ought by their office to haue giuen their minde to the preaching of the gospell and the prouision making for the poore set all their pleasure on pleasaunt singing not caryng how they liued afore god so that with their voyces they might please y e world He was therefore compelled to make a decree that all suche as be in the holy ministery should from thenceforth vnder the payne of excommunicatioÌ„ geue their minds no more to singing but apply themselues to the studies of the holy scriptures and the reading of the gospell In Regist. part 5. cap. 44. Undoubtedly sayth S. Gregory true prayer câ—Ì„sisteth not in the voyce of the mouth but in the thoughts of y e heart For our words do not make the voices the pithier of y e greater force to come vnto the most secret eares of God but our desire and affections Therefore sayth the Lord in the gospel Enter into thy closette sparre the doore He sparreth the doore and prayeth in hys closet whiche holdeth his peace with his mouth poureth out the affection of his minde in the sight of god aboue Moral Lib. 22. cap. 18. S. Iohn Chrisostome also writeth on this maner It is the duty of a deuout mynde to praye to God not with the voice or with the souÌ„d of the voice but with the deuotion of the minde and with the fayth of the heart Agayne he saith the crieng of the voyce is not the worke in prayer vnto god whome we knowe that he beholdeth the secretes of the heart but the crieng of faith and the deuotion of a godly and pure mind Therfore the beste waye to pray is to pray with hart minde spirit soule and and inwarde man HoÌ„ 44. de Ioan. Paul Festo The Emperoure Iustiniane made a law that all byshops and priestes both in the time of diuine seruice and also in the ministration of the holy sacrameÌ„ts should with so open and cleare voyce pronounce all thynges in the tounge which the people vnderstand that they might therby be the better edified and also be the more feruently stirred vnto deuotion and prayinge to God For sayth he so doth the holy Apostle teache in his first Epistle to the Corinthians saying If thou geue thankes onely in the spirite that is to say in an vnknowen tounge howe shall he that occupyeth the roume of the vnlearned say Amen at thy thankes geuinge seynge he vnderstaÌ„deth not what thou sayest Thou verely geuest thankes well but y e other is not edifiedâ— And again in his Epistle to the Romans he sayth on thys manner to beleue with the heart iustifyeth and to knowledge with the mouthe maketh a man safe In consideration whereof sayth that Godly Emperoure it is conuenient that amonge other prayers those thynges also whiche are sayde in the holy oblation that is to saye in the ministration of the Lordes super or the hloy communioÌ„ of the body and bloud of Christ be vttered spoken with a loude voice of the deuout Byshops priest to our Lord Iesu Christ one God with the father and the holy ghost willyng theÌ„ to know that if they neglect any of these things they shall not only geue accoÌ„pt therof in y e dreadeful iudgement of the great God our sauiour Iesu Christ but we also hauing knowledge herof wil not be coÌ„tent nor leaue the things vnreuenged In constitut Authen 123. Guilihelmus Durandus sayth that the vse of singing was ordained for carnal and fleshlye men and not for spirituall and godly minded men Rat. di off Polidorus â—ergilius writeth on thys manner Howe greatly that ordinauÌ„ce of singyng brought into the Churche by Pope Damasus and Sainct Ambrose began euen in those dayes to be profitable Sainct Austen declareth euidentlye in the booke of hys Confessions where he asketh forgeuenesse of God bicause he had giuen more heede and better eare to the singing than to the weighty matter of y e holy wordes But now adayes saith Polidore it appereth euidently y t it is much lesse profitable for our commen wealth seyng our singers make such a chattering charme in the teÌ„ples that nothyng can be heard but the voice and they that are present they are present so many as are in the Citie being content with such a noyse as delight their eares care nothyng at all for the vertue pithe and strength of the wordes so that nowe it is come to this point that with the common sort of people all the worshippyng of God semeth to be set in these singsters although generally there is no kynde of people more light nor more leud And yet the greater parte of the people for to heare them boing bleating and yelling â—locke into the Churches as into a common gameplace They hire them with money they cherishe and feede them yea to be short they thinke them alone to be the ornamentes and precious iewels of Gods house c. Wherefore without doubt it were better for religion to cast out â—f y e churches suche chatteryng and â—anglyng â—ayes or els so to appoynt them that when they sing they should rather rehearse the songes after the manner of such as reade than followe the fashion of chatteryng charmers whiche thyng S. Austen in his aforesayde booke doth witnesse that S. Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria dyd in hys diocesse and he commendeth him greatly for it Lib. 6. de inuent rerum Cap. 2. Cornelius Agrippa writeth of singing in churches on this manner Athanasius dyd forbyd singing in hys Churches bycause of the vanitye thereof But Ambrose as one more desyrous of Ceremonyes and pompe ordayned the vse of singing and makyng melodye in Churches Austen as a man indifferent betwixt both in hys booke de confessionibus graunteth that by this meanes he was in a greate perplexitie and doubt concernyng thys matter But nowe a dayes Musicke is growne to such and so greate licentiousnesse that euen at the ministration of y e holy Sacramente all kynde of wanton leude trifelyng songes with pipyng of Organs haue theyr place and course As for the diuine seruice and common prayer it is so chaunted mynsed and mangled of oure costlye hired curious and nise Musitions not to instructe the audience withall nor to stirre vp mens mindes vnto deuotion but with an whoryshe armonye to tickle theyr eares that it may iustly seme not to be a noyse made of men but rather a bleating of brute beastes while y e children ney discant as it were a sorte of coltes other bellowe a tenoure as it were a companye of oxen other barke a counterpoynt as it were a number of dogges other roare out a treble lyke a sort of bulles other grunte out a base as it were a number of hogges so that a foule euel fauoured noyse is made but as for the wordes and sentences and the very matter it selfe is nothing vnderstranded at all but the authoritye and power of iudgemente is taken
the Sacramentall wyne after consecration the frute of the vyne what other thing is that to saye than to call it wine Nynthly The naturall corporall substantiall and reall body of Christ whiche he receaued of Marye the Uirgin is denyed to be in the Sacrament of the altare I aunswere The Sacrament is an holy signe of the body and bloud of Christ whiche whosoeuer receaueth worthely and accordyng to Christes institution receaueth the very bodye and bloude of Christe yea whole Christ thorow faith which is the mouth of y e soule so y t he is incorporate made one w t Christ fleshe of his flesh and bone of hys bones Tenthly The mariage of Pristes is admitted I answere It is in the word of God no where denyed Gods Priests in the olde lawe were al maryed men and had wyues The Apostles of Christ and the Byshops and Ministers of the Primatiue Church and many hundred yeares after til the Bishop of Rome playd the tyraunt and right Antichrist in forbydding and condemning the mariage of Priestes were all maryed men At this present also in all the congregations of God whersoeuer the pope is not admitted to be supreme head the Bishops and Ministers of the Churche do freely marye wiues Neither was the mariage of Priestes euer forbydden in any nation till the Byshop of Rome and hys adherentes brought in that deuilyshe decree of the single lyfe of Priestes that thys Prophecie of Saint Paule myght be fulfilled The spirite speaketh euidently that in the later tymes some shall departe from the fayth and shall geue hede vnto spirites of errour and deuelyshe doctrines of them whiche speake false through hypocrisye and haue their consciences marked with an hoate yron forbidding to marye and commaundyng to abstayne from meates whiche God hath created to be receaued with geuyng thankes of them whiche beleue and know the truth For all the creatures of God are good c. Are not these the wordes of the holy Apostle To auoyde fornication let euery man haue his owne wyse and euery woman her owne husband Agayne Wedlocke is honourable among all persons ▪ and the bed vndefiled That God hath made free ▪ no man ought to make bonde Eleuenthly The vowes of obedience pouertie and chastitie are broken and not obserued of the Cloisterers Monkes Friers Chanons Nunnes Anckers Anckeresses c. I aunswere with the Preacher A foolish and an vnfaithful vow displeaseth God Whatsoeuer is not of fayth is sinne sayth the Apostle But these monasticall vowes are not of fayth for they haue no grounde in the worde of God therfore are they sinne What Godlynesse can there be in the vowe of pouertye seyng that the vowers thereof caste awaye all laboure contrarye to the commaundement of God and lyue idlely vnder the pretence of long prayer and are fedde lyke Epicures and belly-gods of the laboures of other mens handes and of the sweat of other mens browes And what poynte of holynesse is in their vowe of obedience seyng they vowe it to the Pope and to their Abbotes and Prioures and vtterlye denye to be obedience to the temporall Princes and Rulers to whome they owe obedience by the worde of God vnder payne of dānation As touching their vow of chastitie who knoweth not that it is both foolishe and presumptuous Can there be any greater folly or presumption in the worlde than to worshippe God with our own inuentions to vowe that vnto him whyche lyeth not in power to fulfill Oure Sauiour Christ sayth All can not awaye with this saying That is to liue vnmaryed but they to whom it is geuen The wise man also sayeth I knowe that I can not lyue chaste except God geue me the gyfte To striue againste God and nature is mere madnesse Twelfthly The fasting dayes are not so religiously with such abstinēce obserued ▪ as heretofore they haue bene I answere the people in times yast haue ben taught of their curates ▪ on those dayes whiche the Church that is to say the Pope and the Byshops hath commaunded to be fasted that they should faste vnder payne of deadly sinne abstayne from fleshe and eate but one meale that daye To make that sinne whiche is not contrary to the worde of God is the doctrine of Antichrist To thynke it more acceptable to God for to catelfishe than to eate flesh is mere madnesse and plaine superstition seyng that all the creatures of God are good nothynge is to be cast alwaye that is receaued with thankes geuing All thynges are pure to them that are pure And those thinges whiche God hath made cleane no man ought to iudge vncleane Notwithstāding such dayes of abstinence as are commaunded by the Prince and receaued by publique order are still with great reuerence and high deuotion religiously obserued and keept when notwithstanding we right well knowe that the true and Christen faste is to abstayne from sinne and to practise vertue to cease to do our owne will and to accomplishe the good pleasure of God and at all tymes to lyue temperatly and soberly as our Sauioure Christ sayth Take heede to your selues least any tyme your heartes be ouercome with surfetting and droncknesse and cares of this lyfe Thyrtenthly Iustification is taught by fayth alone without workes I aunswere The Prophet saith A ryghteous man shall lyue by hys owne fayth And the holye Apostle sayth We playnly affirme that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the lawe Agayne we haue beleued on Iesus Christ that we myght be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the deedes of the lawe bicause by the deedes of the lawe no fleshe shall be iustified Faith bicause it alone apprehendeth and layeth hande on the mercifull promises of God is counted alone to iustifie when notwithstanding it is God alone that iustifieth as s. Paul sayth It is God that iustifieth This faith is no dead and idle worke of the holy Ghost in the hearts of the faithfull but liuely and mightie in operation as Sainct Paule sayth Faith whiche worketh mightely by loue And this loue whiche issueth out of a pure heart and out of a good conscience and out of a faith vnfayned is so feruent and stronge that it brasteth out into good workes and can no more cease to worke ▪ than fyre can cease to burne when mete matter is ministred vnto it or the Sunne cease to shyne when the tyme of the cleere daye requireth Therfore a faythfull man is compared to a tree planted by the riuer side whiche bringeth forth her frute in due tyme. For whensoeuer occasion is offered to a faythfull man to worke he worketh strayghtwayes yea and that freely and willingly with out any compulsion or feare And yet doth not he these good workes to be iustified by thē for he is already iustified by fayth but to shewe that his faith is true
and liuely and not fayned and dead and declare as Dauid speaketh of hymselfe that he is as a trutefull Olyue tree in the house of the Lorde For if righteousnesse come by the lawe then dyed Christe in vayne A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good thinges And an euill man out of euill treasure bringeth forth euill thynges The good treasure is faith euill treasure is vnbelief Either make the tree good and his frute good or elles make the tree euill and hys frute euill The man must be good before he can bring forth good works Fourtenthly Auricular confession is set at nought and no more vsed I aunswere Auricular confession is the inuention of man no where grounded on the worde of God and hath bene the occasion of muche mischiefe in tyme paste Confession of our sinnes to God and to suche as we haue offended the Scripture teacheth and commauÌ„deth but such Auricular and caryshe confession to be made vnto a Priest with all circumstances where when howe with whom howe often c. as the pope commaundeth is no where founde in Gods booke Notwithstandyng we freely permitte and suffer any man that will to go vnto a Godly learned and discrete minister of Gods worde either for doctrine councell or comfort not only in the tyme of Lent but at all tymes of the yeare For it is written The lyps of a Priest kepe knowledge and at hys mouth they shall require the law for he is the Aungell or Embassadour of the Lorde of Hostes Fyftenthly The name of satisfaction is abhorred and counted vnworthy the Christen profession I aunswere To God there is satisfaction â—or sinns but the death of Christ alone as Sainct Iohn saith he Christ is the satisfaction for our sinnes Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul God made Christ to be sinne that is a satisfactory sacrifice for sinne which knewe no sinne that we by his meanes should be that righteousnesse whiche before God is allowed God requireth of vs repentaunce fayth and amendement of lyfe when we haue gone astraye but to satisfie the iustice of God for those our sinnes we are not able though al righteousnesse of the whole worlde shoulde be offered vp to God of one man for one sinne that he had committed agaynst God in whose sight the starres are not pure nor the Aungels of heauen free from imperfection if they shoulde be compared with the purenesse and perfection of God Therefore to make satisfaction to GOD for oure sinnes Christe came downe tooke our frayle nature vpon hym dyed for our wickednesses and rose agayne for oure Iustification And thys hys satisfaction is counted oure satisfaction if we beleue in hym as it is written Be it knowen vnto you ye men and brethren that thorowe thys man CHRIST is preached vnto you the forgeuenesse of synnes and that by hym all that beleue are iustifyed from all thynges from the whiche ye coulde not be iustifyed by the lawe of Moses There is an other kynde of satisfaction that concerneth oure neyghboure whome we haue offended eyther in worde or in deede That satisfaction ought in this behalfe to be made no man that feared God denyeth Yea we playnly affirme that whosoeuer hath offeÌ„ded his neighbour and seketh not to be reconciled vnto him by makyng due satisfaction vnto him to the vttermost of his power whether it be in worde or in dede that person is farre from the true Christianitie If the offence be in worde sactisfactioÌ„ must be made in worde If it be in deede then must the satisfaction be made in dede lykewise after the example of Zachee whiche sayd If I haue done any man wrong I restore him foure folde Sixtenthly Free will is denyed to be in vs that we haue no power to do any good I aunswere Our libertie of well willing well doing was lost in AdaÌ„ in whoÌ„ as all we sinned so are al we iustly coÌ„deÌ„ned Before AdaÌ„s fal we had freewill both to will wel and to do well but since his fall all perished in vs that good was and all grewe vp that euill and wicked was as it is writteÌ„ All the imagination of mans heart is only euill euery day Againe the imaginatioÌ„ of mans heart is euill euen from hys youth Hereof doth it manifestly appeare what free will there is in vs to do good or to will good seing that all our imaginations and thoughtes of our heartes are euill and wicked at al tymes eueÌ„ froÌ„ our very youth as the Prophet saieth Leude is the heart of man and vnsearcheable Saint Paule also sayeth that of our selues we be not able somuch as to think a good thought And our Sauiour Christ sayeth Without me ye can doe nothyng Notwithstandyng this we saye that in naturall and humane thynges we haue a certayne choise of will as to eate this or that meate to put on thys or that garment to speake or to kepe silence c. yea and to sinne or to abstayne from the grosse actes of synne as murther adulterye fornication false witnesse bearyng and such lyke whiche notwithstaÌ„ding we muste acknowledge and confesse to be thâ— gift of God as Saint Paule sayeth What hast thou that thou hast not receaued Also Sainct Iames Euery good gift euery perfect gifte is from aboue and come down from the father of lightes But with our whole hearts to asseÌ„t and consent to the holy will of God to accomplyshe and performe the same with such perfection and puritye as the lawe requireth that lyeth not in our power neither can the streÌ„ghts of free will do any thing in this behalfe eyther to wil it or to do it For as Saint Paule saith It is God that worketh in vs both the wil and the deede The regenerate man in Christe hath only this will and this dede as Christ sayth If the Sonne make you free then are you free in deede The naturall man perceaueth not those thinges that belong to the spirite of God Not they whiche are borne of bloud or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man but they that are borne of God haue this freedome Where the spirite of the Lord is there is libertie saith the Apostle Seuententhly Prayer is called lyppe labour I answere Outward prayer pronounced with the lippes without the affectioÌ„ of the heart and consent of the mynde is not onely lyppe labour but also vayne labour not approued but reproued of the Lorde our God as Christ hym selfe witnesseth saying This people draweth nye vnto me with their mouth and honoureth me with their lippes howbeit their hearts are farre from me Uerelye they worshippe me in vayne And to the woman of Samaria he sayd thus The houre commeth and nowe is when the true worshippers shall worshyp the father in spirite and in truth For suche the father also requireth to worship him God is a
spirite and they that worship hym muste worship hym in spirite and in truth Whatsoeuer is song or said with the mouth so that it brasteth out from the affection of the mynde we affirme to be not only tollerable but also commendable yea pleasaunt and acceptable to God as Dauid sayth I will geue alwayes thankes vnto the Lorde hys prayse shall euer be in my mouth My soule shall make her boaste in the Lorde the humble shall heare therof and be glad O prayse the Lorde with me and let vs prayse hys name together c. O be ioyfull in God all ye landes synge prayses vnto the honoure of hys name make his prayse to be glorious And the Apostle sayeth I will synge with the breath I will sing with the minde I will pray with y e breath I will praye with the minde If the mouth the mynde if the breath the heart if the lippes the spirit go together either in singing or saying It is a most acceptable melody to God highly to be praysed of al good godly meÌ„ This kynde of prayer is greatly coÌ„mended of the people of God as coÌ„trary wise prayer without the affection of the hearte is rather to be reproued than approued refused than receaued condemned than commended Eyghrenthly The holye dayes and solemne feastes whiche of oure Elders were obserued and kepte with hye deuotion and greate reuerence are nowe a dayes neglected and set nought by I aunswere We are free from the obseruation of dayes The Sabboth was made for man and not man for the Sabboth Therfore is the Sonne of man Lord also of the Sabboth A Christen mans Sabboth is euery day and endureth the whole tyme of hys life which is to reste from euill to cease to do hys owne will and to obeye the holy lawe and commaundement of GOD. We are no more tyed and bounde to the obseruation and kepynge of the Iewyshe Sabbothes from the whiche we are made free by Christe the true lyghte whose comming in the flesh expelled all the darke shadowes of Moses lawe as the Apostle sayth Let no man trouble your conscience aboute meate and drinke or for a pece of an holy daye or of the newe Moone or of the Sabboth dayes whiche are shadowes of thynges to come but the body is in Christe Let no man make you shote at a wronge marke c. Suche as yet sticke and abyde in the outwarde obseruation of dayes tymes and meates the Apostle reproueth on thys manner and sayth Now after that ye haue knowen GOD yea rather are knowen of God howe is it that ye turne agayne vnto the weake and beggarlye ordinaunces whereunto agayne ye desyre a freshe to be in bondage Ye obserue monethes and dayes and tymes and yeares I am in feare of you least I haue bestowed on you labour in vayne Agayne If ye be dead with Christ from the ordinaunces of the worlde why as though ye yet liued in the worlde are ye led with traditions Touche not taste not handle not â–ª whiche all perish thorowe the very abuse after the commaundementes and doctrines of men We graunte and confesse that we haue put downe yea and that worthely certayne supersticious Idolatrous holy dayes as the feasts of Thomas Becket that trayterous Rebell of Dunstone that wicked Nichromancer of Austen that superstitious and Popish Monke with such like notwithstanding the SoÌ„dayes and all such feastes as be grounded in the word of God bringyng vnto our remembraunce the actes of Christ and of his Saintes we not supersticiously but freely and religiously obserue and kepe accordyng to the libertie whiche is geuen vs in the Gospell by Christ. Other matters there are wherin the Papystes finde great faulte with the Protestantes whiche may be answered as easely as we haue done these aforesaid For we haue rehearsed the chief principall of what force strength they be who seeth not But forasmuche as they make the simple and ignoraunt people beleue that if these thinges be taken away the whole Religion of Christ falleth downe and vtterlye perisheth the people being persuaded that they are not tryfling traditions of meÌ„ but the graue and weyghtie ordinaunces of God And that therfore as an other Atlas they with their shulders holde vp the olde and auncient Catholyke Religion whiche otherwise would fall to ruine and vtter decay I pitieng and much lamenting the miserable state of the simple blinde and ignoraunt Christians so wretchedly seduced thorowe the suttle and craftye persuasions of these most suttle and craftye hypocrites which being in deede greuous and rauenyng wolues clothe themselues with shepes apparell that they may the easelier make a rauine and spoyle of the Christen flocke I haue thought good to declare and shewe out of Chronicles and Hystories who were the Authors and inuentours of all these tryfling tradicions drowsie dreames and idle inuentions whiche heretofore haue bene counted for true Religion and Gods seruice Agayne at what tyme or yeare of our Lorde euery one of their beggarly ceremonyes were thruste into the Churche that by thys meanes suche as will open their eyes and no more be obstinatly blynde may easely perceaue and see how wickedly the wicked and Popish hypocrites haue in tymes past seduced and receaued the simple poore Christians while they haue made them beleue that whatsoeuer is done in their Churche is diuine seruice and God is hyghlye pleased therwith contrarye to thys saying of Christe They worship me in vayne teaching doctrines whiche are the commaundementes of men and that to leaue these thinges vndone is deadly sinne and worthye great punishement A Priest to rede the Gospell at Masse without candle lyght to receaue the Sacramentall wine without minglyng of water to say Masse abrode without a Superâ—ltare Againe the Lay man to come vnto the Lordes table without shrifte and absolution at the Priests hand not to beare a candle on Candlemasse daye not to take ashes in Lent not to beare Palmes on Palme Sonday not to crepe to the crosse on good Fridaye not to abstayne from fleshe on Fridayes other fasting dayes with a thousand such like was counted a greater offence among the Papistes than to transgresse and breake any of the commaundements of God It may worthily be sayd to them as Christe sayde to the Pharesees and Scribes Well Prophecied Esay of you hypocrites as it is written This people honoureth me with their lippes but their hearte is farre fro me Howbeit in vayne do they serue me teaching the doctrines and commaundementes of men For ye lay the coÌ„maundements of God a part and obserue the constitutions of men c. Ye cast aside the commaundement of God to maintaine your owne constitutions There is almost no constitutions no decree no ceremonye no Papisticall secte nor any other tradition appertaining to Churche ware and Romishe religion whiche I haue not both diligently and painefully sought out of Chronicle writers
God howsoeuer the wicked and wilye papistes bewitche the simple people and thorowe their suttle Sophistrye caste mistes before the eyes of the ignorant and so darken theyr senses and wittes that they can not espye y e truth of Gods worde in thys behalfe which is aboundauntly setforth thorowe the greate benefite of God in these oure dayes by the diligente laboure paynfull trauayle of many Godly learned men both in Latin and in Englyshe and in diuerse other speaches vnto the great cōfort of all faythfull Christians and vnto y e confusion of Antichrist and of hys kyngdome Vercellen Concil Florent Concil Roman Concil Secund. Sinod Lateran Extra de summa fide cathol Cap firmiter Pope Pelagius the second ordayned praying for the dead in the Masse In y e yeare c. 580. Plat. Pol. Grat. D. Barns Pope Gregorye the fyrst succedyng y e aforesayd Pelagius encreased this cōstitution concerning y e memoration and prayer for y e dead being hereunto allured by y e disceatfull apparitions of deuils rather than of dead mens spirites which many times appeared vnto him euer crauing at his hand helpe and succour for their deliuerance out of y e most bitter paynes of purgatorye thorowe Diriges and Masses of Requiem such like prayers made for the dead greatly abusing his childish pity light beliefe For he writeth y t a certayne mā called Paschasius being deade appeared vnto him desired him to pray to say masse for him which thyng he most diligently did so y t afterward y e soule of Paschasius appeared agayne vnto hym tolde him y t whē he had once sōg for him .xxx Masses he was streyghtwayes deliuered out of purgatorye Gregorius in Registro He writeth agayne y t a certayne Monke called Iustus was deliuered out of the fyre of purgatorye thorowe the sacrifyce of thyrtie daies that is to say thorowe a trentall of Masses whiche are thyrtye in number Gregor in Lib. dialog 4. Cap. 54. Here mayest thou see good Reader vpon what foundatiō singing of masses for the dead is builte Uerely vpon the delusions and disceatfull apparitions of the deuill and hys aungells Is not thys the commaundement of God Thou shalt not aske the truth of them that be dead Agayne if they saye vnto you aske councell at the Southsayers witches charmers and coniurers thē make them thys aunswere Is there a people any where y t asketh not councell at hys God Shoulde men runne vnto the dead for the liuyng If any man wante lyghte let hym looke vpon the lawe and the testimonye whether they speake not after thys meanyng If he doe not thys he stumbleth and suffreth hunger if he suffer hunger he is out of pacience and blasphemeth his king and his God It had bene Gregoryes dutye not strayghtwayes to geue credite to the wandryng spirites but to haue considered by the holy scriptures what the will of God is in this behalfe Beleue not euery spirit saith Saint Iohn but proue y e spirits whether they be of god Pope Innocent appoynted that the names of the dead shuld not be rehearsed in the Masse before but after the consecration Durandus Pope Gregory the first put the Pater noster to the Masse and commaunded that it should be sōg with a loud voice In the yeare c. 590. Ioan. Laziardus He also commaūded that the priest at his masse before the Lordes prayer should sing these words Oremus praeceptis salutaribus moniti c. Blessed Gregory saith Durandus thought it good that the Lordes prayer after y e Canon should be sayd ouer the host affirming in hys register that it is vnsemely that the prayer whiche Scholasticus made should be sayde ouer the Euchariste y e prayer left out whiche the Lord himselfe had sayd the Apostles likewise were wōt to say It is song sayth he among the Grekes of al y e people together but amōg vs of the priests alone Rat. di off Ioannes Nauclerus writeth in his chronicle y t the holy Apostle S. Peter when he celebrated the Lordes supper vsed none other but y e Lordes prayer which we commonly call the Pater noster As for all other thinges that be now vsed in the masse they haue bene added and brought in since that tyme by dyuers mē of theyr owne fansy brayne without the authoritie of gods worde Pope Gregory the firste added to the masse also this prayer Libera nos quesumus c. and commaunded that it should be said after the Lordes prayer Chron. Germ. Pope Innocentius the first put to the masse Pax domini sit semper vobiscum and cōmaunded that the people should aunswere Et cū spiritu tuo In the yere c. 408. Chron. Germ. Pope Sergius the first of that name inuented the Agnus dei and commaunded that it shoulde be songe of the clergye and of the people together at the communion or masse In the yeare c. 684. Plat. Durandus D. Barns He ordayned also that while the quiere sing the Agnus the priest should breake the missal bread in three parts one for the soules of the Sainctes that are in Heauen an other for them that are in purgatorye the thirde for them that are in this world liuyng in sinne Agayne that the priest shoulde holde stil in his hands two peces of that broken bread ouer the chalice and let the thyrde parte thereof fall downe into the chalice saying these wordes Hec commixtio corporis sanguinis c. Pope Leo the second ordayned y e carying about kyssing of y e Paxe y t the people might haue somwhat to doe as it may seeme while the priest eate vp drink vp altogether alone at the altar In the yeare c. 676. Grat. plat Fasci Temp. Durandus D. Barns Vannius Notwithstāding some attribute this idle inuētion to pope Innocent the first De consec dist 2. Cap. Pax igitur Lib. Concil Michael Bucchingerus c. Pope Innocent the firste made a decree that on solemne feastes the priests at the Agnus should kisse one an other but the commō people should kisse the Paxe In the yere c. 408. De cons. dist 2 cap Pacem Plat. Sabell Pol. Pantal. In the masse for the dead the Paxe is not giuen sayth Durand bicause the faithfull soules are no more neyther shall be in the trouble of this worlde but they rest now in the Lorde so that the kysse of peace is not necessary nor nedefull for them whiche is the signe of peace and concorde and therefore at that masse this prayer is not said Domine Iesu Christe qui dedisti Apostolis tuis pacem c. Hereof also commeth it to passe that among the monkes there is no Paxe giuen bicause they are coūted dead to the world Rat. di off Polid. Pope Calixtus the first ordained that so many as were present at masse after the
fourth afterwarde willed that the Feaste of all Sainctes should be kept the first day of Nouember In the yeare of our Lord. 486. Plat. Sabel Polid. D. Barns Pope Iohn the .xviii. confirmed the Feast of all soules whiche was begoÌ„n by a certayne Monke called Oclilo and commaunded that it should be kept â—oly in euery Churche the day followyng the Feast of all Saintes In the yeare of our Lord. 999. Petrus Damianus Christianus Massaeus Volat. Fascicuâ—us Temporum Ioan. Stella Polid. This Feast as they write toke the begynnyng on this manner A certain Monke named Oclilo prouinciall of the Monkes of Clunâ—acensis order vpon an occasion that he hearde about Etna the mountaine of Sicilie oftentimes great weping lamenting and crying which he supposed to be the yellynge of euill spirites that wailed bicause the soules of dead men were taken out of Purgatory from theÌ„ by the peticioÌ„s prayers suffrages and sacrifices of well disposed Christen people persuaded his Couent to make a generall Obite for all soules the daye next after the feaste of all Sainctes and desired Pope Iohn the xviii to set it forth by his authoritie and to commaund it to be obserued generally as a godly Institution full of louyng tender and pitifull charitie Whiche thinge Pope Iohn did with all expedition so that of this Monkes foolishe supposition there hath sprong vp muche vayne superstition Volat. Polid. Ioan. Laziard Pope Sixtus the fourth ordayned the feastes of the Conception and presentation of Marye the Uirgine and the Feastes of Anne her Mother and of Ioseph her husband and also of Fraunces In the yeare c. 1469. Decret Extravagant Ioan. Laziard Pope Vrban the sixt made the visitation of Mary holyday In the yeare c. 1390. Christ. Mass. Chron. Germ. Pope Sergius otherwise called Popes Swinesnoute confirmed the feast of the Purification of Mary commonly called Candelmassedaye whiche before was instituted at Constantinople Pope Vigilius beyng Byshop of Rome In the yeare of our Lord. 684. Sigeb Pantal And he commauÌ„ded that all the people shoulde on that daye go procession cary brennyng candels about with them in their hands Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand Pope Boniface the eyght ordayned that the feastes of the foure Euangelistes Mathew Marke Luke and Iohn agayne that the feastes of the foure Doctours Ambrose Hierome Austen and Gregorye shoulde be double feastes in holye Churche In the yeare of our Lorde 1286. Fasciculus Temp. Christ. Massaeus Ioan. Stella Pope Leo the firste commaunded that the Sonday shoulde be kept holy and that all Christians should behaue themselues Godlye and vertuously all the daye long in praying in hearyng readyng the worde of God in visityng the sicke and poore and in comforting the comfortlesse In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Volat. Sabel Pantal. Pope Leo the thirde bearyng rule a CouÌ„cell was holden at Magontia in Germany where it was decreed that al SoÌ„dayes should be kept holy with al reuerence and that all men on those dayes should abstayne from al seruice worke and worldly businesse and that there shoulde be no Markets no Faires no bying nor selling on the Sonday Againe that no man on that daye shoulde be iudged either vnto death or vnto any payne In the yeare c. 817. Lib. Concil Barth Carranza Pope Innocent y e fourth bearing rule it was agreed in a certain councel holdeÌ„ at Lyons what holydayes should specially be obserued and kept where it was decreed that the Sondayes should be kept holy from Saterday at noone till Sonday at night Item the feastes following should also be halowed and kept holy that is to say the feastes of the Natiuitie of Christ of S. Stephen of S. Ihon the Euangeliste of the Innocentes of S. Siluester of the CircuÌ„cision of y e Epiphanye of Easter with the whole weekes y t go before after of the Rogation dayes of the Ascention of Christ of Whitsontide with the two daies following of S. Iohn Baptiste of the xxii Apostles of S. Laurence of blessed Marye of S. Michaell of the Dedication of the Temple of al Saints of S. Martine and to be short all such feastes of Canonised Saintes as euery Byshop in his diocesse with y e consent of the Clergye and the people haue determined to kepe holy As for all other feastes y t are in the yeare the people ought neither to be compelled to kepe them holy day nor yet to be forbidden but euery man to do according to hys deuotioÌ„ In the yere of our lord 1242. Libro Concil Polydor. Guilielmus Durandus This decree also was made in a couÌ„cell holden at Maguntia Bartholom Carrantz A councell holden at Basille confyrmed the feast of the Conception of Mary the Uirgine and graunted to so many as deuoutlye kepe it holy daye and bee presente at the seruice an hundred and fyftye dayes of pardon Lib Concil In y e councel Toletane it was decreed y t the feast of the Annunciation of Mary should be kept holy the fyftene daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye and that the feast of the Natiuitye of her sonne that is to saye Christmasse should bee celebrated and kepte holye the eyghts daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye Lib. Concil Item in a councell holden at Basille the feast of the visitation of Mary was confyrmed an hundred dayes of pardon graunted to all them y e with good deuotion be present at the seruice of y e day Lib. Concil Of Canonysing and making of Saintes POpe Leo the nynthe holdyng a councel at Vercellis made Gerardus Bishop somtime of the Leâ—corians a saint And this pope was the fyrst as some write y e euer presumed toke vpoÌ„ him to make saints In the yere c. 1049. Christ. Massae Pope Gregorye the nynth made frier Dominike and fryer Fraunces and fryer Anthony de Padua Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary Saints In the yeare c. 1225. Plat. Albert. Krantz Ioan Stella Pantal. Pope Alexander the fourth made Clara the Nunne Peter Martyr the Blackfryer and Stanslaus Bishop of Cracouia saintes In the yeare c. 1248. Chronic. Volat. Pantal Pope Iohn the .xxii. made Lewes Byshop of Tolossa sonne to Charles King of Fraunce a Saint He sainted also Thomas of Aquine the blackefrier and Thomas Byshop of Hereforde In the yeare 1308. Plat. Volat. Pant. Pope Nicolas the fyft among a greaterable of others made Bernardine the Grayfryer a Sainte In the yeare c. 1447. Matth. Palmer Platina Chronic. Germani Pope Calixt the thyrde made Vincent the blackefryer and Edmunde Kyng of Englande Saintes He also canonysed Osmunde sometyme Byshop of Salisburye caused hym to be counted in the number of saintes In the yeare of oure Lorde 1455. Volat. Matthe Palm Pisamus Ranulph Cest. Pantal. Pope Pius the second made Katerine a Sainte In the yeare c. 1458. Volat. Chron. Pope Clement the sixte made Iuo the priest
of thundring the senteÌ„ce THe Prelate hauyng on hys Albe with the other Priestes that are in the Churche the Crosse beyng lyft vp and the candels lyght standing in the pulpit let them pronounâ—e the wordes that folowe EX authoritate dei patris omnipotentis beatae Mariae Virginis omnium sanctorum excommunicamus anathematizamus diabolo commendamus omnes supradictos malefactores Excommunicati sint anathematizati diabolo commendati Maledicti sunt in villis in campis in vijs in semitis in domibus extra domos in omnibus alijs locis stando iacendo surgendo ambulando currendo vigilando dormiendo comedendo bibendo aliud opus faciendo illos a luminibus omnibus bonis ecclesie sequestramus diabolo damnamus in paenis inferni animas eorum extinguamus sicut extinguitur ista candela nisi resipiscant ad satisfactionem veniant That is to saye By the authoritye of God y e father almyghtie and of the blessed Uirgyne Marye and of all Sainctes we excommunicate we cursse and committe to the Deuyll all the aforesayde malefectoures and euyl doers Excommunicate mought they be curssed and giuen ouer to the Deuill Cursed be they in Townes in Fieldes in Wayes in Pathes in Houses out of Houses and in all other places Standyng Lighyng Rysyng Walkyng Runnyng Watchyng Sleaping Eatyng Drinkyng and whatsoeuer thynge they doe besydes We sequester them from the thresholdes and all the goodes of the Churche and we giue them ouer to the Deuill And let vs quenche their soules in the paynes of hell as this candle is now quenched and put out except they amende and come vnto satisfaction Finita sententia extinguat lumen ad terrorâ— pulsatis caÌ„panis That is to say When the senteÌ„ce is ended let him put out the candle to make the people the more afraide and ring the belles In an olde written boke I find thus written The Articles of the generall senteÌ„ce must be read foure times in the yeare openly in the Churche before all the people yea and that in the mother tong that is to say the first sonday of Aduent and the first sonday of Lent Trinitie sondaye and on the sondaye whiche is within the Octaues of the Assumption of the blessed virgine Mary And when the Priest hath read the Articles of y e general sentence let hym with all hast put out the candle which he holdeth in his hand and with great violence cast it away from him saying Auctoritate dei patris omnipotentis filij Spiritus sancti sanctae Mariae Matris domini nostri Iesu Christi sanctoruÌ„ Apostolorum Petri Pauli omnium Sanctorum sanctorum Canonum nostri Ministerij excommunicamus anathematizamus a Sacramentis sanctae ecclesiae a coÌ„munione corporis sanguinis domini nostri Iesu Christi sequestramus omnes illos vel illas qui praenominati sunt Et sicut extinguitur haec lucerna hominum ita extinguatur lumen eorum in secula seculorum nisi ad emendationem satisfactionem venerint Fiat fiat Amen That is to saye By the authoritie of God the father almightye and the Sonne and of the holy Ghost and of S. Marye the Mo of our Lorde Iesu Christ and of y e holy Apostles Peter and Paule and of al Saintes and of the holy Canons and of our ministerie we excommunicate we curse and we sequester from the sacramentes of holy church and froÌ„ y e coÌ„munion of the bodye and bloud of oure Lorde Iesu Christ al those men or women that are to fore named And as thys candle which meÌ„ vse is quenched and put oute so let their light be quenched and put oute worldes withoute ende excepte they amende and make satisfaction So be it So be it AMEN The priest must take hede sayth the olde written boke that he reade not on the foresayde sondayes the generall sentence at masse time after y e Gospel as certain vndiscrete priests do by this meanes interrupting the masse but he shal read it either immediatly after the aspersion or sprinckling of y e holy water or els after the procession Hereafter followeth a treatise of the articles of the generall greater curse found among other old bokes at Cantorbury in the parishe church of S Paule In the yeare c 1562. GOod men and women it is ordayned by the councell of al holy church fyrst of oure holy father the pope of Rome and his Cardinalls and by all hys councel and sithen of al Archbyshops and Byshops and by all the Clergye of holye church y t euery man of holy churche y t hath cure of mans soule that is to say persons vicares and paryshe priests should shewe among hys parishoners foure tymes of the yeare the articles that bene written in the generall sentence that is to saye the poyntes that longen to the greate curse The one daye is the fyrst sondaye of Aduente The second day is the fyrst Sonday in cleane lenton The thirde daye is the sondaye next after Whitsontide And the fourth day is the next sonday after the Assumption of our Ladye And the poyntes muste openly bee taught and shewed to the people or leude men y t they maye knowe the greate mischiefe and disease thereof y t no man or womaÌ„ should be perished for defaulte of learning ne haue matter to excuse hem by Wherefore ye shoullen vnderstande at the beginning y t thys worde Curse is thus much to say as departing fro god and al good workes Of two manner of cursing holy church telleth The one is cleped the lesse curse The other is cleped the more curse That we clepen the lesse curse is of this strength y t euery man and woman y t falleth therin it departeth hym froe al the Sacraments y t beene in holy Churche y t they maye none of hem receaue tyll they bee assoyled for ryghte as a swearde departeth y e head or y e lyfe from y e body right so as to saye ghostlich Curse departeth mans soule fro god fro al good workes The more curse is much worse is of this strength for to departe a man fro God and fro all holy church and also fro y e company of all Christen folke neuer to be saued by y e passion of Christ ne to bee holpen by the Sacramentes that bene done in holy Churche ne to haue parte with any Christen man â— Clerkes sayen that a childe before that he is christened it hath a wicked spirite dwelling within hym in hys soule the whiche wicked spirite is halsed or coniured or caste out of hym thorowe the prayer of the prieste before the churche dore when it shall be christened The which sacrament of baptisme is grouÌ„ded in holy writ and is beginning of al other sacramentes and was veriliche betokened in the passion of oure Lord Iesu Christ by water that ranne oute of hys side from