostle the bones of St. Luke the Evangelist In fine the bones of St. Philip the Apostle It 's a wonder they had not some of Saint Paul's Needles and Thread he made his Tents with as well as his Staff Note but that the good Servants of Christ should have their Bodies torn in preces to have their bones thus shown is a sign of great inhumanity In the third Copper Coffer were these Reliques contained A piece of the holy Cross certain Reliques of St. Andrew More of the Cross yet the blood of St. Gervase Reliques also of St. Grisant and Darias of Joseph of Arimathea of the Prophets Elizeas and Abdias of St. Pancras St. James St. Faith St. Brigide St. Maurice and his Companions and of St. Bertine Item Certain bones of St. John Baptist the Reliques of the Saints John and Paul A bone of S. Eustathius Martyr Saint John Baptist was buried by his Disciples Matth. 14.12 Note and then how came they by his bones that was buried a thousand years before In the fourth Copper Coffer were these Reliques Part of the Dust of Saint John Baptist's Body which was burnt Two little pieces of the Holy Cross More pieces of the Cross A certain bone of Saint James the Brother of Saint John the Evangelist Part of that stone whereupon the Lord did eat after that he called his Disciples out of the Ships Item A piece of that Oak upon which Abraham did climb to see the Lord A portion of our Ladies Coffin A large piece of that stone whereupon Christ stood when he was transfigured A piece of our Lords Sepulchre A piece of that Earth whereof God formed Adam Certain Reliques of the elven
Church of St. Barbara is 100 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Lucy is 100 years of Pardon and as many Lents and the third part of all Sins forgiven In the Church of St. Elizabeth is 100 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Pernil is 1000 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Mary Magdalen is 100 years of Pardon and as many Karins In the Church of St. Clare is 100 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Vinnian is 3000 years of Pardon and in Lent 5000 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Agatha is 28 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Margaret is 200 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Christine is 40 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Clement is 40 years of Pardon and as many Lents yea and forgiveness of all sins at the Feast aforesaid And in Lent all these Indulgences and Pardons are doubled granted of special grace by Pope Gelasius to so many as devoutly visit the aforesaid Church or give ought thereunto Also Pope Alexander the Third by his Apostolique authority hath granted this privilege That so many as with good devotion come to pray in the aforesaid Church shall have the third part of all their sins forgiven In the Church of blessed St. Peter the Apostle ad carceres is granted of divers Popes to them that of a good mind visit this Church or help any thing at all unto the maintenance of the same Every day the forgiveness of the third part of all their sins and 200 years of Pardon And it hath pleased the most holy Fathers of their special grace that this Indulgence and Pardon shall be doubled on every Feast day In the Church of St. Bibian is great Indulgence and Pardon For Pope Honorius the Third hath granted to so many as devoutly visit this Church A great Pardon on my word 3 years of Pardon and as many Lents toties quoties Again at the Feast of all Saints there is Six hundred thousand years of pardon In this place also St. Bibian planted a certain Herb which being dried and made into Pouder is very profitable to deliver men from the Falling-Sickness This Saint was inclined to be a Physician Was not he a Painter as well as St. Luke Well this Herb certainly is a very precious Relique In the Church of St. Eusebius is granted to all them that Devoutly come unto it Who would let such a Church fall but Heretiques and put their helping hand to the maintenance thereof 7454 years of Pardon and as many Lents The Misery is this Pardon is Chargeable but the Ware is good and therefore let us not grudge to be bountiful In the Church of St. Vitus is 7000 years of Pardon and as many Lents Let him Eat a good Breakfast after it he may chance to fill his belly There is also in the same Church such and so great grace through the merits of the Holy Martyrs Vitus Modestus and Crescentia that if so be any man be bitten with a Mad-dog or any other Beast and take a piece of Bread and dip it in the Oyl of St. Vitus and so eat it he shall strait-ways be made whole Excellent Cures by this Chymical Oyl of St. Vitus I suppose a good Plaster will not do amiss for the stone doth well to be added to the Gospel Which Proverb was occasioned by a certain Man's meeting with a fierce Dog upon whose sight he fell a repeating the Gospel of St. John Cap. 1.1 but the Dog making up to him he took up a Stone and casting it at the surly Cur made him retreat I see saith the poor Man the Stone doeth well with the Gospel In the Church of St. Potentian is granted by Pope Simplicius to all and singular Persons that devoutly visit the said Church one year of Pardon and one Lent and the forgivness of the third part of their sins But Pope Celestine Pope Boniface Pope Clement Pope Gregory Pope Urban and Pope Alexander of their Godly zeal have doubled the aforesaid Pardon Who would not turn Papist at this rate but why a third part of his Sins but some other Church must have a little privilege By all which I see the Pope is an excellent Carver if he please he shall be Carver to the King of Spain's Foot-Boy's Cobler's Apprentice for certainly he is a deserving Gentleman It is to be noted that in this Church there is a Chappel behind the High Altar in which Chappel St. Peter as they say sung his first Mass There is also great Pardon I never understood that St. Peter sung Mass before but a man may see that Popery is the Fountain of knowledg and being that St. Peter did grace this Chappel This is Chargeable but any thing to go to Heaven it will follow that there must be a great Pardon belong to this Chappel but the Priests had rather have great stipend or else there will be but small store of Musick And for a small Conclusion we shall Note that all Indulgence of Rome is in Lent doubled Again in the way of his Pilgrimage unto Rome he is truly assoiled of all deadly sins and of all other whatsoever they be So that his Soul is not only by this means free from the pains both of Hell and Purgatory but it is also straightway by the Ministry of the Holy Angels carryed up into the glorious Palace of the Heavenly King O blessed is that man or woman that is partaker of these Indulgencies and Pardons for he may be sure to make a blessed end let his Life be never so Sinful This would be excellent Doctrine to preach to the Turks as for Hereticks they deserve not one tittle of this kindness but it suits wonderful well with the rest of the Pope's doctrine Here follow the Indulgencies and Pardons which certain Popes have granted to all such as devoutly say certain Prayers which hereafter shall be named TO all them that be in the state of grace that daily say devoutly this Prayer before our blessed Lady of Pity she will shew them her blessed visage Be sure you get into this state of Grace or else the fat is in the fire and warn them of the day and of the hour of death and in their last end the Angels of God shall yield their Souls to Heaven and they shall obtain 500 years and so many Lents of Pardon granted by our Holy Father Pope Bonifacius Obsecro te Domina Sancta Maria c. Who saith devoutly this short Prayer daily shall not depart out of this World without penance and ministration of the Holy Sacrament the which was shewed by an Angel to St. Bernard Ave Maria Ancilla Sanctae Trinitatis c. Our Holy Father Pope Sixtus hath granted to all them that devoutly say this Prayer before the Image of our Lady and her Son 11000 years of Pardon Ave Sanctissima Maria c. Our holy Father Pope Sixtus hath granted
OF RELIQVES The Introduction AS the Holy Prophets of old made it their business to shew the vanity and folly of the Apostate Church of the Jews and wherein they had gone away from God to the foolish inventions of idolatrous and superstitious men So our late zealous Reformers laboured to discover the madness and folly of them which did abide still in the Communion of the Popish Religion by shewing wherein the people were cheated by the superstitious pretences feigned miracles and useless reliques with which the seducing Priests Fryers Monks and Antichristian Popes of Rome had deceived the poor sons and daughters of men And herein the faithful Servants of God in the days of Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth have laboured and have discovered the fanaticism of the Church of Rome in many instances and shewn what horrid Fanaticks the Popes and their followers have been And because the Papists are to my own knowledg still such Fanaticks and will not be reclaimed I have thought it my duty for the Honour of God and the preventing the good Christian people of this Generation from being any longer deceived by them to revive and recover out of oblivion the old observations and collections of the Servants of Christ which time hath buried in forgetfulness which together with my own Observations I have transcribed and caused to be published that so the madness and folly in which they persist may be known to all men that so as St. Paul saith of the Fanaticks of his time they may proceed no further read 2 Tim. 3.8 9. And I think it but reason if the disease be still the same the means of curing should be continued and of this I am sure that they do still cheat the people with their pretended Miracles and Reliques of pretended Saints and amongst the rest with the Fanatical pretences of Pardons and Indulgences by going to such a Saints Shrine or Sepulcher and of being healed of diseases by the touch of a Relique of a pretended Saint And because you shall see that I do not impose new fictions of my own brain but do follow the wise example of them who to undeceive the people and recover them out of the Fanaticism of the Church of Rome did discover her â—ollies and frauds to all men I have not only followed their methods but transcribed their very Collections which I doubt not but will be as useful in the present recovery of the English Christians as in the the days past And as the Prophets of old used no other means to reduce men but bringing them back to the Law and Testimony shewing them the folly and madness of their forefathers and of them that would or did mislead the people in the days in which they prophesied so ought the Servants of God in this day and I doubt not but the same method will have the same good effect AT Rome in times past as St. Sylvester the Pope writeth in his Chronicle there were One thousand five hundred and five Churches whereof the greater part at this present is destroyed But among those that remain there are Seven principal Churches which as they say * Query Who endued these Churches I am sure not Christ for he bestows spiritual Gifts on persons not Places are endued with greater and more singular priviledges than the rest are yea and that for the grace holiness and dignity which is found in them passing all other Churches * All are but Stone and Timber and dead matter and not capable of any holiness one more than other In those Seven principal Churches there are many yea almost innumerable Indulgences Pardons Priviledges c. and Reliques also as they fain And first I will rehearse the names of all such Reliques as be at Rome not only in those Seven Principal Churches but in the residue also and afterwards rehearse the Indulgences Pardons Priviledges c. that appertain unto the same And because no man shall think that I invent these things of my own head I here truly and faithfully confess that whatsoever in this Treatise is written of Rome is translated out of a Book Printed in Latin at Rome by Mr. Stephen Plank of Patavia in the year of our Lord 1489 the 7th of November the sixth year of Pope Innocent the Eighth And whatsoever is added is declared out of what Books they were taken and the judgment of all these things left to the indifferent Reader But first of all we will go in hand with such Reliques as be in the Churches at Rome and begin with the Seven Principal Churches whereof the Church of Lateran is the first Of the Church of Lateran and of the Reliques contained in the same THE Church of Lateran was dedicated of St. Sylvester the Pope in honour of St. Saviour St. John Baptist and St. John the Evangelist In the Relique-House of this Church there is the Altar of St. John Baptist which he had in the Wilderness It is a likely matter they should have the Altar of St. John Baptist who had no Altar there nor had he use for one A blessed company Why did they not tell us what he offered upon that Altar And besides this the Altar of which they boast is in eight or nine several places Also in a certain Chappel at the end of the said Church Ark. there is the Ark of the Lord which Moses made at the Commandment of God in the Desert after the Children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt They that will believe this story must needs be ignorant and willing to believe lyes seeing the Prophet Esdras 2 book ch 10. v. 22 saith it was spoiled by the Babylonians which any man will believe sooner than the Pope But to put it out of doubt that they do wickedly read Jer. 3.16 There is also the Table whereupon our Lord Jesus Christ did eat his supper with his Disciples when he ordained the Sacrament of his Body and Blood The Table I have seen a great part of this Table so called in Spain and Flanders and it is of excellent virtue if we may believe the holy Fathers of the Society of Jesus Item The Rod of Moses and Aaron which being cast on the ground Rod. became a Serpent wherewith also many and notable Miracles were wrought by the power of God It is strange to hear that they should have that stick or rod of Moses which was 2000 years before Christ in the wilderness of which the Scripture makes no mention after Moses smote the Rock with it Numb 20.11 and one of the Jesuits forgetting that it was said to be at Rome preached this Doctrine that Moses broke it when he smote upon the Rock All these things aforesaid did Vespastanus and Titus bring unto Rome from Jerusalem Padre Antonio de Laudayada on the Feast of St. Alban June 21. 1677. with four Pillars of Brass which are set up and stand about the high Altar of the said Church If we
Reliques certain pieces of the fragments which remained of the five barley Loaves and two fishes when Christ in the Wilderness fed so miraculously five thousand people There are divers others Reliques which were brought out of the churchyard of St. Calixt But whether fragments of the bread or of the fishes or both we will not contend and he that is minded to fish for lyes let him cast his nets into the Roman Ocean which Sea is certainly stored with such fish As for the bread of life I am sure they have none and as for their nameless Reliques I suppose we may give as much credit to them as to the fragments and we may look upon them with as much veneration but any thing good Mr. Pope to fill our Treasures and maintain our pride and tyranny In the Church of the holy Apostles are these Reliques following The Bodies of Philip and Jacob. Bodies of St. Philip and Jacob. St. Thomas his Cloak The Body of Sabinus the Martyr The Cloak of St. Thomas the Apostle The Foot of St. Philip. The Arm of St. James A Rib of St. Lawrence The Shoulder-plate and the Arm of St. Blase We have but their bare word for all this and they which we have taken in so many lyes already how shall we give them credit in this Arm of Saint Matthew In the Church of St. Marcellus is the Arm of St. Matthew the Apostle and Evangelist In the Church of St. Sylvester is the Head of St. John Baptist Head of St. John Baptist Hands and Feet of S. Lawrence the Hands and Feet of St. Lawrence and a piece of St. Francis Cowle and many other Reliques which are shewed on the Feasts of St. John the Baptist and of St. Sylvester This looks as like a cheat as all the rest for can any wise man think that Herod preserved it and in four days it would stink as bad as any dead flesh therefore this untruth accuseth it self and as for the Cowle of St. Francis he being a notorious thief is as miraculous as the Cross of the Thief which they say is preserved In the Church of St. Lawrence are these Reliques following The Blood the Fat the Clout the Gridiron Two Flagons full of the Fat and Blood of St. Lawrence Also a Vessel full of the roasted flesh of blessed Lawrence The Clout wherewith the Angel did wipe the Body of St. Lawrence Item the Cridiron whereupon St. Lawrence was roasted That St. Lawrence was roasted is true but first Saints did not use to be very fat 2ly His fat dropt into the fire so did his flesh 3. How could they separate his fat from his blood as it dropt through the Gridiron and that the Tormentors should give the Christians his flesh is as uncredible as that they have vessels full of it and that the Angel stood in need of a clout to wipe his body is as likely as that they have the Clout or Gridiron In the Church of St. Julian there is a certain kind of holy water whose virtue and power is so great that it easily healeth all them that be diseased of the Ague It cureth also all other infirmities and diseases so that they which will be made whole take that holy water fasting and say three Pater Nosters and as many Ave Maries in the honour of Almighty God and of the glorious Virgin 〈◊〉 and also of St. Julian and St. Albert or else cause one Mass to 〈◊〉 in the honour of the aforenamed Saint Albert. I wonder so many Papists die of the Pox and that the old Priest was so long in a Doctors hands that kept an Apothecaries shop in St. Giles Parish if there be such healing vertue in their holy water But one thing I note that the Virgin and the Saints have honour but Christ is forgotten and how the Popes themselves have not been cured of those foul diseases by which they have perished if they have had such excellent and infallible Remedies In the Church of St. Vitus there is a Marble stone set about with Iron Stone on which a 1000 poor Saints was slain upon which were slain more than a thousand bodies of holy Martyrs In this Church there is so great virtue and grace through the merits of those holy Martyrs Vitus Modestus and Crescentia that if so be any man be bitten with a mad Dog or of any other beast and take a piece of bread and dip it in the Oyl of St. Vitus and so eat it he shall straightway be made whole All their healing is ascribed to the Virgin or to Saints not to Christ And if they were not all bit with some Beast or another they would not set Saints of their own coining above the Son of God Jesus whom God hath made to all a means of spiritual health and eternal salvation But of this Oyl of St. Vitus I find not one word but at Rome and its virtues are not there mentioned In the Church of St. Braxed there is a Chappel which is called Libera nos a penis inferni and Ortus Paradisi in the which is a Pillar whereunto our Lord Jesus Christ was bound in his passion But our comfort is That we are not bound to believe it In the midst of this Church there is a round stone inclosed with Iron under this stone is the blood of many holy Martyrs which blessed St. Braxed gathered up with a certain Sponge and put it in a pit laying that round stone upon it They that tell these lyes will be in a pit one day in which there is no water to cool their tongues Luke 16.24 In this Church also there is an Altar upon the which Pope Pascalis said five Masses for a certain soul departed Which Masses being once finished he saw the blessed Virgin Mary take that soul out of Purgatory and carry it into the bosom of Almighty God as ye may see it plainly painted upon the wall of the said Church When Pope Pascalis had seen this miracle he granted by his Apostolique Authority That whosoever did either sing mass or cause mass to be sung on that Altar he should deliver for every time so doing one foul out of the bitter pains of Purgatory That this looks as the rest do like a piece of Forgery from top to the bottom for the Virgin never came near any other place but where Gods blessed presence is since she left this World her spirit went to God that gave it and thence it did never stir In the Church of St. Potentiana is the Altar upon which St. Peter did sing his first mass Also a Pit in which lieth hid the blood of three thousand martyrs It is as scandalous to fasten saying mass upon St. Peter as upon St. Paul who knew that your Massing-trick never came into the heart of Christ or any of his sincere followers if St. Paul himself say true Acts 20. ver 20 comp with ver 27. and if the Popes Massing had been Gods
counsel it would have been Paul's Doctrine In another Church of St. Laurence there are these Reliques A piece of the Gridiron on which they roasted him One Arm of St. Laurence Certain of his bones A piece of St. Laurence's Gridiron upon which he was roasted One Arm of St. Laurence Also in a glass of Crystal there are certain coals which all men may clearly and plainly see wherewith blessed Laurence was roasted There are also certain of his bones What coals are kept in glasses I know not but of this I am sure that the inventors of these things are firebrands of hell and such for which coals hotter than coals of Juniper is prepared But let her alone till that day come as long as the good Angels appear upon the sight of these Reliques In the Church of St. Peter ad Vincula there be the bonds of Iron wherewith St. Peter was bound at Hierusalem under King Herod There are also the chains wherewith he was bound at Rome under Nero the Emperor These chains be of so great virtue that great and wonderful miracles are daily wrought by them as they say In this Church there is so great virtue and grace Away to Rome ye Papists and get your Pardon from the Pope for you must never look to have it from God that whosoever devoutly comes unto it although never so sinful he shall depart and go his way delivered and free from all his sins Many other Reliques there are in the foresaid Church as you may see in a certain Table that hangeth on the Wall There I perceive a notable trick that to draw the people where there is not many feigned Reliques there is high pretences of Pardon and healing and all to catch money and I do believe that more money hath been drawn to the Popes Coffers than tongue can express and sure I am to this day poor England is much exhausted by these devillish cheats of the Romish Synagogue In the Church of St. Mary More of Lukes Painting I suppose this scarlet whore hath gotten more money by Luke's Painting than ever he did himself called Ara Coeli is the Sepulcher of St. Helen the mother of Constantine Also an Image of our Lady which St. Luke painted even after such form and fashion as she was in when she stood by the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ weeping and lamenting This Image is full of virtue and worketh daily many miracles To detect this Lye we need no more but to remember Luke was not then converted nor on the place where Christ dyed and was a Physician yet if the Whore tells truth he did paint and some Monks that live in the English Monastry of Benedictines who love painting have preached this Doctrine that Luke was bound Apprentice to a Painter Father Howard Father Hitchcock when in England in August last Ladies Hair But they talked like English Monks and their credit is not very good with us at this time In the Church of our Lady called Sancta Maria super Minervam are these Reliques The hair of our Lady and certain pieces of her Garments Item Divers parts of the three Patriarchs Abraham Isaac and Jacob and also of Daniel the Prophet This looks like plain Forgery and tricking to deceive the poor people for all the parts of the Patriarchs were turned to ashes long before and so was Daniel who dyed in Babylon in all likelihood But because all Churches must have some Reliques this is content with a little hair and a few tatters of old clothes In the Church of St. Eustache are these Reliques More of the Cross More of Christs blood A piece of the Crown Parcels of Christs Apparel Part of the holy cross a good quantity of Christs bloods a piece of the crown of thorns parcels of Christs apparel the rib of St. Andrew certain of the coals wherewith St. Laurence was roasted I perceive a carnal Church rejoyce in carnal things as blood old clouts and bones of men or any thing to keep the heart off from good and below Christ in its meditation but the first Christians gloried in no such reliques of blood and bones and coals and clouts there was then no such cheats In the Church of St. Martinellus is part of that garment and coat which our Lady did knit and make with her own hands and gave it to her Son Jesus Christ which coat did grow even as he grew That there was knitting in those times I know not but I doubt they that invented this story are ignorant of Christ and his mother and his coat also and if the pretenders were put to prove they would prove nothing but that themselves are a company of cheats In the Church of St. Barbara are these Reliques Ladies Kirtle Bartholomew's Cloak The head and the vail of St. Barbara Our Ladies Kirtle St. Bartholomews Cloak The Deacons apparel of St. Laurence The Hair of Mary Magdalen and divers other Reliques of St. Margaret Felix Lotitius Christopher Sebastian Alexius Martha c. I confess it were worth the while for a Taylor to go to that Church as they do here in England to see what fashion the Lady's Kirtles and Bartholomew's Cloak are of and if they like the fashion of our Lady's Kirtle and his Cloak to let us have the fashion that they used for sure they were a vertuous people but for the rest of the Trumpery I would not go over the Gutter to see them In the Church of St. Laurence there is a great Bottle of glass of the which on St. Damasus day men use to drink in the honour and worship of the aforenamed St. Damasus The virtue of this Bottle is so great that as many as drink of it believe faithfully they shall be delivered from all Agues and other grievous infirmities They would do well to bring us some of those Bottles hither for I believe they are full quarts and our folk cheat us with pint and a half But now I remember it will hinder the trade of our learned Doctors and nimble Apothecaries and I know when Popery comes in their Trade will go out by reason of the many Miracles that will be done In the Church of St. Blase de Panneta is a large piece of the holy Cross A large piece of the Cross More Cross still There are also certain pieces of the Garments of our Lady of St. Andrew St. Blase St. Doria Creisant c. This was some poor Church that could get nought but a good log of the Cross and a few shreds of our Lady's old Petticoat I am very sorry this Church could not get one small piece of Mary Magdalens Noli me tangere it would have been an excellent ornament to her and some rags of the other Saints which had no virtue that we hear of I fear therefore that this Church was as one born out of due time therefore being the least of all the Churches was content with the rags But the
of years before turned to dust should be set up as Reliques of Saints And could Helen fetch them from the remote parts of India where she never was But I see every place must have some foppery or other to invite fools and to inrich Priests The holy and religious Monk St. Bernard after that he was canonized and made a Saint by Pope Alexander did so abound in working Miracles in the place where his body lay by reason thereof great confluence of people resorted to the Abby that the Abbot of the place forbad him to work any more miracles And blessed St. Bernard meekly and reverently obeyed Father Abbots commandment and so for ever he took his ease and wrought no more miracles This obedience was shewed St. Bernard being dead A man would stand amazed at the confidence these people have in telling of lyes yea contradictions but if true and consistent Note then doubtless the Abbot was an ill-natur'd fellow that he would hinder the good that cost him nothing And had St. Bernard been set at work by the liberal God he would not have been subject to a covetous Abbot that had so much of his meat and drink devoured by poor people But this sounds like the rest In a certain Monastery of St. Gabriel is a great stone that fell down from Heaven having in it the sign of the holy Cross and a very lively Image of Christ and written upon it with Golden Letters these words Jesus Nazarenus Rex Judeorum This great stone as they say is a great precious Relique and worketh great Miracles in the great Monastry of great Saint Gabriel We may see what takes people off from holy Scripture Note from God from Christ they have laden all people and filled all places with such lyes cheats and hocus-pocus tricks that they have no room left in their hearts for truth Hugo the Monk at the desire of Monk William Abbot of Hirsangia sent unto him the hair of St. Peter which was received with great reverence and placed in the aforesaid Abby as a true precious Relique not without great honour daily done unto it They honour any thing but Christ and God Note Norbertus came unto Toline to seek Saints Reliques and after that he and his Company had given themselves to fasting and prayer certain days one of the number of the nine thousand Virgins appeared unto him and shewed him her name and the place where she lay The next day after the aforesaid Norbertus with his Company took her up with great reverence and solemnity and placed her very devoutly with many other Reliques in the Monastry Premonstratense Thus people when they have forsaken the living God Note seek dead stinking Carcases to adore and worship and sure if Lazarus stank in four days this Woman could not be sweet after many years but to make it a Miracle they must pretend a Vision In Norfolk there was a certain Monastry called Bromholm-Abbey in the which was an holy Cross brought thither by a certain Priest This Cross was so precious a Relique and of so great virtue that it raised up unto life thirty-nine dead persons restored to their sight nineteen blind men and wrought many other notable Miracles The people in Norfolk use to be more ingenuous than to be so cheated Note but when Priests have once made men blind they may lead them whither they list out of one error into another In Winfarthing a little Village in Norfolk there was a certain Sword called the Sword of Winfarthing This Sword was counted so precious a Relique and of so great virtue that there was a solemn Pilgrimage used unto it with large gifts and offerings with Vow-makings Crouchings and Kissings This Sword was visited and sought far and near for many and sundry purposes but specially for things that were lost and for Horses stollen or run astray It helped also greatly to shorten a married mans life if the Wife weary of her Husband would set a Candle before that Sword every Sunday for the space of one whole year no Sunday excepted for then all was in vain whatsoever was done before I have many times heard when I was a child of divers ancient men and women That this Sword was the Sword of a certain Thief which took Sanctuary in that Church-yard and afterward through the negligence of the Watchmen escaped and left his Sword behind him which being found and laid up in a certain old Chest was afterward through the subtilty of the Parson and the Clerk of the same Parish made a precious Relique full of virtue able to do much but especially to enrich the Box and to make fat the Parsons pouch I shall leave the Reader to weigh this Story Note and by putting both ends together he may see there is no end of the Romish cheats and the peoples folly In Thetford a Town in Norfolk there was a Parish-Church which is now destroyed called St. Audrice In this Church among other Reliques was the Smock of St. Audrice which was there kept as a great jewel and precious Relique The virtue of this Smock was mighty and manifold but especially in putting away the Tooth-ach and the swelling of the Throat so that the Patient were first of all shriven and heard Mass and did such Oblations as the Priest of the Church enjoyned All was governed by the Priest and the Priest by his covetousness Note of which there is no end In the Monastry of St. Edmundsbury besides many other almost innumerable Reliques there was one a modest singular and precious Relique called St. Edmunds Girdle The virtue of this Relique was That if any woman being with Child came devoutly on Pilgrimage to sweet St. Edmund and were girded about with that holy Relique by some Monk and so kneeling down before St. Edmund's shrine said certain Pater Nosters certain Ave Maries and a Creed in the Worship of God and of our Lady and sweet St. Edmund and paid the accustomed offering she should not perish of that Child but have good and lucky deliverance This was an easie medicine but like all the rest chargeable Note They wrought all their Miracles for money by which it appears they were none of Christs Disciples who as they received freely gave freely but Antichrists merchandize was always of more cost than value In the same Monastry there was also another holy Relique which was called the pardon bowl whosoever drunk of this Bowl in the Worship of God and St. Edmund he had 500 days of pardon toties quoties How some for cure some for pardon Note all were made to bring Grist to the Popes Mill. The Coat of St. John the Evangelist was so holy a Relique and of so great virtue that by touching thereof such as were diseased were cured the sick were made whole the blind were restored to their sight the Lepers were cleansed and Devils were cast out of men These are such incredible Stories that
what the Priests say right or wrong In a Chest of silver and gilt with a round Crystal and a Vine graven thereon were these Reliques contained the bones of St. Laurence and a piece of his Gridiron whereon he was broyled In another Chest of silver and gilt and adorned with precious stones was the Hair and the Girdle of St. Laurence In some places they have St. Laurence's whole body here is but a piece and a piece of his Gridiron I have seen a whole one in several places The Hair of St. Laurence was rosted but that may be for if the Whore lies not there was an Angel that held his Head whilest he was roasting and so did preserve his Hair In a Chest of silver and gilt set with precious stones and a long Crystal were contained a Tooth and a Bone of St. Bennet the Monk St. Bennet's Tooth an excellent Relique and a Bone which is as good as the other I pray how many Devils have these rotten Reliques cast out In a Coffin of silver and gilt garnished with divers precious stones were a Tooth and a Finger of St. Stephen also divers of his Bones Item certain of the stones where with he was stoned unto death also part of his Blood I have seen as many of St. Stephen's Teeth as would fill a Peâ—k St. Stephen I believe was never troubled with the Tooth-ach for he saved all his Teeth for Reliques and as great a quantity of his blood I suppose song Angel saved that These are admirable Reliques but the Vertue of the stones I cannot as yet learn In a Chest of Copper gilt without precious stones with a long round Crystal were these Reliques contained part of St. John Baptist's head and one of his bones Item a bone of St. Blase a bone of St. Pantaleon and a boâ—â—… of St. Menna the Martyr We found a whole head in one Church and now poor St. John Baptist hath but a piece of one here but it is all one Neighbour Pope thy ipse dixit will rather pass than be proved unless one of thy graving Angels will bring this Church to us In a Coffer of silver and gilt having a great round Crystal at the foot thereof were contained certain of the bones of those Innocents whom Herod slew Really the Pope hath a great advantage of us Hereticles there is not many of us that can say any thing against this Relique but a little proof for the confirmation of our Faith would have done no hurt In a little Chest of silver and gilt set with precious stones having in it a little long Crystal were part of the bones of St. Nicholas St. Nicholas's bones are very efficacious to cure the Itch therefore if any be troubled there with let them repair to Rome and it shall cost them nothing but their Charges In a Chest of Silver and gilt having in it a long Crystal were contained divers parts of our Ladies Cloaths Certainly the Virgin Mary had the best Wordrobe of any in her time for in Spain France and Flanders I have seen as many of her Cloaths as a good handsom Cart would contain In divers other Chests of silver whereof some were gilt and enamell'd and some ungilt some set with Precious Stones some without Precious stones these Reliques following were contained Part of Thom is Becket's Flesh resolved a piece of the Flesh of St. Nicholas a Finger and a Tooth of St. Alban Part of the Hair of St. Edmund the Confessor and part of his Garments and one of his Teeth A Tooth of S. Mildred the Virgin Also of the Rib of St. John Baptist The Shirt of Thomas Becket and his Sandals Part of the Blood of St. Edmund the Martyr with his Hose Shirt and Pillow A Bone of St. Mildred A Bone of St. Edburg The Powl of Thomas Becket The Dust of his Body The Arm of St. Jerome The Bones of St. Corduba one of the eleven thousand Virgins A bone of St. Martin with a piece of his Cloak or Mantle The Oyl of Saint Demetris Part of the Flesh and Skin of Thomas Becket St. Thomas Beckets Flesh certainly is a precious Relique and will appear so if we consider the Qualifications of the man and besides I have seen as many pieces of his Skull as an ordinary man can carry and I have seen no less than four or five Arms of St. Jerome but the Papists may make as many Arms as they please In an Ivory Chest were these Reliques contained The Cheek-bones of Cosmas and Damian with nine Teeth The Bones of St. Peter the Apostle St. Peter's Beard and part of his Cross Certain pieces of our Ladies Garments Part of St. John Baptist's Hairy Coat Of the Dust of St. Furseus Head Certain Bones of St. Hipolytus the Martyr The Blood of St. Paul the Apostle Certain Reliques of S. Stephen Part of Christs Crib Part of our Ladies Bed Certain Bones of St. â—ore of the â—ross Agnes of St. Julian of St. Praxed of St. Wandregesile and a large piece of the holy Cross These costly Chests in which these pretended Reliques were kept as these Lyars say Note might amaze the ignorant beholders but to see their pretended Saints thus pulled in pieces to be shown sheweth planny the Tyranny of these Merchants of Rome and that St. Peter's Beard was pulled off to be shewn if it were true was Inhumane but where were all these Trinkets kept the 800 years before they thus set them out to view In a little round Chest of Ivory was contained the stone upon which St. Stephen stood when he was stoned unto death Also a Bone of Saint James the Apostle How does it appear Saint Stephen stood upon one stone or upon any stone at all Note And there are so many of these stones that a sober Dominican wished that Relique were taken out of the way it appearing so ridiculous In a great Coffer of Ivory with a round head and barred about with Copper and gilt were these Reliques Thomas Becket's Mitre made of white silk with the Tunicle wherein he was buried Another Mitre of his made of white Sattin which he used to wear on single Feasts Also his Gloves which he used in Divine Service with three goodly Ouches upon them Also his Sandals embroidered most costly with Roses and other Flowers of Gold Item his Breeches of Hair Part of his Bed and of his Girdle The Dust of his Body His Cap and other Vestures His Coul The Lace or band wherewith his hairy Breeches were tyed together Part of his Flesh and Blood resolved His Girdle his Hair his Pillow his Coat his light Cap of silk which he wore under his Mitre His Stamine his Hood A Tunicle of white silk to wear over an Albe A Cloth dyed in his blood In fine a Whip wherewith he used to scourge himself when he felt Carnis insurrectionem that by this means he might obtain Vitam aeternam Hem hem hem very witty Note All these
thousand Virgins which lye at Collen Also a bone of Saint Faith Saint John Baptist was not burnt but buried Note as above so that the fraud in this as in all other cases is plain But that they may have of the Earth of which Adam was made is no wonder but a cheat in them that would make it seem a wonder for it was of the common dust In a white great Box. made of Wood were these Reliques contained Part of Christ's Sepulchre Part of that place where he prayed unto his Father A piece of that Table whereat Christ our Lord supped A piece of that Earth where Christ's Cross was put down when he was Crucified A piece of Christ's Cradle A piece of our Ladies Bed Part of the Seat whereon the Mother of our Lord sate in the day of her Purification Item A bone of S. Jerome Priest and Confessor with part of his Stole and of his other Garments Also bones of the Innocents Bones of S. Bartholomew the Apostle of S. Blase Bishop and Martyr of S. Clement Pope and Martyr of S. Vincent Martyr of S. George Martyr of S. Maurice Martyr and of his Fellows A piece of the Leg of S. Damian Martyr The hones of S. Ignatius Martyr of S. Gregory the Pope and of S. Bennet the Abbot together The Dust of S. John Baptist and part of his Hairy Coat and of his other Garments The Hair of S. Elizabeth the Wife of Zachary the Priest and Mother of S. John Baptist A piece of the Gridiron whereon S. Laurence was roasted Item More of the Cross yet A great piece of the Holy Cross Part of S. Peter the Apostle's Beard and also of his Table The bones of S. Hipolytus Martyr of S. Roman Martyr of S. Martyn with a piece of his Cloak The bones of S. Silvester Bishop and Confessor The Beard of S. Anthony A bone of S. Paul the first Hermite Part of S. Julian's Head with a piece of his Coat These things are so ridiculous Note that none that is honest will pretend to have them and none that is wise will regard them In a great Horn of Ivory hanging under the Beam beyond the High Altar were these Reliques following contained The bones of S. Blase of S. Stephen the first Martyr of S. Bartholomew of S. Patrick of S. Martyn of S. Thomas the Apostle of Saint Andrew the Apostle of S. Giles of S. Serene of S. Done of S. Edburg of S. Nicholas of S. Katherine of S. Agnes of S. Justus Item The Hairs of S. Agasse and of S. Cecile A piece of the Rock whereupon the Cross of our Lord stood A piece of the Rock of Golgotha And a piece of our Lady's Sepulchre A little before the Cross stood in Earth and now it was upon a Rock Note but how can they have the bones of S. Stephen when the holy Text tells us Acts the 8. and ver 2. that devout men carried Stephen and buried him which was 900 years before poplings began their Pageantry and doubtless turned to dust In a great Cross made of Wood at the Altar of S. Cross c. covered over with Silver and gilt and set with divers precious stones with a Cross in the midst were these Reliques following First A Cross of Silver and gilt garnished with precious stones having in the midst of it a piece of the Holy Cross More of the Cross yet with certain Reliques of Thomas Becket Secondly A Finger of S. Andrew the Apostle Thirdly A Bone of S. Stephen Fourthly A piece of S. Vulstan's Flesh To pull the Saints thus in pieces to show so many pieces of their flesh is to be more like Cannibals than Christians Note and would make a tender-hearted Christian weep to think of such horrid Cruelties In the first Coffin over the Beam were these Reliques The Arm of S. Vulfade Martyr The Arm of S. Russinian Martyr and another great bone of his back Item A bone of the Head of S. Chad Bishop and Confessor with part of his Clothes They tore the very back bones of them they call Saints in pieces Note to make a show of to get money In the second Coffin were contained A piece of Christs Cross of his Crib and Sepulchre More of the Cross yet Item The bones of S. Calix Pope and Martyr The bones of Saint James the Apostle who is called the Brother of the Lord The bones of S. Catharine Virgin and Martyr Lord Note how many poor people did they pull Limb from Limb to get money by In the third Coffin were contained The Banner of Christ A piece of Christ's Sepulchre Certain Reliques of our Latly The bones of S. Peter the Apostle with the bones of S. Martyn Bishop and Confessor In how many places have they pretended to have the bones of Saint Peter But that they should have a piece of Christ's Sepulchre which S. Matthew tells us was hewn out of a Rock c. 27. v. 60. is very unlike but as Solomon saith the simple meaning ignorant and foolish people believe every word Prov. 14.15 and such are they which go after Popish Priests Of the famed or rather infamous Indulgences Pardons and Priviledges of Rome FRom the beginning of the world unto the time that Rome was firstmade were 3212 years And from thence to the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ were 750 years And in this City of Rome there are 400 Churches in which Mass is daily done but there be seven of the same priviledged above all other with great holiness and pardon as is hereafter shewed And somthing else or Rome is fearfully belyed even by her own Votaries and therefore not too much Holiness good Father Pope The first is St. Peters Church scituate on the foot of an Hill so that men ascend thereunto by a stair of 29 steps And as oft as a man goeth up and down that stair he is released of the 7th part of penance enjoined This was granted by Pope Alexander Item as ye come before the Church a Well springeth and above the door is an Image of our Lord between whose Feet is one of the pence that God was sold for and as oft as ye look upon that peny The peny relique that God was sold for ye have 1400 years of pardon Certainly men that are in their wits would scarce give two pence for so much pardon as the sight of this peny would or could produce but I see they prefer a peny before the blood of Christ Item in the same Church on the right side is a Pillar that was sometime of Solomons Temple Our Lords leaning Pillar and excellent cure for mad people but Bedlam hath been more effectual at which Pillar our Lord was wont to rest him when he preached to the people At which Pillar if there be any mad or troubled with spirits they be delivered and made whole And in that Church be 11 Altars and at every Altar is
to St. James and come again In this Church also on the right hand of the Quire is a devout Image of the Cross which spake to St. Bridget because she used to pray before it In the Church of St. Laurence without the walls lie the bodies of Saint Laurence and of St. Stephen and at the high Altar ye have 18000 years of pardon and as many Karins And whoso visiteth the other Altars hath at each Altar 7000 years of pardon and as many Karins Also Pope Pelagius granted there at four Feasts of the year at each Feast 700 years of pardon and as many Karins And he that goeth thither every Wednesday in the year delivereth a Soul out of Purgatory and is himself quit of all his sins Likewise the holy Father Pope Calixt the third hath granted to all men and women that devoutly visit the aforesaid Church full remission of all their sins Also if any man enter into the aforesaid Church by the door that is on the South-side and so goeth from one Cross to another devoutly praying he shall have clean remission of all his sins toties quoties In the Church of St. Crosse there is a Chamber or Chappel which Pope Sylvester named Jerusalem in which Chappel is that Bond wherewith Christ was led to his Crucifying Also two Sawcers the one full of Jesus's blood and the other is full of our Ladies milk Also the Spunge wherein was mingled Vinegar and Gall. Item one of the Nails wherewith Jesus was nailed to the Cross Item a part of the block upon which St. John's head was smitten off Item two Arms the one of St. Peter the other of St. Paul Item there standeth a Chair in which Pope Anicetus was martyr'd And to all them that sit in the Church they gave an hundred thousand years of pardon and as many Karins and every Sunday a Soul out of Purgatory and the third part of all sins released Item in the same Church is a great part of one of the Crosses that one of the Thieves was put on that was crucified with Christ I believe this Cross grows in Spain for there is a Jolly company of them for I have seen at least 40 or 50 of the Thieves Crosses and all to be the Crosses of the good or bad Thief besides pritty gobbets of this Cross in their little Pigeon-houses or Hovels where Mass is said Item In the same Church is the title of Christ which Pilate wrote in Latin Hebrew and Greek which title was found in the time of Pope Innocent the Eighth of that name in the 7th year of his Reign To which title the same Pope hath granted great pardon to be received of all them that either look upon the title devoutly or with reverence either hear it read or else read it themselves This Pope was very happy in this Find-all I suppose it was one of his Image-graving Angels that contributed this Worthy Relique to this Church And it is to be noted that into that Chappel which is called Jerusalem women do not enter but only one in the year that is to say on the Dedication day of that Chappel which is on the even of St. Bennett the Abbot in the month of March. At which time there is full remission of all sins none excepted In the Church of St. Mary Major there standeth on the high Altar the head of St. Jerom and there ye have 14000 years of pardon and as many Karins And on the other Altar on the right hand there is the Cradle that Jesus lay in part of our Ladies milk and a great part of the holy Cross and many bodies of many holy Saints And there ye have 19000 years of pardon and as many Karins And Pope Nicholas the 4th and St. Gregory each of them granted thereto 10000 years of pardon and as many Karins And from the ascension of our Lord unto Christmas ye have there daily 14000 years of pardon and as many Karins and the 3d. part of all sins released Well for my part I do believe a man may go to all the Cathedrals in England yea and Parish-Churches and not find so much pardon as the Pope is pleased to confer on those that go to St. Mary Major Item That on the even of the Ascension of our Lord in which the Feast of the translation of St. Jeroms body is celebrated whose body resteth there Pope Pius the second hath granted to so many as devoutly visit in that Church the Altar of St. Jerom clean remission of all their sins toties quoties Item On all the Feasts of blessed Mary the Virgin there are 1000 years Also on the Feast of the Assumption of Mary the Virgin to the Feast of her Nativity there are 12000 years of pardon besides the daily Indulgences aforenamed In the Church of St. Schastian without the Town is a place that Pope Calixt named Talundas where an Angel appeared and spake to St. Gregory the Pope In that place is forgiveness of all sins and of all penance At the high Altar is granted 2800 years of pardon and as many Karins And he that cometh to the first Altar that standeth in the Church hath 2400 years of pardon And there is a Cellar or Vault wherein lyeth buried 49 Popes that died all martyrs Whoso cometh first into that place delivereth eight Souls out of Purgatory of such as he most desireth and as much pardon thereto as all the world cannot number nor reckon and every Sunday deliver a Soul out of Purgatory And in that Cellar standeth a Well or Fountain where the bodies of St. Peter and St. Paul lay hid fot the space of 250 years so that no man wist where they were become And whoso putteth his head into that Pit Well or Fountain is clean of all sins Pope Gregory Pope Sylvester Pope Nicholas Pope Pelagius and Honorius each of them granted to the same place 1000 years of Pardon and as many Karins And also there lie the bodies of divers holy persons which were too long to write of And so the grace that is at St. Sebastians is so surely grounded that it cannot be taken away Here is all in all what need we have any more than all our sins past present and to come forgiven us ay and Souls out of Purgatory too here is not only a bit for our selves but our Friend may come in for a snack we heartily thank his Holiness Item In this Church of St. Mary Major before the Quire is the Image of our Lady which St. Luke did paint which Image St. Gregory did bear from St. Mary Major to St. Peters the Apostle and so coming before the Castle of St. Angell he saw an Angel in the top of the Castle having in his hands a mighty flame of fire and with him a great multitude of Angels which sung afore that image Regina caeli laetare c. And St. Gregory answered Ora pro nobis Deum Allelujah I am not yet satisfied about St. Lukes
Painting for he did not come to the Faith till she was aged as will appear if we consider the account the Scripture gives of him though small and this Image that he is said to paint represents the Virgin Mary not to be above 12 years of age and then I am confident that St. Luke never knew her but his Holiness hath said it therefore it shall pass rather than I will foul my fingers to disprove it In the Lateran Church Pope Sylvester gave thereto as many years of pardon as it rained drops of water on the day that he hallowed the same Church And at that time it rained so sore that no man had seen a greater rain before that day and when he had granted this pardon he thought in himself whether he had so much power or not And a voice came from Heaven and said Pope Sylvester Thou hast power enough to give that pardon And God hath granted also thus much thereto that if a man had made a vow to Jerusalem and could not do his pilgrimage if he go from St. Peters Church to the Lateran Church he shall be discharged and have Absolution of that promise And any time that a man cometh to the Lateran Church he is quit of all sins and of all penance so that he be penitent for his sins O blessed is the mother that beareth the Child that heareth Mass on Saturdaies at St. John of Lateran for he shall deliver all them that he desireth out of Purgatory to the number of 77 Souls Item Upon the Tower of the Church standeth a double Cross made of the Sword wherewith St. John was beheaded And every time that a man beholdeth that Cross he hath 13000 years of pardon and as many Karins of all penance and innumerable pardon more than he needeth for himself Moreover there is the grave where St. John laid himself in when he said mass and then came there a great light over the grave and when that light was gone nothing was found there but heavenly bread Out of the grave cometh every good Friday in the night holy Cream and Oyle And he that putteth his head in that grave hath 100000 years of pardon and as many Karins Item Behind the high Altar standeth a Chair wherein God himself fate whoso sitteth therein hath the third part of all his sins released And he that visiteth all the other Altars hath at each Altar 4400 years of pardon and as many Karins And on one side of the Church is a sacrifice at St. John Baptist's Altar There is the Table that our Lord did eat at upon Maunday-Thursday also the Tables of Stone with the ten Commandments that our Lord gave to Moses upon Mount Sinai and many other Reliques that belonged to our Lord of Heaven There is also of the five Barley Loaves and two Fishes wherewith Christ fed the people in the Wilderness Also certain of our Ladies Kerchiefes Item the heavenly Bread that was found in Saint Johns grave In that offering you have release of all sins and penance Item in the same Church on the high Altar be the heads of St. Peter and of Zachary the Prophet Father of St. John Baptist with divers other Reliques Item In the same Church-yard standeth a Chappel that is called Sancta Sanctorum there is the face of our Lord. There may ye have 14000 years of pardon and as many Karins When the Emperor Constantinus was Christned he spake to Pope Sylvester saying In that I have given my house to the Worship of God grant you meekly his Grace to all that willingly come to this Town To whom Pope Sylvester answered Our Lord Jesus Christ that by his great mercy hath purged you of your great Lazary purge all their penance He that will not believe this may go to Rome unto the Lateran Church and there before the Quire door may he see graven in a Marble-stone all that is written here From St. Johns day unto Shrovetide all this pardon is doubled and from shrovetide unto Easter the pardon is threefold doubled and blessed is he that may deserve to have this pardon But this we must note by the way that the Chappel abovesaid is of so great Grace and Holiness that no woman may come therein Item above the Chappel on the left side are steps which sometimes were at Jerusalem Whoso goeth up the steps on his knees delivereth one Soul out of Purgatory Pope Sylvester and Pope Gregory who both consecrated and hallowed that Church have given and granted to all them that devoutly visit the Lateran Church such and so great yea and so many Indulgences and Pardons as no man is able to number them but God alone as blessed St. Boniface testifieth saying If men did know the Indulgences and Pardons of the Lateran Church they were so many and so great that they should have no need to go to Jerusalem to visit Christs Sepulchre nor yet unto St. James That same Pope saith again If any man cometh unto our See of Lateran for devotion sake or for prayer or on pilgrimage he is absolved and delivered from all his sins And further saith If any man come unto the aforesaid See on the day of St. Saviour he is out of hand dispatched of all his sins In the Feast of St. Saviour whose Image appeared visibly to all the people of Rome when Pope Sylvester hallowed the aforesaid Church where the People of Rome were gathered together there is remission of all sins This Image of St. Saviour which at that time appeared visibly to all the people of the City remaineth yet at Rome in a certain wall and it may duly be seen and is of so great virtue and power that it could not be burnt although the Church in times past have been twice burnt Item in the Chappel of St. John Baptist into which women may not enter under pain of Excommunication is full remission of all sins Item in the Chappel of St. Laurence into which also women may not enter under the like pain which Chappel is called Sancta Sanctorum there is also clean remission of all sins And in the same Chappel is an Image of Christ when he was 12 years old and it is very nobly and cunningly made and set forth And about the same there are certain Stairs upon which our Lord Jesus Christ fell even unto the shedding of his blood and the sign token or mark now evidently appeareth where the blood fell which Stairs stood before Pilates house in Jerusalem And whoso goeth up these Stairs he shall have for every Stair nine years of pardon and as many Lents and forgiveness of the third part of all his sins Item in the Church of St. Eustace ye may have release and pardon of all sin And he that is shriven and repenteth of his sin hath a 1000 years of pardon and as many Karins Here followeth the knowledge of what a Karin is A Karin is to go Wolward and barefoot seven year and to fast with
of St. Nicholas is 100 year of pardon and as many Lents In the Hospital of St. Spirit is 700 years of pardon and the seventh part of all sins released Pope Sixtus the fourth granted to all and singular persons that enter into the said Hospital of St. Spirit and become a Brother or Sister of the same Fraternity that they may choose where they will a meet Confessor or Ghostly Father to absolve them from all their sins yea and also once in their life-time and again at the hour of death to Absolve them from the Cases reserved to the Apostolick See as it is most fully contained in a certain Bull made upon the same matter In this Hospital is the Arm of St. Andrew and the Finger of St. Katherin In the Church of St. Michaelis is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Matthew is 200 years of pardon and there is his Arm and the Arm of St. Christopher The old Latin book saith that there is in this Church 1000 years of pardon and as many Lents and the forgiveness of the seventh part of all sins given granted and confirmed by Pope Honorius Pope Alexander and Pope Innocentius In the Church of St. Celore is 100 years of pardon and there is the finger of St. Nicholas the Bishop and the foot of Mary Magdalen In the Church of St. Simplician and Faustinus is 5000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Anastasius in the way to St. Pauls is 1000 years of pardon In this Church is the Pillar whereupon blessed St. Paul the Apostle was beheaded In the Church of St. Thomas is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. John Portlatin is one Soul delivered out of Purgatory with many Indulgences and Pardons In the Church of St. Christopher is 100 years of pardon In the Church of St. Apollinaris is 100 years of pardon In the Church of St. Bennet is 100 years of pardon In the Church of St. Andrew is a 1000 years of pardon And in this Church there are very many Reliques which were found in the ground and lay hid there in a Bason and Glass more than 200 years as it appeareth by the writing that was found with the Reliques In the Church of Cosine and Damiane is 1000 years of pardon Whosoever visiteth this Church hath 1000 years of pardon granted by Pope Gregory the first toties quoties In the Church of St. Simon and Jude is 1000 years of pardon In the Chappel that is called Domine quo vadis be the steps of the Feet of our Lord Jesus Christ and there is 1000 years of pardon In this place when the Angel of God delivered Peter from the hand of Nero our Saviour Christ met with him to whom Peter said Lord whither goest thou and he answer'd I go to Rome to be crucified again In the Church of St. John is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. James the Apostle is 2000 years of pardon And Pope Innocent the Eighth hath granted full remission of all sins to all and singular persons that devoutly visit the aforesaid Church in the Feast of the aforenamed Apostle with this Proviso That they hear Mattens Masses and Even-song in the aforesaid Church In the Church of St. Bernard is 300 years of pardon In the Church of St. Luke is 1000 years of pardon In the Church of St. Mark is 1000 years of pardon This Church Pope Paul the second endowed with many priviledges and very great Indulgences insomuch that all and singular persons that visit the same Church in the Octaves of the most holy body of our Lord Jesus Christ or at the Feast of the Epiphany of Christ or else give somewhat to the beautifying and enriching of the said Church shall have manifold indulgence and pardon with full remission of all their sins In the Church of St. Panthaleon is 48 years of pardon In the Church of St. Pancras is 100 years of pardon Of certain Churches in Rome dedicated to our Lady IN the Church of our Lady called Rotunda is every Friday in the year and in the Feast of All-hollows clean and perfect remission of all sins This Church was edified by one called Agrippa in the Worship of Sibilla Venus and Neptunus and of all other Gods and Goddesses and was called Pantheon But afterward at the desire of the Pope Boniface it was granted by the Emperor to be made a Temple of the Christians so that the asoresaid Pope with a great multitude of the Romans did dedicate the same the first of the Kalends of November in the Worship of our Lady and of all Saints He hath also made there an Altar and said Mass there himself and ministred the Sacrament to the people and on the morrow after he said Mass in the same place for all Souls past He granted also great Indulgence and Pardon to all that devoutly visit this Church and meekly kneeling upon their knees say a Pater Noster and an Ave in the Worship of our Lady and all Saints In the Church of our Lady Trans Tiberim where a Well of Oyle plentifully flowed by the space of one whole day and one whole night when Christ was born of the Virgin Mary is 700 years of pardon in the Feast of the Nativity of our Lady granted by Pope Calixt and in Lent 400 years of pardon granted by Pope Gregory the third Item In the same Church are the steps of Odraphin printed in Stone which was found upon the Castle of St. Angel In the same Church also is one of the five Images of our Lady which St. Luke did paint In the Church of our Lady called Ara Coeli is 3000 years of pardon and as many Lents This Church was sometime the Palace of Octavianus the Emperor who saw in his Vision a fair Virgin in Heaven standing upon an Altar holding a goodly Child in her Arms At which sight he marvailed greatly and afterward heard a Voice from Heaven saying Haec ara Coeli filij Dei est And he fell to the ground and worshipped Christ and believed in his coming This Vision he had in his Chamber where now the Church of St. Mary called Ara Coeli is Under this Church is a Prison where St. Peter was imprisoned where is now a fair Chappel in which is a Pit wherein St. Peter did baptize many Martyrs And St. Peter was led out of that Prison by the Angel and there is great and mighty pardon In this Church also is one of the Images of our Lady which St. Luke painted This Image was made after the same form and manner that our Lady stood at the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ mourning weeping and lamenting This Image is of great virtue and worketh daily many miracles as ye may see in a certain Table that hangeth by the aforesaid Image In the Church of St. Mary the New is 1000 years of pardon and in Lent 200 years In this Church also is an Image of our Lady which St.
Luke painted in Troas of Greece This Image an Angel brought from the Frangapanes unto Rome into the said Church which Church being burnt in the time of Pope Honorius the third this Image stood and was nothing hurt St. Luke had two strings to his bow Physick and Painting Gods word speaks the former but as for the latter we have none but Mr. Pope's word for it and let the Papists believe him if they will Protestants are so saucy as not to believe him In the Church of St. Mary Transpontin in which are the two Pillars unto which the blessed Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul were bound when they were scourged is 300 year of pardon In the Church called Sancta Maria de Campo is 40 years of pardon In the Church of St Mary in Porticum is 200 years of pardon In this Church is a certain precious stone called a Saphir wherein as they write is graven by the hands of the holy Angels the Image of Christ and of our Lady and was delivered miraculously from Heaven to a certain Noble-man called Galla. And to this Stone also is granted great Pardon I never knew the Angels to be Gravers before and it seems they kept their Graving-shop in Heaven but are not their Tools with which they Graved these Images to be seen also Certainly they would be excellent Reliques and would give a little credit to this incredible story In the Church of our Lady De aqua Salina is 1000 years of pardon and in the day of the Consecration of the same is remission of all sins In the Church of our Lady De Apostolis is 200 years of pardon In the Church of St. Mary called Schola Graeca is 100 years of pardon In the Church of our Lady called Scala Coeli is also great pardon This is one of the first Temples that was built in the world unto the honour of the blessed Virgin Mary It is called Scala Coeli This Church is of great height where St. Bernard saw this sight because in it blessed St. Bernard deserved to see a Ladder which reached up to the very Heavens In this Church whosoever says Mass or cause it to be said for the the Souls that are in Purgatory the aforesaid Souls are delivered out of hand But the misery is no Masses can be gotten without mony through the virtue of the Mass and the Merits of the blessed Virgin Moreover whatsoever thing is devoutly asked in that place it is straightway without all doubt obtained And there is great abundance of pardon a poena culpa toties quoties In the Church of St. Mary called Imperatrix is great Indulgence and manifold pardon even to the number of 6000 years In this Church is an Image of the blessed Virgin which spake to St. Coelestine the Pope saying Why dost not thou pray unto me more often seeing that when thou goest by my Image thou clost always salute and reverence it St. Coelestine hearing this voice fell down upon his knees and prayed and desired before that Image forgiveness And more this holy Father hath granted to them that kneel before this Image and say with a good intent three Pater Nosters and as many Ave Maries 15 years of pardon toties quoties In the Church of our Lady called Libera nos a poenis inferni i.e. Deliver us from the pains of Hell is great plenty of pardon St. Sylvester Bishop of Rome who delivered Constantine the Emperor from his Leprosie and afterward baptized him Consecrated and hallowed this place which being the Chappel of the blessed Virgin is called Libera nos a poenis inferni He hath also granted to all and singular persons that devoutly come unto that place and give somewhat to the maintenance thereof 11000 years of pardon toties quoties In the Church of our Lady De Consolatione is an Image of the blessed Virgin which hath wrought many Miracles and there is in the same Church full remission of all sins on the second Sunday of the month of June from the first Even-song unto the last granted by Pope Sixtus the fourth In the Church of our Lady entituled Maria inviolata is the Oratory in which blessed Luke painted four Images of the glorious Virgin One of these Images he made after such sort as he himself knew and saw the blessed Virgin and therefore he painted and set her forth with a Ring on her finger which Image remaineth at this present day in the aforesaid Oratory And forasmuch as the blessed Virgin doth work many miracles in the said Image therefore is there great resort of People unto the said Image which receive there great help and comfort great indulgence and pardon and are replenished with many Graces and singular Benefits In the Church of our Lady De populo is great Indulgence and Pardon For Pope Pascalis hath given and granted to all that devoutly visit this Church at the Feast of the Dedication of the same and bring somewhat for the maintenance of the said Church from the Friday after the third Sunday of Lent unto the Octaves of Easter for every day 1000 years of pardon and as many Lents Pope Sixtus the fourth also hath endowed this Church with marvailous and many great Indulgences insomuch that all and singular persons that of a good mind come and visit this Church at the Feasts of the Nativity Purification Annunciation Visitation and Assumption of Mary the Virgin or at any one of them shall have for every time full remission of all their sins Here follow certain other Churches with their Indulgences and Pardons IN the Church of St. Agnes is every day 48 years of pardon and in the Feast of the same Saint 200 years of pardon In the Church of St. Susan is 300 years of pardon In the Church of St. Tabine the Wife of St. Alexius is 2000 years of pardon and as many Karins In the Church of St. Praxed is remission of the fourth part of all sins and in the same Church is the Pillar that Christ was bound unto when he was scourged The old Latin book saith that in the aforesaid Church there is daily 12000 years of pardon and as many Lents and the forgiveness of the third part of all sins In this Church also is an Altar upon which Pope Pascalis sung 5 Masses for a certain Soul departed which 5 Masses being once ended he saw with his corporal eyes the blessed Virgin Mary to fetch the Soul out of Purgatory and to carry it into the bosom of Almighty God as ye may see it painted upon the wall of the aforesaid Church In consideration whereof the aforesaid Pope Pascalis by his Apostolick Authority hath given and granted to so many as either say Mass themselves or cause Mass to be said in the aforenamed Church power to deliver one Soul out of Purgatory toties quoties In the Church of St. Katharine is 200 years of Pardon In the Church of St. Felix is 40 years of Pardon In the