SYth it weth is of suche preemynēce & dingnitie that she nether gyueth,Super omīa vicit veritas iii, esdre, iii place to tyme Auctorite nor power but alwaies residēt ī hir hygh ꝑfection & trone giueth eueri man an entre oftymes surely very harde & also encombryd by mānes malice & manifolde forsenses and yet neuertheles blameles in ye iudgement of god and also laudable by ye confessyon of mē if any wold ernestli and wt good intent labour to come therto,Magna est veritas quo preualet,, iii, hesdre, iiii, this labour which we take vpon vs is not to be disalowed syth the honour and zele of reuerende treweth hath moued vs to treate the thynges that followe here after with diligence & mature deliberacion.
The thynges which we entend to speake of, shall wante the entysement of Nouelties, But euen the asisteryte and roughnes of the treweth [Page i] shal sufficiently contente the good nether is it taken as a thing ratified bi iudgement whan ani sentēce is pronoūced against the truth we shall therfore thynke it sufficiente to pleade the truthes cause to take our way to hir Iudgement seate, & to bestowe our labour in ye Illustracion and settynge furthe of hir name, so that all Dyssymulacion, Dysdayne, enuy, pertinacyte with al'maliciouse and Corrupte affleccions be exiled from vs, whiche we for our parte do most abhorre, but yf none of these thynges canne be imputed to vs lette those impedymentes of foryn iudgementes be also remoued from vs, whiche we Laufully obiecte and lay agaynst the yll & frowarde, lest thorough pretense of the truth, while they set forth their awne malice, thei disturbe ye publike quieter let the former Iudgemētes of the good stop the [Page ii] mouthes of ye ill, that it be not laufull for euerye man, to entre medel with euery thinge, but that, that is done with godly entente that, is set fourth wt moderaciō & soughte with great reuerence, let it also procede furth wt gret fauour & liberti so yt we beare no blame for rehersynge those thinges whiche other men haue both writen and done wt prayse, we wil not leaue to our owne Iudgement, we will not folow our owne brayne, we wyl invente nothyng, we wyll fayne nothyng, we wyll nothyng blame, or ꝑuerte vniustly, but faythfulli, sincerely, & incorruptelye we shall reherse the holy Scriptures, and the sentēses actes and dedes of other men, whiche Determine and agre vpon the thinge that we propone.
¶ Nether take we this studi with oute avisement, ne came to this laboure and prouince bi his enduced [Page ii] by sensual affections but religion moued vs, charite dyd exhorte vs & a zele of the truth draue vs forth and compelled vs beinge otherwyse lothe to medle For he dyd certenly se in how laborious busynes in howe inextricable maase thys power named ecclesesiastical hath entangled manye mē, which of what soeuer beginnynge it sprange vp first, surely nowe it is depraued, & corrupted with wily crafte, we were not ignorante that the malice of men, is great vpon erth, and that nothing is so good vnder the sone which ye iniquite of al persones doth not subuerte. But there with al it came to our remēbraunce that god dothe greatlye regarde those thynges which he him self hath peculiarly ordened that he hath geuē his holy Scripture contaynynge that ys necessarye to be Knowen, & most vndoubted professores of the [Page iii] treuth further that though the ryches of goddes wysedome be depe and vnsercheable yet it is geuē by Scrypture to mannes knowlege that some time by the frut we mai know the tre and after that proue the Spyryttes whether they be of god or of men and yf it be in your power to proue & to discerne good from yll it is no maruel if relygiō hath moued vs charytie hath perswaded vs finali zele of the treuth hath thus for dryuē vs as profoū dely to study depely to caste in our mynde furste what may be the reason of the ābiguite of this power and after that to marke well and considre whether al thyngs be consonante vnto the rule of the verite that is to saye to the testymonyes of Scripture whereby thys ecclesiastical power and what soeuer at this tyme is contayned vndre that apellaciō is bolstard vp, & stayed [Page iii] For thus thought we with our selues, yf thys power was fyrste constituted by the ordynaunce of god hauyng so larg and ample fundacyon & if so huge a buildinge was so reared vp with so ample fundacion, as in this time it semeth to be vsurped than list we only to make this exclamacion, the inserutable deuises of god whose providence we se not in these bodyes full of darkenes. But if this auctorite hath been only permytted by god, for our trāsgressyons that we myght be scourged and that we might be wayle our sinnes we ar in blīdnes yt we see it not, that dysease is very perylous whiche we fele not, & vnmiserable is our condicion yt wher as god doth seuereli punnisshe vs we enterpretate it as gentle dealīg with vs and accepte this vngodly & Tyrannicall power as a greate benifitte, vndoubtedly all powere [Page iiii] is of god as the apostle sayth and whosoeuer resisteth the power resistith the ordinaunce of god But it is a verye noysome error to put no dyfference betwixt power geuē of god and Tyranny permytted of god and that we bering fauour to our owne sīnes wil not acknowlege the very vengeaunce of god.Rom, xiii, The differēce of the ecclesiastical & regal power muste be sought by scrypture.
¶ But at the laste it came, to our remembraunce that the sure dissolucion of this ambiguite shulde be requyred & sought out of the holy Scripture wherein euer at this day liueth & breatheth that confortyng spirite that chryst dyd promyse to sende to his to teche them all veryte for other wyse if we shulde leaue to mennes traditions ye matter hath ben diuersly demed
¶ For sondry men haue haue had sondry opiniōs,vari opiniōes be potestate pont, Roma. The opinion of them that ī terpretate scripture synce [...]ele of the ecclesiastical power. some as it semeth leauing to the syncere sence of scripture & after the dyscrypcyon therof [Page iiii] measurynge the foundacion of this power. do dyffyne and limite the ecclesiasticall power only to be ye ministracion of the worde of god and they affyrme the bysshop of Rome with other bisshoppes to be geuen instede of the apostles whiche shulde obserue goddes worde after the lymyttes of his cōmaundemente & shoulde teach & preach that that is taught in the scripture adding nothing thervnto ne takīg any thyng therof away as though the deuyne prouidence neded anye helpe of mannes industry wherbe he myght the better prouyde for the helth of man other so inlarge,The opiniōs of the papists concernyng ye power of the byshop of rome, and extende the lymyttes of the Ecclesiasticall power, that the appointe the endes therof hyme and his submyttyng to that power al holy & prophane thynges, heauēly and wordly as for the bysshope of rome thei make him not aministre [Page v] of the worde and a seruaunte but the vicare of god They geue vnto hym autorite of Dominyon, that he may do all thyng saufe that is not his pleasure to do that he may Iudge al men, & that none ought to Iudge hym that he hath domyniō ouer Emperoures, and kings and infewe wordes that he hath p̄ emynence ouer all men & is more ouer aboue a general counsel som other make al christen men equal and yt was spoken vnto ye apostles with small dyscresion,The opiniōs of them that, make all men equall wyth smalle wysdō confyrmyd they applye to all Christen men, Confounding al orders of christen people being cleane repugnant vnto the othere sorte and as the other without almeasure dyd attribute to the bysshoppes of Rome al power,some graunte power geuen to bysshoppes but by mānes lawe, some cō tende it to be geuen by God so these with no lyke faute seme to take al power awey. Therbe some that graunte a power, but not with stā dyng they dissente in ye cause & the origine and where as the bysshop [Page v] of rome wolde calenge hys premacye by the lawe of god, they styfly affirme that it was ordeyned by ye lawe of man.
Bysshopps yt wer most vertuous take lest vpon thē¶ The romaine bysshopps theyr selfes do not agre amonges them selues, amonge whome as euerye on did exselle the other in hollines of lyuyng and religion, so he dyd require and take vpon hym yt lesse power, and some agayn coud not refrayne ther hādes from almost holy thyngs nor forbere the scriptures of god.wherof ye authorite intendyth to procede apon, Whyche altercacion of opynyons and conflicte of sentenses in themselues disagreinge, do geue vs iuste and laufull occasion to serche out ye origine, of this so great, so ample & so myghty power that we maye clerely se, whense it came how it did procede, how large it was geuen, how it was extendyd by vsurpacion, what was graunted by god, & what was added [Page vi] and adiected bi the wyl & pleasure of mā, finaly what bysshops haue taken from pryncys, & kīgs, & what thei haue vsurped to them selues, the certaintie of all whiche thynges must be taken out of the holye scrypture, whyche ys mooste syncere and incorrupte testymonye and yf the sense of scrypture shall so plainly appere, that no man can doubte therof,
¶ That it shall not be dysconuenyente to confyrme the same with recyting the dedes and actes of other men wherfore we shall furste of all assaye to serche furth,Diuiso operis The deuision of this worke īto, iiii, partes & pondre howe the ecclesiasticall power as it is vsurped nowe adayes, hath not hys authorite by the lawe of god. Secundly in what facion thys power is extended by the law of god? Thrydly howe moderatly [Page vi] good bysshoppes haue vsed this power fourthly howe far ye power nowe called ecclesiasticall partayneth proprely vnto kinges and fo to go in hande with ye thyng whyche we dyd propounde in the furst place ye shall furst vnderstande, [...], i, et, c, translato de cōse, what is comprehendyd vndere the ecclesyastycall power and it is vsurpyd now adayes ye vnder ye appellacion of this ecclesiastical power now a dayes, is cō tayned authorite to make lawes & statutes, which may bind al christē men with authorite to compelle al men yea euen kinges and princys so yt they shal make theyr answers in al maner causes (yf any offence be pretendid)the fyrst part Cap nouit de iudice before the bisshop of rome & make ther plees in maters of trauerse before hym to depose prynces out of ye admynystracyon theyr realmes to absolue subiectes of the othe of theyr obedyence set vppon other whome it shal please hym to excommunicate,Cap ad oppostolice de sen & reiudi libra, vi, to enterdicte to caste downe from aliue [Page vii] into hel or other whom it shal please him to sende vp in to heauen,de sent, ex, per tot, & breffely to conclude to do al thīgs and more to and they go aboute to confyrme this power bi certen places of holye Scripture whyche textys we wyll examyn syncerly.
¶ And in honest sorte and the chef place is math .xvi.The examinacion or the textys of scripture wherbi the papists chalē ge this power of the fyrste, texte math. xvi. Thou art peter and apon this stone I wyll edifye my churche and the gattes of hell shal not preuayle agaynste it of yt whych texte if it were graunted yt thys were the intelleccion therof yt it shulde sygnify the churche to be buyldid apon peter thā shuld folowe as they sey manyfest probaciō of full powere whyche thynge for al that is not to be graunted for al thoughe Peter were chyfe & hyest of the Apostles and the churche edified vpon hys pryuate person, [Page vii] (whych were an inconuenyente as we shall herafter shewe) yet what soeuer fundacyon the churche of chryste had,what soeuer, is the foundacion of ye church christ must nedes be hyr bed by whose bloud it was redemed and norysshed by fayth in christ it must neuer theles be redemyd by the blode of chryst and grewe vp by fayth in chryst, consiste and be ioined to gether by the lawes of chryste of the whych chryst yf the church be the trewe & propre spouse she muste haue hym only as her lorde in souerayne lyberte, in him as in hir hed she must cōsiste, in hī she dependith, by whō it is brought to passe that we be no longer vnder the lawe, but vnder grace bi his fre gifte, so waxīg bigge, that we beynge delyuered & loused from the charge of the scole master, and inspired with the holy gost thorough his grace.we muste be Iustyfyed by [...]ayth whyche worketh by char [...]t [...]. Of hym we may be iustified by fayth whiche worketh (not by coercyon, not by imposicion of ponysshementes not by thretenyngs and terioures / [Page viii] but by vnfayned loue.
¶ But it semeth not to be proued by that texte that the churche was buylded vpon peter.The churche was not buylded vpon the persō of peter Onles vnder the name of peter ye vnderstande ye vniuersal congregaciō of faythful, and true chrysten people or elles the verye confessyon of peter, for what coulde be spoken more than that the gates of hell shulde not prauaile agaynste the church?
¶ But if the gates of hell (which after the mynde of hierom orygen and ambrose be vyce & synne) cannot preuayle agaynst the churche no man can sey that this is vnderstand of the bysshop of rome,What is vnderstand by ye gates of hell, whiche is a man and mortal:Pro, xxiii [...], sith it is wrytten that seuen times in ye day offendyth a iuste man,Heb, v, & as saynte paul sayth euery bysshop takē frō amongs mē is cōpased wt īfirmite & therfore he is bound to offer for [Page viii] Synnes aswell for hys owne part as for ye peoples & thus ye muste also considre ye of ye Bysshops of Rome many haue ben symoniaksSome of the bysshoppes of rome haue bē symonyakes,
Some ydolaters some sysmatickes som heretyckes, sōe withother vices¶ Some idolatres other sysmaticks other hereticks othere wrapped in other vices and some almost culpable in all as the Cronicles testifye which contaynyng ye actes of ye bishops romaine of whom though all or manie did repente of their format leude life at ye last and therefore against them bi reasō of their faith in christ ye true fundatur of ye churche, helgates. & sume preualed not in ye ende, yet ye same preuailed against other which died no better then they lyued, but heapīg synne vpon synne had amore onhappye dethe thā they had life whose yll ende dothe make vs amanyfesse certificat yt peter & hys successors in the churche of rome.Peter nor his successors were not they agaynst whom the gattes of hell dyd not preuayle but the confession of peter, Were not they Agaynste whom the [Page ix] gates of hell shulde not preuayle, but the fayth, and ye confessyon of peter,Ambrosius de incar domini sacramento for as saynte Ambrose sayth in hys boke of the mysterye of the incarnacion of our lorde, yt is not spoken of the person of Peter,The texte of mathew was not spoken of the per [...]on of Peter but of his confessores, but of his fayth for ye gates of hel shal not preuayle agaynste it, and the same ambrose apon the epistle to ye Ephesians, our lord sayd to peter vpon this stone I wyll buylde my church,Ad ephesios capitulo, ii, yt is vpon this confession of the catholyke fayth, I constytute faythfull people to lyfte Iesus, chryst being the hed corner stone in whom euery buyldynge cowplede to gether groweth vnto an holye temple in our lord in whome ye also are buylde to gether and made an habitacion, for god in ye spirite.Hierom super math, xvi, This sayth he is the sence wherof our lord spake vpon this stone I wyl buylde my churche / and saynt Hierō wrytteth ye after the symilitude [Page ix] of a stone it is conveniently spoken. I wyll buylde my church vpon the whych sentence saynt, augustyne confyrmyng sayth,Augustinus, vpon the wordes, diuini sermonis, vpon this stone whyche thou hast confessed, vpon this stone which yu knowest, saing thou arre chryst ye sōne of the lyuynge god I wyll buylde my church, that is to say vpon my selfe the sonne of the lyuynge god, I wyl buylde my church vpon me I wyl edifye the and not me vpon the,Why he was called Peter whyche was named Simō before. for as he was named Symon before after yt (as Hyrom, & Bede do saye) for the strengeth of hys fayth and the constance of his confessyon our lord gaue him ye name of Peter / so likewise we,Hieroni super math cap, [...]vi Origenes super math homilia, i as origē saythe, yf we by the reuelacion of the father to vs which is in heuen do confesse that Ihesus chryste is the sone of the liuynge god,Euery man yt cōfeseth christ to be the sone of god may be called peter, we are callede conuenyently by the name of peter, for the stone is euery man [Page x] that foloweth chryste The stone is chryst our lorde and sauyour whiche after the saing of Bede to him that knewe by fayth,Beda super, math, cap, xvi to his louer / to hym that confessed hym dyd geue the perticipacion of his name. That is to saye that of this worde Petra ye stone,i, [...]or, iii, he shulde be named Peter, vpon the whiche stone the church is buylded, for no man can lay any other foundacion but that that is layde all redye, whiche is christ Iesus this stone is so firme this foundacion is so substancial, that it wyll not suffer that is builded vpon it ani time to fal or elles to shrinke. For it is a coruerd stone a constant streghneth a substācial stacion a fyrme foundacion of the churche and so we rede it called in many places of holy scripture,Chrisostum ī sermone de pē thecost,
And also Crysostome in the Sermone of Penthecoste vpon thys stone he sayth not vpon this peter [Page x] for he dyd not buylde his churche vpon mā but vpon his faith, what is this to saye vpon the stone, that is to saye vpon the confessyon, for yf chryste by these wordes had so vnderstanded as the church shuld haue been buylded vpon Peter, ye it shulde haue ben gouerned after ye pleasure of hym & his successors Also in what place he sayd, if thy brother trespasse against the shew it vnto ye church,Math, xviii, that betokeneth vnto ye multitude of faythful people,The churche is ye multitute of faithful people or ye iudge institud by ye multitute or elles, vnto the Iudge institute by the multitude, or vnto the generall councell, he wolde haue sayd, shew it to Peter and his successors,Eneas siluius other wise called pope pius ye second which sins Eneas Siluiꝰ doth reiect saing on this wyse, the yock of chryst is easy and the burden of chryst is lyght. But tell me how lyght? yf chryst commaund yt is impossible, if he shuld cōmaund all cristē people to go vnto Peter, [Page xi] in al causes of contēcion he shuld comaūd yt is inpossyble for howe coulde Peter seke for the churche so sore disparsed and al christen mē from dore to dore by townes and vyllages,Congregaciō in ye actes of the Apostles were called ye churche, ex regest lib. iiii, epistola. xxxviii wherfore in the actes of the apostles congregacions which were had were called the churche saint Gregory also vpon the same matter wryteth thus. yf I be displeased when I reprehende other then it remayneth that I shulde shewe it vnto the church.
¶ Furthermore eneas siluiꝰEneas siluiꝰ vpon this wordes tell it to the churche expoundīg ye church to be ye general councel,Peter, was sēt to ye counsell as to hys superiour, sayth thus lo Peter was sent vnto the counsel, The veryte sent the high bysshop vnto ye councell, and wherfore was that? surely that the popes of Rome shuld not dysdayne to knowe some power in erth aboue them which they shuld aske counsell of in hygh matters [Page xi] and to be obedient to theyr determinacions where of as RabanusRabanus, thynketh, Peter otherwayes was called Simon which after the interpretacion of the Ebreu tonge is to saie obedience that euery man mayght perseaue that obedyence is necessarie in the bysshoppes of rome.Simon is interpretate obedient obedience is necessari in ye bisshoppes of Rome, Garson, Gerson in his boke of oblacion of the spowse of the churche, doth approbate this sentēce sayng in times past peter bi dissimulaciō dyd folowe the ryte of Iwes,Gal, iii and Paule dyd manyfestly resyst and holde agaynst him. Peter brought in newe facions into the church of god,Act, x, &, xi, entrynge into a Centurion a capten of a hondreth men beynge a gentyl, wherfore grete murmure arose in ye church of god ī so moch that Peter was cōpelled to folowe ye doctrine which scripture teacheth that is to saye that he shulde preparePeter was compelled to make answer of his faythe and belefe before the coun [...]ell, [Page xii] him selfe before al the whole church to geue thē manifestacion and a certitude of his beleue and of hys hope, so SimachusSimachus, so blessed marcellius,Marcelline, so Gregorye his selfe & so many other did submite them selues vnto the Iudgementes of ye counceles,Gregory not of humilite and voluntarye condiscendinge therto as some do Imagen but because they were obligate & bound therto. And saynt HieromHierom wryting to Euagrius doth affirme that as touchinge authoryte the hole nomber of chrystē people to be of more superiorite than the cyte of Rome & that in thes wordes shewe it to ye church,The nombre of chrystē people is of more superiorite then the cytie of rome. ye multitude of chrysten people is sygnifyed the apostle dothe proue saynge. I haue surely thus determyned, that he yt hathe thus comytted you beynge gathered to gather with mispryte)i, Coryn, v. be takē to Satan
& vpon the same text saynt augustineAugustyne maketh thys exposicion, I haue iudged of this maner that you (he speketh to the multytude) congregate to gether in on wt out any dyssencion, with whome my aucthoryte and ye vertue of christ shal worke to gether, be take such a mā to satan bysydes that,Bede super mathe. xviii, that this powher of the church was graunted vnto Peter in the name of ye multitude. Bede vpon ye xviii chapiter of mathew) vpon this texte if thy brother trespasse against the) doth proue writinge in this maner this power of ye holi church was speciallye comitted to bysshoppes c. But generaly, suerlye it is supposed to be geuen vnto the vniuersal churche.The powere o [...] [...]ndynge & lowso [...] was geuen vnto al the Appostles For where as in another place our lord doth geue vnto peter this power of binding & lowsing of a trewth it is not to be doubted but [Page xiii] in peter wich bare the figure of ye church it was geuē vnto al thapostles,August super Iohan the whiche wryttynge saynt Augustine vpon Iohn doth shew in these wordes Peter who he toke ye keies dyd signyfye ye holy church For yf the foundacyon of the churche were not in Peter our lorde wold not haue sayde vnto hym I wil geue the the keies of ye kindom of heauen saynte,Peter signifyeth ye hol church Augustinus Hierom & saynt Augustyne do proue the same vpon this texte, take ye the holie gost whose offēces you remit they shal be remytted vnto them and I wil geue to the the keyes of the kyngdom of heauen, whych Augustyne nameth the sciens and power to dyscerne but also Ambrosein his boke of the dignyte of prestehode. doth affyrme that in saynt. Peter the apostle all preestes receyueyd the keies of the kyngdome of heauen, lykewyse orygen sayth.All prestes in peter ar ye keyes of heuen. Thinkest [Page xiii] thou that the keyse of ye kyngdome of heuen were geuē onlye to Peter and ye none other good men shall receyue them.Origin super math homilia, l,
¶ But if that is spoken is cōmen amongest al men, I wyll geue the thy keys of ye kingdom of Heuen, howe is that, that althyng whiche we haue refrreed before vnto peter do not apere to ꝑtayne vnto euery man (For in the Euangelist Iohan̄e Iesus geuing the holye gost vnto his discyples,Iohan ii. brethinge vpon them dyd saye, receyue you ye holye gost, whosoeuers synes you remette, they shalbe remitted vnto them, whosoeuers synns you retayne they shalbe retained, as though he had spoken to al those that were constitute as Peter was & wheare as in another place Christ spake, Peter I haue prayed for the that thy fayth faile not,Luc, xxii but when thou [Page xiiii] arte conuerted, strength thy bretherne,Another terte wherby that papistes chaleng aucthoryte for the bisshop of rome, August ī quest note q, lxxv doth this be token the preeminence of peter as though it were peter onlye vpon whome ye churche was edifiede all other beinge excluded, saynt Augustyne sayth did he praye for Peter and prayed not for Iohan &. Iames I holde mi peace of other Therfore it is manyfeste, that in Peter, all the other be conteyned. For chryste in Iohn doth saye, I praye for them yt thou hast geuen vnto me,By Peter is vnderstand ye vniuersall churche, wherfore it is manyfest that by Peter we vnderstande the vnyuersall church as it euidentli appereth in mani places by saynt Augustyn,August super psall, specialy where he sayth certaine thinges be spoken whiche although they apere to partayne peculyerlye to Peter the Apostle, yet haue they neuer many [...]est sence but when they be reffered [...]nto the churche, whose person in [...]ygure Peter dyd represente
as it is apertely knowen, but now lette vs come vnto the wordes of chryst in the last chapter of Iohn,Iohan vitimo whiche wordes,The, iii texte waer by they chalenge prymacy these that affyrme this hygh power do so ernestly regarde that is to wytte, peter louest thou me, Fede my shepe To fede ye shepe of chryst after the saynge of BedeBede is to confyrme them that beleue in chryst that they shrynke not from the fayth and Instantly to labour and dylygence yt they dayli more and more take encrease in ye faith Therfor they as saint Augustē doth saye yt fede ye shepe of christ in thys mind that they wolde haue them to be theyr shepe and not the shepe of chryst do confound them selfe that they do it not for ye loue of christ,To fede the shepe of christ is to confirme them that beleue in chryste and to encreate the [...]y fayth, August, super Iohan, vltimo but for couetousnes ether of glorye or dominion, or of lucre. Not for obedyence,August de ago, christo, cap xxxx, not for intente to help thē or for loue for to please god, & in this boke of the agony of [Page xv] a chrysten man, he saythe that it was not without cause amongest al thapostels that peter dyd represent the person of this catholyke churche,that was spoken to peter, was spokē to al thapostles, and that the keyes of the kyngdome of heauen were geuen to thys churche, and whan it was spoken to him it was to al, louest thou me, fede mishepe, ād so these wretches while they in peter do not vnderstand the stone and wyl not beleue that the keys of the kyngdome of heauen were geuen vnto the churche they haue lost thē oute of their hādes. Bede also vpō this last chapiter of Iohn sayth thus yt was spokē vnto peter was spokē vnto al the dyscyples of chryst for the other of the appostles were the same that, Peter was,There is but one floke whiche was fed of al thappos [...] ses with God consēt who [...] peter receuyd with [...] with [...] they very sheperd al ther is but on flocke shewed whiche was fedde of all ye appostles wt out agremēt or cōsent & syns that tyme is fed by the sucessors of them with mutuall & [Page xv] comine dyligence, bysides this ambrose in his boke of the dygnyte of presthodde vpō these wordes fede my shepe,Ambrosius doth assente vnto the sentence before rehersed, saing which shepe and whiche flocke not onely Peter them receuyd but he receuid them with vs,Glosa ordinaria math, xvi, Al bysshopps and preestes haue equall, aucthoryte with Peter & why peter rece [...]uyde them specially, and all we receuyd thē with him, But wher as all bysshoppes and preestes haue equall aucthoryte with Peter.
¶ Not with standinge Peter receyuyd it specyallye that euery man myght perceyue yt he that sepetateth hym selfe from the vnite of ye fayth, cāne neyther be absoluyd of his synnes, nor entre into the kyngdome of heuen. And saynt HieromHierom sayde, from the vnyte of the fayth not from the vnyte of peter,What is vnderstand by ye seate of moyses and by the seat of peter, of the Bysshoppes of Rome, but whosoeuer supposeth rome to be the seat of peter, or anye other place, maye well appere yt he doth interpretate amysse the wordes of chryst, in the [Page xvi] xxiiii. chapiter of mathew, For whē chryst doth saye,Math, xxiiii, the scribes and ye phariseis dyd sytte in the seate of moyses, bi the seat of moyses ther is no man doubtes but the lawe of Moyses geuen by god & the pure doctryne therof is sygnyfyed and non other exterior seate. So ye seate of peter is rather the seat of christ in ye which Peter and al the other apostles satt is manifest to be nothyng elles but the pure gospel of chryst.The gospell is the seate of Peter, And euen as chryst dyd admonishe his, yt they shulde beware of the leauen of the pharyseis whiche is theyr lernynge besydes the lawe so he doth commaunde vs to beware of false prophetes that is to saye frō them that teache theyr owne tradicions and not the wordes of christ, which interpretacion,Thei that teache there one tradicions he false prophetes, August super Iohan tract xlv. i, augustyn vpō Iohn doth cōfirme expōding thes wordes ye scribes & pharises sit vpon ye seat of moyses [Page xvi] do as they saye but do not as they do.
¶ What thyng elles dyd he saye sayth augustyne but here you the voyce of the shepeherd by the hyred seruauntes,T [...]ry ye teche thir owne tradycyons seke not yt is christes but there owne. for syttyng apon the seate of moyses they teche the lawe of god, than foloweth yt by them god tech yt yf they wolde tech theyr owne tradicyons here it not. do it not, for suerly suche seke that is ther owne, and not that is christes wherof it is manifeste that the seate of moyses is ye lawe of moyses & the seate of chryst in ye whych peter and the other apostles sate, is the gospel, and al suche that teache not the lawe of moyses nor the worde of god syt not in the seat of Moyses nor in the seate of chryste or Peter or of the apostles,They that teache not the lawe of chryste s [...]t in ther owne chares and enter in at the windowes as theues but in ther owne chayres and seates which cōing before chryst and enterīg in bi the window & not by the dore [Page xvii] whych is chryst, be theues and robbers and taketh honour vnto thē selfes, not called of god as Aaron was vpō which sētēce chrysostome writing sayth euery chrysten,Chrysostome ho [...]. xxx. s. man that taketh the worde of peter is ye seat of Peter,Euery man yt taketh y• worde or peter is ye [...]e [...]e o [...] peter and Peter sytteth in hym and lykewyse in a nother place. Take ye hede my bretherne howe ye set vpon the seate,Item, xl, dist. [...]apite, bid [...] hi [...]om ibidē cap, iii, for ye seate doth not make the preest. But the preest the seate, nor the place dothe sanctifye the man, but the man the place,The seate doth not make ye preest but the prest the seat. he that sitteth well vpon the seate, taketh the honour of ye seate he that syteth yl doth iniurye vnto the seate,An il preist of his presthode geteth rebuke and therfore an yl preeste of his presthedde getteth rebuke & not dygnitye.
¶ If we shulde graunte thus also that the seate of Peter were the place or the seate where he before sate, Gregorye,Gregorius [...] regu, lib [...], v [...], cap, xx. neuer the lesse doth [...] [Page xvii] the church of Alexandria or of antioche the seate of Peter, aswel as the church of Rome,Alexandria & anthioche were the seate of Peter before [...]ome therfore (of yt we haue shewed before) it is manyfest that, that the power ecclesiastical which some enlarge and extende so ample in the bysshope of Rome hath not hyr foundacion in the scriptures whiche ar alligate, for if the priuate person of Peter be not the foundacion of the churche as we haue proued before, but vpon Peter as representynge the person of al, or as pronounsing the confession of the fayth of christen men whych is the fute and substā ciall foundacion of the churche,He proueth by a similitude of ye emperoure that ye successors in the sete of peter can by no reason chalenge ye prerogatiue of peter it hathe no more reason wherfore by that title of Peter his successors ī his cathedrall seate or Bysshoperyche shuld chalenge any prerogatyue of Peter, more then he which shal succeade the Emperour in the kyndomes of Spayne, shal therefore chalenge the empyre of the romayns, [Page xviii] because ye king of Spayn whyle he lyued had that dyngnite for Peter was not,Why Peter, was called hedde of the apostles, therfore called chyfe of the apostles or foundaciō because he was hede of this churche, or that but for aspeciall prerogatiue of his merites he was electe alone of al ye other, which shuld stande in stede of the other, whose confession nother flesshe nor blod hath reuelate but ye heuenli father which is in heuen, euen as nother cesar at this tyme is Emperour of rome, because he is king of spayn But bicause he was electe of them in whom is ye acthorite of eleccion
¶ Chryste chose Peter,Chryste those Peter before he was bisshope of rome before he was bysshop of Rome, which place it is put in dowbte whether he euer sawe or no christ cōsidered his qualites & not his person,There containeth successyō in the seates, but nowe in ye vertue and merites, in there setes & bisshoprichis, they contayn ethsuaession, but in their vertuse & merites there is no successyon, and they that be good do succede the ill [Page xviii] And the yll succede the good. yf Christ had geuen this authorite vnto the seat of rome it shulde haue remayned after the death of peter nowe vereli sith ther is no mencion made of rome whie do we geue rome suꝑiorite before authioch and why do not we prefarre authioche whiche seat peter fyrst obtayned but wherfore doth not Hierusalem excel al other where the seat of peter was mani yeres before he saw Rome where he receuid ye holi gost wher first he enflamed wt the spirite,why be not hierusalē and authioche preferred before rome. Act, ii, Peter made, iii, solemne sermons, began fyrst to put in exersice his office of preaching ye word of god, and where he made fowre solem Sermons,Act, i, one of the eleccion of mathias to be apostle in the Rowme of Iudas,Act, ii, a nother of the sendynge downe of the holy goost The thirde vnto the people where he restored his lymbes to hym which was borne lame of his motherAct, iii, Act, iiii, [Page xix] The fourth vnto Annas and Cayphas & the residewe of the preystes seniors and scribes, what shall we saye that in Hierusalem he dyd so many miracles that they brought furth in to the stretes theyr sicke people and laide them in their beddes and cowches that when Peter came bi the shadowe of him at the laste might come ouer them and ye multytude of thother Cyties nere vnto them ranne also to Hierusalem bringing there sycke people & such as were vexed with vnclenly spirites, which were healyd all,Act, v, The miracles of peter in hierusalem, also to this that chryst euermore sett so moch bi Hierusalē. That when he sent furth his apostles into al ye worlde to preache remission of synes not onely to the Iwes,Nowe mache chryste sett by hierusalem but also to al nacions of ye worlde he cō maunded them to begyne at Hierusalem he forbadde yt they shulde not swere by that Cytye because it [Page xix] was the cite of the grette kyng, of this cite Esaias dyd before tyme prophesye,Luc. xxiiii, out of Sion shal come a lawe, and the worde of god oute of Hierusalem.Mathew, v, There oneli in old tyme was the hie preisthode,Christ forbad they shuld not swere by hierusalem there was ye temple & ye aulter, The holy of most holy sacrifices and oblacions,Esaia, iii syth the tyme / sayth our lorde that I brought my people out of ye lande of Egipte I haue not electe any Cytye wherin any house shuld be buylde in my name,In Hierusalē only was the hyghe preesthode with in the temple but I haue chosen Hierusalem that my name shulde be in it,Christe chose Hierusalē to build his temple i [...], and he sayth I wyl geue Hierusalem an Euangelyste and wysdome (by whome autours wil that christ the sone of god and the seconde deuyne person is betokened) sayth in the holy cetie I haue rested & in Hierusalem my power,Gal, xxiiii, zachar, viii God by the prophete saith I wyll dwel ī Hierusalem, and by Sacharye our lorde speaketh I wyl dwel in ye myddes [Page xx] of Hierusalem. And Hierusalem shalbe called the cytye of veryte lo I wil saue mi people of ye est parte and of the weste parte and I wyll brynge them and they shal dwel in the myddes of Hierusalem, & they shalbe my people & I wylbe theyr god in verite and Iustice and all the whole scripture is replete with the laudes of the Cytye of Hierusalem contrarye wyse rome is called babilon to whome our lorde ī ye apocalips doth threaton malediccion yf we wil gyue credence vnto Hierom or Tertulian it is moche more lyke that this primaci or superiorite was laste vnto Hierusalem whiche cytie god alwayes did moost fauour of the whiche cytye chryst speciallye toke cure of whiche he lefte to peter by name & not Rome,Rom, is called babilō to whō god threateneth malediccions, It is lyke ye the premacye was laste at Hierusalem, Peter was bysshop of anthioche before rome, but also he toke the bysshopryche of Anthyoche before the [Page xx] Bysshopriche of rome.
¶ Wherfore if it be that peter for soke fyrst Hierusalem and after ye anthioch, and than came to Rome Then we maie say that the elecion of Peter dyd constitute the premacye, and not ye confession & graunt of god, and the premate authorite in that churche is by peter, a man as they say and not of christ being god, hauyng no foundacyon in holy scrypture but as they maye contende it to be by the sufferaunce of god.God somtime suffereth tirranical power to ponishe the people, By whiche reson al power cō myth of god, asmoche as tirrannical power, whiche verely god somtyme doth not hinder or let but suffereth for to afflycte and punisshe the people and somtyme doth send it, but if they contende the preragotiue of peter to be at Rome rather then ani where elles bi the reason yt it was consecrate with the blod of peter why shulde not the church ofHierusalem, was cōsecrat with the blod of chryste as rome with peters blode [Page xxi] Hierusalem, by that reson moche more expel, whiche was santifyed & consecrate with ye blode of christ But nowe we wile come to speake of that power ecclesiastical which we purpose to speke of in ye .ii.Of the power taken after ye second maner place whiche doubtles is confyrmed by holy scripture & semith to haue taken the limittes of her power bi the same, fyrst I wyll shewe howe ye this power ecclesiastical is not soo,The power ecclesiasticall was geuen, equally to all thapostles the takē as graunted vnto one before al other but equallye geuen vnto all thapostles, after yt I wyl shewe you, howe it was geuen me sureable so that it pertayneth not to those thynges whiche be vsurped at these dayes vnder ye title, & that this power was not geuen to one but to manye diuerse exposytors of scripture do testifi,Math vltimo Iohan, ii. for whē it is in scripture. Go you & teache al people, and receiue you the holy goost, and whose synnes you shall [Page xxi] remitte. &c. They write on this maner what authoryte sayth Chrisostome can be founde more vniuersal or greater after the mynd of augustyne by these wordes the lawe and power ecclesiastyall is vnderstanded to be geuen and by the sentence of hierom and Ciprian al the appostles equallye toke authorite and pastural cure al indifferently vpon on daye that is to saye in pē thecost as sayth Augustyne)Augustinus, de quest noui, testam q, lxxxx in, Hierominus ad Ieniuian, Cipren desunplicitotepre lator, the lawe was geuen vpon whych day the holye gost come down vpon ye disciples they shuld take authorite and knowe to preache the lawe of the gospell what thinge coulde more manifestlye showe the equalite of Peter & the other appostles than those elocucions so generally expressed besides this whē the disciples dyd aske Iesus who shulde be hyest in the kyndome of heuen.August de quest noutest, q lxxxxv, Math, viii, By & by he set a childe in the middes amongest them & sayd verelye [Page xxii] I saye vnto you onles ye be conuerted & become lyke chyldren ye shal not entre into the kyndome of heuen. Therfore who soeuer dothe humble hym selfe he shalbe moost in ye kingdom of heuen.The apostles st [...]e for super [...]orite Bede doth sa [...]e that this question was asked of ye apostles for because they stroue for ye prymace or superyoryte, & therfore chryst dyd sitte a childe in the middes amonges them.Childer be wī de of ambi [...]on & desire of preeminence, That they myght learne that they shuld not seke for superiorite for childrē be cleane voyd of ambicion desire of preheminence & al affeccions of enui,They that be Am [...]ious cō not to heuen onles ye repent and ye glose doth interpretate this place of this fasshiononles ye be cleane conuerted from your elacion and indignacion in the which ye be nowe & al become as innocent and lowlye by vertue as litle children be. By ther age,Hieronimus, super matheu cap, xviii ye shal not enter into the kyndome of heuen, hierom dothe saye that althoughe that sentence maye be generall a [Page xxii] Agaynst al them that offende anye man yet after the dependinge of ye texte it may be vnderstanded to be spoken also againste the apostles, whiche by askinge this question who shulde be hiest of them in the kyngdome of heauen dyd appere to striue & contende of preemynēce of dygnite, and if they had contynued in ye offence they might by ther offending haue lost them, whome thei brought vnto theyr fayth, seīg the apostles dispute amonges thē selues of honour & prymacy crisostome agreinge to the same saythe,Disto, xl. capi multi whosoeuer desireth primacy in er the shal finde confusion in heuen,Note, nor he shalbe commited amonges ye seruauntes of christ,Desire of premacis causeth confusion. whosoeuer medlith of supiorite or preeminēce and therfore saynt cipryan & anacletusCiprian anacletus dyd agre & consent that all the appostles receyued equallyte of lawshype and eterenal honourthe appostles were equall, [Page xxiii] honer & power and Paule writteth vnto ye corinthyans, I was in nothing inferior vnto ye hieste apostles & thus speketh of him self whiche being so excelent apostle wolde not haue spoken if he ought to haue knowen any superioryte ī peter And in another place agreinge to the same sentence I thinke my self nothinge inferior vnto the othere apostles,ii. cor, iiii, & in another place agayn he wryteth on this maner, let a mā esteme vs on this wyse, as ye ministers of god, and disposers of the secretes of god, & vpon these wordes of the same paul in his epistle to the galathians where he saythe that he did conferre or comen of ye gospel with the other apostles the gloseGlose interliniat addithe I haue not lerned of other as of my superiors.Ad galathi, 1 [...] But I did comen of the gospel wt them as with misrendes & [Page xxiii] coequalles & saynt ambrose vpon these wordes of Paul when peter came to anthioche I wt stode hym in ye face,Ambrosius ad gal, ii, he saythe he durst not haue done so, onles he had knowē hī self equall with him for they dyd adde nothinge vnto me but I added to them vpon, this wordes of the same Paul. Iames and Iohn which semed to be pyllers gaue to barnabas and me theyr ryght handes of felowshipe that is to say of equalyte and he saythe they gaue their right handes & not commaundement wherby verelye equalite might be perceiued saynt ambrose confyrmeth the same saynge other apostles semed to be superious because they were before this Paull lost because he was called last vereli not in me [...]ites or authorite but betokeneth the dygnite of the apostles to be estemed by reason of tyme as though in other thinges theAmbrosius, ii, [...]oren, xi, xiii, c [...] glosa ordinar in cap, i, ad gall The dingnite of ye apostles, was estemede by plente of tyme [Page xxiiii] were equal of this that is rehersed before it is manifeste, what power and howe greate was geuen by chryst vnto men of ye churche yt is vnto his apostles & geuen to all ye, apostles of one measure & not geuen for entent of primaci which is chalenged nowe at this daye,The prima [...] ne church d [...] not admite or hed or prema [...] For if by ye ordinance of god one shuld haue bene superior or hed vnto the other howe chaūced yt that in ye beginning of the church the contrari was obserued doth not the storye ecclesiastical beare witnes yt when the holye bysshoppes dyd mete together in ye councel in Nicen there were .iii patriarkes present there.Ecclesia. i [...] histor [...] h, iii, [...] At the [...] of [...]i [...]en [...] were at [...] time [...] [...] kes, [...] there [...] pa [...] [...] rome [...] sent be [...] [...] der [...] [...] der,
And the bysshop of Rome whiche was the fourth in order was absent. If one by the lawe of god is father of fathers and al moust be reduced into a vnite whye by the worde patriarke whiche is halfe greke,The [...]ter [...] tation of [...] worde p [...] arks halfe laten are there rekned [Page xxiiii] foure patria [...]kes ye is to saye foure Fathers of Fathers whiche be ioyned together by nomutual relaciō īton other,The patriarkes were not subiect one to another, but as thoughe they by diuersite of power were rulers of othere men & they subiect to no man And in that order the bisshop of Rome ys hinder most.
¶ Whom if he ought to be ye hiest by ye lawe of god it was vncharitable done to put him so hinmost in order & if he were hiest he lawe or constitucion of mā, it was done vniustly, But in so holye a coūcell as was then at Neceny it ys more like ttwith yt al thinges were obserued done & constituted very iustli and equally and yf the bisshope of Rome ought bi ye law [...] of god to be taken hedde of ye church,It hys lyke ye the councel of Necen dyd al thynge Iustli & in counted most holy and lawfull Foundacion of ye churche, Chiffe of ye churche, The onlye & supreme vicarre of christe it is not credible those holye fathers to be so ingnorant, [Page xxv] yt they knowe not what they ought to do Nor so vngodly yt they wold not do that they ought to do. But ye councell is counted of euery mā to be most holyest,Libro, ix, cap et historia ecclesiastia libro v, [...]ap, xxiii, and moost lawefully congregate. And as it appereth by the storye tripertite ye.The byshopspes of the este did resiste the Bysshopps of rome Bysshops of the este did resiste the bysshop of Rome boldeli. And as concerning the obseruāce of ester The Bysshop of Rome coude obtayne nothing of the Bysshop of Londō Also pelagiusPelagius, the seconde writeth yt it is lawful for no man to calēge vnto him.It is lawful for no man to name him self vniuarsalle or hye Bysshop, The name of ye vniuersal Bysshop his wordes contayne one this maner. Pelagius Pope writeth to al Bysshopps sayng let non of ye patriarkes take vpō him the name of ye vniuersal Bysshop.lxxxxix, disto cap millus For if one of them be vniuersall ye name of patriarks is diminisshed or taken away from thother. But god put away this (saith he from [...] [Page xxvi] the prestes do knowe them selfe b [...] the custome of ye churche to be subiecte vnto him that is made ye hed gouernoure,The bysshoppes be superiours to prysts by custom and not by ye lawe of god, so let ye bysshops knowe yt they be superioures vnto the pristes more of custome than by any ordinance by the lawe of god. And the same Hierom in a nother place conserninge his sentence before in a pystle to Oceanus sayth.Hieronimus, ad Oceanus, Amonges our olde predicessores prestes and Bysshops were al one For ye one is the name of dignite ye other of age.Whye Bysshoppes were ordeyned and made And to Euagrius he wryteth thus. It is manifestly proued a prest and a Bysshop to be al one. But after where as one was electe which shulde be superior of the other it was done to put away sismis. Leste euery one drawinge after his minde ye church of christe shuld perturbe & corrupte it. For at Alexandria from ye tyme of marke ye Euangelyst vnto the tyme of [Page xxvii] Heracla and Dionisius bisshopes ye prystes alwayes chose one amō ges them and set him in a hiegher place degre & called him Bysshop Euen as the oste shuld chuse them a captayn:At Alexandria prestes chose one of thē self to be ruler & called hym bisshope, or as if the deacons amonges them shulde chuse one in genius man and call hym archdeacon or chefe deacon and a litle after. Where so euer the Bysshoppe is, other at Rome, or at Engubii,Neyther powere ryches, nor h [...]mylyte cā make a bisshope hyer or lower, or at Constantinople, or at Rgim or at Alexandria, or at Taue he is of one ye same. And the same presthode, nother power of Riches nor humilite of pouertye cane make a Bysshop hier or lower But al be ye successours of ye Apostles,Anacletus In consiliis isidori de ordin episcoporum & where as anacletus shew with if these be [...]nacletus works that are ascribed to him that the see of Rome is the first & these of Alexandria seconde and so furthe. When he doth make them al & cal them patriakes, it is [Page xxvii] manifeste ye they be rulers or heddes of other and not subiecte vnto other, and where as one patriarke is chefe,The fathers of the prymatiue churche shronke from ye vnite of prymacie ye other haue non authorite ther, in so moche that by this maner of distruccion of ye patriarches it mai wel apere yt the first fathers of the church did shrinke from the vnyte For in the councell of nicē ye wordes that folowe be had,In historia ecclesiasti libro x, chap, vi, it is ordeyned that at alexandria and in the cyte of rome the olde auncient custome be obserued that the one haue the ouer syght and cure of Egipte and the other to haue the ouersyght of the churches with in the diocese of RomeDist, lxv mos antiquis, et in cōcilio niceno ex Isydoro
¶ Which in other bokes is writē with these wordes, let ye olde coustome be kepte in Egipte Libean & penthapolys so yt the bisshope of Alexandria haue the power ouer al them, for the bisshope of Rome hath lyke maners and customes. [Page xxviii] Likewise at anthioche and other prouinces let theyr preuyleges be obserued in theyr churches,di, lxv, cap v & thys is manifest and clere generallye,He that is made bysshop with out consent of the metropolitan shulde be no bysshop yt whosoeuer be made bysshop with out the consent of the Metropolitan the grerte sinode or councel hath determyned that he shulde ought to be no bisshoppe but and yf he be made by the comen and reasonable decre of all and approbate after the ordinaunces of the church of two or .iii.dist, lxv, cap sane, It was decreed in the councell in aphrica that the bysshope of rome shulde not be superiour to al other, Inconsilio aphrica, iii, cha xxvi, disto, lxxxxix, chap. primo after theyr proper contencions saye against him lett the sentence of the more perte take effecte, and in the councel of Affrica many Statutes ar founde whiche playnlye shewe that it was inacted and obseruyd that one Bisshop as the bisshop of rome shuld not bere rule ouer al other. Fyrst it was decred that ye bisshop of ye firstse shulde not be callyd chefe or hedde of all prestes,Non ought to be called they chiffe or hede bysshope or he preist, or the hyest preest or any suche name but onelye they [Page xxviii] Bysshop of ye fyrst or chefe see. For there was at that tyme thre patriarkes of whom euery one was called Bysshop of the hiest see,In cōsilio my leuitan that is to say the Bysshop of Antioche of Alexandrya & of rome,He that is excommunicate in on diocesse ought not to be reduced in to another diocesse, as Gyrald doth wryte in his Cronycles, and in the councel of Mileuitan in the xviii. Chapiter. Whosoeuer be excommunicate in Aphrica yf they gopreuely into other partes beyonde the see, there to be taken or receuid into comunion of christen men he shal therby lose his clarke shyp and Runne into Daunger of Irregular & in ye xxviii. chapiter. And if so be that in ye mother churche ye bisshop be necligent agaynst heritickes let the other Bisshopes nighe aboute him diligentli assemble them selfes to gether,If ye Bysshop of the mother churche be necligēt he shuld be warned of the other bysshoppes nighe aboute, & warne him of his necligens that he maye not excuse him selfe. But if it so be that wt in sixe monethes after this [Page xxxix] assembling If the excucion therof be in his ꝓuince, he do not labour and sewe to conuerte them to the vnyte of the catholyke faythe lett him not receiue or minister Sacramentes tyl the tyme, he fulfil it. If the doctor or executour com not to the places let not the wyte be ascribed to ye bysshop, And in the .xxiii.Clarkes may Appeale from diocese vnto ye bysshoppes next aboute & from thē to ye coūcels or primaces of the prouynces chapiter also it pleaseth vs yt prestes deacons or other infer [...]or clarkes in causes as shall chaunce thē to haue yf they cōplayne of ye Iudgement of theyr own Bysshop, let ye Bisshops ye be nye vnto thē here thē and finisshe betwixte thē what mater soeuer it be, so they be chosē bi them and wt consent of theyr bisshops, & if it shalbe thought necessari to apele also frōthē ye shall not apeale but vnto ye coūcels of Aphrica or else vnto ye primaces of there prouinces. And whosoeuer will apeale vnto other perties beyond ye [Page xxix] sees shal not be suffered in Aphrica to receyue the communion of christen men.Conci niceuo cap. v And ye councel of Nycene hath ratyfied yt causes shulde not be determyned out of ye prouī ces where they began,Causes shuld be determined within ye prouinces where they begonne, and whosoeuer were excommunicate in one prouince shulde be receyuid of no mā in cōmunion in ani other prouince & the bisshop of rome is not except Of this matter treatyth an Epistl of the councel of aphrica vnto pope Celestyne,In concicartage vi, in fine in so moche sureli yt this day ye churche being wel encreased doth forbydde nowhyt but (si the suche vnite is not necessarye)Vnite is not necessarie but there myght be, xx, heddes, there might be twentie constituted whiche thinge it is very lyke that the bysshops of rome did feare leaste hit shulde haue come to passe.Phocas emperour,
¶ And therfore boniface did sew vnto the emperour Phocas that ye prymacy of the churches of Rome hauing then nosure ground workeSome good mē that were bysshoppes of [Page xxx] might be constituted and confyrmid by his commaundementes & lawes for olde bysshopes of rome dyd refuse that vniuersal primacy and prorogatyue offered frely vnto them in the councel of chalendonense andone of them vsed the same honour,rome dyd refuse the prymaci offered to thē frely in ye coū cel Paulus decimus de gest rone, li, xviii, Gregorius in regist, li, iiii, & fyrst of al that durst name himselfe the vniuersall bysshop was Iohn bisshop of constā tinoble,Iohn bisshop of constantinoble was the fyrst yt named hym selfe vniuersal or hede bysshope for the which cause he gate him gret enuye and troubled all ye worlde with his contencion, but the Bysshoppes of rome resysted hym stiffely fyrst pelagius and after gregorius & yet they toke not vpon thē that honour. But onlye they thus suppressed the entent of Iohan.Bonifacius ye iii, gat the primaci by ye hel be of the Emperour phocas Tyll at the last arose Bonifacius the .iii. whiche by the ayede and helpe of phocas the emperour gate vnto him and his successors the chefe honour and primacye But not without great contencion & striffe because ye bysshop of [Page xxx] constantinoble did stiffeli affirme that ye preuilege belonged to hym here maye Rome vnderstande yf she be not vnkynd & or forgotting of benefites done to her, howe moche she is bound vnto bonyfacius the .iii,De inā et obediē in extrera cap, vnā sāct & the .viii. of the whiche .ii. bonifacius the fyrst dyd arme his seat with one swerd ye other dyd arme it with twayne,Bonifacius the, iii, dyd arme the see of rome with on swerde boniface the, viii, dyd arme hit with twaen, Insomoch they toke away from princes there swerde but where as he doth permytte them of his gentylnes and so dyd amplyfye his domynion. With so greate and extreme desyre to beare rule that he was not content to be ruler of one worlde,The bisshops of rome were not cōtēt with the rule of one world but yt y mouste spoyle purgatori and rule, ii worlds as the sainge is of Alexandria, but he began, to Raygne in hel that by his authorite he wolde Robe or spoyle purgatorye & so haue domynion of two worldes. But the fyrst bonifacius did obtayne his primace by ye commaundementes of and Statutes [Page xxxi] of Phocas. Constantinus had ordeyned ye same before as Martine doth wryte in his Cronicles,Phocas emperour But in dede Iustinian ye good Emperour doth shew in his lawes,Cōstantinus, Emperour, that ye cyte of Constantinople .iii.Iustiniam emper, spirytuall thinges dyd enioye the preuilege of olde Rome. And after that tyme in the prouynce of Auynion the prerogatyue dyd contynewe & consyste Successiuelye whiche is called the seate of Peter,These did cō tinew at auinion long season and is called the seat of peter, which prerogatiue yf it had be, belongynge to any place and the proper Iurisdiccion of the cytie of Rome bi the lawe of god it could bi no meanes been translated thense. But & that prerogatyue were personal it was exinete with the person of Peter But as we in peter do vnderstand his confession or else the person of a bisshope in whiche case it shulde be consequent yt, ye power doth not pertayne belonge to them that syt [Page xxxi] in the seate of peter but to them yt succed vnto his confession or into his dignite.Hieronius ad Euagriū, That is to say, as sait hierom reherseth, that that power shulde be vnderstand to be geuen to bysshops by god in what place so euer they be,God gaue bisshops authorite but non dominion, not withstandyng whē he gaue them this authorite he gaue them not domynion wtall For where as he speaketh of dominion he sayth thus luc .xxii. kinges of the gentilles haue domynion ouer them but it shall not be so with you,Christ forbeddeth superiorite amongeste his dysciples, but whosoeuer is hiest amongest you lett him be as the loweste & he that is chefe as he that doth minister, of the which words barnarde doth playnelye affyrme that the apostles were interdute al diminion and thus doth he inuay or speake agaynst them that wold chalenge to them dominion,Barnards de consideracion ad engeniū li, ii. he sayth then go to be bolde and vsurpe as a lorde, ye office of apostle or else [Page xxxii] beinge apostle, take vpon the lord shippe & dominion for surely thou arte prohibite from bothe yf thou wylt haue both attones together thou shalt loose both or elses thou shalt be of that nomber of whome it is spokē they haue raygned but not by me.
¶ Vnto thys agreethe verye well that,Ex quadrunio that is wrytten inquadrunio let him vse the swerde that hath receuyd authoryte of the swerde. For verelye Authoryte or power was constitute by god that they shulde take the sworde to the punischemēt of the ill doers, And vnto ye prayse of them yt do wel, of them ye vsurpe or take vpon them the swerde it is wryttyn euery man that taketh a swerde shall perishe with the swerde, ponder there the wordes of chryste yf thou professe thy selfe to be ye discyple of christe, Prices of ye [Page xxxii] gentiles beate rule ouer them and they that haue, authorite ouer the ar called gracious lordes, but you shall not be so,He that with highest sayth chryste shalbe lowest, but he that wylbe highest amongest you lett hym be your seruaunt.
¶ If thou take vppon the, they ministery of seruis of christ if you refuse not the yoke of our lord abide in the same estate in which thou waste called,i. Pretri, v and suffer lay men to haue the dominion of the people. Lykewyse blessed Peter in the .v.Petri, v, chapiter of his fyrste epistle sayth, I desire you prystes which am also a preest my self, as moche as lyeth in you, fede, the fllocke of chryst haue ye ouersight and cure therof not as compelled therunto, but wt a good wil not desiring vnlawful lucre, but with a good mynde, not as excusinge dominion or authorite ouer ye charge but that ye geue [Page xxxiii] god the example vnto the flocke. And Barnardus vpon these wordes of Peter wrytyng vnto Engenius sayth thus Dyd he leaue dominion vnto his successors?Barnardus, de consideraci one li, ii Here peter him self, not berynge rule he sayth and lest he shulde thynke he spake yt onely for humilite & not for trewth it is the sayinge of our lord in the gospell.Peter left no dominion, to his successors Kinges of the gentilles beare rule ouer them. &c. Furthermore paule in his seconde epistle to the corinthians saythe.ii, Cor, i [...] We be not as lordes ouer you vnder the title of fayth but we be helpers of your ioyr.Chrisostō, li, ii, dialog cap iii, Chrisostome cō fyrminge the same sentence sayth. We haue no dominion, for these yt be without seculer Iudges Imeane, when they haue subdued all lewde and yll persons do shewe & excercyce great power agaynst thē and refrayne them whether they will or [...]o from theyr olde and vyciouse [Page xxxiii] maners and vnthristines. But in the churche it is necessarye to conuerte them that be wyllyng and not by coaccion or compulciō for we haue no power geuē to vs by the lawe that by aucthoryte of sentence we maye constrayne any mā to refraine from his offences and vices:The churche hath no power to cōtrayn or to ponishe, vnto the which sentence hierom in his epistle to Helidorus in ye exitaphe of Nepotianus doth agre and assent sainge a kīg ruleth men whether they wil or no A bysshop them that be willinge. The kynge maketh them obediente and subiecte with feare or drede the Bisshop is geuen to serue mē. Besides this Gregory bysshop of rome dyd commytte the examinacion of worldly causes to them which had knowlage and lernynge of exterior thinges,Gregorye in Iob cap, xxxi, Worldly causes longe to laye Iudges & not to sperytuall men, as seculer and civill causes. And from them that be endewed with spiritual goods [Page xxxiiii] he taketh away all busines & solicitude of worldli thinges that they maye the better entende to serue & order the superioure goodes whē they be not compelled or bounde to dispose the Inferioure goodes. What thynge coulde more playnely declare that bysshopes and prelates shulde not intermedle with Empire or dominion than those wordes of chryst in the Euaungelyste Iohn.Prelates shulde not medle with empire or dominion which pertayneth to kyngs Iohan, xviii My kyngdome is not of this worlde. That is to saye, after the commen glose, I am not to rule or raygne as with temporall dominion, for that is the offyce of kynges as ye maye gethe [...] of these wordes in the actes of the apostles.Actes, xxvii [...]
¶ I stande at the Iudgement seat of Sesar where I ought to be Iudged also I apele to cesar bi ye Paule was iudged before saye Iudges and dyd apele to thē power [Page xxxiiii] which wordes the comen glose, doth vnderstand the place of Iudgementes of Emperours & kinges, to be singuler and peculyar and yt al compulsiue Iudgement of the prestes ought to be cleane taken a waye. For chryst in Iohn doth teache his apostles,The kīgdom of god is not of this world that is to say those that are sent, and also other whiche take vpon them the doctryne & aucthorite of thapostles ought not to chaleng or enterpryse here any [...] kyndome or domynion, for he sayeth, my kyngdome is not of thys worlde of the which I came to teache as the comen glose saythe, as thoughe he wolde say as saint Augustyne sayth here you Iwes and gentilles,Augustus [...] Iohan tracte xxxv I do not let your dominiō in this worlde what wolde ye more, come you by fayth vnto the kyndom which is not of this worlde for what is his kindome. But those that beleue one hym. Where [Page xxxv] fore let bysshoppes and prestes ouerse and loke to those thynges yt partayne to god,The office of Bysshoppes i [...], Paralip [...]ts as we rede it commaundid to Amarias the preist in the olde testament, and after Hierom vpon the boke of Leuiticus, These .ii.Distin, xxxvi, cap, s [...] thinges be the office and excercises of a bisshoppe to larne of god, Redinge ye holye screpture And with moche meditacion to teche ye people and teche them those thingis which be larned of god. & not of his awne mynde not by the vnderstondyng of man, But by ye wiche ye holye gooste teachith, also in ye councell of Carthage the iiii.Cons [...]ist carthage, iiii, A bisshopp shulde onlye geue him self to studyeng prayer, and preachynge of the worde of god. And in Secular and wordli busines let them be obedient to princes & potestates,i, Tim, iii, o beinge the Commaundementes of them, And redye to all good workes. So Paule dyd warne [Page xxxv] or councel Titus, The thinges rehersed before do confirme the ecclesiastical power. But it deniethe dominiō they geue aucthorite but noe Iurisdiccion To admonishe,What pertayneth to Byspe, to exhorte, to comforte, to desire, to teche to preche, to mynyster sacramentes, charytablye to rebuke to blame or finde faute with. To entreate for goddes sake to encrease and augment the hope and truste in god, to feare sume by the terryble threteninges of Scriptures is the proper offyce of them, yt are in the stede or place of ye apostles, and also of them vnto whome it was sayde, whose synnes Someuer ye Remytte shalbe remytted &c. And lawes, ponysshementes. Iudgementes restrayntes. Sentences,What longe to princes kinges and emperours and suche othere longe to Emperous kinges and other powers which enterpretacion of holi scrypture, dothe most agre vnto ye [Page xxxvi] preachinge and techinge of chryst of the libertye of the gospel. Or else if christe had mente thus yt euen as in the olde testament Moyses,Gal, iii, and the lawe were geuen vnto the people of ye Iwes in stede of scole masters:If decrees of bysshopes do bynde our conscience we be ī worse case thā the Iue [...] in ye olde lawe, so the Bysshop of Rome a mongest chrysten people shulde haue that office that he shulde make and put vnto the people, lawes and Instruccions (as they cal thē) which shulde holde & bynde mens consciences. Then Christ had not permitted or chaunged seruytude or bondage with libertye, but bondage with bondage in verye yll & heuye condicion, That is to wyte where as the Iwes did folowe the lawe, commaundid by the mouthe of god, and that a certen lawe: we that be christen men shuld be commaundyd to be guyded by the lawes of menne beynge of dyuersytye of myndes. And ofte tymes [Page xxxvi] mutable, whose lawes also be mo in numbre,The lawes of Popes be innumerable ād intollerable, than ye capacite of man [...]an other vnderstande or elles remember. But that power to make and ordeyne lawes is added and adicte vnto that other power graunted by god, of yt which we speke before, and the yoke of chryst whiche chryst hym selfe in the gospell doth cal so gentle and lyght,Mathew, xi, the bysshoppes of rome haue moche more harde better & intollerable thā was the bondage of the Iwes and therfore the fathers of the primytiue church when they had In / In the primitiue church yt decres of coū seles were called canons or rules and not lawes uented honesti and holsome tradicions by the which the rude Ignorante and confyrme people might be ordred. Thei did make differēce betwene theyr tradicions & lawes with moderacion of theyr name, & lest that they shuld appere to take vpon him more then they thought they had by ye graunte of god, they dyd not name thē lawes or statutes [Page xxxvii] but canons that is to saye rules or Instruccions as contayninge ordinaunces profitable vnto a chrysten lyfe as they supposed & yet not vtterly necessarye, for al haue not obserued thordinaunces made by thapostles.The ordinances of the apostles were not all receued & the lawes of bisshoppes be as ye rules of Benet Frācis and suche. But after the opinion of some men they be counted a mongest those which be not authorised and euen as the rules of Benete / Fraunces, Dominicke. and Augustine be receiued & admitted of some and haue not ye stryngthe of lawes. But as we binde our selfes vnto them nor we receyue thē as lawes with necessite of obedyē ce, but as rules and informacions honestye and vertuose, pleasant & acceptable to god and we that like them, do professe them.
¶ That we goynge the same steppes and folowynge these good fathers as they folowed christ shuld leade our lyfe in the spiryte of humilitie with sobernes & mekenes. [Page xxxvii] So our fathers did admitte the rules of the bisshops rome and theyr Informacions as longe as they semed vertuose and to set forward onely the glorye of christe and not al but some,Ou [...]e fathers dyd not admit al the canons of the bisshoppes but some as they thought good and vertuose, that is to saye as euery prouince (as ye rules or Canons contayne) dyd folowe theyr owne myndes. Nor they receiuyd thē as lawes and statutes but as thei pretende by theyr name, that is to say, as rules and Informacions. For they were called euermore Rules or informacions. Till bysshoppes that came after dyd adde and put vnto them the name or terme of lawes that they might therby vsurpe necessite of obedience, and gett it by vse and custome, by whyche wayes it was brought to passe yt it is called the canon lawe.If bysshopes haue aucthorite of god to make lawes & bynde menes consienses all men are boūd to kepe them, but ye cōtrary is obserued, For yf it be geuen to them by god to hym aucthoryte to make lawes whiche shulde bynde, and onerate the [Page xxxviii] conscience of men it shuld folowe with al that if they haue aucthorite by god to make lawes yt other men are bound to obeye them whiche thinge if it were trewth no maner custome contrarye or repugnant to the canon lawe myght by reasons be diffended and yet the same canon lawes do consent and confesse that notwithstandynge suche customes contrary may consyste and stande,Distin iiii cap statunnus. for vereli Thelelphorus Archebysshope of the cytie of rome hath ordeyned that al clarkes shalde abstayne from flesshe.Thelesohorus orde [...]ned the clargy to fast, xl, dayes before Ester, vii. wykes wholye before Ester. But this decre, as gratianus saythe because it is not approbate bi the custome and maners of people doth not condemne thē yt do other wyse as gylty of offēce or trāgression wherbi it is manifest yt the canon lawe byndethe no man of necessite, yt nowe ye canō lawes as we cal thē haue not theyr streighneth [Page xxxviii] and vertu by ye auctoryte of Bysshoppes that be the makers thereof.The Canons haue not ther authorite bi ye makers but by ye consent of ye receuers Lawes req [...]e obedience. But by the people receyuinge them willīgly, where as otherwise vertu and strength of the lawes is suche yt it requyreth of other men necessite of obedience, lest the Aucthorite to make Lawes shulde by contempte, be had in derysyon or lytle regarde. And so it is the beste and moost surest conclusion if we be not bounde in payne of deadly syne, bi the cōmaundement of god to receyue all theyr ordinaunces. Then ye bysshope of Rome or any other Bisshope hath not auctorite to institute suche Canons vnder yt or suche payne. Agayne if we be bounde to receyue them all of the Clarge ar bound at thes daye as manye as ar called vnto the lotte of our Lorde to obserue the faste of .lx.The clargi ke [...]ith not ye faste o [...] [...]l dayes before ester, dayes and because they kepe [Page xxxix] it not, it is offence whiche by contynuaunce of tyme is not minisshed but augmēted. Notwithstanding they consent of all chrystente for ye moste perte hath by longe vse and custome Iudged the contrarye,De consecratione distin iii, cap sabate, In fraūce thy eate flesshe all saterdayes betwene ch [...]te ma [...] [...] [...]as de [...] & Gratian doeth defende them that kepe yt not from ye payne of transgression, which thinge also ye church of Fraunce not keping the fast of the Saterdaye betwene the natiuite of christ and the purificacion of the pure mayde and mother mary. Althoughe it were comaundid by pope Innocent that it shulde be kepte euerye weke doth euydently proue the same for as it is writton in a nother place as we haue rehersid before euery prouynce or coūtray is abundant or stidfast in his owne, meaninge nor at this tyme al Canons which we cal the Popes lawe, haue not therr hole [Page xxxix] streinght and vertu in euery place with al men, In the which thinge if god be offēdid if ye power geuen of god be violate theyr is very great slackenes or sufference in them whyche moche regard that thinge that, is it not lawfull for the bysshope of rome by the Popes lawe to prouide for promocions or benefices in all places and with euery man whiche lawe of theyrs ye bysshoppes of rome in tymes past haue labored ernestlye that it myght be receyuid as a lawe whiche shulde binde euery man that shulde intende nothing to the contrary nor make any resistence or repugnance agaynst it,The Bysshoppes of Rome haue la [...]ored to binde men to kepe there decrees & notwithstandynge in England after it had obtayned and taken effecte longe all men wt stode it,England dyd resist ye popes prouisions for p [...]omocions & made a lawe to the cōtrarii so that there was a lawe made agaynst the transgressors & estabished with seuer commaundment amongest whome there is no [Page xl] doute but there was manye good men / & there be some yet that coulde not awaye with these popes lawes in that behalfe vnles the bisshop of rome dyd certyfy or shewe yt they were wirtton bi the hande of god,Bysshops made a lawe that clarkes shuld not be suyed before secular Iudges but ye contrary was alwaies obserued. also bisshopes of Rome haue decreed that clarkes shulde not be brought before seculer Iudges for any maner cause, But this statute is kept no where. And althoughe many lawes and canons concerning that matter be publisshed with grette and daungerous paynes yet the contrarie is euery where obserued without any daunger or feare, wherbi it manifestly appereth yt these canon lawes (as they cal them) Be nothinge else but rules and informacions whiche are wonte alwayes to take place or effecte as ye people doth admytte thē or dissanul them, for by ye same reason yt some maye be reiecte, al may [Page xl] be contempnyd and forsaken, for it is not in the choise or eleccion of the people or subectes that thei maye determyne to whiche they wyll obey, to whiche they will not, but if theyr aucthorite be of god, and yf we maye apply to this entent, this sainge of the gospell. They syt in the seate of Moyses which teache and do not but do you as they say but do not you as thei do,Mathew xxiii al we ar wrapped in gret peryll and daunger of helle which haue contenned the preceptes and lawes of the bysshoppes of rome some one wayes. But euery one in some maner poynte and that not by Ignorance. But we haue obserued the contrarye knowinge willinglye and seinge,Bysshopes haue suffered ye cōtrary to there lawes to be kept and knewe hi [...]. and yet the bysshopes of rome heringe perceyuynge senge, and felynge these thynges by dissimulacion haue suffred the pastoures or Sheperdes of the churche whiche [Page xli] without anye doubte yf they had thought so (for the cure and charg of soules that thei haue) other wolde haue broken & adnihilate their owne lawes which make so many christen men offenders or else they wolde haue takē payne to se them obseruid with more dilygēce. But where as nother of these thynges hath ben done with suche diligens and cure as the grauytie of cause requyreth. Doth it not wel appere that the Bysshops theyr selues do doubte of the aucthoryte of theyr lawes? & that they haue thought that theyr lawes might not be admytted of euery man without any daunger of soule? or whē they myslyke them, they myght be forsaken or reprobate of thē which they cal theyr subiectes,The Bysshop is of Rome Subtell. but grette was the police and subteltye of the bysshoppes of rome / for whome they [Page xli] dyd fyrste go oboute to abtayne ye chefe Empyre and supremyte, thei dyd deuyde the power and iurisdiction with kinges with verye louinge and gentle termes or titles,The power was deuyded with kinges and prynces, and so that they might be made lordes in spirituall thinges they dyd permyt to kinges all temporall thinges. For other wyse ye hie bysshoppes do caleng both the swerdes,The bysshoppes of Rome affirme that thei haue al power and that the temporall power descendyth from thē to kynges, & they do affyrme that they haue all power and Iurisdiction in theyr authoryte: and that the power whiche we cal temporall is deriued frō them to kinges, that is to say Cesar hath thempyre deuided wt Iupiter and where as they haue taken away many thynges from prī ces bilonge vsurpacion and haue translated it to thē selues, yet they handell it soo that they make it as theyr liberalyte and gyfte what so euer power or aucthoryte kynges [Page xlii] haue nowe a dayes. And when it shal please them they put downe:They put downe kinges when it pleaseth them and set vp other, some kinges and set vp some, and they do gret thynges for they be myghtye. And the swerde (whiche they haue sharpened by the gentilnes and permission of prynces & endewed with worldly riches and possessions by the gentle and lyberall gifte of princes) they excersice & drawe it out agaynst them whē they thinke best.
¶ Sekynge that is theyr owne pleasure not that is chrystes folowynge in theyr doing not that the father of heuen hath shewed eueri man in his holye scripture as in example or a ma [...]ke that we shuld folowe. But that, that the flesshe & blode hath reuelate vnto them preferringe an humayne and worldli counterfette felycyte in berynge [Page xlii] rule before the trewe and perfecte beatitude in christ, and by this meanes, ye gretnes or largenes of this power dyd encreese.The largenes of ther power is leke astreme of walter, Which lyke a grette streme of water passynge ouer hir bankes or damime hath flowen and Corrupte all the worlde. Let me not be enuied for speaking the trewethe. No man cane serue two maysters or lordes whylle he loketh to thoue he lytle regardethe the other he that serueth god dispiseth Riches. And paule sayth, No man that serue god wyll entremedle or trouble him selfe in worldly busines.ii, Timothe, ii Whiche thynge the forfathers of the churche perceyuynge, althoughe thei knewe that there is no yl whiche a man maye vse well yet neuer ye lesse euen as paule dothe wrytte to all men of wyne.Eptes, v, Be you not ouercome & inebriate with wyne, in whome is lecherye. And that they shulde abstayne not only [Page xliii] from that else But from that, ye hathe lykenes or contagion of yll,The clargie shulde refuse possessions & haue nothing proper, and shulde vtterly avoyde all causes and occasions of yll. So these fathers inducyd by the aucthorite of scripture, do ernestly conclude, that the clargi shulde vtterly refuse faculties & possessions as they cal them, and that they myght the more effectuouslye perswade & enduce them to contemne them, they dyd manifestlye denye yt this was conuenient ye for them to haue dominion or proprietye. Not because that ryches is yl or because that they onelye do corrupte a man, for that, that entreth in at the mouthe or suche other exterior thynges do not defile a man but that that commeth out of the mouthe doth of treweth defile, and hath infecciō.Math, xv, Ryches and possessions which draweth a manes mynde frome, god But bicause ryches and possessions do other whiles moue away mannes [Page xliii] mindes from theyr places and seates, and bringe them downe from the contemplacion of heuenly thinges vnto the vile busines and consideracions of worldlye thynges & other whiles so doo tangell them that they can scantlye oftetymes ryde and lyfte vp them selfes (as our lorde,Math, xiii doth playnelye shewe in a parable. Wherfore with agret & whole consēt thei toke away from the clargi al propriete and dominion) for that entente (as Paule writeth) that they taken from amongest men as bysshoppes shulde appere constituted and ordeyned for men in those thynges that appertayne to god.Ad hebreos, v [...]i, q, i, ca quest duo sunt So writeth saint hierō to acertyen leuite. There is two maner of christen men one maner or kinde is the whiche is ordeyned & mancipate to serue god to contemplacion and praiet for whomeTwo maner of christen mē Spirituall & temporal [Page xliiii] it is mete and conuenient to sease and not intermedle with anye corporal busines,The enterpretacyon of this worde clarke which is a lot or part [...] as clarkes and religiouse men and conuersis. Cleros in the greke tonge that is to saye clarkes in ye latē tonge signifieth a lotte, and therfore such men are called clarkes as chosen by lotte, for god chose them al for his. These surelye be the kynges that rule them selues and other in vertue & so they haue theyr kyngdome in god and that betokeneth the crowne vpon theyr heddes this crowne they haue by the ordinaunces of ye church of rome in the token of kī dome which is loked for in christe and the shauige of theyr heddes betokenyth ye forsakinge of al temporal thinges for they beinge contented with meate drynke and cloth shulde haue nothynge proper amongest thē but althinges shulde be comō.What the crowne of ye prest doth be token, What the shauinge of there hedds betokeneth, A nother maner of christē [Page xliiii] men ther is as laye men, for laos in greke is in Englishe people, for them it is lawful to posses temporall thynges but onlye for to vse them for there is nothing more miserable thē for money to condemne god to them it is graunted to marye wyfes to tyll ye grunde to Iudge betwene man and man to pleade causes to set oblacions vpon the aulters to geue the tenthe and so they maye be saued if by well doinge they auoyd all vyces.What is lauful for lay people. xii, q, i, cap, clericus, Hierom to nepotianus confirmeth the saue. Therfore a clarke which serueth the churche of chryste, let him fyrst enterpretate his owne name and when he hath the enterpretacion the dyffinicion of hys owne name let hym labour to be agreable or lyke vnto yt he is called. For cleros in ye greke, in laten is called a lotte or parte, therfore they be called clarkes other because the be of [Page xlv] the lot or parte of our lorde or bicause our lorde hymselfe is the lot or parte of the clarge and whosoeuer other is him selfe the parte of our lorde or hath our lorde for his parte shulde so behaue him selfe yt he myght bothe possesse our lorde and be possessed of our lorde.The that be they parte of our lorde can posses nothīg besydes they lorde, Whosoeuer possesseth our lord and do the saye with the prophete my parte is our lord he can haue nothing bisides our lorde. For and if he haue anye thynge besydes our lorde then our lorde is not his parte as in this example yf he haue golde, siluer possessions chaung of housholde stuffe, god wil not be contented to be his parte with these partes but if I be the pate of our lorde and a particion of his inheritaunce and take no parte a monge other tribes. But as a leuyte and a preist do lyue of the trueth and seruith [Page xlv] the aulter liue of ye oblacions of the auter hauynge meate drynke and clothe I wylbe content wt this, & the bare crosse I wyl folowe bare and pore therfore I praye the and I wyll repete it agayne & agayne and admonyshe the that thou thinke not the office of a clarke as a maner or kynde of your olde excercise. That is to say that in the seruyce of chryst thou seke not worldlye lucre, and haue no more in possession than whan thou begannest to be a clarke lest it be sayde to the. Theyr clarkeshype shall not profette them manye be rycher when they be religiouse men then when thei where secular,Many be rycher whē they be religios mē thē when thei were secular, and some clarkes waxe riche and possesse riches vnder pore chryst which they had not vnder the deuyll ryche & deceatfull that the churche myght sorowe to se them riche, whych the [Page xlvi] worlde had before in pouertie, also saint Ambrose of the forsaking of ye worlde writeth thus,Ambrosius de suga secuie, capitule, ii he that hath god of his porcion shulde take hede of nothing but of god lest he be letted wt busines of some other office for that labour that is spente aboute other busines is plucked awaye from the honour of religiō and from this our office.What thing [...] a preist must [...] forsake This is ye very thinge that a prest shuld fle for he yt hath chosen to serue god must forsake his housholde mey / nye he must absent or put from hī those that he loueth most and absent hym selfe from his frendes. Hillarius vpon the .xxxix. psalme confyrmeth also the same sentence on this maner the childerne of Leuie shall haue no portion or lot in ye middes of theyr brother for our lorde god is theyr parte. Therfore the lawe geuen wolde no parte of worldlye possessyons to be geuen [Page xlvi] to them that serue god. Bicause ye god was theyr parte.
¶ And also Peter the preacher of the gospell doth proteste that he had mo parte of humayne or worldlye possession when he answered to hym that asked hym almes sainge I haue nother golde nor syluer but that I haue I geue ye Possidom [...]us also of the lyfe of saynt Augustyne sayeth thus As it happened as it is wonte that ye people enuyed the clargye, [...]ctorū, iii, Aseane of saint Augustyne in A srmon to the people for sakyng posse: ssions, because of there possessions he spake vnto ye peo of god saing that I had leuer liue of the giftes and collacions of the people of god, Than to abyde the charge and ministracion of these possession [...] and that he was redy to do after theyr myndes that al the seruau [...]tes and mynysters of god myght lyue on that fassion as it is redde t [...] tholde testament.
that they that dyd serue at the aulter shulde take parte and lyue of ye alter & after that we knowe that he did refuse certē possessions not bicause that they were vnprofitable for the pore but bycause he thought it iustice and equite that it shulde be possessed rather of the chylderne or parentes or of the kinflolkes of them yt were deperted whome they wolde not bestow it vpon there death bedde and after he oftymes sayed that it was more sure and of lasse Ieoperdye for the churche to receue the bequestes of them that were deperted geuen to them there possessors full of busines and hurtfull & the bequestes rather to be offered and profered than to be by extremyte required. Also in his boke named of the comtempte of the worlde [...] [Page xlvii] the same Possidomus hath these wordes yt here after folowe. Whosoeuer doth not forsake & renounce all that he possesseth cannot be my disciple he yt speketh to euery man that wolde that his disciples shulde haue nothinge proper,He that dothe [...]ot renewouce all that he hath can not be the discyple of chryst, he yt possesseth any thynge in erth is cleane remoued from the doctryne of Crist had they an ithing proper to whome theyr maister had commaundid ye contrarye take noting with youe in the waye of whome Luke the Euaungelist doth shewe that they had al thynges commen marke what peter sayd to Iesus. Lo we haue forsaken al and haue folowed the. They which had lesse althynges had reserued nothynge for them selues. Then howe can they take vpō thē aucthorite to lowse & binde which do [...] sume to haue any possession in erth whiche be not ashamed to saye our lorde is [Page xlviii] the parte of my inheritaunce where is this sayinge of the apostles what concorde hath christ with Beliall whye do they eate the synnes of the people which wyl not leaue worldi possessions? If they receyue the tenthe, with the children of Leuie howe can they take any parte amongest ye other tribes yf they wolde consider the Interpretacion of theyr name, whithei be called clarkes or lottes. But bicause our lorde is ye lotte or parte of and heritage of them,Barnardus [...] declumationibis super euangelio dixit Simō petrus ad Iesum. saynt Barnard leanynge to this sentence sayth that clarke that hath parte in erth shal not haue perte in heuen. Also yf a clarke haue any thynge besydes our lorde,That clarke that hath his parte in erthe shall haue no perte in heuen our lorde shall not be his parte, as in example if he haue syluer if he haue possessions if he haue abundance of houshold stuffe our lorde dothe not vowchsaff to be his parte with these thinges [Page xlviii] and after he sayth let hym lyue of the aulter let him not waxe proude let hym not be rioutouse lett hym not waxe ryche let him not buylde him goodly palaces of the goodes of the churche chaunginge square bulding to rounde let hym not fill his coffers therof let hym not spende it in vaniteis and superfluus thinges let hym not extoll his kynesfockes with the goodes of ye churche let hym not therwith marie his necis I wil not saye his doughters it is taken to be a cryme or offence moche lyke to sacrilege not to geue to the poore that that is the goodes of the poore suerlye the patrymonye of the poore, be ye goodes of the churche and it is wt holdō from them with vncharitable crueltye whatsoeuer the mynisters and bayliffes and not lordes and possessors take to them selues besydes meate drynke and clothe, [Page xlix] do you here in these wordes before that they be called the goodes of ye church and denyed to be ye gooddes of ye clargye?The goodes of the churche be the goodes of ye pore which to kepe frō the power is moche lyke sacrilege. and yt he hath nothynge confyrmed to them whose perte or porcion god is which thinges if they be spoken of al the clargye generalli, shal it not moch more be spoken of ye bysshoppes? If the bysshop of Rome be not alaye man, after the mind of Hierom: he must nedes be a clarke which maketh but two maner of chrystē mē if he be a clarke he hath renounsed not onely al that he had in possessions but by his owne delecciō whē he chose to be a clarke he semethe to haue refusyd all dominion and propriete as those holy fathers thī ke and say whome we haue recited before. Let bonyfacius the .viii.Bonifacius ye viii, loued preemynence and named him selfe lorde of all the worlde. reuyne agayne frō death of, Diotrephes of hys tyme which desired & [Page xlix] loued to haue preeminence in the church and pleade his matter and make a reasonable answere whye he named him selfe lorde of all the worlde, which coulde chalenge nothinge as his owne in al the worlde, onles he make or can proue the bysshop of rome to be a thryd maner or kynde of mē cleane differēt from clarkes and laye men.The frayltye of mā is euer more compasī ge and busye, But this is the condicion and frayltye of man that is euermore in contunial mocion compasing entēdinge & busines. For whatsoeuer cometh of affeccion it neuer resteth but as longe as ani matter remaineth it is euer busye. They that desyre dygnyte, honour, and ryches, hauynge no measure therin euer labour to come to the hiest and supreme preeminence, and whē they can clymbe nor go no farre they must nedes come bakewarde. Whosoeuer [Page l] hath redde the stories of ye bisshoppes of rome shal playnly perseaue and see what tyme fyrst they set theyr myndes to honour dignite, and possessions:He yt clymeth to ye hiest must nedes come downwarde agayn, and to haue labored alwayes in that thinge that they might come to the hiest and yt they toke more hede and diligence vpon Temporal thinges than vp on spirituall thynges.If possessiōs of the churche be of god it shal slande yf not it shal no [...] continewe And this is as other humayn thinges, whiche albeit they go forwarde pleasantli in sight yet haue not they any contuance scripture bearinge wytnes If it be of god it shall stande, if it be of mā it shal faule. And yt these thinges which bysshopes haue taken vpon them in this behalfe are not of god The authorite rehersed before do manyfestiye confyrme & ye ende yt it is lyke to come to at these daies is like to proue ye same, ful vnaduisedlye they take vpō them [Page l] dominion of al thinges which by ryght can take dominion of nothī ge. But it was worthe a mans labour in pondering this papistical power to consider also that thinge which we promised to speke of in the iii.The power of the citie of rome is not so large by god, place whether bysshoppes of rome somtime haue so behaued them selfes that thei also haue shewed by wordes and dedes that the authorite of the see of Rome was not so ample and large by the lawe of god, nor that it was competent for them to haue so vniuersal a power as we se it vsurped nowe a dayes, whose sentences yf they myght take effecte and myght take awaye from the bysshop of rome and eueri one suppose in this case or that whe shuld manyfestly se that Esope tellethe of the crowe in his fables apoore naked and wt out fethers.Dist i, lxxxxix. cap nullus Gregorie wolde not be called the hedde bysshoppe, Fyrst of all gregorye [Page li] toke awaye the name and titles of honour and as it semeth the prerogatiue of preeminence for he wolde not suffer him selfe to be called vniuersall or hed bysshop, whiche thinge surelye he wolde not haue done onles in his consience he had thought (when he was bysshop of rome) that he was not the vniuersal bysshop.We shuld no [...] abhore the trewe names of honour. Where as if that were not whe are taught by holy scrypture that whe shulde not abhorre from the trewe names of honour specially when chryst did answere vnto his disciples,Ihoan, xiii you cal me maister and lord and ye say wel for I am in dide. Therby it is manifest that Gregorye the bysshoppe was moued by no other cause yt he wolde not be called nor writon vniuersal or hed bysshop thē lest he shuld offende scripture in that parte where it is sayd let no man take vpon hym honour but he that is called [Page liii] of god like as aron because he knewe hym selfe not vniuersall hyest bisshop he wolde not be called vniuersal or hed bisshop nor be called yt he was not when he myght not answere I am so in dede.Heb, v, [...]xix, q, ii, cap, due, Pope vrban wryteth thus there be two lawes he sayth one canon / There be, ii, lawes the canon lawe and a priuate lawe the other priuate that is a comen lawe whiche was confyrmed of ye holye fathers by writinge as the canon lawe which was made and institute for transgression as in example it is decreed in ye canons that a clarke shuld not go out of one bisshop priche into another without lette testimoniall of his bysshop which was institute for vnthristes & viciouse persons lest ani bysshop shulde receyue Infamus persons for they were wonte when they coulde not be suffered in ther one bisshop priche to execute theyr seruyce in a nother whiche was forbidden and dissanullyd by lawes preceptes & [Page lii] writinges a priuate lawe is which by the inspiracion or mencion of ye holi gost is writton in mennes hartes as the apostle speaketh of some which haue ye lawe of god writton in theyr hartes and in a nother place where as ye gentles haue no lawe yf they by nature fulfyl that that is ye lawe they be the lawe to them selfes.A priuate law is writton in the hartes of men. If any suche retayne the people in his church vnder the bisshop and lyue secularlye. If he be Inspired with the holy goost & wyl saue him selfe in any abbay or reguler conuent bicause he is Induced or moued by a priuate lawe reason wyl not constrayne hym to be bounde to the comen lawe for ye spirite of god is a lawe & they yt be ledde by ye spirite of god be ordred after the lawe of god and who is he yt cā resiste ye spirite of god worthely,He that is ledde with ye sprite of god is at liberti although his bisshop saye yt cou [...] rye and r [...]s [...] hym & therfore whosoeuer is led bi this spryte let hym go at lyberte [Page lii] by our authorite althoughe his bysshop saye the contrarye for the lawe was not made for Iustmen but there as is the spirite of god ther is liberte and if ye be ladde bi the spirite of god ye be not vndre the lawe of which texte it apertlye appereth that by the sentence and opynion of Vrban that these thinges partayne not vnto the consyence of men which ar decreed bi the bisshoppes commaundementes or lawes but that they are frustrate by the lawe of the conscyence for the comen lawe geueth place vnto the priuate lawe.The comen lawe geueth place to the priuate lawe,
Innocentius, papa, No man can dyspense with ye lawe of god they mai with ye lawe of man¶ Pope Innocente doth so lymitte the popes power that he can do nothing against ye lawe of god for this he dyd write there is so grette difference betwene goddes lawe & mannes lawe that agaynst ye lawe [Page liii] of god no man can dispende and in the lawes of man dispensacion maye be had as necessite and proffitte shal require,zozimius Bysshop of rome, xxv, q, i, cap cō cro, zozimus pope doth yeat more straytlye lymytte the power of ye bisshopes of rome which thus writeth to make ordeine or to chaunge any thinge agaynste ye statutes of the olde fathers partaineth not to the authorite of this se But let antiquite be in strenght & vertue with vs without contradicciō by whose sentence al thing shulde be brought vnto the olde & prisciue state of the churche and those thinges which bysshoppes of rome haue ordeyned or constituted sithe ye tyme shulde bereprobate and reiecte:The see of rome can not dispence nor chaunge the statutes of the olde fathers, At whiche tyme yf the authorite and cure were distributed into diuerse and sondrye pertes so it shulde procede and go forwarde at this tyme and gregorye wrote [Page liiii] to Philip ye bisshope agreing to ye same sentence.Gregorius ad felicem in registir libro, xii episti, xxxi, If I shulde vndo or distroye these thynges that my predecessors haue constituted I might be well proued to be not a builder with them but a puller downe the voyce of ye treweth beringe witnes. Euery realme deuyded amongest them selfes shal not stā de and al sience and lawe deuyded agaynst it self shalbe distroyed:It is to be feared that ye canon lawe lose his authorite. in which thing it is to be feared that the same Gregorye be proued a trewe proffecte: And that the canon lawe at this day by doubtefulnes and proplexite of contrarityes be dissolued which by labour of mani yeres was made and builde the stones not well Ioyned together this papisticall power trulye of ye see of rome hath oftetymes so far gonne from her owne coste yt it hath ofte times Iniuriously hādled vexed & perturbed this realme ofThe papysticall power hath ofte times trobled Englād, But good bysshopes did resist and defēde ther own Iurisdiccion & excludid al foren power [Page liiii] Englād verry farre distante from them whiche power not onelye sage and wyse kinges. But also the prudent and the holye bysshoppes of the realme repelled and put backe nor wolde not suffer it to take his pleasure but they kepe & defended there owne Iurisdiccion & authorite and excludid all suche forē power as it may euidently appere to euery mā which haue rede ouer the Cronycle of England,Laurence arch Bysshop of Cauntorberie and dunstone archbisshoppe of the same & Grosted aperfitte man bysshop of Lincolne dyd refuse al suche foren power, in which it is had manifestli. Howe Laurens Archebisshop of Cantorburi & saynt Dunstan archebisshop of the same see & Grostede a very perfecte man bisshop of Lyncolne did refuse and forsake all suche foren power. Gregorye writynge to augustine in a nother place doth manifestli shewe ye same that ye lawes or canons of ye se of rome take noe effecte wt al men and yt men shuld not take more regarde to obseruexii, distin cap, nouit, [Page liiii] them then of they edifininge of ye fayth of people in chryst. These be the contentes of his wordes:Marke the wordes of gregori to ye churche of Englā de, You knowe brother the custome of the churche of Rome in which ye remē ber yt you were norisshed and brought vp in / but it is mynded yt wher soeuer ye haue founde other in the church of rome or in the church of Fraunce or any other churche that may better please god that ye shal instructe and enforme the churche of England whiche is newly and latelye come to the fayth and now in the setteling with the chefe and most godliest ordinaunces that ye can gether of all other churches, for ye thinges be not to be beleued for the place. But the place for the thinges therin. Therfore of euery churche whatsoeuer it be that that is godlye that is vertuose that is iust and good chuse out and binde [Page liiii] them together in a bundel & graf or prynte them in ye myndes or hartes of Englishe mē by custome, of which texte also this appereth that these canon lawes haue not obtayned strenght by exacte obedyence but by inticementes of there good for so wryteth gregory that they gathered to gether in a bundel shuld be inculked in the mindes of ye people of England by custome & not to be required or extorte by censures or compulcions nor it is not to be let passe that Pope Adryane in his synode celebrate at rome gaue vnto charles authorite and power to chuse and electe the bysshope of Rome and to ordre the apostolical se but here I sesse rehersing the actes and sainges of good bysshops for it is long of scarsy of good bisshoppes that we vse no more exā plesDistin, lxiii. cap adrianus, Pope Adrianus gaue clarkes aucthorit [...] to chuse ye bysshop of rome & to order the Apostolicalse, [Page lv] in this maters, for after that the apostles whiche (yt they myght better entende preachinge the worde of god and prayer) did leaue seruinge ye tables although it were a verie good worke and,Acth, vi dyd clene alienate them selfe from that sainge it is not mete for vs to leaue the worde of god and serue tables Veri sureli singnifieng that it pertayned chefely to other office that they shulde geue all other labour & the dylygens in preachynge the worde of god after these I saye & a fewe other in the primatiue churche the foloweres of them all the bisshoppes of rome almost so fare went backewarde from christ that was there chefe example In there liuing and institucions as they were behinde him in tyme.Bysshopes of rome went so far backewarde from christ in vertue as they did in time. But if these thinges whiche we haue rehersed before shude be layde agaynst the bysshoppe of rome at this day [Page lv] & if that power shulde be estemed after the sentencis of the good bisshopes shulde not they be compelled to vndo many thinges that he made & done lest it shulde chaunce that Gregorye wryteth vpon the wordes of our lorde That euery Realme deuyded amongest them selfes shal fal & be distroyed.
¶ But nowe we wyl in hande wt that thynge whiche we promysed to speake of in the fourthe place. That is to saye what auctorite is geuen to kynges other by the law of god or else by ye permissiō of mā in spiritual or holy things.What aucthoryte is geuen to kinges by god, or else by the permissiō of man, In whiche matter fyrst we wyl entrete of al kinges generally & after yt peculiarli of ye kings of Englād fyrst it shalbe shewed ye god not onli wt most euident signes in ye whole order of nature dyd expresse his wyll of ye authorite and power of [Page lvi] kynges but that he dyd declare it also with manyfest wordes in the holye scriptures both of the olde testamente and the newe, and that god did gyue wt his owne mouthe Kinges to be rulers of his people and the power of them largely expounded he dyd confirme.God by his owne mouthe made kynges rulers of hys people, In the example of nature amongest ye chif philosophers plato aristotle and appolonius did perseaue and considre that as in the whole worlde one is the hie creature and ruler of al thinges as amonge the stertes ye some precelles al other,The gouernā ce of kynges apperethe be naturall thinges & by scripture also, amongest the beese one kinge ther is, on belwether the flocke dothe folowe And one leader the herde & the cranes folowe all one, lykewyse in a cōmunalte shulde be one king as hed to whome ye members shulde agre and this consideracion of the communalte shewed by the inclinacion of nature. And by ye worke [Page lvi] of nature drawen out and prynted with more obscure tokens god hath aparteli manifest to vs in holye scriptures oftentimes making mencion of kynges and playnelye approuinge the power of them by his owne mouth appointing them which shulde raygne and fede his people.Genesis, xvii, But let vs beginne at ye boke of Genesis or of the creacion of the world in which boke it is thus writton.The laude is ye kinges and princes. The laude of the preistes which ye kinge gaue them by whiche wordes it manifestly appereth that the laud was the kinges and was geuen by them to the preistes and that the dominion of erth perteyneth to kinges in that, that thei were kinges of whose handes the prestes receyuid al that laude they had and in the .xvii.Deutoronomi xvii, chapiter of ye boke of deuteronomi. When thou shal entre into ye lande whiche the lorde shal geue to the & when thou [Page lvii] shalte saye I wyl constitute a kīg ouer me as al nacions nere about haue, yt shalt constitute hym whych the lorde god shalt chose amongest the brethern and after that he shal sit vpon the seate of his kingdome he shall wryte hym oute in a boke this seconde lawe taking example of the prestes of the tribe of the leuites of which texte it manifystly apereth that all nacions at that tyme had kinges.Kinges shuld be chosen of ye same nacion & haue a booke of the lawe & se the lawe kepte, And yt they were constytude at the fy [...]st amongest the people of god by the eleccion of god to whome hit was commaunded that they shulde write ye boke of the lawe of god that is to wrytte not onelye for yt entent they shulde haue it and kepe it wt them without any other vse of it. But yt they shuld commaunde that lawe to be kepte & obserued insomoche that it longeth to them to correcte [Page lvii] and to punyshe and it longethe to the preistes only to preache and to geue other example of the lawe yf it were required & further to shew the preemynence of a Kynge it is wrytton in the thryde boke of Esdras in the .iiii.What lōgeth to a kinge or prince & what to a preist and of the preemynence of a kinge, chapiter the kinge is superiour of al and beareth rull of them and all that he commaunded them they do.iii, Esdre, iiii,
¶ And he sende them to warfare they go and breake downe hilles, walles, and towres, they are kylde and kyll other men, and ouer passe not the kinges worde and yf they get the victorye, they bringe to ye kinge al the spoyle lykewyse al other that medle not with warres nor fyghtinge but tyll the ground when they reape they bring tribute to the kinge. And if the kinge alone do but commaund to kyl they kyl. If he commaunde to forgeue [Page lviii] they forgeue. If he bid strike they stryk, if he saye dryue awaye, they dryue away, if he say builde, they builde if he commaunde to breke downe they breake downe yf he saye plante they plante, and all the comens and rulers are obediēt to him, and the king in the meane time sitteth downe eateth, drynketh, and taketh his rest and they kepe watche rownd aboute him & none of them dare gette him out of the waye to do his owne busines but must be obedient vnto the kinges at a worde and in the fyrst boke of ye kings our lorde sayd to Samuell shewe to them the dutie of a kī ge that shall raygne ouer them he shal take away your synnes your fildes your vyneyardes your olyuetres and he wyll take the tenthe of your corne and of your flockes and you shalbe his seruauntesi, Regū, ix What is the dutye and authorite of a kī ge, [Page lviii] and in the seconde boke of Paralapomenō or Cronicles:iii, Paralopemeno, xix, rauadias a ruler in the house of Iuda shal be ouer al causes that appertayne to the kinge also they psalmist saieth nowe ye kinges be ye wyse be warned ye that are Iudges of the erth betokeneth that it belongeth to kinges to Iudge the erthe.Psalmus, iii, It belongeth to kynges t [...] minister Iustice and Iudgement,
¶ Also in the .xxxviii. chapter of duteronomium it is writton thou shalt constitute a kinge ouer the.Deutoronomium, xxxviii And in the first boke of the kinges ix.i, Regū, q chapi when Samuel had loked vpō saul our lord said to Samuel this is he hath I told ye of,ii, Regū, ii, ii, regū. v he shal be ruler of my people and in ye .iii chapiter of ye seconde boke of kinges our lord sayth the man of Iuda haue noynted me to be theyr kī ge, and it folowith in the seconde boke of the kinges .v. chapiter the seniors of Israel came & ennoynted Dauid to be theyr kinge and [Page lix] our lorde sayed thou shalt fede my people and thou shalt be capitaine vpon Israell. Salomen wryteth in his prouerbes by me kinges do raygne throwe me prynces make Iust lawes thorowe me lordes be are rule and all Iudges of the erth execute Iudgement and in the,Properbiorō, viii, vi chapiter of the boke of Sapience or wisdom.Sapientia, vi O ye kinges here and vnderstande geue eare ye that rule multitudes for power is geuen to you of our lorde and strength of the hiest whiche shall trye your workes and searche out your Imaginacions and a wyse Kinge is the vpholdinge of his people & in the boke of Exodi the .xxxii.Exodi, xxxii, chapiter it is redde. Aaron ye high preist sayd to Moyses where he was in the roume of the prince and kinge,The hye prestes called the kinges theyr lordes and thē selfes their seruauntes whiche proueth kī ges to be superiours as to ye hye prestes, let not my lorde be angry with me. &c. And Achimelich ye hye prest [Page lix] called himself ye seruaunte of kīg Saull in the fyrst boke of the kinges in .xxiii. chapiter the kinge sēt to cal Achimelech the prest the sonne of Achetobe & all his fathers house that is to saye ye prestes that were in Nobe, and they came al to the kinge and Saul sayd to achimelech here the sonne of Achitobe and he sayde here I am my lorde. Saull sayd to him whye haue ye conspyred against me thou and ye sonne of Isaye. &c. and achimelech answered god forbedde this from me, let not the kinge suspecte anye such thinge agaynst his seruaunt in al ye house of my father for they seruaunte knewe nothing in thy [...] matter nother lesse nor more.
¶ Then there as the hie bisshoppes did cal the kinges there lordes & thē selfes ye kinges seruannts it [Page lx] maye wel be gathered that kinges be superiours to the bisshoppes, & that the bysshops ought to be subiecte to kinges. Saynt Peter vsith ye same maner of argumētaciō in his fyrst epistle .iii.i, Petri, iii, chapiter prouynge that Sara was subiecte to Abraham bicause she called hym lorde after the example of whome other women shulde be subiecte to their husbandes & Christ by no other maner of argument dothe shewe in the .xxii.Math, xxii capiter of Mathew yt Dauid was inferiour than our sauiour but bicause he called him his lorde sainge our lorde sayde to my lorde. But there is to be noted also in this place that ye kinge did geue sentence of death vppon the hiest bysshop.Kinge saul gaue sentence of death vpon a chimelych the hye bysshope, Saing thou shalte dye, achimeliche and the house of thy father nor he is not blamed by cause he gaue sentēce of death vpon a prest but bicause he gaue vncharytable [Page lx] and vniust sentence against him that was gilteles salomon lykewise which belike authorite did condemne to death the hie preist Abiathar was hitherto blamed of no man bicause he gaue a wortye sentence agaynst him yt deserued it.iii Regst, ii Salamon condemynid yt hy bysshop Abiath to deth by like authorite Saull of treuth is to be noted therfore because he gaue sē tence against him that did not deserue it and in ye .xvii.Indicū. xviii, et vltio chapiter of Indicū and the last chapiter it is shewed at those dayes there was no kinge in Israell but eueri man did that thinge yt he thought best by these wordes it semeth that the power of punishing did onely pertayne to kinges and princes and not to the preestes,Power of punisshemēt longeth to kīges for no dowbte there were many preistes without doubte at that tyme. But bicause they had no kinge not leader eueri man lyued aftex his owne pleaser [Page lxi] and desire, because ther was no suꝑiour regal power by whose swerde they might be refrayned from vice besides that in the .iiii.iiii, regū, xviii booke of kinges xviii. capiter this is conteyned.Ezechias kīg put away the abuses of ecclesiastical thī ges & pulled downe ye brasen serpent Sette vp by Moyses and commaunded by god when he so it abused Ezechias put awaye ye hilaulters and brake the Images & cutte downe the groues and brake the brasen sarpent which Moyses made, for tyl that tyme the childrē of Israell dyd offer to it Ensence. And whie maye not nowe the abuse of ecclesiastiall thinges and of al thinges that be with in the churche pertayne to examinacion and correction of the kinges maiesty if it be manifestly perseaued that it be against the honour of god as ye good king Ezechias did to whom ther was none lyke amongest al ye kinges of Iuda in kepinge all the commaundementes of god he did extende his power within the bandes of the churche. And by hys [Page xli] newe commaundementes toke awaye the broken sarpente set ther [...] by the cōmaundement of god whē he sawe it honoured contrary to ye honour of god. If a kinge coulde chaunge that thinge which god cō maunded to be done if it come to yll ende and that with in ye churche howe moch rather might he chaunge these thinges which commaunded by ye cōmaundemēt of man be yll abused it maketh for this purpos that is wrytton in the .ii. boke of Cronicles .viii.ii, Parali, viii chapiter and ye kinge Salomon did ordeyne ye offices of prestes in theyr mynisteries after ye ordinaunces of Dauid his father and the leuytes in there order that they shulde geue thankes and ministre before the prestes after the ryte or cussome of euerye day & the porters in there ordre by gate and gate.Salomon did order the offices of prei [...]es and ministers in the churche
for so commaundyd Dauyd the seruaunte of god and nother the prestes nor leuites dyd breake ani thinge of ye commaundement whiche the kinge commaunded them it agreeth with this that is writtō in the booke of the Cronicles .xix.ii, Paralipoū, xix chapiter Iosaphat dyd constitute Iudges of the erth in all Cites of Iuda.Kinges did cō stitute Iudgs as leuites and prestes rulers of famylies to here and Iudge the causis of theyr brethene, Of Iuda walled by euery place and comaundid them sainge take ye hed what ye do for ye haue not in hande the Iudgementes of men but the Iudgmētes of god and what soeuer ye Iudge it shal redownde to you let the feare of our lorde be with you & do you althynges with Iudgement for there is no iniquite with god nor acceptacions of persons nor desire of rewardes also in Ierusalem Iosaphath dyd constitute leuytes and pristes & rulers of the saumlies of Israel that thei Iudgement [Page xlii] and cause of our lorde to al the in habitauntes therin & he comaunded them sainge ye shal do so in ye feare of our lorde faythfully and with a pure & parfecte hart al causes of your bretherne whiche shall come to you which dwel ī ther Citis betwē kīred & kired whersoeuer ani question is made of ye lawe of comaundement of Ceremones of Iustificacions shewe it vnto thē yt the offende not against the lorde & that the displeasure of god come not vppon you and your breterne for so doinge ye shall not offende. Amarias your Bysshop and prest shalbe ruler our those thynges yt partayne to god. Further zabadias the sonne of Ismael whiche is captayne in ye house of Iuda shal ouerse those things that appertayne to ye office of a kinge & ye haue maysters leuytes before you take [Page liiix] ye conforte and worke diligently & our lord shalbe with you in your goodes nowe let vs laie this to gether breeflye the Iudgementes of the people of Israel were the Iudgements of god & al thinges were determyned after the prescripcion of the worde of god of the whiche lawe of god the prestes and ye prophetes were expounders and the Iudges therof were such as were electe & masters in eueri tribe in al ye cities onles there were any doubtfull matter for than that matter was referred to Ierusalem to the prestes and Iudge whiche shalbe rulers,The prestes & prophetes were expoūders of the lawe of god & the rulers of ye tribes electe wer iudges therof, In doubtefull matters ye hye preest and the hye Iudge at Ierusalem gaue [...]entēces together, and thei shal geue sentence to gether, nor it shal not be lawful for any man to dyspyse or forsake theyr sentence. For whosoeuer did so, it was death to him of this fasshion Iudges ordred them selfes in other Cities sawe in Ierusalem when Iosaphath the king dyd cō mitte [Page lxiii] al Iudgement to the prestes leuites & rulers of families ioyn tell wherfore if kinges and rulers were Iudges of the lawe of god & of those thinges which are prescribed by the worde of god of whiche they were nether makers nor teachers howe moche more maie they be Iudges of al thinges which ar cōstituted by mans lawe.If kings and rulers were Iudges o [...] the lawe of god moche more of ye lawe of mā To this purpose maketh that is in the secō de boke of Cronicles in the .xxxix capiter euen the same yere & fyrste moneth of his raygne dyd Ezechias open the gates of the house of our lorde and prepared them and he brought in the prestes & leuytes & gathered thē together into ye este strete & sayd to them here me you leuites and purifye your selues & halowe you the house of our lorde god of your fathers & beīg al ye filthenes out of ye holy place & afterward thei gathered,ii, Paralip [...], xxxix, Ezechias commaunded the prest and leuites to purifye them selues & ye house of god and to make sacrifice and offerynge for synne, there bretherē [Page lxiiii] and they dyd puryfye them selue [...] & they went in after ye commaundement of the king, that bi the, and that by the worde of our lord they myght clense the house of our lorde and ye prestes wēt into ye templ [...] of our lord for to clense it & the brought forth. &c. And after: for ye kīg comaundid yt the burnte offeringe shulde be made for the sinne of all Israell And he did set leuytes in the house of our lorde with cimba [...] les and saiterys and harpes accordinge to the comaundementes of Dauid the king & of god The kinges feare of visious & of Nathā the prophete. For it was the commaundement of our lorde by the hande of his prophetes. And the leuites stode holding the organs of Dauid and ye preistes triumpheth and Ezechias commaunded them to offer burnte, offeringe vpon the aulter. &c, & after, Ezechias & the [Page lxiiii] prīces comaundid the leuites they shulde prayse our lorde with the wordes of Dauid and Asaph the leer of visions.Ezechias commaunded the peple to offer. Whiche did laude god with greate gladnes & honour him with kneling Ezechias more ouer addid this. Ye haue filled your handes to our lord come nere and offer the sacrifices & thankes offering in ye house of our lorde ☞ And then al the multitude offered. &c. When prestes in ye churche and in the holye place dyd all thinges after the cōmaundement of the kinges and princes and did obey them in offerynge sacrifices in the purifyinge or halowinge of the house of god and the sanctuari and in the prayers that were made in the churche it semeth that it longeth to kinges and princes to commaunde the preistes in suche thinges and that it longeth to the prestes to be obedyent to them.ii, Parali, xxx
Ezechias wrote epistles to al Israell and Iuda to effraim & manassen that they shulde come to ye house of our lorde in Ierusalem to offer passouer to the lorde god of Israel.The kinge sēt to bydde the peple to offer & helde a ꝑliamēt in Hierusalem where ye decred that [...] feast of pasouer shulde be kepte ye, ii, moneth And the king helde a councel with his lordes and al the congregacion in Hierusalem and they decreed to kepe the feast of passouer in the seconde moneth and after & the mensengers went with letters bi the commaundement of the kinge and all his lordes to all Israel and Iuda showing to them accordinge to the kinges commaundement. Ye childrē of Israell turne again. &c. And after that, and ther vnto the hande of our lorde was in Iuda to make them of one accorde to do the commaundement of ye kinge & the captaynes according to the worde of our lord & moche people where gathered in Hierusalem to make the solemnite of [Page lxv] swete brede in ye seconde moneth & they arose and distroied ye aulters in Hierusalem & they cast downe althing where anye sacrifice was to ani Idol and threwe it into the water Cedron, at the commaundement of the king thei kepte the feastees of passouer & of swete breade after yt in the .ii.ii, Paralipom xxxii, boke of Cronicles, xxxi. chapiter be those wordes that folowe. Ezechias set the preistes and ye leuites in theyr order to waite by course euerye man according to his office as wel ye preistes as leuites for the burnte offerīges & pease offrīges & to minister & to thāke & to sing in ye gates of ye lodge of our lord.Ezechias commaundyd the people to geneperte of there goodes to the preistes & leuites yt they might attende the seruis of god the tenth and fyrst frute [...] wi [...]h thut they had vowed, And after also Ezechias commaundid to the people yt dwelled in Hierusalē yt thei shulde geue parte to the preistes and leuites yt they might attend ye law of god & after yt Ezechias cōmaūded yt they shulde prepare storehouses [Page lxvi] in the house of our lorde whiche thinge when they had done they brought in the fyrst frutes & tenthes and whatsoeuer they had vowed faythfully And the ouersear of them was Chonenias the leuite & semey his brother was the second after whome were Iohiel and Azarias, Naathin, & Asael, Hierimoth Iozabad. Eliel. Iesmachias. Maath, and Bauay as rulers vnder ye handes of Chōenias and Semey his brother by ye commaundement of Ezechias the kinge and Azarias the bisshop of ye house of our lorde to whome al thinges parteyned & after.Al thinges were done in the house of god at ye cōmaundement of the kinge. And Ezechias did althīg which we haue spoken in all iuda and did that whiche was Iuste & godly before the lorde his god in all maner obseruaunces in the ministeres in the house of our lord according to the lawe & cerimonies intending to serue his god in all [Page lxvi] his harte and he dyd prospere, marke howe this good king dyd assygne and deuide to the prestes and the leuytes there offices and howe he wrote of the tenthes and the first frutes and those thinges that pertayned to the offices or to ye ryght of the preestes asmoche as in the excersise of the ministeris in ye house of our lord were done at his biddinge & commaundement further it is wrytton in the fyrst boke of the Machabeis x,i, Machabeorum, x, chapiter Alexander the kinge wryteth to Ionathas sainge nowe we haue constitute yt this day to be the hye prest of the country and that thou shuldes be called the kinges frende.Kīges did put in and electe the hye preest and put them out, &c.i, Machabeo, xiiii, Likewise Demetrius did gyue to Simon the hie preisthode also he did constitute Alchimus ye prest and Anthiochus fyrst gaue the hic presthode to Iason & after he put hym out & gaue it to Menclausi. Machabeorum, vii, [Page lxvii] and after put him out to & made Lilimachus hie prest so alwayes the assinent and translacion of the hye preist did partayne to ye kings Whether he wyl whē preistes were not create but borne preestes as in Salomons tyme or else when yt were desired by the voyces of thei people as in the tyme of these princes.In Salomōs tyme preistes were borne preistes in the tyms of some princes a [...]ter ye chosen and cle [...]e, But nowe contraryewyse the hye preistes saye yt they maye geue realmes and Empires to whome the lyste whiche was neuer harde nor rede ye the did before nother in the old Testamēt nor in the new [...]. ☞ And this power of the kinges we haue read confyrmed in ye new Testament for Math sayeth this They cam to Peter that were wō te to gether poll money.Mathew xvii Christ payde tribute to the k [...]ng or Emperoure therby sh [...]wed that Kinges sh [...]lde be honored And chri [...]te sayd to Peter of whom do kinges of the erth take tribute and so furthe but lest we shulde offende them goo to the See and caste [Page lxvii] in a boke and take that fisshe that cometh vp fyrst & open his mouth and thou shalte fyne a grote take that and geue it fore me and the: dyd not christ by this example showeth that the aucthorite of kinges shuld be honerred vnto whome hauinge the rule of the comen weale mē ought to geue poll money and tribute yt he that hath ye ouersight or charge of al men shulde haue a rewarde or recompence of his diligence & labour lykewise it is wrytton. Geue yt is Cesars to Ceser & Iesus answered to Pilate.Mathw, xxii, Thou couldest haue no power agaynste me oules it were geuen the from aboue furthermore the kinges of ye gentilles bere rule ouer them and they that be the states do exercise power vpon thē,Iohan, xix, Mathw iii, Rom, xiii saynt Paule w [...]i [...] teh agreing to ye same sētēce let euery mā be obedient and subiecte to [Page lxviii] the superior powers for the kings be not to be feared of them that do well but of them that do yll, for he beareth a sword not in vayne. And there ye comen glose doth interpretate the sworde to meane power in Iudgementes. And in the same place he that withstandeth the power, withstandeth the ordinance of god and therfore he that by violence or disseate resysteth ye power that is, the man put in authorite as the glose sayeth resisteth the ordinince of god.Here is no mā exempte from the obedience of kīges with out dominatiō Here I thinke best to tarye awhyle and diligentli to ponder & discus this place which doth meruelously confyrme the regall and riuell power to whome he byddeth all men to be obedient he excepteth no man at all nether Peter nor Paule no preest no bysshoppe no Cardinal, no patriarke no Pope onles any man be willīg to get his damnacion. But if ther [Page lxviii] be anye man that thynketh ye this was not ment or spoken of the Ciuel or laye officer. Let him fyrst remember that ch [...]ist taught ye preistes to flee & refuse superiour aucthorite furthermore that he calleth them of whom he speketh here, lordes or princes and sayth ye they be to be feared of them that do yl and this name or worde prince is not wonte in ye newe Testament to be ment or takē for prestes onles ther be somewhat addid ther to as the prince or hyest of preistes prince or chefe of the Sinagoge or prince or hedde of the worlde or some other thinge lyke,Mathew, i, and chryst dyd teache that god shulde be feared which after the death of the bodi hath power to cast the soule into ye fyre of hell And the kinge is to be feared of them that do yll whome he doth punishe and correcte wyth [Page lxix] his Sworde. And prestes & preachers of the worde of god in ye writyng of the Euaungelystes do rebuke sinners and counforte them that amende agayne.Holye sciptures of ye newe Testament geue preistes no Iudiciall power, But nother the Scriptures of the Euaungelestes nor of the Apostles do geue them Iudiciall power nor courte to make examynation or determinacion of ponishement. Now that foloweth he bereth not a Sworde without cause, who wyll expound or meane of the successors of the Apostles, dyd the Sergeantes or Cachepolles goo aboute them beryng Swordes or Maces. But a Croche and a Myter. And further he monished them to geue trybute to those officers of whome Paule speketh of here. But they payed trybute to Christ not to the bishop And by manye other reasons hit maye be proued that this place is to be vnderstanded of the ciuil or [Page lxix] laye officer to whome he wollde al men to be subiecte as moch as the hye bysshopes. And this īterpretacion with a gret consent and agreens confirme both the lerning and the lyffe of christ and his apostles whiche did alwayes knowe and obey the Cyuyll and laye power if it commaunded nothinge contrari to god and with this interpretacion holde the most impiant and best alowede Authors.Christe and ye apostles did [...] uermore obey the ciuyll powers if it co [...] maundyd nothinge contrary to god Amongest whome is origen expounding ye same texte of saynt Paull where he sayth. The Iudges of the worlde do fulfil the most parte of the law of god for al those offencis which god wolde haue punished he wold them to be punyshyde not by the bisshopes and the rulers of churches but bi ye Iudges of ye worlde And Paule knowyng this dydde Iustlye name him the mynyster of god and Iudge vpon hym [Page lxx] hym that, doth that, that is yll and saynt Augustyne agaynst the epistel permenianus to the fyrst boke Therfore for what entente doth he beare a sworde ye is called the officer or minister of god to take vengeance on them yt do yll onles perchaunce as manye take this place yt be vnlerned contentuosli sainge that it was ment of ecclesiasticall dingnityes so ye the worde shulde betoke spiritual ponishement whiche doth cause excommunicacion where as ye wyse and cyrcumspecte apostle in the nexte clause of the texte folowinge doth playnlye she we what he ment for he dyd adde for bicause of that ye paye tributes and after that he wryteth this paye to euery one his dette to whō ye ought to paye tribute paye custome to whome custome is dewe honour to whome honour belongeth feare to whome feare partaynethSome by the sworde vnderstande power ecclesiasticall, contrary to ye trewthe. [Page lxx] and Theophilactus expounding this place to the romayns euery soule be obedient to ye hier powers saith thus he instructes eueri mā whether he be prest or religius man or apostle that they shulde be subiecte to the princes and ther is scante any man that otherwise doth expounde this place onles it be such as be hye bisshopes therselfe or such as long to them for fauor of whom they corrupt & deprauete althing and wrest scripture violently being cōtrary to them.None expoundes this texte of ecclesiastical power but such as be papist is in fauour of the bysshoppes of Rome But nowe let vs reherse other textes of scripture that make for this matter.i, Timoth, iii, Paul writing to Timothe beddeth vs entreate and pray for kinges and al other that haue preeminēce or dignite that they may lyue vnder thē peaceabli & quietli.Barnab, i, So hieremias bed them praye for the helth of Nabugonosor & his children, [Page lxxi] further it is rede in the fyrste epistle of Peter the ii. chapiter submit your selfe to al thordinaunces of god where the glose sayth set in authoritye and it foloweth in the same texte other to the kinge as hyest or supreme hed or to ye lordes or officers set by them for punishement of the yll for so is the wyll of god,Al men ought to pray for kī ges and princes and be the good be the yl to obey them, the comen glose doth adde yt we shulde be obedience to them be the good be the yl, and if the regal power of this maner be so ofte aproued in the olde testament. Let it be so receuid & confirmed in the lawe of grace. Let it bealowed ye kinges haue in ther person dominion, authorite, preheminence dignite ponishmentes & correcctions. And in ye clargy let it be disalowed Doth it not apere bi the veri same lawe yt was taken from ye apostles and Bysshoppes was geuen to [Page lxxi] the kinges it was spoken to the aposteles go you & preache the gospel to al maner creatures,Marc vlti [...] Iohū vitimo. fede my shepe. And whose sīnes you remit shalbe remetted thē,Iohn̄, ii. and so let thē preache & minister ye word of god but in ye meane time let thē not forsake ye subiecciō of prices.Mathw. xi [...]. But lett thē geue ye, that is cesars to cesar & that, that is godes to god. Some perchaunce wyll saye here that althoughe ye places rehersid do witnes that power was geuen to kynges yet do the not shewe al maner power geuen to kinges.Som say ther was noo power geuen to kinges in spiritual thinges And therfore there is nothing prouid bi these Scriptures whye we shulde graunte anye power in spirituall thinges to be geuen to kinges or princes. But fyrst let vs se what ye sincere sence of scripture wyl geue thē. And after yt howe ye vse & excercise in ye anpiāt & laudabel sipliciti [Page lxxii] of man hath confirmed it, and surelye in the scriptures we do confyrme and stablishe the aucthorite of kinges as we shewed before for they feat them yt do yl bicause they beare a swerde in these scriptures spoken Indeterminatlie theyr can be no other sence. But that whosoeuer whan soeuer and howsoeuer he do yll he shuld feare the kinges swerde, or it is not conuenient for vs to saye that yf one offende in a smal thinge he shulde be punished and if he offende in a gretter thin he he shulde haue no punyshment and that the kinges shulde be diligent in ye obseruacion and keping of worldly thinges and shuld not in things longinge to god. Nor it is not mete to aplye that by distinccion to a fewe whiche was spoken indifferently, al scipture speakethe to al men it vnderstandeth & meaneth it of al men and in these wordes [Page lxxii] of yl doynge he putteth no certen cryme nor cause, but howe soeuer yll be commytted it wyll that the Regall power shulde be redye which shuld Iudge correct which shulde punishe which shulde euer be Ruler for the edificacion for ye belt that that thing might be amē ded that was done amisse & that yt whiche by there busines offende ye good.Howe soeuer yll be commyttid the correctiō longeth to the Regall power. Gala, vi. After ye saing of saynt Paule might be cut of because ye trouble other men.Gregorius ad mauritiū Augustum. And so Gregory in his .iii. boke named Registrum in his Epistle to Maurici the Emperour sayth thou wast my lorde before thou were lorde of all. Lo by me his hindmost seruaunt & youers, chryst wyl answere sayinge I made the of A notarye Erle of the watchmen, of an Erle I made the cesar, of cesar an Emperour & not that onlie but also I made the father of Eperours, I haue committed [Page lxxiii] my prystes to thy handes and takest thou awaye thy warryers frome my seruyce.Gregory was obedien [...] [...]o ye Emperour & fullfylled his cōmaundemēt which did not agre with the lawe of god, I was obedient to youre byddyng, and caused youre lawe to be sente to dyuers partes of the worlde. And bycause that lawe doth agree with the almyghtye God I haue certifyed my honorable Lordes by my Suggestion writinge in my letters: therfore in eythere place I haue done my duety, which dydde obey themperour, and dydde not holde my peace. But showed that I thoughte in goddes cause,Gregorius ad theodorū epistol, xxiiii, And in anothere pistle folowing writtō to Theodorus a phisiciō hath this sentence. Me thinkes ye very hard that the Emperour shuld wtdrawe his warryers or saruauntes from the seruyce of him whiche gaue hī all, and gaue him aucthorite not only ouer ye Sowldiers but ouer all preestes, it appertaynethe also [Page lxxiii] to this that saynt Auguste wrote, whose epistle treateth of this maner,Augustinꝰ ad bonifaciū, whosoeuer wyll not obey the lawes of thēperours whiche were made for trueth of god getteth hī grette punishment, for in the tyme of ye Prophetes, Al kynges which amongest ye people of god did not forbed nor breake that was Instituted against the commaundemēt of god were blamed and yt they did forbide,Daniell, iii or preased aboue the merytes of other, And the kyng Nabugodonosor whē he was ye saruaūt of Idolles made an vngracious lawe.the cōmaundemēt of the kīg Nabugodonosor compellīge mē to honour Images and Idolles. That an Image or an Idol shulde be honored. But they that wold not obey his wicked and vngodly constitucion dyed godly & faythfully. But ye same kyng correcte by the miracle of god made agayne a godly and laudable law for the trewthe that whosoeuerNabugodonosor correcte bi myracle made agayne and laudable lawe that no mane shuld blasphē god, [Page lxxiiii] dyd speake anye Blasphemy agaynst ye trewe god of sidrac, Misac, and Obdenago shulde vtterlie be distroed wt al his house And after thē howe can kings serue our lord in feare onles the prohibeth and punishe with a godli seueryte that that is done contrarye to the commaundemēt of god For he serueth otherwyse because he is a man. And otherwyse in somoch as he is a King.He serueth god otherwyse because he is a man and bycause he is a Kyng, For bicause he is a man he serueth hym liuinge faythfullye. But bicause he is a kinge he serueth god making and eratifieng lawes with cōueniēt strenght which commaunde ye thynge that is lawfull and that forbide those things that be contrary to Iustice As Ezechias dyd serue god distroyinge ye Groues and ye Temples of Idolles & the Illaters whiche were made contrarye to ye preceptes of god As Iosias dyd serue doinge veryiiii, regū, xviii How kynges serue god as kynges, iiii, Regū, xxii [Page lxxiiii] lyke thynges, as the kyng of Neniue did serue compelling the whole Citye to pacifie and please our lord as Darius did serue geuing the Idoil in the power of DaniellDaniell. to be broken,Ione, iii, and putting his Enimies to Lyons to be deuoured.
❧ As Nabugonosor did serue of whome we spacke beforr.Daniell. Forbydding with a fearefull ordreadfull lawe all that were in his Realme from the blaspheming of god. In such thynges kinges serue god in somoche they be kinges. When yt do that thyng to serue god which none can do but kings.Acte, xxi, And after Paule ye apostle dyd not consyder or regard his transitorye lyfe but the churche of god. When he dyd bringe it to passe agaynst them yt had conspyred to kil hym that the councel of them shulde be vttered to the Sherefe, or Officer wherbi it cam to passe yt he was brouhgt [Page lxxv] with harnessed men to ye place whether he shulde be brought leest he shulde haue suffered bi theyr deceites and he dyd not doubte to apeale to the lawes of Rome shewinge that he was a Citisē of rome whome it was not lawful to be beaton or scorged.Actor, xxv And called or desired ye helpe of Cesar lest he shulde be taken to the Iwes that desired to kil him which Cesar was ruler of Rome & not a Christian prince,Paul apealed to Cesar emperour of Rome and a Hethen man. where he sheweth wel what or after the myn ysters or bayliffes of Christe shulde do when they had Christen princes or Emperours. If ye churche were in Ieoperdye. And after. If we possese priuately so moche as is sufficiēt for vs the residewe be not oures but the godes of the pore ye procurement and bestowīg of the which we haue and chaleng nothing by damnable vsurpacion And to this purpose maketh that [Page lxxv] Augustyne wrote in another place agaynste Crestonius the .iii. boke.Augustinus cō tra crestonī libro, iii, chap, li, In this poynt kinges, (as it is cō maunded to them by god) do serue god in somoch as they be kings If in there realme they comaunde yt is good & forbide yt that is yl not onely that pertayneth to the felawshyp or societe of man. But yt pertayneth to the fayth of god and al in vaine thou seiste. Let me folow fre libertye wherfore in Muder, in oppressing, or Rauishīg of womē, and in al maner Mischeuos & vngraciousnes doest thou not crye to be suffered to folowe the free libertye and yet it is verye profitable & for ye comen welth yt suche thinges shulde be prohibet & let by Iust & good lawes / And ye same Augustyne in another place doth testifi yt it is ye proper office of a kinge to minister iust is & to deliuer & saue out of ye handes of extortioners thē yt What is th [...] proper office of [...] kynge [Page lxxv] [...] [Page lxxv] [...] [Page lxxvi] be vyolentlye oppressed. And further saynt Thomas doeth confyrme ye same in his boke of the Rule or ordringe of princes.Thomas de regimine principium. In the fyrst boke .xii. chapiter. Lette the kinge knowe that he hathe taken vpon him this office that he shulde be in his Realme as the soule in the bodye or as god in the worlde. Whiche if he diligently consider by the one he shalbe enflamed with loue of Iustice when he considerethe yt he was set in dignite for ye entente that in stede of god he shulde minister Iustyce in his Realme by ye other he shulde lerne to be mercyful and gentyl were as he doth repute and counte all men that be vnder his dominion as his owne proper members it agreeth to the same that we reade in the boke of ye church called quadruuium.Quadruuium eccle. The churche of god was cōmytted by Christ to the princes or lordes that [Page lxxvi] ye shulde saue and defende it. And whether the peace and fayth of ye churche be encreasead or diminished.God shall requyre is of kī ges whether the peace and fayth of ye churche be inire [...]sed or diminished. He shal aske accounte of yt in the powers of whome he dyd commyte his church Therfore lett the princes of the worlde knowe that are bounde to make Acounte to god for ye churche which they toke of Chryst to gouerne and defend And IsidoreIsidore, wryteth one this maner of ye cure charge & authorite of kinges. The that be within ye churche and do agaynst the fayth and ordinaunce of the churche must be feared bi ye Rigore of princes And the supreme power most ley or put vpon the neckes of them ye be prowed or stubborne ye same disciplin whiche the humilitie of the church is notable to excercise, and yt they maye deserue honour let them put forth the vertu of theyr aucthorite and in another place he saieth Seculer [Page lxxvii] princes do knowe ye they are bounde to make accounte to god for the church which they haue taken vpon thē to defend. And thys is the proper and chefe cure of prī ces which ye Tripartite stori doth showe that constantinus toke vpō hym.tripertita historia libro, iii, cap, iii, Where these wordes be that folowe. The deuoute and victorius Constantine to the bisshoppes assembled to gether in the Citie of Tiro.The epistle, of cōstantin to ye bisshops of in the councel of tiro, I am Ignorante what was decreed in your troublos & hastie councell. But it appereth that the trweth is opprest and troden downe bi some sedtcious and vndisrete reasoninge. ☞ For you do not consider yt is pleasinge to god but for the contencion and alteracion whiche ye haue against your neyghboures ye contende to haue your desires & mindes inuincible & mutable. But we haue nede of [Page lxxvii] ye goodnes & prouidence of god ye this contencion manifestly espied may be euacuat and remouid yt it may playne apere to vs if your assembling there haue done anithinge without grace because of your sedicion and varience, wherfore I wil that al you with al spede come before my magestye that ye maye certyfye & showe me your selues ye verite of those thinges that ye haue done. But for what entente I wrote this to you and haue called you to com before me bi mi letters ye shall knowe by those wordes yt foloweth. As I was going to the Citie bearing my name in my fortunate countrey.Athanasius c [...] ̄ playeth to constantine vpon his wronge t [...] sustained As I was takinge my horse sodenlye Athanasius bysshope with certen preistes with him in the myddes of the strete came to me so at vnwares yt I was almost sodenlye affrayde I take [Page lxxviii] god to wytnes that seth althing yt at the fyrste syght I wolde not dyserue who he was, onles one of mi seruauntes had showed me whoo he was and what wronge he had sustayned, and at that tyme I dyd not comen with hym nor speake to thyem and when he desired that he might be harde and I denied.
And cōmaunded him to be put awaye. He with grette confidence and boldenes desired nothinge of vs. But that you myght come before vs, and that he myght before you with lamentacion show, what Iniuries he had suffered & therefore because me thought it resonable, and conuenient for the tyme. I the more gladlye dyd commaunde this wryting to be sent to you, that al you yt were at the counsel at Tyro shulde in al hast and withoute any let come before our gracious presens, that ye mai showe bi your [Page lxxviii] workes the Reclitude and sinceryte of your Iudgement before me. Whom you wyl not denye to be ye very officers of god. And therfore the name of God is peaceablelye honered in euery place,Constantine, Eperour caused hethen mē to h [...]our god & knowe god, and wholy Blessed by my seruice and diligēce to god asmoche as amongest Hethen men whiche tyl this tyme did not knowe the treuth. For this is manifest, yt he whiche knoweth not ye trueth, can not knowe god. But further as I showed before. The Hethen by me the faythfull minister of god haue knowen god, and lerned to feare god. And it is playne bi mi workes that god is mi defendour and helper. And therby ye chefely knowe god, and they for ye feare that we haue to god do feare and honour god, And you whiche seme to minister to his mercifull goodnes wholye misteries I wyll not saye kepe them you, I saye do [Page lxxix] nothinge else but that is manifest pertayninge to contencion, And to speake playnly that that is lyke to be the distruction of mankynde. But as I sayd haston you quickelye to come to vs and knowe you that I wyl labour with al my power that those thinges that be in ye lawe of god maye be chefely obserued without ani stumbelinge or error And also al such thinges that may be without any offence or suspicion of yl. And that al Enemyes of the lawe of god maye vtterli be dyspised distroyed and banished which vnder pretence of that holy name do norishe and mayntayne diuerse blasphemies and Heresies and of a treweth Iustinianus emperour of Rome dyd let nothinge vnconfyrmed and enacted by hys lawe that longeth to the obseruance & preferment of god & so he dyd make lawes & ordinauces of faithIustinian emperour made lawes to confyrme the law of god, [Page lxxix] of Heritikes, of holye churches of bysshoppes and clarkes of religiouse men, of Mariages and of al suche causes speciallye whiche at this daye be exempte frome the power of kinges & make a grete authorite of ecclesiastical power which thynge surely Iustinian wolde not haue done onles he had had example of his predecessors and onles he had verelye thought yt they had partained to his office and authoryte.Quomodo regibus anglie comeeuit authoritas in rebus diuinis, In Englond there be many thinges that testifi that kinges went aboute to kepe there owne right and authoryte and there vnto made mani prouisions and lawes First of a statute of apelles we finde in this maner.An acte made by kīges that no man shulde apele oute of ye realme with out licence of the kinge If appelacions chauce to be had they shal appeale from the Archdeacons to the bysshoppes and from the bisshoppes to the archbisshops & if ye Archbisshoppe be slowe or necligent in [Page lxxx] mynistring Iustyce then ye shal Apele to the kynge, That by his commaundement in the courte of the Archbyshop the matter made be ended so that it shall not proced nor be Apealed forth withoute lycens of the Kyng. And in an other place, it shal not be lawful for Archebyshops, Byshops, nor othere persons of the realme, to goo oute of the Realme without lycence of the Kynge. And yf he wyll goo furth, & haue lycence of the King, He shall fynde surtie that neyther in goyng, nor in tarying they shall procure any yll or harme nother to the Realm, nor to the King Besydes that Turstane electe Archebysshoppe of Yorke gotte lycence of the Kynge to goo to the councelle called by Calyxt,Turstā archebysshoppe of yorke goynge to the councel made an oeth he shulde take no benedictiō of the pope, But making an oth before yt he shuld not receiue of the pope no epistopall benediction wherfore if he [Page lxxx] made promes yt he wolde receyue no benediction of the pope, Is it not manifest that he supposed the preheminence of the regall powre in cōcernīg ye Libertys of ye realm to be superiour than ye pope which could bynd the bysshope by vertu of the othe yt he shuld not admytte the Iurisdiction of the Pop, ein takyng his Benediction, which thīg the inferior can not execute agaīst the superiour. And if it be your pleasure to be doing wt examples it shall manifestly aper ye kinges of England ordered ye Realme by the Imperiall power, dydde take vpon them the cure and busines yt they dyd make ordinaunce to the people of the ordering & reseruing of Sacramentes & spirituall thinges.Camitu [...] re [...] angli [...] Among whom one king Camytus most diligently & valyantli dyd execute his office and duetye in ye behalfe, and made such lawes [Page lxxxi] & ordināces as hereafter do folow
Lawes made by kinge Canutus concerning spiritual thinges,¶ It is iust and lawfull that the money of buryalles be payd wheras the grounde openede, If my course be brought from his owne paryshe churche into another,of Buryalis, the money of his buryall by the lawe shuld pertayne or long to the same church al goodly institucions and al holy cerymonyes of god shalbe obserued as it shalbe thought necessarye & nede of them requereth Whe forbydde that vpon the sondayes ye shal vse no marchandise no plees,Vpon ye Son [...]ay shalbe vsed no Marc [...]ēdis plees in Cowrtes, no Huntynge nor other such excercise, of Cowrtes, no Huntyng, nor any other suche seculare acte or excercise, Euery chrystē mā so shal prepare himselfe to receue the Sacramēt of theaulter at the lest thryse in ye yere,Men shall receyue the Sacrament thrise in the yere. so that he may receyue it to his soule helth, & not to his damnacion, yf a minister of the aulter kyll a man or else verye [Page lxxxi] moche do misuse hym selfe in yl & vicious liuinge lette hym be depreued of his order and of his promocions.A Preyst for Murder and vicious lyuēg shalbe depreued of his order and promocion, If a wyfe her husband being alyue comytte adultry, and of it be puplished let her byde shame of the worlde and lose here Eares and her Nose.Of a wyfe cō mitting Adultery, ¶ Wydowes shall not mary within .xii. monethes. Eueri widowe shal be without husband .xii. monethes and she mary in that time, she shal lose her doure. Also we haue redde certen lawes made bi kinge Etheldrede whiche hereafter folowe.
¶ That is to show you,Etheldrede [...] [...]e [...] made certen lawes concerning spirituall thinges which here foloweth, you shal honour and loue on god aboue al thynges And al mē shal obey ther kinge as the forfathers dyd aforetyme & with hym the shal defende the realme. Also he ordeyned that men shuld cal for ye mercy & helpe of god wt fastinge almes doinge wt lauds & praise to god abstīence [Page lxxxii] and that euery preist shulde go wt his people. iii dayes a precession barefored and that he shulde saye .xxx.Edgarus rex made spiritual lawes of kepinge the sonday of teythes and festes, masses. Further king Edgar dyd institute these lawes. That ye tenthes shulde be payde to the mother churche. And that the sonday shulde be kepe holyday, from .ix. a clocke of the saterdaye tyll it were daye lyght vpon ye Monday. And that all other festes shulde be kepte as the were commaunded bi the preistes. Also kinge Edmunde did call a gret conuocacion of men of the churche secular and regular at London at the feast of Easter.Edmōdis rex made spiritual lawes also in a conuocacion called a [...] [...]ō don, At whiche congregacion were Edo & vlstam archbishop and many bisshoppes mo, which king diligentli enquering for ye soule helth of thē that were subiecte to him, dyd make actes and constitucions on this maner. Fyrst of al that the whiche be in holy orders and shulde teach [Page lxxxii] the people of god shuld kepe them chast,Of them that were within orders And geue good ensample of lyuyng accordyng to ther degre & order, or elles they be worthy of yt thing that is spoken of in ye canō. We commaunde that he that will not pay his thenthes shalbe excomminicate,Of tēthes painge, of hym yt committeth fornicacion with a Nunne He that commytteth fornication wt a Nunne or any Religious woman shalbe punished as a Murderer. who so euer shall cō myete Pariurye shalbe for euer desseuered from the compayne of god.of Periury Adelstāus rex Also kyng Adelstan did proclame and make certayne constitucions consernynge Ecclesiasticall thinges ye euery man shulde geue his tenthes to god as Iacob saide I wyll offer to the tenthes of all thinges that thou sendest me.Of thenthes. Gen, xxviii And our fayth in the gospell, to euery man that hath shalbe geuen and he shal haue abūdance & of Sertilege witches and such as tel mensOf Sorcerye & witchcraft [Page lxxxiii] fortunes yf they kyl a man yt shalbe Iudged to deth, also therby lawes made by Iro the king of west Saxons whiche apere to concerne spiritual thynges.Iro, rex. And they be constitute in this wise. I Iro by ye grace of god kīg of west Saxons hauing cōsideracion vpō the helth of the soule and of the state of my Realme do constitute lawfuly matrimony & right Iudgement to be kepte, and that ye ministers of god obserue and kepe the rule and teaching of holi scripture If a seruāt worke vpon the Sondaye by the commaundemēt of his master let hym be blameles,Of a seruante working vpō the sonday Of baptisme of childri, let the chylde be baptised within iii. days after his byrthe in payne of .xxx. s. If any man feght in the church he shalbe marsed in vi.Of suspendīg of churches Of false witnes, pound. If any man before the bysshope do beare false witnes or recorde he shalbe mercid in .iii. s. And the same king hath graunted to the Abbot and couēt [Page lxxxiii] of glastenburi ye al causes of murder of sacrilege of wichecrafte,The graunte of the king to the monastery of Glastōbur [...] of thefte, of rape, or extorcion, In the dysposicion of the churches, In ye ordinacion of clarkes, in al examinaciōs longing to ye court shuldbe endid after ye sētēces or ordināces of them, & he forbade bi thaucthorite of peter & paul & al sayntes yt no bysshope shulde set his cathedral seate wtin ye Iurisdiccion of ye monasterye. Also the constitucions of King alureddo manifestly declare That in olde time kinges of Englād had grete authorite ī spiritual thinges.Almebus rex, Of fornicaciō with a mānes wyfe, And this kīg made these lawes, yt if ani man comyt fornicacion wt another mans wyf he shal paye to ye husband .xxx. s. for amendes.
If any mā in lēt season do lye the holy oyle in any open or comenplace or in his house he shalbe merced in .xxx s. yt cristē mē may loue god [Page lxxxiiii] & forsake there infidelite. If anye man do forsake his chrystyndome and folow infidelite he shal louse his lyfe.Of hym that forsaketh he i [...] christendome, If any man being in holy orders do steale or comytte periury let hym be punished,Of him that cōmytteth theft being ī orders yf a prest at conuenyent tyme do not sende for creame, or yf he denie baptyme when nede requyreth let hym dye for yt If .ii.A prest that denieth baptym shall dye, brether or kynsmen do comite fornicacion wt one woman let them be mersed a certen epistle of eleutheriꝰ writon to luciꝰ king of britton on this wise doth testify that diuers bysshops of Rome in tymes paste dyd not onelye not denye to kinges of England this ecclesiasticall power,Some Bysshoppes of rome, dyd not denye but gaue kinges power ecclesiasticall, but also that yt did geue it to them and that yt did confesse that it was ye proper office of kinges in theyr Realmes so to do. Eleutherius, Lucius kinge of Brittons benediction in chryste ye desired vs to sende to you ye lawesEleuthery pape ep [...]a lucio [...]egi britannia [Page lxxxiiii] of Rom and of themperour which ye might vse in the lande of Britō The lawes of Rome & the Emperours lawes whe maye oftetymes reproue, ye lawe of god we can not. You haue receyuid by the promission of god in the realme of Bryton the lawe and fayth of chryste. Ye haue with you both the Testamētes in your Realme, take of thē by the grace of god and councell of your realme a lawe and therby by the sufferance of god Rule and gouerne your Realme of Bryton for ye are the vicar of god in that realme as Psalmist sayth The lā de or the erth is the our lordes. &c.The pope called the kinge ye vicar of god Vicarius dei regē appellat, Further it playnlye appereth by a boke of the actes of the bysshopes of Durham that kinges of Engeland had great authorite in the ordinacion of bysshoppes. For it is hade in ye boke that Chadde was made Bysshoppe of yorke by theKingeg made and ordeyned bysshoppes. [Page lxxxv] commaundement of king Oswen and Kynge Egfryde caused the reuerent Cutberte to be consecreate bysshoppe of Durham. And that Edmonde preest nominate by the meruelous voyce of Cutbert was brought wt grete honour to kinge Knute of whose ellection he was very glade and commaundid him to be consecrated solemlye, besides that it is manifest by Mathew parison what authoryte kinges had in consecracion of bisshoppes For he doth showe that kinge Henrye dyd geue ye Archebysshop of Canturbury to Raffe bysshop of London and dyd consecrate hym by aryng and a crowche, And the same king as the same Mathe saith gaue ye bysshop ryche of Wynchester to Wyllyam Gyfforde and bi and by put him in possession of al thinges pertayning to ye bysshopriche and dyd consecrate hym as werWhat authoryte kīgs had in consecraciō of bysshoppes in tymes past, [Page lxxxv] folowing ye brothers as folowing the fathers steppes Notwithstanding that Vrbā bisshop of Rome had made a statute and forbiddon with ecclesiasticall censure that no clarke shulde take any dignite of the gifte of princes or othere laye men,Vrban made an acte yt no [...] clarke shulde take ani [...]mocion spirituall of any kinge [...] layman Innumerable examples of such thinges are brought to remē braunce of men by suche as wrote the actes of Englishmen. And yf any man wyll make cauelacion yt those lawes whiche we haue rehersed concerning spirituall thinges made the anxiant Kinges of England to pretende a temporall, and not spirituall authorytie. Let him knowe that LinwodLynwod. vpon the constitutyon prouyncyall doth agree to vs with those wordes These thynges sayeth Lynnewode be more spyrituall that be not myxte with any tēporal thynges.What thing [...] be more spiritual. As fornycacion, adultery, baptyem, baudry, heresy, & suche othere, After [Page lxxxvi] the sentence of ye epistle that Eleutherius wrete to kinge Lucius also wylliam kyng of England that was duke of Normundye whiche by conquest obtained the dominiō and realme that he myght make ye place where he had victorye to be in remēbraunce to his aftercōers dyd builde a monastery in ye same place for the perpetual and deuote remembraunce of his soule & dyd make the letters of ye foundacion on that tenure yt he myght playnly showe. That the supreme aucthorite of Spirtual & Temporal thinges did remain in prynces. Whose letters be of this tenour. In ye nāe of ye blessed & indiuisible Trynite I wyllyam by the grace of god kynge of Englande wyl it be knowen to al mē aswel them that shal come after as those that be nowe,Letera Whilhelmi regis Anglie defundatione mōtis debell [...]. Archbysshops bisshopes. Abbots Erles, Barons, & al faythfull people [Page lxxxvi] both of England and Fraunce that when I was come into Englād agaynste my enemyes whiche wronfully were a bout to kepe frō me the kingdome being in harnes at the entring of battayl before mi Barons, and Kynghtes, with the fauour of them all, to coumforte ye hurtes made a vowe to buylde a certen Churche in the honour of god for the sowle helth of all men If by the grace of god we myght obtayne Victory.The vowe of Wyllyā Conquerour, which when we had gotton we dyd performe our voue & build a chucrh in ye honour of the blessed Trinite and saynt Marten Confessore for my soule helth, and the soule helth of kynge Edwarde my predecessor, and of my wyfe quen Matildꝰ, and for ye soules of misuccessors in mi realme, and for the soule helth of all them bi whose labour and helpe I dyd optayne the realme and most [Page lxxxvii] special for the soules of them whiche dyed at that batayl. And bicause in this place where it is builded god gaue me the victory I wylled that place to be called battel in remembraunce of the victorye.Quicquid concedit regali authoritati concedit vt ostendat regalem authoritatē et ad spiritualem pertinere And therfore to this churche of saynte Marten in battel I giue & graunte these libertes by my regall authoryte that they may haue a courte of ther owne in all causes, and yt they maye haue fre & regal liberti and custome to kepe courte of ther owne matters and busines and to mynyster Iustice themselues. [...]ota quod ab [...]piscoporum sub iectiōe ex imetur rex. It shalbe for euer fre from the subieccion of al bysshopes and from the dominion of al persons as cristes church in Canturbury and yf ani felon or murderer or giltie in any offence flee for feare of death and com to this church he shalbe hurt in nothnge but shalbe let go at liberte, it shalbe lauful for ye abbot [Page lxxxvii] of that church in euery place to saue a theffe from hanginge If he chaunce to come by at that tyme Also I geue and graunt to the same church a leyg compas about it fre and quiet from al gylde and scotte & Hidage, Denegeld,The abbet of battel maye s [...] ue a thef where so euer he cometh, Brige worke, Castell worke, Parke palyng, Clawsutes. From fyndinge men of warre, al aydes and plees al Playntes, Shires, hundredes, with sare soce, tol heam, & Infangthes. Warpene. Lestage. Hāsocun Forstal. bludwytte and chilwytte, Felony and libertye from al custome of wordlye bondage and from al exaccion or tapis of bysshopes. Therfore to this churche of saynt Martin of battel I geue mi regal manyer called Wie wt al thappertenaunces longinge to my regall crowne, with al liberties priuelegies and regal customes as fre and quyet as I hadde hit fyrste and [Page lxxxviii] and queetest as frely as I beinge kynge myght geue it That is to saye frō all Gelde, Scott, Hidage Denegild, Brigeworke, Castelworke, Proke worke, inclosinge & fynally from al custom of worldli bondage, And from all Felonye or Thefte if it chaunce, lykewise I geue .ii. d. of all forfettes & playes of all ye Hundredes that partayne to the Sommoning or Lordshipe of Wye, And indingnariis which is on menbre of wye. Also I geue to ye sayd churche of saynt Martē the church of Radinges, ye church of Culcunton, the church of saynt Olauide in Oxforde with landes and Tenthes and al other thinges partaynyng to the same churches. And if any of my Baranes or mē wyll geue any of theyr owne to ye said church as in almes, I graunt the same lybertie to thē as I gaue to this thinges which I gaue my [Page lxxxviii] selfe to the same churche. And I confyrme it with my present wrytyng, and with my regall authorytie aforesayd: Guylliam kynge Lauftance Archebysshop of Cantuatbury, Thomas Archebishop of Yorke, Maurice bisshop of Lō don, The bysshop of Wynchester, Exceter, and Rochester. The Erles of Chester montegue and of ware, but oftymes is there greate chaunge and varyabylytie of tymes and wyttes,The bisshop [...] of rome be always subtue, and as bysshops of rome dyd alwayes excell in wyt and subtilty and coude get any occasion to amplisye and enlarge ye circutes of there power, so the dyd alwayes with grette diligence labour that the might vsurpe & bringe to there handes all power, and abuse to ther owne profet the gentylnes, patience and simplicite of other men, otherwhyles puttinge them in hope of more profette and [Page lxxxix] commodite. But bicause that the are gone from god and go aboute styl to amplisy that exceding and confuse power set vp with yll and vnsubstancial fondacion lyke the tower of Babilon,The power of the bysshop of rome neuer stode a mānes lyffe without resistance and contradiccyon it coude not stā de long without resistance nor neuer yet stod a mans lyfe clere and quyet without any busines, princes haue suffered moche And the stories do testifie that some haue bine more bolde then some, and as euery one felt hym greued, so they were more quicke and bolder sharpely to speake to the hye bysshops for there ryght, and warne them of ther offices. And the dyd them dissimule with many thynges which were not cōuenient to medell with al that season. But the same king Wyllaym wryte to the Pope, of this maner, because he dyd abuse his promissyons, in the realme of [Page lxxxix] England, the kyng to the pope. &c
¶ The lorde of al lordes Ihesus chryst which doth gouerne and rule both celestiall and terrestriall,Alia carta eiu [...] dem withelmi regis, The epistle of kyng wylliam conquerour to ye hye bysshop of rome, thinges for euer hath of his deuine goodnes exalted you to the appostolical dygnite for to remoue & put awaye all offensions, to put away al Iuperdies, & to set forwarde the profyt of his people.
¶ Therfore we desiring (as we ar bounde) to prouyde that, that is necessarye, and withstand and put awaye al maner Iuperdis from ye People of god of whome by ye sufferaunce of god I am ruler, wolde also gladly defende & encrease in our tyme the honour and liberties of ye noble church of England and that that is our ryght, by inheritaunce which our predecessors [Page lxxxx] worthe of eternal memory did nobly defēd, wherfore certen thinges specyallye before all other whiche troble our minde in puryte of sprite, we haue opened and certified to your holines.He calleth the church of englond our mother The church of England our mother which amongest al other churches of ye worlde doth excell and abounde in Temporal possessions, & in the seruis and honour of god, and in ye diligence of deuoute ministers in ye workes of mercy and hospitalite and euer hath florishede with prerogatiues of noblenes and honur wyle the abundance therof was at ye dispensacion of her owne chyldrē, to the seruis and ministers therof which were called to those dygnities,The promissions of the bysshops of rome intollerable here in England, not bi ambicion, but by god. Nowe by Importable Tapis and exceding prouisions, made by the apostolical see, indifferently as wel to strā gers as to Englishemen we being [Page lxxxx] had in suspecion and hatred for ye most parte our peticions made for euer lerned and discrete & well be loued vtterly contemned it is so wasted kept vnder, diminished, & fortroubled because the profettes of mani dignites & fate benefices be geuen to Aliens and foren persons which be not resident vpon ye promocions,The dignites of the churche were geuen to Aliens whereby cam moche decaye of vertue and great hurte to ye realme, and know not them selfe, and vnderstand not the tong but oneli seke for there Temporal lucre, & I wyl not speake of other shamefull vices. Therby comethe and riseth moche sclaunder, and ye profeccion of the ecclesiasticall discipline is lytle regarded the charg of soules is neglecte, the honour & seruyce of Chryste is diminyshed The habitacions of the clargy go to decaye, whych the predecessors dyd sumptuously buylde hospitalite is lest, and the almes that were wonte to be geuen, be kepte awaye [Page lxxxxi] by whiche the deuociō of many is fallē awai. Was this ye first entent and wyl and the liberall minde of the founders and prences that the almes and patrimonies of kinges and other which were assined and geuen to the ministers of ye church for ye excercise of ye honour of god and for workes of charyte shulde come and remayne to the profette of Aliens or straungers.Was landes geuē to ye churche of Englād to fede Aliens and let ther own childer in hunger and penurye, Is this pleasyng to god that the church so endued with possession which bringeth forthe so manye dyscrete and wyse chyldēr profetable and necessary to take cure and ministracion of here shulde let her owne childer be in honger and penury and geue her pappes to Aliens and straungers not onely to take sucke of thē but rather to teare and pulle them in peces for the chylder sucke the Mylke, strangers wringe oute [Page lxxxxi] the blod letting nothyng remaine that they may smatche and plucke amongest whome we do not mene nor speake of the ryght reuerente fathers Cardinalles of the church of Rome which being assistent aboute your holynes,The chyldrē sucke the mylke straungers wring out the blod, may ease and heale the mothers dyseases & help her continualye, for when the treasure of the Realme is spente and wasted, & the church therof dystroiwed the Realme shulde be moche weaker in aduersityes,By suche promisions the realme is made moch weaker and porer which thīg perchance ouer enemyes do craftelye coniecture and cast.
❧ Wherfore we seynge before these grefes and other such incommodites whiche if we shulde dis [...] anul any longer, myght be occasiō of gretter. Wherfore by the aduise & councell of our faythfull people & lerned councel gethered together we beseche your holines wt meker [Page lxxxxii] and humblye prayers that ye wyll ponder the primissis in ye balaunce of right Iudgemēt wt abundās of paciens and deuocion and were as we and our realme ouer clargi and our people hetherto haue bene before al other obedient to your se Therfore your holines of your nobilite and weldisposed kyndnes ought to fauour and releue & not to opresse them that ye of your customable benignite which doth suppresse Auerice and abhorreth Simony wold vochesafe so to moderate your reseruacions and prouisions,Popes required and did ex [...]ort tapis inportable and the goodes of thē that dyed intestate and money bequethed to the holy lande with other thinges [...]o chefely for Alyons & strangers and suche tapis by your holines required and oftymes extorte bi inportune calling vp on of them that be ambitius, and other commyssions for the goodes of them that be ded vnder colour that the dyed intestate and of suche money [Page lxxxxii] that is bequethed for the socour of the holy land, and al suche goodes as be bequethed vncertaynlye by whyche our people by the subtiltie of your officers I wil not say malice contrary to your minde, as we trust hath ofttymes wrongfuly be wexed that ye Cathedral churches and other churches of our realme may haue fre elections and efficacite after the grauntes and confessions geuen by our aunceters kinges of Englonde and confyrmed by the apostolical se.Bysshops were electe by ye cathedrall ses. And that clarkes that be patrones lose not libertye of there patronage, and that this burden whiche werethe they shulders of the chyldren maye be taken awaye, leeste that necessyte cause them at the laste to caste of those burdens whyche can not be borne longe withoute ouermoche detriment
¶ But that the deuocion of vs & [Page lxxxxiii] ours maye encrease to ye apostolycal se, we instantly desire you that the grefes and burdens maye cease for we can not alwayes be sluggardes but as we are bounde for our power, we must auoide and expel al suche gref [...]es and daungers And therfore kyng Edgarus that he might showe the rule and gouernaunce of his people in suche causes to partaine to him,Oratio regis edgari ad clerum Anglie, made to his clargye an oracion whyche here foloweth consequentli. Bycause our lord god hath abundantli showed his mercie amongest vs it is mete reuerent fathers that we shuld be correspondent to his innumerable benifittes in worthye workes. For we do not possesse the erthe by our Swerd or power,Psalmus, xliii our strenght hath not showed vs, but his right hand, his holi arme, it pleased him so to do for vs. Therfore it is righ [Page lxxxxiii] that we shulde make our selfes & our soules obedient and subiecte to hym that dyd put subiecte althing vnder his fete, and we shall dyligently labour that the that he hath made subiecte to vs shalbe subiecte to hym and so his lawes. And it pertayneth to me to ordere the laye People with equite & Iustice and to geue right Iudgemēt betwixt neighbour and neighbour to punishe trāgressors to kepe downe rebelles to saue ye weake from ye oppression of thē yt be bygger to defend the pooer and nedye from the spoylets of them.What partayneth to a king of a realme
But also it longeth to my charge to prouyde necessatyes for ye ministers of the church for the couenth of religiouse men for the congregacion of Nunnes.The examinacions of the maners and l [...] uing of the clargye partayneth to ye kīge And to prouide yt they may haue peace & qietnes [Page lxxxxiiii] the examinacion of whose maners and leuyng partayneth to vs.
¶ If he liue chastly, If the behaue them honestlye to them that be without. Furth If the be diligent in the seruice of god. If the be busye in teaching of the people. If yt be sober in liuing, If the be moderate in there behauour, If the be dyscrete in there Iudgementes. I speake by your licens reuerent fathers, yf ye had loked vpon and inquered those thinges diligentli we shuld not haue harde so moch vice and abominacions by Clarkes. I lete that passe that the haue nother open crowne, nor conueniente consure, and that wantones in lyuinge, pryde in behauour, lightnes in communicacion, do manifeste ye infame of your soules and hartes Besides that howe gret negligēce is there in the seruice of god,Negligence in the seruice of god & misbehauour in ye clargye. when ye scante vouchsaue to come to [Page lxxxxiiii] church onhalowe euens. When at the Masse tyme ye seme rather to come to gether to laughe & playe then to singe, yet wyll I tell you that good men be sory, for yll men do laughe at hit. Yet wyll I tell it being sory for yt, yf it may be told howe the abounde and runne at large in Banketing, & Dronkenes in slouth and vnclenlynes that nowe the houses of clarkes be counted the hospitalites of Harlottes the couentes of gesters & players, ther be dyce and cardes, ther is singing / and daunsing, there is watthing with showting and cryinge tyl mydnight, so the patrimonies of Kinges the Alines of princes ye and that yt is more The pryce of his Preciuos blode is spente and wasted, dyd our fathers wast and spende theyr treasours for that entent? did the kinges treasure house decrease by withdrawing of moch [Page lxxxxv] Rentes for that end dyd the liberalite of kinges geue landes and possessions to the curches of chryste for that, that harlottes shulde be trimode bi the abundance and wā tones of ye clargy, for to make sumptuos feastes to kepe houndes & haukes and other pleasures, this ye men of warre crye out vpon, ye people murmuris at it. Minstreles sī ge and Ieste of it, & you care not for it, you fauer them, you take vp on you ye know it not. Where is ye swerde of leuye?genesis xxxiiii Where is the zele of Simeon whiche dyd dystroy ye sychymytes althoughe they were circumsised bycause the dyd misuse ye doughter of Iacob as a harlot, which sichimites bare ye figure of them that pollute the church of christ with vicious liuing.Exodus, x [...]xii Where is the spirite of Moises which did not fouour his owne kynsmē that [Page lxxxxv] honered the hed of the clase, where is ye Sword of phemees the preest yt dyd stycke him that commytted fornicacion with the modianite,Nūerorū xxv & bi that holi zele pacified god whē he was angri.Act, v, Where is the spirite of Peter, whyche by hys vertue dystroyed Auaryce, and dyd condemne symoniacall herysye,Act, viii folow you priestes folowe youe the wayes of our Lorde and the right wysenes of our god.
❧ It is tyme to do agaynst them that dystroye and dyssipate the lawe of god our Lorde.Clerus anglie gladium petri habet vt non sit necesse a roma petere, I haue the swerd of Constantyne, and you ye Sword of Peter in your handes, let vs Ioyne handes togethere & Swerdes that the lepers maye b dryuen out of the Tentes that th house of God maye be purged and that the CHILD of leuy [Page lxxxxvi] of Leuy may minister in ye Temple whiche sayed to his father and Mother I knowe you not and to his brother I wott who you be. I praye you take hede dyligentli lest we repent vs of that we haue don and that we haue geuen yf we se it spente not in the seruice of god but spente in ryot and misliuinge of onthriftes by suferance wtout punishment. Let the reliques of Sayntes moue you whome ye leape before, let ye holy authors moue youe before whome they playe the madde men. ¶ Let the meruelus deuotion of our predecessors mone you, whose almes the vnthristines of the clargye doth misuse, my grette grauntfather as ye knowe dyd geue the tenthe of all his landes to the churche and monisteris Alfredus of holye remembraunce my gret graunfathers father dyd not entende to spare nothere hisThe king ga [...]e the tenthe of his land to the churche, [Page lxxxxvi] treasure nor patrimony no maner charges or rentes for to enryche ye church, it is not vnknowen to you fathers howe moch olde king Edwarde my granfather gaue to the church, and ye ought to remember howe gret giftes my father & his brother gaue to ye churches. O father of fathers dunston beholde I praye you ye eyes of my father shinynge vpon you from heuen here his complayntes with moche pety sowning in your eares O fathere dunston dydist yu geue me councel of building of monasteris of redifieng of churches thou wast a helper & a laborer wt me in euery thīg I chose the as a bisshop & sheperd of my soule and enformer of my maners,Saynt dunstō gaue councell to the king to bilde mani monasteris to whome the kī ge was obedyent in al thīge when dyd not I do after the, what treasure dyd I set more by then thy councell, what possessions dyd not I neclat at thy cōaundement yf thou willest any thinge [Page lxxxxvii] to be geuen to the poore I was redye If ye thought any thing to be geuen to the churche I dyd not de far it. If ye dyd say that religius men or clarkes lacked anye thinge I did socour theyr necessite. Thou diddest saye it was a perpetuall almes and that there was no more profytable than that geuen to monasteris & churches for with that the clargye is sustayned and the residew geuē to ye power. O good lye almes. O worthye prece of our soul. O holsome remedi for our sinnes which from the bosome of Sibilla stinkes in the skyn of astrāge mouse, that trymmes her eares yt becomes her fingers, that bindeth her delicate body in sylke and purple. O father is the profette of my almes is this the fecte of my desire and of your promise, what answer wyl ye make to the complaynte of my father. I knowe this well, yf [Page lxxxxvii] thou sawest a thef run thou didest not run with hym, nor thou dydest not take thy parte with adulters / thou hast rebuked, thou hast desired for goddes sake, thou hast blamed, thy wordes be not regarded. We must come to punishement, ye haue here with you ye reuerent father Edward bysshop of winchester.The correctiō of the clargye commytted to the bishops to put out ye vicē ous & to put in them that be good, Ye haue ye honerable bishop of Worceter. Oswalde. I commytte this busines to you, that by the authoryte of the bisshops and power of the kinge the that liue viciousli be put oute of the church, and they yt lyue wel be put in ther sted. Besides that also the temporall lordes and the perliament of England (when the bysshoppe of Rome was aboute to take vpon hym that he wolde knowe of the tytle for ye kīgdome of Scotlād which ye king of Englād did chalēge)The le [...]er [...] wrytton from the perliamē [...] of England to the bysshop of rome, wrote letters to ye bysshop of rome on this wise yt foloweth The holimother church [Page lxxxxviii] of Rome by whose mynistery the Christon world is gouerned in his actes. As we fyrmelye beleue and holde, doth alwaye procede with mature deliberacyon, soo that it wylles too be preiudycyall to no man. But lyke a louynge mother wolde that all ryght and Iustyce of euery man, aswell in other men, as in herself shulde be conseruyd incorrupte and withoute breeche In a parlyament lately sygned at Lyncolne by oure mooste gracyous and noble lorde Edward by the grace of god Kynge of Englond. Oure gracyous lorde dyd cause certeyn letters Apostolycall whych he receuid from you concerning certayn busynes aboute the condicion and stare of the Realme of Scotland, to be deliueryd to vs and ernestly to be expounded and pondred. Which letters hard & diligētli vnderstād, we hard such thinges cōteīed in thē as we merueled [Page lxxxxviii] at & suche thynges as was neuer fo harde of before.Scotland, hath alwais partayned to the kings of England, We knowe holye father & it is manifest in the parties of England / and openlye knowen to many other, that from the fyrst institucion of ye kingdom of England yt as well in the tyme of the brittons as you the time of the Englishmen ye very certen & trewe dominion of Scotland by succession of tyme hath ꝑtained to ye kīgs of England & to ye same realme in temporalites & bi no tytle or right ꝑtayneth to ye church afore named But also ye same Realme of Scotlād of olde time hath bine tributer to ye ancestors & progenitoures of our forsayde lordes yt were kinges of England & to him also. Also ye kynges of Scotland & the realme were neuer vnder aniother then ye kings of England or were wonte to be subiecte to ani other Nor the kinges of Englād vpō ther ryght in ye forsayd realme or any otherReges anglie de statu regu [...] corā nullo li [...] gare cogūtur, [Page lxxxxix] themperaltyes of theres haue answered or weare boūde to answere before any ecclesiastical Iudge or seculer Iudge bi the reason of his fre peminence of his state & regal dignite & custome obserued wtout any contradiccion, wherfore wt diligent councell & mature deliberacion vpon ye contentes in your letters spokē of before this is ye holie comē & one consēt of al & singuler of vs & shalbe for euer wt the grace of god wtout variacion. That our forsaid lord & kīg shal not wt in any Iudiciall corte answere before you,Negani respō dere cord episcopo romano, vpō ye right & tytle of his Realme of Scotland or ani other temporalties of his nor be obediēt to Iudgment in any wise or bring his forsaid ryght in any doute nor shal sende any proctors or messengers to your presens specially because yt the premisses shulde manifestli be to ye disheriting of ye right of ye Crowne of Englād & the kingesThe whole ꝑliament denyeth to answer in anye suche cause before ye bysshop of rome for it shuld be preiudicial to the realme, [Page lxxxxix] dignitie & the manifest subuersion of the state of ye same realme and also preiudicial to the libertis customes and to ye lawes of our fathers, vnto ye obseruacion & defēce of the which we ar bound by our othes geuen which also we wil hold wt al our power & defende with al our strenght by ye helpe of god nor also we wyl not suffer nor we cane not, nor we ought not to suffer our forsayd lorde & king althoughe he were wyllinge to do or any wayes to atemte such premisses not vsed, and we ought not to do preiudicial & neuer harde of before wherfore humbli desyre your holines yt where as our forsayde lorde & king of England hath euer more behaued him self faithfull & catholike amō gest all other chrysten princes of ye world & euer obedient to ye church of rome yt ye wyll louingly suffer him quietli & peaceably to possesse & to remaīe īcorrupt al his riches [Page C] liberties custōes & lawes wtout ani dimuniciō & dysquietnes inwitnes wherof our seales as wel for vs as for ye holecōmunalte of ye forsayd realme we haue set to this present writing geuē at Lincolne the yere of our lord .M.CCCCCx.Epistola. Cassiodori there is also a Epistle of one Cassidore to the church of England of the abusis of ye bysshops of rome after these wordes To the noble church of England doyng seruice in lime and stonne Peter the sonne of cassiodore a christen knight a deuout chaunpion of chryst wysseth helth and the abaccion of seruitūde and bondage and the receyuinge of ye reward of libertye to whome shall I compare ye or els to whom shall I lyken yt my doughter Hierusalē to whome shal I matche ye virgin doughter of Syon for thy contricion is grette as the se.Iherō, i, Thou arte lefte alone with out solace,Iherō, ii, all day wasted with sorowe, thou arte put [Page C] in his handes whence thou canste not ryse without helpe of a lyfter vp.The bisshops of rome be called scribes & phariseys. For the scribes and pharyseis fytting vpon the seate of Moyses the lordes of rome be enemyes to the & set abrode ther philacteris & go aboute to enriche them selfe wt the mari of the bones, the laye burthens ouer heuye and importable on the neckes of they ministers & further then is comly or conueniēt thei set the vnder tribute which in olde tyme wast fre.The bysshope of rome hath maryd ye churche of the gentyls and so is mad father to the churche of England but he is vnkynde lyke a steppe father Put awaye al maner of maruelinge for they mothere the ladye of the gentilnes after the fasshion of wydowes is spoused to her subiecte and hathe ordeyned him to be thy father that is to saye the grett byshope of the ceti of rome. which yet in nothing showeth the kindnes like a father. vpon the he enlargeth the borders of his garmentes by experince doth showe yt he is the mothers husband he oftymes remembreth the [Page Ci] prophetical words which is surely prīted & roted in his hart rote take yt a gret boke & write in him quickely wt the hāde of mā,Ezay. viii, What text of Scripture is printed in the harte of ye bisshops of rome hast yt to spoyle & sped ye to robbe doth ye Apostle saye that he was ordeyned for that entent where he wryteth euery bisshop assumpte from amonges mē is ordeyned for men in these thinges ye longe to god.Hebreos, v Not to spoyle not to leye on them Annual tapys not for murdering of men but to offer gyftes and sacrifice for sinne which also can haue cōpassiō vpō ye ygnorāt & be oute of ye waie,What is the office of a bisshope. and it is redde of Peter a fyssherman whose successer he saith that he is that after the resurrectiō of chryst he retorned agayne to his excercise of fishing wt other apostles which when he coude take nothing one ye lefte side of his bote at ye biddinge of chryste he turned to ye ryght side of the botte and drawinge his net to ye ground ful of gret fyshes therforeIohn, xxv, The ministers of the churche is profitable if it be excercised on the ryght side. [Page Ci] the ministery of the church is profitably to be excercised in the right side bi which the deuil is ouer come and manye soules are taken to chryst, surely the labour on the lyfte syde is not so. for on that side fayth Wauers / Sadnes raynethe whan yt is sought for is not found Whe can thinke that he can serue god and Mamon at ons at one tyme and folowe his owne pleasure And folowe the desires of ye fleshe and blod / and offer to chryste condigne or worthy rewardes. And wt out doubte ye sheperd, that wyl nat watche a vpon the edifinge of his flocke doth prepare another waye the ramping lion sekinge whome he may deuoure.The bishop of rome is called ye father of ye church of england but he is not in dede Se doughter ye actes / & doinge of him yt is named thy father, suche as thou hast not harde before which putteth awaye good sheperdes from ye shepe cots [Page Cii] & putteth in the stede of them to be rulers of them & not for to good or profet to them his owne nepheues his kinsmen and his parentes and some that haue no lerninge,Bysshopes of rome vse to exalte there kinsmen with the good of ye churche althoughe they be vnlarned, & som that be as domme and deaffe that can not vnderstande the tonge of his flocke and such as care not for the bytyng of wolues, but lyke hyred seruauntes beringe awaye the fleses, and that reape yt other men haue sowen whose handes be euer in takynge the coffynne and there backes turned a way from ani burden of whiche it is manifest that ye preesthod is prouerted nowe a dayes The seruice of god is withdrawen and the almes geuen is misused by which thinges the holy deuocion of kinges,Psalmo, viii, prynces, and of al christen men, is decayed Ought not euery mā to meruel that where as Chryste commaunded tribute to be payde to kinges for him self & for peter he doth labour to make [Page Cii] subiecte to his power Realmes & kinges & rulers of Realmes contray to the mind of hym whose vicar he saythe that he is which dyd refuse and put fro hym realmes & the Iudgementes of the worlde,The bysshops of rome chalē ge as moch to theyr owne as the list to write to be there owne, & the bi ye dominion of his stile or pē for the calengeth al yt he wyl write to be his, what dothe he more doughter to ye.The bisshops of rome were not contente with the tenth but the wolde haue also the fyrst frutes ¶ Lo he taketh away fromme the what he lyste and yet he holdeth not himself contēt yf he take frome thee the tenth parte of the goodes onles he also haue the fyrst frutes of the promocions of ministers as thoo there were newe patrimonye geuen to the same for him and his bloode,Bysshopes of rome made lately execrable ordinaunces, for stepend of Messengers & Postes, the wyllis of the founders beinge litle regarded, and nowe lately he hath made cursed and exerrable ordināces for stipend of messengers and postes whome he sendeth to Englād which cari away not ye liuing of ye and thyne & there consecracions but ye [Page Ciii] teare there fleshe & felles lyke dogges. Is not he to be likened to Nabugodōosor ye king which distroweth the temple of god and robeth them of all there syluer and golde vessels, that he dyd doth now this felow,iiii, regum, xxxiiii, he robbeth ye ministers of ye house of god & lafte ye house with out necessaryes.The bysshope of rome maye be likend to kī ge Nabugodonose [...] The same dothe this tirāt, yet in better case be they yt dye with swerde, than ye that dye for honger, for the dye shortly. and those be consumed by ye batannes of the grounde let al those that go by the way haue compassion one ye doughter for there is no sorowe lyke to them, for nowe by excedinge Sorowe and continual effusiō of teares thi face is blacker than ani coles. And therfore because ye are no more knowen in ye stretes, Thy forsayd superiour hath sett the in darkenes, and hat fedde the with Wormewode and gal.
¶ Here good lord the affliction & syghinges of the people Se good lorde and come downe for ye harte of that forsayd man,The bysshope of rome hathe set the church in darkenes & fedde it wyth gall. is moch more indurate & hardened than the harte of Pharo. For he wyl not let thy people go awaye fte,The bysshope of rome punisheth mē after the be bed & is a newe enemy to england but with the power and strenght of thy hande. For he doth not punishe them miserably vpon Erth. but also after there death, for he stendeth to haue al the goodes of them that dye vntestate. Therfore let ye commens of England consider howe in tymes past Frenchement casting there couetous eyes vpon the Realme of England whent aboute to Subdue it to there power but that that ye coulde not bring to passe, it is to be feared lest the forcast & subtilty of that forsaide man our newe enemye fulfyl. For when the treasure of the realme is wasted and spente and the churche dystrowede the [Page Ciiii] realme most be moche impotent & weaker agaynst our enemyes, therfore doughter lest thou & thy ministers be broght to longer misery it is expedient that for thy safegard and helth of thine, also thi most noble cristoned kinge and the nobles of the Realme whiche haue endewed the with gret benefites which in this case shuld defende you and there benefites,It is expediēt for the king & the nobles of the realme to defēd ye churh from the tyrany of the bysshope of rome shulde resist ye polices, consperesis, arrogancye, presumpcion & pryde of that forsayd person, which hauinge no respecte of god ernestly laboreth wt a newe maner of dominiō to scrape away al the treasure of England for to enriche his parentes & like an Egle to set vp on heyghte his neste or stocke by suche tapis and burdens layd vpon the by the same person leest that the simplicite of the realme dissimmuling in this matters shuld cause subuersion therof and [Page Ciiii] lest it be to late or ye prouide for remedy.
¶ Lorde of all power put awaye the couering from the hart of that man,Here he prayeth god to brīg the bysshop of Rome oute of Ignoraunce & to make hym to be louli & to knowe his offyce. and geue him a lowli and a contryte hart and make him know the steppis of god, by which he maye be rydde frome his ygnorāce and compelled to geue, vp all suche sinistre and noughty labors and ententes aforesayd / and that the Vineiarde which was planted by the right hande of god may alwayes busely be replete and excercised wt faythful people let ye wordes of our lorde and ye prophecies of Hiereme hartē vs to put away & withstande the ententes of this man, which words be these.Hierē. xxiii. The sheperde that hath dyspersed the people of god shal be greuesly punished, Thou sheperde yt hast dyspersed my people and dryuen him oute of his habitacions Lo I punishe vpon the malice of thy studyes & entēs, and there shalbe none of thy stock that shal syt vpon the seate of Dauid, [Page Cv] nor that shal haue any longer powere or authorytie in Iuda. The nest shall be deserte and forsaken and clene subuerted & dystrowed lyke Sodome and gomor. And yf by these wordes he be not feared and scase from his purposes, and make no restitucion of yt he hathe extorte and receyued.Psalm, C, viii Let them singe for him yt is indurate the .Cviii Psalme to god to whō all this is open eueri day with a lowde voice and good deuocion in chryst, deus laudem. &c. And verely as fauour Ientylnes, beneuolence, doth many thynges remytte,Gentylnes ouermoche oppressed & greuid seketh for the trewth desiringe to be reed from bō dage and put of the yocke & come to liberti & lytle regard so gentilnes ouer moche oppressed and greuyd whyle it desireth to be redde & seketh easement laboreth to com to the veri cognicion of the treuth and where as it is greued it putteth of the yoke & payne all maner waies yt it can. And so these of whome we haue spoken before. [Page Cv] Where as the medled but wt fewe thinges, yet euery on perceauinge them selues som ways and in som parte greued as the tyme required & conueniēt oportunite was geuē verye sorye to se suche importable burdens layde vpon them by the churche of rome,Mani resisted the bysshopes of rome and were aboute to resist. But ye treuth was so shadowed and kepte vnder wt the darkenes of Ignorance and bi errour of the people, that of treuth some shranke and gaue ouer, that is to say they gaue ouer that the began wel. And submytted them selfes to ye bysshops of Rome being of more power, not enduced or brought therto by vertue of the treuth but bi power of man. And so put ye heddes agayne in the yocke of that in tollerable seruitude & so ye treuth was opprest as the tyme required & where it was hyde of longe continuance it cometh to light agayn. [Page Cvi] Which treuth hath not his vertue & stablishement bicause mē wrote so but they wrote so bicause it is treuth and bicause tyme was corrupt and people coulde not abyde the austeryte of the treuthe, it was thought more agreable to reason to defend & saue wordly thīges lettyng the treuth for a whyle vnder silence thā to take vpon them the defence therof & put them selfes in Ieoperdye & danger of bodye and goodes in whiche doinge they dyd shewe them selfes men as they were in dede, whiche do not all tymes folowe & prosecute that is well be gone, nor wolde not for the setting furthe of the treuth put themselfe in danger of lif, goodes, honour & other humayne thinges In which cause this worlde is veri fortunat & happy where as men leaue ye old doting & haue there eares opened to here ye trewth & be diligent to reseue ye persuasiō of ye same syth itThe tyme is happye when mē may saie ye treweth with out any dāger [Page Cvi] is lawful for thē to shew the treuth without any Iuperdi or offension Nowe sythe yt is so that the trewe limites of both the powers be with so playne & manifest reasons showed and proued onles men lyst to wynke from the lyght at none dayes.Exortation to the readerg to layne to ye trewth. Good and welbelouid reders awake let doublenes and Ignorance geue place to the trewthe let the lyght of trewth expel & put awaye darkenes yt ye be not ladde aboute willingly wt diuerse and straunge doctrynes. But after the councell of Peter nowe ye be warned. Kepe your selues yt ye be not plucked awaye & seduced by the arror of the wycked and fal awaye from your owne stedfastnes. ¶ But growe in grace & in the knowlege of our lorde and sauiour Iesus Chryste to whome be glory both nowe and euer. Amen.