money Impostures Sophistications Circunductions Collusions and Deceivings of the people defacings of Christs death obscurings of Gods free grace very spurres vnto all lewdnesse of life For what offence knavery sinne or abhomination can be so great which may not be healed and made cleane with the mollifying oyle of the Popes candid Indulgence Venalia Romae Thura Sacerdotes caelum est venale Deusque Jndulgences granted to Reliques Crosses Beades and Pictures at the instance of Sr Robert Sherley Ambassadour from the King of Persia to all Christian Princes indulgence 1 THose who having any of the aforesaid things shall confesse and communicate or say Masse and moreover shall say the Psalme De profundis with one Pater Noster and one Aue and those that cannot read three Pater nosters and three Aue's gaine a plenary and deliuer a soule out of Purgatory indulgence 2 Those who shall say The Divine Office or Offium B. Mariae or 7 Psalmes or Coron of our Lady or a third part of the Rosary or the Letanies of Saints with the Prayers or that of our Lady approued praying our Saviour for the exaltation of holy Church and extirpation of heresie gaine all the Indulgences which in that day are got in all the Churches within and without the walles of Rome and a Plenary for those that shall be confessed and communicated indulgence 3 Those who shall say three Pater nosters and three Aue maries praying our Saviour for the Advancement and Honor of Sr Robert Sherley a grand Promotor of the Catholicke cause desiring also the increase of all Religious Orders they are made partakers of all the Intercessions of the aforesaid renowned Knight as also of all the sacrifices prayers fastings mortifications and pious workes of any of the members of the Catholicke Church indulgence 4 Every time that any one shall examine his conscience and after the same shall say one Pater noster and one Aue Marie praying for the exaltation of holy Church and extirpation of heresie he doth gaine the Remission of the third part of his sinnes and being confessed and communicacated saying seaven Pater nosters and seaven Aue Maries deliver three soules out of Purgatory Jndulgences granted to Crosses Beads and Pictures at the instance of the Procurators of the Canonization of St Carolo Boromeo indulgence 1 HIS Holines doth grant to any that shall haue about him any of those forenamed things blessed and praying before any of the said Pictures shall say the office of our Ladie of our Sauiour or of the dead or the seaven Penitentiall Psalmes or graduall or the Coronarie of our Ladie or of our Sauiour or the third part of the Rosarie or shall heare Masse or a Preaching or shall visite the most holy Sacrament or shall accompany it or shall giue an Almes or doe any other like workes although they should be bound to doe the same praying for the extirpation of heresie gaine for every time the remissiō of the third part of their sinnes and being confessed and communicated a plenarie Indulgence a poena et culpa c. indulgence 2 His Holines doth also grant to every one that shall make reverence to any Crosse or Picture or shall recommend himselfe to God to our Ladie to his good Angell or to that Saint which he is most devoted to or shall giue thankes to God for his benefits received or in the beginning any action or in time of any tribulation shall signe himselfe three times with the signe of the holy Crosse or shal say once Deus in adiutorium meum intende or shall doe other pious or charitable workes gaine for every time twentie yeares of Indulgence indulgence 3 For every one that are penitent for their sinnes with purpose to Confesse them and communicate shall gaine ten yeares of Indulgence when moreover they shall examine their consciences they gaine remission of the third part of their sins and being effectually confessed praying to God for the happie estate of holy Church gaine dubble indulgence 4 And every time that any Priest shall confesse communicate or say Masse as well being bound as for devotion and pray to God for the extirpation of heresie or the exaltation of holy Church he shall gaine a plenarie and praying for the soules in Purgatory deliver every time a soule thence according to their owne intention Whosoever shall cause to be sayd three Masses of the dead in one or more dayes twelue times in the yeare for every time deliuereth a soule out of Purgatory according to his owne intention indulgence 5 Whosoever vpon holy Thursday and vpon the day of the Ascension of our Sauiour shall be confessed and communicate and shall pray for his Holines and for the exaltation of holy Church gaineth the Indulgences of the blessing of his Holines which he is vsed to giue publickly in that day as if he were present indulgence 6 In the dayes of the Stations of Rome in what time of the yeare soever who so hath any of the aforesaid holy things may gaine the same Indulgence as well for the liuing as the dead saying in the Church or at home before some of the sayd Pictures fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aue's in honor of the most holy blood of our Saviour sprinckled in his most holy Passion indulgence 7 Whosoever shall say one Miserere or one Credo c. or Te Deum c. in honor of the most holy blood as aboue and kisse the ground three times may be partaker of the Indulgence which they doe gaine which make the going of the holy stayres that day indulgence 8 Those which are present at the most holy sacrifice of the Masse and shall pray for his Holines for the Christian Princes and tranquilitie of their state doe gaine every time all the Indulgences and Graces which in that day are got by visiting all the Churches within and without Rome indulgence 9 Whosoever shall pray for the conseruation and increase of religious Orders is made partaker of all their sacrifices fastings disciplines prayers and other their good workes as if he were a member of any of them indulgence 10 Whosoever having confessed and communicated in the feast of St Charles shall say fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aue's in honor of the Passion of our Saviour getteth a plenarie and the remission of all their sinnes indulgence 11 Likewise his Holines doth grant to those that say one Pater noster and Aue or the Psalme Laudate Dominum omnes gentes or the Psalme De profundis or shall kisse any of the aboue named holy things saying three times Iesus and one Salve Pardon for all those deserts which they haue vnadvisedly committed in saying the divine office either being bound thereto or for devotion or any errour in saying the office of our Ladie or our Saviour or by saying or hearing Masse or saying or doing any other kinde of spirituall worke indulgence 12 Whosoever shall be hindred by any lawfull cause so that he cannot be
present at Masse or that being a Priest cannot say Masse or cannot say his office or other things to which he was bound By saying fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aue's in honor of the most sacred blood of our Saviour sprinkled in his most holy Passion obtaineth the same Indulgence which he should haue had in fulfilling the aforesayd things Those which at the point of death devoutly say once Iesu with heart not being able to pronounce it with their mouths being therewith contrite not being able to be confessed and communicated obtaine all Indulgences in forme of a Iubilee indulgence 13 Lastly his Holines doth grant over and beside the aboue-named Indulgences and graces of what sort soever they be that it shall be sufficient for any one to haue of the aforesayd holy things either proper or borrowed and if that it happen any do breake or be lost one other may be put in the place of the same and shall haue the same graces and Indulgences and that they doe serue for all places of the world neither are they to be recalled except there be expresse mention made of the aforesaid Chapters Jndulgences granted to a Countesse of this Kingdome by the Intercession of her Sonne Anno Domini 1607. indulgence 1 HIS Holines is pleased to grant that for thirtie yeares following vpon the sixt of February every yeare in the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore which is seated vpon one of the seaven Hills called Mons Esquilinus there shall be said that day at the high Altar a Masse for the said Countesse and thereby shall shee obtaine a plenary remission for all her sinnes past And by repeating fiue Pater Nosters fiue Aue's and one Credo c. Shee shall be able her selfe to free a soule that day out of Purgatory It is granted vnto the said honourable Lady that within a private Chappell of the aforesayd Church called the Splendid Chappell of Pope Paolo the V. where he lyeth buried there shall be said vpon the seventh of February during the space of thirtie yeares following Masses for the children and kinred of the said Countesse and by vertue thereof the third part of their sinnes shall be remitted And if they be Confessed and Communicate the same day they shall obtaine a plenary Indulgence indulgence 3 It shall be lawfull for the said Lady and her Children in time of Lent and other times of the yeare in the which white meats be prohibite and forbidden to eate egges cheese milke butter and other such like freely and without scrupulositie and if they be sicke they may also eate flesh indulgence Lastly to the aforesaid Lady for diverse her pious workes especially for her sustentation and maintenance of a Holy man to say Masse daily for the soules in Purgatory shee shall at the houre of her death haue full remission of all her sinnes excesses and trespasses whatsoever A poena culpa c. The like Indulgence hath shee gained for her children and as many of her kinred as shee shall pray for or wish well vnto ⧠Jndulgences granted to the Catholickes of England at the instance of Cardinall Allen. indulgence 1 HIS Holines doth grant to all the kinred and friends of the said Cardinall imbracing the Romish Catholick Religion and saying every day three Pater nosters and three Aue Maries freedome from the paines of Purgatory and every one of them who shall say one Pater noster and one Aue more for the honor of the said Holy Cardinall shall get a plenary Indulgence for his friend indulgence 2 Whosoever shall cause to be said three Masses of the dead in one or more dayes twelue times in the yeare For every time delivereth a soule out of Purgatory according to his owne intention indulgence 3 Whosoever Catholicke of England vpon holy Thursday before Easter and Ascension of our Saviour shall be Confessed and Communicate and shall pray for his Holines for the Cardinalls and for the Exaltation of holy Church gaineth the Indulgences of the blessing of his Holines which he is vsed to giue publickly in that day as if he were present indulgence 4 Whosoever honoureth our Lady with three Ave Maria's in a day more then is inioyned by his Confessor and once in a weeke shall say over this Prayer O domina mea sancta Maria mater Dei pietate plenissima summi Regis filia mater gloriosissima mater orphanorum consolatio desolatorum via errantium salus omnium in te sperantium virgo ante partum virgo in partu virgo post partum fons misericordiae fons salutis gratiae fons consolationis indulgentiae fons pietatis laetitiae fons vitae veniae hodie quotidie in hora exitus mei animam meam corpus meum tibi commendo omnem spem meam consolationem meam omnes angustias miserias meas vitam finem vitae meae tibicommitto Amen Virgo virginum praeclara Mihi iam non sis amara Whosoever performeth the premisses shall receiue many blessings from our Lady in this life and at his death our Lady shall appeare vnto him and comfort him His Holines doth command all those that honor our Lady to carry about with them the booke called Officium B. Mariae Virginis or our Ladyes Psalter and to keepe our Ladyes Beads and Pictures Jndulgences and Pardons granted to Sir Iohn Markam Knight Anno Domini 1608. indulgence 1 HIS Holines doth grant vnto the said Knight for diverse his pious and laudable acts plenary Pardon and Absolution for all his sinnes formerly committed as also Impossibility for the paines of Purgatory promising him a good Angell alwaies to attend him He doth further yeeld that whosoever shall say for the soule of Sr Iohn Markam being dead thrice Pater Noster Aue shall gaine fortie dayes of Indulgence whatsoever sinne he commit indulgence 2 His Holines doth further grant to Katherine and Mary sisters of the said Sr Iohn Markam comming to Confession and Communicating and having any of the Meddalls of this Pardon saying three Pater nosters and three Aue's a plenary Indulgence for the time past And if to the former they adde a De profundis they obtaine Pardon for fiftie dayes after and may deliver a soule out of Purgatory indulgence 3 The said Sr Iohn Markam and his Sisters saying with Devotion at the houre of their death the word Iesus or if either of them cannot for the extreamitie of their traunce pronounce it with the mouth yet if eyther of the parties but thinke of that blessed name they obtaine a plenary Indulgence in forme of a Iubilee ⧠A Pardon granted vnto Master Rawson of England Anno Domini 1608. THe said Mr Rawson having devoted himselfe vnto the service of the blessed Father and Law-maker St Benedict hath obtained by the Intercession of the said St Benedict who did call himselfe from all worldly tumults to serue God alone a plenary Pardon for himselfe and such Indulgence
Wednesday Friday or Saturday in Church or Chappell for the dead shall deliuer what soules they will and as oft as they will out of Purgatory They may also lawfully in time of Lent and other times of the yeare in the which white meats be prohibited and forbidden eat egges cheese milke butter and all other white meats freely without scrupulosity or grudge of conscience and if they be sicke they also may eate flesh with counsell of their Ghostly father and Physitian And whosoeuer shall procure any man or woman to bee brother or sister of the aforesaid gyld shall haue for his godly trauell fiue hundred yeares of pardon Also euery brother and sister with their fathers and mothers departed shall be made partakers of all Masses Mattenses Prayers Suffrages Almes deeds holy liuings Pilgrimages and all other good deeds works of piety and charitie the which be done and shal be done throughout the whole vniuersal Church militant and all the members of the same for euer And furthermore our said holy Father hath granted to all Christian people being truly penitent and confessed or hauing purposed to bee confessed at such times as the Law hath determined and there deuoutly doe visit the Chappell of our Lady in Goston and also doe visit three times seuen Altars there assigned in the Parish Church at the Feasts of the glorious Assumption Natiuity and all other feasts of the same our blessed Lady or within eight dayes following after euery of the same Feasts or any day of the said Vtas putting-to their helping hands to the maintenance of the charges of the same gyld shall haue and enioy all and singular Indulgences and Remissions of their sinnes as if they had personally visited the Church of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul at Rome and other the 7 principal Churches theâ—… in the year of Iubile and Grace and also shal haue al the same Indulgences and Remissions of their sinnes as they should haue if they had personally visited the Church of S. Iames in Compostell in Spains and had done or caused to bee done there any other thing for the obtaining of the Indulgences of the said yeere of Iubile at Rome and Compostell Also our holy Father hath declared and decreed that these said Remissions Faculties Indulgences and Dispensations shall neuer be reuoked suspended nor denulled but euer to stand in full strength and vertue from henceforth notwithstanding the yeare of Iubile at Rome or any other manner of cause whatsoeuer shall happen in time to come And euery man or woman may bee made a brother and sister of Goston gyld and enioy all Remissions Priuiledges Liberties c. if they will pay euery one of them at their entring sixe shillings eight pence and euery yeare after during his or her life eight pence or else thirteene shillings foure pence for the whole for euery singular person towards the maintaining sustentation of Priests Clerkes and poore bead-men which daily be found with the charges of the said gyld Pope Clement the 5 granted to so many as giue ought to the sustentation of the order of S. Trinitie of Houndslow his blessing for euer and twelue yeares a hundred and threescore dayes of pardon with relaxations of the third part of their penance and of the paines due for their sinnes Pope Alexander the 4 to all the brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid order that giueth some good portion of their goods yeerly to the brethren or Messengers of the said order or in their Will and Testament do giue and bequeath some honest portion of substance for the reliefe of the said brethren hath licensed granted to choose vnto them any apt and meet Priest to bee their Confessor or ghostly Father I aduise them to take M. Medcalfe for the men M. Leake for Gentlewomen to absolue them from all their sinnes toties quoties and also to be buried in Christian buriall of whatsoeuer death he deceased if he were not excommunicated by name Pope Innocent the third dispenseth with the brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid Order concerning all vowes of abstinence and of pilgrimage going except onely the vow of pilgrimage vnto Peter and Paul at Rome and Saint Iames at Compostell so that it shall be lawfull for them to change those vowes of abstinence and pilgrimage vnto other workes of mercy and charity and this hath hee done of his speciall grace and meere motion to al them that giue somewhat to the said Order of Saint Trinitie Pope Gregory the ninth hath granted to all brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid order and to all their parents and friends whether they be aliue or dead all those Indulgences and Pardons Pardon 's innumerable and good cheape which are innumerable and may iustly be compared with the Starres of the sky and the sands of the Sea that they haue which goe on pilgrimage either vnto Rome or vnto the holy Land Pope Pius the 2 hath granted and giuen to the aforesaid brethren and sisterne once in their life plenary remission and full forgiuenesse of all their sinnes yea and that in all such cases as are reserued to the Apostolique Sea Very graciously and innocently considered Pope Innocent the eight hath confirmed all the aforesaid priuiledges indulgences pardons c. and of his speciall grace hath doubled them all for the saluation of the brethren and sisterne of the Order of S. Trinity Pardon of the Augustine Fryers Pope Iohn the 23 granted to so many as bee brothers and sisters and benefactors of the Friers Hermites of Saint Augustine that they shall bee partakers of all the prayers sacrifices preachings contemplations fastings watchings pilgrimages vowes obedience chastity pouerty patience mercy almes and of all other spirituall labours trauels paines exercises c. that bee done either of the Friers of the aforesaid order or of any other deuout and religious people througout the world with Remission and forgiuenesse of all their sinnes à poena culpa toties quoties The like pardon was granted of diuers Popes to the Fraternity of Burton Lazare with dispensation of vowes and relaxation of fome part of penance with plenary remission of all their sins The clemency of Pope Clement to such as are bountifull to S. Mary of Runciuall To them that gaue any thing to the Hospitall of Saint Mary of Runciuall nigh vnto Charing-crosse without the wals of London Pope Clement the 4 granted that they should be partakers of all the Masses Prayers Fastings Watchings Pilgrimage-goings vnto the holy Land consecrate with the blood of Christ or vnto the City of Rome priuiledged with the authority of the blessed Martyrs and Apostles Peter and Paul And if they be Priests or Religious persons either men or women and haue failed to say their diuine Seruice either through negligence or default of bookes or sicknesse of body the aforesaid holy Father doth mercifully absolue them from al such offences and release them from the paine
and punishment due vnto such offendors Money is the Merchant in all the Popes affaires Pope Clement the 6 of his speciall grace hath giuen and granted to all them that giue some part of their substance being confessed and contrite release of the third part enioyned them by their ghostly father and three yeares of pardon with an hundred daies more of pardon with free buriall in places although interdict and of whatsoeuer kind of death they chance to die with 2000 Lents and 85 dayes of pardon c. Pope Alexander the third hath granted to all them that giue ought to the maintenance of the Collegiate Church of Saint Iohn of Beuerley an hundred dayes of pardon and relaxation from the seuenth part of their penance Pope Innocent the fourth hath granted to all the brethren of the same fraternity pardon of all sinnes forgotten and of all vowes broken except the vow vnto the Holy land and at their latter end remission from all their sinnes à poena culpa so that to euery brother and sister of that fraternity being confessed and absolued their Confessor may say on this manner Iohn or Ioan as free I make thee As heart may thinke or eye may see Of this pardon it is also thus written Omnibus in annis qui turbant jura Ioannis Ter execrantur damnati jure probantur The pardon granted to the Fraternitie of S. Cornelis at Westminster for such as giue any thing vnto it commeth in the year to two thousand seuen hundred and threescore dayes for euer to endure To the Fraternity of the Sepulchre of our L. Iesus Christ haue been granted by diuers Popes of Rome especially Pope Vrban the 4 as large Indulgences as any of the former pardons for 20 30 and 40 thousand yeares with odde daies A DISCOVRSE OF ENGLISH NVNNES of late transported within these two or three yeares IT is obserued that cunning Fowlers when they haue caught one bird in their net will make vse of that for a stale to tole-on others And so it is with our Priests Iesuits who entice the daughters of diuers of our Gentry here in England to the Nunneries beyond the Seas They not onely transport them thither as it were with a Writ called Corpus cum causa them with and for their money but also make vse of those that are in the Cage already that they may seeme to sing out the praises of the place where they are And to this end the Mother Abbesse by the direction of an inspecting spirituall father maketh them write ouer letters or rather inditeth letters in their name to the exceeding magnifying of the state wherein they liue that other young Birds of that brood remaining in EnglaÌ„d may be drawn to flie to the same forain nests I haue seene of late diuers letters written from diuers Nunnified Gentlewomen to some of their kindred here in this Kingdome The subiect of which Letters though from diuers hands wholly concerned first the extolling of those places wherein they were setled secondly the earnest requiring and demanding of great summes of money to be sent ouer at appointed times For the former I enuy them not that mopish moÌ„kish foolish paradice into which their ghostly fathers haue brought them but am content they shall solace themselues with the ioy and delight of their Angelicall life The summes of money which passe out of our Kingdome to the Nunneries But as concerning the other I wish it were duly considered of what infinit summes of money passe out of our kingdome yearly to vnderline those said Nunneries I haue beene credibly informed and some of the Priests namely Father Floud Iesuit their prime Procurator and others haue boasted in my hearing that the annuall pensions giuen by our popish Voluntaries to such vses amount to the full value of foure thousand pouÌ„ds besides the rich portions which many of our English women carry ouer with them and must sacrifice and lay downe to the Lady Abbesse her shrine before they be accepted of or admitted into their religious Cell unde ut ab Inferno nulla est redemptio The places to which our English women are sent The chiefe places of receipt for our English women are Bruxels Griueling and Lisbon The seuerall Orders of Nunnes The seuerall Couents of Nunnes there are of S. Clares order S. Bridgets or S. Brides order S. Katherines order of Sene Iustinians order Mary Magdalens order and Augustines order Those that haue but a little or no portion are packt by their Masters to Griueling to the poore bare-footed Clares Mary Wiltshire the daughter of a poore Taylor whom I spake of in my other Booke being but a seruant and a poore wench she should haue beene seated in this lower form being of the courser thred Those of a moderate portion trudge away to Lisbon where the whole Nunnery is allowed daily 5 crownes and their bread with some other almes vpon occasion bestowed vpon them as when they shew the head of S. Vrsula the bones of S. Bridget and her daughter sundry reliques of S. Augustine the milke of our Lady the blood of Hales with diuers such trinkets and conceits But those that haue a good round summe for their dowry as 1000 or 2000 pounds which some good customers cary hence such are stamped for Bruxels where the hungry Iesuits who sometimes meet with as good booties as the Merchants of Argier dispossesse theÌ„ of all worldly cares and vanities and like subtile Alchimists refine them out of their siluer and golden drosse into a more sublime estate and condition I haue seene within these few dayes Letters that came from M.C. E.C. and A I. Nunnes at Bruxels to some of their kindred in England One of them writes for fiue hundred pounds That the Abbesse had done a great fauour in taking so little That the Nunnery is poore and that the Abbesse cannot forbeare the money any longer Pope Innocent the fourth appointed a company of inlarged vncloistred vbiquitary Votists of seuerall sodalities A great many of which we haue latent in our kingdome and of whom the Priests and Iesuits make great vse For these are the scraping Mendicants who bring good store of prouender to the Ignatian cratch Their labor is to beg what they can get for their holy fathers or masters and to doe them all kinds of seruice as to starch their linnen sweepe their chambers make their beds wast their Church stuffe c of which ranke are Mistris Baily in Grayes Inne Lane Clarentia the Maid Mistris Halsal in Bloomesbury Mistris Venetia Mistris Philpot Mistris Fowler Mistris Floud in Holborne Black Besse and others As for the beginning of Nunnes When Pope Iohn the first was made Bishop of Rome Monke Bennet alià s Benedict after that hee had placed himselfe and his Monkish brethren in a certaine noble famous Cloyster built vpon the Mount Cassinus raised vp also an Order of Nunnes and made his sister Scholastica Abbesse ouer them Their Apparell is commonly a blacke sometimes a gray coat cloake coule and vaile They may not reade the holy Scripture without consent or permission of their superior Their orders are all wrapped full of superstition and hypocrisie seeking their saluation not in Christ through faith but in mens inuentions by foolish and popish workes ⧠A Catalogue of the Names of such young Women as to this Authors knowledge haue beene within two or three yeares last past transported to the Nunneries beyond the seas Mrs Anne Mâ—…nfeild Mistris Anderton Mrs Parker Mrs Anne Gray Mrs. Talbot Mrs. Linsel Mrs. Sydnam Mrs. Percyâ— Mrs. Gerard. Mrs. Floud Mrs. Ashton Mrs. Greffin Mrs. Halsal Mrs Blimstone Iane Roe Mrs. Eueleigh Mrs Worthington Elizabeth Lusher Bridget Lee a kitching maid sometime dwelling at the vpper end of Holborne Mrs. Molineux Mrs. Ingam Mrs. Webbe Dorothy Stamp Mrs. Ireland Mrs. Blackstones Elizabeth Powell of Holborne Mrs. Ruckwood Mrs. Lathom Mrs. Fortescue Mrs. Winchcombe Mrs. Townely Mrs. Townely Mary Turner Mary Smith Mrs. Iones Mrs. Bishop Mrs. Owen Mrs Clifton Sara Brewer Grace Wire Mrs. Atkins Mrs. Drury Mrs. Stanley Mrs. Sanders Mrs. Conniers Mrs. Abbington Factors employed for the conueying ouer of the said Women to the Nunneries MAster Hughes of London a man very actiue in performing the said businesse Master Palmer Spanish Iohn coÌ„monly called The Deuils factor or Forty pound Iohn which name was giuen him for cosening two gentlewomeÌ„ of 40 pounds whom he vndertook to transport Iohn Smith A kinsman of Master Fisher the Iesuit Vdal of Gun-powder Alley Iohn Barbar Iames Hart. Vincent Captaine Dak Sherborne Langton a Lancashire man Master Peeters Stubbes Louet a brother to the popish Goldsmiths FINIS
All-hallowen day take bread and deale for all Christen soules And one good Woman a widdow who had in store but three pecks of flower did make it all into loaues and deale it saying to them that receiued it Remember to pray for the soule of my Mother And one of them praying very earnestly for the soule of this good Womans Mother her Mother appeared vnto her and told her my daughter by her charitie and thou by thy good prayers hast now helped me out of Purgatory Tell my daughter that shee sell her Cow and goe presently to Rome to the Popes Holines for a Pardon for her sinnes and then shee may be eased of such paines as I haue indured which being told to her daughter shee reioyced much and did as shee was bidden and went to Rome and had Indulgence And the Pope by divine revelation knew before shee came of all that had happened to her This Tale is alledged by Father Steuens in his Booke called The Vnity of Gods Church pag. 271. Let me then intreat all honest English Italianated Romanists who are willing to chaffer for this singular exquisite commoditie of Indulgence at the best hand in this next ensuing yeare of Iubilee that they provide them of good store of cash though I heare Pardons will be then very plenty and therefore the lesse dainty The prices they shall find high or low according to the coursenesse or finenesse of their Remission the lightnesse or weightinesse of the crime the abilitie or weaknesse of the purchaser I haue within these few daies seene in the hands of one who esteemeth it as a great raritie an authenticall Booke of the particular Prices and Taxations of all Pardons Faculties and Indulgences grantable by the Popes liberall Holines which Booke was Printed aboue an hundred yeares agoe in Paris bearing the name of Taxa Cameâ—…e Apostolicae which as I guesse is like to be published in English ere long against the opening of the great Market for the benefit of the Christian world And sure a great benefit it is and speciall conveniency to our Romanists who are willing to trade to know before hand the prices of the Market by the Booke of the generall Bailiffe or Clearke of the Market It is defended by some Writers Deseusio Parisien Curiâ—… pro libertate Eccl. Gall. Ludouic 11. Oblato arus 77. that the common Indulgences onely with the Letters of pardon and the Reseruationes pectorales mentales regressus generales speciales accessus with other such trifles more are worth to the Pope in one onely Kingdome aboue two hundred thousand Crownes a yeare which through all Christendome would amount to aboue tenne millions of Crownes which is a prettie moderate reckoning or summe I haue beene informed by some of the Priests in London that some great persons of our Kingdome haue sent the Pope two or three hundred pounds a piece for Pardons The vse of some of which Indulgences in the manner of their proceedings is very remarkable For they are the Mother or Midwife of many wicked practises for the advantage of their Church as being the very bellowes which blow the fire of Treason against the persons and states of Princes This ware bewitcheth not onely private men but great Kings For her Merchants are the great men of the earth Apoc. 18. 3. Therefore infinite store of this Babylonian trumpery was transported vnto the poore Indians for the pretended benefit of their soules but for the intended benefit of a Princes worldly estate The Ministration of the Popes pardons is with the ingredients of Parchment Waxe and encaunted Words all which by purging the entrailes of their purses haue a wonderfull operation in them The Treasury of Indulgences is shut vp in a Chest his Holines having the Keyes wherein is heaped vp all the superfluous meritorious good workes of St Francis S â— Benedict St Dominick S â— Thomas a Becket St Boniface St Alphonse and other holy Fathers Petrus Asores in Catholica assertione de lege whose merits being so overflowing plentifull over and beside what hath answered for their owne sinnes Vid. Extrauag Clement 6. the Pope dispenseth and distributeth the remainder to every person according to his Holines discretion which is much guided by weight and measure of that which is brought to purchase a good Market Thesaurum Ecclesiae vocant Christi sanctorum Apostolorum Martyrumque merita Caluin Instit lib. 3 cap. 5. The bottome of this Chest is so vnplummetable that it can never be sounded emptied nor diminished If it were possible that all the people of the world did goe to Rome in one yeare of Iubilee that every one might receiue full Indulgence and Pardon yet should the same Chest be no more emptied thereby then the Ocean Sea should be with taking out of it one spoonfull of water or St Goddards mountaines be diminished by taking from them one handfull of sand Tho. Becon de Reliqu Eccl. Rom. sol 186. Lastly as for the extent of these Indulgences Some of them are for an hundred thousand yeares so liberall is the holy Father Pope Innocent the 8. granted some for fifty thousand yeares as but an ordinary kindnesse Pope Clement the 7. for fortie thousand Pope Clement the 5. for thirtiâ— thousand yeares Plenariae Indulgentiae a Papâ CentoruÌ„ annorum a Cardinalibus centum dieruÌ„ ab Episcopis quadraginta Some are granted to the liuing some to the dead Some purchase pardons as they doe Lands not onely for themselues but their heires Some haue their whole sinnes remitted some but part Some haue power granted for the freeing of one soule out of Purgatory by the Popes Indulgence others haue libertie to free many Some of their dispensations are the dissipations of divine and humane right some are the disvniting of naturall and morall bands Some are to tye Princes in vnlawfull marriage some to vntie many Subiects from lawfull obedience All of them are of great presumption against the Lawes of God and Nature Caluin Institut lib. 3. cap. 5. Sunt sanguinis Christi prophanatio Satanaeque ludibrium quo Christianum populum a Dei gratia â vita quae est in Christo abducant a vera salutis via avertant SPECIALL INDVLGENCES PVRCHASED AT Rome granted to diverse English Gentle beleeving Roman Catholickes for their money MY chiefe intent in propounding a recitall of particular Indulgences given to diverse particular men of our Nation is not God is my witnes to cast imputation of folly vpon Gentlemen of worthy and respected Families in our Nation but to imply and signifie in regard of the publicke by this tast and essay what great summes of money are exhausted and gotten out of this Kingdome to inrich Rome vpon pretence of these and other such like Trumperies They make a Mart of the Nations Esa 23. 3. The Papall pardons indeed which like Summer-swallowes so busily fly abroad what are they els then very Nets for
as followeth for all his brethren the Catholickes of England indulgence 1 Whosoever shall say Sancte Benedicte or a pro me with Pater noster Aue shall forthwith haue a third part of his sinnes remitted him indulgence 2 Whosoever shall say three Pater nosters and three Aue Maries for the advancement and happy increase of all the Religious Professors of the Order of St Benedict shall participate a particular benefit by all their sacrifices prayers fastings mortification and good workes as if he were a particular member of that Religious Order indulgence 3 Whosoever shall celebrate either by Devotion or Obligation for any part of that Order shall forthwith deliver a soule out of Purgatory indulgence 4 Whosoever shall sacrifice vnto the Disciples of St Benedict that is to St Placidus St Maurus the Virgin St Scholastica his Sister and to all holy Monkes and Nunnes shall be able to make warre against the Flesh the World and the Devill and instantly deliver two soules out of Purgatory ⧠Jndulgences granted by his Holines to the Family of the MANPHILDS in England Anno Dominini 1608. indulgence 1 IN the dayes of the Stations of Rome in what time of the yeare soever any of the aforesaid Family shall pray before any of the sacred Reliques and Pictures sent from his Holines they shall gaine the same Indulgence as well for the liuing as the dead as is giuen that day publickely at Rome saying in the Church or at home before some of the said Pictures or Reliques fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aue Maries in honor of the most holy blood of our Saviour sprinckled in his most holy Passion Of little worth is that skull or dead mans bone which vvill not by becoÌ„ming a holy Relique adde something to the Popes Exchequer indulgence 2 For saying one Miserere or one Credo or Te Deum c. in honor of the most holy blood as aboue and kissing the ground three times any of the aforesaid Family may be partaker of the Indulgences which they doe gaine who make the going of the holy Stayres that day indulgence 3 Whosoever of the aforesaid Family having Confessed and Communicated shall say this Antiphon in honor of our Lady gaineth a plenary and shall free a soule out of Purgatory Aue Regina coelorum Aue Domina Angelorum Salue radix salue porta Ex qua mundo lux est orta Gaude virgo gloriosa Super omnes speciosa Vale ô valde decora Et pro nobis Christum exora Indulgences granted to the Family of the Lord M. in England at the Intercession of Tob. Mathew Anno Domini 1608. HIS Holines hath granted vnto the said Lord M. for the reliefe he hath affoorded vnto distressed Catholickes as also for his bountie to the houses of Bruxells and Lisbon I wish rather that this English money had bin spent in England vpon some publicke service there and for yeelding his helping hand to the repaire of the Churches of St Peters Santa Maria Maggiore St Pauls St Sebastian and Fabian St Lawrance Santa Croce St Iohn de Lateran neare Rome that he shall be partaker of all the Masses Prayers Fastings Watchings Pilgrimages c. had at the Stations of Rome together with a plenary Remission of all sinnes A poena culpa c. for a thousand Lents and sixtie-fiue yeares And besides saying any day of the yeare three Pater Nosters and three Aue's more then is commanded him by his ghostly Father he shall be able to free one of his Friends out of Purgatory Indulgences very large granted to the Family of the Lord W. at the Intercession of the said T. M. Indulgences granted to the Family of the Lord Va. at the Intercession of T. M. A PARDON GRANTED TO THO GER OF England Knight and his Lady PAulus quintus Episcopus servus servorum Dei Dilecto filio nobili viro Tho. Ger. Militi dilectae in Christo filiae nobili mulieri ejus uxori salutem Apostolicam benedictionem c. The same at large in English thus PAul the fift Bishop seruant of the seruants of God To his beloued sonne the noble Gentleman T. G. the younger Knight and to his beloued daughter in Christ the noble Lady his wife greeting and Apostolicall benediction Hauing heard of late of some desires of yours which concerne the saluation of your soules and receiuing your Petitions from the hands of the Religious man Henry Stanley we haue granted to your said Petitions a fauourable hearing and by the tenour of these presents doe grant this Indulgence to your deuotion That such a ghostly Father as either of you shal chuse shall haue power by Apostolicall authoritie to grant to you full remission of all your sinnes whereof you shall be confessed as also freedome from the paines of Purgatory And euery Wednesday Friday or Saturday that any of you shall say ouer the Office of our Lady you shall merit for whom you loue best And if vpon Easter day you shal be confessed and communicate and say nine Pater-nosters and nine Aues with a de profundis for the soules in Purgatory you shall euerie time be able to free one soule thence Also at the houre of your death the Deuill shall haue no power ouer you nor at al trouble or torment you What lawfull petitioÌ„ you shall ask at any time of God he shal grant it you Your enemies shall not preuaile against you Yet we declare that if vpon confidence of this Remission you shall commit any notorious sinnes wilfully that then this present Pardon shall not helpe you as concerning them You must also persist in the vnitie and faith of the holy Church of Rome and pray for the extirpation of heresie and liue in obedience and deuotion towards vs our successors Popes of Rome canonically entring into that Sea and further doe your dutie to all religious men Lastly you shall giue twentie shillings yearlie towards the maintenance of the Cope of S. Thomas Becket and euery Friday a penie to the first poore bodie you meet Let it now be lawful for no man to infringe this Pardon and Grant of ours or with any boldnesse to contradict it And if anie shal presume to attempt any such thing let him know and assured lie vnderstand that hee shall incurre the indignation of Almightie God and of his blessed Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul all other Martyrs and Saints Giuen at S. Peters in Rome vnder the Fishers Ring the 9 of Aprill in the first yeare of our Papacy The forme of the Absolution wherewith they are absolued with whom his Holinesse so graciously dispenseth AVthoritate Dei Patris Omnipotentis beatorum Petri Pauli Apostolorum ejus ac authoritate Apostolica mihi in hac parte commissa Ego absolvote abomnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere confessis contritis de quibus confiteri vâ—lles si tuae occurrerent memoriae Plenariam absolutionem omnium peccatorum
tuorum in quantum claves Ecclesiae se extendunt in hac parte authoritate istarum literarum Apostolicarum tibi do concedo ita ut sis absolutus ante Tribunal Domini nostri Jesu Christi habeasque vitam aeternam vivas in secula seculorū Amen In English thus BY the authoritie of God the Father Almightie of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and by the Apostolique authoritie committed vnto mee in this behalfe I absolue thee from all thy sinnes by thee to mee trulie confessed and contrite and of which thou wouldst haue been confessed if they had come vnto thy remembrance Moreouer I giue and grant vnto thee full absolution and remission of all thy sinnes so farre as the keies of the Church doe extend in this behalfe by the authoritie of these Apostolique Letters so that thou be absolued before the iudging seat of our Lord Iesus Christ and haue euerlasting life worlds without end Amen Another forme of Absolution AVthoritate Dei Patris Omnipotentis Apostolorum Petri Pauli totius matris Ecclesiae ac virtute hujus Bullae Papalis Jndulgentiae Ego absolvo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis c. BY the authoritie of God the Father Almightie of the Apostles Peter and Paul and of all the mother Church and by vertue of this Bull the Popes Pardon I absolue thee from all thy sinnes c. A third forme of Absolution AVthoritate Dei Omnipotentis beatorum Petri Pauli Apostolorum ejus ac authoritate Apostolica mihi in hac parte commissa Ego absolvo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis poenistibi in Purgatorio debitis propter culpas offensas quas contra Deum animam tuam commisisti Et in quantum mihi committitur restituo te illi Jnnocentiae in qua eras quando baptizatus fuisti exceptis punctis hiis reservatis Domino Papae ut anima tua vivat cum Christo in secula seculorum Amen BY the authority of God Almighty and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul and by the Aposto like authoritie committed vnto me in this behalfe I absolue thee from all thy sins and paines due vnto thee in Purgatorie for the faults and offences which thou hast committed against God and thine owne soule And as much as lieth in my power I restore thee vnto that Innocencie wherein thou wert when thou wast baptised those points onely excepted which are reserued to the Lord Pope that thy soule may liue with Christ worlds without end Amen Generall Pardons granted by diuers Popes for diuers considerations c. Pope Innocent the 8 hath granted to euery man and woman that beareth the length vpon him of Christs nayles wherewith hee was fastned to the Crosse the iust length of euery one of them was nine inches and worshippeth them daily with fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aues and a Creed that hee shall haue granted him these seuen great gifts that follow The first is Hee shall neuer die sudden nor euill death The second is He shall neuer bee slaine with sword nor weapon The third is His enemies shall neuer ouercome him The fourth is Poison nor false witnesse shall neuer grieue him The fist is He shall haue sufficient goods and honest liuing The sixt is He shall not die without the Sacraments of the Church The seuenth is He shall be delivcred defended from all wicked spirits pestilence feuers and other maladies Pope Jnnocent the 8 c. TO all good Christian people disposed to say our Ladies Psalter within this Church or churchyard on any of these beads the which haue beene pardoned at the holie place of Shene shall haue ten thousand yeares of pardon Also for euerie word in the Pater noster Aue and Credo 23 daies of pardon totiens quotiens Also they are pardoned at Sion and by that ye shall haue for euery Pater noster Aue and Credo said on them three hundred dayes of pardon Also vnto all those that the beads do string or cause to be stringed in time of necessity there is granted by two Bishops fourescore dayes of pardon and Gods blessing and theirs Also you must say first on the fiue beads fiue Pater nosters fiue Aue Maries and a Creed in the worship of the 5 wounds of our Sauiour Christ and then after euery Creed say on the first white bead of the fiue Iesu for thy holy name and then on the red bead And for thy bitter passion then on the first black bead Saue vs from sin shame then on the second black bead And endlesse damnation and then on the last white bead Bring vs to the blisse That neuer shall misse Sweet Iesu Amen The Pardon wherof remembring the wounds great and small of our Sauiour Christ is 5 thousand 4 hundred 75 yeares of these 5 beads The whole summe of pardon granted of both Monasteries for euery Psalter saying on these beads is 26 thousand 6 hundred yeares and 50 dayes totiens quotiens Therefore let no man nor woman presume to carrie away or to conuey the aforesaid beads but hang them againe where yee find them For if they doe they are accursed foure times in the yeare in the generall sentence And at euery Psalters end pray for all christen soules Pope Clement the 7 with diuers other holy Fathers Popes of Rome his predecessors of their paternall holinesse and abundant graces haue granted to all the brethren sisterne of the said gyld that now be and to all other that will bee full power and authority to chuse them any able Priest to their Confessor secular or religious which may heare their confessions and giue vnto them once in their life and in the Article of death plenary and full remission of all their sins excesses offences and trespasses how grieuous and enorme soeuer they be à poena culpa c. Againe the brethren and sisterne of the aforesayd gyld may say or cause to be said Masses and all other diuine Seruices before day light incontinent after three of the clock after midnight not onely in hallowed places but also in vnhallowed places though they bee suspended or interdicted by ordinary authority Also euery brother and sister that will say any Wednesday Friday or Saturday one Pater noster one Aue Maria and a Credo in any Church or Chappell where they doe dwell prouided alway that they giue somewhat to the aforesaid gyld and put-to their helping hand to the sustentation and maintenance of the charges of the said gyld as oft as they shall so doe shall haue cleane remission à poena culpa and the same remission as if they had visited the Chappell of Scala coeli of Rome and the Church of S. Iohn Lateranense when the Stations there be celebrated for the quicke and dead The picture of Saint Iohn Baptist and a stone will driue away an angry dog The aforesaid brethren and sisterne also causing Masse to be said either on the