of the greate troubles and persecution whiche the people of Christe shall suffer declarethe the end and the estate wherin they shall be His woordes be these Ecclesia post eosdem dies quibus de primitur tameÌ„ circa finem mundi grandi praedicationis virtute roborabitur The church after those dayes wherin she is persecuted shall yet at length aboute the end of the worlde bee strengthened with the greate power of preching what playner words can be then these to touche this oure tyme let papists nodde let enemies deuise let men practise let the people muse and yet maugre all the malice of Satan The trueth is greate and preuayleth As for the note of heresye wherewith the aduersaries daylye accuse vs for myne own parte with s. Paule I say This I confesse vnto the that after that waye whiche they call heresye so worship I the God of my fathers beleuing all thinges which are writen in the lawe the prophetes and haue hoape towardes God that the same resurrectioÌ„ of the dead whiche they them selues looke for also shal be both of juste vniust therfore stu die I to haue alway a cleere coÌ„science towarde God and towarde man also From this beliefe let vs praye that wee maye neuer starte and let vs put awaye all worldly respectes for if we be banished Domini est terra the earthe is the Lordes if we bee sawen a sunder we haue Esaye to our guyde if wee be throwen into the seas let Jonas be our example yf we be cast into the Lyons denne then let Daniel comme to our remeÌ„brance if wee be stoaned to death let SteueÌ„ be thought vpon if we loase all our Goods let vs then call this to our minde naked we camme into this worlde and naked we shall goe hence to bee briefe if wee bee spytted at buffeted mocked scourged wounded reuyled put to deth then let Christ be our Captayne he went before let vs take his crosse and followe him whiche thinge if wee doe vnfaynedly then in this world we shall haue quiete consciences in the world to coÌ„me wee shall lyue withe Christe vnto whom with the father and the holye Ghost be all honour glorye prayse and dominion now and euerlastinglye Amen ¶ A vewe of certaine rebellions and of their endes IN the yeare of our lorde god 1088. one Odo bushop of Bayon the Earle of Northhumberlande and others rebelled againste w. Rufus Kinge of Englande but they were discomfited In the yeare 1380. one John wall a priest was the auctor of a rebellion this spreade very farre so that the Kinge Richarde the seconde was in greate daunger but the rebelles came to confusion In the yere 1466. a rebellion began wher in the king Edward the fourth was banisshed that by his own subiectes but in the ende God restored him vnto his kingdome and all hisenemies were discomfited In the yeare of our lord 1486. a rebellion was begonne wherin King Henrie the seauenth stoode in great distresse but at length the rebelles were executed In this time also one sir Simond a wielie prieste was the authour of a â—ommocion but in th ende he was taken and hys enterprise came to naught In the yeare 1496 a rebellion beganne in Cornewall and they rebelles did so preuaile that they came to blacke heathe and there â—aue a fielde but God ouerthrew them anâ— gaue vnto the king the victorie In the yeare 1535. an insurrexion began at Lynconshice by the meanes of Abbattes and priestes but they prospered not In the yeare 1540. a new rebellion began in yorkeshire sturred vp by certaine priestes and gentlemen but theyr ende was according vnto their treason As for the time of late memorie howe rebelles haue spedde therein wee can well ynoughe remember therefore for feare of the lyke ende and to auoyde the plague of God Submitte your selues vnto all ordinaunce of manne for the Lordes sake Whether it bee vnto the Kynge as vnto the chiefe heade or elles vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of hym And when the chiefe shepeharde shall appeare you shall receaue an incorruptible crowne of glory Otherwyse in this world a myserable death remayneth for you and in the worlde to come deathe euerlasting In praef In orat De obe sermo de Trin. â—eda â—x brâ—u 〈◊〉 CaÌ„turburye Shulbrede â—ermouÌ„ desaye Cichester Gal. 3. LactaÌ„ lib. 2. de orig err pupillaoculi quiut par cap. 18. Wil. suê‘ Ray. hâ—s Ibidem secunduÌ„ Wil. De vâ— â–ª lup lib. 〈◊〉 Mat 7. Rom. 1. Psal 81. Rom. 1. 〈◊〉 â—eg 18 Eccl. 3. Gâ—â— 1. 2. Cor. 6 Offic. 1. In exeÌ„p ad Rust. monachuÌ„ Eccl 19. Bernard sup mat ad Eus. Ierem 5. Lib. 6. Cap. 24. Greg. lib 8. moral mat 23. Esay 9. viualdus in oê‘e regali ad pauli Ad gaudentium Ad NepotianuÌ„ De prae â–ª dem li. 4 Ludoui viualdus Esay 5â— Ad mercellam Idem Gregr. Maur. Hier 50. Idem 2. De claus animam Lib. 2. Ibidem Gal. 5. ezec. 34. Hom. suê‘ dignus operari us An obiectio An aun swere De cla animae lib. 1. â—…aldus 〈◊〉 â—eme mat 11. 2 cor 11. viualdus lib. de opere monachoruÌ„ Hierom. Of ped lers thei be came priests ad rust monachuÌ„ Barnard In chronica ad Heli. Monac Lib. 2. mandeu lib. ca. 7. Platina Obenh Hieron Mari. In mora Hom. 4. sup missus est Ibidem ad pauli Serm Domi. Anto. part 2. ad â—ure in exaÌ„p in polâ— Ibidem IbideÌ„ in epistola de clau â–ª anima Lib. 1. De an lib. 1. opus regal Ibidem 〈◊〉 nepo Ibidem viualdus id eustoâ—ium Ad Oceâ—… Lud Viualduus Ad damasum 〈◊〉 7. 2. tiâ—… 〈◊〉 Alfouâ— dé castrâ— coÌ„tra hâ—res lib. 〈◊〉 concil Wâ—… â—aucler coÌ„s basil Fol. 3. Fol. 4. Fol. â—odeÌ„ Fol. codeÌ„ Fol. 12. Ibidem Fol. 39. Fol. 51. Fol. 53. Fol. 75. lib 1. aduers haeres val Fol. 83. Fol. 101. Fol. 103. Serm. 7. de adueÌ„ Domi. Suê‘ psa coÌ„tr aurentiuÌ„ FraÌ„cisc petrach August Joach Abbaâ— Hieron ad allga 9. 11. S Albert. â—nagnus L Cornel. bitonti Antoni Nich. Lyra. Alexan. de Hales augu in Joan. Hier. 23 2. the. 2. In gloss coÌ„cil latronum hostiens panormi Cornel. Biton Zarabel Cardin. Lib 5. Bern. epist. 12â— Prima 2. the. 2. Chris in Matth hom 34. Aug de ciuit dei cap 18. in praef 3. the. 2. Idem In malach cap 2. ezchil cap. 44. in Mat Greg In Job 3. esd. 4. acte 24. 2. peit 〈◊〉 Idem 5. ¶ IGNATIVS IN epistola ad Heronem Euerye one that sayeth otherwyse then is set furth althoughe he seme to bee worthye of credite althoughe he fast althoughe he kepe his virginitie althoughe he worke wonders althoughe he Prophesie yet take him to bee a Wolfe amonge the floacke of shiepe sekinge to destroye them If there be anye faulte in the Printing the gentle Reader will beare with mee for mine absence at the correcttinge of somme leafes may excuse it LVCRECIA-ROMANA ¶ Imprinted at London in Paules Churchyarde at the signe of the Lucrece by Thomas Purfoote
¶ THE Hatefull Hypocrisie and rebellion of the Romishe prelacie ¶ By Lewys Euans ¶ Hieron ¶ Throughe the vnskilfullnesse therfore of teachers in the darkenesse of ignorance through blindenesse euoÌ„ a troupe of people haue erred in the streates for Whyle they giue theÌ„ selfes vnto the snares of plesures they haue not kept the righte pathe of the diuine preceptes ¶ Anno. M. D. LXX D. Boners woordes ¶ If thou at anye tyme heretofore haue doubted of the B. of Romes false pretenced supremacie as if thou haddest a good smelling nose and a sounde judgement I thinke thou dydest not yet hauinge reade ouer this which if thou fauour the truethe and hate the tyrannie of the Busshop of Rome and his Deuelishe fraudulent falshod shall doubtles wonderfullye content the throwe downe thine errour acknowledge the truethe now frelye offered the at length consideringe with thy selfe that it is better late to do so then neuer to repente D. Gardiners woordes ¶ All sortes of People are agreed vppon thys pointe with moste stedfast consent learned vnlearned bothe menne and women that no manner persone borne and brought vp in England hath ought to do with Rome All maner of People receaninge and embracinge the trueth do with one whole consent acknowledge honour and reuerence the Kinge for the supreme heade of the Church vppon earthe To the Reader WHAT KINde of Phisician is he gentle Reader that in tyme of a dangerouse sickenes will then ceasse to Minister hys remedies Phisicke what capitayn is he that wheÌ„ his enemies do muster wil theÌ„ either stand all amazed or els through cowardlyefeare will giue ouer the field what good Christian is he that wheÌ„ Antichrist by ragewold raigne will then either openlye renounce Christianitie or els in anye wise ceasse from the constante acknowlaiginge of the same if lewde lighte headdes shall rebell agaynst their soueraigne lady who o Lorde can but deteste them who can but abhorre them yea if they rebell against god autoritie who trowe ye can holde his peace where shall I beginne of what shall I fyrst speke is not their intente more then haynouse is it not moste hatefull who to the intente they might bring to passe theyr trayterous purposses will not sticke to paynte their baner with Ydolatry to trouble the comoÌ„ peace of this Realme to annoye asmuche as in them lyethe all good louinge and faythefull subiectes o the ende of necessite o the fruite of hatefull Ydolatrie we maye nowe well saye as the Doctour fryar Uincentius once sayde Dant vnam medicinaÌ„ cuilibet morbo scz missas c. They gyue one Medycine vnto euerye sickenesse that is masses c. And whye because bankrouteship must haue a couer riotousnesse muste haue somme defence treason must haue a cloake traytours will euer haue somme collour But God that seeth the inwarde partes and meaninges of men will detecte theyr Hypocrysye hee wyll putte into the heartes of Good people to defende the anoynted hee will endue his chosen with the knowlaig of his worde he will suppresse all tumultes he will worke accordinge vnto his secrete goodwill all for the best â–ª well to speke no more of such it is so ChristiaÌ„ reader that beinge of late in the vniuersite of Oxforde I herd ther not by any mean maÌ„ but by the learnest how myne aduersaries na how the truethes aduersaries had bruited that I had reuolted from the Gospell that I was agayne gonne beyonde the seas I hearde also â—ovve at my cominge to the Citie of Londen hovveyt vvas in the mouthes of manye that I vvas deade two tales yet neuer a one true alas beyond the seas what to doe Stultus populus quaerit Romam Folishe folkes flye to Rome I thinke it not wisedome in these dayes to flee from Eglande to a forraine realme I thinke it no godlinesse to leaue God to leane to Antichrist shall we flee from light to darkenesse from the Gospell to vayne gloses froÌ„trueth to falshoode from faithe to infidelitie from religion to superstition God forbidde For mine own part I se euery day more more the filthie fruites of the Romishe sinagogue and therfore in despight of satan saye mine enemies what they will thinke men as they liste it is the law of God that I professe it is traiterouse Papacie that I detest this is it which mo ued me at this time Gentle reader to set furthe these few leafes wherin we maye se the hipocrisie from time to time of the romayn prelacie wher by we may learne to be wise to knowe oure selfes to see theyr doynges to defie them but as for late time euon at the dissolucion of Abbevs if thou wilte knowe what was the lyues of the irreligeouse roagues if thou wilte vewe what holynes they were then of let vs consider certen of the monasteries put down let vs weyghe the honestie of somme for of all it were to muche At Windesore kepte not eyght of the Priestes twentie and niene harlates A Hollye whoredome At the Monasterie of Battell were not xv fouÌ„d to be sodomits as for suche as kepte there harlattes theyr names be set furthe therefore I will omit them What were the Diuines at Cantur burie what eighte of them were sodomites to let passe many thirtene kept fourtene harlates At Bathe twoe Priestes keepte eyghtene harlates besydes that they were proued to be sodomits come we to mooÌ„kenfarleghe we shal find that the Prior kept niene harlats the prior of MaydeÌ„bradley had fyue the Abbate of Bristow hadde foure the Abbate of Abindon had thre besydes that he had twoe Children by his owne naturall syster At Shulbred foure moonkes kepte twentie one harlattes as for the Prior of Bermoundesey he kept no lesse by recorde then twentie Yt is tediouse to write of all yet it is proffitable to speake of these that euon Children maye see the iniquitie of the Romishe Ydolatrie and therfore to make an ende take a vew of the Cathedrall churche of Cichester whereof Syr Ihon Champion hadde twoe Harlattes sir William Crosse one syr Thomas Parker twoe sir Richarde busfielde one Syr Bartholomewe Cokisleye one Syr Roberte Hunte manye Syr Thomas Coffe twoe Syr Ihon Hill thirtene Syr Roberte Moore manye as for Syr George Barrham sir Ihon ChaÌ„pioÌ„ besyds that they were proued adulterers they were also found to be sodomites see Christian Reader by a fewe vnder the profession of all beholde what is the fruite of a heathenishe ydolatrie thus they lyued in King Henri the eyghte his tyme at what tyme not without juste cause thou seest he ouerthrew theyr brothell houses theyr uncleane deÌ„ nes their filthie caues but that thou mayst further mark their hipocrisie read ouer this litle boke dedicated not vnto anye onne singuler to aduoyde the note of vayn glorie but vn to thee for thy proffite vtilitie And if thou wilt proffite and doe good vnto
dogges while after such maner they banqueted together God righte worthily might say Et dispersae sūt oues meae eo quòd nō esset pastor My shepe are scattered abrod because they had no shephard Because they preached not because they lyued thus lewdelye therefore Gregorie vseth towardes them these woordes What do we o shepeherdes when wee receaue the hyre and yet be no labourers for we receaue the proffit of the Churche in a daylye stipende but yet we labour not for the aeternall Church in preachinge Let vs cōsider what damnacion it is withoute labouringe to receaue the hyre of labour Lo we liue of the oblacion of faythefull folkes but what doe wee laboure for the soules of the faythefull These were they who throughe couetousnes gotte riches and throughe negligence corrupted not onelye them selues but also others and yet being suche they thought nonne wyse nonne learned nonne hollye but they certenlye it is in suche men a thinge most shamelesse to come by theyr wealthe so vnlaufully to kepe it vn orderlye and to spende it vngodlye A las what hope might our forefathers conceaue of pure religion or of true Christianitie if vnto suche euerye thinge beinge lusted for was lawefull and beinge lawefull if they coulde doe it and being able to doe it if they durste do it and darieng to do it if they dyd it and doynge it if euerye one allowed it but o will some saye they buylded fayre houses passinge pallaces greate halles excellent parlours fyne chambres and suche like and therefore no remedie we must praise and commende them well of all suche buyldinges of theyr like braweries not to rehearsse agayne what saincte Hierome in that behalfe hath sayd let vs here what the sayde Hugo Victorinus saythe The Busshops doe buylde them howses for greatnesse nothinge inferiour vnto Churches they will haue paynted chambres there they haue images decked with sundry collours and preciouse ornaments But the poore dooe walke withoute cloathes and they crye withe an emptie beallye at theyr doores Yea and that I maye confesse the truethe the pore are oftentymes spoyled to the intent that stoans wood maye bee cloathed And is this then prayse worthie because of buyldinge to leaue of preachinge shall we cōmende the cloathing of woode and stoanes and leauinge of the poore destitute of reliefe pinched with hungre and oppressed with nakednesse what is the duetie of a Busshop to preache Goddes woorde vnto his people But this they dyd not and what shold he doe more he ought to feede the hungrye and to cloathe the naked But it canne not be sayd that they dyd it For the poore were spoyled and in theyr stede woode and stones were cloathed this we must confesse for this sayth their owne wryter was true but let theyr owne Doctors goe further of whom one saythe thus Thyrdlie the religious men and cloisterers are hypocrites who by manie and sundry meanes doe counterfaicte the myeldenes of a shepe but they carie within the fiercenes of a woolfe some of them fayning the mourninge noise of a dooue haue the verye minde of a doagge I aske therefore of these religious men whether such dealynge be good religion I craue to knowe at the handes of theyr Cloysterers whether thys oughte to bee the parte of Christians is it Christianitie to counterfaicte myldenes and to haue inwardly pryde crueltie and fiercenes is it the custome of Cloysterers to faine the mourning noyse of a dooue and to haue the verye mynde of a doagge heare that vnto Viualdus we maie adde another witnesse and so that by the mouthe of twoo or three theyr hipocrisie may appeare Saint Hierome findynge great faulte with them saithe thus Beware of fained humilitye follow that which is true that which christ taught wherin no pride is shut for many there be that go after the shadow of ver tue but fewe do follow the truth therof it is an easy thing to haue in contempt some attyre to salute humblie to kisse the handes and knees and with the heade beinge bowed vnto the grounde and withe the eyes loking downeward to promise humilitie mekenes it is easie with a gentle smoth voice to frame your speche to sighe often at euerye worde to saie that thou art a sinner a wretche but if you be offended neuer so litle then to lyfte vp your browes to set vp a stiffe necke to chaūge your fotmer milde speche into an outcrie rage it is an other humilitie that christe taughte who exhorteth vs after his example saying learne of me for I am meke and humble of harte And shall wee maruaile at the hypocrisye of suche Cloisterers not at all For Sathan him selfe is chaunged in to the fashion of an Angell of light therefore it is no great thinge thoughe his seruauntes fashion themselues as thoughe they were the seruauntes of righteousnes whose ende shal be accordinge vnto theyr dedes For if they deceaued the worlde with Hipocrisye shall they not susteine shame if they seduced the people of GOD shall they not suffer payne yf vnder theyr counterfaycte attyre there was no trouth if in theyr dyssembled Humylytye there was nothinge els but pryde if in theyr fayned fasting there was but surfetting if they abused the Gospell of oure sauiour Christe shall they not comme to extreme tormentes to hell fyre to a fowle ende and that accordinge vnto theyr dedes the leadinge of a wicked lyfe is yuell but the cloaking therof is woorsse the pryde of suche Cloysterers is to be comptrolled but theyr dissimulacion is to be detested And shall wee yet agayne heare in what wise Viualdus proceadethe his woordes are these Fourthelye those religious men are Hypocrites who vnder the pretence of pouertie nede doe seke after gayne and rapine Therefore if trueth maye preuayle if reason maye take place if autorities may serue in any steade then haue Fryars good cause to acknowledge theyr owne factes Moonkes haue juste occasion to consider theyr lewde disceaptfulnes all those counterfaicte religions haue right matter to bewaile their Hypocrisie and we vnto whome God hathe disclosed the dissimulaciō of our aduersarie wee I saye on whom the Gospell shyneth and amongest whome the truethe it selfe speaketh haue greate cause to thanke our heauenly Father and in signe of due thankefullnes to bee obediente vnto his will. And to make it more apparante of whom it is that Viualdus writeth to cyte the woords of Saincte Augustine I know it shall not be a misse What a numbre of Hypocrites saythe he vnder the habite of Moonkes hathe the wielie enemie scattered abrode euery where they roague about euery prouince they aske of all men and they gette eyther the expence of their gaynfull necessitie or els the price of their dissembled sanctitie what sholde I speake of their pedlerie of their choppinge changinge and of their chapmanship in the tyme of saincte Hierome the priestes suche religious