what they list and at the last obtaine for a little money full remission of all their Sinnes mortall as veniall But now that the Spirit of life is entred into their Carcasses and they stand vpon their feet according to Saint Iohns Prophecie Feare seizeth on them they waxe amazed shunning their glorious Light They reele to and fro and stagger like drunken men Apollo liked exceeding well of Zâ—ing lius his zealous speech And further adioyned this Admonition to Gratian and the rest of the Popes Fauorites Not without a profound mysterie did Saint Iohn in the Reuelation compare the Romishh Curch to Spirituall Aegypt For euen as the Children of Israell were for many yeares kept in Bondage vnder the yoke of Pharaoh so the Soules of Christians in the times of the generall Apostasie and departure from the true Faith were miserably subiected vnder the Popes Tyrannicall Command insomuch that they were prohibited to haue Seruice in any other language saue in the Romane whose chiefe Citie the Tyrant himselfe vsurped and in subtile policie would admit of no other Tongue then of his own Latine which some hold to comprehend the mysticall name of the Beast who possesseth that seuen hilled Citie We doe therefore ordaine that it shall bee lawfull for euer hereafter to euery Kingdome and Prouince to celebrate Diuine Seruice and to read the Scripture in the Mother tongue following the examples of the Primitiue Church And euen as the Greeke Church the Georgians in Armenia the Abisâ—ines in Aethiopia vnder Precious Iohn and other Christians in the East haue from the first time of their Conuersions vsed their Godly sacrifices prayers and thanksgiuing euery Nation in their owne language so now wee doe here allow ratifie and decree that the Waldenses and Albigienses shall honour and glorifie their Creator in Vnitie and Trinitie after the same manner in their owne knowne Tongue as they haue accustomed for these fiue hundred yeres last past And if any person be so hardie as to bring in a Bull of Excommunication from the Pope against them for so doing we doe by these Presents pronounce the same to bee void siustrate and of no effect and that the Publishers of that thundring Libell bee laesa Maiestatis reus guiltie for wounding our Royall Maiestie and to suffâ—â— the Punishment due for Capitall Treason CHAP. XII Berengarius reneweth his opinion of the Lords supper and proues both by the Scriptures and by the Authoritie of the most antient Fathers of the Primitiue Church that the same is to bee taken after a spirituall manner and in commemoration of the Lords death VVIcklisse vnderstanding that his old Master Berengarius had for feare of Death recanted his notable Demonstration of the vse of the Lords Supper which in his flourishing yeares hee had maintayned against the Pope and all the Romish Clergie caused him to bee cited into his Maiesties Court at Parnassus to shew the reasons of his Recantation and whether hee did the same in good earnest or else out of the frailtie of flesh and bloud Berengarius appeared and being asked of Apollo wherefore hee made that attestation contrary to his Conscience Berengarius trembling with teares confessed that the Pope extorted that Recantation from him with menaces and threats but that like to Hippolitus in Euripides hee kept a mind vnsworne and that hee still perseuered in the truth of the Doctrine which he formerly had taught that the Body and bloud of Christ ought to be taken spiritually and not really Apollo obseruing his contrition and inward sorrow freely forgaue him vpon condition that hee would yeeld sound proofes out of the Scriptures and the ancient Fathers of the Primitiue Church to conuince the Papists wherby they might be thenceforth toungtied and fully satisfied touching that materiall point of Faith Berengarius glad of his Maiesties pardon promised to declare his full knowledge and out of hand drew out of his pocket this schedule which Apollo presently caused Saint Bernard to read before all his learned Courtiers Saint Bernard obeyed his Soueraignes command and publikely read the Contents as follow Euen as by the Law of Moses there were two Sacraments ordayned to bee kept vntill the comming of Christ that great Prophet whom God promised to raise vp like vnto Moses viz. Circumcision and the Passeouer or the sacrifice of the Lamb at Easter the one seruing to bridle their carnall affections the other to prefigure the eternall Lamb which was to be crucified so in the New Testament two Sacraments were instituted to Christians in their stead Baptisme and the Lords Supper the one supplying the vse of Circumcision the other of the Lamb at Easter both to testifie our admittance and incorporation into the Christian Church as ouâ—ward visible markes signes or badges of our Faith onely in Christ. To these the Pope added fine Sacraments more in worldly policie to gaine money Confirmation Penance Orders Extreme vnction and Marriage which last his Holinesse debarres his Clergie of because Gods Elect might suspect the rest as humane Traditions These fiue sometimes may bee necessarie as other Diuine vertues Loue Humilitie Sobrietie and such like but not properly to be called Sacraments Which Saint Augustine very plainely affirmeth in these words Christ and his Disciples deliuered vnto vs a few Sacraments instead of many Baptisme and the Lords Supper Neither was the Pope content onely so to adde more yokes of bondage to the free Church of Christ but likewise for his further condemnation hee peruerted with those old Heretickes the Capernaites the true sense of those words This is my Body saying they must be taken literally and really which a sober minded Christian lothes to heare asmuch as Auerroes the Moore who detested Christian Religion for nothing more then for that they did eate their God with their teeth and sought to hale their Sauiour from the Right hand of God where his Father had placed him vntill the Day of Iudgement After the Consecration of the Bread and Wine we confesse that there is an alteration in respect of the End and vse of this mysticall Sacrament to put vs in minde of the Lords death vntill hee comes to iudge the world but we vtterly deny that there is any alteration at all in the substance of the Bread and Wine which remaines as it did before and enters into our Bodies to be digested and concocted like vnto other naturall and corruptible Food Yet most significantly they may bee called Sacramentall Bread and Sacramentall Wine representing the Body and Bloud of Christ if they bee taken with a spirituall mouth and a deuout mind that is by Faith and not receaued with a carnall mouth and bodily appetite For as Saint Paul wrot haue not wee houses for that purpose As a bodily mouth requires bodily meat so a spirituall mouth must haue spirituall Food to refresh and nourish the Soule And this manner of Eating Christs Body did himselfe expound when some grew displeased saying that it
dayes To abstaine from Flesh they account it meritorious and yet to eat Fish Caueare Almonds Figs and other lustfull viands they professe it lawfull Our Sauiour notwithstanding warrants vs to eate Flesh saying that which goeth into the mouth defileth not a man And this hee proues by a forcible reason because that whatsoeuer entreth into the mouth goeth into the belly and is cast out I condemne not the true vse of Fasting with bread and water in them who finde their bodies carnally bent or so full of grosse humours that they breathe vp into their heads like cloudie and foggie vapours to ecclipse and darken their vnderstanding wills and memories those noble Organs of the Soule if they cannot otherwise without such mortification subdue their fleshly longing desires and fall to feruent Prayers Likewise I commend Fasting to all the vnmarried and lazie Persons who haue liued without much exercise faring well and lying in downie beds Such indeed haue reason aboue others to embrace Abstinence as a Iewell least their Gluttonic with ease should fill their veines with too much blood least their spleene grow to a bigger proportion then is fitting least through oppilations and obstructions feuers the small poxe the plurisie the greene sicknesse the consumption and chefly the Scuruie that vnsuspected Guest and hardly discerned Traitouresse at the first approch to the wisest Physician doe seize vpon them as their slaues neuer to bee redeemed But to make it a point of Religion and to perswade men that Fasting can satisfie Gods iustice or appease his wrath iustly conceiued against vs for sinne is the Doctrine of Diuels and a marke of Antichrist To the cleane all things are cleane as the Apostle said And the Elders of the Church ought not to clog and burthen the consciences of their yonger brethren with such yokes of mens inuentions and Traditions as Touch not taste not handle not which as Saint Paul againe saith bee things of no value sith they belong to the filling of the Flesh. For it is the soule and not the Flesh which good Christians ought to keep pure and vndefiled Which moued that ancient Father Tertullian who liued within lesse then two hundred yeares after Christ to auerre that the Apostles imposed no burthen of set and solemne Fasting but left it to our libertie as euery man saw his occasion The fourth marke of Antichrist is manifested that he must be a mysterie the mysterie of Iniquitie hee must sit in the Temple of God For the expounding of which place Saint Chrysostome deliuers a notable Commentarie Antichrist saith bee being seated in the Church and possessing the chiefest places of the Church is to hold all that in shew which the true Church of Christ holds in truth that is hee shall haue Churches Scriptures Bishops Priests Baptisme and the Communion c. Hee is a mysterie that is close and hidden vntill the Prophesie be winded to the bottome For as Saint Paul wrot before the time of his reuealiâ—g must come their must needes fall out a departure from the Faith and then that Man of Sinne should bee knowne which had abused the world with lying signes and deceits The fist marke is expressed out of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn where Antichrist is termed the Where of Babilon the Beast the false Prophet all signifying the same hauing his power from the Spirituall Dragon which fought with Michael and his Angels By the name of Whore wee must note that none is called by that name but one which had beene once an honest woman The Church of Rome was once pure but afterwards by pride and ambition grew to be impure as now wee see her domineering Head sitting in the great Citie on the seuen Hills adored aboue all which is called God As on the Triumphall Arch engrauen in Lions 1555. was proclaymed Oraclo vocis mundi moderaris habenas Et merito in terris diceris esse Deuâ— By thy Tongues mightie Oracle The World thou gouern'st all On Earth thee without obstacle Of right a God wee call The sixt marke of Antichrist is taken out of Saint Paul that he began mystically to worke in his time But that which then with-held and let his reuealing did let and hinder vntill the splendour and glorie thereof that is the Maiestic of the Roman Empire was taken out of the way which afterwards in fulnesse of time came to passe when the Imperiall Seat was translated from Old Rome to New Rome which Constantine called after his own name Constantinople In Saint Pauls time hee oâ—ept on his feet and hands like an Infant about three hundred yeares after hee grew to his stripling age But about the yeere 666. which is the number assigned in the Reâ—elation hee was in his strength and euer since vntill my time he shewed himselfe in his owne colours a mightie Potentate with a Triple Crowne and vnder colour of Saint Peters keyes he arrogates to himselfe a higher Power then Nabuchadonozor the Caesars or the great Turke euer presumed to haue heere on Earth As long as the Roman Emperors liued in the great Citie the Bishops stood inawe and followed their bookes not carking for the vanities of the world But when the Place by the Emperours absence became an habitation for his Holinesse then that Barre which with-held his discouerie was also taken out of the way so that now all men of Iudgement may clearely see the mysterie of Iâ—iquitie manifestly discouered The seuenth marke of Antichrist is the great wonder and maruell which Saint Iohn had when he saw this vnlookt for alteration which he would not haue confessed if in his vision he had beheld an Heathen Antichrist or any Infidell Tyrants For hee had sufficient triall of their Tyrannies But when he saw in the Temple of God a Reuerend Prelate attired in Purple and Scarlet with Imperiall Ornaments and Princely Authoritie which Christ forewarned his Apostles to take heede of hee could not choose but wonder The eight marke of the Antichrist is that his Sect shall magnifie him with one consent and with one mind In this they glorie and in all their communications you shall heare them brag of Catholicke Antiquitie and of the Popes succession neuer heeding Saint Pauls prophecie that before the discouerie of Antichrist a generall defection of the Faith was necessarily to come nor yet giuing credit to Saint Iohn that the Church was to flye into a Desert This very ostentasion passed of the Iewes that they crucified the Lord of life and persecuted the Apostles as the Founders of a new Religion Vpon this did the Romane Idolators insist and by Antiquitie defended their idle Opinions The ninth marke of Antichrist is apparantly deciphered by his vaunting of Miracles a token which our Sauiour deliuers that there should arise false Christs and false Prophets which should doe great wonders and signes so that if it were possible they should deceiue the very Elect if it were possible The like
reforming the depraued liues of your Dependants haue had your Pallace enstiled the Baudie-court as bad as Messalinaes or Queene Iones of Naples who for their strange lusts were commonly called the Salt-bitches The Nunneries by your inspiration cannot saue their credit Yea the Pope himselfe by your conuinence or rather by your allowance doth openly tolerate Courtezans and Stewes in his Holy Citie and by them reapes a yeerely Tribute which I may no longer endure in any which pretend themselues free of my Court. And whereas you claime prescription of time and many hundred of yeeres to warrant these enormities you may aswell alledge that the wearing of Codpieces which men vsed in ancient times ought still to be continued Because the World before Linus and Orpheus conuerted them did eate Acornes like Sauages will you haue men to returne to their old vomits This is like the Iewes Opinion They will not belieue Christian Religion because the Law of Moses was the more ancient The Papists in all their Disputations relye vpon Antiquitie for all that Paul tels them that there must be an Apostasie and a generall departure from the Faith before the Sonne of Perdition bee made knowne Speake no more of Antiquitie for without Truth and the Scripture it is but an old doting Sinne. Nunquam sera est ad bonos more 's via The way to good manners is neuer too late Repent of your light-heeld trickes for perhaps there is mercie in store You heare what a mistaking fell out at the reading of your Desteny Let Apelles in steed of that idle Verse engraue these regenerated lines on the forefront of your Pallace The Comicke Muse makes this report Shee loues no more dishonest sport For now she finds that at her birth She was ordain'd for harmelesse mirth If hereafter I heare of any lasciuious prankes practized by your countenance in your Palace I will discard you from my Court and accept of the chast Lady Sapho in your place The Sabboth Day which the very Iewes and Turkes doe obserue holy and reuerently sacred you haue hitherto profaned in licensing your women debauchedly to daunce the Cushion kissing Daunce with Roysters and Ruffians yea and with Hob Dick and Hick vntill the vertuous and magnanimous Prince Charles of Great Brittaine made a late Statute at Oxford to restraine such vnlawfull sport on that Sanctified Day How many Religious persons vnder colour of your wanton Genius infused into their changeable phantasies haue plaid the parts of rutting Bucks How many of them haue taken sacred Orders and made Vowes impossible to be kept in their thoughts for if a mans wandring fancy longs after his neighbours Wife it is Adulterie though hee neuer performe the deed and these pollutions onely they couer vnder your Maske of holy wantonnesse It is not long agoe that a Protestant being to marrie with a Papists Daughter the Parents liked so well of the Match in regard of neighbourhood and the vniting of their Mannors which bounded neere to the other that the parties should be Contracted The Maide desired first that she might consult with a Frier her Confessor who was instantly sent for With him shee went into the Garden and hauing declared the agreement the Frier made a difficult matter of it in respect of their dinersities of Religion But the Conclusion was that her Wombe must be first sanctified by his deuout person which she contradicting he pronounced her a lost sheepe out of the Catholicke Flocke Vpon which words of his shee departed from him and grew in such detestation of that hypocriticall dangerous Religion that she became a reformed Christian and by opening the cause to her Parents shee likewise wonne them to be conuerted But these Examples are rare Where one such sadgeth wee finde many on the contrary seduced by this secret whispering and diuing into the affections of the simpler sort so that your Comicall beginnings end in Melpomenes Tragedies How many idle Comedies haue you permitted vnder your name to entrap ingenuous and soft natured people Knauery once discouered you will say may be euer after the more easily auoyded as the burnt-child will take â—eed of the fire But you know Lady euerie one is not an industrious Bee to sucke the choisest floure and to make vse of what they find Most men are enclined to embrace the worst A wittie Comedie I confesse represents the liuely Actions of fraile persons if the Lookers on were endued with the like equall discretion to discerne true Gold from Alchymie Those Caueats I wish you to imprint in your flexible braine and not to suffer your giddie-headed Giâ—les to gad abroad without some staid person to ouer-see and curbe their naturall disposition After Apollo had thus ended his Discourse to the intent that some good effect should ensue after his admonitions and knowing how exemplary and vsefull the presence of graâ—e Personages serued to reclayme lewd people hee cashiered Catullus and in his rome appointed Iohn Floriâ— Deane of the Princesse Thaliaes Chappell as a Reward for his care and paines in the apprehension of Mariana CHAP. VI. The Author of the Nunnes discouery at Lisbon exhibites a complaint to Apollo against Father Foster the Frier Confessor to the English Nunnery at Lisbone for committing carnall copulation with sundry of them Apollo makes a Discourse of Auricular Confession adiudgeth Foster to Ixions wheele and suppresseth all Nunneries AT the second Sessions of Parliament holden at Parnassus in Lent last 1626. according to the antient stile the said Informer framed a heynous Accusation against Frier Foster Confessour of the Nunnarie at Lisbone that he being an old man almost destitute of natures heat had vnder colour of sanctifying them deflowred some of them To this the Frier answered that for all his old age hee might haue a Colts tooth in his head that yet notwithstanding he entred not into these venereous encounters of doting lust but as a considerate Confessour supplying the place of a Master of a Family and of a Physician to purge those Nunnes of their superfluous and depraued humours who were so full of the Greene Sicknes that he feared an incurable Melancholie or Lunacie as bad as Sauls might possesse them if hee had not taken some paines in his owne proper person to helpe their indispositions or acting at fit times these deedes of Charitie in meere pittie and commiseration Apollo hauing heard the Accusation and the weake defense of Frier Foster to let the wauering-minded Christians of his Court vnderstand the true vse of Auricular Confession discoursed as followeth There is no Discipline nor Tradition inuented by man but may bee corrupted for some sinister respect or other to the end that the Elect of God may know how all things deuised by worldlings shall perish with the world and that no Law nor Custome though for a time it seeme neuer so vsefull can long stand except it bee firmely grounded on the Scripture Witnesse this Tradition of the Confession in the Eare an excellent
Saint Peter points not to bee questioned by Earthly men or else by the motion of his owne Transcendent and neuer erring Braine wee know not nor matters it much to speake off for Ipse dixit his Godhead will haue it in his reuerend regard vnto these remote Flocks of his sent ouer his Holy Legat to me and my Brother of Yorke to prohibit all Religious Persons of what qualitie soeuer from thenceforth to defile their sacred bodies with those imperfect animals called Women aswell because they might follow their bookes the better not caring for the vanities of this transitorie world as also lest like New Fues they might tempt vs to taste what God had forbidden that is Iealousie Anger Deceit Simony and Pride to compasse meanes for their haughtie minds After much difficultie we executed his Holinesse good will and pleasure Neuerthelesse this Seditious Sectarie not onely openly with opprobrious words but with an infamous Libell hee presumed to taxe our Holy Father of Errour or Heresie if hee durst for this Diuine Ordinance The Contents of his Libell are these That it was a grieuous torment for a Priest to put away his wife because shee was his darling affirming that the Bishop of Rome made an il Decree and wisht him to beware hee dyed not in so great a Sinne. That his Holinesse forbad that pleasure now in his old age which he loued in his youth That Mapes defended his Errour by the authoritie of the Old and New Testament citing Zacharie the Priest to be the Father of Saint Iohn Baptist and that S. Paul allowed a Clergie man to be the Husband of one Wife That it became a Priest better to marrie then to borrow or deflowre his Neighbours daughter Niece or Wife And in Conclusion hee was so impudent as to require all Priests to bestow together with their Sweet Hearts a Pater noster a piece for this his goodly Apish Apologie His Maiestie smiled to heare the Conceit And thereupon caused the Pronotarie to reade the Libell as Walter de Mapes had framed it who with an audible voice did recite as followeth O quam dâ—lâ—r anxius quam tormentum graâ—e Nobis dimittere quoniam suaue O Romane Pontifex statâ—isti praâ—e Ne in taâ—tâ— crimine moriaris caue Non est innocentius imo nocens verè Qui quid facto dâ—cuit studet abolere Et quod olim luuenis voluit habere Modo vetus Pontifex studet prohibere Giguere nos praecipit vetus Testamentum Vbi Nouum prohibet nusquam est inuentum Praesul qui contrarium donat Documentum Nullum necessarium his dat Argumentum Dedit enim Dominus maledictionem Viro qui non fecerit generationem Ergo tibi consulo per hanc rationem Gignere vt habeaâ— Benedictionem Nonne de Militibus Milites procedunt Et Reges à Regibus qui sibi succedunt Per Locum à Simili Omnes Iura laedunt Clericos qui gignere crimen esse credunt Zacharias habuit prolem vxorem Per virum quem genuit adeptus honorem Baptizauit enim nostrum Saluatorem Pereat qui teâ—eat nouum hunc Errorem Paulus Coelos rapitur ad superiores Vbi multas didicit res secretiores Ad nos tandem rediens iâ—struensque mores Suas inquit habeat quilibet vxores Propter haec alia Dogmata Doctorum Reor esse meliuâ— magis decorum Quisque suam habeat non proximorum Ne incurrat odium iram eorum Proximorum Foeminas Filias Neptes Violare nefas est Quare nil disceptes Verè tuam habeas in hac delectes Diem vt sic vltimum tutius expectes Ecce iam pro Clericis multum allegani Nec non pro Presbyteris plura comprobaui Pater Noster nunc pro me quoniam peccaui Dicat quisque Presbiter cum sua Suaui CHAP. VIII Walter de Mapes is commanded by Apollo to defend his Positions against the Pope and Becket who accordingly obeyeth and prooues the lawfulnesse of Clergie-mens Marriage both by the Testimonie of the Scripture and of the Ancient Fathers AFter the Pronotarie had ended Apollo commanded Walter de Mapes to defend his cause who thus began I am glad Most Noble Emperour that my Aduersarie hath cited mee to defend my Cause in this judicious Court where Bribes blindnesse of Affection and Passion cannot wrest the infallible reasons of Truth as oftentimes wee see fall out in worldly Iudgements Heere I need not feare the Popes Thunderbolt of Excommunication And therefore with a resolued countenance and a minde vndaunted I will proue out of the Holy Scriptures and by the authoritie of the Primitiue Church that wee Clergie-men may and ought to marrie as well as others By the Old Testament it is euident that the Leuits as Aaron Phinehes Eleazar Zadock Samuel and Zachary were married men Saint Peter himselfe as we reade in the New Testament was likewise married for our Sauiour Christ cured his Wiues Mother of an Ague Saint Paul aduiseth a Bishop to be the Husband of one onely wife and in another place auoucheth that it is better to marrie then to burne Yea and Christ himselfe auoucheth it to be a very hard matter for any man whatsoeuer to continue chast except it were giuen him from heauen as a special gift as rare a Miracle as a blacke Swan or a white Crow And shall we expect such miraculous and rare sightes in these tempestuous times when the Church it selfe hath much adoe to steale out of Babylon When the purest of vs all doe feele tumultuous Hurliburlies in our members striuing and strugling to ouer-master the faculties of our Soules As we are men we know our vnresistable frailties We must acknowledge our naturall Infirmities or else we are Liers and the Truth dwels not in vs. How much better then were it for vs to ioyne in lawfull Marriage then to stay as stale Batchelers and hypocritically to take vpon vs that taske which our weake Tabernacles cannot support Sometimes wee saue those Soules by Marriage which perhaps might proue lost were they not our wiues By these wee beget children whom we traine vp and graffe into Christ. We enioy this happinesse oftentimes in our wiues and children that by our examples and societie they shine as Starres heere on Earth giuing light to them that sit in darknesse we encrease the Kingdome of Heauen and heere in this World wee leaue no scandall behind vs as the vnmarried Romists doe by their Stewes and stolne pleasures Haue not we power to lead about a Sister aswell as the rest of the Apostles This Tertullian one of the first Latine Fathers auerreth in these words It was lawfull for the Apostles to marrie and to lead their Wiues about with them in their iournies What plainer instance can there be then Saint Pauls aduise to Bishops and Deacons to content themselues with one Wife apiece hauing children in subiection For if a man knowes not how to rule his owne house how shall
hee care for the Church of God Thus in admonishing the Clergie to satisfie themselues with one wife the Apostle leaues the Temporall to their choise who accounted it in those times one of their chiefest felicities to haue many children And therefore in regard of their Custome of their hot Climate being farre more vnfit for procreation of children then the cold Countries as also for that their wiues were busied in giuing sucke themselues two or three yeeres vnto their little Ones Saint Paul meddles onely with the Clergy-mens marriage which laudable custome none contradicted vntill the Manichees and Ebienites first beganne to taxe them for Marriage So we reade that Saint Gregory Bishop of Nazianzen had a Sonne called Gregorie who succeeded him in his Bishopricke Saint Ierome a Bishop of Africke had a Daughter called Leontiâ— who was martyred by the Arrians Saint Athanasius writing to Dragontius saith that he knew many Bishops vnmarried and Monkes married as also hee saw Bishops married and many Monkes singlemen The sixt generall Councell kept at Trulla did much detest this Antichristian Policie against Priests Marriage and therefore made this Constitution For as much as we are informed that a Canon hath beene lately enacted by the Romane Church that no Priest or Deacon shall haue to doe with a Wife Wee following the Apostles Orders and Discipline doe order that the lawfull Marriage of Priests be for euer vsefull and auaileable And a little after they yeeld the reason why they did it lest say they we bee compelled to dishonour Marriage which was first instituted by God and sanctified by his presence What greater euidence will my friend Becket expect then these Primitiue Lights If these will not satisfie his curious Iudgement but that he yet relies on the Decree of the Romish Church let him belieue the Deuill himselfe out of the heard of Swine confessing the Truth of my allegations euen your famous Canonist Cardinall Panormitane continencie saith hee in clericis Secularibus in Secular Clergy-men is not of the substance of their Order nor of the Law diuine because otherwise the Greeke Church should sinne nor could their custome excuse them It followes and I doe not onely belieue that the Church hath power to make such a Law but I likewise belieue that such a Statute were expedient for the health of their Soules that all that were willing might marrie seeing that Experience teacheth how a contrary effect ensues out of that Law of Continencie seeing they liue not spiritually nor are they cleane but defiled with vnlawfull copulation to their most grieuous sinning whereas they might liue chastly with their owne wiues If this mans authoritie who was one of your principall Darlings seemes but a Conceit in your Saint-like vnderstanding yet me thinkes my Lord the Pope vpon your discreet motion might mitigate his rigour and tolerate with vs to marrie as well as hee tolerates the Iewes and Stewes at Rome What stirres and tumults haue lately ensued vpon this Edict in the Church of Saint Dauid in Wales our friend Giraldus Cambrensis who is our Coaetaneus with many honest Clergy-men can assure you For when you sent this Canon vnder colour of your Metropolitane Visitation that whole Diocesse withstood not onely this Canon but also your owne Prerogatiue pretended from the Romish Church clayming themselues as heeretofore for the keeping of their Easter to liue according to the Rites of the Greeke Church at Constantinople to which place as the Seat of the Romane Empire appointed by Constantine they appealed for the deciding of all doubts Insomuch that our King Henry the Second was faine to intreate for aide from the Lord Rice Prince of South Wales to bring in your Visitation of Canterbury If these cloudes of witnesses serue not to confirme the truth of my Poeme which you terme a Libell let vs then bee dispenced withall to keepe prettie Wenches in corners and these to be dignified with the old Titles The Lords Concubine the Priests Leman and the Knaâ—es Whore Apollo reuerseth the Popes Canon made against the Marriage of the Clergie and to that purpose sends out a Proclamation APollo well noting the speeches of Walter de Mapes and the great inconuenience which the Prohibition of Marriage to the Clergie had wrought in the Christian Church with the Consent of al his Parliament assembled at Parnassus reuersed that Canon whereof Saint Paul had prophesied that it was the doctrine of deuils to forbid Marriage and withall caused this Proclamation to bee fixed in all places subiect to his populous Iurisdiction Of late there rose a Sect of Caiphas kind Which great renowme with Pen tongue assign'd To Wedlock-bands and with a large extent Confirm'd the same to be a Sacrament Yet ne'rethelesse by quirks and tricks they push As if they found a knot within a rush Forbidding it to all the Clergy-men A doctrine sure come from the Deuils deâ— But what 's the fruit Their bodies Lust inflames That they doe burne as scorcht in Aetnaes flames Enamoured they wish for cruell death To end their watchfull cares and wearied breath Their mind runnes all on Loue. Loue moues the braine To muse vpon sweet Beauty dy'd in graine This is the vpshot of their rash made vowes Vnlesse the Baudy-house which Rome allowes Like to a lakes doe ease their pampred reines Or like a Horse-leach suck their puft vp veines Returne then Marriage to thy free estate Repent yee Shauelings ere it be too late Vse lawfull meanes and leaue of stolne pleasure Account of Marriage as the Churches treasure Christs easie yoke yee need not stand in awe Dissolues old vowes and for Dianaes Law Christs easie yoke yeelds Priests a freer life That one man be the Husband of one wife CHAP. IX Apollo vpon Information giuen him by the Greek Church of Images erected by the Pope in the Westerne Churches and of Inuocations on Saints confuteth these Idolatrous Traditions both by the Testimony of the Scripture and by the Positions of the Primitiue Church THe Greeke Church seeing that by no perswasions the Pope would condiscend to abolish Idols grauen Images out of the Romane Church but that still he suffered euen in the chiefe Temples at Rome the Pictures of the Virgin Mary and of many other Saints to bee worshiped and called vpon with Prayers and Oblations they resorted to Parnassus on Good Friday last shewing to Apollo that the Popes not satisfied by their cunning practises and treasons to defeat them of the Primacie belonging to Constantinople as to the Head Citie of New Rome but likewise they set vp Charles of France about the yeere 801. to inuest himselfe in the Empire of the West and so by their Confederacie to compel all Christendome to wander after the strange Beast of the seuen hilled Citie which now grew to such a height that his voice stood peremptory as a Law Idolatry he accounted the Mother of Deuotion The Romish Church were summoned to answere these Accusations who made
temporall Power By his meanes shee got the Soueraigntie ouer all Emperours Kings and Christian Princes whereas before shee was kept vnder like a base maid seruant not only by the Emperour but by any Prince assisted by the Emperour To returne now to the other cause which augmented the Popes Greatnesse that he cannot erre in matters of Faith and therefore men are perswaded to beleeue in his Church as the onely Catholick in the world or indeed as if shee were equall vnto Christ in Puritie and therefore partaker of our Creede But the Truth auoucheth otherwise that all men are Lyers and full of Sinne euen from the beginning The most Righteous man sinnes euery day in the weeke The Apostles in Christs time contended for Dignitie After his death Peter and Paul varied in opinion Paul and Barnabas could not agree Liberius Bishop of Rome subscribed to the Arrian Heresie Honorius Bishop of Rome was a Monothelite and condemned for the same Heresie by the Generall Councell held at Constantinople Saint Augustine mentions of the Errour maintayned by Innocent Bishop of Rome that Innocents could not be saued except they receiued the Communion And as Popes erred thus in matters of Faith so did Generall Councels themselues most grossely erre The Councell of Arimine established the Arriaâ— Heresie The Councell of Nice decreed the Soules of Angels and men had bodily shapes The Councell of Ephesâ—s enacted Canons on the behalfe of the Nestorian Heresie The consideration of which Errors whereto all mortall Creatures are subiect while they soiourne in their earthly tabernacles moued holy Augustine to reiect the authoritie of a Generall Councell which Maximinus alledged against him Neither ought I said he to be tyed to try my cause by the Councell of Nice or the Councell of Arimine to better or preiudice one anothers cause but to decide the Question to the Holy Scriptures Testimonie which are indifferent to both of vs and not partially bound to either of vs. And indeed there may bee yeelded a reason of Policie for not standing to any Humane Positions In a Generall meeting all men are not of the same mind nor of the same opinion but euery particular man as hee hath his voice so hee hath his seuerall will Velle suum cuique est nec voto vinitur vno Commonly where many meet some are selfe opinionated some factious others ouer-swayed by the most voices so that the Godliest being the fewest are abandoned and then the Canons doe passe according to mens affections and very oftentimes in fauour of the Pope and his Cardinals in hope of worldly preferments dispensations or for feare of angring their Superiors in Authoritie which the Holy Ghost obseruing he withdrawes his powerfull presence from their Consciences and leaues them puris naturalibus to their owne naturall endowments and consequently to bee seduced by the world Which of the ancient Fathers liued free from Errours Iustine Martyr Irenaeus and Tertullian held the Millenarian Heresie Saint Cyprian erred in his iudgement of Rebaptization Why then doth the Church of Rome arrogate to her selfe such Holinesse as to condemne all other Churches because they conforme not themselues with her Doctrine and Traditions It is one thing to belieue that there is a Catholicke Church and another thing though blasphemous to beleeue in the Catholick Church And now for the concluding of this present difference betwixt the Church of Rome and the Aethiopian whereof the Patriarch of Alexandria challengeth the Primacie wee doe order that euery Nation be allowed their seuerall Iurisdictions As in like manner hath heeretofore beene enacted by the Councell of Nice in the yeere 325. Let the ancient custome bee still in vse that the Bishop of Alexandria haue the Iurisdiction ouer Aegypt Lybia and Pentapolis euen as the Bishop of Rome enioyeth the like libertie in his Parts And so let the Churches of Antioch and of other Prouinces haue their preheminences maintained as informer times CHAP. XIIII Scotus the Master of Subtile Questions connents Sir Geffrey Chaucer for calling the Pope Antichrist and comparing the Romish Church to the griping Griffon and the true Church to the tender Pellican SCotus that famous Schooleman for subtile quiâ—ks and quiddities hauing watched for these two hundred and sixtie yeeres opportunitie to insinuate himselfe into his Maiesties fauour by some notable exploit and â—ow seeing that the Church of Rome began to totter he repayred to the Delphick Hall vpon the sixteenth of Iune last 1626. Where after an eloquent Oration against the Lutherans hee complayned of Sir Geffrey Chaucer the English Poet that he about the latter end of King Edward the thirds Raigne had published in his Ploâ—-mans Tale most abhominable Doctrine which infected not only diuers rare wits of that Age but likewise wrought so much alteration in succeeding times that Iohn Wickliffe Iohn Husse Ierome of Prague Luther and others now stiling themselues Protestants had quite abandoned their Mother Church of Rome which had flourished in stately Pompe and Pontificalibus for many hundred of yeares before And particularly hee charged Chaucer for calling the Pope Antichrist and for comparing his Followers to the Griffon and the pretended Reformed Church to the Pellican Apollo willing now vtterly to abolish those Patrons of Equiuocations lyes and deceits was glad of this occasion which so fairely presented it selfe vnto him And to that end iudicially to proceed against them he caused the chiefe points of the said Ploughmans Tale to bee openly read by the Pronotarie of the Court who with a loud voice thus repeated the same Euen as I wandred in a wro In a Wood beside a wall Two Fowles saw I sit thâ— The falser foule mought him befall That one did plead on the Popes side A Griffon of a grimme stature A Pellican withouten pride To these Lollers laid his lure Hee mused his matter in measure To counsell Christ euer gan he call The Griffon shewed as sharpe as fire But falshood foule mought him befall The Pellican began to preach Both of mercie and of meeknesse And said Christ so gan vs teach And â—eeke and mercifull gan blesse The Euangelists doe beare witnesse A Lambe he likeneth Christ ouer all In tokening that he meekest was Sith pride was out of Heauen fall And so should euery Christian be Priests Peters Successours Both humble and of low degree And â—sen none earthly honours Neither Crowne nor curious couetours Nor Pillour nor other proud Pall. Nor ought to coffren vp great treasures For falshood foule mought them befall Priests should for no cattell pleade But chasten them in charitee Nor vnto battell should men leade For enhaunsing of their owne degree Not wilne sittings in high Sea Nor Soueraigâ—tie in house nor hall All worldly worship defie and flee For who so willeth Highnesse foule shall fall Alas who may such Saints call That wilâ—eth weld earthly honour As low as Lucifer such shall fall In balefull blacknesse ybuilden their bowre That eggeth the people to Errour And maketh