Of the Pope, and of his vsur­ped power and fayned authoritie.

POpe Boniface the third thorowe great and earnest sute (although many good and Godly learned men re­sisted hym in thys behalfe,The begin­ning of the Popes pri­macie. vtterly condemning this his ambition and Luciferlike pride in exalting and lifting vp himselfe aboue his fellowe Byshops, and chalenging vnto hym y^t Supremacie and authoritie, which the holy Scripture in no place geueth him neither had any of his predecessours y^e Byshops of Rome tofore enioyed the same nor once desyred it, but rather both written and spoken against such vsurped power, as we may see in the writings of Pope Gregorye the fyrste against Iohn Patriarch of Constanti­nople,Epist. lib. 4. Epist. 32.33.34. capi. 76.77.78. whiche attempted the lyke wic­ked enterprise, but was resisted) to Phocas the Emperour, at the last obtayned of hym, that he and his successours for euer after should be taken for y^e chiefe [Page] byshop and supreme head of the vni­uersall Church of Christ throughoute the worlde:Pope, [...] head of the Em­perors ma­king. and y^t the Church of Rome from that daye foreward should be cal­led, and so admitted and receaued the chiefe and principall head Church of y^e whole world: Againe, that the Church of Rome should be in subiectiō to none other Church, but that al Churches v­niuersall shuld be obedient and in sub­iection vnto it. For vntil that time the Church of Constantinople was coun­ted the highest and of greatest autho­ritie bicause of the imperial see in that city. This thing was brought to passe about the yeare of our Lord .vi.C.vii. Flatina. Christianus Massaeus. Henricus Pantaleon. Paulus Dia [...]onus. Anselmus Rid. Polichronicon. Albertus Krantz. Ab­bas vrspergēsis. Hermannus Contractus. &c

Phocas the Emperor.This Phocas (as histories make mē ­tion) was a great and cruell tyraunt, & by force & violence obtayned the Em­pyre. And that he myght the more qui­etlye enioye it, he wrought not onely treason against his Lord and Maister, that was Emperour before him called Mauritius a mā both noble & vertuous, [Page 2] but he also most shamefully and tray­torously slewe hym,The tirāny of Phocas. not onely him, but al his children also, y^t none of his flocke might lyue to make any clayme to the Emperiall Crowne after him. A Ty­raunt mete to set vp the tiranny of the Byshop of Rome contrary to y^e worde of God and the determination of the auncient Cannons.

But thys trayterous murtherer re­ceaued a iuste reward of thys his tiran­nye. For as he vniustlye slewe: so was he most iustly slayne. As he deposed his Lord and Master: so was he deposed & put down. As he against al right toke away the Empire frō his Lord: so was it againe taken a way from him. As he suffered none of his masters children to liue: so dyed he without childrē, one doughter only excepted. Loke with what measure he mette vnto his lorde and master: with the same was he paid home again, sauing that his death was more vilanous and shameful, than the death of his master.The death of Phocas For thys tyraunte after he had reygned certayne yeares, had fyrst of all his handes and his feete cut of, afterward bicause he had bene a [Page] famous and notable adulterer, his pri­uy membres with his heade were cut of also. As for the residue of his bodye was burnt to ashes, An ende worthye such a tirant: Zonaras, Paulus Vuarnefridus, Ioannes Monachus, Paulus Diaconus, Ioannes Cuspinianus, Sebastianus Frank.

Pope Chri­stes vicare and Peters successour.Pope Benet the seconde obtayned of the Emperour Constantine, that the Bishop of Rome for euer after should be taken of all men for Christes true vicar in earth, and saint Peters lawful successor. This Pope also broughte it to passe, that the bishop of Rome only should be called Pope, that is to say, the father of fathers. For before that time all Bishoppes generallye were called Popes,The bishop of Rome only Pope. it maye be gathered of diuerse writers. In the yere of oure Lorde si [...]e hundred .lxvii. Anselmus Ryd. Achilles Perminius, Sebastianus Franck. &c.

The church of Rome heade of all churches.Pope Vigilius (as they fayne) made a decree with the consente of his adhe­rents that the Sea of Rome shoulde be taken for the head and maistresse of al churches thorowout the worlde. In the yere, &c. v. C. xxxv. according to the doctrine of these two verses.

That same decree also made Pope Simplicius (as they write)A famous & notable lye. in the yere of our Lorde: 471. Moreouer the papistes go forth and say, that when Pope Sil­uester was Bishop of Rome, Constan­tine the Emperour did exalte and ad­uance the Sea of Rome, that he gaue vnto it not only an ecclesiasticall, but also an Imperiall, power, appoyn­ting the church of Rome to be the chief church through out y^e world, & to haue autority, rule, & preeminence no lesse ouer those foure principall Churches, Antioch, Alexandria. Cōstantinople, and Hierusalē, The Pope is become a playne Lu­cifer. than ouer al other churches cōtayned vnder the heauens: Agayn, y^t the bishop of Rome should be higher & of greter autority, than al the bishops and priests of the whole worlde, and y^t whatsoeuer should be determined concerning matters of religion, shuld de­pend only vpon the popes iugement, eyther to be receiued, or to be reiected, He appointed also (as the papistes go forth to lye) that the pope should haue fre liberty to weare the apparel either [Page] of an emperoure or of a byshop at his pleasure, and that he shoulde haue all manner of officers to attend vpon, as the Emperours maiesty hath. Moreo­uer the aforesaid Emperor Constantine gaue to Pope Siluester and to his such cessors the city of Rome and al Italye,S. Peters patrimony. withe the prouinces, places and cities of all the weast parts, to be S. Peters patrimony for euer: & addeth further­more these words.O terrificū fulmen. If any mā do infringe break, transgresse, contemne and condemne this our ordinance, euerlasting damnation hang ouer his head: and the holy and chiefe apostles, of God Peter and Paule be his enemies, and immortal foes both in this world and in the world to come: yea perish mought he in the lowest part of hell and so be dam­ned for euer and euer withe the deuill and all the wicked.

The Pa­pistes are impudent liars.Furthermore this Emperoure (as the Romanists fayne) when he hadde made this donation to the Churche of Rome plucked of the imperial crown made of moste fine golde garnished w^t all kind of precious stones pearles and iewels from his own heade, and set it vpon pope Siluesters pate for the re­uerence [Page 4] y^t he bare to s. Peter & caused y^e Romish bishop to be set vpon a costlye & richely appareled palfrey,☜ & to be so­lemnely caried aboute thorow the citie of Rome in the presence of al y^e citizēs, y^e Emperour himself running on foote like a lacky by the Popes side, holding his horses bridle in his hāde, as a most vile page. These thinges done, y^e Em­perour Constantine departed from the West parts of the world which he had now giuē ouer to Pope Siluester and to his successors for euer to be s. Peters patrimony, with all the priuileges, e­moluments, commodities & profites of the same, and wēt himselfe into y^e East partes, euen vnto the citie Bizantium, which being in great ruine he repared and amplified, beautifying it with ma­ny noble and sumptuous buildings, & called it Constantinople according to his name. He caried also with him almost al the noble men of the Romanes, and the whole order of y^e Senatours with their wiues & children, bicause the pope and his complices (as it maye appere) shuld haue elboughroume inough, & as few to trouble his holines, as might be [Page] In the yere. &c. 315. Bartolomaeus Piceri­us de monte arduo, Ioānes Laziardus, Edic. Constant Policronicon, &c.

But how vayne, false, forged, lying and counterfayte this bragging of the papistes is, concerning the donation of the emperoure Constantine to the Sea of Rome, and the supremacye of that Romishe bishop aboue all other bishops, yea, aboue Emperors, Kings, Princes, &c. diuers faythful learned & expert writers do aboundantly testify Nicolaus de causa. Note wel y^e propertie of the papists. Laurentius Valla, An­toninus Archiep. Florent. Volateranus Hieronimus, Paulus Cathalanus, Albertus Crantzius, Huldrichus Huttenus, &c. But this is the properti of the papists alwaies to father theyr lies, theyr idle inuentions theyre drowsye dreames, theyr croked constitutions, theyr diue­lish decrees. &c. Upon such as liued manye yeares before, and vpon suche as were mē (in theyr dayes) of great lear­ning and vertue, that by this meanes theyr trifeling traditions might seme to be of the greter autority in the eies of the simple and vnlearned people & so althoughe plaine erroures, yet at y^e [Page 5] last thorow the colour of antiquity be receiued for moste manifest verities & vndoubted truthes.Richesse poysoned y^e church of Rome. Notwithstāding this must we nedes cōfesse (which thīg the histories doe also testify) that after y^e church of Rome was endowed with temporal possessiōs, it was euer after more studiouse of y^e world thā of god, of secular businesse thā of spiritual ex­cercises, of outward pomp & pride▪ thā of inward deuotiō & christen holines, of making their owne traditions and degrees than of setting forth gods ho­ly commaundements & lawes, of en­riching themselues than of edifyinge the flock of Christ: so that not with­out a cause it is written, y^t what time the Church receaued temporal posses­sions, y^e olde enemy cried with a loude voice in y^e ayer: This daye is poison shed forth into the Church of Christ. ☜ Therfore saint Ierome in vitas patrum saith: Si­thens that holye Church encreased in possessiōs, it hath decreased in vertues according to this cōmon saying: Reli­gio peperit diuitias: Filia deuorauit matrē: y^t is to say, Religion brought forth ri­chesse, & the daughter hath deuoured [Page] the Mother. Polichron.

Moreouer the Papistes fayne, that the aforesaid Siluester being Byshop of Rome, the councell of Nice gaue thys priuilege to the Byshop of Rome, that he should be aboue all other Byshops, as y^e emperour is aboue al other kings: and that he should be called Pope,An other lie of the Pa­pistes con­cerning the counc [...]l of Nice. that is to say, the chiefe father, or the father of fathers. But this is so false, that no­thing can be more contrary to y^e truth. For in the councel of Nice, which was celebrate by the commaundemente of Constantine the Emperour in y^e yeare of oure Lorde .iii.C.xxiiii. where also wer present and gathered together .iii.C. & xviii. Bishops and holy fathers, it was determined, that the Byshops of Alexandria, & Antiochia, and vniuer­sally all other primates should haue al the gouernance & preheminence of al y^e countryes that were nere vnto them,Note. as y^e byshop of Rome had in Italy, &c.

We will, say they, y^t the old custome and manner shal continue in Egipte, Libie, and Pentapali, which is, that y^e Bishop of Alexandria shal haue gouer­naunce and rule ouer all these: for tha [...] [Page 6] there is a lyke custome for y^e Byshop of Rome. In like manner we wil, that at Antioche, & other prouinces, euery one shal haue their due honour.

Moreouer when Faustinus Legate to the byshop of Rome alleaged in y^e sixte councell Cartaginense, In the coū ­cell of Car­thage no Scripture coulde bee founde to proue the Popes pri­macie. The false­hoode of the Papistes. that the bishop of Rome ought to haue the ordering of al great matters in al places by his su­preme authoritie, he alleaged no scrip­ture for him (for at that tyme no scrip­ture was thought to make for it) but he alleaged vntruely the fyrst general councell Nicene, in whiche Arrius the heretyke was condemned, to make for that purpose. Which after y^e boke was brought forth, & no suche article found in it, but the contrary: (yet the councel at that tyme sent to Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioche, where y^e Pa­triarchall Sees were, to haue the true copy of y^e Councell Nicene, which was sent vnto them, & also frō Rome, whe­ther thei sent also for that purpose. And after they found no suche article in it, but in the fyrst chapter therof, the con­trary, that al causes ecclesiastical shuld eyther be determined within y^e diocesse [Page] or els if any wer greued, thē to appeale to the Councell prouinciall, and there the matter to take full end, so that for no such causes, men shoulde goe out of there prouince,) y^e whole councell Car­taginense wrote to Celestine at y^e tyme being Byshop of Rome, that since the councell Nicene had no such article in it, as was vntruely alleaged by Fausti­nus, but the contrary: they desired hym to abstayne after to make any more such demaunde, denouncing vnto him, that they woulde not suffer any cause great or smal to be brought by appeale out of their countrey & therupon made a lawe, that no man shuld appeale out of the countrey of Aphricke, vpō paine to be denounced accursed. Wherewith the Byshop of Rome euer after helde him content & made no more businesse with them, seing he had nought to say to the contrarye. In the syxte article of the said coūcel it was also determined, that in the Orient or Easte partes the Byshop of Antioche should be chiefe: in Egipt the Bishop of Alexandria, a­bout Rome, the Bishop of Rome, and likewyse in other countreyes the Me­tropolitanes [Page 7] shoulde haue theire pre­eminence: so that the byshop of Rome neuer had medling in those countries. And in the nexte article following, the byshop of Hierusalem, which citie be­fore had bene destroyed, and almost de­solate, is restored to his olde preroga­tiue, to be chiefe in Palestine and in y^e countrey of Iewrye: which Church of Hierusalem, if places should be regar­ded, shuld be the chiefe. For there was accomplished y^e mystery of our redemp­tion, and Christ himselfe the eternall worde & Sonne of God there preached in his own person, and after his ascen­cion, all the Apostles and Disciples, &c.

Furthermore in y^e councel Constan­tinople it was ordayned, that byshops should not be troubled out from theyr diocesse, nor one shuld meddle with an others iurisdiction, but the bishops of Alexandria shuld haue the gouernance of the orientall parties, the honoure of primacie reserued to the church of An­tioche, as it was ordayned in the Ni­cene councell. And euen so, that the by­shops of Asia shoulde ouersee Asia, and order all thinges pertayning to Asia. [Page] Likewise, that y^e bishop of Pont shuld gouerne the diocesse of Pont. And the byshops of Thracia, their diocesse: so y^t thys councell also denyeth Prelacie or Supremacie to Rome, & to the bishop thereof, reseruyng euery diocesse to his own bishop. Likewise in the Councell Mileuitane it was prouided, that all causes concerning one prouince shulde be determined in the same.

The Godly auncient councells attribute no more au­thoritie to the bishop of Rome, than to any other By­shop.Of these councells aforesayd it ma­nifestlye appeareth, that the byshop of Rome hath no such preheminence, au­thority, supremacie & iurisdiction ouer al other bishops and ouer their prouin­ces and diocesse, as he vniustly chalen­geth, and wickedly vsurpeth, but that his power is only in Italy: al other bi­shops being in al other pointes of like authoritie with him, euery one hauing the same authoritie and power in hys owne diocesse that the Byshoppe of Rome hath in Italye. Sainte Ciprian calleth the Byshop of Rome in his E­pystles, whiche he wrote vnto hym, Brother, to declare that they were of lyke authoritie, and Fellow ministers in the laboure of the Gospell.

[Page 8]He maintaineth also with S. Austen, that there is none, which is Bishop of other bishops:Tra [...] de simplicitate Prelat. Epi. lib. 4. cap. 76.78▪ and that it is a great ty­ranny to desire to be Lorde ouer other bishops. S. Gregory writeth expressely, that he, which would be bishop of al o­ther bishops, shal not haue the place of Christ in earth, but of Lucifer, & shalbe very Antichrist himself.What wil the papists saye here to S. Grego­rye. He saith more­ouer, that to bee called the vniuersall bishop, or head of all other bishops is contrary to the ordinaunce of y^e gospel, contrary to the decrees of the Canons: yea, saith hee, it is a newe name, and a name of blasphemie, whereby y^e honour of all priests is greatly diminished and abased:Note well. He addeth moreouer, that the name of the vniuersall bishop for y^e go­uernour of blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles, was offred to the bishop of Rome at the counsel Chalcedonense & yet notw^tstāding none of all his prede­cessors woulde euer take vnto thē that name of singularitie, neither wold thei cōsent to vse it, lest while such priuate prerogatiue should be giuē to one mā, all other priests should be defrauded of their due honor. &c. Greg. li. 4. epi. 76.78.

[Page]And the aforesaid S. Gregorye wil­ling to shew how greatly he abhorred the name of the vniuersall Byshop or Supreme head of the whole Church of Christ dispersed throughout y^e world, in all his letters & Epistles called him­self the seruaunt of Gods seruauntes: which stile and māner of writing, his successours do also at thys present vse, but most falsely and vniustly being in dede in pride Lucifer, in ambitiō Alex­ander, in tyranny Nero, and in al kind of wickednesse Antiochus.

The pri­macye of the Bishop of Rome, is but a newe inuē ­tion.Of these things aforesaid, it is plain and euident y^t thys supremacye & vni­uersall power, whiche the Byshop of Rome chalengeth ouer all other By­shops, is both forged & fained, and hath no ground in the worde of God, nor in the auncient councels, but with much labour & corruption was at the last ob­tayned of that tyraunt Phocas y^e Em­perour through the suttletie of Pope Boniface the thyrd, as we haue to fore heard, not only to the great dishonour of Christ the alone head of his church, but also to the vnworthy abasemente of the Ecclesiasticall ministerye, as I [Page 9] may speake nothing of the losse of ma­ny thousand soules, whiche being per­swaded that the Popes authoritie is no lesse, than he and hys trumpetters blow and boste, haue put the affiaunce of theyr saluation in his pardons and ceremonyes.

But let vs beholde moe of theyr de­crees, whereby they haue stablyshed their tirannical power.

Pope Innocent the fyrst made a law,The see of Rome iudge of all but may be iudged of none. that the Sea of Rome shuld be of grea­ter authoritie, than y^e Sea of any other byshop throughout the world, and that it shuld be lawfull for the sea of Rome to iudge of al other Seas, but that one and alone Sea of Rome to be subiecte to the iudgement of none other. In the yeare of our Lord. 408. Caus. 9. Quaest. 3. Nemo iudicabit. Pantaleon.

Pope Iulius the fyrst in like manner made a decree,Appellati­ons to Rome. y^t if any man did suspecte his iudge, he should appeale vnto y^e sea of Rome, as a place to iudge al mē, but to be iudged of none. In y^e yere, &c. 338. Chron. Ioan. Tit. 2.9.6. cap. placuit.

Pope Stephan the fyrst decreed,The popes statutes ar of necessitie to be obser­ued. that whatsoeuer statutes y^e church of Rome [Page] maketh, they ought of al men necessa­rily to be obserued. In the yere, &c. 361. Gratianus. Dist. 19. Enimuero.

The Po­pes lawes equal with the word of God.Pope Nicolas the fyrst decreed, that the Popes lawes and letters shuld bee of equall authoritie w^t the holy Scrip­tures. In the yere of our Lord. 871. An­selmus Rid▪ That same decree is also at­tributed, but falsely, to Pope Anacle­tus, which liued, &c. 101. Chron. germ.

No man may dissent from the church of Rome.Pope Calicte the seconde made a de­cree, that it is not lawfull for any man to dissent frō the church of Rome. For, sayth he, as the Sonne came to do y^e will of the father: so must Christen men do the will of their mother,A substantiall rea [...]on and a wise. whiche is the church of Rome. In the yeare, &c. 1120. Dist. 12. Non decet.

Generall councels o­bedient to the Pope.Pope Marcellus ordayned that from that time forward a generall councell shuld be of no authoritie, except the bi­shop of Rome do affyrme and allowe the same. In the yere of our Lord. 304. Lib▪ Concil. Polyd. Vergil. Dist. 17 Synodū. This decree also is ascribed to pope Iu­lius the fyrst. Ioan▪ Laziardus.

No man may loue whome the Pope ha­teth.Pope Clement ordained, that no man should be frendly vnto such as the pope [Page 10] fauoureth not, but that he shuld rather eschew them as enemies, & turne away from them as heathen persons. For se­ing (sayeth he) that the dead, (that is to say, y^e pope) abhorreth thē,Note this reason. much more y^e fete that is, all Princes, Kyngs, Ru­lers, & all other kinde of people ought so to do, and vtterly deteste them. Ioan. Laziardus. All tempo­rall rulers, subiect to the Pope.

Pope Clement the fyrst made a con­stitution, that all Emperours, kings & princes shuld be subiecte to the church of Rome both in spirituall and tempo­rall matters, & acknowledge the pope to be their head. Chron. Ioan. Laziardus. Celestinus. Appellatiō to Rome.

Pope Sixtus made a decree, that if a­ny man wer euill entreated of his Me­tropolitane, it shuld be lawfull for him to appeale vnto the Sea of Rome, mo­ther and head of the vniuersall churche of Christ throughout al y^e worlde. 2. Q 6. Cap. Si quis putauerit.

Pope Fabian the fyrst ordained, that euery mā might lawfully appeale vn­to the sea of Rome, although sentence wer pronoūced against him. In y^e yere▪ &c. 242.2. Qu 6. ca. Licet. Iac. Phili. Bergō.

[Page]Pope Leo the thyrde made a decree, that the decrees of the bishop of Rome should be more regarded & set by,All mens iudgemēts muste geue place to the decrees of the Pope. than al the iudgementes, writings & bo [...]es of the best learned. In the yere, &c. 817. Iacob. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Eugenius the fourth gathered a councel at Florence, in the which wer present many great learned men both Grekes and Latines.Note well▪ In thys councell it was required of the Grekes and of the Indians, that they shuld celebrate the Lordes Supper with vnleuended bread according to the decree of Pope Alexander the fyrst: and y^t they shoulde graūt, y^t there is a purgatorie to purge soules after this life: agayne, that they shuld confesse the bishop of Rome to be the true vicare of Christ, & the very suc­cessour of Peter, and the supreme head of Christs church thorowout y^e world. But they woulde not obey the Popes request,Note thys aunswere. but boldly answered, that they would continew in the fayth and doc­trine, whiche their Churches from the beginnyng had receaued of the Apo­stles. In the yeare, &c. 1433. Ioan. Philip. Bergom. Chron.

[Page 11]Pope Boniface the eyght vpon a cer­tayn great and solemne feast,The Luci­fer like prid of Pope Boniface. apparel­led in hys Pontificalibus was caried a­bout the citie of Rome on mens shoul­ders, & gaue the people large blessings with wagging his fyngers ouer them on euery syde. The nexte daye after he put on an imperial robe, decking him­self like an Emperour, and cōmaunded a naked sweard to be borne before him and he himself sitting vpon his moyle gloriously, cryed out with a loud voice saying.Scripture wel applied Ecce duo gladij hic. Behold, here are two sweardes: calling himself Lord of the whole worlde concerning both temporal and spiritual matters. This is that monsture, of whom it is writtē: Intrauit vt Vulpes, vixit vt Leo, moritur vt Canis. That is to saye, he entred in as a fore, he liued as a lyō, he dyed as a dogge. In the yeare of our Lord. 1290. Albertus. Popes fete k [...]ssed and honoured. Crantzius, Fascic. Temp. Pantal.

Pope Leo the fourth so greatly este­med both himselfe and his authoritye, that he offered hys feete vnto princes to be kyssed and honoured. In the yere &c. 858. Volat. Plat. Pantal.

Pope Innocent the thyrd fyrste of allO Lucifer. [Page] crowned Otho the Emperour,The Pope may set vp and p [...]ucke downe princes at hys pleasure. and af­terward depriued him agayne, saying: It lyeth in my power both to set vp & to plucke down emperours, kings and princes at my pleasure. For all power is geuen vnto me both in heauen and in earth. In the yere of our Lord, 1195. Sebast. Frank. Chron. Temton. Fasc. Temp [...]. Paulus. Phrig, &c.

A charita­ble act of so holy a fa­ther.Pope Alexander the thyrde did not only with martiall armours resiste the Godly and noble Emperour Frederike, but at the laste thorow the might of o­ther princes, subduing him, compelled y^• aforesayd Emperour, before he wuld geue hym absolution, & be at one with him, to lye flatte down vpō the ground before hym in the syght of the people: and the pope setting hys foote in the emperors necke, cried out with a loude voyce and sayd: Scriptū est: Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis & conculcabis leo­nem & draconem. That is to saye. It is written. Upon the Adder & the Cock­atrice shalt thou walke and thou shalt treade downe the lion & the dragon. In the yeare, &c. 1161. Nauclerus▪ Sabel. Iaco. Phil. Ioan. Char.

[Page 12]This pope made & compelled Lewes King of Fraunce,Kings lac­kies & sla­ues to the Pope. and Henrye King of Englande to be his lackies & to runne on fote by him, y^e one holding his hor­ses bridle on the right side the other on the left syde, leading him with greate pompe thorow the citie Totiacum vnto Ligris. Chroni. Sigebertus.

Pope Hadriane the fourth was not a little angrye bicause the Emperoure helde with his hand the left stirrope, and not the right, when he came down of hys horse, aboute the yeare, &c. 1158. Albertus. Crantz. Otho. Frisius. Pantaleon.

Pope Calixtus the second,An holy fa­ther & cha­ritable acts whē he re­turned vnto Rome caused pope Benet, whom the Emperor had before set vp, to be apprehended, and to be set vpon an horse, & so ryde before him vilanous­ly al the way, his face being turned vn­to the horses arse, & holding the horse tayle being in his hande in steade of a bridle. Afterwarde he threw him into prison, where he most miserably dyed. About the yere. &c. 1120. Chron. Fasciculus temporum, &c.

Pope Celestine the third crowned the emperour Henry the fyfte,A pointe of knauerye. holding the [Page] crowne betwene his fete. And whē he had put the crown vpō the emperours heade, he smote it of with his fote a­gaine: saying y^t he had power to make Emperours, and to put them down a­gayne. In the yeare. &c. 1195. Crantz.

No othe may be re­quired of the Pope.Pope Cornelius ordayned, y^t no othe shoulde be required of the pope excepte it were for the mayntaynaunce of holy church. In the yeare, &c. 255. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Chron.

The Pope a sower of sedition.Pope Gregorye the seuenth, for dys­pleasure that he bare vnto Henrye the Emperoure, wrote vnto the princes & people, that liued vnder y^e Emperours dominion, that they should by no mea­nes obey the Emperour, but rather re­siste hym and hys authoritie, and take him no more for Emperour but rather for an vsurper of the empyre.The Luci­ferlik pride of the pope. The em­perour perceauing this malicious pur­pose of y^e pope, wrote againe vnto him on this manner: When Christ cōmit­ted the sheepe vnto Peter, he excepted Kings. The pope aunswered the Em­peror in his letters on this wise: Whē Christ gaue y^e keyes vnto Peter he ex­cepted no man: by this meanes chalē ­ging [Page 13] power & authoritie ouer al Em­perours, Kings, Princes, and Rulers, vnto whom notw^tstanding by y^e worde of God both pope & Bishop w^t all the spiritualty (as they terme them) ought to shewe obedience euen from the very heart,Rom. xiii. not only for conscience sake. In the yeare, &c. 1073. Christianus Massaeus. Sabast. Frank. Chron.

Pope Boniface the eight wrote vnto Philip King of Fraunce,Pope Lord of y^e world. that he was Lorde of all thinges aswell temporall as spiritual thorowout y^e whole world and that he therfore ought to haue re­ceaued the kingdome of Fraūce at his hande, which thinge forasmuch as the king had not done, y^e Pope wrote vn­to him, y^t he had iustlye deserued to bee depriued of his kingdome: so y^t after­warde this arrogant Lucifer and mō ­s [...]ure of pride excommunicated Kinge Philip, and gaue away his kingdōe to Albert the Emperor. About the yeare, &c. 757. Pol. Virg. Pant.

Pope Stephan y^e seconde was y^e first Pope that was caried about vpō mēs shoulders:Pope caried on mens shoulders. which thing his successors haue euersince diligētli practised▪ put [Page] in vse. In y^e yere, &c. 757. Pol. Vir. Pan [...].

Pope Cletus firste of all vsed in his letters these wordes: Salutem & Apo­stolicam benedictionē. In the yere, &c. 81. Chron. Ang.

Pope Gregory the first vsed firste of all in his letters and bulles this title▪ Seruus seruorum dei, that is to say, seruāt of the seruants of God, which title his suc­cessors yet keepe: but how truely who seeth not? seing they labour to the vt­termoste of theire power to haue the whole world vnder their girdle, yea & to compell princes kinges and empe­rors, not onely to be their lackies, but also to kisse euen their very feete. Hee vsed this title in all his letters to re­presse the arrogācye and pride of Iohn Patriarche of Constantinople,☞ which contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel and contrary to the decrees of the olde Canons, presumed to vsurpe a newe name to himself, and sought to be cal­led the vniuersall bishop, or head ouer all other bishops. To shew that such a proud & ambitious name ought vtterly to be detested of al spiritual ministers, of whatsoeuer calling or dignitie they [Page 14] be, the aforesaide Gregory in all his let­ters euer after named himself, the ser­uant of the seruauntes of God. In the yere, &c. 590. Ranulphus Cestrens. Chron.

This aforesaid Gregory sent Austen y^e Monke w^t certaine other into Englād to conuert and turne the english natiō vnto the Romish Religiō.Austen the Monk, corruptoure of the Christē fayth in England. Which Au­sten, when thorow his hipocrisy & coū ­terfait holines he had won many vnto his purpose, and had obtained of king Adelbright to be Archbishop of Cāter­bury and primate of al England, wēt into Wales, where hee founde manye godly & lerned byshops and preachers of Goddes worde, which sincerely and purelye taught the doctrine of the ho­ly Scripture, and rightlye admini­stred the blessed sacraments according to Christes institution:Note thys This decre was not e­uil. whom thys a­foresaid Austen the Monk labored also to the vttermost of his power to allure frō the sinceritie & simplicity of christs religion, vnto the Romish and popish superstitiō, bosting himself to be a Le­gate of the most holy father the Pope, sēt frō Rome: again, made & ordayned the chief bishop & primate of al englād, [Page] and therefore he wylled them to obey him and his doctrine, and to receaue y^e most holy father of Rome, and his ca­tholike Religion. But the Godly and learned Fathers boldely aunswered, that they were alredy true Christiās, and according to christs doctrine they gouerned theire Churches: therefore they would neither obey him, nor sub­mit themselues to the aucthoritie of y^t straunge Romishe Bishop, nor yet re­ceiue his supersticious ceremonies, but continue, as heretofore they had done, in the simplicitie of Christes religion. By this meanes this Monke Austen was compelled to depart, his expecta­tion not satisfied. Notwithstanding this monstrous Monk afterward foūd the meanes (such is the charitie of the bloudy papists) greatly to annoy these Godly and lerned fathers, bicause they would not obey his wicked & deuilishe request. For he complained to Kinge Adelbright, Austen a bloudy Monke. that the Britaines called o­therwise Welshmen, woulde neither obey him nor anye man, but onely the Archbishop of Carlion. Which thinge when the King heard, he was greatly [Page 15] moued, and threatned to destroy them al, writing to Elfride king of Northū ­berland that he should come to him w^t al the power that he might make, and that he would meete him at Leiciter & frō thence they would go into Wales and there destroye the Archebishop of Carlion and all those that had refused to obey Austen and his doctrine.

When the Godly fathers hearde of this and that the two kings with their armies approched, to the ende for to destroy them, they sent vnto the kings certaine holy and vertuous mē, which went barefoote & woolwarde with all humilitie & meekenes, desiring thē [...]t [...] cease frō so vngodly an enterprise. But the kings were so sterne & so wicked, y^t they woulde not once speake to those holy mē, but slew them straightwaies euery one. They spared them no more (alas for sorow) than the wolfe doth y^e sheepe, but cruelly and vniustlye mur­thered those saints of God, so that thei were all martired y^t came vnto theim, being in numbre fiue hundred & forty. And from thence those kinges went vnto Gāgor,☜ for to slea all y^e Britanes [Page] that they might fynde. But when the Britanes heard of it, they assembled & prepared thēselues with all their pow­er to fyghte with those kinges for the defence of their countreye, and for the mayntaynaunce of Christen religion, so that in that battell king Adelbright was slaine by y^e iust iudgement of god, and kyng Elfride was sore wounded and compelled moste cowardly to flye, theyr whole armye also being vtterly discomfited & wel nigh al slayne. They that remayned toke them to their fete and fled, so that by this meanes God gaue his seruaunts a glorious victorie ouer the popyshe enemyes. Ex Chron. Angl. Such end, O Lord, geue thou to all thine enemyes, that of malice and without repētaunce persecute thy ser­uauntes for the testimony of thy truth, that the kingdome of Antichrist and y^e pope, vtterly subuerted, thou maiest be knowen to be the alone Lorde and thy worde to be the alone veritie.

Of the Popes election.

This decre agreeth not with the order of the auncient Churche of Christ.POpe Nicolas the fyrst made a decree, that if any mā would thrust himself [Page 16] into the sea of S. Peter, not being cho­sen thereunto by such as ar appoynted for the electiō of the pope, y^e same shuld be iudged not Apostolicus but Apostati­cus. 49. Dist. Cap. Si quis Apostolice sedi. Anno. 871.

Pope Hadriane the first made a law,Here [...]a [...]men are ad­mitted to the election of the pope. No Pope [...] [...] full without the admission of the Emperour. The Em­perour bar­red frō the election or admissiō of the Pope. The clergy and people of Rome chosers of the Pope. that no lay persons should presume to entermedle with the election of y^e pope 63. Dist. Cap▪ Nullus laicorum. An. 796.

Pope Boniface the second, made a de­cree that in the election of the pope, the Clergye should be deuided from the cō ­mon people. In the yeare, &c. 529. Al­bertus. Krempt.

Pope Leo the eyght ordayned, that none should be admitted pope without the consent of the Emperor. In y^e yere, &c. 962.63. Dist▪ Cap. In Synodo. Chron.

Pope Adriane the third, was of such and so lustye courage, that contrary to the order tofore vsed, he made a decree, that from henceforth the Emperours should neuer meddle with the election of y^e pope as tofore thei had done, nor y^t their authoritye or consent shoulde be thought necessary in this behalfe, but y^t the clergie & y^e people of Rome alone [Page] might frankly & freely choose the most holy Father. In the yere of our Lord. 885. Grat. d [...]st. 62.

Pope Martine the third made y^e like decree, that the Clergy and the people of Rome onely shuld choose the bishop of Rome, not regarding the consent of the Emperour. In the yeare, &c. 944. Christ. Massae.

Cardinals appointed for the elec­tion of the Pope.Pope Gregory the tenth ordained, y^t when the Pope is dead, the Cardinals with all expedition should assēble thē ­selues togither for the electiō of a new Pope, and that they should be shut vp together in a closet, nether eating, nor drinking, nor yet departing frō thēce, till they had chosen the most holy Fa­ther, Christes vicar & Peters successor. In the yere, &c. 1272. Christ. Mass.

A substātial reason: as though Christ li­ued not which is y^t alone and true head of the church.Pope Boniface the second ordained, that the Pope being deade, an other Pope shoulde be chosen within three daies, least the faith of holy Church for lack of an head, should decay and waxe faint. In the yeare, &c. 529. Dist. 69. cap. Nullus. Ioan. Laziard.

The Pope m [...]ste be anWhen Pope Alexander the seconde was chosen Bishop of Rome, certaine [Page 17] other willing to place a straunger in y^e See: all the Cardinals cryed out with a loude voyce and said: No man ought to be chosen pope,Italian borne except he be borne in the paradise of Italye. In the yeare, &c. 1063. Ranulphus. Cest.

Pope Sergius the second being before called Os porci, Popes chaunge their nam [...] & the rea­sons why. that is to saye, Swines snoute, or Hogges mouth, after that he was chosē Byshop of Rome, chaunged his name, and called himselfe Sergius. Since that time al Popes haue vsed to chaunge their names, yea and that, as they reporte, for three causes. One is, bicause that Christ, when he did chose his Apostles, chaunged theyr names. The second is, y^t as they chaunge their names, so shuld thei chaunge their mā ­ners. The thyrde is, that he whiche is chosen to an excellent estate, shuld not be obscured and disgraced with a vyle and foule name. In the yeare, &c. 848. Chron. Polichron. &c.

Of the alteration of y^e popes names Polidorus Vergilius writeth on this mā ­ner: The bishop of Rome hath one special prerogatiue and priuiledge, which is, that when he is once created bishop, [Page] he maye alter & chaunge his name at his pleasure, if the name, which he hath already, do displease hym. As for an ex­ample: If perchaunce he hath bene be­fore a Malefactor, Note. he may call his name Bonifacius, that is to say, a wel doer. If he haue bene a coward or feareful per­son, he may call himself Leo, y^t is, a Ly­on. In steade of this name, Rusticall: he may take vnto him the name Vrbanus, y^t is to say, Ciuile, gentle or wel man­nered. For leude or wicked, he may cal himself innocent. If he haue bene a dif­famed person, he maye take vnto hym thys name Benedictus, that is to saye, A man of good name and fame, that the byshop at the least in name may be an ornament & beautie to the dignitie of papacie. Sergius the second is reported to haue ben the author of this matter, to whom it was graunted, forasmuch as he was called, Os porci, that is to say Swines snoute, or Hogges mouthe, to take vnto hym another name, for to auoyde and eschewe hys other vyle and fylthye name, &c. Lib. 4. Cap. 10. de inuentor. rerum.

No Pope may chose hys succes­sor.Pope Hilarius the fyrst made a decre [Page 18] that no pope should chose or appoynt his successor, but leaue it to the free e­lection of the clergye of Rome. In the yeare, &c. 465. Quaest. 8. Cap. 1. Plerique. Ioan. Laziardus.

Pope Iohn the seuenth being an wo­man fayned her selfe to be a man,A woman Pope. and for the excellencie of her learning was chosen pope. This woman pope was afterward begotten with childe of her seruaunt & in the time of solemne pro­cession accōpanied w^t a great number of cardinals, patriarches, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacōs, monks, fryers, chanons, Nonnes, &c, shee fell on tra­uayle and was deliuered of childe, and so sodenly (as they say) died. Afterward there was a decree made among y^e car­dinalls that for the auoyding of suche & of so great inconuenience frō thence­forth whosoeuer shuld be chosen to be Christes vicar & Peters successour,An holy & a clenly de­cree. he shuld first of al be set brechlesse & bare arsed in a certaine botomlesse chayre & y^e one of y^e basest cardinals w^t al humi­litie & reuerence worthy such & so no­ble a prelate, shuld grope w^t his hande, whether y^e most holy father had all his [Page] that appertayne vnto the court of Ue­nus, or not. If he had them, that thē the Cardinal should crye with a mery and a loude voyce, Testiculos habet. And the whole college of the Cardinalls reioy­syng at the tydings, shoulde aunswere Deo gratias. And so immediatly y^e Car­dinals should set the newe chosen and approued pope in S. Peters chayre, as a man found worthy such a most excel­lent dignitie. In the yere, &c. 860. Nau­clerus. Sabel. Platina. Pantal. Chron. Sebast Franc. Paul. Verg.

The popes consecratiōPope Iohn the fyft ordained, that af­ter the Bishop of Rome is elected and chosen, he should be consecrated of the Bishop Hostuense, Portuense & Velitern. In the yeare, &c. 679. Chron. Volateran. Pantaleon. Some ascribe this ordinance to Pope Marke.

Of Cardinalls.

Why Car­dinals wer ordayned.POpe Marcellus ordayned in the ci­tie of Rome .xv. Cardinalls for to baptise such as wer conuerted frō Paganisme vnto Christianisme, & to burye the martirs, whiche suffred death for Gods truth. In the yere, &c. [Page 19] Christ. Massae. Polichron.

Pope Siluester the fyrst appoynted y^e College of Cardinals to beautifie and to set forth the honour and dignitie of the church:Cardinalls appoynted to beautify the church. vnto the which Cardinalls (as the papistes fayne) the Emperour Constantine gaue that same authori­tye and preeminence,☜ that the honou­rable order of the sage & prudente Se­natours of Rome tofore had.The num­ber of the Cardinals. And Martine in hys Chronicle sayth, that there are fiftye Cardinalls of that holy Col­lege, that is to say, seuen Byshop Car­dinals .xxviii. Priests Cardinals, & .xv. Deacon Cardinals: albeit the most ho­ly father may at all times encrease the number of those his spirituall children as he thinketh moste meete for the ad­uauncement of the Apostilique see. In the yere, &c. 315. Mart. in Chroni. Ioannes Laziardus.

The aforesayd pope also made a de­cree,Of the cō ­dēnation of Cardinals. that a Bishop Cardinal shuld not be condemned vnder .lxxii. witnesses: a prieste Cardinall, not vnder .lxiii. wit­nesses: A Deacon Carnall, not vnder xxvii. witnesses. C. Praesul. 2. Qu. 4. Lazi­ardus. Celest.

[Page] The Car­dinalls red hat: & what it signifiethPope Innocent the thyrde in a cer­taine councel holden at Lions made a decree, that Cardinalls should for euer after weare red hats vpō their heads, to put thē in remembraunce, that they ought to be redye at al times to shedde their bloud for y^e liberty of holy church for the Catholyke fayth, & for the safe­garde of the people. In the yere, &c. 1193 Ioan. Laziard. Ioannes. Stella. Christianus. Massaeus. &c.

Of Byshops.

Byshops ought to be chosē with­out the cō ­sent of the Clergye & of the com­mō people. Byshops seates highest.POpe Clement the fyrste ordayned, that no Byshop ought to be ap­poynted by the clergye, but with the consente of the common peo­ple. He commaunded also, that the by­shops seate shoulde be set in an hygher and more honourable place than the seates and places of other. In the yere, &c. 92. Ioan. Laziard. Chron.

Pope Boniface the thyrd commaun­ded that the clergye and the people of the diocesse shoulde chose theyr owne Byshop.A good lawe. In the yeare of our Lord. 605 Platina. Sabell.

[Page 20]Pope Gregory the seuenth ordayned, that no priest should take a bishoprike of any lay man. If he did that he shuld be excommunicate and lose his bishop­rike. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1073. Lib. Concil.

Pope Boniface the fourth made a de­cree,Lay men maye geue no byshop­rykes. that so long as the bishop liued no man should entreate of the new electi­on of his successour, but differ the mat­ter vnto the thyrd day after his death. In the yere of our Lord. 106. Ranulph. Cestrensis.

Pope Sixtus the fyrst made a decree,Bishoppes admitted to their bi­shoprykes. of y^e pope. that if any Byshopryke wer voyde, no man shuld presume to be bishop ther­of, except he were fyrste admitted vnto it by the popes letters. In the yere, &c. 129. Chron. Angl. Lib. Concil.

Pope Anacletus made a decree, that a byshop shoulde be consecrated of no lesse than of three byshops,The conse­cration of Byshops. yea & those of the same prouince. For sayth he an example of ordring bishops was shewed vnto the Christianes in Iames the lesser byshop of Ierusalem, which was ordayned & appoynted Byshop of these three, Peter, Iames and Iohn. [Page] But if the Metropolitane shall be cō ­secrated, thē must al the bishops of the prouince be presente at his consecrati­on.The conse­cration of the Metropolitane. In the yere of our Lord, 101. Dist. 66 Cap. Archiepiscopus. Ioan. Laziard. Iacob. Phil. Lib. Concil.

On what dai bishops shall be cō ­secrate.The aforesayd pope also ordayned, that bishops shuld not be consecrated, but on the sonday. 75. Dist. Cap. Ordina­tiones episcoporum.

Pope Anicetus ordayned y^t no Arch­byshops should be called primates, but such as had special priuilege graunted them of the most holy father the pope:Primates. patriarchs and that al suche so priuileged, mighte also be lawfully called patriarches. In the yere, &c. 169. Dist. 98. ca. Nulli. Isuar.

The By­shops ser­uauntes.Pope Lucius made an order, that a Byshop should haue at al times and in al places attending vpō him .ii. priests and .iii. deacons to testifye both of hys lyfe and of his doctrine. In the yere, &c. 258. De consec. Dist. 1. Cap. Iubemus. Volat. Plat. Massaeus. D. Barns.

Pope Euaristus ordayned, that seuen Deacons should attende vpon the Bi­shop and kepe him,Deacons attendyng on y^e bishop preachyng, while he preached, least the enemyes of Gods truth wuld [Page 21] accuse him wrongfully, and say, that he erred: agayne, that he should be hearde with the more reuerence & had in the greater honoure. In the yeare, &c. 110. Ioan. Stella. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.

Pope Calixte the seconde made a de­cree, that the church may neither chose an other Bishop,A scripture aptlye ap­plyed. nor put hym awaye, nor yet be obedient to the ordinaunce of any other bishop, so long as her pro­per byshop is a liue, seyng that the A­postle sayth: The wyfe is bound to the law of her husband, so long as her hus­bande liueth. But whē he is once dead she is losoned from the law of her hus­band, so that she may marry with whō she will, so it be in the Lorde, that is to say, sayeth he, the church may chose an other Byshop, so that it be done Regu­lariter, that is, after y^e order & appoint­ment of our mother holy Churche. In y^e yere, &c. 1120. Quaest. 7.5. Sicut alterius.

This decree also is ascribed to Pope Euaristus. Byshops residence. Lib. Concil.

Pope Euaristus made a law, y^t with­out exceding great necessitye a Bishop might no more forsake hys church, thā the husband his wife.Math. v. For it is writtē, [Page] saith hee: he that seeth a woman & lu­steth after in his hart he hath commit­adultery. In the yeare of our Lord. 110. Lib. Concil.

A decree worthye to be obserued What ser­uaunts bi­shops and priestes ought to haue.Pope Innocent, the sixt made a decree that bishops and all other ecclesiastical persons should repair home vnto their owne houses and cures, maintain hos­pitalitie for the relief of the poore and suffer no idle nor loytering lubbers to remayne in their houses, but only no­rishe suche as are vertuously occupied, and apply themselues diligently to the study of the holy Scripture and to the readyng of the auncient wryters, that they mighte afterwarde serue in the church of Christe. In the yeare. &c. 1343 Chron. Ioannes Stella. Phisition heale thy selfe.

Pope Gregory the eleuenth said to a certayne bishop being absent from his bishopricke: Thou bishoppe why goest thou not home to thy bishoprick? The bishop aunswered againe with a stout courage: And thou Pope, which callest thy selfe father of fathers, and the chief of all bishoppes whiche oughtest also to geue exaumple of dooing well to other Bishoppes, prelates and priests: [Page 22] why art thou so farre from Rome and art not resident vpon thy bishoprick at Rome? In the yeare, &c. 1362. Albertus. Crant. Ioan. Stella. Chron.

Pope Leo the second ordayned,Archbi­shops paul free. that the Archbishops shuld pay nothing for theyr paul to the bishop of Rome, but haue it freely geuen the. In the yere, &c 607. Albertus Crant. Chron. G [...]uing of orders.

Pope Anacletus made a decree, that no bishop should presume to admit a­ny persons vnto holy orders, that dwel in an other bishoppes diocesse. In the yere, &c. 101. Quest. 7. Cap. 1. Epis. in diocesi aliena. Al bishops bound to o­bey the Metropolitan [...]

Pope Anicetus made a law that whē an Archbishop, which is the Metropo­litane, should be consecrated: all the bi­shoppes of that prouince ought to bee present, euen as they all are bounde to obey hym. In the yeare of our lord. 159. Distinc. 66. Cap. ab omnibus phil. Berg.

Pope Zepherinus decreed,No bishop condemned without the donsent of the pope. that a bi­shop called into iudgemēt either of the patriarch, or of the Primate, or of the Metropolitane, shoulde not bee con­demned without the authority licence and consent of the Apostolique sea. [Page] In the yeare, &c. 208. Iac. Phil. Bergom.

Lay men may not accuse By­shoppes.Pope Eusebius ordained, that no pro­phane persons whom we cal lay men, should presume to accuse or to cal into iudgement their Byshop. In the yere, &c, 309. Lib. Concil. Iacob. Philip. Bergom. D. Barns.

Pope Innocent y^e fyrst made a decree, y^t those byshops which sell prebendes, benefices, deanryes, Abbotships, prior­ships, or any other ecclesiasticall digni­tyes, eyther Sacraments or sacramen­tals, as holy oyle, chrisme, halowing of altares,Byshops simoniakes &c, shoulde be adiudged Simo­niakes, and be punished as persons giltie of Simonye. In the yere, &c. 408. Qu 1. Cap. 3. Si quis praebendas. Philip. Bergom [...]oan. Stella.

No secular person Bi­shop.Pope Hormisda decreed, that no secu­lar person shuld be chosen to be bishop but one of the number of priestes. In the yeare of our Lord. 514. Dist. 61. Cap. 18. In sacerdotibus.

SuffragāePope Iginius made a decree, that no Archbishop shuld condemne his suffra­gane but in the syghte and hearing of other suffraganes,A good lawe. and bishops of the same prouince. In the yeare, &c. 14. [Page 23] Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Polichron.

Pope Theodorus ordained, that no bi­shop should meddle in the diocesse of a­ny other Byshops, but diligently loke to his owne cure. In the yeare. &c. 673. Lib. Concil. Christian. Massaeus.

Pope Siluester instituted,Bishops only muste halow oyle and creame & confyrme children. Halowing of churches y^t byshops only should halowe oyle and creame, & confyrme children. In the yere. &c. 315. Chron. Platina.

Pope Felix the third appointed, that bishops only should halow Churches. In the yere. &c. 486. Volat. Poli. Pantal.

Pope Liberius ordayned, that no bi­shop or beneficed mā shuld forsake hys flocke for any persecution or trouble, though death should ensue, accordyng to thys saying of Christ:Ioan. x. A good shepe­heard geueth hys life for his shepe. In the yeare, &c. 354. Anselmus Ryd.

Pope Antherus made a decree,A Godly decree. The trans­lation of Byshops. that a bishop might be remoued frō one bi­shoprike to another, if the necessitye or profite of the congregation so require: but yet not without the authority and licence of the Byshop of Rome. In the yeare of our Lorde. 239. Platina. Volat. Lib. concil.

[Page] The com­mon people may not accuse their bishop. Math. x.Pope Pius the first decreed, that the commō people should not accuse their bishop, nor the shepe their shepeheard. For saieth he, neither is the disciple a­boue his maister, nor the seruaunte a­boue his lord. In the yere of our lorde. 147. lib. Con.

A decree worthy to be practisedPope Nicolas the first ordained, that bishops should not entangle themsel­ues with worldlye businesses, nor ap­ply their minds to feates of warre but geue their whole mind to the study of holy Scriptures, to preaching and to prayer In the yeare of our Lorde. 871. Quest. 23▪ cap Reprehensibile.

Pope Iohn the xxiii. decreed, that bi­shops should not geue their mindes to hunting.Bishops no hūters. In the yere, &c. 1409. Dist. 34. Cau. Quorundam.

Pope Eugenius the first ordained that bishops should haue persons to punish such priestes as offend.Bishops prysons. In the yeare of our Lorde. 650. Volat. Chron. Grat. Doc. Barnes.

Scholes maintained in euery bi­shops dio­cesse.Pope Eugenius also, commaunded that bishops in their Diocesse, shoulde diligently prouide that there might be learned scholemaisters to trade vp the [Page 24] Christen youthe in good letters and liberall artes. Ex sinodo Eugenii. Lib. Concil.

Pope Anacletus made a lawe, that Bishops should perseuer and continue styll stedfaste and diligente in settyng forth the truth of Gods word,A law worthy to be folowed. thoughe neuer so great trouble folow of it. For saith he, blessed are they, that suffer persecution for righteousnesse. In the yeare of our Lorde. 101. Dist. 43. Scimus.

Ioannes Hus, I. Husse. No spirituall person maye haue any tempo­rall iuris­diction. whome the bloudy pa­pistes, notwithstandyng the Empe­rours safe conduct, most cruelly brente vnto ashes at the councell of Constāce (where, as some write, were gathered together iii.M.ix.C. and xl. prelates and their Uicares) affirmed opēly and constantlye, that it is not lawfull for ecclesiastical persons to haue any tem­porall iurisdiction. In the yere of oure Lorde. 1415. Aeneas Siluius. Plat. Christ. Massaeus. Bishops & priestes apparell.

Pope Paschalis beyng Bishoppe of Rome, there was a Councell holden at Aquisgranum, in the which it was ordayned, that no Ecclesiasticall persōs [Page] shuld weare any sumptuous garmēts, nor rings or ouches vpō their fingers, but byshops only, yea and that at suche times only, as they say masse, and be in their Pontificalibus. In the yeare, &c. 827 Christ. Massae. Lib. Concil.

A good de­cree.The Councel Aureliane decreed that euery byshop in hys diocesse shoulde to the vttermost of hys power make pro­uisiō for such poore of y^e same, as haue not wherof to fynde thēselues: Again, as are sycke and so weake,Prouision for y^e poore that they ar not able to labour for their liuing. Dist 82. Cau. Episcopus.

A godly actIn the Councell Toletane the thirde, it was enacted, that at all bishops and priestes tables, there should be no idle talke, nor telling of wanton tales, but reading, hearing and talking of the ho­ly Scriptures. Lib. Concil.

The forme of the Othe, which the Popyshe Byshoppes vse, at the tyme of their consecration: as it is specifyed, in the Popes decretalles: De iuramento. C. Ego.

Howe can such popish bishops be faythfull [...] to their Prince, be­thus sworne to the Idol of Rome.I. N. Byshop frō this houre foreward shall be faythfull to s. Peter, and to the holy Apostolique Church of Rome [Page 25] and to my Lord. N. the pope, and to his successours that enter in according to the rule of the Canons. I shall not bee neither in councel nor in dede, that he shuld lose his life, or membre, or other­wyse be euil entreated. The councell, which eyther by himself, or by letters, or by any messanger he shal open vnto me,☜ I shall declare it to no mā vnto his hindraunce. The papacie of the Churche of Rome, and the rules of the holy Fathers, I shall be an helper to defende and to mayn­taine (my order being safe) against al mē. Councell. Popes Le­gate Being called vnto any Sinode or coū ­cell, I shall come, except I haue a law­ful let. The legate of the Apostolique sea, whom I shal knowe to be certain, I shal honourablye entertayne both at his comming and at hys departure or going away. The churches of the Apo­stles (at Rome) I shal visite euery yere, eyther by my self, or by some sure mes­sanger, except I obtayne licence (of the holy Father) to the contrarye. So God helpe me, & these holy Gospels of God.

After thys, there was inuented and receaued a newer forme and māner of an othe, whiche the Byshops at theyr [Page] consecration sware to the pope, both larger and more to the purpose to stablyshe and defende the tirannye of the Romish Bishop. In thys newer and later othe are these wordes con­tayned.

The papacie of Rome and the Regal or prince like honoure and dominions of S. Pe­ter, Is any good hope to be cōcea­ued of these forsworne Byshops. I shalbe an helper to retayne and to de­fende agaynste all men. The lawes, the ho­noures, the priuileges and the authoritye of the Churche of Rome, and of our Lorde the Pope and of hys successoures, I shall to the vttermoste of my power laboure to conserue, to defende, to encrease, and to aduaunce. Neyther shall I bee, in councell, in deede, or in affayres, wherein any sinister or preiu­diciall thynges of persons, lawe, honoure, state and power shall be imagined and deuy­sed agaynst that our Lorde Pope, or against that Churche of Rome, and if so bee I know suche thynges to bee handled, deuysed, or procured of any person or persons, I shall hynder and lette it to the vttermoste of my power, and so soone as is possible with all conueniente speede I shall sygnifye it, and [Page 26] make it knowen to the same oure Lorde the Pope, or to some other, by whome it maye come to hys knowledge. The rules of the ho­ly Fathers, the decrees, the ordinaunces, the sentences or iudgementes, the dispositions. the preseruations, the prouisions, and the A­postolique commaundements. I shall obserue with all my power, and cause them also to be obserued of other heretikes, Schismatikes and all suche as rebell and stryue agaynste our Lord the Pope or hys successoures, I shal to the vttermoste of my power persecute im­pugne and condemne, &c.

Of Priestes.

POpe Anacletus ordayned,Priestes preachers. Priestes honoured. Priestes ordered. that there shoulde bee priestes sette in euery citye, towne and vil­lage, to teache the people Gods word, and to minister the Sacramentes. He ordayned also, that priestes should be honoured aboue all men, and that thei should not be vexed or toubled but borne withal, and reuerenced of al mē: Agayne, that when any priestes were made, they shuld be solemnly & openly [Page] made. In y^e yere, &c. 101. Lib. Concil. Plat. Fascic. Temp. Iacob. Phil. D. Barns.

Slaunde­rers of PriestesThe aforesaid Pope also made a de­cree, that al such as backebite or slaun­der any priest, should be excommunica­ted. For sayth he, he that slaundreth a priest, slaundreth Christ. For priestes without doubt are Christs.Nolite Tā ­gere Chri­stos meos. The de­grees vnto priesthode. Lib. Concil. Chroni.

Pope Gaius made a decree, y^t none should be made a priest, except he were fyrst a dorekeper: secondlye a Reader, thirdly an Exorciste or cōiurer: fourth­ly, an Acholite, a lighter & carier of can­dels: fiftly, a Subdeacon: sixtly, a Dea­con: & seuenthly, a prieste: and fynallye a bishop, if he can come vnto y^e promo­tion. In the yeare, &c. 384. Chron. Plati. Fasc. Temp. D. Barns.

Some ascribe thys decree to Pope Stephen the second. Grat. Ioan. La.

Priestishe orders.Pope Siricius ordayned, y^e priestishe orders should not be geuen altogether at one time, but at sundrye tymes. In the yere, &c. 389. Sabell. Plat. Ioan. Lazia. 77. Dist. Cap. In singulis.

The daye for prie­stish ordersPope Gelasius the first commaunded y^e only priestishe orders shuld be geuen [Page 27] only foure times in y^e yeare, yea and y^t on the Saterday. In the yeare, &c. 494. Volat. Isidor. D, Barns.

Pope Boniface y^e first instituted,The age of priestes. Luke. iii. that no man shuld be made priest before he be, xxx. yeres olde. For Christ sayth he, was thirtie yeres old before he toke on him y^e office of preaching. In the yeare, &c. 425. Sigebert. Sabel. Chron.

Pope Zacharias notwithstādyng made a decree, y^t if necessitye requireth, prie­stes shoulde not onely be made at .xxx. yeres olde but also at .xxv. In the yere, &c. 752. Dist. 79. Cap. Si triginta.

Pope Siricius, Who maye not be ad­mitted to priesthode. of whō we spake afore decreed, y^t al those men that haue bene twice maryed, or els haue maried a wi­dow to wyfe, shoulde by no meanes be receaued vnto the order of priesthode. Isidor. Plat, Albert. Krantz. Pantal.

Pope Gelasius y^e first, of whō also we spake afore, ordayned likewise,The popes dispensatiō maketh all thinges lawfull. y^t none which wer twice maried, should be ad­mitted vnto ecclesiastical orders, with­out the bishop of Romes dispensation Chron. Ioan. Stella. D. Barns.

Pope Anastasius made a law,This se­meth to bee borowed out of the olde lawe. Leuit. ii.i y^t none which was lame or maymed, or wāted [Page] any of hys members, should be admit­ted to be a priest. In the yere, &c. 404. Grat. Sabel Plat, Polydor. &c.

Letters testimonialThe aforesayd pope made a decree, y^t no straungers, & specially such as come frō beyonde the seas, should be admit­ted vnto y^e clergie, except they brought with them a testimonial sygned with the handes of fyue byshops. 37. Dist. ca. Extraneo. Ioan. Laziard.

Wuld God thys lawe were obser­ued among vs in these our dayes.Pope Pelagius ordayned that no mā shuld be admitted vnto the ministery, which eyther of ambition, or elles for worldely lucre and easye liuyng desy­reth to come vnto it. In the yere, &c. 552. Christ. Massaeus.

Pope Hilary the fyrst made a decree, that no man should be admitted to bee a priest,A Godly lawe. except he were both wel lear­ned and well mannered. In the yeare of our Lord. 465. Ioan. Stella. Dist. 55. Cap Penitentis.

No murtherer may be a priest.Pope Iohn the nynthe ordayned, y^t if any man had committed murther, the same shoulde neuer be admitted to re­ceaue holy orders. Againe, if any priest were founde gyltye of that faulte he shoulde be irregulare, and neuer after [Page 28] be receaued into the ministery. In the yere, &c. 904. Dist. 5. C. Miror. Ioan Stella.

Pope Zepherinus decreed,Both prie­stes & Laye mē ought to be pre­sent at the election & admissiō of spirituall ministers. No diffa­med persō ▪ may be a priest. Who maye not be ad­mitted vn­to priest­hode. y^t whē a by­shop shuld make eyther deacō or priest, both priests & lay mē shuld be present. In the yere, &c. 208. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Innocent the fyrst ordayned, y^t no diffamed person should be admitted to be a priest. In the yere, &c, 408. Dist. 50. Cap. Canones. Phil, Bergom.

Pope Zozimus ordained, that no gel­ded person, nor bond mā shuld be made a priest, except he were fyrst made free of hys Lord. In the yeare, &c, 424. Fasc. Temp. Chron. But thys constitution of y^e byshop is euell kept of certayne men, sayth Ioannes Laziardus. ☜ For nowe a dayes, (sayth he) not only bondmē, but also bastardes and whores children, ar receaued into the ministery, and haue the gouernement of paryshes commit­ted vnto them, and they also bestowe the patrimony of Christ vpon whores at their pleasure.Priests no tauernhun­ters. Deacons may mini­ster the

The aforesayd pope made also a de­cree, that priestes should be no tauern­hunters, nor yet sel wine themselues. He ordained again y^t a deacō shuld not [Page] presume to minister the sacramente of Christs body & bloud to y^e people, if ey­ther bishop or priest wer present.Cōmunion in y^e absēce of a prieste. Dist. 93. Cap. Praesente praesbitero. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Anicetus forbad first of al, prie­stes to haue beardes,Priestes beards for­bidden. or to weare long side heare. In y^e yere, &c. 159. Sabell. Lib. Concil. Petrus de natal.

Some ascribe this decree to pope A­nacletus. Plat. Poli. Massaeus.

Pope Anicetus also commaunded, y^e priestes crownes should be shauen,Priestes [...]wnes cōmaūded. not foure cornered, sayth he, like vnto Simō Magus but as round as a boule like vn­to Simon Petrus:☞ to put the priests in re­membraunce that they shoulde despise this world, and set al their mindes vp­on the heauenly crowne. Petrus de nat. Christ. Massae. D. Barns.

Pope Zacharias inuented the priests apparel.Priestes apparell. In y^e yere, &c, 752. Chron. Achil.

Pope Benet y^e third cōmaunded, that priests shuld walk in an order, & weare apparel mete for their degree. In the yeare, &c▪ 863. Fasc. Temp. Chron.

Pope Gregory the fourth in a certain councel ordayned, y^t al the clergye both byshops and priests shuld lay a syde all [Page 29] costly apparel & by no means wear rī ­ges, precious stones, gold, siluer or any such like sūptuous ornamēts, but ra­ther homely & sober apparel after y^e ex­āple of Christ & of his apostels. In the yere. 846. Ioan. Tit. in Chro. Galliae. Plat.

Pope Pelagius y^e first ordained y^t prie­stes vnder paine of deadly sin shuld say Mattens appointed for the day.Mattens of the daye. In the yeare, &c. 580. Dist. 19. Cap. Elutherias fra. Ioan. Stell.

Pope Vrban the second ordained like­wise y^e priests should say euery day our ladies Mattens openly in the church:Mattēs of our Lady. & that vpon the satterday the whole ser­uice shuld be of her. In the yere, &c. 1086 Sabell. Ioan. Stella. Nauclerus. Guil. Du­rand. Polichron.

Pope Anastasius the second made a decree, that no priest should omitte the saieng of his diuine seruice,Diuine seruice. except it be masse, although he bee neuer so muche oute of charitie, and neuer so greatlye stuffed ful of rancor and malice against any person▪ In the yeare. &c. 498. Ioan­nes Laziardus. Celestinus.

Pope Innocent the seconde decreed, that no man should strike a pr [...]est. For [Page] it is written,A priest striker is ac­cu [...]ed. Psal 105. saieth he: Touche not my annointed. If anye manne contrarye to hys commaundemente didde pre­sume to smite the annointed priest, he pronounced him excommunicate ipso facto and accursed, & that by no meanes he should be absolued (except he stoode in daunger of death) but only of y^e pope of Rome. In the yeare of our Lorde. 11 [...]1. Causa. 17. Quest, Si quis. Ioan. Stella. Chron.

Pope Euaristus enacted, that priestes should not be disquieted,Priests not disquieted▪ but hono [...] ­red. nor euill en­treated of the laity, but that they shuld be had in high reuerence and honour. In the yeare▪ &c. 110. Isidor. Tem. 3. Conc. Polid. Pantaleon.

Pope Pontianus ordained, that prists should be accused of none,Priests ac­cusers. but onely of priestes and bishops, In the yeare, &c. 230. Gratian. Isidor. polidor.

Pope Fabiā also made a decree, y^t nei­ther priests shuld be admitted to accuse the laity,Accusatiōs nor the laity the priests. In the yere of our Lorde. 242. Caus. 2. Qu. 7. Sicut.

Pope Calixt the firste ordained, that in the accusation of a priest no suspici­ous [Page 30] personnes, or of euill name and fame, either anye suche as bee ene­mies to the priest, should be admitted to geue euidence against him. In the yere &c. 217. Quest. 3. Cap. 5. Accusatores Ioan. Laziard.

Pope Alexander the firste orday­ned, that the Laitye shoulde haue no­thing to do with the cleargy:Priests ex­empted frō the iurisdiction of the temporall powers. and that the spiritualty should be vtterly exēp­ted from all the iurisdiction, authority and power of the secular rulers. In the yere of our Lorde. 119. Albertus. Crantz.

Pope Caius made a decree,None with in holy or­ders may be conuen­ted before a temporal Iudge. that no lay personne should presume to accuse or to call into iudgemente beefore a se­cular iudge, either prieste or any other that is within holye orders. In the yeare of our Lorde. 284. Iacob. Phillip. Bergom.

Pope Siluester the first commaunded y^t no priest shuld be compelled to plead his cause before any secular person, or in any temporall court. In the yere. &c. 315. Quest. 11.1. Cap. Testimonium. & Cap. Si quis.

Pope Iulius the .i. made a decre also y^t [Page] a priest shuld not haue his cause heard or pleaded before any temporall iudge onely. In the yeare &c. 338. Iacob. Phil. Bergom. Lib. Concil.

Pope Boniface the eight in a general councel,Priestes free from paymentes to the tem­poralitie. The liber­ties of priestes. ordayned, that temporall Ru­lers should not charge the people with any kind of payments, if they did, that the priests shuld pay them none, except the Pope gaue them licence. In the yere. &c. 1190. Polidor lib. 17. Angl. Hist.

Pope Nicolas the first ordained, that no temporall man, wer he king or em­perour, should haue ought to doe wyth those things that appertain vnto prie­stes.No pay­mentes for priestes. In the yere, &c. 871. Anselmus Ryd.

Pope Gregory the fourth made a de­cree, that priestes should bee free from all kinde of worldlye bondages, taxes. paymentes,A good and godly acts. &c. In the yeare &c. 846. Sa­bel. Platina.

Pope Vrban the second enacted not­withstanding, that the priestes shouldr paye tribute to the higher powers for the defence of their countrey, In the yere. &c. 1086. Qu, 23. Cap. Tributum.

Prists housen built nigh to the church and why.Pope Leo the ninth apointed, that y^e priests houses shuld be built nigh vnto [Page 31] the churches, that the pastours mighte alway be at hand, whē the parishners shoulde haue nede of theym, and that the poore people, might know, where to haue succour and reliefe in the time of their necessitie. In the yeare of our Lord. 1049. Qu. 12. cap. 1. Necessaria. Nau. Ioan. Stella. D. Barns.

Pope Simmachus ordained,What wo­men may dwell in priestes houses. that a prieste shoulde kepe no woman in hys house, except she were his kinswoman his mother, his sister, or his wife, whō he ought godly to gouern. In the yere &c. 499. Dist. 81. cap. Volumus. Volat.

Pope Liberius made a law,A goodlaw Iohn. x. that no prieste should forsake his cure for anye persecution or trouble, though deathe should ensue, according to this saying of Christ: A good shepeherd geueth his life for his sheepe. In the yeare of our Lorde.Dispensations for no residence. 254. Anselmus Rid.

Pope Iohn the eighte ordained that the priestes, which were absente from their benefices without a dispensation from the Pope, should be compelled to return vnto them, and there to be resi­dent. In the yere, &c. 887. Ioan. Laziard.

Pope Simplicius ordained, that no [Page] clearke or prieste should receiue the in­uestiture of his benefice or of his office at any Laymens hand.Priestes ought to be preachers and not singers. Priestes eyther Si­monsakes or fornica­tors ought to be depri­ued of theyr promotiōs. In the yeare, &c 471. Ranulpus Cestrensis. Ioan. Laziardus.

Pope Gregory the first made a decree in a certain councel holden at Rome, that the Ministers of the altare should geue their mind to preachyng and not to singyng. For, said he, while mē seke a swete voice in holy seruice, couena­ble life is set apart: and the singer w^t his maners hurteth the people, though w^t his voice he greatly delighteth them. In the yere. &c. 590. Polichron. Lib. 5.

Pope Victor the second in a certayne councell holden at Florence, ordained that all bishops and priests, whiche he proued giltye either of Simonye, or of fornicatiō, should be depriued of their Bishoprickes, benefices, and all other ecclesiasticall promotions and digni­ties. In the yere of our lord. 1053.

Pope Eleutherius made a decree y^t no priest should be degraded or put frō the degree of his priesthode,The degrading of priestes. except he wer first lawfully accused and conuict. For saith he, our Sauiour knew well, that Iudas was a theefe, and should betray [Page 32] him, but forasmuch as he was not accu­sed, he put him not doun, but al that he did in the mean time among the Apo­stles for y^e estate of his dignitie, it was alowed, and stoode fyrme and stable. In the yere,Priestes talke at the table. &c. 177. Ranulp. Cest. lib. 4.

In the councell Toletane the third, it was decreed, y^t at priestes tables there shuld be no idle talk, nor telling of wā ­ton tales, but reading, hearing and tal­king of the holy scriptures. Lib. concil.

Of Monasticall sectes and fyrst of Heremites.

The first beginning of Here­mites.POpe Syluester the first, bearyng rule, the Heremites firste of all began, and inhabited the wyl­dernesse & solitary places. The afore­said Syluester had them in greate reue­rence, and confirmed their order. In the yere, &c. 315. Ex libro germanico.

Of Monkes.

POpe Siricius beyng bishop of Rome,The beginning of mō ­kish orders the first Monkishe or­der began, raised vp by Basili­us Magnus bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Their coat, cloke, coule and cappe were all white. He prescribed them a rule mixte with many traditi­ons and doctrines of men. Wherfore he is called of them a father and begin­ner of religious people, whose lyfe he also prayseth, so that he obtayned of the aforesayde Siricius to confyrme the order. He called them Monachi, that is to saye, solitarye, or seperate from the worlde, and founded in Greece the fyrste house or cloyster. But howe vnaptly they be called Mo­nachi, and men vtterlye deuided from [Page] the world,Whye they are called Monachi who seeth not? For where do they dwell, but in the middes of fa­mous cities and great townes? And in what thinges doe they more exercise thēselues, thā in matters of the world. In the yeare &c. 389. Ibidem. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.

This monstruous Monckishe order is deuided into many mōstruous moc­kish sects, wherof we wil reherse part.

Of Fryers, and of the diuersitie of that secte.

Of Nunnes and of the diuersitye of that secte.

[Page] POpe Iohn the fyrst being By­shop of Rome, Monke Benet after that he had placed hym­selfe and hys monkyshe bre­thren in a certayne noble and famous cloyster built vpon the Mount Cassinus, raysed vp also an order of Nunnes, and made hys Sister Scholastica Abbesse o­uer thē.The beginn [...]nge of Nunnes. The apparell of these Nunnes is a blacke cote, cloke, coule and vayle. And least the scripture should disceaue her and hers:☞ it was commaūded, that none of that order should rede the holy scripture without consent or permissi­on of their superiour. In the yeare, &c. Chron. Lib. Germ.

Of the Monasticall apparell.

IN times paste whē with most earneste diligence I searched for the originall & beginning of the monasticall or monkish apparel, and could by no meanes finde any thing thereof in writing: at the laste I repaired vnto the paynters, & in y^e entries & porches of y^e friers, wher for y^e most part a mā may se y^e historyes of [Page] both testamentes paynted & liuely set­forth in colours: I sought for the mat­ter diligently. And when in al the olde testament I could not fynde any of the Patriarches, or of the priests, or of the Prophetes, or of the Leuites, no, nor yet Helias hymselfe, whom notwith­standyng the Carmelites or white fri­ers make their Patrone & fyrste foun­der of their Religion, to weare a coule, and to be clad with Monkysh apparel [...] I went streyghtwayes vnto the newe testament. There I founde Zacharye, Simeō, Iohn Baptist, Iosephe, Christ, the Apostles, the Disciples, y^e Scribes, the Pharesees, the Byshops, Annas, Cayphas, Herode, Pilate, and manye other: but no where coulde I fynde or perceaue the coule, or monkysh habite. Examining once again more diligent­ly euen from the beginnyng al & singu­lar things: out of hande euen at the ve­ry beginning of the historye in a man­ner, the deuill appeared, & shewed him­self clad in a coule, euē y^e very same de­uil, y^t tēpted Christ in y^e deserte or wil­dernesse. I was excedīg glad, & reioyced [Page 77] beyond al measure, y^t I had found y^t in picture, which I could neuer find afore in scripture: I meane, that the deuill was the first author, inuentor, and fin­der, out of the coule and Monkishe ha­bite: of whom afterward I thinke ve­rely, the other Monkes and Fryers bo­rowed their coules and disgysed appa­rell set forth in diuerse colours, some white, some blacke, some graye, some russet, some blewe, some blouncket &c. or elles paraduenture they receaued and tooke the same as lefte vnto them for inheritaunce from the deuill their father. Cornelius Agrippa de incertitudine & vanitate scientiarum.

Of Temples or Churches.

POpe Siluester bearing rule, Con­stantine the Emperour built di­uerse Churches for the Christi­ans,Constan­tine y^e Em­perour. & gaue other libertie so to do, to the end, that so many as professe Christ, might openly and without any feare come together to praye & prayse God, to heare the readyng and Prea­chyng of the holy Scriptures, to recea­ue the blessed Sacramentes, and to oc­cupye [Page] themselues in suche Godly and vertuous exercises, as God requyreth of them in hys Sacred worde.The beginnynge of Christen mens tem­ples. For vn­to that tyme the Christians were so extremelye persecuted of tyrauntes, that they had no certayne publyque place to repare vnto, but so many as professed Christ assembled themselues together priuatelye, and praysed God in hollowe caues and dennes for the feare of the vnfaythfull, as Laurentius Valla sayeth in hys booke de donatione Constantini. In tymes paste, sayeth he, before the dayes of Constantyne the greate, the Christians had no Tem­ples, but secrete and close places: ho­lye lyttle houses, but no greate and gorgious buyldynges: Chappelles, no Temples: Oratoryes within pri­uate walles, no publyque and open Churches. In the yeare of our Lord. 315. Ranulphus. Cestrensis▪ Valla. West­merus.

[...]a [...]wyng of churchesPope Iginius ordayned, that the Temples or Churches shoulde be ha­lowed withall solemnitye, and that no Churche shoulde be halowed without a Masse: agayne, that Churches should [Page 78] be made neyther greater nor smaller without the consent of the Metropoli­tane. In the yeare of our Lord. 143. De Consecr. Dist. 1. Cap. Omnes Basiliae. Euse­bius. Sabell. Phil. Bergom. &c.

An admonition to the Reader.

HEre must I warne thee (moste gentle Reader) of the craftye iuglynges of the Papistes, which whē they haue once inuented of theyr idle brayne with out the authoritye of Goddes worde a balde and lousye ceremonie, [...] of the Papistes. or a wic­ked and a superstitious lawe, streyght­wayes father the same vppon some Godly auncient and learned Byshop, that by thys meanes it maye be of the more force and of the greater authori­tye with men, and the more easlye dis­ceane the people. Of thys their prac­tyse here haste thou an euident exam­ple. They set forthe in their deuilyshe decrees & wicked writinges, that this [Page] holy Byshop Iginius commaunded the halowyng of Churches, when many yeares after as thou hast tofore▪ heard, the Christiās had no Churches, but se­cretly assembled themselues together in corners, in priuate houses, in dēnes & caues of the ground, beyng no where safe and sure from the cruelty of the ty­raunts, whiche thyrsted no lesse for the bloud of the Christians, than the pan­tyng and thyrsty hart desyreth the wa­ter brokes. How coulde they halowe, that they had not? Except the Papists will make euery caue and denne in the ground the Church, which were much agaynst theyr worship. Agayne, where there is mention made in this decree, that there must be a Masse at the ha­lowyng of a Churche, who knoweth not, that the very name of the Masse was vnknowen many hundred yeares after to the faythfull congregation of Christ, so farre is it of that the Masse it selfe was in vse among them, which is but a late and an yesterday byrde, hat­ched and brought forthe of many Po­pes, yea and that not at one tyme or in one yeare, but in many and sundrye [Page 79] yeares. Of thys I thought good to warne thee, good reader. Notwithstā ­ding be it true,Papistes enemies of gods truth or be it false. I will tru­ly and faithfully recite and bring forth vnto thee, whatsoeuer I shall fynde in theyr hystoryes concernyng theyr try­flyng trumperye: vse thy iudgement, and know the Papistes to be enemyes to the truth.

Pope Felix the thyrd made a decree,Bishoppes church ha­lowers on­lye. The dedi­tion feast. y^e Byshops only should halow churches, and that euery citie, towne, or village should yerely kepe holy for euer after, that day wheron the Churche was ha­lowed. In the yeare, &c. 486. Plat. Pol. Chron. Pantaleon.

Pope Innocent the fyrst decreed, that a Churche once halowed, should be ha­lowed no more. In the yeare, &c. 408. Dist. 68. Cap. Ecclesiis semel. Ioānes Stella.

Pope Boniface the fifte made a lawe, that whatsoeuer giltye person fledde into sanctuary, that is to saye, into the Churche or churchyarde, for succoure: the same party shoulde not be drawen out agayne,Sanctua­ries. but suffered there quietly to remayne. In the yeare, &c. 617. Sigeb, Sabell▪ Volat. Plat. &c.

[Page] The trim­myng of Churches.Pope Martine the fyrste made a de­cree, that Churches should be galantly decked, trimmed and dressed vpon the holy dayes and solemne feastes. In the yeare of our Lord. 643. Pol. Pantal.

Women maye not come into the churche but with couered facesPope Linus made a lawe, that no woman should come into the Church, excepte her face wer couered w^t a vayle or kerchiefe. In the yeare of our Lord. 70. Chronica Chronicarum. Volat. Fascicu­lus. Tempo. D. Barns.

Pope Eugenius the fourth bearing rule,Walkynge vp & down in churches at seruice tyme for­bydden. a Councell was kepte at Basille, in the whiche it was decreed, that such as walke vp and downe in the Church at seruice time, shoulde be punished. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1430. Plat. Volat. Lib. Concil.

Of Churchyardes.

Churche­yardes and halowynge of the same POpe Calixte the first ordained fyrst of all the Churchyards, & the halowing of the same. In the yeare of our Lord. 222 Sabell. Plat. Christ. Massae. Pantal.

Pope Dionyse deuised to deuide the parishes with their Churches & Chur­chyardes,Parishes deuided. and commaunded that euery [Page 80] Bishop shuld be cōtent with the limi­tes of his owne diocesse: & euery Priest with the boundes of his owne parishe. In the yeare of our Lord. 266. Fascicu. Temp, Volat. Pol. Lib. Concil.

¶ Of Churchgoodes.

POpe Iginius appointed, that no Churche stuffe shoulde be put to prophane vses. In the yeare of our Lord. 261 Volat. Phil. Bergom

Pope Stephen the first made a decree, that those which take away the goods of the Churche, shoulde be condemned as mēslayers. In the yeare of our Lord 261. Chron. Lib. Concil.

Pope Eusebius ordained, that suche as take away any thing appertaining vnto the Churche, they shoulde restore ten times as much agayn. In the yeare of our Lord. 309. Chron. Germ.

Pope Iohn the fourthe made a de­cree, that if any inuaded or toke awaye the goodes of the Churche, he shoulde restore foure tymes as muche agayne. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 635. Ioan. Stella. Plat. Chron.

Pope Paule the seconde ordayned, that they that did alienate or with­drawe [Page] any thynge from the Churche, should be excōmunicated. In the yeare, &c. 1404. Sabell. Chron.

A good lawPope Gregory the fourth instituted, that euery Churche should haue theyr proper possessions, wherof the Priest may liue, least y^t they takyng thought for theyr liuyng, shoulde be compelled to leaue theyr dutie vndone. In y^e yere &c. 846. Plat. D. Barns.

Pope Vrban the fyrst, graunted, that landes, goods and temporall possessiōs should on this condition be geuē to the Churche, that nothyng shoulde be pri­uate to any man, but that all thynges should be common among the Priests, so that none of them should want, but euery one haue, whatsoeuer his necessitye requireth. In the yeare. &c. 222. An­selmus. Rid. Volat. Chro. Plat.

Of the Ornamētes of the Church.

Fontes.POpe Pius the fyrst brought y^e font into the Church▪ In the yeare. &c. 147. Plat. Sabel. Chron.

Pope Boniface the seconde orday­ned the particion betwene the chaun­cell and the Churche, whiche we now commonly call the Roodeloft, Roodeloft. and com­maunded [Page 81] that the people should heare the diuine seruice, as they terme it, in a seuerall place from the clergye. In the yeare, &c. 529. Albert. Crantz. Plat [...]. Ioan. Laziardus. D. Barns. Pantal.

Pope Sabiniane commaunded,Lampes, that Lampes shoulde be kept continuallye burning in the Church. In the yere, &c. 603. Platina. Albertus. Crantz. D. Barnes. Pantaleon.

Pope Innocent the thyrde bearyng rule,Light before sacramēte of y^e altare. Eustace ▪ Abbot of Flare came out of Normandye into Englande, and a­mong hys other deuises he caused that lyghte shoulde brenne alwaye in the Churches before the little Gods body. Ranulph. Cest.

Pope Zacharye deuised oyle for the Lampes in the Churches.Oyle. In the yere, &c. 752. Plat. Pantal.

Pope Gregory the fyrst brought into y^e church,Tapers. Torches. Candles. Belles. Ringing to seruice. tapers, torches, candles, &c. In the yeare, &c. 590. Volat. Pantal.

Pope Sabiniane decreed fyrst that the people should be assembled and come together to heare their diuine seruyce at certayne houres of the day by ryng­ging of bels. In the yeare, &c. 603. Plat. [Page] Durand. D. Barns. Pantal.

The Aue bell.Pope Iohn the .xxii. ordayned, that bels should be tolled euery daye thryce in the euening, and that then euery mā shoulde streyght wayes knele downe, & say thrice the Aue Maria in the wor­ship of our Lady. In the yere, &c. 1309. Chron. Ioannes. Stella.

The noone bell.Pope Calixt the thirde also made a decre, y^t euery day at, xii. of the clocke y^e sexten or parish clerke shuld toll noone and y^t so many as heare y^e bels, streight waies shoulde say an Aue Maria in the honoure of oure blessed Ladye. In the yeare of our Lorde. 1455. Phil. Bergom.

Durandus sayth, that bels be of suche vertue,The won­derful ver­tue of bels. that when they be roung, they stirre men to deuotion, they preserue the frutes of the earth, they kepe both the mindes and the bodies of the faith­full from al daunger, they put to flight the hostes of our enemyes, & dispatche all the suttelties of oure euell willers they cause the boysterous hayle, y^e sharp [...]ormes, the violent tempestes, the ter­rible thundringes, the fearefull lyght­nings, and fearce windes to cease, they driue away also al wicked spirites and [Page 82] deuills. Ration. di. off.

Pope Vitalian brought in Organs to make the people merye.Organs▪ In the yeare of oure Lorde. 653. Chronic. Volat. Platina. &c.

Pope Sixtus the seconde ordayned fyrst of al,Altares. that the Supper of the Lord shuld be celebrated at an altare: which before was not the vse. For the holy mysteryes of the Lordes bodye and bloude vntill that time was ministred vpon a table according to the practyse of Christ,When al­tares came fyrst into y^e Churches. of hys Apostles, and of y^e pri­matiue Church. And here may all men see, from whence the popyshe altares come, for the which the stubborne, stur­dye stoute papistes doe so stoutly striue Aboute the yeare of oure Lord, (if sto­ries bee true) two hundred three score and fiue, came in the altares fyrste into the Church. Other affyrme, that they came in aboute the yeare of our lorde, 294 [...] But I beleue that altares came not in the Churche before the yeare of our Lorde. 590. When the popishe, pe­uyshe, priuate Masses beganne fyrst to creepe in▪ Volat. Durandus. Fasci [...]. Temp. [Page] Mas. Pet. Aequillinus. Ioannes. Stella.

Pope Felix the fyrst instituted the halowing of altares,Halowing of altares. commaunding y^t no Masse shoulde be song vpon any al­tare, til it be halowed. In the yeare, &c. 272. Sabell. Pantal.

Pope Hormisda decreed, y^t no altares should be set without the consent and special licence of the Metropolitane or of the Byshop of the diocesse. In the yere of our Lord. 514. Chron. Ioan. Stella. D, Barns.

Pope Boniface the thyrde appoynted white linnen clothes to be layd vppon the altares. In the yere, &c. 605. Pol.

Altare clo­thes.Pope Sixtus the fyrst ordayned, that the corporasse clothe, which the prieste vseth at hys masse, shoulde be made of fine white linnen cloth, In the yere, &c. 129. Plat. Sabell. Grat. D, Barnes. Pantal.

The same Pope also ordayned, that laye men,An hye poin [...] in a lowe house. but specially laye women, shoulde not once touche the ornamen­tes of the Church, as copes, vestments, altare clothes, &c, nor the halowed ves­sell, as Chalice, Pixe, Crosse, Chris­matorye, Sensers, Candlestickes, &c. Plat. Sabell.

[Page 83]Pope Stephen the fyrst made a decre,Copes▪ Uestmēts. y^t a priest in hys diuine seruice, shoulde vse none other but halowed garments In the yeare, &c. 261. Sabell.

Pope Adriane the fyrst being bishop of Rome,Surplesse. there was a synode or coun­cell holden at Franckforde, in y^• which it was decreed, that whosoeuer doth a­ny seruice in the Churche, he shoulde weare a surples vpon hys backe in ser­uice tyme, and no man to goe in hys common apparel withoute a surples, no, not so muche as the sexten or Bel­ringer. In the yeare of our Lord. 796. Christ. Massaeus.

Pope Siluester the fyrst cōmaunded,Linnen Albes. that the priest at his masse shuld weare no silke, nor any coloured clothing, but a white linnen Albe only. For Christ, sayeth he, was buryed in a fyne white linnen cloth. In the yeare, &c 315. Grat. Plat. Ioan. Stella. D. Barns.

Pope Zepherinus commaunded,Chalices of Glasse. cha­lices of glasse to bee vsed in the mini­stration of the Lordes Supper. In the yere,Cuppes of beoode &c. 208. For before that tyme the sacrament of the holy signe of Christs bloude was ministred in cuppes made [Page] of woode, accordyng to y^e vse of Christ of his apostles, & of y^e primatiue church Petrus de nat. Plat. Math. Pal. Pantal.

Pope Vrban the fyrst ordayned after­ward, that the chalices should be made eyther of siluer,Chalices of golde siluer and tinne. or of golde, or of tinne In the yeare of our Lord .222. Platina. Grat. Pol. Bergom.

The saying of Byshop Boniface con­cerning chalices and byshops, is very notable, and aunswereth iustly to our tyme. Olim, inquit: Episcopi aurei lignei [...] vtebantur calicibus: nunc vero lignei Epis­copi calicibus vtuntur aureis. In times paste, sayth he: Golden byshops vsed wodden chalices, but now wodden bi­shops vse golden chalices.

PaxePope Leo the second deuised y^t Paxe, In the yeare of our Lord. 676. Platina. Pasc. Temp.

Pope Innocent y^e third inuented pixes and boxes for the reseruation of the sa­cramentall bread.Crosse▪ In the yere, &c. 1195. Paul. Volat. Phi. Pol. Pantal.

Pope Agapetus the fyrst commaun­ded the people to go on procession, on y^e Sondayes, & to folowe the crosse. In the yere, &c. 533. Plat. Pal. D. Barns.

[Page 84]Pope Gregorye the fyrst broughte in banners into the churche.Banners. Thys was that Gregorye, Austen the monke. whiche sente Austen the Monke into Englande to preache to the englyshe nation the fayth and doctryne of the bishop of Rome with al hys superstitious traditions, counter­fayte religions, and such other wicked abhominations. Thys Monkyshe Austen with, xl. Monkes moe, when they arriued and came on lande in the easte side of Kent in y^e Iland of Thanet, entred in with a crosse, & with banners displayed hauing a crucifixe paynted vppon euery one of them, singing the Letanye with orate pro nobis to al aun­gels, Archangels, Patriarches, Pro­phets, priestes, Apostles, Martirs. Con­fessors, Uirgins, Monks, Nunnes, He­remites, and finally to all he saintes and shee Saintes, y^t they mighte haue good lucke and well to fare in settyng forth their Romyshe religion. Whiche swarme of monkes, when they hadde once thorow their hipocrisy and flattering, obtained of y^e Kyng to inhabite at Canterbury, went ioyfully forth on their iourney, hauyng their crucifi [...]e [Page] crosse and banners borne before them, and singing Alleluia with a lustye cou­rage and merye voyce vntil they came to y^e city, where they practised al kinde of superstition, as beades bidding, po­pyshe fasting, wiuelesse liuyng, long laten Mattens and Masses singing, Saintes reliques boastyng, &c. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 590. Chron. Ranul­phus. Cestrens.

Pope Fabiane the fyrste deuised the Chrismatories.Chrisma­toryes. In the yeare, &c. 242. Plat. Volat. D. Barns.

Sensers.Pope Leo the thirde brought in the sensers. In the yeare, &c. 817. Pol. Doct. Barns. Pantal.

Holy water buckets & sprinckles.Pope Alexander the fyrste (as they fayne) inuented the holy water with the holy water buckets and sprinckels In the yeare, &c. 119. Libro. Concil. Grat. Pol. Plat. Sabel.

Pope Siluester the fyrst with y^e oyle brought in also the oyle pots.Oylepots. In the yeare, &c. 315. Sabell. Plat. Pantal.

Pope Iohn the eyght made a decree, that if any man dyd take awaye anye thyng once appoynted and dedicated to y^e seruice of god either out of an holy [Page 85] or vnholy place, y^e same man should be counted gilty of sacrilege. In the yeare of our Lorde. &c. 887. Quest. 17. cap. 4. Siquis. Ioan. Laziard.

Of Images to be had in Churches.

PAulinus Bishop of Nola, The fyrste procter and promoter of Images as some write, was one of the firste pro­moters & chiefe proctors to haue Images in Churches. In the yeare, &c. CCCCL. Pantal in Chronogra.

Pope Gregory the first ordained,Images not to be worshyp­p [...]d. that Images should be had in Churches for to be laye mennes bookes, but by no meanes to be worshipped, nor kneled vnto. In the yeare of our Lorde. 590. Greg. Lib. 9. Epist. 9. Chron.

Pope Gregory the second confirmed the hauing of Images in churches and did not only excommunicate the Em­peroure for abolishing of images,A wicked acte of the Pope. but he also most trayterously stirred vp his subiectes to rebell against him. In the yeare. &c. 729. Blondus. Chron.

Pope Constantine gathered a councel at Rome against Phillip y^e Emperour,Images confirmed. wherin he condemned the Emperour for destroying Images, and made a de­cree [Page] for the establyshement of them in churches. In the yere. &c. 769. Plat. Pol.

Images worshyp­ped.Pope Gregory the thyrd made a law y^t Images shoulde not onelye be had, in churches, as lay mēs bokes, but y^t they also shoulde be worshipped and had in greater reuerence, than euer they were before, & that whosoeuer were of a con­trary opinion, he should be condemned for an heretike. In the yeare. &c. 740. Sigis. Blond. Plat. Sabel.

Note.Here maye all men learne to iudge with what spirite these Romishe By­shops are led, whiche notwithstanding call them selues moste holye fathers, Christes vicares in earth, Peters suc­cessors, holye Churche, the spouse of Christe, that pillare of truthe, whiche cannot erre. Pope Gregory the fyrst (as you hearde) admitted Images into Churches as laye mens Calenders or bookes, but by no meanes to be wor­shypped. Whiche also is more than can be proued lawfull by the worde of God.Popes to­gether by y^e partes a­mōg them selues. Notwithstandynge nowe com­meth this most holy father Pope Gre­gory the third, and he appointeth Ima­ges not only to be in Churches, as lay [Page 86] mens bookes, but also to be worship­ped, that is to saye, to kneele vnto thē, to sense them, to garnish thē with cost­ly vestures, to set vp candles before thē to go pilgrimage vnto thē to pray be­fore them and to geue thē suche honor as by no meanes is due either to stock or stone. The wordes of Pope Gregory the first are these, cōcerning y^t not wor­shipping of images, writtē in a certein epistle vnto Serenus Bishop of Massilia, Serenus the godlye Byshop of Massilia. which did not only take away Images out of the churches, whē he see the peo­ple worshyp thē, but he also brake thē all on peces, & brēt thē. It was sayth he, declared vnto vs, that thou beholdīg certain worshippers of images, diddest break & also cast away the same images out of the church. Verely we cōmēd thy zele that thou woldest haue no man to worship that is made with hāds,☜but yet we think (Note good reader, y^t this Pope doth not playnely affirme by the autority of Gods worde, y^t ima­ges ought not to be destroied, but only bringeth forth his owne thinking.) we thinke sayth he, that thou oughtest not to haue broken those images. For the pycture vnto this ende is set vp in the churches that [Page] suche as be vnlearned, should at the least by seyng and beholdyng those Images, reade on the walles, that they are not able to rede on bookes, &c. Lib. 7. Epist. 109.

Both Epiphanius and S. Austen, num­breth among heretikes a certayne wo­man called Marcella whiche worship­ped the images of Iesus, of Paule, &c. and offered incense vnto them. Here doth Pope Gregory the first with the cō sent of Epiphanius and S. Austen, con­demne the iudgement of Pope Gregory the thirde concerning the worshipping of Images. Where is nowe the spirit of vnitie become, wherof these holy Fathers bragge so greatly?

Sensing of Images.Pope Stephen the thirde decreed, that Images shoulde not onely be had in Churches, but that they also should be senced. In the yeare of our Lord. 772. Sigeb. Plat. Vo [...]at.

Pope Leo, the thirde, Pope Iohn the seuenth, Pope Adrian, the first with o­ther, made also decrees for y^e establish­ment of Images in Churches, as wit­nesse Sabel, Paulus Aemilius. Sigeb. Plat. Volat. Fasci. Temp.

Pope Paule the first bearing rule, Pi­pine [Page 87] king of Fraūce caused a Councell to be assēbled and called together,A Councel assembled about Ima­ges. con­cerning the hauyng and worshipping of Images, where many learned men were present: among whom there was greate contencion: some accordyng to the Popes former decrees defendynge both the hauyng and worshippyng of Images: some after y^e doctrine of gods word vtterly condemning both the hauing and worshipping of Images, af­firming that it is directly agaynste the worde of God in the Temples of the Christians to set vp Images whiche should be nothing els, than stumblyng blockes vnto the rude and simple peo­ple, and great prouocations vnto Ido­latry, Notwithstandyng the Papistes and supersticious Hipocrites did beare suche a route and rule in that Sinode that the matter was cōcluded on their syde, so that from henceforth it shoulde be lawfull both to haue & to worship Images not only of Christ, but also of all saintes in Churches or els where, although the expresse worde of God & the exāples of the primatiue Churche, & the iudgement of diuers godly & lear­ned [Page] men teach the cōtrary, Ioā. Laziard.

A certaine wicked woman Empress [...] of Greece called Iraene, at the request of Pope Theodorus gathered together at the Citie Nice a swarme of Bishops to the number, as they write, of CCCL. In the whyche Councell was also de­creed, that Images shoulde be had in Churches. In tho yeare of oure Lorde. 695. Blondus. Plat. Eutropius. Polid. Pan­taleon. &c.

But thys decre [...] lasted not longe. For the Emperour Constantine the sixt her sonne, seynge the greate abhomi­nation that came by Images, so sone as he came to rule, brake that decree, and made a strayght lawe agaynst the [...]auynge of Images in places where Christen men come together to praye. But the wycked woman hys Mother afterwarde thorowe the crafty coun­cell of the bloo [...]dy: Papistes founde the meanes to apprehende her sonne, to depryue hym of hys Empyre, to put out hys eyes,A wicked acte. and to cast hym into pri­soon, where he most miserably dyed. Oh vnnaturall Mother: yea, O vnnatural monsture, [Page 88] Afterwarde thys dounghel of Idola­try and superstition set vp agayne her Idoles and mahomets. But when Ni­cephorus came to the Empire he did not onely put her down, caste her into pri­son, where she by the ryghtuous iud­gement of God most vilesy dyed accor­dynge to thys saying of our Sauioure Christ,Math. 7. With what measure ye mette vnto other, with the same shall it be mette to you agayne: but he also de­stroied al her poppets, suffryng no ima­ges to remayne in the temples: whiche order all the Emperoures of Greece obserued euer after, as hystoryes make mention except one, Theodorus Lascaris, whiche at a certayne councell holden at Lugdune, agreed to the Byshop of Rome in admittyng Images. But hys subiectes therefore depryued hym both of hys Empire and dignity. Bar­thol. Westmerus.

Certaine godly Ciuile lawes a­gaynste the hauing of Images in Churches, with the aduise, con­sent, and iudgemēt of diuerse godly learned men.

[Page] Leo the Emperour LEo the third, Emperoure of Grece assembled toge­ther at Bizance three hundred & thirtie godly lear­ned Bishoppes, whiche with one consent agrea­ble to the worde of God,Images taken oute of Churches, and burn [...]e openly. decreed with the assent of the Emperour and of the nobilitie, that al Images should be ta­kē out of churches, and burnt openly. Moreouer the Emperoure himselfe at Constantinople threw out of the temples all the Images of Aungels,☞ Martyrs, virgins, saints, yea, and of Christ, and burnt, them in the opē market & made a law, that, whosoeuer resisted his procedinges in this behalfe, he should suf­fer death. In the yeare of our Lord. 784 Blondus. Eutropius. Platin. Matth. Palme­ [...]us. &c.

Constātine the Empe­roure. Constantine the Emperour kept a coū ­cell at Constantinople, in the which were present a greate number of godly Bi­shops, and other learned men: where it was lykewyse decreed, that Images should be cast out of Churches, and by no meanes be suffred in such places, as christen men resorte vnto for to praye [Page 89] vnto their Lorde God. In the yere, &c. 739, Sigesb. P. Aemilus. Pantal.

The noble and Godly Emperours Valens and Theodosius made a law,Ualens & Theodosi­us Empe­rours. that no man shoulde make or cause to bee made any Image of oure Sauioure Christ, neyther by paynting, nor by grauyng, nor yet by any other waye, but that wheresoeuer any such Image shoulde bee found, it shoulde vtterlye bee taken awaye and destroyed. And whosoeuer woulde attempte to doe contrarye to thys theyr acte, they ap­poynted certayne greuous punyshe­mentes to be executed vpon the trans­gressoures and breakers thereof, as a lawe grounded both vpon the worde of God, and vppon the decrees and constitutions of the most worthy aun­ciente Emperours and reuerende by­shops. Petrus Crinitus. Lib. 9. de honestae disciplina.

Sabanus King of y^e Bulgarians made also the lyke lawe in hys Realme for y^e abolyshmente of Images oute of the Churches.King Sa­banus. In the yeare of our Lorde. 765. Sabell, Mass. Pantal.

Philip y^e Emperour likewise made aPhilip the Emperour [Page] straight lawe for the abolishyng of I­mages. In the yeare of our Lorde. 730. Sabel. Paulus Diaconus.

Adrian the EmperourThe noble Emperoure Adrian com­maunded, y^t there shuld be no Images set vp in temples or Churches. Ioan. Laziardus.

King Cal­cobertus. Calcobertus King of England destroy­ed in hys Realme when he receaued the faith of Christ, all the Idolls, pop­pettes, Maumettes and Images that he founde or coulde come by. In the yeare of oure Lord. 640. Ioan. Laziard▪ Vincentius.

Pope Gregory the fyrst after that he was appoynted Byshop of Rome,P. Grego­ry the first. cō ­maunded, that all the Idolles and I­mages of the Heathen should vtterlye be defaced, theyr heades cutte of, and theyr other members in all poyntes mangled and disgraced, and so in fine destroyed, that no occasion of Idolatry mighte afterwarde be geuen. In the yeare of our Lorde. 590. Ioan. Laziard. Chronica.

Pope Con­stantine the seconde.Pope Constantine the second, whom the seditious, tirannicall and supersti­tious papistes did afterward violently [Page 90] depose, cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a vyle and stincking prison, and most vnmercifully put oute hys eyes, commaunded that no Christian shuld worship any Image eyther of God or of any Saint,Ioan iiii, or inuocate or call vpon the Uirgine Marye, or any other saint in heauen with their prayers, but wor­ship God in spirite and truth, and call vpō his glorious name thorow Iesus Christ our alone Mediatour, Aduocate and Intercessoure. In the yere, &c. 769. Ioan. Laziard.

The Councel Agathense made a de­cree, that there shoulde be no pictures in Churches,Certayne godly councels condē ­ning the hauing of [...]images in churches. and that no thyng should be painted on the walles of Churches, that is honoured and worshipped. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 440. Libro. Concil. Durand.

The Councell Toletane the twelfth holden in Spayne, made constitutions both agaynst Images and agaynst the worshippers of images. In the yere, &c. 712. Chron. Concil.

The Councell Elibertine likewise holden in Spayne decreed, that all [Page] pictures should be had out of churches, and that nothyng that is honoured or worshipped shoulde be paynted on the church walles. In the yeare, &c. 345. Isi­dorus. Tom. 1. Concil.

Epiphaniꝰ.The holy Byshop Epiphanius com­myng into a churche to praye, sawe a vayle there hāging, wherin was payn­ted y^e image of Christ, or of some saint. So sone as he saw it, he cutte y^e Image away, and sayd, that it is contrarye to the authoritye of the holy scriptures, to haue the Image of any man in the Churche of Christ. In the yere of oure Lord. 565. S. Hiero­nymus. Chron.

Of Baptisme.

POpe Victor the fyrst commaūded,Baptisme ministred at all times and in all places, and of all per­sons, neces­sitye requi­ring. Here­of came it, that Mid­wiues Baptise infants that baptisme should be ministred to al men indifferently at Easter. Notwithstandyng if any desyred (necessitie so requiryng) to be baptised at other tymes: he ordayned, that they myght lawfully be baptised in all pla­ces and at all tymes, yea and that with any kynde of naturall water, halowed or vnhalowed eyther by a Layman or by a Laywoman. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 198. Grat, Fascic. Temp. Lib. Con­cil. Poli. D. Barnes.

Pope Gelasi [...]s ordayned, that Bap­tisme shoulde be openlye ministred at Easter and at Witsontyde, yea & that freely. In the yeare. &c. 494. Isidor Grat. The Bap­tisme of in­santes.

Aboute that tyme also there was a Councell holden in Spayne, where it [Page] was enacted, that young infantes (if nede were) myght be baptised on the same day that they were borne. Isidor in Concil. Pantal.

Pope Leo the seconde decreed, that Baptisme myght be ministred euery day: where as in the primatiue Church as it appeareth by auncient writers, the Sacrament of baptisme was not commōly ministred,A goodly custome. but at two tymes in the yeare, that is to say, at Easter and Witsontyde: at whiche tymes it was solemnely and with greate reue­rence ministred in the presence of all the congregation. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 676. Lib. Concil. Volat. Pol. Ch [...]on.

Monkes maye not baptise, nor be Godfa­thers.Pope Gregorye the firste made a de­cree, that Monkes shoulde not baptise, nor be Godfathers to children at their baptisme. In the yere of our Lord▪ 590 Sabell. Pantal. D. Barns.

This decree did Pope Eugenius the thyrd renue. In the yeare of our Lord. 1147. Lib. Concil. Chron.

Nunnes maye be no Godmo­thers.The aforesayd Gregorye also ordai­ned, that Nūnes by no meanes should be Godmothers to chyldren eyther at Baptisme or at Confirmation. Chron. [Page 96] Ioan. Stella.

Pope Calixte the seconde pronoun­ced all suche excommunicated,Baptisme and buriall free. as toke money eyther for baptisyng or for bu­rying. In the yeare of our Lorde. 1120. Ioan. Tilio. Volat. Pantal.

Pope Nicolas the first ordained,Baptisme ministred of a Pa­gane is of force. that the sacrament of baptisme should stād in effecte, althoughe it were ministred of a Pagane and Infidel. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 871. Achilles. Dist. 4. De consecratione.

The same Pope made a decree,Baptisme may not be reiterated. that baptisme shoulde not be twyce mini­stred to one person. Ioan. Philip. Bergom.

Pope Iginius decreed,godfathers and godmothers. One God­father at Baptisme. that children, whiche were to be Christened▪ shoulde haue a Godfather and Godmother for to be witnesses that they were bapti­sed. In the yeare. &c. 143. Lib. Concil▪ Sa­bell. Polidor, D. Barns.

Pope Leo the third appoynted, that when the childe is eyther christened or bishoped, he should haue but one God­father, be it a man childe or a woman childe. In the yeare of our Lord. 817. De consec. Dist. 4. Capi. Non plures. Guil. Du­rand. Ioan. Stella▪ Phil▪ Bergom.

[Page] No father may be godfather to his owne childe.Pope Theodore the fyrste made a de­cree, that no father should be Godfa­ther to hys owne sonne or doughter: nor no mother Godmother to her own sonne or doughter. In the yeare of our Lord. 936. Ioannes Laziardus.

Item, he ordayned, that if any man were Godfather to another mannes doughter,Per quā re­gu [...]am? hys sonne myght not after­ward take her to wife. 30. Quest. 1. Cap. Non Oportet.

What ieo­perdye is there in the matter.Pope Vrban the seconde made a de­cree, that a man and his wife may not be Godfather and Godmother to one childe at Baptisme. 186.30. Quest. 4. Cap. Quod autem.

A doubtful kind of baptising.Pope Alexander the thyrd ordayned, that when it is doubtefull, whether the childe be baptised or not, he shoulde be baptised on this maner: If thou be bapti­sed, I baptise thee not agayne, but if thou be not baptised, I baptise thee in the name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the ho­ly Ghost. Amen. In the yere of our Lord 1161. Guilihelmus. Durandus.

Ceremo­nies about Baptisme.Pope Leo, Pope Damasus, and Saint Ambrose brought in the exorcismes & coniurations, the benedictions & bles­sings, [Page 82] with the other solemne ceremo­nyes. Guil. Durand.

Pope Celestine made a decree,A mad and a folyshe decree. that neither young children, nor any other of what age soeuer they bee, shall bee christened, before y^e priests thorow their coniurations, breathings, spittyngs & saltings do driue the deuill out of thē. In the yeare, &c. 428. Chron. Germ. Dist. 4. de Cons.

Pope Clement the fyrst put oyle and creame to the baptisme,Oyle cream crosses. and cōmaun­ded, that all y^t shall be baptysed, should be annoynted therewith, & crossed in y^e forehead. In the yere, &c. 92. Chron. Lib. Concil. Ioannes. Laziardus.

Pope Siluester the fyrst also orday­ned, that al y^t were baptised, should be annoynted with oyle & creame. In the yeare, &c. 315. Plat. Volat. Sabell.

In the Councell Braccarense, it was ordayned,Oyle and cream tre▪ that there should be no mo­ney payde for oyle and creame▪ wher­with y^e infantes be annoynted in their baptisme. Lib. Concil,

In the Councell holden at Chartage, it was decreed,The wo­mens bap­tisme. y^t a woman althoughe neuer so well learned, maye not pre­sume [Page] to baptise, except necessitye com­pelleth. Concil. Durand.

A good pro­uiso. and a profitable.In the councell Ilerdense, it was or­dayned, that euery prieste that can not haue a fonte of stone, maye haue any other conuenient vessell meete for that purpose. Prouided alwaye, that it be neuer after caryed out of the church Guili. Durandus.

Of the Lordes Supper, common­ly called of the papistes, The sacrament of the altare.

Unleaue­ned breade.POpe Alexander the fyrste com­maunded, that only vnleuended bread shuld be vsed at the Lords supper. In the yeare, &c. 119. Lib, Concil. Grat. Plat. Sabell.

☞Before that time the bread appoyn­ted for the Lords Supper was indiffe­rent, whether it wer leuended or vnle­uended. Notwithstanding the Grekes from the Apostles tyme vnto this daye haue euer vsed leuended bread in the ministration of the Lordes Supper, as they vse also wine only in their cuppe, where as suche as be vnder the Pope [Page 98] customably mingle water w^t the wine according to Pope Alexanders decree.

Pope Nicolas the seconde decreed,The carnal presence of Christ pub­lished by pope Nico­las in the sacrament. y^t the bread and the wine, whiche are set vpon the altare, are not only after the conseeration, the sacramentes of y^e bo­dye and bloud of Christ, but they ar al­so the very self same body and bloud of our Lord & sauiour Iesu Christ, y^t was borne of Mary the Uirgine, so that the very bodye of Christ is there truly and vnfaynedly handled of the priests han­des, broken and torne on peces with y^e teeth of y^e faithfull. In the yere, &c. 1961. De consecrat. Dist. 2. Ego. Berengarius.

Pope Innocent the third assembled at Rome in the councell Laterane a won­derfullTrāsubstā tiatiō deui­sed and cō ­fyrmed. swarme of spirituall smeared shorelinges to the number of .xii. hun­dred and odde, wherof .viii. hundred at the least wer monkes, fryers, chanons, and such other monkyshe monstures, which with one consent for y^e mainte­naunce of theyr beastly idlenesse & idle beastlinesse, deuised & confyrmed y^e doc­trine of transubstātiatiō, making it an article of our faith to beleue in payn of [Page] damnation, that after the prieste hath whispered ouer y^e bread & wine a fewe latine words, as Hoc est enim corpus me­um. Hic est enim sanguis meus &c: the bread is turned into the natural bodye of Christ, fleshe, bloud & bone, sinowes, guttes & loynes, euen as he was borne of Mary the Uirgine, and hanged on y^e crosse. Agayne the wine is turned into y^e very naturall bloud of Christ, which he receaued of Mary the Uirgine, as it was shedde for our redemption on the crosse, no substance of bread and wine remayning, but the very substance of bread & wine turned vnto the naturall substance of the body & bloud of Christ, onely y^e accidentss of bread & wine re­maining, this monsture of transubstā ­tiation was hatched and brought forth by Antichrist and his chaplaynes. In the yeare, &c. 1215. Decret. de summa trini­tate, Cap. Firmiter.

But as this doctrine of transubstan­tiation was vnknowen to the Church of Christ before y^e wicked and vnlaw­full assemblye of y^e venimous dragon pope Innocent & hys pestilent papistes: euen so lykewyse from y^e beginnyng, [Page 84] vnto thys daye would y^e churche of the Grekes neuer receaue it, but alwayes haue abhorred it as a newe & straunge,The Gre­kes would neuer ad­mit trāsubstantiation. yea, a deuelysh and damnable traditi­on of Antichrist,☜ as they in lyke man­ner woulde neuer admit that wicked & exe [...]rable traditiō of receauing the sa­crament of Christes bodye and bloude vnder one kynde contrary to the insti­tution of Christ, nor the damnable and deuelyshe decree of the syngle lyfe of priestes, althoughe that Romyshe An­tichrist with the Satanicall Sectaryes haue soughte all meanes possible to bring it to passe.

Pope Honorius the thyrd dyd not on­ly commaunde,The sacra­ment wor­shipped▪ & car [...]ed a­bout to the sicke, &c. y^t the sacrament of the altare (as the papistes terme it) should be worshipped and kneled vnto of the people, but also that it should be borne vnto the sycke after a most comely sort with al reuerence and honour, yea and that with candlelight also, thoughe it be at hye noone dayes. In the yere, &c. 1214. D. 3, Tit. 1. Cap. 10. Lib. Concil. Pant.

Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned,The sacra­ment reser­ued. that the sacrament of the altare should be kept in y^e churches cōtinually vnder [Page] locke and keye, to the entent to be in a redinesse at al times, least, saith he, thei that are sicke, should want y^e spirituall cōfort in y^e troublesome tyme of death. In the yere,Agaynste y^e reseruation of the Sa­crament. &c. Lib. Concil. Chron. Pant. But in y^e primatiue church there was no such reseruation and kepyng of the sacramental bread eyther for the sicke or for the hole, as it is at this presente. For in the Apostles tyme and manye yeares after, if any bread remayned of the communion, it was not reserued & hanged vp in the Pixe to be worship­ped, as the vse is among the papistes, brought in by the deuil and Antichrist, but it was geuen to the poore people to eate. And in the tyme of Hesichius & of Origen (as their commentaries vpon Leuiticus do testifye) the bread that re­mayned after the cōmunion, was brent to ashes. And Clement Pope of Rome made a decree, that if any of the sacra­mentall breade remayned, after the Lordes Supper was once done, the clarkes should not reserue it to be han­ged vp and worshipped, but consume and eate it.Li 4, ca. 3, 6 The old custome was this sayth Euagrius in hys ecclesiasticall hi­storie, [Page 100] that when much of the holy par­tes of the vndefyled body of Christ our God did remayne, that the young chil­dren, whiche were wonte to goe to schole, shoulde bee called to eate them, And Saint Hierome witnesseth also in hys commentarye vppon Sainte Paules Epistle to the Corinthians, that after the communion, whatsoe­uer they lefte, sayth he, of the sacrifices (he meaneth the sacramentall breade and wine) they consumed it there together in the Churche,In i. Cor. cap. xi. eatyng their common Supper.

Pope Iulius the fyrst appointed, that the Sacramente of the altare shoulde not be ministred with milke. In the yeare of oure Lorde .338. Guili. Durand. Notwithstanding we read, that in the tyme of Pope Innocent the eyghte, it was suffered, that the priestes of Nor­duegia mighte syng Masse with water for lacke of wine. In the yeare, &c. 1484 Math. Palmer. Pantal.

Pope Innocent the third bearing rule it was ordained in the councel Laterane y^t when soeuer the Sacramente of the altare is caryed aboute,A vile & a wicked de­cree. there shoulde [Page] be borne before it a bel ringing with a light to cause the people to knele down and worship it. In the yeare, &c. 1195. Iacobus de visaco.

Can the mouse or a­ny other beast eate y^e body of Christ.In the councell Arelatense it was de­creed, y^t if any priest were negligent in keping the bodye of Christ, so y^t eyther mouse or any other beaste did eate it, y^t priest for hys offence shuld do penance fortye dayes. Dist. 3. De. consecrat.

Priests only must carry the sacrament to the sicke.In the coūcell Remense it was enac­ted, y^t whereas afore the manner was for the priests oftentymes to deliuer y^e sacrament of Christes body and bloud to Laymen and to Laywomen, yea to childrē for to beare it vnto the sicke: the priestes from thenceforth shoulde no more so do, but beare it themselues vnto them, saying, that it is an horri­ble and detestable thing for such to ca­rye the holy body of the Lord to y^e sicke:Except it be to offer. whiche are forbidden to come into the Chauncel, or to approche nye vnto the altare. De consec. Dist. 2.

Lay people may not touche y^e sa­crament with theyr handes.In a certayne councel holden at Ro­tomage, it was decreed, y^t the sacrament should be geuen from henceforth ney­ther to Laymen, nor to Laywomen in [Page 101] their handes any more, but y^t the priest should put it in their mouthes, contrary to the vse and practise of the prima­tiue church and many hundred yeares after. Lib. Concil.

Pope Boniface the second made a de­cree,A good de­cree. that at the ministration of the Lordes Supper the people & the Cler­gy should be present, not to be gasers, but partakers of those holy mysteries. In the yeare. &c. 529. Ioan. Stella.

Pope Anacletus decreed,A godlye lawe and worthye to be practised y^t a priest, whensoeuer he doth cōmunicate, shall haue two at the least to be partakers with him: and that such as be present, and will not communicate shal as vn­godly persons be excommunicate, and put out of the cōgregatiō. In the yeare &c. 101. Grat. Plat. Phil. Bergom.

In the c [...]ūsell Antiochen it was like wise agreed,☜ that suche as were in the Churche, and present at the common prayers, & heard the preaching of gods worde, and yet refused to receaue the Lordes Sacrament, they should be ta­ken for none of the number of the true Christians. Lib. Concil.

Pope Zepherinus appoynted, that all [Page] that professe christ, or beare the names of Christiās,The age of the communicantes. being of the age of twelue or thirtene yeres or vpwarde, should at the least once in the yere (as at Easter) receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christe. In the yeare. &c. 208. Plat. Sabell. Volat. Laziard. &c.

Thrice in the yeare, the holy cō munion is to be recea­ued.Pope Fabiane commaūded, that eue­ry Christian should receaue the Sacra­ment of Christes body and bloud thrice in the yeare, that is to say, at Easter, at Witsontide, and at Christmasse. In the yere of our lord .242. Eusebius, Plat. Sabell. Volat. Ioan. Stella. Pantaleon.

In the Councell Agathense it was decreed, that those seculare men, which did not receaue the Communion at Christmasse, Easter and Witsontide, shoulde not be taken for true Catho­likes. Lib. Concil.

A fonde decree.There is a decree, as Guilihelmus Durandus writeth, that suche as ought to receaue the Sacrament at Easter, muste abstayne ab amplexibus, that is to saye, from gyuing their wiues the due beneuolence, as Sainct Paule cal­leth it, three dayes afore, and three, or fiue, or vii, dayes after, as though the [Page 102] acte of Matrimonye were vncleane, when notwithstandyng the holy Apo­stle calleth Wedlocke honorable,Heb. 1 [...]. and the bedde vndefiled. Rationale di. off.

Of receauing the Sacrament vnder both kindes according to Christes Institution.

POpe Gelasius ordayned,A good and godly law. The sacra­mēt ought to be receaued vnder both kīdes that all Christians, be they spirituall or temporall, as they terme them, shoulde receaue the Sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ in both kinds according to Christes institution: and that if any would not so receaue it, the same should abstayne from the whole. In the yeare of our Lord .494. dist. 2. de consecrat. cap. Comperimus.

Pope Iulius the first also commaun­ded, that the people should receaue the mysteries of Christes body and bloude accordyng to Christs institution, both the breade and the cup, one seuerall from the other, as the Apostle sayth: let a man examine himselfe and so eate of that breade, and drinke of that cup. In the yeare of our Lord .338. de conse­crat. dist. 2. cap. Cum omne.

[Page]In a certain councell holden at Ba­sile, it was concluded, that according to christes institution the lay people also should receaue the Sacrament in both kindes. And this decree was not onely established by the authoritie of the em­perour Sigismund, and the cōsent of the other noble and learned men, whiche were there present, but it was also confirmed, approued, and allowed by Po­pe Eugenius the fourth. In the yeare. &c 1430. Lib. Concil. Chron.

Not only in the primatiue churche, but also in the time of S. Cipriane. s. Hie­rome. S. Ambrose. S. Austen. S, Iohn Chri­sost. &c. and many hundred yeares af­ter, the lay people receaued the Sacra­mēt of Christes body and bloud vnder both kindes, as they lykewise had the Sacramētal bread geuen thē in theyre hādes and not put in theyre mouthes, as the Papistes vse in these our dayes. Are not these the wordes of saint Am­brose vnto the Emperoure Theodosius, when he would haue receaued the Sa­crament, comming blustring and blo­wyng from sheding innocent bloud? O Emperour, saith he, howe shalt thou with [Page 103] such handes take the holy body of the Lord? With what folishe hardinesse shalt thou re­ceaue in thy mouth the cup of the precious bloud, seing that thorow the madnesse of thy wordes so muche bloude is wrongfully shed? Seuen thousand men, sayth the historye, were slaine at the commaundement of the Emperour. Tripar. hist. Lib. 9. cap. 30 That this Emperour Theodosius was a lay man,☜ the Papistes themselues will confesse I doubt not. Here then learne we two notable thinges, one is that in the tyme off. Ambrose, the lay people accordyng to Christes institution, re­ceaued y^t Sacrament vnder both kinds The second is, that the lay people also had the Sacramentall bread geuen thē into theyr hande of the ministers, and not thrust into theyre mouthes, as the massyng Papistes vse at this daye but this godlye plant of Christe, hath that wild bore of Rome with his Antichri­stiane and filthy pigges [...]oted vp, sub­uerted and destroyed. Take eate, sayth Christe Drinke ye all of this, sayth he. Matth. 26. Marke. 14. Luke. 22. 1. Cor. 11. All saith he, and not priestes only.

The cup of the mysterie of Christes [Page] bloud was so frelye suffred before the tiranny of the Romish bishop preuay­led,Note. that not onely it was ministred to auncient people, but also to yong chil­dren, as the monumentes of the olde writers do manifestly declare. Cipr. in serm. de lapsis. All the east churche re­ceaue the Sacramēt vnder both kindes.

The Grekes, the Ethiopes, and the Bo­hems, with diuers other nations (as hi­stories make mention) haue vnto this daye alwayes obserued and kepte the auncient and Apostolique maner of re­ceuing the Sacramēt vnder both kinds according to the institution and ordi­naūce of y^e Lorde Christ, by no meanes obeying the wicked decree of y^e bishop of Rome vnto the contrary.

Of receiuing the Sacrament vnder one kinde after the popes inuention.

Whē y^e mi­stery of the Lords blud was taken away from the communion of the Laytye.POpe Innocent the thyrd (as some write) did firste of all forbid in the councell Laterane, that the lay people should receiue the holy communiō of the body and bloud of Christ vnder both kindes: about the yeare. &c 1215. Other affirme (whiche I iudge to be more true) that that wicked decree [Page 104] of taking awaye the cup of the myste­ry of Christes bloud from the laye peo­ple contrary to christes institution and commaundement, was first of al graū ­ted confirmed and established in a coū ­cel holden at Constance, Iohn Wicliffe, Iohn Husse, Hieronimus de Praga. the xiii, session, where y^e most famous clerk Iohn Wick­lief our countrey man was condemned for an heretike, & the two learned men Iohn Hus & Hieronymus de Praga were most cruelly and most vniustly murthered and brent also for heretikes of the bloudy Papists, notwithstandyng the Emperours safeconduct, for deniyng the Popish article of Transubstantiation and maynteyning the receyuing of the Sacrament vnder both kindes.With what forhead thē dare ye, O vnshamfast Papists, after the institucion of Christ. In the yeare. &c. 1415. This is worthie to be noted, that the Papistes them selues in that theyr deuilish decree confesse and graunte, that Christes institution is, that the lay people shoulde receaue the Sacrament vnder both kinds, and that in the primatiue Churche all the com­municātes did not only receiue the mystery of christs body, but also y^e mystery of Christs bloud, one seuerall from the other, according to y^e instituciō of christ [Page] And notwithstandyng the premisses, they straightly charge and commaūde, that from that time forwarde, none of the Laytye shal receaue the Sacramēt, but onely vnder the kind of bread, and that they must beleue certeinly and by no meanes doubt, that the whole body and bloude of Christ is truely contay­ned as well vnder the kinde of breade alone as vnder the kinde of wine also: & that therfore it is sufficient for the lay­tye to receaue the Sacrament vnder one kynd, and that whosoeuer frō that tyme fourth shall presume to receaue the Sacrament vnder both kindes (ex­cept he be an holy annoynted) or think of this decree otherwise than well: he shall be taken, iudged, condemned and punished like an heretike accordyng to the appointment of the ecclesiasticall lawes, that is to say, brent to ashes, as the good mōke of Eye in Suffolk was in the dayes of kynge Henry the eight,The good Monke of Eye. O woluish and bloudy Antichristes. A Christen man to be murthered for o­beiyng the commaundemēt of Christ, yea, and that of them, whiche will be taken for the heades of Christs church, [Page 105] whiche also ought rather to shed theyr owne bloude, than y^t any iot or title of Gods worde should be left vndone?Gala. iii▪ O tirannye incomparable. It is not law­full eyther to put to or take ought frō y^e testament of a mortall man, if it bee once allowed: and shal y^e vile donghills of the earth presume to alter & chaūge the blessed and euerlasting Testament of y^e only begotten sonne of god,Math. 26. which he sealed with his most precious bloud & deliuered to his church to be inuiola­bly kept vntil his returne? Drinke ye all of thys, sayth Christ, and not ye smeared shorelyngs only.

In a councell holden at Basile, Priestes may not receaue vnder both kinds. except they Masse. it was decreed, y^t not only the lay people, but the priests also, when they themselues make not Goddes body, shuld commu­nicate onely vnder one kynde. In the yeare, &c. 1437.

Of confyrmation or bishop­pyng of Children.

POpe Clement the fyrst (as the pa­pistes fayne) fyrste of all orday­ned the confyrmation or byshopping of children,The bishopping of chil­dren. and commaunded y^t ☜ [Page] the childe being once baptised, shuld as sone as is possible, be bishopped. For sayth he, he is no perfect christiā which not of necessity, but of negligence or of set purpose leueth this thing vndone. In the yere, &c. 92. Lib. Concil. Fas. Temp. Pol. Pantal.

Some attribute this decree to pope Siluester the fyrste, whiche liued in the yeare, &c. 315. Plat. Volat. D. Barns.

The aforesaid pope also appoynted, y^t none should consecrate the oyle and creame,Byshops only muste confirme children. but byshops onely, and y^t they likewise, & none other, should confirme children. Plat. Volat.

Pope Iginius ordayned, that children shoulde haue a Godfather or Godmo­ther, when they were confyrmed and catechised. In the yeare, &c, 143. Ioannes. Laziardus.

In the councell Meldense it was or­dained, y^t bishops shuld be fasting,Byshops must be fas­ting, when they con­fyrme chil­dren. Rules con­cerning cō ­fyrmation. whē they confyrme children. Lib. Concil. Dist 5. de consecrat.

In a councel holdē at Aurelia, it was decreed, y^t the sacrament as they cal it, of confirmation, shuld be geuen to such young ones as were of perfect age, as [Page 106] xii, or .xv. yeares olde, & to such as were come to mans state: and y^t all such, be­fore they be bishopped, shuld be shriuē, and come fasting to their byshoppyng. Lib. Concil. Guilielmus. Durand.

Of Matrimonye.

POpe Euaristus made a law,A lawe not to be [...]espi­sed. y^t al pri­uye contracts of Matrimony, y^t wer made without y^e consente of the pa­rents, shuld be of no force: and y^t the mā & the woman shuld be openly maryed together in the church, of a priest before the congregation, or els y^e maryage to be taken as adulterous, incestuous and abhominable. In the yeare, &c. 110. Lib. Concil. Epist. 1. ad episc. Aphrican. Polid. D. Barns.

Pope Sother decreed, y^t no wife shuld be holden lawful,Agaynst pr [...] uy cōtracts and stollen maryages. except she were fyrst blessed of a Priest. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Agayne, y^t al mariages should be made not secretly, but openly, and with great solemnitie. In the yeare, &c. 168. Grati. Volat. Sabell.

The same law also made Pope, Ni­colas y^e fyrst. In the yere of our Lord. 87 [...] [Page] Quaest. 3. Cap. 1. Nostrates. Laziard.

[...]Pope Hormisda likewise strayghtly commaunded, that the mariage of the Christians shoulde not bee celebrated in hocker mocker, but openlye in the Church of Christ before the multitude In the yeare, &c. 514.30. Qu. 5. Cap. Nul­lus fidelis. Ioan. Stella.

Halowing of the wed­ding bed.Pope Martine the fyrst ordayned, y^t the man and hys wife shuld not lye to­gether, before the priest had blessed thē and halowed their bed. In the yeare, &c. 643. Chron.

Pope Theodorus dyd inhibite fyrst of all,A wicked acte. y^t a man might not mary y^e mayde, to whom his father was Godfather. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 636. Sabell. Gratian.

Degrees of marying.Pope Fabian made a decree, y^t no mā shuld marrye any of his kyndred with in the fyfth degree, In the yere, &c. 242. Grat. Sabell. Volat. Plat.

Pope Iulius the fyrst made a lawe, y^t no man should marrye any of his kyn­dred vnto the seuenth degree. In the yere, &c. 338. Cau, 35. q. 3. Null. Pol. Pant.

This lawe was afterwards confyr­med by Gregory the fyrste. But Pope [Page 107] Innocent the thirde disalowing the de­crees both of Pope Iulius and of Pope Gregory, A more reasonable de­cree. renued the decree of Pope Fa­bian, licensyng al men to marrye from the fourth degree vpward, as it is spe­cifyed in a decree, that beginneth, Non debet. In the yeare, &c. 1215. Paul. Phrig. [...]olidor. Pantal.

Pope Honorius the thirde ordayned,An homely ma [...]ter. that if any womā wuld come, & declare before the ordinarye, y^t her husbande is not able to geue her y^e due beneuolence although it be three yeares after they haue bene maryed, shee shall be sepa­rated from her husbande, In the yeare of our Lord. 1214. Dec. 5. Tit. 33. Cap. 28.

Pope Nicolas y^e fyrst decreed, that no mariage ought to be solemni [...]ed in the tyme of Lente,Maryage forbidden in Lent. In the yeare, &c. 871. Grat. Chron.

There is also a decree made in the councell Ilerdense that frō Septuagesime vnto the Octaues of Easter,Whē mari­age maye not be cele­brated. &, iii. wekes before the feast of S. Iohn Baptist, o­therwyse called Mydsomer: again, that from Aduente vnto Twelf [...]yde after Christmasse, maryage in no condition maye be solemnised. If any presume to [Page] marrye in those forbidden tymes,What if a man pur­chase a dis­pensatiō for money? Shal it not then be lawfull. A folishe lawe. the popes lawe is, y^t thei shal be separated. 3. Qu. 4. Cap, Non oportet.

Pope Gregory ordayned, that y^e man, which slepeth or lyeth with his wyfe, may not enter into the churche, before he hath washed himselfe with water, & made himself cleane. Caus. 33. Quaest. 4. Vir cum propria.

Of Auricular confession.

POpe Innocent the thirde ordayned auriculare confession in the coun­cell Laterane, Confession of sinnes to the Curate and commaunded y^t al men, women and children, euē so many as are of age, shal at the leaste once in the yeare confesse their synnes to their own Curate. In the yeare, &c. 1215. Paulus. Phrig. Massae. Polid.

The aforesayd pope also made a law that if any prieste dyd vtter, disclose, or tel abroade the confession of any man,Confession may not be disclosed. he shoulde be thrust into a monasterye to do penaunce al the tyme of his lyfe. De. 5. Tit. 30. Cap. 13.

Pope Gregorye also made a law, that no confessour or ghostly father should [Page 108] bewraye any mans confession eyther by becke, signe, token, worde or by any other meanes. Dist. 6. de paenitentia. Ca. Sacerdos. Ansel. Ryd.

In the Greke Churche there was a certayne kynde of auricular confession vsed of such as should receaue the com­munion,If this wer put in prac­tise here in england: it were not a­misse, namely for the youthlings sake. more than a thousand yeares paste. Before they came to the Lordes Supper, their manner was to goe vn­to y^e minister, to learne of hym y^e right vse of that holy mystery, and how they might prepare thēselues to come wor­thely vnto that holy and heauenly ta­ble: Againe, if any thing troubled their conscience, to declare it to a godly lear­ned minister, and to aske his councell and aduise in redresse thereof, as y^• mā ­ner at this present is in diuerse places of Germanye, where the Gospell is preached. Under the cloke of thys au­riculare confessiō, much mischiefe was wrought, in so muche it was proued, y^t a certayne Deacon dyd most shameful­ly abuse a noble citizens wife diuerse times, when shee came vnto y^e churche vnder this pretence, euē to be cōfessed. [Page] Which thing when Nectarius bishop of Constantinople perceaued,Nectarius. he vtterlye abrogated and put awaye y^e arricular confession, leauing the communicants to their own consciences. In the yeare of our Lord. 395. Hist. Trip. Lib. 9. Cap. 5. P. Phrig.

Of Annoilyng, or extreme vnction.

The annoi­ling of the sicke.POpe Felix the fourthe did insti­tute y^t such as were in extremes & like to die, shuld be annoyled. In the yere, &c. 525. Chronic. Volat. Poly­dor. D, Barns. Pantal.

Pope Innocent the fyrst ordayned al­so, that y^e sicke shuld be ānoynted with oyle, being afore consecrate of a bishop In the yere, &c. 404. Lib. Concil. Petrus de natal.

Of praying for the dead.

Diriges & Masse of Requ [...]em. POpe Pelagius the fyrst orday­ned fyrste of all the funerall Exequies or Diriges wyth Masses of Requiem to be done for the dead. He also commaunded, that the priestes at theyr Masses shuld daylye praye for the dead in theyr se­conde Memento. In the yere, &c. 52. [Page 109] Grat. Plat. Pol.

Pope Gregory the thyrde commaun­ded,Sacrifice for the dead that oblations & sacrifices shoulde be offered of the Priestes at their Mas­ses for y^e dead. In the yere of our Lord. 740. Nauclerus. D. Barns.

Pope Leo appointed the Masse to be a sacrifice for the dead.The masse a sacrifice for the dead In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Vol. Ansel. Ryd.

Pope Benet the thyrd ordayned,One good turne aske an other. that the Clergy should be present at the bu­rial of the Byshops, and sing Dirige for their soules: and that the Bishops likewise should be present at the buriall of the Clergy, & syng Dirige also for their soules. In the yeare. &c. 861. Chron. Plat.

Pope Iohn the .xviii. at the instante desyre of Oclilo the Monke,The feaste of al soules appoynted one seuerall day in the yeare to praye for all Christen soules departed: which we cōmonly call the feast of all soules. In the yeare. &c. 999. Chron.

Pope Gregory the fyrst by prayer ob­tayned of God (as they write) that the soule of Traianus the Emperour,A tale of a tubbe. which many yeares before had bene most mi­serably tormented in the most bytter paynes of hell fyre (where they saye is [Page] no redemption) was deliuered oute of hell, & brought vnto the glorious kingdome of heauen. In the yeare of oure Lord. 590. Polichronicon.

Of diuine seruice, as they cal it: Mattens, Prime, and Houres, Euensong. &c.

Ringing of belles to seruice.POpe Sabiniane decreed first, that y^e people should be assembled toge­ther to heare their diuine ser­uice at certayne houres of the day by ringyng of belles. In the yeare of our Lord. 603. Volat. Fasci. Temp. Chron. Plat. Polid, D. Barns.

An order for seruice.Pope Damasus at the instance of the Emperour Theodosius commaunded▪ S. Hierome to take an order for the seruice to be vsed in Churches, and to appoint what prayers should be sayd on euery day, that there might be an vniformi­tie in the seruice. Whiche thing. S. Hierome did with all diligence, in somuche that he appoynted, what prayers and howe many Psalmes should be sayde euery daye in the weke. When he had finished the seruice, he sent it vnto Da­masus, whiche did right well allowe it, [Page 110] and commaunded, that all Churches should vse that order and none other. For before that tyme euerye Churche had suche prayers appoynted, as were thought by the Elders thereof moste mete for the congregation, and serued best for the present time. In the yeare. &c. 371. Guil. Durandus. Chron.

Pope Gregorye the firste brought in Deus in adiutorium. Deus in adiutorium. &c. and ordayned it to be sayd euerye houre at seruice. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 590. Plat. Iac. Phil. Bergom. Poly.

Pope Damasus thorowe the councell of S, Hierome appoynted that Gloria patri, Gloria patri whiche, as they write, was made at the councell of Nice, should be sayd at the ende of euerye Psalme. In the yeare of our Lord. 371. Volat. Sigeb. Po­lidor. Pantal.

Pope Gregory the seuenth ordayned,Psalmes. Lessons. that from Easter day vnto the Sater­daye before the feaste of the Trinitie, there shuld be sayd at Mattens, but .iii. Psalmes and .iii. lessons onely: at all other times .ix. lessons. &c. In the yere. &c. 1073. Some wryte the contrary, and ascribe thys inuention to Alcuinus, [Page] whiche was scholemaster to Charles the great. Guil. Durand. Chron.

Legendes.The Legendes or liues of Saints, that be redde in the quiere at seruice time were made by Paulus Longobardus at the desyre of Charles the great. And he appoynted conuient lessons for eue­rye feaste of the Sainctes thoroughout the yeare. Bergom.

Isuardus the Frenche Monke at the the desire of Charles the greate, made the booke,The Martiloge. whiche is called, the Marti­loge. Iac. Phil.

Respondes Collectes.Pope Gregorye the fyrste, and Pope Gelasius brought in the Respondes and Collectes, that be sayde at Mattens. Guil. Durandus.

Himnes.Pope Damasus added the Himmes: wherof he himselfe made part, and the residue wer made by saint Hilary, saint Ambrose, and other. Guil. Durandus.

Pope Gregorye the firste deuised the Anthemes,Anthemes. and made the tune or songe vnto them. Guil. Durand. Ioan. Laziard.

Notwithstandyng some write, that in y^• tyme of Pope Euaristus Anthemes were brought into the Church by Ignatius Saint Iohn the Euangelistes di­sciple, [Page 111] yea & that by this occasion Igna­tius at a tyme standing vpon a certaine mountain heard the Aungels in Hea­uen singing Anthemes, He beyng mo­ued by their example, ordayned in lyke maner that Anthemes should be songe in the churches, and Psalmes likewise after the Anthemes. In the yeare. &c. 109▪ Phil. Bergom. Tripart. Hist.

Pope Damasus ordayned,The order of y^e quiere. that the quier being deuided in two parts: they should singe one verse of the Psalmes on the one side, & an other on the other side. Sigeb. Durand. Polid. Pantal.

Pope Alexander the second cōmaun­ded,Laus tibi. that Alleluia should not be said nor song in the churches from Septuagesima vnto Easter euen▪ but in the steade of that, Laus tibi domine. In the yeare. &c. 1063. Nauclerus. D. Barns.

The same commaundement gaue Pope Telesphorus also, as Durand writ­teth. Rat. di. off.

Pope Innocent the thyrde ordayned,Te deū ▪ &c Forbiddē. that whensoeuer the Mary, or the holy Ghost, or saint Crosse is serued on the working daies, Te deum shal not be said at Mattens, nor Gloria in excelsis, & the [Page] Crede at Masse. In the yeare of oure Lord. 1195. Guil. Durand.

Psalmes singing day and nyght.Pope pontianus made a decree, that the Psalmes should be songe through­out all Churches both day and nyght. In the yeare. &c. 230. Fas. Temp. Chron.

Pope Pelagius the first commaunded first of al, that Priestes should say day­ly Mattens of the day. In the yeare. &c 552. Grat. plat. polid. Chron.

Mattens of our La­dy.Pope Vrban the secōd ordayned like­wise, that priestes should say euery day our Ladies mattēs openly in y^e church: and that vpon the Saterday the whole seruice shoulde be of our Lady. In the yeare. &c. 1086. Sabel. Ioan. Stella. Nauclerus. pol. Durand. polichron.

alleluia. &c forbidden.Pope Leo the first commaūded, that in Septuagesima, and Quadragesima, and Aduent, and Lent, Alleluya should not be song, nor Gloria in excelsis. In the yere. &c. 444. Durandus. Ioan. Stella. Iac. phil. Bergom.

Te deum.Sainct Ambrose and S. Austen made Te deum, as they waite. Catalog. Sant. Specul. Eccles. Iac. phil. Bergom.

Sainctes seruice.Pope Leo the nynth made certayne songes of the Sainctes. In the yeare. [Page 112] &c. 1040. Sigebertus. Chron.

Paulus Longobardus made this hymne,Vt queant laxis. vt queant laxis, with diuerse other moe at the desire of charles y^e great. Bergom.

Pope Zepherinus made the Legend on Childermasse day,Legendes. whiche begynneth, Zelus quo tendat. &c. and also the Legend of the decollation of Saint Iohn Bap­tiste. phil. Bergom.

Pope Gregory the nynthe ordayned Salue regina to be songe in Churches with all deuotion and with all solem­nitie.Salue Re­gina. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1225. Blondus Crantz. The maker of this An­theme was one peter Bishop of Compo­stella. Guili. Durand.

Pope Siluester the second being By­shop of Rome,Sequente [...]. Hymnes. Respondes a certayne kynge of Fraunce, called Roberte, made thys se­quence, Sancti spiritus adsit nobis gratia, and thys Hymne, Chorus nouae Hierusa­lem, with these respondes. O Iuda & Hierusalem, O Constantia martyrum. Cor­ne [...]ius Centurio. &c. In the yeare of oure Lord. 995. Guil. Durand. Antoni. Laziardus. phil. Bergom.

Pope Leo the fourthe made these Collectes,Collectes. Deus qui beatum petrum. &c. [Page] Deus cuius dextera. &c. In the yeare of our Lord. &c. 838. Durand.

Lēt seruicePope Paule the first deuised the ser­uice for Lent. In the yere of our Lord 768. Chron. The same Pope also com­maunded, that in the time of Lent, the diuine seruice shuld be done before the sixt houre in the morning. Ioā. Laziard.

The longe Letanie of Sainctes.Pope Gregory the fyrst ordayned the great longe Letany of Sainctes with Ora pro nobis, whiche is song on Sainct Markes daye agaynst the swelling and chyncough: and commaunded, that if should be song on that day thorowout all the worlde.A generall procession. Thys Letanye is called Septuplex Litania. For Pope Gregory in this procession begonne first at Rome, dyd in the first place set the Clergye: in the seconde, Abbotes and Monkes: in the thyrd, Abbesses with their Nūnes: in the fourth, childrē: in the fifth▪ Lay­men: in the sixte, widowes: and in the seuenth, maried folke. In the yeare. &c. 590. Volat. Plat. Guil. Durand. D. Barns.

The Leta­ny for gang dayes.Pope Leo the first beyng Byshop of Rome, or as some write, Pope Hylarye bearynge rule, Mamertus Claudius By­shop of Vienna inuented first of al those [Page 113] iii. Rogation dayes, that are before the feast of Christes ascention, and made y^e Letanies y^t are song about the stretes & fieldes on those dayes, againste earthquakes, and tempest of weather, & peril of wilde beastes, &c. And it is called the Lesse Letanye for the difference of the more & greater Letanye, which S. Gre­gory ordayned to be sayd or song on S. Markes daye, whereof we haue tofore spoken. In the yere, &c. 444. Plat. Christ. Massae. Pol. Pant.

Pope Liberius appoynted, y^t there should be continual going on processi­ons for warre,Processiōs continual. for famyne, for pesti­lence, for rayne, for drought & for suche other aduersities, as we be alwayes in daunger of, y^t by supplications, pray­ers and fastings, we may escape them. In the yere, &c. 354. Guili. Durand.

Pope Agapetus appoynted y^e people to goe processions on the Sondayes.Sondaye processions In the yeare of oure Lorde. 533. Volat. Plat. Petrus de natal. Fas [...]. Temp. Polidor. D, Barnes.

Pope Pelagius the fyrst ordayned fu­neralDiriges & Masses of Requiem. exequses or Diriges with masses of Requiem to be song or sayd for the dead [Page] In y^e yeare, &c. 552. Plat. Pol. Grat. Chron.

Burialles.Pope Benet the third ordayned, y^t the clergie shuld be present at the burial of y^e Bishop, & syng Dirige for their soules and y^t the byshops likewise shoulde be present at the buriall of the Clergye & sing Dirige also for their soules. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 863. Lib. Concil. Plat. Chron.

Alcuinus the Frenchman, Schole­master (as they say) to the Emperoure Carolus Magnus, Offices of Masse. made at y^e desyre of Bo­niface Byshop of Miguntia diuerse ori­sons that be sayd in the masse, and also diuerse offices of diuerse masses, Gau­deamus omnes in domino. Salue sancta pa­rens. Requiem aeternam. &c. Iacobus. Phil. Bergom.

The same Alcuinus also made y^e ser­uice of the Trinitye.Seruice of y^e Trinity Guili. Durandus. Thomas of Aquine y^e Blackefryer made the seruice for the feast of Corpus Christi at the commaundement of pope Vrban the fourth.Corpus Christi ser­uice. In the yeare, &c. 1262. Petrus de natal. Platina.

A certayn mā called Hermannus made these sequences, Rex omnipotens. Aue Maria, Rex omni­potens. &c, and the [...]r Anthemes. Alma [Page 114] redemptoris mater, Alma redēptoris. &c. &c, and Simon Bario­na, &c. Guilielmus. Durand.

Theodosius Byshop of Aurelia made Gloria laus: and Ludouicus y^e Emperour Carolus Magnus sonne commaūded y^t it shoulde be song on Palme Sonday at the end of the procession in some highe and solemne place.Gloria laus Chron. Cuil. Durand. Nauclerus.

Fulbertus a Byshop made these re­spondes, Stirps lesse, and Solem iustitiae, and thys hymne Chorus nouae Hierusa­lem. Guili. Durand. Polychr. Lib, Stirps lesse Solē iusti­tiae. Charus no­uae. 6. This Byshop, as they saye, was so deuoute a man, and so deerely beloued of oure Lady the Uirgine Mary, that when he was very sore sicke, and could taste no­thing, shee full graciously came downe from heauen,☜ and gaue hym sucke out of her owne breastes and by thys mea­nes relyeued hym, and [...]est [...]red hym to hys healthe. Libro de miraculis. B. Mariae

Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria, Quicunquae vult. made the Crede, Quicunque vult saluus esse, &c Fasc. Temp.

Stephen Byshop of Leodia made the seruice of S, Lamberte, S. Lābertes seruice, &c. & of the inuentiō [Page] of S. Stephen with the note for thē both Fasc. Temp. Christ. Massae.

Sanctus de­us, Sanctus fortis, &c.This responde Sanctus deus, Sanctus fortis, &c, which is song in y^e church on good fryday: a certayne childe, as they say, made & gaue cōmaundemente y^t it should be song: and it was afterwarde confyrmed in the councel Calcedonense, about the yeare, &c. 444. Fascic. Tempor. Christ. Massae.

Petronius Byshop of Bononie made y^e boke called Vitas patrum. Vitas patrū Fasc. Temp.

Pope Theodorus the fyrst being bishop of Rome, Idosirus bishop of Hispalia in Spaine, made y^e office of y^e masse which is cōmonly vsed in y^e cathedral churche of Hispalea. ☞ In y^e church, when y^e priest lifteth vp y^e sacrament at Masse aboue his head: The deacon standing by and turning himselfe to the people, crieth out with a loude voyce, & sayth: Videte in quem creditis. Loke vpon him in whō ye do beleue. Agayne, when the prieste singeth at masse the pater noster y^e whole quere aunswereth at the ende of euery peticion in the same prayer, Amen, cō ­trarye to the vse of all other churches. Ioan. Laziard. Cestrens.

[Page 115] Osmundus Byshoppe of Salisburye, which for his exercise after hys graue studyes was wonte to write,The Ordi­nall. to limne and to binde bookes, made the ordi­nall of the seruice of the Churche, and named it the Consuetudinary. Ranulph. Cestrensis.

Petrus Heremita a french man of the city of Annias, Beades. fyrst of al deuised Beades, to saye Ladies psalters on. In the yere, &c. 1110. Chr. Pol.

Pope Calixt the thyrde made y^e ser­uice of the transfiguration of Christ,Seruice of the transfi­guration of Christ. & commaunded y^e feaste to be celebrated and kept holy on the syxte daye of Au­gust. Christ. Massae.

In the councell Toletane and Gerun­dense, it was decreed,Cathedra [...] churches seruice. that y^e order of masse and of other diuine seruice with the ministration of the sacramentes, y^t is obserued in y^e cathedrall Churche, shoulde be kepte likewyse in all other churches of the same diocesse. Lib. Con­cil. Durand.

In the Councell Gerundense, it was appoynted that the Pater Noster shoulde bee sayd euery daye,Pater nos [...] after that Mattens and Euensong bee ended. [Page] Lib. Concil.

Aue Maria at noone.Pope Calixt the thirde ordayned, y^t the greate bell shoulde bee tolled euery day at noone, or at .xii. of y^e clocke, and y^t the people hearyng the sounde of the bell, should strayght wayes say an Aue Maria, in the worship of oure Ladye. In the yeare, &c. 1455. Ioannes. Stella. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Iohn the xxii. made a decree y^t after euensong bee done,Tolling to the Aues. the bel should be tolled thrice, and that then oute of hande euery man and woman shoulde streyghtwayes fall downe vpon theyr knees, and say three Aue Maries, in the honour of oure blessed Ladye Sainte Marye. In the yeare of our Lord, 1302. Chronic.

Pardoned Orisons.Pope Clement the fourthe at the de­sire of Lewes King of Fraunce graun­ted three yeres of pardon toties quoties, to so many as deuoutly say these Ori­s [...]ns following.

Benedictum sit dulce nomen domini nostri Iesu Christi, & glorio sissimae virginis Ma­riae matris eius in aeternū & vltra. AMEN Nos cum prole pia, benedicat virgo Maria.

Which is thus englished.

[Page 116]Blessed be the sweete name of oure Lord Iesus Christ, & of the most glori­ous Uirgine Mary his mother for euer and a day longer. Sobeit. The Uirgine Mary wich her Godly childe blesse vs. Sobeit. Fas. Temp.

Pope Boniface the eyght made thys prayer following,Pardon plentye. and hath graunted to al them y^t deu [...]utly saye this prayer dayly before an Image of the crosse as many dayes of pardon toties quoties, as there be grauel stones in y^e sea, or gras­ses on y^e earth, or stars in y^e fyrmament.

O altissima crux. O innocens sanguis. O paena magna. O Christi penuria. O pro­funda vulnera. O lanccae perforatio. O san­guinis fluctio. O cordis fractio. O dei amara mors O dei ueneranda dignitas: adiuua me in vitam aeternam. AMEN.

Which is thus englished.

O most highe crosse. O innocent bloude. O great payne. O the penurye of Christ. O the depe woundes. O the pearsyng thorowe of the speare. O the flowing of the bloud. O the breakyng of y^e heart. O the bitter death of God. O y^e worshipful dignitie of God: helpe me vnto euerlasting life. So be it.

Of playne song, prycke song, descant, &c.

Notes. GVido Aretinus deuised first of al these sixe notes, vt, re, my, fa, sol la, In the yere, &c. 1204. Christi. Massaeus.

Plainsong.Pope Gelasius, Pope Gregory y^e fyrste S. Ambrose with other, brought in fyrst of all y^e playne song into the churches. Antoninus. Guili. Durand.

Pricksong. Descant.Pope Vitalian being a lustye singer and freshe couragious musition hym­self, brought into the church pricksong descant, & all kynde of sweete and plea­saunt melodye. And bycause nothing should wante to delight the vayne, fo­lysh and y^e idle eares of fond & fantasti­cal men,Organs. he ioyned y^e Organs to y^e curi­ous musike. Thus was Paules prea­ching & Peters praying tourned into vaine singing & childysh playing, vnto y^e great losse of time, & vnto y^e vtter vn­doing of Christen mens soules, whiche liue not by singing & pipyng, but by e­uery worde y^t cōmeth out of y^e mouthe of God.Math. iiii,, In the yere, &c. 653. Plat. Volat. Chron. Polyd. D. Barns. Pant.

Of singing in the Churche the iudgement of diuerse learned men.

FRāciscus: Franciscus. Petrarcha. Petrarcha in his boke De remediis vtriusque fortunae declareth y^• S. Athanasius did vtterly forbyd singyng to be vsed in the churche at seruice tyme, bi­cause (sayth he) he would put away all lightnesse and vanitie, whiche by the reason of singinge doth oftentymes a­rise in the mindes both of the singers and of the hearers.

S. Hierome reproued not only y^e leud fashions of the singing mē in his time,S. Hiero­me. but also their maner of singyng, when notwithstanding if the singing vsed in his tyme were cōpared with y^e minsed musike that now beareth chief rule in Churches: it myght seme very graue, modest, and tollerable, & ours so light, vayne, madde, fonde, foolishe and fan­tastical, that Hickscorner himself could not deuise a more wanton and trifling pastime. We ought saith S. Hierome, to sing, to make melody, and to prayse the Lorde rather in minde than in voyce. And this it is that is sayd: Singing and [Page] making melodie to the Lord in your hearts. Ephe. 5. Let yonge men, sayth he, heare these thinges, yea, let them heare, whose of­fice it is to singe in the Churche, that they must sing to god, not in the voice but in the heart: neither must their throte be annointed after the manner of Gameplayers with swete ointmēts that in the Churche singyng more fitt for Gameplaces shoulde be heard: but in feare, in worke, in knowledge of the Scriptures ought they to sing vnto the Lorde. Let the voyce of the synger so sing, that not the voice of him that sin­geth, but the words that are read, may delight. In epist. ad Ephe.

There is a godly Distichon fathered on S. Hierome, which bicause it pertaineth to our matter, I thinke it conuenient also in this place to alleage.

That is to say: Not the voyce, but the desire: not the Musical instrument, but the heart: not the cryer: but the louer singeth in the eare of God.

S. Cipriā.Sainct Cipriane that blessed Martyr sayth, that God is not the hearer of the [Page 118] voyce, but of the heart: neither is he to be admonished with exclamations and outcries, whiche seeth the thoughtes, as the Lorde proueth and sayth: What doe ye thynke wyckednesse in youre heart: And in an other place: All con­gregations shall knowe, that I am the searcher of the raynes and hearte, that is to say, of the inwarde man. Ciprian in orat. dom.

Sainct Ambrose also sayth:Saint Ambrose. It is with out doubt a great incredulitie and vn­faithfulnesse to thinke thus of y^e power of God, that thou canst not be hearde, except thou criest out. Let thy worke cry: let thy faith cry: let thy minde cry: let thy passions and sufferinges cry: let thy bloud, as the bloud of holy Abell, crye,Gene. 4. whereof God sayd to Caim: The voyce of thy brothers bloud crye vnto me. For he heareth in secrete, whiche maketh cleane in secrete. We can not heare man except he speaketh vnto vs: but vnto god, not words but thoughts doe speake. Lib. de Caim & Abel.

S. Austen would,S. Austen. y^t the Comon prayer in Churches should be so distinctly and plainly set forth, y^t the people, whiche [Page] are present might perfectly vnderstand them, & say Amen. Lib. de Catechis. Rud.

In an other place he declareth, that Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in his Churche vseth such manner of singing as was in a manner nothing els, than a plaine reading. Lib. confes. 10. cap. 33.

S. Grego­rye. S. Gregory did greatly disalowe cer­taine Deacons at Rome in hys tyme, which, when they ought by their office to haue giuen their minde to the prea­ching of the gospell, and the prouision making for the poore,The office of Deacōs. set all their plea­sure on pleasaunt singing, not caryng how they liued afore god, so that with their voyces they might please y^e world He was therefore compelled to make a decree, that all suche as be in the holy ministery should from thenceforth vn­der the payne of excommunicatiō geue their minds no more to singing, but apply themselues to the studies of the ho­ly scriptures, and the reading of the gospell. In Regist. part. 5. cap. 44.

Undoubtedly, sayth S. Gregory, true prayer c [...] ̄sisteth not in the voyce of the mouth, but in the thoughts of y^e heart. For our words do not make the voices [Page 119] the pithier & of y^e greater force to come vnto the most secret eares of God, but our desire and affections.Math. 6. Therefore sayth the Lord in the gospel. Enter in­to thy closette & sparre the doore. He sparreth the doore and prayeth in hys closet, whiche holdeth his peace with his mouth, & poureth out the affection of his minde in the sight of god aboue. Moral. Lib. 22. cap. 18.

S. Iohn Chrisostome also writeth on this maner:Chriso­stome. It is the duty of a deuout mynde to praye to God, not with the voice, or with the soūd of the voice, but with the deuotion of the minde, and with the fayth of the heart. Agayne he saith, the crieng of the voyce is not the worke in prayer vnto god, whome we knowe that he beholdeth the secretes of the heart, but the crieng of faith, and the deuotion of a godly and pure mind Therfore the beste waye to pray,☜ is to pray with hart minde, spirit, soule and and inwarde man. Hō. 44. de Ioan. & Paul. Festo.

The Emperoure Iustiniane made a law,Iustiniane the Empe­rour. that all byshops and priestes both in the time of diuine seruice, and also in [Page] the ministration of the holy sacramēts should with so open and cleare voyce pronounce all thynges in the tounge which the people vnderstand, that they might therby be the better edified, and also be the more feruently stirred vnto deuotion and prayinge to God. For sayth he, so doth the holy Apostle teache in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, saying:1. Cor. 14. If thou geue thankes onely in the spirite, that is to say, in an vnkno­wen tounge, howe shall he that occu­pyeth the roume of the vnlearned, say. Amen at thy thankes geuinge, seynge he vnderstādeth not what thou sayest. Thou verely geuest thankes well, but y^e other is not edified [...] And again in his Epistle to the Romans he sayth on thys manner:Rom. 10. to beleue with the heart iustifyeth, and to knowledge with the mouthe, maketh a man safe. In consi­deration whereof, sayth that Godly Emperoure, it is conuenient, that a­monge other prayers those thynges also, whiche are sayde in the holy obla­tion, that is to saye, in the ministration of the Lordes super, or the hloy com­muniō of the body and bloud of Christ, [Page 119] be vttered & spoken with a loude voice of the deuout Byshops & priest to our Lord Iesu Christ one God with the fa­ther and the holy ghost, willyng thē to know, that if they neglect any of these things, they shall not only geue accōpt therof in y^e dreadeful iudgement of the great God & our sauiour Iesu Christ, but we also hauing knowledge herof, wil not be cōtent, nor leaue the things vnreuenged. In constitut. Authen. 123.

Guilihelmus Durandus sayth,Durande. that the vse of singing was ordained for carnal and fleshlye men,☜ and not for spirituall and godly minded men. Rat. di. off.

Polidorus [...]ergilius writeth on thys manner:Polidorus. Vergi [...]ius. Howe greatly that ordinaūce of singyng brought into the Churche by Pope Damasus and Sainct Ambrose, began euen in those dayes to be profi­table Sainct Austen declareth euident­lye in the booke of hys Confessions: where he asketh forgeuenesse of God, bicause he had giuen more heede and better eare to the singing, than to the weighty matter of y^e holy wordes. But now adayes saith Polidore, it appereth euidently, y^t it is much lesse profitable [Page] for our commen wealth,Agaynste the singing men of our tyme. seyng our sin­gers make such a chattering charme in the tēples, that nothyng can be heard, but the voice: and they that are present (they are present so many as are in the Citie) being content with such a noyse as delight their eares, care nothyng at all for the vertue, pithe and strength of the wordes: so that nowe it is come to this point, that with the common sort of people, all the worshippyng of God semeth to be set in these singsters, al­though generally there is no kynde of people more light, nor more leud. And yet the greater parte of the people for to heare them, boing, bleating and yel­ling, [...]locke into the Churches as into a common gameplace. They hire them with money, they cherishe and feede them, yea to be short, they thinke them alone to be the ornamentes and preci­ous iewels of Gods house. &c.

☞Wherefore without doubt, it were better for religion to cast out [...]f y^e churches suche chatteryng and [...]anglyng [...]ayes, or els so to appoynt them, that when they sing, they should rather re­hearse the songes after the manner of [Page 121] such as reade, than followe the fashion of chatteryng charmers: whiche thyng S. Austen in his aforesayde booke doth witnesse, that S. Athanasius Byshop of Alexandria dyd in hys diocesse, and he commendeth him greatly for it. Lib. 6. de inuent. rerum. Cap. 2.

Cornelius Agrippa writeth of singing in churches on this manner.Cornelius Agrippa. Athanasius dyd forbyd singing in hys Churches, bycause of the vanitye thereof. But Ambrose as one more desyrous of Ce­remonyes and pompe, ordayned the vse of singing and makyng melodye in Churches. Austen as a man indiffe­rent betwixt both, in hys booke de con­fessionibus graunteth, that by this mea­nes he was in a greate perplexitie and doubt concernyng thys matter. But nowe a dayes Musicke is growne to such and so greate licentiousnesse, that euen at the ministration of y^e holy Sa­cramente all kynde of wanton & leude trifelyng songes with pipyng of Or­gans haue theyr place and course. As for the diuine seruice and common prayer, it is so chaunted, mynsed and mangled of oure costlye hired, curious [Page] and nise Musitions (not to instructe the audience withall, nor to stirre vp mens mindes vnto deuotion but with an whoryshe armonye to tickle theyr eares) that it may iustly seme not to be a noyse made of men, but rather a blea­ting of brute beastes, while y^e children ney discant as it were a sorte of coltes: other bellowe a tenoure as it were a companye of oxen: other barke a coun­terpoynt as it were a number of dog­ges: other roare out a treble lyke a sort of bulles: other grunte out a base, as it were a number of hogges, so that a foule euel fauoured noyse is made, but as for the wordes and sentences, and the very matter it selfe is nothing vn­derstranded at all, but the authoritye and power of iudgemente is taken a­waye both from the eares and from the mynde vtterlye. In Libro de vani­tatc scientiarum.

Erasmus. Roterod. Erasmus Roterodamus expresseth hys mynde concernyng the curious man­ner of synging vsed in Churches, on thys wyse, and sayeth. Whye doth the Churche doubt to followe so wor­thy an author (Paule)? Yea how dare [Page 122] it be bolde to discent from hym? What other thing is heard in Monasteryes, in Colleges, in Temples almost gene­rally, than a confused noyse of voyces? But in the tyme of Paule there was no singing,☜ but saying onely. Singing was with greate difficultye receaued of them of the latter tyme: and yet such singing, as was none other thing, than a distincte and playne pronuncia­tion, euen suche as we haue yet among vs, when we sounde the Lordes pray­er in the holy Canon: and the toung, wherein these thynges were song, the common people dyd then vnderstande and aunswered Amen. But nowe what other thing doth the common people heare, than voyces signifying nothing? And such for the moste part is the pro­nunciation, y^t not somuch as the wor­des or voyces are heard: only the sound beateth the eares. Erasmus Rot. in annot 1. Corinth. Cap. 14.

Of the Masse, and of all the partes thereof.

[Page] The In­troite. Iudica me deus. POpe Celestinus the fyrst ordai­ned, y^t the priest should say the Psalme y^t beginneth, Iudica me deus, &c, when he putteth on hys clothes and reuesteth hymselfe to Masse: and that when he draweth nye to the altare, he shoulde saye thys verse of y^e aforesayd psalme: Et introib [...] ad altare dei, &c. In y^e yere, &c. 428. Plat. Poly. Fasci. Temp. Christ. Massae. D. Barns. Pant. Ioan. Functius.

Confiteor. Misereatur Absolutio­nem.Pope Damasus the fyrst decreed, y^t the priest standyng before the altare shuld say the confiteor and make hys confessi­on to GOD, to oure Ladye Saints Marye, to all Saintes, et vobis, and that they that were presente shoulde saye Miseriatur vestri, &c. Agayne, that the priest after that, should pronounce the absolution and saye Absolutionem, & remissionem omnium peccatorum nostro­rum, &c, before he presume to go to the altare. In the yeare, &c. 370. Plati. Polid. D. Barns. &c.

Some attribute thys inuention to Pope Pontianu: Some to Pope Vrbanus. The office of the masse

Pope Gregorye the fyrste instituted [Page 123] the Office of the Masse. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 590. Platina. Polydor. Pantaleon.

Pope Damasus the fyrst broughte in Gloria patri to bee sayd not onely at the ende of euerye Psalme,Gloria pa­tri. but also at the office of the Masse. In the yeare, &c. 370. Plat. Chron.

Pope Gregory the fyrst ordayned the Kyrye, The Kyrie and appoynted that it should be song nyne tymes openly of the Cler­gye onely at Masse, whiche before at the commaundement of Pope Siluester was song of the Clergy and people to­gether. Durand. Plat. D. Barns. Pantale. It seemeth to bee borowed oute of the Greke Church, forasmuch as the wor­des be Greeke and sounde in our Eng­lyshe tonge. Lorde haue mercy vpon vs.

Pope Telesphorus added to the Masse Gloria in excelsis. Gloria in excelsis. In the yere, &c. 130. Plat de consec. Dist. 1. Cap. Nocte sacra. Alber­tus. Krantzius.

Some ascribe it to Pope Symmachus Phil. Bergom

Pope Symmachus the fyrst added to Gloria in excelsis, Laudamus [...]te. &c. Laudamuste, and so forth vnto the ende. In the yeare of [Page] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page] our Lorde. 499. Fascic. Temp. Valentinus vannius. Chron.

Pope Anacletus put to the Masse this salutation,Dominus vobiscum, Et cum spi­ritu tuo Dominus vobiscum, and com­maunded y^t this answer shuld be made of them y^t were present, Et cum spiritu tuo. In the yere, &c. 101. Iacobus. Manlius. Vannius. Some ascribe it to Pope So­therus. Gratia de consec. Dist. 1. Can. Hoc quo (que).

Ioannes Laziardus writeth, y^t Dominus vobiscum was taken oute of the booke of Ruth,Ruthe. 2▪ & added to the masse, I know not by whō. And for Et cum spiritu tuo, it was brought in, sayth he, by the coū ­cel Aurelianense.

The Col­lectes.Pope Gelasius the fyrst appoynted y^t Collectes wherof he himself made part, & part of thē were deuised by other. In the yere, &c. 494. I [...]idor. Grat. Pol.

The Epi­stle.Pope Damasus y^e fyrst bearing rule, the Epistle was added by y^e councel of S. Hierome, who liued in the yeare of our Lord. 387. Plat. Poly. Antonin. D. Barns.

Some saye, that Pope Alexander the fyrst dyd fyrst of al bring in the Epistle and Gospell, and commaunded them to bee read at the ministration of the [Page 124] Lordes Supper. In the yeare, &c.. 119. Chron. Germ. But the author of y^e booke called Fasciculus Temporum ascribeth both the Epistle and the Gospell to Pope Telesphorus.

Pope Gelasius the fyrst brought in y^e Grayle, The graile commaunding that the people shoulde sing it, while the priest or Dea­con was going vp into y^e pulpit to rede and to declare the gospel, desiring god, that it might both be spokē and heard with frute. Phil. Bergom. Antonin. Van­nius. Some make Pope Celestinus the author of it. Plat. Some, Pope Gregory the fyrst, Chron. Germ.

Pope Gregorye the fyrst,The Alle­luya. of whom wee spake before, added the Alleluya to the Masse, and commaunded that it shoulde bee song all the whole yeare saue only from Septuagesima vnto Ea­ster, Plat. Antonin. D. Barns. Nauclerus. Some ascribe it to pope Gelasius. Phil. Bergom, Some saye, it was borowed of the church of Ierusalem, and so brought into the churche of Rome in the tyme of pope Damasus. It soundeth in Eng­lyshe. Prayse ye the Lorde.

[Page]Pope Sergius otherwyse called, pope Swines snoute bearing rule, a certain Monke Abbot of S. Gallus, The Se­quences. called Not­gerus or Nocerius made the Sequences: which afterward crept into the Masse rather by vse and custome, than by any constitution of the popes. Valent. Van­nius. Iacobus. Vuimpheling. Pantal. Not­withstanding some write, that Pope Nicolas commaunded them to be song at masse. Chron. Germ. Durand. And for­asmuch as there are many and diuerse Sequences, they are ascribed to many and diuerse authors. Iodocus. Clitoueus in Elucidario Ecclesiastico appoynteth ma­ny of them to a certayne Monke of Pa­ris, called Adamus de, S. Victore. Other are ascribed to S. Bernarde, to Tho­mas Aquinas, &c.

Pope Gelasius made y^e Tractes, which on the feriall dayes are wonte to bee song or sayd in stead of the Sequences before the Gospell.The Tractes. Chronic. Angl. Ber­gom. Some ascribe them to Pope Ce­lestinus. Ioan. Laziardus. Some to Pope Telesphorus. Some to pope Gregorye the fyrste, which cōmaunded thē to be song [Page 125] at Masse in place of the Sequences frō Septuagesima vnto Easter. Some to S. Ambrose. Guil. Durand.

Pope Damasus the first bearing rule,The Gos­pell. the Gospell was added to the Masse by the councell of S. Hierome. Plat. Anto. Polid. D. Barns.

Pope Anastasius ordayned,Standyng at the Gos­pell. that the people should stand vp at the Gospell tyme, both to take hede to the doctrine thereof, and also to shewe themselues ready to defēd the doctrine of the Gos­pel euē vnto the death. In the yeare. &c 404 Volat. Plat. Sabell. polidor. &c.

Guilielmus Durandus writeth on this manner:☜ Anastasius the Pope sayth he, ordayned, that stāding and not sitting, the Gospell should be heard: to declare the redynesse that we haue vnto bat­tell for to kepe the fayth of Christe. A­gayne, to set forth our ready and bent will in that behalfe many, sayth he, when the Gospell is red, cast of their vppermost garmentes, to declare that all temporall and worldly thynges are to be forsaken for the law of Christ and of his Gospel, according to this saying Behold, we haue forsakē al, & followed thee

[Page] Math. 19. The crede.Pope Marcus brought in the Crede, and commaunded, that the Clergy and the people should sing it together with a loude voyce for the confirmation of their fayth. In the yeare of our Lorde. 336. Plat. Antoni. Fasc. Temp. Durandus. Some ascribe this constitution to Po­pe Damasus. Iac. Philip. Bergom. The Crede that is songe at Masse, some say was made at the Councell of Nice: some affirme that it was made at a Councell holden at Constantinople. Chron. Germ.

Sensing after the Gospell.Pope Leo the thyrde ordayned sen­syng. In the yeare. &c. 817. Plat. Pol. D. Barns. Pantaleon. And a councell holden at Rothomage commaundeth, that the altare should be sensed after the Gos­pell. Lib. Concil. Durand.

The Offertorye.Pope Gregorye the firste commaun­ded the Offertorye to be sayd. Polid. Pan­tal. Chron. Germ. Some attribute it to Pope Eutychianus. Plat. Some affirme, that the Author therof is not knowen. Guil. Durandus. Antonin.

Suscipe sancta tri­nitas.As for their solemne and superstiti­ous, yea their abominable and blasphemous Orison, Suscipe sancta trinitas. &c [Page 126] which the Popysh Massemonger saith holdyng the chalice in his handes with the roūd cake [...]ayd vpon the paten therof after the Offertorye: the Author therof is not knowen, neyther maketh it any matter, except it were better. Ber­nard. Abbas de officio Missae.

The Lauatorye or washynge of the priestes hands at Masse,The wa­shinge of handes. was borowed of the heathenyshe and Idolatrous priestes, whiche vsed alwayes to wash theyr handes before they offered sacri­fice to their Idolls. Poli. Vergil.

Pope Leo added these wordes to the Masse,Orate prome Fratres & Sorores. whiche the prieste sayeth after the Lauatorye, when he tourneth hym to the people. Orate pro me Fratres & Sorores. &c. In the yeare of our Lord. 444 Chron. Germ.

The Secretes were so secretly made,The Se­cretes. that the secret Authors of those suttle secretes are hytherto secrete and vn­knowen: except ye will father them on Pope Gregory, and Pope Gelasius, as the Papistes doe all other thyngs, wherof they can finde no certayne author.

Pope Gelasius ordayned,Vere dignū & iustū est. Vere dignum & iustum est. &c. to be sayd in the Masse [Page] before the Prefaces and Sanctus. In the yeare. &c. 494. Petrus de nat. D. Barns.

The prefa­ces▪Pope Gelasius and Pope Gregory, of whom we spake afore, are counted the authors and makers of the Prefaces. Anto. polid. Durand. Fas. Temp.

Nine Prefaces.Pope Pelagius the firste perceauyng many and diuerse Prefaces to be made of many and diuerse men, selected and chose out of so great a multitude, nyne Prefaces, whiche Pope Gelasius tofore had made with the note or tune, and gaue them to be songe at Masse before the Canon, as autentyke and Godly. These nyne Prefaces are sōg at Christmasse, at the Epiphany of our Lord, at Lent, at the feasts of the Crosse, of the Resurrection, of the Ascētion, of Wit­sontide, of the Trinitie, and of the Apostles. In the yeare. &c. 552. Sigisbert. pe­trus de natal▪ poli. D. Barns. pant. &c.

The tenth preface.Pope Vrban the second made the tēth Preface in the honour of Mary the Uirgine. In the yeare. &c. 1086. poli. Vergil. Valent. Vannius.

The Sanc­tus.Pope Sixtus the first brought in the Sanctus. In the yeare. &c. 129. Anto. Du­rand. Fasci. Temp. polidor. &c.

[Page 127]The Canon of the Masse was pat­ched,The Canō of the masse cobled and clouted together of di­uerse Popes, and contayneth many notable blasphemies. The authors therof are named Pope Gelasius the first, pope Siricius, pope Clement, pope Leo the first pope Gregory the first, pope Gregory the third, pope Alexander the first, pope Sixtus the first, pope Pelagius, pope Sergius, and a certaine man called Scholasticus, with other. Chron.

Pope Gelasius made Te igitur clemen­tilsime pater. Te igitur. &c. In the yeare. &c. 494. Durand. pos. D. Barns.

Pope Siricius added,Communicantes. Communicātes & memoriam venerantes, &c. In the yeare. &c. 389. Rat. di. off. polid,

Pope Clement put in these wordes, Vna cum famulo tuo domino nostro papa. &c. Antonius. Pro Papa.

Pope Leo the first thrust in,Hīc igitur Hanc igitur oblationem. &c. 444. Sigisbert. polid. D. Barns.

Pope Gregory the firste deuised these wordes,Die [...]que nostros. Diesque nostras in tua pace dispo­nas, &c. plat. Chron. Germ.

Pope Gregorye the thyrde put these wordes also to the Canon,Quorū so­lemnitas. Quorum so­lemnitas [Page] in conspectu tuae maiestatis. &c. 740. Naucler. Sigisb. Plat.

But the Massemongers nowe leaue out these w [...]rds, and say them no more. For what displeasure to Pope Gregory I knowe not. Iodocus Clitoueus in the ex­position of the Canon, casteth awaye these wordes as superfluous. And here see we, that al Papistes do not like and approue, whatsoeuer all Popes doe.

Qui pridie.Pope Alexander the first added these wordes: Qui pridie quam pateretur. &c. vnto these wordes, Hoc est enim corpus meum. In the yeare, &c. 119. Durand. An­ton. Volat. Polid. Pantal.

Noui & aeterni Te­stamenti. One of the Popes vn­written verities.These wordes Noui & aeterni testa­menti, mysterium fidei, whiche the Papi­stes vse in their consecration of the mi­stery of Christes bloud, although, sayth Antoninus, they be not founde in the Euangelistes, yet must we beleue, that Christ so did and spake. For that man­ner of consecrating, saith he, was deli­uered to the Churche of blessed Peter and of the other Apostles, whiche were present, when Christ did consecrate, as it is specified, In decret. Extra. de celeb. Missae. Cap. Cum Marthae.

[Page 128]Pope Sixtus ordayned, that the Ca­non of the Masse should be secretly said and Sub silentio. In the yeare. &c. 264. Anselmus. Ryd. Chron.

If thou wilt knowe (good Reader) why all thinges be done with suche se­cretie and silence of the Massyng Pa­pistes, when they come to the hande­lyng of the mysteries of Christes body and bloud, contrary to the practise of the primatiue Churche, yea, and con­trary to the commaundemēt of Christ, whiche sayth:Math. 10▪ That I saye vnto you in darkenesse, speake ye in the lyght. And y^t ye heare secretely, tel it abrode open­lye, euen vpon the house toppes: con­trarye also to thys saying of the holye Apostle,1. Cor. 11. So ofte as ye shall eate thys breade, and drinke of the cup, shewe, set forth, preache, declare the Lordes death till he come: Againe, contrary to the commaundement of the godly Emperoure Iustinian, and finally contrary to certayne auncient decrees of the Popes owne makynge: heare what a tale they tel.

It is reported, sayeth Guilielmus Durandus, that when in olde tyme the [Page] Canon was sayde openlye and with a loude voyce, al in a manner by the rea­son of that vse coulde it by heart, and song it in stretes and hie wayes, so that it came to passe, that whē certain shep­heardes did synge it in the fielde, and layed breade vpon a stone: at the pro­nouncing of those wordes of consecra­tion, the bread was turned into fleshe. But the shepheardes by Gods iudge­ment were striken vnto death for their presumption thorowe fyre that came downe from heauen. Therfore the ho­ly fathers haue decreed, y^t those words should be spoken in silence, forbiddyng all men vnder payne of excommunica­tion, that no man presume to speake those wordes, but priestes onely when they are at the altar, yea and that at Masse: agayn, when they haue on their Massing garmentes.

Thys tale telleth Guil. Durandus in his booke called Rationale diuinorum of­ficiorum, & also Ioannes Billet in his boke de, diuinis officiis, & Honorius in his trea­tise, de gēma animae: Marke well. wherof thou mayest learne two thinges. Firste, that in the primatiue churche and [...]ong after, whē [Page 129] Christen religion was moste pure: the wordes of the Lordes Supper, or, as the papistes terme them, of consecrati­on, were not spoken in hocker mocker, as they be now, but playnely, openlye and distinctly, that al myght heare thē, vnderstand them, and learne them vn­to their great comforte▪ and edifying. Secondly y^t the words of consecration were at that time of so great vertue, y^t whosoeuer pronounced them ouer the bread, were he Lay or Spiritual, priest or Ploweman, Byshop or Butcher: the breade was strayghtwayes tour­ned into the naturall bodye of Christ, as we may see here by y^e shepeheardes, whiche were laye men and not holye annoynted, whiche were in the fielde and not in the Church, whiche had on their shepeheardes clokes and not ha­lowed vestments, whiche had but a cō ­mon stone to laye their breade on and no halowed altare.☜ And here mayest thou see, y^t any laye man, if he can pro­nounce the words of consecration, ha­uing bread layed on a stone, may make Christes body as wel as y^e priest. For if y^e lay men by y^e vertue of y^e words could [Page] make Christes bodye at that tyme: be thou certayne and well assured, y^t they bee able to doe the same euen nowe also notwythstandyng the holye fa­thers decrees to the contrarye. For the vertue of Goddes worde abydeth alwayes one. If the Massemonger therfore can make hym, y^t made them, as theyr doctryne declareth, then can the Laye man lykewyse make theyr maker, and so maye the Laitie stryue with the spiritualtye to the vttermost in God makyng. Nowe that the po­pyshe priestes can make God, whiche made them, although I coulde bryng forth and alledge manye authorities euen oute of theyr owne bookes: yet will I at thys presente contente my selfe with one or two sentences, which are written in a boke called Stella Cle­ricorum. The authors wordes ar these,Godma­kers. I ste qui creauit me, dedit mihi creare se: qui creauit me sine me, creatur mediante me.

That is to say in Englyshe. He that made me, gaue me power to make hym: and he that made me withoute me, is made by the meanes of me. Agayne he sayth: Cum ergo tantae dignitatis sit sacerdos, quod crea­tor [Page 130] sit sui creatoris & totius creaturae: ipsum perdere vel damnare, inconueniens est.

Which is thus Englished: Seyng then that a priest is of so great dignitie, that he is the maker of hys maker and of euery crea­ture: to destroye or to condemne hym, it is not conuenient.

Pope Alexander the fyrste,Bread of smal quan­titie. orday­ned, that the bread whiche the prieste hath at hys Masse, shoulde bee but of a small quantitye, saying: Thys obla­tion the lesser it bee, the better it is. Guiliel­mus. Durandus.

Pope Alexander also commaunded,Bread vn­leuened. that the breade shoulde be vnleuened bread, whiche the prieste vseth at hys Masse. Platina. Sabelli. Lib. Concil. Poly. Christ. Massaeus.

Whye theyr singing cake is rather rounde than otherwyse,Roūd cake Antoninus maketh thys reason. The hoste, sayeth he, is made round after the manner of a penye, bicause Iudas solde Christ for thirtye pens. Guilielmus Durandus wri­teth thus:Reasons wise & sub­stantiall The hoste is formed rounde bycause the earth is the Lordes, and al y^t is therin, y^e round world, & all y^t dwel in it, y^t the outward fashion therof may [Page] signifie him, that wanteth both begin­ning and ending.

Wine min­gled with water.Pope Alexander likewyse appoynted, y^t the wine in y^e chalice shuld be myng­led with water, to signifye the vnion & vnseparable felowship of Christ & hys church. Ioan. Laziard. [...] Ioan. Stella. Libro. Concil. Grat. Sabel.

Pope Honorius the third commaun­ded, y^t the Missall bread shoulde be hea­ued and lifted vp aboue the Priestes heade at the sacryng tyme,Sakering. as they call it: and y^t all the people should fal down and worship it. In the yeare of oure Lord. 1214. Extra. de celeb. Miss. Can. San [...] cum olim. Gabriel. Biel super Canone. Missae Lect. 14. et Lect. 50, Dec. 3. Tit. 1. Cap, 10. Pantaleon.

Here may al men see, how auncient a thing thys Pope holy sakeryng is, which notwithstanding the blynd and sely shepyshe symple soules thynke to be y^e beste part of the Masse.The sake­ring of the Masse is but a newe inuention. Uerely it is a little more than three hundred and fortie yeres olde. A deuilishe & an Ido­latrous inuentiō is it, not altogether vnlyke to the setting vp of the golden calfe in the wildernesse.

[Page 131]Pope Gregorye the ninth ordayned, y^t the sacryng bel shoulde be rong,Ringing to y^e sakeryng. whē the priest lifteth vp the Missall bread & Chalice aboue hys head, to moue the people to beholde that new found God whiche is not (as the true God ought) to be worshipped in spirite and truth, but in knockyng, knelyng, and liftyng vp of handes. In the yeare, &c. 1225. Anselmus. Ryd.

Pope Leo, Pope Victor, Pope Nico­las, Pope Innocent, Pope Honorius, pope Vrban ▪ The au­thors of transubstā ­tiation and of y^e carnall presence of▪ Christ in y^e sacrament. Monke Lanckfrancke, Monk Gratian. Fryer Thomas, Fryer Bonauenture, and such lyke monstures & belly Gods, inuented fyrst of all the God of the al­tare, and made of the Sacramente, or holy sygne of Christes body and bloud, the true naturall, real, corporal, carnal substantiall, &c, body of Christ GOD and man, fleshe, bloude and bone, sy­nowes, guttes and loynes, euen as he was borne of Marye the Uirgine and hanged on the Crosse: no breade nor wyne remayning, but the sub­stance of breade tourned into the sub­staunce of Christes naturall bodye, and the substance of wyne chaunged [Page] into the substance of Christes naturall bloude: So that we handle hym with oure handes, put hym in our mouthe, teare hym with oure teeth, eate hym, digest hym, &c: and partely with theyr Sophistrye they persuaded, and parte­ly with theyr tyrannye they compel­led the people so to beleue, as the cru­ell and bloudye papistes lyke wyse doe in thys our age, where the deuill and the Pope reygne: whiche dayes was not knowen nor heard of in y^e Church of Christe, so newe is the doctryne of transubstantiation and of theyr missal God: howsoeuer the wicked and wilye papistes bewitche the simple people, and thorowe their suttle Sophistrye caste mistes before the eyes of the ig­norant, and so darken theyr senses and wittes, that they can not espye y^e truth of Gods worde in thys behalfe, which is aboundauntly setforth thorowe the greate benefite of God in these oure dayes by the diligente laboure & payn­full trauayle of many Godly learned men, both in Latin and in Englyshe and in diuerse other speaches, vnto the great cōfort of all faythfull Christians [Page 132] and vnto y^e confusion of Antichrist and of hys kyngdome. Vercellen. Concil. Flo­rent. Concil. Roman. Concil. Secund. Sinod. Lateran. Extra, de summa, & fide cathol. Cap firmiter.

Pope Pelagius the second ordayned praying for the dead in the Masse.Praieng for the dead. In y^e yeare, &c. 580. Plat. Pol. Grat. D. Barns.

Pope Gregorye the fyrst succedyng y^e aforesayd Pelagius encreased this cōsti­tution concerning y^e memoration and prayer for y^e dead, being hereunto allu­red by y^e disceatfull apparitions of de­uils rather than of dead mens spirites which many times appeared vnto him euer crauing at his hand helpe and suc­cour for their deliuerance out of y^e most bitter paynes of purgatorye thorowe Diriges and Masses of Requiem, & such like prayers made for the dead greatly abusing his childish pity & light beliefe For he writeth y^t a certayne mā called Paschasius being deade, appeared vnto him & desired him to pray & to say masse for him, which thyng he most diligent­ly did, so y^t afterward y^e soule of Pascha­sius appeared agayne vnto hym, & tolde him, y^t whē he had once sōg for him .xxx [Page] Masses he was streyghtwayes deliue­red out of purgatorye. Gregorius in Re­gistro. He writeth agayne y^t a certayne Monke called Iustus, was deliuered out of the fyre of purgatorye, thorowe the sacrifyce of thyrtie daies, that is to say, thorowe a trentall of Masses,Trentall Masses. whiche are thyrtye in number. Gregor. in. Lib. dialog. 4. Cap. 54.

Here mayest thou see (good Reader) vpon what foundatiō singing of mas­ses for the dead is builte. Uerely vpon the delusions and disceatfull appariti­ons of the deuill and hys aungells. Is not thys the commaundement of God?Deut 18, Esaye. 8, Thou shalt not aske (the truth) of them that be dead. Agayne, if they saye vnto you: aske councell at the Southsayers, witches, charmers and coniurers: thē make them thys aunswere, Is there a people any where, y^t asketh not coun­cell at hys God? Shoulde men runne vnto the dead for the liuyng? If any man wante lyghte, let hym looke vp­on the lawe and the testimonye, whe­ther they speake not after thys mea­nyng. If he doe not thys, he stum­bleth and suffreth hunger, & if he suffer [Page 133] hunger, he is out of pacience, and blas­phemeth his king and his God.

It had bene Gregoryes dutye not strayghtwayes to geue credite to the wandryng spirites, but to haue consi­dered by the holy scriptures, what the will of God is in this behalfe. Beleue not euery spirit,1. Ioan. 4. saith Saint Iohn, but proue y^e spirits whether they be of god.The secōd. Memento.

Pope Innocent appoynted, that the names of the dead shuld not be rehear­sed in the Masse before, but after the consecration. Durandus.

Pope Gregory the first put the Pater noster to the Masse,The Pater noster. and commaunded, that it should be sōg with a loud voice. In the yeare. &c. 590. Ioan. Laziardus.

He also commaūded, that the priest at his masse before the Lordes prayer, should sing these words Oremus praecep­tis, Praeceptis salutaribus &c. salutaribus moniti. &c. Blessed Grego­ry saith Durandus, thought it good, that the Lordes prayer after y^e Canon should be sayd ouer the host, affirming in hys register, that it is vnsemely, that the prayer whiche Scholasticus made, should be sayde ouer the Euchariste, & y^e prayer left out, whiche the Lord himselfe had [Page] sayd, & the Apostles likewise were wōt to say. It is song, sayth he, among the Grekes of al y^e people together, but a­mōg vs of the priests alone. Rat. di. off.

Ioannes Nauclerus writeth in his chronicle, y^t the holy Apostle S. Peter, when he celebrated the Lordes supper, vsed none other but y^e Lordes prayer which we commonly call the Pater noster. As for all other thinges that be now vsed in the masse they haue bene added and brought in since that tyme by dyuers mē of theyr owne fansy & brayne with­out the authoritie of gods worde.

Libera nosPope Gregory the firste added to the masse also this prayer Libera nos quesu­mus. &c. and commaunded, that it should be said after the Lordes prayer. Chron. Germ.

Pax domi­ni.Pope Innocentius the first put to the masse Pax domini sit semper vobiscum: and cōmaunded that the people should aunswere. Et cū spiritu tuo. In the yere. &c. 408. Chron. Germ.

Agnus dei.Pope Sergius the first of that name inuented the Agnus dei, and commaunded that it shoulde be songe of the cler­gye and of the people together at the [Page 134] communion or masse. In the yeare. &c. 684. Plat. Durandus. D. Barns.

He ordayned also, that while the quiere sing the Agnus, The bre­king of the hooste, or singynge cake. the priest should breake the missal bread in three parts: one for the soules of the Sainctes, that are in Heauen: an other for them that are in purgatorye, the thirde for them that are in this world liuyng in sinne. Agayne, that the priest shoulde holde stil in his hands two peces of that bro­ken bread ouer the chalice, and let the thyrde parte thereof fall downe into the chalice, saying these wordes: Hec commixtio corporis & sanguinis. &c.

Pope Leo the second ordayned y^e ca­rying about & kyssing of y^e Paxe,The Paxe y^t the people might haue somwhat to doe (as it may seeme) while the priest eate vp & drink vp altogether alone at the altar. In the yeare. &c. 676. Grat. plat. Fasci. Temp. Durandus. D. Barns. Vannius.

Notwithstāding some attribute this idle inuētion to pope Innocent the first. De consec, dist. 2. Cap. Pax igitur. Lib. Con­cil. Michael. Bucchingerus. &c.

Pope Innocent the firste made a de­cree, that on solemne feastes the priests [Page] [...] [Page 134] [...] [Page] at the Agnus should kisse one an other,Priestes kissing one an other. but the commō people should kisse the Paxe. In the yere. &c. 408. De cons. dist. 2 cap, Pacem. Plat. Sabell. Pol. Pantal.

Masses of Requiem.In the masse for the dead the Paxe is not giuen, sayth Durand, bicause the faithfull soules are no more, neyther shall be in the trouble of this worlde, but they rest now in the Lorde, so that the kysse of peace is not necessary nor nedefull for them, whiche is the signe of peace and concorde, and therefore at that masse this prayer is not said,☞ Do­mine Iesu Christe qui dedisti Apostolis tuis pacem. &c. Hereof also commeth it to passe, that among the monkes there is no Paxe giuen, bicause they are coūted dead to the world. Rat. di. off. Polid.

The com­munion.Pope Calixtus the first ordained, that so many as were present at masse, af­ter the consecration, should communi­cate together: if they woulde not, that they should be excommunicate. For so sayth he, did the Apostles appoint, and the holy Church of Rome kepeth that order. In the yeare of our Lorde. 217. Grat. de consec. dist. 1. cap. Paracta. Item. Can. Omnes.

[Page 135]This aforesaide constitution is also ascribed to Pope Anacletus. De consec. dist. 1. cap. Episcopus. Lib. concil.

In the primatiue Church, saith Du­rande, all that were present at the cele­bration of masses, that is to say, at the ministratiō of the Lordes supper, were wont euery day to communicate, that is, to receaue with the minister the Sacrament of the body & bloud of Christ, bicause all the Apostles did drynke of the cup accordyng to this saying of the Lord:Math. 26. Drinke ye all of this. &c. Againe he sayth: Uerely the priest himselfe nowe eateth all the partes of the Host. Not­withstanding in certaine Churches, he taketh one parte, and distributeth the other two partes to the ministers, that is to saye, to the Deacon and Subdea­con, accordyng vnto that, whereof S. Luke maketh mention,Luke. 24. that Iesus in Emaus tooke the bread and brake it vp­pon the table: and also, as some say, he did eate before the two Disciples, and what remayned he gaue it vnto them▪ He also afterwarde did eate part of the broyled fish and of the honycombe, and the residue he gaue to hys Disciples. [Page] And therefore after that the Deacon and Subdeacon haue communicated; the clerkes and religious persōs come also vnto the communion, that they al­so may be partakers of the holy Com­munion. Afterwarde the people also doth communicate, bicause Christ did not only eate with his Apostles, which were fewe in number, but also when he shoulde ascende into heauen he did eate with a multitude of hys disciples. And a little after he sayth. ☞ The high By­shop (the pope) receaueth one part of the hoste, and geueth an other parte there­of to the Deacon with a kisse, & an o­ther portion to the Subdeacon with­out a kisse. &c.

Of these thinges aforesayd may we euidently perceaue, that in times paste before papacye bare rule in the church of Christ, the celebration of the Lordes Supper was not a priuate repaste of one alone, but a banket of many, ac­cordynge to thys sayinge of the Apo­stle: my brethren when ye come toge­ther to eate (the Lordes Supper) tary one for an other.1. Cor. 11. 1. Cor. 10. Agayne. All we are par­takers of one breade.

[Page 136]Pope Gelasius the first commaūded,Cōmunion vnder both kindes. that the communion shoulde be mini­stred in both kindes to them that come vnto the Lordes table, and that if any were otherwise affected, they shoulde be put awaye from the Lordes table. For (saith he) the diuision of one and the same mystery can not be done with out great sacrilege.Note well In the yere. &c. 494 De cons. dist. 1. cap. comperimus.

A councell holden at Constance did first of all by publique law forbid,Cōmunion vnder one kinde. that the lay people should receaue y^e Lordes supper vnder both kinds charging and commaunding that from thence forth the layty shoulde communicate onely vnder one kind, when notwithstāding the commaundement of Christ is farre otherwise.Math. 26. Marke. 14. 1. Cor. x.xi. Drink ye al of this saith he.

And Sainct Marke sayth: They all dranke of it. Here is no exceptiō of the laytye. The holy Apostle saint Paule, also, whensoeuer he maketh any men­tion of the Lordes supper, ioyneth al­wayes the bread and the cup together, not diuiding the one from the other af­ter the doctrine of the pope. In y^e yere. &c. 1417. Lib. Concil. Gabr. Biel. &c.

[Page] The Post­communiōThe Author of the postcommunion is not knowen saith Durandus. Notwith­standing Platina maketh Gregory y^e first Author of it. So likewise writeth Ioannes Stella, and Iacobus. phillippus Bergo­mensis.

Ite missa est Benedica­mus domi­no. Deo gratias.Pope Leo y^e first brought in Ite missa est, and Benedicamus domino with Deo gratias, for a final conclusion of the masse, so that now euery man may go home, as wise as they came. In the yeare. &c. 444. Michael. Bucchingerus.

The masse is ended three man­ner wayes.It is to be noted, saith Durand, that y^e masse is ended three maner of wayes Firste of all by Ite missa est: and that is in solemne feastes, when Te deum laudamus, and Gloria in excelsis is songe, And it is so much to say, Be packing home­warde: For the wholsome sacrifice for mankynd is sent or offered vnto God. Or it sheweth to the people, that the masse or the prayers are done.

The Mas­sing Papi­stes knowe not yet what Ite missa est signifieth.Or the meaning of Ite missa est, is this Go after christ, and folow him: for we may not abide in this worlde, but by good workes we must make hast vnto the country of heauen: whiche thynge we maye easelye do for the sacrifice is [Page 137] sente to appease God y^e father, by the power whereof the helles are broken, and the gate of paradyse is open. Rati­on. di. offi.

Secondly the Masse is ended by Be­nedicamus domino, and y^t is on workyng dayes, and generallye when there are no songes of gladnesse songe before, whereby the people shoulde be allured and stirred vp to geue god thankes. A­gayne, the masse is concluded by Bene­dicamus domino on all fasting dayes and lowe feastes. Rat. di. offi.

Thirdly,Requiescāt in pace. AMEN. the masse is finished by Re­quiescant in pace: and y^t is when they sing masse of Requiem for the dead. And then ye maye not aunswere Deo gra­tias, but Amen, that is to saye, So be it. For reast is wyshed vnto them, &c. Rat. di. off.

The councel Aurelianense ordayned, y^t the people should not depart out of y^e church after y^e masse be done,Blessing of the people after masse til they be blessed of the priest. Hereof commeth it to passe, y^t the people on the solemne feasts be blessed with an empty cuppe, after y^t the prieste hath dronke all vp. Lib. Concil. Guili. Durand.

[Page]Pope Alexander the fyrst made a de­cree, that the people should be sprinck­led with holy water after Masse bee done,Holye wa­ter after masse. that they may, sayth he, thereby be made holy, pure and cleane. In the yeare of oure Lorde, 119. Grati. Platina. Sabellicus.

Of these things aforesayd (most gen­tle Reader) whiche I haue truly and faythfully alleged out of the popyshe Chronicle writers, mayest thou eui­dently see, y^t the Romishe and popyshe masse is not so auncient & of so greate antiquitye, as the Romanistes and pa­pistes bragge: but rather that it is a late and yesterday inuention. Agayne y^t it was not instituted of Christ, nor of hys Apostles, but fyrst of all clouted together of certayne Popes, euerye man bringing in hys patch and at the laste beautifying it with straunge fea­thers like vnto Esopes crowe. More than a thousand yeare was thys mon­strous masse in patching, before it culd be brought vnto any perfection,The [...]opish Masse is y^e foundation of all super­stition. if that may receaue perfection, that is most of all imperfecte. Uppon this wicked, su­perstitious and Idolatrous masse are [Page 138] all monasteries, colleges, chauntries, free chappels, fraternities, and all the sectes of Antichrist y^t pope founded and builded, purgatorye also and y^e whole papacie is confyrmed and stablished by the Masse. So long as y^e Masse endu­reth, so long shall papisme continue y^e Pope with his Cardinalls, Monkes, Fryers, Chanons, Nunnes, Ankers, Ankresses, with all their superstition and Idolatrye. But if y^e masse once fal, then fal they also down to the ground. I will not say down to hel, frō whence all these their false worshipping of god fyrst of all came and had their begin­ning, according to y^e Prophecye, which thou redest in the Reuelation of Saint Iohn.Apo. 17.18▪ And albeit y^t the tirauntes of this worlde, and the hipocrites of the same, whose God is their bellye, striue neuer so much for y^e defence and vphol­ding of this their popish masse: they w^c sweard, fyre & haltar: these w^c fained holinesse, crafty persuasions, paynted elo­quence, false allegatiōs of y^e holy scrip­tures, & aūcient writers, mony, bribes, gifts, supplicatiōs, lamētatiōs, &c. Yet shall it perishe and come to noughte [Page] with al the wicked patrons, defenders & [...]autors of y^e same, according to this prophecy of our sauiour Christ:Math. xv. ii. Thes. ii. Euery plante y^t my heauenlye fāther hath not planted, shal be plucked vp by y^e rootes. And s. Paule sayth, y^t the Lord shal slay y^e Antichrist that sonne of perditiō with the breath of his mouth, that is to say, with hys holy worde.

Of certayne decrees appertayning vnto the Masse.

EastwardPOpe Vigilius ordayned, y^t priests when they syng masse, shoulde turne their faces to y^e east. In y^e yeare, &c. 553. Petrus de nat. D. Barns.

Stretchīg out of armes and hoi [...]ng vp of hands.Pope Gelasius the fyrst cōmaunded, y^t y^e priests should stretch out their armes & holde vp their hands in their masses, but specially whē they say the secrets, the Canon, & the prefaces. In the yere, &c. 498. Chron. Germ.

Pope Alexander the fyrst made a de­cree,One masse in one daye of one priest y^t one prieste shoulde saye but one masse in one daye In the yeare, &c. 119. Grat. Plat. Sabel. Lib. Concil.

Pope Telesphorus notwithstanding cō ­maunded, y^t on Christmasse day, euery [Page 139] priest mighte sing three masses, one at midnight an other at the cockcrowing and y^e third,Thre mas­ses in one daye of one priest. when it is fayre day light: agayne, y^t on all other dayes no priest shal sing masse before three of y^e clocke in y^e morning. In the yeare, &c. 139. Lib. Concil. Plat. Sabell. Pant.

Pope Felix the fyrste decreed,None may masse, but priests on­lye. y^t the priests shuld say masse in no place, but in y^t which is halowed. The same pope also ordayned, y^t none should say masse but priestes only, except necessitye en­forced to the contrary: agayn, y^e masses shuld be sayd for the memorye of mar­tirs. In the yere, &c. 269. Plat. Phil. Ber­gom, Sabel. D. Barns. Chron. Angl.

Pope Pius y^e fyrst made a decree that those priestes whiche negligently and without due deuotion say masse,Negligent massemon­gers. shuld be extremely punished. In the yere, &c. 147. Lib. Concil. Sigesbert. D. Barns. Except it be to offer.

Pope Leo the fourthe enacted that a laye man shoulde not presume to come into the chauncell while the prieste is at Masse. In the yeare, &c. 858. Sigisbert Platina. No Mas­sing with­out some company.

Pope Sotherus ordayned, y^t a prieste shoulde not saye masse, except two at y^e [Page] least were present. In y^e yeare, &c. 168. Volat. Punctius. D. Barns.

Gloria in excelsis whē it shall be song at masse.Pope Simmachus appoynted, y^e Gloria in excelsis shoulde bee song at masse vp­on sondayes, principall feastes, saintes daies, but specially in y^e feastes of mar­tirs. In the yere, &c. 499. Plat. Durand. Ranulph. Cestrens.

Pope Nicolas the fyrst made a decree, y^e Gloria in excelsis shoulde bee song on maūdy thursday although it be in lent. In the yere, &c. 871. De cons. 1. Cap. Gloria Ioan. Laziard. Cel. And this he appoyn­ted for the solemnitie of y^e institution of y^e sacrament of Christs body & bloud Ioannes. Stella.

Pope Gregorye y^e thirde ordayned, y^t the Christians shoulde offer (Dirige Grotes and Masse Pens) for their frendes soules departed and y^e priests shuld re­member the dead in their masses,Dirige Grotes & masse pens with Me­mento, do­mine ani­marum, &c and offer sacrifice for them. In the yere, &c. 740. Ioannes. Nauclerus. D. Barns.

Pope Nicolas the fyrst appoynted, y^t no man should heare the masse of any priest,The Mas­ses of vn­cleane prie­stes are not to be heard y^t is an whoremonger. In the yeare, &c. 871. Lib. Concil. Gratian. Volat. D. Barnes.

[Page 140]The same was also decreed in a cer­tayne councel holden at Mantua vnder pope Alexander the second. In the yere, &c. 1062. Dist. 32. Praeter. Et Capit. 18. Si­quis ammodo Dist. 56. Capi. Apostolica. authoritate.

Pope Gregorye y^e seuenth, otherwise called Hyldebrand excommunicated all those priestes,Inconti­nent priests excommu­nicated. y^t were whorehunters, and made a decree, y^t no man shoulde heare the masse of an whoremonging priest: and y^t if any mā contrarye to his ordinaunce would presume to heare y^e masse of suche a filthye & incontinente priest, the same shoulde be taken for an Idolatoure. In the yeare, &c. 1073. Dist. 16. Quaest. 7.. Chron

Pope Vigilius commaunded, y^t the Canon of the Masse shoulde be read in no place but at y^e altare,Canon of the masse. and of no man but of a priest, yea and y^t when he hath on his backe his halowed vestures: In the yeare, &c. 535. Chronic. Germani. Achilles.

Pope Martine the fyrst commaūded,Masse sōg with a loud voyce. that the masse should be song openlye with a loude voice. In the yere, &c. 643. Guili. Durand.

[Page]Pope Telesphorus ordayned, y^• Alleluya shoulde not be song in the temples frō Septuagesima vnto Eas [...]er euen,Alleluya. [...] Masse. but y^t in the steade thereof Laus tibi shuld bee [...]ong at Mat [...]ens, Prime and Houres & Euen song, and at Masse, a Tra [...]e. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 139. Chronic. [...]uili. Durand.

Pope Stephan the fyrst decreed, y^t the [...] of y^e church should be put [...] no prophane vses, [...] and y^t none shuld touc [...] [...] but such as ar holy annoyn­t [...]d, [...] y^• vengeaunce & punyshment y^• [...] on Balthazar King of Babilon, fal [...] th [...] also, [...]hat presume to touch holy [...] with their vnholy handes. In the [...] of our Lorde. 261. Lib. Concil. Guili▪ Durand.

[...] the fyrst commaunded [...], euen so many as are [...] [...]oly annoynted, should by no mea­nes touch y^e chalice, nor the paten ther­of, [...] theyr b [...]re ha [...]de. with their bare hands. Hereof came it to passe, y^t the Laye people were not suffered to touche the bare chalice, whē they came vnto the Lordes table in the [...] of papi [...]rye. In the yeare, &c. 129. Chron. Germ. Lib. Concil.

[Page 141]Pope Gregory the first commaunded that priestes should haue light at their masse,Cādels br [...] ninge at Masse. and that there should be set vp­pon the altare a candle brēnyng all the Masse time. In the yeare of our Lorde. 590. Nauclerus. Primeus. Chron.

Pope Clement ordained, that if the altare clothes or Corteynes, or Corpo­porasse clothes be so worne, that they can no longer doe seruice, that thē they shall be brent, and the ashes of thē bu­ried in sanctuarye. For they are, sayth he, holy and precious tinhges, yea and reliques. Guil. Durand.

Pope Pius the firste commaunded,Licky [...] vp of th▪ wyne. that if any of the Sacramentall wyne should chaunce to fall vpon the groūd, or vpon any other place, the priestes should licke it vp with their tonges. In the yeare. &c. 147. Durand. Lib. Concil.

Pope Stephen the first ordained,Halowed garments. that a priest in his diuine seruice should vse none other, but halowed garmentes. In the yeare of our Lord. 261. Sabel.

The same pope also appointed, that the priestes should not weare their ha­lowed garmētes, but only in y^e tyme of their diuine seruice. Fa [...]. Temp. Durādus.

[Page] A new ar­ticle of our fayth.Pope Innocent the thyrde bearynge rule, it was decreed in the Councel La­terane, that men must beleue, that al­though the wordes, whiche are recited in the Canon of the Masse, be not re­hearsed of the Euangelistes in theyr Gospels, yet were they spokē of Christ & deliuered to his Apostles, & their suc­cessoures, and be of equall authoritie with the holy scriptures. In the yeare. &c. [...]95. Dec. 3. tit. 41. Cap. 6. Chron.

Gregories s [...]ruice ad­mtted: all oher re­iected.Pope Adrian the first in a Councell holden at Rome, made a decree, that the Occidētall or weast Churches tho­row out all Europe (al other fashions of Matte [...]syng and Massyng set a parte and vtterly put away) should onely vse that kinde of seruice, which Pope Gre­gory the firste had tofore ordayned. In the yeare of our Lord. 796. Naucle­rus. Sigesbert. Durandus. Achiles.

Th popes dec [...]es set forte by the Emperou. Carolus Magnus the Emperoure dyd not a little helpe to bryng this matter to passe. For he dyd not only cōmaūde by publique edicts, y^t the decree of y^e ro­mish bishop (amōg the which Gregoryes seruice hath not the least nor the lasts place) should be obserued and kept tho­rowe [Page 142] out al the Empyre of Rome, but he himself also was a most diligent set­ter forth of the same. For he ran about from place to place thorow out all the prouinces of the Empyre, & compelled all the priests, whether they would or not, to receaue the seruice which Pope Gregory appointed, yea and y^t not only with threatning & manacyng wordes, but also with emprisonment. Ioan. Nauclerus Guilielmus Durandus. A fond tale

Iacobus de voragine in the life of Pope Gregory the firste, telleth a tale concer­ning this matter. In tymes past, saieth he, when the seruice, whiche Ambrose made, was more frequented and vsed in Churches, than was the seruice, whiche Gregory had appoynted:Gregoryes seruice thrust into the Church [...] violence. the Bi­shop of Rome called Adrianus gathe­red a Councell together, in the whiche it was ordayned, that Gregoryes ser­uice shoulde be obserued and kept vni­uersallye: whiche determination of the Councell, Charles the Empe­roure did diligentlye put in execution, whyle he rān about by diuerse prouin­ces, and enforced all the Clergye, part­lye with threatnyngs and partly with [Page] punishementes, to receaue that order. And as touchynge the bookes of Am­brose seruice, he brent them to ashes in all places, and threwe into prison ma­ny priests that would not consent and agree to the matter.☞ Blessed Eugenius the Bishop commyng vnto the Coun­cell, founde that it was dissolued three dayes before his commyng. Notwith­standyng thorowe his wisedome, he so persuaded the Lord Pope, that he cal­led agayne all the Prelates y^t had bene present at the Councel, and were now departed by the space of three dayes. Therfore when the Councell was ga­thered agayne together, in this all the fathers did consēt and agree, that both the ma [...]ebokes of Ambrose and Grego­ry shuld be laid vpon the altar of bles­sed Peter the An [...]le, and the Church doores di [...]igen [...]ly shut, and most ware­ly sealed vp with the signets of many and diuer [...] Bishops Againe, that they should all the whole night geue them­selues to prayer, that the Lorde myght reuele, declare, open and shewe vnto them by some euident signe or token, whiche of these. ii. seruices he woulde [Page 143] haue vsed in the temples. Thus they doyng in all points, as they had deter­mined, in the morning opened y^e church doores, and founde both the Missals or massebookes open vpon the altare: or rather, as some saye, they found Grego­ryes massebooke vtterly plucked a sun­der one pece from an other, and scatte­red abroad into thys and that place. As touchynge Ambrose booke, they onely found it open vpon the altare in the very same place, where they had tofor [...] layd it. By this signe they thought thē selues sufficiently instructed & taught of God, that the seruice, which Gregory had made, ought to be set abroade and vsed thorowout all the world: and that Ambroses seruice should only be obserued & kept in hys owne Church, which is at Mediolanum, where he sometym [...] was Byshop. Hereof came it to passe, that Gregoryes seruice hath onely place nowe a dayes in the greatest parte of Europe. Iacobus de voragine in vita Gregorij primi. Guil. Durand.

Thus hast thou (most gētle Reader) howe the masse was begotten, concea­ued & borne euen anone after the Apo­stles [Page] tyme, if all be true that the Histo­riographes write. Thou hast also how the masse grewe vp in continuance of time, and was encreased by diuerse po­pes euerye one puttyng vnto it theyr owne fantasye, tyll at the laste it was full finished by Pope Gregory the first,When the Masse be­gan to take place. about the yeare of our Lord. 600, euen aboute the very tyme, when Mohom­metes secte began in the East parte of the worlde, and papacye in the weste. Notwithstandyng from Pope Gre­goryes dayes vnto the tyme of Carolus Magnus, the forme of Gregoryes Masse was vsed onely in the Citie of Rome, and in the diocesse of the same, aboute two hundred yeares. Frō Charles the great vnto y^e tyme of Charles the fift, the Masse rained, ruled, ruffled, & triū ­phed, as a moste puissant and myghty Queene, not onely in Italye, and Ger­many, in Fraunce and Englande, but also in all the Churches of the weste part of the worlde, about. 700. yeares. But in y^e daies of the Emperour Charles the fifth,Kinde Ed­warde the sixte. and in the most florishyng reygne of the most blessed and Godlye Prince Kynge Edward the sixte Kynge [Page 144] of Englande, Fraunce and Irelande &c, the Masse beynge an olde worne hagge, full of sickenesses and disseases, died, was buryed and went down into Purgatory, for the maintenaūce wher­of she was moste chieflye deuysed and defended, so that now neyther Germa­manye, nor Denmarke, nor England, nor Scotlande with many other coun­treyes and kyngdomes is anye more troubled w^t her sorceries & witchcrafts, neyther are those her Chapplens the Massemongers and Purgatory rakers any more set a worke, or had in price.

And although the Masse seeme yet to pant and to breathe in some pla­ces,The fina [...] destruction of the Po­pishe masse is at hand. as though she woulde be glad to recouer lyfe, and to lyue yet a lyttle longer in thys worlde: yet forasmuche as she is no God, but an Idoll of all moste vayne, she shall neuer so ryse a­gayne, that she shall recouer her olde strengths & dignities, but rather shall decay dayly more and more, and suffer those worthye and deserued plagues, which God threatneth her in the re­uelations of blessed.Apoc. 18. S. Iohn. For this prophecie of our Sauiour Christ shall [Page] for euer & euer abide true: Euery plāt, that my heauenly father hath not plā ­ted,Math. 15. shall be plucked vp by the rootes.

Of the Massing Priest.

Gabriel Biel. in ex­po. Can. FOrasmuche as no man hath authoritie and power to con­secrat, make and offer the bo­dy and bloud of Christ (as the Papistes teach) but he onely, whiche is a priest lawfully made and appointed: no, neither Aungels nor Archaungels, neyther blessed Mary, nor any Sainct in Heauen.

Pope Gaius the firste of that name ordayned, that he whiche shoulde be a Massemonger or Godmaker, that is to saye, a prieste, shoulde, as it were by de­grees, ascende and come vp vnto the order of priesthoode.Degrees of orders. Therefore he ap­poynted, that suche one as woulde be a priest and saye Masse, shoulde fyrst of all be a doorekeper: secondelye, a Rea­der: thyrdelye, an Exorciste or Coniu­rare: fourthlye, an Acholute a lyghter and carier of Candles: fyftlye, a Sub­deacon: sixtly, a Deacon: and seuēthly, a priest, Plat. Polid. &c.

[Page 147]Pope Calixte the fyrst appoynted, y^t y^e aforesayd orders shuld be geuē foure times in the yeare,The times of orders geuing. y^t is to say, at y^e Em­bring dayes, whereas before they wer geuen only in y^e moneth of December: so y^t whosoeuer wil be a Massing priest must diligently attend vpō those times Plat. Valent. Vannius.

Pope Boniface the fyrst made a decree, y^t no man shoulde be made a Massyng Prieste,The age of a Massing priest. before he were thirtye yeres of age. Grat. Dist. 78. Cap. Si quis triginta.

Pope Zacharius the fyrst notwithstā ­ding fearyng that Ladye Masse would wante Chaplens and customers, dis­penseth wyth the former acte, and graunted, that a man might bee made a Massyng Prieste at the age of .xxv. yeares, if necessitye so required, Lib. Conc [...]l.

Pope Anicetus ordayned, y^t the Mas­sing priest,Docked heades▪ Smothe chinnes. Shauen. crownes. A bond m [...] ̄ may be no Massing priest. should weare no long haire nor bearde, but y^t he should haue Aures patentes, and y^t he shuld haue his crown shauen as rounde as a bowle. Gratian. Dist. 23. Cap. Prohibere fratres. Plat.

Pope Leo the fyrst made a decree, y^t no man that is bonde should be admit­ted [Page] to be a Massemonger. Dist. 54. Cap. Episcoporum. Nullus.

A banck­route cā be no masse­monger.Pope Bonifacius the fyrst commaun­ded, y^t no banckeroute, or endebted per­son shuld be admitted vnto y^e Clergye. Plat. Lib. Concil.

A massemō ger muste forsweare maryage.Pope Calixt y^e first appointed, y^t who­soeuer wil take vpon hym the order of a Massing priest, must forsweare mari­age, & leade a single lyfe. Grat. Dist. 27. Ca. Presbyteres. Nauclerus.

A mā twice maryed ought not to be a priest.Pope Gregorye the fyrst made a decree y^t none y^t had bene twice maryed, shuld be admitted to be a priest. Dist. 33. Cap. Maritum duarum.

A persō dis­membred may be no priest.Pope Gelasius the fyrst ordained, y^t no dismembred person shuld be admitted vnto y^e order of priesthode. Grat. Dist. 55 Cap. Si euangelica.

Priest fas­ting before and after Masse.Pope Clement the fyrst appoynted, y^t the priest, after he had sayde Masse, should continue fastyng by the space of three houres, before he eyther eate or drinke. Dist. 2. de consec. De tribus. Gradi­bus. And Gratianus witnesseth, that a priest also ought to come to Masse fas­ting. De cons. Dist. 2, Can. Liquido. Item. Cap. Sacramenta altaris.

Of the dignitie and power of the Massing Priest, and of the honour that is due vnto hym, be he good or bad.

PRiestes are worthye to be honoured of all men, for the dignitie,Math, xviii whiche they haue of GOD. For God hath geuen them power to bynde and to loose, as it is writ­ten: Whatsoeuer ye shall bynde vpon earth, shall also be bounde in heauen. And whatsoeuer ye shall losen vppon earth,The mas­sing prieste compared to Mary y^e Virgine. Note wel this iuglīg shal bee losoned also in heauen. For a priest after a certaine manner is lyke Mary the Virgine. And thys is declared by three thinges. Fyrst as the blessed Virgine dyd conceaue Iesus Christ by fyue woordes, as is it men­tioned in the Gospell of Luke. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum: So lyke­wyse the Prieste maketh the true bo­dye of Christ, by these fyue woordes, Hoc est enim corpus meum. Luke i. Math. xxvi. And as whole Christ immediatly after the consent of Mary, was in her wombe: so lykewyse immediatly after y^e pronunciation of y^e [Page] wordes of consecration, the breade is transsubstātiated & turned into y^e true body of Christ. Secondly as the blessed Virgine after shee had broughte forth Christ, dyd beare hym in her handes, & layde hym in y^e maunger: so likewyse y^e priest after the consecration immedi­atly lyfteth vp the body of Christ, and laieth him down again, & beareth him, & handleth him in his hands. Thirdly, as y^e blessed Virgine was sāctifyed in y^e wombe, before she conceaued Christ: so likewise y^e priest receaueth orders & is annoynted, before he consecrateth.

For without taking orders he could consecrate nothing: and therfore a lay­man although he be neuer so holy can do nothing in this matter, although he should pronounce the wordes of conse­cration. In consideration whereof, we must know,A massing priest is more excel­lent than an Aungel. Note. y^t the dignitie of priests af­ter a certayne manner doth farre excel the dignitie of Angels. For power to make y^e body of Christ is geuē to none of the Angells, so that the baseste and moste inferioure prieste in the worlde can doe that, whiche the greatest and highest Aungell in heauen can not do. [Page 149] Therefore Barnarde sayeth: O the worshipfull dignitye of priestes, in whose handes the Sonne of God as in the Virgines wombe is incarnate. Wherefore Austen sayeth, that in the consecration of the holy hoste all the heauenly courte serueth hym, that is to say, the priest: and the Lorde of hea­uen commeth downe vnto hym. Am­brose therefore also sayth writing vp­on Luke:Priests ar to be hono­red aboue all Kyngs. Doubte thou not, but y^t the Angels are there present, when Christ is present vpon the altare: so y^t priests are to be honoured aboue all Kinges,☜ Princes, Knyghtes and men of Nobili­tie. For a prieste is higher than Kyn­ges, more blessed and happye than Aungells, beyng the maker of hys ma­ker, and therefore he is worthye to bee honoured, &c. Yea let it be graun­ted, that the priest bee euill: yet is he to be honoured for y^e dignitye of priest­hoode, as it is declared in the decrees. Priestes although they bee euill, yet ought we to honoure them for the sa­cramentes sake. 1. Quaest. 1. Sacramenta. &c. Sermones Discipuli in Sermon. 28. De honore.

[Page]As there are nine quiers or orders of Angells in heauen: so like wise ar there nyne dignities of priestes.Nine dig­nityes of priestes. The fyrst dignitye of priestes. Iere .i.

Fyrst, Priestes are aboue all Kynges and Princes of the earth, as God say­eth by Ieremye: I haue set thee thys daye ouer Nations and Kingdomes. And this to bee true, appeareth thus. The dignitye of the prieste is such and so great, y^t it lyeth in his power to con­secrate and make Kinges: but all the Kynges of the worlde are not able to make one Priest. And for a profe there­of, that priestes be greater and of farre more excellencye, than Kinges are: it is to be noted, y^t there is no Prince so greate, whiche doth not bowe downe hys necke in confession to the Prieste, and humble hymselfe before the priest as before God, being in dede Goddes vicare. Therefore God oute of hands exalted the Priestes aboue al men, and aboue all creatures, as a certaine Doc­tor sayth, speakyng of Priestes. Al­though by nature ye bee men: yet in dignitye ye excell all men. Agayne: A Prieste is hygher than Kynges, more blessed and happye than Aungells, and [Page 150] the maker of hys maker.

Secondly, The second dignitye of priestes. God hath honoured them in temporall thinges. For those thin­ges, which God reserued vnto himself, that is to say, the tenthes, y^e offerings, the fyrst frutes, and the other Patri­monyes of Christe crucifyed, he hath freely geuen to y^e priests for the susten­tation and mainteinaunce of their bo­dy, that they being free from laboure (when other mē must nedes worke for their liuing) may y^e more quietly serue God in spirituall thinges.

Thyrdly, God hath honoured them in geuing them suche immunities,The thirde dignitye of priestes. priui­leges, liberties, and fredomes, that no earthlye Prince hath iurisdiction ouer them, neither king, neither Prince, nei­ther any other seculare mā: no neither dare any man lay violente hande vpon them, no, not vppon the lessest of y^e or­der. For whosoeuer doth the contrary, he is excommunicate with the greater excommunication eo facto, both in hea­uen and in earth. Uerely God doth so defend thē, y^t none dare trouble thē ey­ther in worde or in deede, insomuche y^t [Page] whatsoeuer displeasure is done vnto any of them he thynketh it to be done to hymselfe, as the Lorde hymselfe say­eth by y^e Prophete Zacharye:Zacha 2. He y^e tou­cheth you, toucheth the apple of myne eye.Psal. 105. Agayne in the Psalme he sayeth: touch not myne annoynted: so y^t priests are not to bee molested so muche as with a worde, but they ar to be honou­red, as the Lorde sayde to Moses and Aaron: I wil blesse them y^e blesse you, and curse them that curse you. In con­sideration wherof, the priestes and mē of the church are priuileged insomuche that whosoeuer doe make, or cause to bee made or to be kepte any statutes, that bee agaynste the libertyes of the priestes and men of the Clergye, they are strayght wayes excommunicate & accursed. Item, no worldely Prince dare make exactions vppon the Cler­gye: neyther dare any man aske any kynde of paymentes, or take any thing of the Clergye: For if he doe, he is out of hande excommunicate, neyther can he be absolued from the aforesayd ex­communication, excepte he make resti­tution at the full.

[Page 151] Fourthly, The fourth dignitie of Priests. God hath honored the prie­stes in that he hath committed vnto them the soules of the faythfull, that is to say, the holy Churche of the whiche Chrisostome saith: The church is more honourable than heauen, and the aun­gels, & all other creatures. Christ hath loued the Churche more than himselfe for whose sake he came downe from heauen into this world, and serued for it xxxiii. yeares, and at the laste suffred bitter death for it, and doth nowe geue vnto it his body for meate, & his bloud for drinke, and after this life he geueth himselfe vnto it for a rewarde. More­ouer he hath committed thys welbelo­ued Churche to priestes with all the giftes, that is to say the Sacramentes. For the order of priesthood onely hath power to baptise, except it be in neces­sitie, at whiche tyme it is lawefull for euery man and woman to baptise. Al­so he alone hath aucthoritie to minister the Sacrament of confirmation. Item, the priest alone hathe power to heare confession, to geue absolution, and to enioyne penaunce, accordynge to this saying of Christ: take the holy Ghost: [Page] whose sinnes ye forgeue they are forgeuen them:Iohn. 20. but whose synnes ye do re­tayne, they are retayned. Itē, he alone hath power to minister the Sacramēt of extreme vnction.Math. 5. &c. In this incom­prehensible dignitye God hath singu­larely honoured them aboue all other men. Ye are that lyght of the worlde, sayth he. For as the worlde shoulde be nothynge without lyght euen so is the Churche nothyng without priestes.

Fiftly, God hath honored thē in this, that he hath streightly charged all men to be obedient vnto them, as vnto him selfe, of what condition or state so euer they be,Luke. 10. as he sayth: He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. Whatsoeuer is not lawefull (sayth Austen) it is the shep­heardes office to forbyd, and the duty of the flock, to heare and to obey. Therfore all men muste obey the Priestes euen as Christ, when they commaunde them to faste, to kepe holy day. &c. Therfore the Lorde threatneth them that are disobedient and rebell agaynst the commaundement of Priestes, saying: he that is proude,Deut. 17. and will not obey the [Page 152] commaundement of the Priest, let hym dye the death. An example hereof haue we in Dathan, Nume. 16. Abiron, and Chore, whiche rebelled agaynste Moses and Aaron, and therefore the earth opened, and swalowed them vp quick.

Sixtly, God hath honored them by giuyng them power to bynde and to loosen,The sixte dignitie of priestes. Math. 18. as it is written: Whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon the earth. &c. This power of binding and losoning is vn­derstande one waye of excommunica­tion, whiche is the spirituall swearde: and it is greatly to be feared. An other way this power is to be vnderstand of the absolution of sinnes. Therfore the Bishop whē he maketh priestes, blow­eth and breatheth vpon them, saying: Take the holy Ghost. &c.

Seuenthly, Iohn. 20. God hath honored them in that they are called aungels in the scriptures.The se­uenth dig­nitye of priestes. The office of Aungels▪ Therefore sayth Gregory: All that are termed by the name of a priest, are called Aungels. But where­fore are they called aungels. Verelye bicause they haue certayne properties with the angels. First, bicause it is the office of aungels to minister vnto God [Page] and vnto men, as the Apostle saith: All Aūgels are ministring spirits. So like­wise is it the dutye of priestes to serue God day & night,Hebr. 1. and to minister vnto men, with the Sacramentes. Second­ly, bicause an aungell is pure in lyfe: so in lyke maner ought euery priest to be chast and pure in his life and conuersa­tion.To lyue chaste is an Aungelyke lyfe. For to liue chast, is an aungelike life, as Ambrose saith: they that are not maried, nor do mary, are as aungels in earth. Damascen sayth: Abstinence from mariage is the folowyng of aungels. Thyrdly, it is the office of Aungels to enforme and instructe men by good in­spiration. So likewise is it the priestes duty to do by the word of god. Fourthly, it is y^e duty of aungels to prayse god so likewise are the priestes bounde vn­der payne of deadly synne to say eueryday, theyr mattens, prime, and houres, euen [...]ong. &c. vnto the prayse of God.

The eyght dignitie of Priestes. Eyghtly, God hath honored y^e priests in this, that they are in some poyntes like to the most blessed virgine Mary. First, as the most blessed virgin Mary did conceaue thorowe fyue wordes the true body of Christ, Fiat mihi secundum [Page 153] verbum tuum, so likewise the priest tho­row fiue words.Luke. 1. Math. 18. Hoc est enim corpus meū maketh the body of Christ. And as im­mediatlye after the consent of Marye, whole Christe was in her wombe: so likewise out of hande after the wordes of consecration be pronounced by the priest, the bread is turned into the sub­stance of the very body of Christ, secōd­ly, as the blessed virgine, after she had brought forth Christe, bare hym in her handes, and layde him in the cribe and tooke hym vp agayne: so likewyse the priest after the consecration lifteth vp Christ, and layeth him downe agayne, and beareth hym vnto the sicke, and handleth him with his handes. Third­ly, as the blessed virgine was sāctified in her wombe,Psal. 46. before she conceaued Christ, as it is written: The most high hath sāctified his tabernacle: so in like manner the priest receaueth holye or­ders, before he cōsecrateth: for he could not consecrate, excepte he were orde­red. And therefore a Laye man, be he neuer so holye, can do nothyng in thys matter, althoughe he pronounceth the wordes of consecration.

[Page] The ninth dignitie of priestes. Ninthly, God hath honored the prie­stes aboue Aungels, yea, and somwhat also aboue the dignitie of blessed Mary the virgine.☞ First in the dignitie of ke­ping. For a priest is bound to kepe many soules, as the Byshop is bounde to looke vpon al the diocesse, and the Po­pe the whole worlde, and the Curate hys parishe, as Bernarde saith: O how worthy kepers are they, which so care­fully watche, that they may kepe the soules that are committed vnto them from euerlastyng death. But an Aun­gell hath but one soule committed vn­to hym for to kepe, as Bernarde testi­fieth: Great is the dignitie of soules, that euery one of them euen from the very tyme of their birth, shoulde haue an aungel appointed for to kepe them. Secondly, in taking and touchyng the body of Christ. The angels doe but see God,Math. 18. The priest maketh God, hād­leth God, and cateth God. as it is written: Their aungels see the face of my Father, whiche is in heauen. But in this is the priest grea­ter than the Aūgell: for he doth but see God, but the priest handleth hym, yea and eateth him, which was neuer giuē to any Aungell so to do, but it sufficeth [Page 154] hym to beholde God. Thirdly, in con­secratyng the bodye of Christe. And in this point the priest doth not onely ex­cell the Aungels, but also after a cer­tayne manner Marye the Mother of Christ: so that the lessest priest on earth is able to do that, whiche the greatest Aungell in Heauen can not doe. Ther­fore saith Barnarde: O the dignitie of priestes worthy to be had in great re­uerence, in whose handes as in the wombe of the Virgine the Sonne of God is incarnate. Austen also saith: In the consecration of the holye host the whole court of Heauen doth seruice to the priest, yea, and the Lorde of heauen commeth downe vnto him. Likewyse saith Ambrose vpō Luke: Doubt thou not, but that Aungels are there presēt when Christ is present on the altare, & whē he is offered: so y^t Christ may well say to euery priest, y^t which is writtē in Esay:Esay. 5. What coulde I haue done, more for thee, & haue not done it? Further­more we must know, that euerye mā is boūd to honour priests, seing y^e god himself hath so many & sundry waies gar­nished & beautified thē with suche & so [Page] great honour. But contrary to this do all they, that dishonour priestes: and in this they greuouslye offende God, as Henricus de vrimaria writing vpon the fourth commaundement saith: Wo be vnto them and euerlasting damnation hangeth ouer their heades, that do dis­honour priestes, speake euill of them, diffame & backbite them:Against the backbiters of Priests. for they cruci­fie the Sonne of God againe. For so often as thou backbitest or [...]laundrest a religious person or priest: so often dost thou put a crowne of thorne vpon Christes head: For they are the head & vpper parte of the Churche militante. So often as thou doest any displeasure vnto them: so often dost thou fasten Christ with nayles to the crosse. So of­ten as thou raylest vpon them: so often dost thou spit Christ in the face. And so often as thou dost euill entreat them, and find faulte either in their speaking or doying: so often dost y^u thrust Christ vnto the hart with a speare. God ther­fore willing to shewe howe greatly he detesteth that synne, hath made it eui­dent with that wonderful punishment and vnwonted paine, whiche Dathan, [Page 155] Abiron and Chore,Num. xvi [...] suffered, whom the earth dyd swalowe vp quicke, bycause they dyd mysuse the Priestes. Of these thynges aforesayde it euidentlye ap­peareth, y^t priestes euen of dutye ought to bee honoured of all men. In sermo­nibus discipuli. Germ. iii. Dom. 14. Post. Festum. Trinitatis.

O ye Priestes, which are the bucke­lars and officers of y^e true Salomon, that is to saye, of Iesus Christ, and the chamberlaynes and dispensatoures or stewardes of the mysteryes of God: Consider & marke diligentlye in what degree and dignitye ye are set ouer all the goodes of the Lorde.☜ What could God doe more for the Priestes than to geue them power for to make hym­selfe, to handle hym, to eate hym, & to geue him to other? Therefore remēber your selues, and consider well y^e noble priuilege of your dignitye.

Althoughe glasse bee made of vyle matter and stuffe,A simili­tude to set forth y^e dig­nitie of priestes. yet is it reproued & founde to be more clere than golde and siluer, so likewise euery priest, be he ne­uer so great and greuous a sinner, yet doth he farre excell al other creatures, [Page] both Kinges and Princes & is of grea­ter dignitie than al y^e creatures y^t are. Ye are (sayeth S. Peter speakyng to priestes) a chosen generation,i. Peter. ii a royall priesthoode, an holy nation, a wonne people, not only of a temporal election but also of an eternall predestination.

O the worshipful dignitie of priests, if ye liue worthily and priestlike, with­in whose handes as in the Virgines wombe the sonne of God is incarnate and made man. O heauenly mysterye, which y^e father and y^e sonne, and y^e holy ghoste doth so maruelouslye worke by you, y^t in one and in the same moment the same God, whiche sitteth & ruleth in heauen, is a sacrifice in your hands. The heauen wondreth at so noble a priuilege: the earth marueleth: man is greatly astonied: hell quaketh for feare the deuell trembleth and shaketh all y^t is on hym: the Aungelike highnesse is in great admiration. What then shall I priest geue agayne vnto the Lorde, for all thinges that he hath geuen me? As for an example: He that hath made me, hath geuen me power to make hym: yea he that made me without me, is made by the [Page 156] meanes of me, &c. Consider therefore (O ye Priestes) the maruelous digni­tie of your excellencye,☜ that God hath not onely ordained you before al other people, but he hath also made you pas­sing all other creatures which he hath created vnto the prayse and glorye of his name, &c.

Sauyng y^e Aungels reuerence whose number is infinite: I say playnly, that ye are greater than Aungells, and doe farre excell their dignitye largo modo lo­quendo. For to whiche of the Aungels hath God geuen that, whiche he hath geuen to the priest?Math, xvi I meane. Whatso­euer ye bynde on earth, shal be bounde also in heauen. Note: there are two keyes, that is to say, of knowledge and of power, geuen of the Lord to blessed Peter and to other men: not to al mē, but to Priestes alone, and to their successoures.Of forge­uing sinnes For althoughe God alone forgeue synne, yet neuer or ve­rye seldome dothe he forgeue synne withoute his ministers, that is to say, Priestes. Whiche thyng may be pro­ued by the Lepers, to whome, when the Lorde had healed them, he sald: Go: [Page] shewe your selues to the priestes, and humbly obey them. And whyle they were goyng, they were made cleane. It maye also bee proued by Lazarus, whom when the Lorde had raysed vp; he sayd to hys Disciples:Luke. xvi. Iohn. xi. Loose hym and let hym go. But wherfore dyd not the Lorde hymselfe loosen hym from y^t knots of the byndings, which had lo­soned hym frō y^e bondes of death? And wherfore dyd he not commaunde Ma­ry and Martha hys systers to loose him or hys kynnesfolke the Iewes, whiche were nerer vnto hym by the course of nature, than the Disciples of y^e Lord? Verelye to declare manifestlye and to proue playnly that the power to loose and to bynde is geuen of the Lorde to priestes alone. Beholde, how great the goodnesse of God, and the worthinesse of priestes, is. For the Lorde himselfe worketh good somtime euen by them y^e are euell: and that to thys ende, by­cause the keyes of the Churche should not be despised or set at nought of the faythfull. For although priestes some­time haue not thys power ex merito: yet haue they it ex officio dignitatis. And [Page 157] if any priest [...]e vnworthye (which god forbid) y^t hurteth hymselfe: it hyndreth thee nothyng at all. Beholde, what greate power is geuen to you priestes, For your tounges are made the keyes of heauen. O how great dignitie,Priestes i [...] [...] in­cōparable. saith Bernard, hath god geuen to you? How great and excellent is y^e prerogatiue of y^e priestes order? He hath preferred you aboue the Kynges of y^e earth: He hath exalted thys order of priestes aboue all men: Yea as I may speake more high­ly, he hath preferred you before Aun­gells thrones and powers.Hebr. ii. For as he toke not Aungels but Abrahams sede to bryng to passe redemption: so lyke­wyse hath he committed y^e consecrati­on of his body and bloude, not to Aun­gells, but to men, that is to saye, to priestes only.

Seing then, y^t a priest is of so greate dignitie, y^t he is the maker of hys ma­ker: him to destroy or to condemne, it is not conuenient, &c.

This is a very heauenly priuilege, this is an exceding great glory, this is a grace excelling all grace: a priest to holde God in hys hands. We beleue & [Page] are thorowly perswaded, y^t the celebra­tion of so noble a mysterye is commit­ted to none of the Aungels, to none of the Archeaungels, nor to any other heauenly spirites, but to your order onely, &c. For on the altare thorowe the mouthe and the handes of y^e prie­stes, the bodye of Christ is made, euen that very bodye, whiche is on the right hand of God, &c.

O ye priestes howe greate a thing is this, that at the lifting vp of your han­des, Kynges bowe down their heades, yea Kings and Queenes offer giftes to you. All the Churche or congregation confesseth & calleth you fathers, and desireth you to praye for them, &c.

O the worshipfull holynesse of prie­stes handes. O blessed and happie exer­cise. O the true ioye of the worlde, where lowe things ar ioyned to y^e most high thinges,The Mas­sing priest is here cal­led Christ. [...], Pet. ii. when Christ handleth Christ, y^e priest, y^e sonne of God. Thou hast a delight to be with the sonnes of men. Therefore sayth Peter, speakyng of priests: ye are a chosen generation, a royall Priesthoode, an holy Nation, a wonne people, &c.

[Page 158]O ye priests consider the excellencye of your moste noble dignitye: For the lord hath enriched & beautified you be­fore al other his creatures. Verely prie­stes ar worthy to be honoured, seing y^e the Lord hath geuē vnto thē passing al other, so greate grace and honoure in the worlde.

Ex lib cui titulus est. Stella Clericorum.

Of the ceremonies of the popyshe Churche. Of holy water.

POpe Alexander the fyrst (as y^e papistes fayne) ordayned wa­ter mingled with salte to bee halowed,Holi water & afterward sprinckled vpon the people, to put away their sinnes, and to make thē holy and pure: He also commaunded, y^t it shoulde bee kept both in churches and in houses to chase and dryue away deuills and wic­ked spirites,The verts of holy wa­ter. not onely oute of houses wher mēdwel, but also out of y^e hearts of the faythfull: as though fayth and y^e deuel could dwel together in one heart In the yere, &c. 110. Grat. Plat. Sabel. Lib. Concil. D. Barns. P [...]antal.

[Page]The wordes of pope Alexanders ca­non ar these.Blasphe­mye agaīst the bloude of Christ. We blesse y^e water ming­led with salte for thys purpose, that all that bee sprinckled therewith, may bee made holy and pure: whiche thyng we commaunde all Priestes lykewyse to doe.Leuit. xvi. For sayeth he, if the ashes of an heyfer sprinckled, made holy and clen­sed the people from veniall synnes: Muche more water sprynckled wyth salte, and halowed with holye pray­ers, doth sanctifye, make holye, and clense the people from veniall synnes.liii. Reg. ii.

And if the salte being sprynckled by Helizeus, the barennesse of the [...] water was healed: Howe muche more salte being halowed with Godlye prayers, taketh awaye the barennesse of such thynges as appertayne to man, and sanctifyeth and pourgeth them y^t are defiled, and multiplyeth suche goodes as we haue nede of, and turneth away y^e disceates of the deuill, and defendeth men from al naughty and wicked fan­sies, &c. De conse. Dist. 3. Cap. Aquam sale conspersam. Lib. Concil.

Is not this good stuffe? is not this worthy to be called gods seruice? Oughte [Page 159] not y^e people to ryse vp & make curtesy to the Popyshe shauelynge, when he sprinckleth thē with water of so great vertue? Are not the scriptures here wel applied? Doth not this ceremony make Christ Iacke out of office, with all hys workes and merites? God haue mercy on vs, and shortly confoūd Antichrist.

Guilihelmus Durādus sayth,In [...]at. di. off. y^t the holy water hath deserued to haue of God so great vertue, that as outwardly it wa­she [...]h the body from filthynesse: so in­wardly clēseth the soules from sinnes. O blasphemye intollerable. This is y^e goodly Godlye Catholyke doctrine, wherwith the vngoodly vngodly Pa­pistes infecte the mindes of such Chri­stians, as are simple and light of belief, yea, wherwith they caste the soules of all suche, as put their confidence and trust in these pylde, begarly, and lousy ceremonyes, into euerlastyng damna­tion. And yet must they be called lauda­ble ceremonies, well worthy (and God will.) to be frequented and vsed in the Churche of Christ. And the teachers of thys doctrine, & the ministers of these ceremonies must alone be coūted wor­thy [Page] to beare office in the Church, to be reputed and taken for the only pyllars of our mother holy Churche, to be had in estimation aboue all men, and to be reuerenced as Gods of all men: and so many as be of contrarye opinion,☞ tea­ching that our whole saluation commeth on­ly from God thorowe fayth in the bloude of Christ, must be adiudged seditious per­sons, sowers of discorde, authors of new learning, teachers of straūge doc­trine,How the ceremonye of holy wa­ter came first into the church. and heretikes. But as I may by coniecture speake my minde cōcerning this ceremonie: I thinke verelye, that as the ceremony of dealing holy bread on the Sondayes (wherof we shal here­after speake) was ordained of y^e fathers of Christs Church at that time, to put the people in remembraunce of Chri­stes body breakyng: so lykewise at the same time was this ceremony of water sprinckling brought into the Churche to put the people in remembraunce of Christes bloud sheadyng on the altare of the Crosse for their sinnes. But as the papistes in processe of time lost the signification of holy bread, & of al other ceremonies, & therfore ioyned vnto the [Page 160] certain doctrines of error & false faith, so likewise haue thei done in y^e ceremonie of holy water. They not knowing the cause of the first instititution, haue fayned the holy water, as they cal it, to be of such and so greate vertue,The mani­folde ver­tues of ho­ly water. might, and power, that it is able to put away sinne, to geue health both of minde & body, to make so many holy and pure, as be sprinckled with it, to geue abun­daunce of thynges, to dryue awaye de­uils, to chase awaye all the power of our ghostly enemye, yea and to plucke him vp by the rootes and vtterly to de­stroy him with all his Apostatike aun­gels, to put backe diseases, to expell all corrupte and pestilente ayres, to dis­patche all y^e guyles, subtilties, sleyghtes and disceates of the lurkyng enemye, [...]o banyshe al thynges that be contra­tye to the healthe, prosperitye, and quietnesse of all such, as dwel in y^e hou­ses where it is sprinckled, to geue secu­ritie of hope, corroboratiō & strength­ning of faith, to bring the holy ghost, & at the laste what not? Are not all these things read in their exorcismes & coniuratiōs of their bewitched & salted water [Page] as we haue tofore hearde, and in other Popishe treatyses?

Reade we not these wordes in their Popish primare, which we are taught & commaūded to say, whē we sprinckle our selues with y^e water in the Church porche, before we enter into y^e Church.

Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus [...] vita. Praesta mihi domine per hanc creaturam as­pertionis aquae, sanitatem mentis, integri­tatem corporis, tutelam salutis, securitatem spei, corroborationem fidei nūc & in futuro. Whiche is thus Englished.

The blessed water mought be vnto me health and life. Graunt me, O Lord, by thys creature of the sprincklyng of water, health of mynde, wholenesse of body, defence of health, safegarde of hope, strengthnynge of faith, now and in tyme to come.

And bicause this their dreame should be of the more credit: they haue fathe­red those their lyes, as they do many o­ther, of an auncient Byshop of Rome, called Alexander the first, whiche liued. In y^e yere. &c. 119. And here mayest thou see, what a lying generatiō the Papists are, as I maye speake nothyng of their pestilent and abhominable doctrine.

Of Holy Bread.

THe vse among the Christians was firste of all,The com­muniō daylye. y^t so many as came together into the church dayly for to pray, and to heare the worde of God: the same should also dayly receaue together the holye com­munion of the body & bloud of Christ. But when the multitude that profes­sed Christ began to encrease, and wa­xed very great, so that that order could not conueniently be obserued & kepte: the auncient fathers of Christes church made a decree, y^e all y^e Christians shuld communicate on the Sondayes toge­ther, and be no more bounde vnto the dayly communiō,The cōmunion euery Sonday. as they to fore were. And here of commeth thys sentence of S. Austen: Dayly to cōmunicate I ney­ther cōmende, nor discommend: but on the Sōdaies to receaue y^e communion, I would coūcell all men. Whē this re­ceauyng of the communiō euery Son­day was not done with such deuotion, sobernesse, and grauitie, as it ought to haue bene, but thorowe that often cō ­ming vnto it much dissolution & light­nesse [Page] was shewed of diuerse people: the Elders of Christes Church thought it mete for y^t present tyme to take awaye the custome of receauing the commu­nion euery Sonday,The Communion at Easter on­lye. & to appoint, that the Christians should receaue the communion together thrice in the yeare, y^t is to say, at Easter, at Witsontyde, and at the feaste of Christes natiuitie. But when this order also was not duly and reuerently obserued: it was iudged and thought mete, that the people shoulde commonly receaue the Lordes Supper but once in the yeare, that is to say, at Easter: and that in the stead therof, bi­cause the remembraūce of Christs pas­sion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and pre­cious bloud sheadyng fall from the re­membraunce of the people,Howe the ceremonye of holye bread came firste into y^e Churche. whiche is preached, declared, and set forth to the faythful at the Lordes supper by brea­king and eating the bread, and by pouring out & by drinkyng the wine: The Fathers of Christes Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water, to put the people in remēbraūce of Christes body breakyng,☞ and bloude [Page 162] sheding: y^• as they see the bread, whiche is distributed euery Sonday of the mi­nister broken on many peces: so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christs body on the al­tare of the Crosse for the remission of their sinnes: again, that as they see the water sprinckled abrode: so they should remēber, that Christes bloud was shed for them on the Crosse, by the effusion and sheading wherof, they be purged, clensed, and purified from al filthinesse of sinne & iniquitie, & by thys meanes addresse themselues to be thankefull to God the Father for so inestimable and excedyng greate benefites giuen vnto them in the death of his Sonne.The signi­fications of the ceremonies were taught the people in times past. And these ceremonies of holy bread and ho­ly water at that tyme were not onely ministred to y^e people of the Godly Pastors, but it was also euerye Sondaye preached and declared vnto thē, what the ceremonies signified, and where­fore they were instituted of the rulers of Christes church, euē to put thē in re­mēbraunce of Christes body breakyng and bloud sheadyng on y^e altare of the Crosse for the remission & forgiuenesse [Page] of their sinnes. And it is not to be doubted, but the Godly Ministers in those dayes did with sorowfull hearts mini­ster those ceremonies to the people, seyng that they for their vnthankeful­nesse & dissolution of lyfe, were depri­ued of the holy communion of Christs body and bloud, and fedde with ceremonies of mans inuention: and dyd lyke­wise diligently exhort the people so to frame their liues according to the rule of Gods worde, that the Elders of Christes Churche seyng their repen­taunce and amendement of life, might thereby be occasioned to restore vnto them the holy and blessed communion, which is the partaking of the body and bloud of Christ.1. Cor. 10. Thus were the ceremonies not altogether vnprofitable to the people of y^t age. But it is in these our dayes farre otherwise. For the ce­remonies in the Popish Churches are stil retained: but who knoweth the sig­nification and meanyng of thē. The bread is euery Sonday distributed, and the water sprinckled: but howe ofte is the death of Christe preached? But as touching y^e ceremonye of holy bread, [Page 163] wherof we now speake, it is become a vayne tradition and vtterly vnprofy­table, yea wicked and abhominable, as all other popyshe ceremonyes are lykewise.The abuse of holy bread. For where as it was institu­ted to put the people in remembraūce of Christes body breakyng the priestes deale it vnto thys ende, y^t the people eating thereof, shuld beleue to receaue health and saluation both of body and soule. For these are the wordes, which they vse in halowing the bread, as they terme it, takyng vpon them by thys meanes to make the creatures of God more holy, than euer God made them, Benedic domine hanc creaturam panis, qui benedixisti quin (que) pan [...]s in deserto, vt omnes gustantes ex his, recipeant tam corporis quā animae sanitatem. That is to say. Blesse, O Lorde, thys creature of bread, which didst blesse fyue Loaues in the wildernesse, that al that taste of them, may receaue healthe both of body and soule.

What other thyng is thys, than to attribute the vertue of oure saluation to a pylde & beggarly ceremony, which alone commeth of y^e meere mercye and gracious goodnesse of God to al men, [Page] that repent and beleue in Christ Iesu hys onely begotten Sonne, and oure alone Sauioure [...] If we maye obtayne health both of bodye and soule by their be witched bread: then was Christ pro­mised, geuen, conceaued, borne circum­cised, persecuted, and put to death for oure synnes in vayne: yea, then was Christ without cause made of God the Father vnto vs, wisedome and righte­ousnesse, and sanctifying, and redemp­tion, y^t as it is written. He that reioy­ceth, shoulde reioyce in the Lorde.i. Cor. i. We knowe, sayth the Apostle, y^t man is not iustifyed by the workes of the law, but by the fayth of Iesu Christ:Gala, ii. and wee haue beleued in Christ Iesu, that wee myght be iustifyed by y^e faith of Christ, and not by the workes of the lawe, bi­cause no fleshe shall be iustifyed by the workes of the law. If we be not iusti­fyed by the workes of that lawe, which God hymselfe commaunded:☞ shall we hope to bee made ryghteous by the ob­seruaunces of mennes triflyng traditi­ons, croked constitutions, idle inuenti­ons, drousye dreames, fonde fantasyes, antichristian actes, deuilysh decrees, [...] [Page 164] O blasphemous Papistes.

Of Procession.

POpe Agapetus the fyrst com­maunded the people to goe procession solemnely on son­dayes & other feastiual daies.Procession In the yeare, &c. 533. Platina. Polyd. D. Barnes. &.

Guilielmus Durandus writeth, that when the people goe a Procession,Why they rynge the bels at pro­cession. the Belles are ronge to thys ende, euen to make the deuills afrayde, and to chase them awaye. For sayeth he, the deuills are wonderfully afrayde, when they heare the trompettes of the church mi­litaunt, I meane the Belles: euen as a Tyraunte is greatlye afrayde, when he heareth in hys owne land the trompets of some myghtye Kyng that is his enemye.Why they ring in any great tem­peste. And thys is also the cause, why the church, when there is a­ny great tempest, ringeth the Belles, y^t the deuills hearyng the trompets of y^e euerlasting King, shuld be afrayde, and trudge away, and cause no more tem­pestes to aryse, &c. Rat. di. off.

Of Sensing.

Sensyng.POpe Leo the thyrde brought Sen­sing into the church. In the yeare, &c. 796. Pol. D. Barns. Pantal.

Of Candles bearing on Can­delmassedaye.

Candles bearyng.POpe Sergius, otherwise called, Pope Swinesnoute, cōmaunded, y^t al the people shuld go on pro­cession vpon Candelmasse day, and ca­ry candels about with them brenning in their handes. In the yeare. &c. 684. Durand. G. Achilles. Howe thys candle bearyng on candlemasse day came first vp,The beginning of cā ­dels bea­ryng on cā ­de [...]masday. y^t author of our english festiual de­clareth on thys māner. Somtyme say­eth he, when the Romaines by greate myght and royall power conquered all the worlde (for they had great domini­on) they were so proude, y^t they forgat God, & made them diuerse Gods after their own luste. And so among al, they had a God y^t they called Mars, that had beene to fore a notable Knight in bat­tayle. And so they prayed to hym for helpe: and for that they woulde spede y^t better of this Knyght, the people pray­ed & dyd great worship to his mother, [Page 165] y^t was called Februa, after whiche wo­man muche people haue opinion, that y^e moneth February is called. Wherfore y^e second day of thys moneth is candle­masseday. The Romaines thys nyghte went aboute the citie of Rome wyth Torches & Candles brennyng in wor­ship of thys woman Februa, for hope to haue y^e more helpe and succoure of her sonne Mars. Then was there a Pope, y^t was called Sergius, and whē he sawe Christen people drawe to thys false Maumetrye and vntrue beliefe: He thought to vndoe thys foule vse and custome, and turne it into Gods wor­ship and our Ladyes, & gaue cōmaun­dement, y^t all Christen people shoulde come to Churche and offer vp a candle brennyng in the worship y^t they dyd to thys woman Februa, & doe worship to our lady & to her sonne our Lord Iesu Christ. So y^t now this feast is solemne­ly halowed thorowe al Christendome. And euery Christen man and woman of couenable age is bounde to come to church, and offer vp their candles as though they were bodily with our La­dye, hopyng for this reuerence & wor­ship [Page] y^t they do to our Ladye, to haue a greate rewarde in heauen, and of her sonne our lord Iesu Christ: and so they may be syker, and it be done in cleane lyfe and with good deuotion, &c.

Of Ashes sprincklyng.

Ashes sprinkling.POpe Gregory the fyrst ordained, y^t the people on Ashe wednisday shuld be sprinckled with halowed Ashes, to put thē in remembraunce, y^t they are but earth, duste and Ashes, In the yeare, &c. 590. Anselmus Ryd.

Of Palmes bearyng.

POpe Gregorye the fyrst also ap­poynted,Palmes bearyng. y^t Palmes shoulde bee borne aboute in procession on Palme Sonday. Ansel. Ryd.

Of halowing Palmes, Ashes, Candles, &c.

POpe Gregorye the fyrste in lyke manner deuised the halowing of Palmes,Palmes halowing. &c. Ashes, Candles, &c. Durand, Antonin.

Of Crepyng to the Crosse.

[Page 166]POpe Gregorye the fyrst likewyse broughte into the Churche,Crosse cre­pyng. the Crepyng vnto the Crosse. Si­gesb. Antoninus.

Of the halowing of the Paschal.

POpe Zozimus ordayned,The Pas­chal taper? that the Paschall Taper shoulde be ha­lowed on Easter euen, and set vp in euery paryshe church. In y^e yere, of oure Lorde. 414. Isidor. Volat. Platina. D. Barns.

Some make Pope Theodorus author of it, which liued about the yere of our Lorde. 613. Chron. Fasciculus. Temporum. Durandus.

Guilielmus Durandus sayeth y^e Saincte Ambrose made the benediction or pray­er, wherewith the Paschall Taper is halowed on Easter euen. He sayeth moreouēr, that Augustinus and Petrus Diaconus the Monke, made also other benedictions, whiche are not in vse. Rat. di. offi.

Of Oyle and Creame, and of the halowing of the same.

[Page]POpe Clement the fyrst brought fyrst of all the Oyle & Creame into the Church.Oyle and Creame, In the yere of our Lord, .92.

Some attribute this ceremonye to Pope Siluester the fyrst. In the yere, &c. 315. Chron. Lib. Concil.

Halowing of Oyle & Creame.Pope Fabian ordayned, y^t the Oyle and Creame, which are vsed to be kept in the Chrismatorye for sundrye pur­poses and vses, should be renued euery Maundye Thursdaye, and y^t the olde shuld be brent. For saith he, it is a new sacrament, & therefore must it alwaies be renued, and the olde brent. De conse. Dist. 3. Cap. In literis. Plat. Volat. Fascicu. Temp. Polyd..

Pope Siluester the fyrst gaue straight charge,Worke for the Bishop y^t neither deacō nor priest shuld presume to halow Oyle and Creame, but only the Byshop. In the yeare, &c. 315. Lib Concil.

Pope Anastasius the fyrst commaun­ded, that so soone as the Byshop hath halowed the Oyle and Creame, either the Subdeacons or the Deacons with all expedition should carrye it vnto all the Churches thorowe out the diocesse [Page 167] that it may be in a readinesse agaynste Easter day. In the yeare of our Lorde. 404. Lib. Concil. Chron.

Of the Fire on Easter euen, and of the Halowing therof.

POpe Zozimus ordayned not only y^e Paschall Taper to be halowed on Easter euen,Easter euē fire and the halowynge thereof. but also that a Fire shoulde be made in euerye Churche on that day, and halowed: a­gaine, that the Paschal should be light­ned with the flame of that Fyre, and al other candles in the Churche. In the yeare. &c. Chron. Germ.

Of Halowing the Fonte on Easter euen.

POpe Pius the firste brought in the halowing of y^e Fonte.Fonte ha­lowyng. In the yere &c. 147. Plat. Sabell.

Pope Leo, Pope Damasus, and S. Ambrose added the Exorcismes or con­iurations,Solēnities about fonte halowinge. and the benedictions or blessings, with the other solemnities that be vsed at y^e halowing of the Fonte, as droppyng the candle into it, the prie­stes breathing into it, the deuiding and casting out of y^e water. &c. Chron. Germ. [Page] Guil. Durand. in. Rat. di. off.

Of halowing new Frutes.

Halowyng of newe fruites.POpe Eutichianus decreed, that all new frutes, but specially Beanes & Grapes shuld be blessed, cōsecra­ted and halowed vpon the altare. In the yere. &c. 276. plat. polid. D. Bar [...]s.

Of Fasting.

Aduēt fast. Lent fast. SAint Peter the Apostle of Christ, & first Pope of Rome, (as the Papi­stes fayne) where he lyued by the space of xxv. yeares and reygned the great and high Byshop, ordayned, that both Aduent and Lent shoulde be solemnely & deuoutly fasted of all chri­sten people in the remembraunce of the first and seconde comming of our Lord Iesu. In the yeare of our Lord. 36. Ioā. Laziar. Chron. Angl. Durand.

Of Lent. Note. Guilihelmus Durandus sayth, that af­ter the mind of S. Gregory de consecrat. dist. [...]. Lent is counted to begynne on the firste Sondaye in Lent, and to ende easter euen: whiche tyme sayth he, con­taineth xlii. dayes: of the which take a­way the sixe Sondayes, & so there re­mayne [Page 168] onelye, 36. dayes. Therefore that the number of forty dayes, whiche Christe fasted, might be perfited, the a­foresayd Pope Gregory added and put to Lent foure dayes of the weeke that go before, that is to saye, Wednesday, Thursdaye, Frydaye and Saterdaye. De consecra. dist. 5. Quadragesima. Durand. in Rat. di off.

Telesphorus (as other affirme: whiche I thinke to be more true) appoynted firste of all, Lent to be fasted before Easter. And he moreouer added an o­ther weeke to it, whiche is commonlye called Quinquagesima. This weeke he cō maunded the priestes to fast more than the laytye: bicause they, whiche ought to be holier than the reaste, shoulde in this ordinarye faste shewe more absti­stinence than other. In the yere of our Lord. 139. Lib. Concil. Euseb. Sabell. Polid. D. Barnes.

In a certain Sinode holdē at Nice it was ordained, that the fasting of Lent which before endured from the sixt day of Ianuarye vnto the sixtenth daye of February should begyn and ende, as it is now vsed. Chron. Ranulphus. Cest.

[Page] Lent first fasted in Englande. Carcombertus king of Englande was the first, that commaunded the inhabi­tantes of England to fast Lent, about the yeare of oure Lorde. 645. Sigeb. in Chron. Pantal.

Lent thursdayes fa­sted.Pope Gregory the second made a de­cree, that christen men should fast also on the thursdayes in Lent, which was neuer vsed afore: and that there should be solemne massing also on those daies in Churches.One Pope againste an other. But Pope Melchiades or­dayned, that no man shoulde faste the Thursday, no more than the Sonday. For sayth he, as the sonday was solēne bicause of the resurrection of the Lord: so lykewise ought thursdaye to be bi­cause on that day Christ instituted his supper, and ascended into heauen. In the yeare of our Lord. 729. Sigebertus in Chron. Guil. Durand. Pantal.

Wednes­day, Fridai & saterdaye fast [...]. Reasons why we ought not to fast the Sōdaies & thur [...]dayesPope Siluester the firste ordayned, that Wednesday, Fryday, and Sater­day should be fasted euery weeke tho­row out the yeare. As for Sondayes & thursdayes, he woulde haue them be kept merely holy with double feast (as they vse to say) in holy kitchin. For on the sondaye, sayth he, t [...]e Lorde Iesus [Page 169] rose vp from death to lyfe and on the Thursday he ascended into heauen: he instituted the Sacrament of his body, and made the holy creame. In the yere of our Lord. 315. Bergom.

Pope Gregory the seuenth renewed the saterday fast and commaūded,Saterdaye faste re­newed. that there should be no fleshe eaten of Chri­stians that daye. In the yeare. &c. 1073. Plat. Volat. Nauclerus. Ioannes Stella de consec. dist. 5. ca [...]. Quia dies Sabathi.

Many attribute the Saterday fast to Pope Innocent, Reasons why we ought not to faste the Saterday. the firste. In the yeare. &c. 408. Grat. Sabel. Fasci. Temp. Pantal. And Pope Innocentes reason, why men should fast the saterday is this: First bicause on that daye Christ lay buried in the Sepulchre. Secondely, bicause his disciples for verye sorowe fasted that day. Lib. Concil. Chron. Chronicarum. Alb. Crantzius.

Notwithstandynge Guilihelmus Du­randus, Reasons why we ought not to faste on saterdayes in Lent. saith, that Pope Innocent, made a constitution, y^t the saterdaye in Lent should not be fasted, bicause the Lorde rested in the sepulchre on the saterday, [...]or a token of the quietnesse and reast, that we shall hereafter haue: wherein [...] [Page] in the Festiualle on this manner.The doctrine on the Festi­uall dayes concerning Imbring dayes. Good frēdes, this weeke ye shall haue Imber dayes, that is, Wednesday, Friday, and Saterday: the which dayes Calixtus the Pope ordayned foure times in y^e yeare, to all that be of conuenable age to fast for certayne causes, as ye shall heare. Our olde fathers fasted foure times in the yeare, agaynste foure high and so­lemne feastes: and if we will shewe vs good children, we must fast, and folow the same rule that they vsed. And ther­fore we fast foure times. First in march The secōd at Whitsontyde. The third betwene haruest & seedetyme. And the fourth before Christmasse. Marche is a time that drieth vp the moysture that is in the earth. Wherefore we fast that time to drie the earth of our body of the humours that be noyous to the bodye and to the soule. For that tyme the hu­mours of letchery tempteth a mā most of any time of the yeare. Also we do fast at Whitsontyde, to get grace of the ho­ly Ghost, that we may be in loue and charitie to God, and to all the worlde▪ Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charitie couereth the multitude of [Page 171] sinnes. Also we must faste for to haue meekenesse in oure heartes, and to put awaye all pride y^t renueth within vs.i. Pe, iiii. Also we faste betwene haruest and sede time for to haue grace to gather frutes of good workes into the house of oure conscience, and so by ensample of good liuing among the people, that we bee common with both ryche and poore. Also we faste in winter for to slea all stinckyng weedes of sinne and of foule earth and fleshly lustes, y^t maketh good Angells & good people to withdrawe them from vs. For ryghte as a nettle brenneth roses and other flowers that growe nie him. In the same wyse a vi­cious man or woman styrreth and set­teth on fyre them y^t bene in his compa­nye. And for these causes we faste foure times in the yeare, & euery tyme three dayes, y^e betokeneth three speciall ver­tues that helpeth a man to grace, y^t is fasting, deuoute praying, and almesse dede doing.Whye they be called Imber dayes. And by opiniō of much people these daies bene called Imber daies bicause y^t our elder Fathers would on these dayes eate no breade but cakes made vnder ashes: So y^t by the eatyng [Page] of y^t thei reduced into their minde that they were but ashes, and so shoulde turne agayne, and wiste not how sone: and by that tourned away from all de­licious meates and drinkes and tooke none heede, but y^t they had easye suste­naunce. This caused them to thynke on death, and y^• wil cause a man to de­sire no more thā him nedeth, and to ab­stayne hymselfe frō al manner of bodi­ly lusts, & to encrease in vertues, wher­by we may come to euerlasting blesse.

And at a councell holden at Magonce it was decreed, y^t when those Imber­dayes come, they shoulde bee fasted of all people, and that they shoulde on those daies come deuoutly vnto church and heare Masse, and geue themsel­ues to prayer and deuotion. Libro. Concil.

Apostles e­uens fastedPope Innocent the thyrde made a de­cree, that all the Apostles euens should be fasted, excepte the euens of Phillip and Iacob and of Iohn the Euangeliste. In the yere, &c. 1195. Lib. 3. accretal. Gre­gorij. Cap. 2. de obseruatione ieiunij. Chron. Germani.

The same pope also appoynted, that [Page 172] the euen of Mathias shoulde also bee fasted as one of y^e Apostles euens: and y^t if the daye of Mathias be on the mon­day,S Mathias even faste [...] y^e euen shall be fasted on the sater­day, and not on the sonday. Ibidem.

Pope Vrban the syxt commaunded y^e the euens of these feasts of our Lady,Our ladies euēs fasted y^t is to say, the visitation, y^e assumption & natiuitye, should be fasted. In the yere, &c. 1371. Lib. Concil. Chron. Germ.

Pope Boniface the fyrst ordayned,Saintes e­uens fasted y^e saints euens shuld be solemnely fasted In the yeare. &c. 425.

The same ordinaunce is also ascribed to pope Gregorye y^e second Chron Germa.

Pope Honorius the thirde made a de­cree,Fleshe ea­ting on Christmasse day howso­euer it fal­leth. y^t if y^e feast of y^e natiuitye of Christ, chaunce to fall vpon the Friday, yet it shall be lawful for al men to eate flesh, on that day, excepte it be suche as haue vowed to the contrary. In the yere, &c. 1214. Lib, 3. decret. Gregorij. de obseruati­one ieiunij.

Pope Gregory the fyrst cōmaunded, y^t neyther fleshe,Fleshe & al white meates forbid­den ou fas­ting daye [...] nor any thyng y^t hath affinitye with fleshe, as Chese, Milke, Egges, &c, shoulde bee eaten on suche dayes, as are appoynted to bee fasted. [Page] In the yeare. &c. 560. Grat. Pol. Pantale.

Fastes cō ­maūded by y^e priestes ar to be ob­serued.Pope Eusebius made a lawe, y^t all suche feastes as are commaunded of priests in the Church to be fasted shuld in no condition bee broken, excepte ne­cessitie compell any man to the contra­rye. In the yeare, &c. 309. Lib. Concil. Chron. Germ.

What kind of people be free frō the law of fastyng.In the festiuall we reade, that these sortes of people be priuileged and ex­empted from the lawe of fastyng: that is to say, Children y^t bene within age. Women y^t bee with childe. Olde peo­ple y^t bene myghtlesse, weake, and im­potente. And finally, labouryng peo­ple, as pilgrimes, and like people, those that the lawe dispenseth with, vppon theyre conscience. Dominica prima in quadragesima.

In the Councell Gangrense it was decreed, y^t if any person of presumpti­on woulde despyse to faste suche dayes as were cōmaunded of holy churche, he shuld be excommunicate and be taken of the Christen congregation as an Ethnike and Publicane. Libro. Concil. Barthol. Carrantz.

The Popes decrees affirme playnly [Page 173] (as Guilielmus Durandus testifyeth) that whosoeuer eateth any thyng beefore Masse bee done on suche dayes as are appoynted by holy church to be fasted, the same committeth deadly synne. In Rat. di. off, Lib. Concil.

In the Councell Braccarense it was agreed, y^t al the Apostles euens shoulde be fasted, excepte the euens of these A­postles Phillip and Iacob and Iohn the Euangeliste, as we to fore heard oute of the decree of Pope Innocent y^e thyrde. For the feast of Phillip and Iacob, is be­twene Easter and Witsontide, which is a tyme of ioye and gladnesse, & ther­fore is there no fastyng, accordyng to thys old rule, Inter Pen et Pa [...] non est Di­rige, ne (que) fasting day. And y^e feast of [...]. Iohn the Euangelist is at Christmasse, whē men muste make good cheere, and bee frolyke and mery. Guilielmus. Durandus. Lib. Concil.

The Councell Chalcedonense made a decree,No meate til euensōg be done on fastyng dayes. y^t they should be counted by no meanes to faste, which taste any meate or drinke, before euenyng prayer bee done. Lib. Concil.

Iacobus de Voragine in his boke entitu­led [Page] Historia Longobardica, sheweth a reason,Of Im­bring daies Note. whye the Imberdayes bee ra­ther fasted on the Wednisday, Friday, and Saterdaye, than on the Mondaye, Tuesday and Thursday. For saith he, the Lorde Iesus was betrayde of Iudas on the Wednisday. And on y^e Fridaye he was crucified. And on the Saterday following, he lay in hys sepulchre: and the Apostles were very sadde for the death of their Lorde.

Of Holy dayes, and of Feastes of Sainctes with such like.

Easter day POpe Pius the fyrst ordayned y^t Easter daye shoulde be cele­brated and kept holy euer on the Sondaye. In the yere of our Lorde. 147. Libro. Concil. Polyd. D. Barns, Pantal.

Pope Gregory the fyrst approued and allowed the feast of the Trinitie:Trinitie Sonday. which Pope Alexander woulde by no meanes admit. For, sayth he, as there ought to be no feast of y^e Vnitie: no more oughte there to be any feast of the Trinitie. In [Page 174] the yeare, &c. 590. Guilielmus. Durandus.

Pope Vrban the fourth ordained the feast of the Sacramente of the Altare,The feast of Corpus Christi. otherwyse called, The feaste of Corpus Christi, with pardons and indulgences greate plentye, to allure the foolyshe and simple people to commit spiritual whoredome with that Sacrament by adoryng and worshipping it as theyre God, Maker and Sauioure: and willed it to bee kepte holy the Thursdaye af­ter Trinitie Sonday. In the yeare, &c. 1254. Christianus. Massaeus. Ioan. Stella. Polyd. Pantal.

The beginning of thys feaste was thys In the countrey of the Leodicenses there was a certayne Recluse or Anc­kresse called Eua, whiche of a vayne, foolyshe, and superstitious deuotion and loue towarde the Sacramente of the altare,The beginning of the feast of Corpus Christi as they terme it, procured thorowe earneste sute of Pope Vrban the fourthe, that the Sacramente of the Altare, commonly called Corpus Christi, might also haue a feast and holy day, being as wel worthye as the Gal­lowe tree or crosse y^t Christ was hāged on, which was alredy celebrated in the [Page] Church: and y^t the same feaste of Cor­pus Christi myghte with all solemnitye bee kepte holy thorowoute the whole worlde. Pope Vrban being an holy and deuoute Father, doubte ye not, consi­deryng the greate deuotion, earneste zeale and Godlye mynde of thys holy and religious woman, accomplyshed fo [...]le graciouslye her tender requeste, and dyd not onely ordayne that thys feast of Corpus Christi shuld be kept ho­ly, but he also graunted plenarye In­dulgence, and large pardon to so many as eyther do say or heare the seruice be­longing to y^t feast which Thomas Aqui­nas the Blacke fryer made, Arnoldus Bostius. Guili. Durand. Chron.

Before that time there was no such feaste knowen in the church of Christ. But thys is moste certayne that tho­rowe thys feaste greate Idolatrye and muche spirituall whoredome is daylye cōmitted with the Masse bredde in all those places, where the true doctryne of the sacrament is not knowen. Pope Innocent y^e thyrde, sayth Theodorus Bibli­ander in the Councell Lateranense, pla­ced y^e fond fansye of Monke Lanfranke [Page 175] concernyng Transubstantiation amonge the articles of the faith of the most high Trinitie. In the yeare. &c. 1215. And bi­cause nothing should want to the wor­shippynge of the newe founde God of bread and wine: and that the bishop of Rome myght haue his God Mazin, as Aaron with the idolatrous Israelites had the goldē Calfe in the wildernesse: Pope Vrban the fourthe ordayned the feast of Corpus Chr [...]sti with large par­dons. Concil. sa [...], dom.

Of this feast we read in the English festiuall on this maner.The doc­trine of the festiual concerning the feaste of Corpus Christi. Good frendes, ye shall vnderstand, that this day is an highe and solemne feast in holy church and is the feast of Corpus Christi: It is the feast of our Lordes owne body the whiche is offered to the highe father in heauen at the altare for the remission of our sinnes for all Christen people y^t liue here in perfect loue and charitie, & for the great succour and helpe in rele­uing them that bene in paines of Pur­gatorye, there abidyng the mercye of God. Ye shall vnderstād, that this feast was founde by a Pope, that was called Vrban, the whiche had great grace and [Page] deuotion in the holy Sacrament of the altar, considering the great nede helpe and succour to mans soule and to the [...]urdering of liuing to all Christen people here in this present worlde. Ther­fore he did establishe and ordayne thys present feast to be halowed in the next thursday after the feast of the holy Trinitie. For all christen people that will be saued, must haue sad beliefe in the holy Sacrament, whiche is Gods own body in fourme of breade, made by the vertue of Christes wordes that the priest sayth, and by working of the ho­ly Ghoste.Pardon be longyng to the feast of Corpus Christi. Then for this holye Pope thought to drawe people to more de­uotion and better wil to this holy Sa­crament, and to do the seruice this day: he graunteth to all that be worhy (that is to say) that be very contrit & cōfessed of their sinnes, and be in the Church at both euēsongs, at Mattens, & at masse, for eche an hundred dayes of pardon, & for eche houre of the daye. xl. dayes of pardon, & euery day of the Vtas an hun­dred dayes of pardon in remission of al their sinnes for euermore enduring. &c In serm. de corpore. christi.

[Page 176]Pope Gregorye the ninth appoynted y^e feast of y^e Natiuity of S. Iohn Baptiste, whiche we commonly call Mydsommer­day, to kept holy. In the yeare. &c. 1225. Chron. Germ.

Pope Siluester the firste at the desire of the Emperour Cōstātine instituted y^e feast of Lāmasse, Midsom­mer day. called Ad vincula Sancti Petri. In the yeare. &c. 315. Grat. Polid.

Pope Eusebius ordayned the feast of the Inuētion of the crosse.The Inuē tion of the Crosse. The exaltacion of the Crosse. The transfiguration of oure Lorde. In the yeare &c. 309. Crat. Guil. Durandus.

Pope Honorius deuised the feaste of the Exaltatiō of the crosse. In the yere of our Lord. 622. Plat. Pant.

Some attribute these feastes to Po­pe Vrban the fourth▪ Pol. Virgil.

Pope Calixte the thirde inuented the feaste of the Transfiguration of oure Lord, and commaunded, that it should be celebrated and kepte holye with as large indulgences and pardons, as the feaste of Corpus Christi. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1455. Matth. Palmer. Ioan. Stella. Pantaleon.

This feast (as the festiual reporteth) is greatly priuileged in holy Churche,The doc­trine of the festiuall. in so much that orders be geuē this day [Page] thorow out all Christendome, & great pardons be graunted to this day in di­uerses places, as in Syon plenare re­mission, and all is to the weale and cō ­forte of man, and for a purueaunce to sanctifie his soule, that in the last resurrection the said soule ioyned to the bo­dy, may together be glorified and transfigured in clerenesse more brighter thā is the Sunne, and so euer to endure.

Thassmu­ [...]ion of our Lady.Pope Leo the fourthe instituted the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Uirgine Mary, and commaunded that it shoulde in all places be kept hye and holy by the space of right dayes. In the yeare▪ &c. 858. Lib. Concil. Sigebert. Ioan. Functius.

Michel­masse day.Pope Innocent the fourth ordayned y^e Feast of the Natiuitie of Mary the Uirgine with the Octaues thereof. In the yeare, &c. 1242. Volat. Sabel. Pant.

Dedicatiō daye or Churche holy day.Pope Felix the thyrd appoynted the Feast of the Archaungel Michaell, to be kept holy. In the yere of our Lord. 486. Lib. Concil. Chron.

Pope Felix the thirde ordayned also the Feaste of the Dedicacion of the Tem­ple, commonly called Church holy day, [Page 177] and cōmaunded y^t euery Citie, Town, or village should yerely kepe for euer y^• day, wheron y^e Churche was halowed. Volat. Plat. Polid. Albertus. Krantzius.

Pope Boniface the fourth ordayned the Feast of all Saintes,The feaste of al saint [...] called, All Ha­lowes. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 606. Plat. Volat, Polid.

Pope Gregory the fourth afterwarde willed,The feaste of al soules that the Feaste of all Sainctes should be kept the first day of Nouem­ber. In the yeare of our Lord. 486. Plat. Sabel. Polid. D. Barns.

Pope Iohn the .xviii. confirmed the Feast of all soules, whiche was begōn by a certayne Monke called Oclilo, and commaunded that it should be kept [...]oly in euery Churche the day followyng the Feast of all Saintes. In the yeare of our Lord. 999. Petrus. Damianus. Christianus. Massaeus. Volat. Fascicu [...]us. Tempo­rum. Ioan. Stella. Polid.

This Feast, as they write, toke the begynnyng on this manner.The beginnyng of the feast of all Soules. A certain Monke named Oclilo prouinciall of the Monkes of Clun [...]acensis order, vpon an occasion that he hearde about Etna the mountaine of Sicilie oftentimes great [Page] weping, lamenting, and crying, which he supposed to be the yellynge of euill spirites that wailed bicause the soules of dead men were taken out of Purgatory from thē by the peticiōs, prayers, suffrages, and sacrifices of well dispo­sed Christen people, persuaded his Co­uent to make a generall Obite for all soules the daye next after the feaste of all Sainctes, and desired Pope Iohn the xviii. to set it forth by his authori­tie, and to commaund it to be obserued generally as a godly Institution full of louyng, tender, and pitifull charitie. Whiche thinge Pope Iohn did with all expedition: so that of this Monkes foo­lishe supposition, there hath sprong vp muche vayne superstition. Volat. Polid. Ioan. Laziard.

The cōceptiō and presentatiō of mary, with the feastes of Aun [...], Ioseph, & Fraunces. The visitacion of Marye.Pope Sixtus the fourth ordayned the feastes of the Conception, and presen­tation of Marye the Uirgine: and the Feastes of Anne her Mother, and of Ioseph her husband, and also of Fraunces. In the yeare. &c. 1469. Decret. Extravagant. Ioan. Laziard.

Pope Vrban the sixt made the visita­tion of Mary holyday. In the yeare. &c. [Page 178] 1390. Christ. Mass. Chron. Germ.

Pope Sergius, otherwise called Po­pes Swinesnoute,Candel­masseday confirmed the feast of the Purification of Mary, common­ly called Candelmassedaye, whiche before was instituted at Constantinople, Pope Vigilius beyng Byshop of Rome. In the yeare of our Lord. 684. Sigeb. Pan­tal. And he commaūded that all the people shoulde on that daye go procession, & cary brennyng candels about with them in their hands. Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand.

Pope Boniface the eyght ordayned that the feastes of the foure Euangeli­stes,The feasts of the foure Euangeli­stes and of the foure Doctours. Sonday. Mathew, Marke, Luke and Iohn: agayne, that the feastes of the foure Doctours, Ambrose, Hierome, Austen, and Gregorye shoulde be double fea­stes in holye Churche. In the yeare of our Lorde. 1286. Fasciculus Temp. Christ. Massaeus. Ioan. Stella.

Pope Leo the firste commaunded,A godlye lawe and worthy to be obserued that the Sonday shoulde be kept holy, and that all Christians should behaue themselues Godlye and vertuously all the daye long, in praying, in hearyng & readyng the worde of God, in visityng [Page] the sicke and poore, and in comforting the comfortlesse. In the yeare of our Lord. 444. Volat. Sabel. Pantal.

This god­ly decree is s [...]lenderly obserued in Englande.Pope Leo the thirde bearyng rule, a Coūcell was holden at Magontia in Germany, where it was decreed, that al Sō ­dayes should be kept holy with al reuerence, and that all men on those dayes should abstayne from al seruice, worke and worldly businesse: and that there shoulde be no Markets, no Faires, no bying nor selling on the Son­day: Againe, that no man on that daye shoulde be iudged either vnto death, or vnto any payne. In the yeare. &c. 817. Lib. Concil. Barth. Carranza.

A generall rule for ho­ly dayes.Pope Innocent y^e fourth bearing rule, it was agreed in a certain councel hol­dē at Lyons, what holydayes should specially be obserued and kept: where it was decreed that the Sondayes should be kept holy from Saterday at noone, till Sonday at night. Item, the feastes following should also be halowed and kept holy, that is to say: the feastes of the Natiuitie of Christ, of S. Stephen of S. Ihon the Euangeliste, of the In­nocentes, of S. Siluester, of the Circū ­cision, [Page 179] of y^e Epiphanye, of Easter, with the whole weekes y^t go before & after, of the Rogation dayes, of the Ascenti­on of Christ, of Whitsontide with the two daies following, of S. Iohn Bap­tiste, of the xxii. Apostles, of S. Lau­rence, of blessed Marye, of S. Michaell of the Dedication of the Temple, of al Saints, of S. Martine, and to be short, all such feastes of Canonised Saintes as euery Byshop in his diocesse with y^e consent of the Clergye and the people, haue determined to kepe holy. As for all other feastes y^t are in the yeare: the people ought neither to be compelled to kepe them holy day nor yet to be forbidden, but euery man to do according to hys deuotiō. In the yere of our lord. 1242. Libro. Concil. Polydor. Guilielmus. Durandus.

This decree also was made in a coū ­cell holden at Maguntia. Bartholom. Carrantz.

A councell holden at Basille confyr­med the feast of the Conception of Ma­ry the Uirgine:The cōceptiō of mary and graunted to so ma­ny as deuoutlye kepe it holy daye, and bee presente at the seruice, an hundred [Page] and fyftye dayes of pardon. Lib Concil.

The An­nunciation of Mary.In y^e councel Toletane it was decreed, y^t the feast of the Annunciation of Ma­ry should be kept holy the fyftene daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye, and that the feast of the Natiuitye of her sonne, that is to saye, Christmasse, should bee celebrated and kepte holye the eyghts daye of the Calendes of Ianuarye. Lib. Concil.

The visitatiō of maryItem in a councell holden at Basille the feast of the visitation of Mary was confyrmed, & an hundred dayes of par­don graunted to all them, y^e with good deuotion be present at the seruice of y^e day. Lib. Concil.

Of Canonysing and making of Saintes.

The beginning of saintes makingPOpe Leo the nynthe holdyng a councel at Vercellis, made Gerar­dus Bishop somtime of the Le [...] ­corians, a saint. And this pope was the fyrst (as some write) y^e euer presumed & toke vpō him to make saints. In the yere, &c. 1049. Christ. Massae.

Pope Gregorye the nynth made frier [Page 180] Dominike, and fryer Fraunces, and fryer Anthony de Padua, & Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary, Dominik [...] Fraunces. Anthonye de padua. Fryers, & Elizabeth▪ Saintes. Clara, Peter Marter, Stanislaus, Saintes. Lewes by­shop of Colossa. T [...]of. Aquine. Thomas byshop of Hereforde, Saintes. Saints. In the yeare. &c. 1225. Plat. Albert. Krantz. Ioan Stella. Pantal.

Pope Alexander the fourth made Cla­ra the Nunne, Peter Martyr the Black­fryer, and Stanslaus Bishop of Cracouia, saintes. In the yeare, &c. 1248. Chronic. Volat. Pantal,

Pope Iohn the .xxii. made Lewes By­shop of Tolossa, & sonne to Charles, King of Fraunce, a Saint. He sainted also Thomas of Aquine, the blackefrier, and Thomas Byshop of Hereforde. In the yeare. 1308. Plat. Volat. Pant.

Pope Nicolas the fyft among a greaterable of others, made Bernardine the Grayfryer,Bernar­dine the Grayfrier sainted. a Sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1447. Matth. Palmer. Platina. Chronic. Germani.

Pope Calixt the thyrde made Vincent the blackefryer, and Edmunde Kyng of Englande,Uincent Edmunde [...] Osmunde saintes. Saintes. He also canony­sed Osmunde sometyme Byshop of Sa­lisburye, & caused hym to be counted in the number of saintes. In the yeare of oure Lorde, 1455. Volat. Matthe. [Page] Palm. Pisamus. Ranulph. Cest. Pantal.

Katerine sainted.Pope Pius the second made Katerine a Sainte. In the yeare. &c. 1458. Volat. Chron.

Iuo a saintPope Clement the sixte made Iuo the priest a sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1336. Volat Christ. Massae.

Bonauen­ture a saintPope Sixtus the fourthe made Bona­uenture the Grayfryer a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1471. Chron. Chronica.

Pope Alexander the thyrd made Bar­narde the Monke a saint.Bernarde a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1161. Iacobus. Meyer.

Heliopolde a saint.Pope Innocent the eyght made Heli­opolde sometyme Duke of Austria, a Saint. In the yeare, &c. 1484. Chroni. Ioannes. Stella.

Pope Innocent the thyrd made Hughe of Lincolne, Hughe of Lincolne a saint. a saint. In the yeare. &c. 1195 Fasciculus. Temporum.

Hedwigis a saint.Pope Clement the fourth made Hed­wigis, sometime Duchesse of Polonia, a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1165. Ioannes. La­ziardus. Fasciculus. Temporum. Ioannes. Stella.

Brigit a saint.Pope Boniface the nynth made Brigite the Nunne, a saint. In the yere. &c. 1379 Ioan. Laziardus. Chron.

[Page 181]Pope Leo the nynth made Vuolfgange Byshop of Ratisbone, Vuolfgang a saint. a sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1049. Chron.

Pope Gregory the seuenth made Iohn Gaulbert the Monk,Iohn Gaulbert a saint a saint. In the yere, 1073. Chron.

Pope Innocent the second made Hughe the Charterhouse Monke,Hughe the Monke a saint. a sainte. In the yeare, &c, 113▪. Chron.

Pope Boniface the eyght made Lewes Kyng of Fraunce,Lewes King of Fraunce, a saint. a saint. In the yere, 1290. Ioan. Laziard. Chron.

Pope Innocent the fourth made Ed­munde Archebishop of Cantorburye,Edmund & Peter de verona sainted. a saint, and Peter de verona the Blackfry­er he canonised also for a saint, & willed hym to be taken for a confessour saint. In the yere, &c. 1242. Sabell. Ioan. Stella. Ioan. LaZiard. Chron.

Pope Eugenius the fourth made Ni­colas de Toleto an Austen frier,Nicolas de Toleto a saint. a sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1430. Ioan. Stella. Chron.

Pope Clement the fyfte made Pope Celestine a saint vnder the name of Pe­ter.Pope Ce­lestine a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1304. Ioan. Laziard.

Pope Paschalis made Charles y^e great a Sainte.Charles y^e great sain­ted. In the yeare, &c. 1164. Christi. Massaeus.

[Page]Pope Leo the tenthe made Fraunces the Heremite,Fraunces a sainte. a saint. In the yere. 1507▪ Christ. Massae.

Pope Alexander the thyrde (which I had almost forgottē) made Thomas Bec­ket Archbishop of Cantorbury,Thomas Becket sainted. a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1161. Plat. D. Barns.

Pope Alexander, (sayth the Englishe Festiuall,Of Beckettes transla­tion. Note.) sent letters, into England to the Archbishop Stephen, and to other Abbottes and Prelates, commaunding them to take vp Thomas Beckettes bones, and to lay them in a shryne, and to set it where it might be worshipped of all Christen people.A new idol set vp. Then the By­shop ordayned a day, when y^t should be done. So ouer euen, while they might haue space: he toke with hym the By­shop of Salisburye, and other monkes and Clerkes many, and wente to the place, where Thomas had layen fyftye yeres. Then they kneled al on y^e earth, praying to Thomas deuoutly of help. Then foure tooke vp the tombe, with great dreade and quakyng, and there they founde a little writing, whiche was thys. Here lyeth and resteth Tho­mas Archebyshop of Cantorburye, Primate [Page 182] of Englande, Becket the popes mar­tyr & saint. and the Popes Legate, slayne for the ryghte of holye Churche the fyfte daye of Christmasse. Then for greate de­uotion that they had of the syghte, all cryed: Sainte Thomas, Saint Thomas. And then they toke the head to the Arche­byshop to kysse, and so they kyssed it al. And then they beheld his woundes, and sayd: They were vngratious that wounded thee thus. And so layde hym in a shryne, and couered it with clothe of golde, and set torches aboute it bren­nyng, and the people to watche it all nyght. Then on the morowe came all the states of thys lande, and bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe, with all reuerence and worship that they coulde.

The author of the festiuall sayeth,A lousye saint, & an vnclenly. y^t thys Thomas did weare harde hayre next his bodye, and a breche of y^e same: the whiche was so full of vermyn, y^t it was an horrible syght to see. And yet he chaunged but once in fortye dayes.

The same author also writeth,Beckets penaunce ve­ry homely. that the aforesayde Thomas Beckette made hys Confessoure euerye Wednisdaye and Fryday to beate him with a rodde [Page] vpon his bare body, as a childe is bea­ten in the Schole (that is to say,) on the arsse, that he myghte suffer worthye penaunce.

Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Chronicle writeth, that when Thomas Becket was translated, Stephen Archbishop of Can­torburye, duryng the said solemnitie, founde haye and prouender to all men that would aske it in the way betwene London and Cantorbury. Also in the day of the Translation he made wyne to runne in pypes continuallye in di­uerse places of the Citye: and so y^e coste that Stephen made in thys solemnitie, his fourth successour Bonifacius hardly payed it. In Polichron. Lib. 7. Cap. 34.

Pope Alexander the thyrde ordained y^t none shoulde be taken for a saint, ex­cept he wer fyrst canonised and admit­ted to be a saint by y^e byshop of Romes bull.None sain­tes but such as the pope admi. In the yeare, 1161. Dec. 3. Tit. 46. Ca Reliquijs. Polydor. Pantaleon.

From the tyme that the Popes be­gan fyrst to canonyse & to make saints vnto the reygne of Pope Iohn the .xxii.Swarmes of saintes. there are founde to be canonysed fyue thousande, fyue hundred, fyftye, and [Page 183] fyue Saintes, y^t the Popes haue made, as writteth the author of the Chroni­cle, entitled. Fasciculus Temporum.

Isuardus the French Monke diligently searching out the number of saintes, found, that euery day in the yeare there are moe than CCC.The popes Sainctes. Saintes to be ser­ued: suche a multitude of newe saintes haue the Popes of Rome brought into the Churche of their owne authoritye, whom they haue sainted partly for fa­uour, partly for mony, partly of a blind zeale, and partly for the satisfying of other mens corrupte affections. And these must we take for saints, worship, pray vnto, call vpon, make our Inter­cessours, Mediatours, and Aduocates: and yet know we not for all the popes canonisation, whether they be saintes in heauen, or deuils in hell. It is much to be feared, least this common saying be founde true in a greate number of our Popishe saintes: The bodies of many are worshipped on earth, ☜ whose soules are tormented in hell fier.

Of the Reliques of Saintes.

[Page] Reliques set out to sale. POpe Paschalis the firste deui­sed first of al, the glorious setting out to sale of saints Re­liques. In the yeare. &c. 820. Fasci [...]. Temp. Chron. Germ.

Reliques honoured.Pope Clement the first commaunded, that the Reliques of Saints should be reuerently kepte, and had in greate ho­nour. In y^e yeare. &c. 1300. Clement. Lib. 3. Tit. 16. Capi. 1. Volat. Pantal.

Pope Gregory y^e fourth made a decree, y^e masse should be sayd ouer the bodyes of the Martyrs. In y^e yeare. &c. 831. Pol.

Sainctes bones honored with Masses. Hands of.Pope Boniface the fifth decreed, that such as were but Benet & Colet should not touch the Reliques of Saints, but they onelye, whiche are Subdeacons, Deacons and Priestes. In the yeare of our Lord. 617. Onuphrius Panuimus. [...]ac. Phil. Bergom.

Shrines.Pope Sergius y^e first deuised the gor­gious shrines of saintes, to kepe Reli­ques in. In the yeare. &c. 684. Fas [...]. Tēp.

A good and godly acte, but not profitable for the Popes market.Pope Constantine the seconde, whom the seditious tyrannical and superstiti­ous Papistes did afterward violently depose, cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a prison, and most vnmerciful­ly [Page 184] put out his eyes, commaunded, that all such should be depriued of their pa­trimony, as reserue and kepe by thē the Reliques of any saintes. In the yeare. &c. 769. Ioan. Laziard. Celestinus.

Of Pilgrimages.

POpe Cletus allowed,The anaū ­ce [...] of Pil­grimages. and greatlye praysed Pilgrimages vnto saints but speciallye vnto the Apostles Peter and Paule, and sayd, That it is more auayleable and profitable for soule health once to visite the aforesayd Apostles at Rome: than to faste by the space of two whole yeares. In the yere of our Lord. 81. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Lib. 4. Fasciculus Temporum ▪

Pope Anacletus excōmunicated,Pilgrima­ges ma [...]e not be hin­dred. cur­sed, and pronounced all such gilty of sacrilege, as hinder any man to go on pilgrimage, or to visite the Sepulchres of saintes. In the yeare of our Lord. 101 Lib. Concil▪ Folid.

Pope Calixte the seconde ordayned,Pilgrimes may not be euill entreated. that whosoeuer spoyleth, robbeth, or hurteth any such as go on pilgrimage to Rome, or to anye other holy places of saints: the same should be excommuni­cated [Page] & accursed Ipso facto. In the yeare. [...]. 1120. Quest. 24. cap. 3. Si quis.

Of Pardons.

WHo was the first Author and Inuētour of the Popishe par­dons, I haue not hither to readde in any writer, excepte Pope Gregory the firste be he,Gregorye the firste a greate pro­moter of pardons. whiche greatly corrupted the Church of Christ with his idle inuentions, trifeling tra­ditions, childish ceremonies. &c. To al­lure the people of his time vnto y^• chief and principall temples of the City and vnto the often visitation of thē: he promised them that repared thither at so­lēne feastes, cleane remission of sinnes by his pardon. And he named the pom­pouse sacrifices▪ Stations, bicause they were celebrated on certain dayes limitted & prescribed by statute. This sede sowen by Gregory, grew to a rype har­uest in his successours afterwarde:Popes pardons nets for money, and allure­ments vn­to vice. so y^t where as in Gregoryes tyme they may seme to be inuented for allurementes vnto deuotion in thē that succeded him those pardons may right well be coun­ted to be nothing els thā very nets for [Page 185] mony, and prouocations vnto al kinde of vice, while all the worlde see howe innumerable sinnes be forgeuen of the Bishops of Rome for a slender portion of mony.

Pope Boniface the eyght appoynted the yeare of Iubile or grace to be kepte euery hundred yeare,The ye [...] of Iubile. and graunted to all them that woulde come to Rome, & visite the temples of the Apostles Pe­ter & Paule in the yere of Iubile or gra­ce, cleane remissiō of al their sinnes A paena & culpa. In the yeare, &c. 1290. Ra­nulphus Cestrensis. Polid.

This Pope was arrogant, proude & Luciferlike, that he shamed not to bost, that he was Lord of all the world Tam in temporalibus quam spiritualibus and y^• all Emperours, kynges & princes owe obedience to him. Of this monsture of pride Pope Celestinus hys predecessour prophecied on this māner: Thou camest in as a Foxe: A prophe­cye. thou shalt reigne as a Lion and die as a Dog. Fisciculus Temporum. Bartho. Carranza. Alb. Krantzius.

Pope Clement the sixe bringing the yeare of Iubile from an hundred yeare (which was tofore appoynted by pope [Page] Boniface theight) vnto fifty,The yeare of Iubile altered. graunted to all maner of persons, that would come on Pilgrimage at y^• tyme vnto Rome, and visite the Church of S. Peter, ple­nariam indulgentiam, that is to saye full remission of all their sinnes A paena & culpa toties quoties. In the yeare. &c. 1336. [...]oan. Laziard. Polid. Chron.

Pope Sixtus the fourth brought the yeare of grace, from fifty to. xxv. yeare, confirmyng the olde accustomed par­dons. In the yeare of our Lord. 1471. Polyd. Carran. Chron.

Pope Alexander the sixt assigned the Iubile and Stations to be had in sundrye prouinces and countreis,☞ to the entent that lesse thronge of people, and more thrift of money might come to Rome▪ and so the people shoulde onelye loose theyr money and saue theyr laboure. In the yeare of our Lorde. 1492. Polyd. Virgil. Chron.