FOr bycause moste reuerende father, there be dyuers, not of small auctoritie, goo a­boute to tempt the pope (ha­uyng no regard to his syck­nes, wherewith he is nowe greuously vexed) to bryng vp ageyne a lawe of a certayne counseyle concernyng beardes, strengthed and renewed (as they say) by A­lexander the thyrd, whiche before our tyme a fewe yeres, hathe bene kepte, and by our dayes, I thynke worthyly lefte. Therfore ye haue warned vs all, that lyue vnder your dominion, to begynne to shaue our beardes, before this commaundement be put forthe: and so we shall bothe be exaumple to other, and also do that wyllyngely, that elles we shulde be compelled to doo by a lawe. The whiche thynge we are redye to obeye, onely moued by your auctoritie and iudgemente, without constraynynge of any lawe. Howe be it there be many wyse, counnynge, ye and also vertuous men, that allowe nat greatly this matter, and thynke by this meanes the [Page] shaue their beardes for humilitie in dispysing of apparell, that they myght be disfigured, and hadde in derision amonge the people, the whiche peraduenture we graunt in shearynge of the heare aboue the eares: but there is not one man, that dothe well consyder, woll iudge humilitie in takynge so moche care for smothenes of the mouthe. For truly shauyng of the chynne and all the face, beganne of a wycked and a delycate mynde: and they that often vse it, are iuged without doubte, to be of the feminine sorte, though they haue ma­nye other good qualities and excellent ver­tues. I myght reherse here for my purpose exaumples innumerable of all the aunciente men, bothe of grekes and hebrewes: but bi­cause we be Romayns, and it is the Romaine churche, that we are nowe in hande withal, it shall nat varie farre from our matter, yf before we speake of thynges doone in oure tyme, we fyrst reherse the dedes of our fore­fathers. Wherfore nowe lette vs see, howe the Romayns in tyme past estemed beardes. They truely lyke manly menne, were longe ere they wold suffre any barbours amongest theym, and for that cause the auncientis of them amonge wryters were called for the moste parte, the vnshauen men.

☞ Of truthe the .544. yere after the buyl­dynge of Rome, the vse of barbours was founde: & them P. Ticinius Mena brought out of Sicilia, if we mowe beleue Varro: And Plini also beareth wytnes, before that tyme they lyued vnshauen, and fyrste of all men, Aphricanus vsed to be shauen dayely: whom Augustus Octauianus folowed very diligently. And truely Scipio was euer cal­led a softe and a feminate felow, so that his delycate facion and strange apparell, neyther after the maner of the Romaynes, nor yet ware lyke, and also his great slouthe, is spo­ken of to this daye: In so moch that in that same busynes, whiche was of greatte and as weighty as euer the Romaynes had any, I meane when they wente aboute to distroye Carthage, for the restorynge of the libertie of Italie, and safegarde of them selfe, and the honour of theyr name: he was complei­ned of euen in the towne of Rome, nat priue­lye but openly in the Senate howse, bycause whyles he ruled, the exercysyng of the fea­tes of warre were forslowed.

Therfore I say, go ye to, folow ye the exā ples of the Sicilians, folow ye asso the strāge apparelle, the delicacie and prodigalytie of the Syracusans, dampned by the manyfolde [Page] prouerbes of auncient men, and admytte ye be not dastardes and cowardes, but stronge, excellent, and triumphant, yet by that mea­nes ye minysshe a great parte of your glory. But what shall I speke now of Augustus? he without doubte was neuer so moche sus­pected to be of a femynate mynde, by the baudy versis that he wrote in the baynes, as by the often vse of shauyng.

But leest I shulde bryng in many examples in so euident a matter, in conclusion, all put­tynge away of heare hath ben estemed, at al tymes, and by the consent of all people, to be as it were a certayne wo manny she thyng. By that it came vppe, that certayne nations wold shaue theyr beardes whan they mour­ned (in the token of sorowe) that they might bewayle theyr wretchednes with a woman­nyshe facion, bycause they thought, it agreed not to mourne with a manlye bearde.

And truly the Romains did esteme their ber­dis of so gret honor, that they wold neuer picture Iupiter, their god, without a bearde.

Of how moch auctoritie & grauitie berdes causid the anciētis of the toun of Rome to be it apperith plainly bi this that folowith: whē Rome was taken of the Senons, & their en­mies were entred, euery one of the faders sitting [Page 6] at his doore, with that beardly dignitie, brought their ennemies (al though they were right cruell) in suche admiration, that they thoughte euery citizen, that they sawe so syt, had bene a god. Tylle at the laste one, that was somewhat bolder than the other, began to stroke one of the senatours beardes: and he wolde nat suffre hym, but strake hym with a rodde. For the whiche dede theyr cruel en­nemies being wroth, slewe al those ancient & honorable Romaynes, not leauynge one a­lyue. Thus ye maye see, that they that the Romaynes sworde coude nat tame, were ap­peased by the reuerence of their berdes: And ageyne those Romayns rather chose to lose theyr lyues with theyr berdes, than to haue the maiestie of theyr mouthe defiled. Yet I wol not deny, but certayn people, ye & also of the noble sort, cōmāded the berd to be shauē, & suffred the heer of the heed to grow lōg behind: the which thing they say, the Lacedemoniās did. And Homer writeth, that the Abbā tes first diuised it: & for the same cause (Pol­lux saith) they were callid Euboiās with the long heer behind. Also whē Timeus descriuid Hector, he preised his goodly lōge heer, hangyng down at his back: But that thing made the Lacedemoniās vnlike all other nations: [Page] And also manye other fonde thynges were brought vppe by the same, farre frome the custom of other kyndes of people. The cause why that they commanded beardes to be shauen, and to nourysshe the heer longe behynd, was to the intente that they myghte be the more safe in batayle, bycause theyr ennemies shulde haue none aduantage, in takyng holde by theyr chynnes. More ouer if they dydde purpose to fle, they shuld remembre a longe boundell of heare to hange downe behynde at theyr backes, wherby theyr enmies might take theyr handes ful, and draw them backe ageyne: and so for feare of that, they shuld not intende to flee, but lyke men without o­ther hope of remedy, boldly resist and assayle their ennemies. But when this constitution, and those that ruled in that tyme, were ones worne out and forgotten, it was neuer more after vsed.

But nowe to procede to suche thynges, as apperteyne to oure matter, I wolde verye fayne, that those delycate felowes our ac­cusers, whiche are so extreme ageynste vs, bycause they thynke it soo moche vnsemely, that a prieste shulde weare a bearde: shulde declare to me, what fylthynes is in a berde. For truely I can fynde in it nothynge filthy [Page 7] nor dishonest. But to the end it may the more playnly appere, lette vs fyrst declare what a beard is: and so parauenture if there be any thynge in it amys, we shal perceyue it. There be many thynges, whiche are hydden in the begynnynge, that by the definition shall be more openly knowen.

The bearde is a garment for manly chekes gyuē of nature for comlynes & for helthe:The de [...] nition o [...] bearde. & therfore the latines named it a garment, and those that were shauen, they counted them as naked and vncladde. And also ye shal fynde wrytten in manye auctours these wordes: Theyr chekes were cladde with yonge wol­ly heare. That a bearde is a token of manly nature, the thynge selfe dothe shewe more playne, than any man can declare.

Diogines, whiche despised all shauen fa­cis, dyd not without a cause make this aun­swere to a barbour: that he ware his beard, to the intent he myghte euer haue in remem­braunce, that he was a man. And yet to this daye, all the nations of the Easte parties, where so euer they se men with suche smothe faces, they calle them women in scorne.

Also it is had in remembrance, how Alex­ander of Macedone, a prince of great name, was scorned bothe of his subiectes and men [Page] of warre, ye and also of all nations, by­cause he wolde be shauen, to shewe hym selfe feminine: And Atheneus dothe wyt­nesse in Chrisippus, that he was the auctour of shauynge.

It is openly knowen amongest all kyndes of men, that chyldren, women, gelded men, & those that are tender and delycat, are euer sene withoute beardis: and therby it may be easily vnderstande, to whome those that are shauen, may be lykened. But leste we shulde tarie to longe in so euident a matter, lette vs passe forth to other thynges, whiche we pur­pose to speake.

[...]hy na­ [...]re gy­ [...]ethe a bearde.That the berde is gyuen of nature for comlynes, we may ꝓue by this. Where as nature hath garnyshed trees with brāches & leues: likeswise to mē for the more īcresing of their dignitie, she hath apparelled them with heer: in so moche that the poetis put no difference, but plainly affirme, that men ar as moch disfigured, whan theyr beardis be shauen, as trees be, whā their leues be fallē from thē.

It was nat for naught, that Haliab [...]s, with many other excellēt philosophers did write, that the berde of a man was giuen of nature for comelynes & dignitie. And for that cause thou shalt fynd, that euery one of them, if he [Page] were but lyttell bearded, eyther on the ouer lyp onely, or els vpon the verye toppe of his chynne, as often as he behelde hym selfe in a glasse, or put his hand to his mouth, he wold put great faute in nature, and bewayle hym selfe, for beinge so made. For like as peerles are estemed the more precious for their gretnes, euen so of the greatnes a bearde taketh his preyse.

Artemidorus saythe, that the fathers are worthy to be honored, whan their chyldren be sene with manly beardes.

Furthermore it is worthye oure labour, to here the opinion of Lucian, whiche thought it as moche vnnatural to shaue a mans beerd, as if thou shuldest go aboute to shere a lyons maane.

Theseus the disciple of Hercules, whiche atte that tyme was mooste excellente in strengthe, wolde neuer shaue his bearde, to the intent he myght professe his valyantnes by that same mannely state. And for that cause some men saye, he made a lawe, that yonge men shulde shaue theyr fyrst beardes, and offre theym to the goddes, as a deere and thankefulle gyfte, thynkynge that no­thynge myghte be offerred more meeter for that age: and also he wolde dedicate that, [Page] as the fyrste fruites, to the flodes, & to the god Apollo, accordynge to the superstition of those dayes. But this is nothynge to our purpose. But Plinie the yonger, in his tyme dydde very moche preyse Euphrates, an ex­cellente Philosopher, the whiche opteyned moche honour by his great and white beard. For beardes were so moch honoured in olde tyme, that a philosopher without a bearde, was very lytell estemed. More ouer he that had a bearde, excepte his lyuynge were ap­proued in grauitie of maners, he was yuell reported amonge the people, bycause his ho­norable bearde and his habite was in syghte, and the philopher appered nat. In so moche that the moste aunciente and discrete men in those dayes wolde iudge bothe wysedome and good maners to be ioyned with a beard.

[...]lth that [...]earde [...]seth.Furthermore as concernyng the helth that cometh by a bearde, we may proue by this, that for nouryshynge of hym selfe, it sucketh out the abundant & grosse humours from the chekes, and by that meanes it preserueth the feethe longe frome peryshynge: whiche doth not lyghtely happen to those that are often shauen. For they (for the mooste parte) are other totheles longe before theyr tyme, or els they haue very moche peyne of the tothe [Page 9] ache. More ouer in the hotte sommer it de­fendeth the face from the burnynge and par­chynge of the sonne beames: and in the win­ter it bereth of the colde stormes and sharpe blastis of the wynd: and it saueth a man from the quinsie, the gūme piles, & many other dis­eases. And to the intent we shulde gyue the more credence to these thynges, it is writē of the fablyng philosophers, that Asculapius did alway weare a berd, whan his father be­fore hym, was euer shauen. Than it is to be thought, that he, the whiche was called the auctour of helth, wold folow such thingis as perteined to helth. Therfore seinge there be so many good qualities in a bearde, I see no suche fylthynes nor viciousnes in it, for whi­che it shulde be lothed. Welle than, if suche thyngis, whiche are honourable, whiche are profytable and helthefull, and whiche are of any estimation at all, shall be iudged vnwor­thy for a priest, I thynke it wol be harde for vs to fynde what thyng shal be mete for the priestly state. But whether shall I call these despisers of beardes vnequall or malicious, whiche are so enuiously sette ageynst vs, that all our worshyppinges, all our prayers, all our offrynges, which we ministre to god im­mortall, in conclusion all that euer we do, be [Page] hit neuer so pure and chaste, is vnsauerye to them, onely by the meanes of our beardes. And they allowe no priestis, but those, whi­che ageynste the sentences of most sobre and wyse men, cutte away the worshyp of man­hoode. In so moche that if any man deny to shaue his bearde: by and by they woll sus­pende hym, and despyse hym lyke one that had forsaken his feyth. For truly they think where a bearde is, there can be no goodnes, no holynes, nor no perfecte religion. And fyrste of all they ley ageynste vs, the power of the lawes, cryenge oute that all thynge shall fall to mischefe, if we say, that the la­wes are nat to be obeyed. But without doute they knowe full well, howe moch we esteme the lawes. Therfore they are so moche the bolder, bycause we haue euer gladly gyuen place to suche argumentes.

oure ma [...]er lawisYet fyrst let them tel me, whether they wyl allege for them the lawes of nature, or the lawes written, or the lawes taken by the ex­aumples of holye menne, or elles the lawes ordeyned by the inspiration of the holy gost. I fynde that these foure haue bene kyndes of laudable lyuynge, euery one in his tyme: wherby that menne mighte haue ledde their lyues, in as moche as perteynethe to dy­uyne [Page 10] thynges, frome the begynnynge of the worlde hytherto, bothe with laude and preyse to them selfe, and saluation of their soules. Then if they woll allege the lawes of nature, that men shall shaue theyr bear­des, the thynge it selfe woll repugne ageinst them: ye and also both wyse men and foles, as many as are nowe, or as euer haue bene syns any man could remembre, can tel them, that Nature hath made women with smothe facis, and men rough and full of heere. And more ouer it hathe bene euer a monstruous thynge, to se a woman with a beard, though it were verye lyttell, as the Grekes storyes shewen of the woman bysshoppe, whiche a­mongest the Pedasenses was chiefe ruler in the sacrifice of Minerua. Therfore who so euer, by any crafte or busynes, gothe aboute to make a man beardles, it may be leyde to his charge, that he hath done ageynst the la­wes of Nature.

¶To this they wolle make aunswere, that Nature hathe made many thynges, whiche were but of smalle effecte, tylle after by mannes wytte they were broughte to a bet­ter pourpose, as the fruites of the erthe onely for meate, and water for drynke na­ture hath ordeyned: wherof mans wyt hath [Page] diuised to make both breadde and wyne, with many other delycates.

Also nature hath sette all placis as a wyl­dernes, full of sharpe thornes, busshes, and great trees, where soone after the inuentiue wyttes of men haue diuised to make gay gardens, goodly earable feldes, fayre medowes and orchardes. And lyke as many thynges haue ben brought to a better order by the in­uentions, by the perswasyons, by the coun­nynge, and by the experience of wyse men: euen so it was ordeyned, that beardes shulde be shauen to putte awaye the discommoditie.

But me thynketh, that those delicate law­yers myght well be lykened to the Sybary­tans, the whiche in lyke maner distroyed all the cockes in theyr countrey, lest with theyr importunate crowyng before day, they shuld be diseased in theyr swete mornynge slepes. But yet this gothe well, that the lawe of na­ture is on our syde, whiche they can nat de­nye: and yet theyr wyttes are so frowarde, that styll they brynge forth suche tryfils a­geynst it. Therfore they lette passe the lawe of nature, and flee to a lawe wrytten for the commoditie of a fewe persones, in whose helpe they putte all theyr hope of victorye. But there be thre maner of lawes wrytten. [Page 11] The fyrste is the lawe of Moyses,Thre [...] [...] ner o [...] [...] wes [...] ten. durynge vnto the comminge of Christe: The seconde is that, whiche we haue taken to folowe by the exaumple of Christe: or elles institute, by auctoritie of the appostels. The thyrde is the Decrees made by the power of the bi­shoppes and counsels.

But bycause we beganne with the lawe of Moyses, let vs fyrst se, whether shauynge be commanded there or not. Verily if ye lyst to marke the maners of the Hebrewes, ye shall rede in the history of kyngis,2. Re. [...] that cer­tayne messangers were sente from Dauid to kynge Hannon to comforte hym for the deth of his father, the whiche messangers, this barbarous kynge suspectynge, sente theym ageyne with theyr faces halfe shauen, in dis­pyte and scorne of theyr prince. Wherfore Dauid commaunded them to remayne in Ie­rico, tyll their beardes were growen agein, lest that fylthy syght shulde be shewed to the people. The whiche thynge he wolde not haue done, if shauynge had ben vsed at that tyme: for then they might haue shauen the reste of theyr faces, and all had bene well. In lyke wise if we serche the lawes of them, we shall fynde shauynge forbydden in ma­ny places.

[...]ui. 19.Also it is forbydden in the Leuiticall bokes to all people in generalle, and speciallye to the priestis it is a commaundement withoute anye exception, that they shall not shaue theyr beardes.

[...]aie. 7. [...].15.Furthermore amonge other miseries, whi­che god thretnethe to the Moabitis, by the wordes of the prophete Esaie, well nere in euery chapiter he saythe: Theyr beardes shall be cutte awey. Here ye maye see, howe moche this token of a womannyshe mynd [...], was hated amonge them.

[...]sal. 132.It is not for nought, that the honourable memorie of Aarons bearde is songen dayly in our temples before the aulters of god and his sainctis: in so moche that the oyntment, wherwith his bearde was annoynted, is had in remembraunce.

More ouer the people of Nazareth, those mooste holy menne, whiche were dedicate to god, dydde lette growe theyr busshes and beardes, in token of holynes: And for that cause we rede, that sayncte Iohn̄ Baptyste, the messanger of Christe, wolde neuer suf­fre the heare of his heed nor bearde to be cutte.

And by what argument more playne, maye we proue beardes to please God, than by [Page 12] this, that the fathers, when they could haue no chylderne, they made vowes to let theyr beardes growe? The whiche thyng if those fathers had thoughte vnthankefull to god, doubteles they wolde not haue hoped to op­teyne any grace of hym by suche vowes. They without doubte beinge warned of the offence, that perauenture certayne delycate felowes commytted by shauynge of theyr beardes, dydde intende bothe to mende the erroure, and also to gette ageyne the fa­uoure of God, by the meanes of that vowe.

Trewely ye shall fynde amonge the He­brewes, dyuers tymes beardes shauen, where any vnsufferable peyne, or gret wret­chednes dyd happen to them, to the intente they myght shewe them selfe as men spoyled of all theyr welthe. A hole daye, ye a hole yere wolde not serue me, yf I shuld continue after this maner, to remembre all the pla­ces and exaumples written in those dayes, where beardes are commended: the whi­che thynge seinge it is so playne, I thynke it not mete to consume any longer tyme in a mattier soo openlye knowen. It appe­rethe in the olde lawe, that beardes were not forbydden, but ordeyned to be worne, [Page] and commaunded by God hym selfe, not to be putte awaye.

Nowe go to, let vs come to an other lawe, whiche oure christen religion hathe folowed. 1529. yere. This lawe is named by our di­uines the lawe of grace, whiche we deuide into the lawe of examples, & the lawe wri­ten by the inspiration of the holye ghooste. The lawe of examples is of so great aucto­ritie, that that alone suffiseth, as it apperith by the wordes of Christ, whan he hym selfe professed to gyue exaumple to vs. Therfore we are euer wonte to putte Christe afore vs for an example. And by that argumēt Ignatius, the disciple of sayncte Iohn̄ the Euan­geliste, was moued ageynst the supersticious­nes of certayne menne, whiche thought them selfe the holyer, bycause they absteyned euer from flesshe. Christe (sayth he) dydde eate flesshe, Peter dyd eate fleshe, and those that folowed after: wherfore shuld we than vn­der the colour of holynes take awey the ea­tynge therof. Christ hath gyuen vs example, that what so euer he hath done, we shulde do the same, as farre as our power doth extēd. And so we may playnly saye, that euery acte of Christe our auctour, is a lawe and forme of our lyuynge. And this beinge graunted, I [Page 13] wolde wytte of our accusers, whether they haue any commaundement, sayeng, or exam­ple of Christe, wherby he dothe eyther com­maund, or shewe, or at the leest weye agree, that mens beardes shuld be shauen. Without doubte there is none founde of that maner. On the other parte the exaumple of Christe hym selfe, whiche is sayde euer to weare a bearde: and the maners of Peter & Paule, and all the appostels, may be iudged a suffi­cient defence for beardes. And there be cer­teyn men, which so descriue the face of Christ by knowlege of their fore fathers, that they affirme, he had a longe and a yelowe berde: neyther he is none otherwyse peynted nor caruen of the grekes, the latines, nor none other nations, as it is openly knowen. Peter to whom chiefely was gyuen by Christe the auctoritie of our christen feythe, we picture hym in our temples euer with a bearde, both in brasse, in marbull, and with colours. Nor we se no man pictured with a greater berde, than Paule, whiche was a maister of our li­uynge: to whose moste wyse instructions we are euer obedient. Andrewe, Thomas, and all the felowshyppe of them, are gloriously sette forth with great beardes.

To this they woll make answere, that it is [Page] but a lyght argument, to diuine by pictures, what maner of face Christe and his apostils had, seinge it hath euer ben graunted to po­etis and peynters to feyne what they lyste. Well lette vs graunte to that, yet neuer the lesse ye can not denye, but it is the generalle agreemente of all menne, that Christe hym selfe and his apostels, whiche are the chiefe auctours of our priestis, shalbe peynted & caruen with beardes: by the whiche common consente it maye easily be perceyued, that a bearde hath some good propretie perteyning to holynes, and doth brynge preyse to euery holy man.

The gentyles vsed a custome, to shewe by the habyte of theyr goddis, what thynges they estemed moste precious amongest them. And for this cause the Lacedemonians dydde not onely picture Mars lyke a manne of ar­mes, but also for the moste parte all other goddis and goddessis: for bycause they este­med nothynge more precious than armour, thei thought it behoued the goddis to be garnyshed with armour.

The Phenices, whiche were only gyuen to marchandise, dydde appareyle theyr goddis with pursis full of money: bycause they iud­ged him most blessed, that had most money. [Page 14] So in lyke maner bicause we thynk nothing more honorable thā a berd, we iuge it best to picture our god, & his disciples with beardis.

Verily we can nat proue, that euer sayncte Iohn̄, the messanger of Christe, was shauen, nor yet sayncte Iames, who amongest other good gyftes of a vertuous mynd was greatly preysed for this, that he wolde neuer suf­fre hym selfe to be shauen. And shall we vn­happy people, blame in any man, or forbyd vnder peyne of cursynge, that thynge, whi­che was by the allowance of all people suf­fred in those holy men, taught by Christ our sauiour, and very sonne of god, and rekened amonge the warkes of vertue, as an exam­ple of a perfecte and a moderate lyfe? But nowe of late, we haue not onely lefte the name of good maners, but also the veri right patheway of the same.

Iamis, whiche opteyned his name by the continuall kepynge of Iustyce, was moche preysed, bycause he neuer vsed shauynge nor annoyntyng, nother yet washyng in baynes. &c. And shal we sclander them as yuel peple, which despise shauing, & suche other fond de­lites? Thus if our lord god ware a beerd in token of manhod, if Peter, if Paule, & al the apostels dyd the same, & finally if there be no ther sayeng nor monition foūde of the chiefe [Page] auctours of our feythe ageynste beardes: for what cause then shulde we regarde the con­demnynge of beardes by any lawe, or feare the thretnynges of any man, seing god is on oure syde, whose sonne we folowe in that habyte?

The fourthe parte of our matter is, that we shall serche, whether this disanullyng of beardis be commended or not in the thyrde kynde of written lawes, whiche were made by the inspiration of the holy goste.

Of truthe the gides of our vertuous lyuing, called holy men, haue ordeyned some consti­tutions, withoute any mencion made before of god or his disciples, or any example she­wed, but onely styred vp (as they saye) by that same godly inspiration, the whiche thin­ges nede nat here to be rehersed. Of this sorte are the decrees of the counsels, I mene those, whiche we are bounde to beleue. For I beleue this, that a generall counsell truely gethered, determyneth nothynge concernyng our feyth, without the inspiration of the ho­ly goste, and them we ought alway to allow and firmely beleue. But the lawe of maners and customes, varienge ofte tymes by the meanes of the place, tyme, or condicions of the persons, sauer more humayn thā godly: [Page 15] yet our accusers prepared of these wepons, taken out of olde vulgar bokes, and putte a­geynst our armie the counsell of Carthage, vnder whose helpe and defence, they make warre ageynste beardes, despisynge theym, and thretnynge theyr vtter distruction: like as though the distroyeng of that same beau­tyfull warke of nature, were done by the in­spiration of the holy gooste: and as though he, whiche in tyme paste dydde not without a cause shewe hym selfe mercyfull to those, that made vowes to let their beardes grow, shulde nowe be ageynst hym selfe in the counselle of Carthage, and begynne to despyse beardes. The whiche thynges truely howe vnworthy they are to be counted the actis of god, the moste innocent chylde in the worlde may perceyue: yet those felowes are not a­shamed to make god the auctour of suche abiecte and fylthye busynesses. But thoughe theyr feblenes of brayne ought to be forgy­uen, bycause they can not frame theyr wyt­tes to conceyue hygher thynges: yet it is wysedom to take hede, lest vnder the colour of goodnes, they shulde deceyue other men. Therfore nowe lette vs here what law they allege for them, and that is this.

Clerici ne (que) comam nutriant, ne (que) barbā. [Page] Clerkes shall neyther lette grow theyr bus­shes nor beardes. They sey, this lawe was fyrste made by the counsell of Carthage, and renewed by Alexander the thyrde, & streng­thed by many of later tyme: & that it ought not to be despised of vs. As though we were suche maner of people, that we wold inforce some thynge ageynste the lawes: or els that we dyd not vnderstande, if men shulde begyn to despyse the lawes, that soone after euery thynge wolde be brought out of frame: and than shulde we see holy and vnholy thynges mixt to gether, nothing holy, nothing honest, nor nothing laudably done. For whē the la­wes are ones broken, the recourse of marchā dyse betwene citie & citie shalbe lost, the leege of the people shall not be kepte, no good or­der shall be regarded, no reason, no Iustyce, nor no ryghte shall remayne. It shoulde be leful than for euery man to leade his life af­ter his owne luste: than shulde we see suche trouble amonge all sortis of people, that we shuld be constreyned to hyde vs in the wod­des, to crepe in to dennes and deserte places of the erthe, to be kepte safe from the inua­sions of them that are of greatter power. Wherfore I thynk that a law made, allowed of the reulers, and strengthed by the vse of [Page 16] the people, ought to be kept of al men. What shall we do therfore in this case? There is a lawe layde ageynst all our resons, our mat­ter is at a poynte, we are ouercomen, we are shatered abrode, and put to flyght, the sectis of delycate persons beare all the rule, & they bynde vs to trifelynge maners. The sobre and ernest facion of the Romaynes is decaid, we must nowe waxe wanton by a newe law, we muste be shauen, there may no heer grow on our facis, and to speke one worde for all, ye and that a newe worde, we muste become womanlyke. This is euen the very thynge, that our accusers haue chosen onely for the defence of their delycatenes. With this they stryue ageynst vs, with this they wounde vs euerychone, with this thynge alone, they thynke to distroye vs: So that except men of holy orders haue smothe and shynyng fa­cis, they shall be pulled away from the aul­ters, they shall be putte out of the churches, there shall be no place, where people resort, lefte free for them to abyde in. But we haue to longe kepte silence.

Therfore nowe go to, lette vs bryng forth oure armye agaynste theym, and fyrste of alle, lette vs wynde awaye frome theym that same ingyn that is the chiefe grounde [Page] of our warre, & therby we shal ouerthrowe all theyr holle power.

I denye it playnly, I say it is not made in the counsaile of Carthage. For we may lightly proue, that certayne yeres afore tyme, for lacke of a true copie, theyr bokes were fals­ly printed, and this worde radant, shauen a­waye: whiche chaungeth the holle sentence, For the mooste ancient, moste holy, and most wysest men do agree, that it is redde in Gracian after this maner. Clerici ne (que) comam nutriant, ne (que) barbam radant, Clerkes shal nother lette growe their busshes, nor shaue theyr beardes. There is no man can denye, but these wordes are wrytten of the counsel of Carthage. It was happye, that this same storye of counsels was of late brought to lyght: wherin without doubt the counsell of Carthage dothe agree in this sentence, with the olde wrytten bokes, whiche are in the librarie of Palatine: and there of truthe we fynde it wrytten thus: Clericus nec co­mam nutriat, nec barbam radat, A clerke shall nother lette grow his busshe, nor shaue his beard.

At this our ennemyes waxe pale, therfore let vs stycke to it lyke men we shall set vpon them with an other wyng [...], whiche shal con­streyne [Page 17] them to gyue ouer incontinent.

They allege these wordes folowynge, to be redde in a pistil of Alexander the thyrde, written to the archbysshoppe of Canturbu­rye. Clerici qui comam et barbam nutriunt, etiam inuiti a suis archidiaconis tondiantur, Clerkes that lette growe theyr busshes and beardes, shall be shorne of theyr archedea­cons, whether they wyl or not. But lyke as in the sentence before, some vncleane shauer hath shauen away a worde, so by lyke, here in this pistyll of Alexander, some brayneles felowe hath added to a word. For by the a­grement bothe of well lerned and approued auctours, it shulde be redde thus: Clerici qui comam nutriunt, ab archidiacono, eti­am si noluerint tondiantur, Clerkes that let growe their busshes, shall be shorne of their archedecon, whether they wyll or not. And this appereth playnly to be the true redyng, bycause the interpreters saye, this sentence was taken out of a law, made in the counsell of Agathense. And therin without doubte it is so written: Clerici qui comam nutriunt, ab archidiacono, etiam si noluerint, tondi­antur. without any mention makyng of barba the bearde.

Also in the fourth counsell of Toletan, it [Page] was commaunded, that the doctours and chiefe prelates shoulde shaue all the vpper partis of their heedes, and to leaue on the nether parte a garland of heare aboue their eares: but as for the bearde they neuer thought theron.

Also of the busshe onely, we fynde lyke commaundement in many placis, in rhe de­crees of auncient bysshops, to gether with other thynges concernynge the lyfe of prie­stis: Finally Aniceius by the preceptes of the apostels, decreed, that the clergie shuld not nouryshe theyr busshes: and surely he wold not haue passed ouer, without spekyng of the bearde, if he had estemed it a thynge vnhonest. For of truth to nourishe the bushes is the facion of women, or els of suche men as lyue delicatly and vnchast. For the longe heared people were euer estemed both of the grekes and Latines for a token of foule lust and fylthye lyuynge. Wherfore the lawes wyllynge religious men not onely to be with oute vycis, but also to eschewe the occasy­ons of the same, doo not withoute a cause forbydde theym to nourysshe theyr busshes. But ageyne on the other syde, hit besemethe menne to haue longe beardes, for chiefely by that token (as I haue often sayde) the [Page 18] vigorous strengthe of manhode is decerned from the tendernes of women: so that wo­men oughte to nourysshe theyr busshes, and men theyr beardes. And for this cause the priestis were commaunded by the determi­nation of the solemne counsel of Carthage, not to shaue theyr beardes, to the intent that they myght seme (lyke as they be) men, and shewe as it were a certayne maiestie of their owne kynde, in theyr vtter apperaunce.

But ye folowe the Rodians, whiche had a lawe amonge theym ageynste shauynge: and yet commonly they were all shauen. Ye be­gynne also nowe to countrefeyte theym of Bysance, whose maners Chrysippus dydde mooste hate for that same cause. For they dydde not onely make lawes ageynste sha­uynge of berdes, but also ordeyned extreme punysshementes for the same, and yet the moste parte of them, lyke as ye doo, loued to be shauen.

Thus maye ye see, that in manye places, the frowardenes of yuelle people, distroye manye tymes the good maners. And lette no manne marueylle, thowghe false and corruptly wrytten bokes haue done moche harme by the space of so many yeres paste, soo that by the meanes of that erroure, [Page] many decrees, punyshmentis of the proude and stubborne, and cruell chastisinges haue bene brought vppe. O good lorde, how ma­ny thynges shall ye fynde in all olde bokes here and there moste fautily redde? Howe many wordes chaunged? howe many cleane lefte out? howe many stryken oute? And I wolde to god, that there were fewer at this daye, whiche of theyr iniquitie doo peruerte many thynges.

But beholde I beseche you, what harmes ryse by reason of depraued bokes. The sen­tence of Gelasius the pope, in the xv. distin­ction, in our spirituall lawe is thus: Vene­rabilis uiri Sedulij Pascale opus, quod he­roicis descripsit uersibus, insigni laude pro­ferendum, The pascall worke (sayth he) of that honourable man Sedulius, whiche he wrote in heroicall versis, is greattely to be preysed: And yet hytherto ye shall fynd writen in bokes, that go commonly abrode, in the place of Heroicis uersibus, hereticis uer­sibus, whiche turneth the sentence after this maner: The pascal worke of that honoura­ble man Sedulins, whiche he wrote in erro­nious or hereticall versis, is greattely to be preysed. This one false worde brought su­che a suspicion to certayne men, which were [Page 19] true ꝓfessers of the lawes, that they thought all poetis versis were erronious: and that they were nat worthye to be accompted a­monge good men, though they intreated of holy matters: whiche thynge we sawe was also after suche a maner perswaded to the pope Adrian the .vi. that he hated no kynde of peple worse then poetes, thynkyng that no thyng that they dyd, was wel done. And yet to this day there be some discrete prelates so disceyued with this false redynge, and with that other errour of shauing, that they thinke no man worthye to be a priest, that eyther maketh versis, or weareth a bearde: suche a thynge it is ones to taste an yuell opinion. But we shall lette passe to brynge in any mo exaumples, seinge we see dayly howe olde auctours haue ben corrupted by the meanes of false wryters. Nor I wolle not reherse howe vngentilly the olde lawyers were in­treted, by our lawyers that cam after them. For after theyr warkes were ones cutte in pieces by Tribunianus, and such other bou­chers, thei did not kepe these peces to gether, but suffred welnere euery vnlerned man to adde and minysshe at his pleasure: and yet the same scrappis euyll and falsely recited, be taken for lawes, and they lack not a gret [Page] sorte of defenders.

Thus many thynges are dayly brought to lyght, whiche gyue vs warnynge of the er­rours of our forefathers, wherin they haue bene ouersene this many yeres, or deceyued by the falsenes of bokes. Wherfore it is the lesse meruayle, if the decree of the counsell of Carthage, be founde nowe otherwyse wrytten, than it was put forth in tyme past.

Well go to, we haue sette here a sure fun­dation for oure defence: A lawe is recyted, whiche we haue playnely proued no lawe. Nother berdes ar not forbydden by the law of exaumples. It is also proued, that it be­semeth euery good and honest man to weare a bearde. Neuerthelesse they brynge forthe one reason to make them seme Romaynes, and yet they intende to folowe the delycate maners of the Sicilians. Many of them suppose, that beardis were disanulled by the popes of Rome, bycause the Grekes vsed to weare them: For they sey it is not leful for a priest of the Romaynes to folowe theym in habyte & maners, that haue forsaken the churche of Rome. Therfore we muste shaue our berdes, except we wol be heretikes or rebelles. To this what other answere shall I make, but that our accusers be perauenture [Page 20] good men (I wol not call them inuious, vp­landyshe, nor vnlerned) but may happe more simple than good men shuld be: which thinke that beardes shulde be despised of the Ro­maynes, and that the people be accurste that weareth them, and also they thynke, where so euer they be, they make the place vnholye and voyde of all good lucke, bycause the grekes wol not obey to theyr constitutions, I maruayle from whense they gatte these o­pinions, whiche howe foolysshe and howe chyldysshe they be, euery manne perceyueth. For if they wyl affirm it to be done bycause of the grekes: I beseche you lette them tell me to what Italian it hathe doone good, or what hathe the pope gotten by it, when the same discorde hath ben the cause of so many euyls, whiche yet abhorreth any man to re­membre.

I wolde to God oure forefathers hadde not benne so wylfulle and fulle of stryfe, somme beynge to extreme in kepynge of cer­tayne ceremonyes and lawes, whiche were but of smalle effecte, somme in makynge of newe, somme in breakynge and chaun­gynge of olde customes and maners, the whyche hadde benne kepte manye yeres.

(I speake onely of customes, bycause those [Page] thynges that perteyne to the feythe, are of an other kynde) but yf such busynes had not bene, we hadde not loste so manye sortis of people, nor so many realmes. The greekes had not forsaken vs, we hadde kepte stylle the Ile of Aegei, we had not loste Thracia, we had nat loste the realme of Byzance, we had nat lost all Asia, nother Hierusalem had nat ben inhabyted with infidels, so greattely to oure dishonour, ye and to speake of later tyme, for such causes Boeme and Germanie shulde not haue sette so lyght by the pope. For in gouernynge many tymes some incidentis happen, whiche are of so smalle weyght, that they maye be easily eyther graunted or els suffered: the whiche thynges if they be stubbornely denied, they cause indignation amonge the vnlerned people: And soone af­ter indignation cometh chauffynge and mur­mouryng, after chauffyng daily increasing of malice, & shortly after malice cruel enmities, and than mortall warre. Whan our forefa­thers commaunded the Romayne priestis, to shaue theyr beardes, in dispite of the grekes, to the intent there myght be a difference be­twene the Romaynes and them: they caused the Grekes to be so vexed with that same dissention, that they bare euen as greate & lyke [Page 21] malice ageynste vs than, as they dydde atte the tyme, whan they hauyng warre amonge them selfe, were of so mischeuous a mynde, that they hadde leuer make a leage with the Turkes, and seke the felowshyppe of them, than to aske helpe of vs, or receyue our aide, whan it was wyllyngly offred. And so they were deceyued, and by the fals fayth of their ennemies betrayed, and vtterly distroyed.

They loste theyr kyngdome, theyr countrey was spoyled, theyr aulters were robbed, made vnholy, and lefte desolate: and by and by we were broughte in the same perylle by the meanes of theyr chaunce. To the which people if that thynge had bene granted, that was of none effect, the name of christendom had ben spredde abrode bothe far and wide: neyther that same coote of our lord, that had no seame, had bene rent in so many peces as we se it nowe adayes.

But what nede we to make mention of o­ther mens damages and fautis, whanne we may se, as touchyng berdes, suche variances at home at our doores, that it hath broughte vp a perpetuall sclaunder to the hygh order of preesthode. In continuance of tyme the delites of our forefathers came so farre forth, that by the meanes of shauynge, the people[Page] was so disguised, that men and women were scant knowen a sonder: And by this it hap­pened (if the tale be trewe that is in enerye mans mouth) that a woman was chosē pope of Rome, to the perpetuall rebuke of that same holy order. In remembraunce of whi­che dede, the Romaynes to this daye shewe the place, poyntynge with a fynger, where that same high woman prieste, beinge in the popes stede, dyd trauayle of a chylde. And leeste suche an other chaunce myght happen, many men beleue, that euer after it was or­deyned by a lawe, that the same foly of oure forefathers shulde be openly declared at the stallyng of euery newe pope. For at the Pul­pit of saynt Iohn, where is gethered to ge­ther on that solemne feaste day, a great mul­titude of people, of all maner of nations: the newe Poope is there constreyned, in the syght of them all, to proue hym selfe a man by many sufficient wytnesses. And whan the thyng is ones pronoūced by the voyce of the crier, by and by it is shewed aboute in euery place: and than we beleue surely, we haue a laufull man to our pope, when it myghte be euidently knowen, we had him that we ought to haue, without any such wōderment. These I say be the thynges, whiche haue comen vp [Page 22] in tyme past by the smothnes and delycatnes of shauynge, where on the other part it was neuer founde, that any suche inconuenience came by the meanes of beardes. If the ma­ners of priestis are to be corrected or loked nere vpon, it is beste to take hede, that they, whiche are chosen to that honeste dignitie to be ministers to god almightye, shulde not be defyled with vile occupations or offices. Let them kepe no vittaylynge houses, let them be no maryners, lette them weare no longe daggers, or suche other weapons, let them weave none armour nor pied garmentis, let theym not falle to quaftynge or to dronken­nes, finally let them forbeare al suche thin­ges, whiche do shewe lyghtnes, folyshenes, or vnclenlynes. Truely if our accusers had taken hede to these thynges, they hadde not ben so lyttell regarded of euery man as they be. But when they deuise with so great dili­gence to condemne their berdes whiche doth increce their dignite, they do not only deserue to be dispreised, but also they brynge them selfe in to sclaunder of waywardenesse and superstition. I speake this for no malyce, but hit greuethe me to see somme menne, verye excellente otherwayes bothe in ler­nynge and perfectnesse of lyuynge (excepte [Page] I shulde belye them, whiche beinge deceyuid by some fooles, what so euer they be, vnder the colour of goodnes, fal into suche contention, and be so ernest for so lyght causes, ye (yf I myght speake it) very foolyshe trifles, and when there be many hygher matters to be loked vpon, to exercyse theyr studye, and to labour to put downe berdes, which hurte nother god nor manne: nor yet there is anye cause why they shulde go aboute to defende their oppinion by certayne newe prouinciall lawes, the whiche thoughe they were neuer so firmely strengthed by man, ye althoughe the pope agreed to thē hym selfe, yet if there be founde a truer reason, they be bothe bro­ken, corrected, and changed. For the lawes, the decrees, and institutions, for cause made, as the nede of matters requireth, and as the tyme asketh, the pope by the counsayle of his bretherne, and of his hyghe power, dothe daily correcte, for do, ordeyne, and stablyshe: and these thynges that they agree vpon, or he alone, be taken for lawes. And it is moste firmely prouided by precepte of the hygh ru­ler of the lawes, that euery laste lawe shall wype away the fyrste.

But what more euident or more holy lawe shall we seeke, for the wearynge of beardes, [Page 23] than that same, whiche the hyghe bysshoppe Iulius the seconde, and Clement the .vii. did shew in theyr tyme, by theyr owne examples gyuynge? It pleased Iulius longe tyme to weare a bearde, It pleased Clement also to weare a bearde, It pleased the holy college of Cardinalles to doo the same, It pleased both the other prelates and poore priestis in lyke wyse: And shall we tarie to loke out an other counsayle, when in dede there is none suche at all? Or shall we deuyse to renewe weake lawes, or those that be nowe worne out: when this same liuely lawe is to this daye euery where in strengthe, euery where obserued, louyngely receyued, and putte in vse in euerye place, for a lawe made and approued?

Amonge the Venetians, the Pisans, the Brutians, the Calabers, the Sicilians, a­monge them of Champayne, amonge the Romayne, the Etruscians, and many other people of Italie, where as eche citie is instituted with right laudable lawes and moste honest maners, it is estemed and taken for a verye greatte offence, to kysse an other mans wyfe or his doughter. And yet in the chiefe parte of the same region, and betwene the foun­tayne of Pady and Doria, and from thense [Page] by all the mountaynes of Allobroges, and in euery citie, that is moste populously inha­byted with frenche menne, and villages be­twene Pyren and Reynes, from the easte partis to the greatte occean see, the same licence of kyssynge is so moche suffred, that whan so euer thou shalte come to the howse of thin ooste, or of thy frende, excepte thou fyrst of all kysse his wyfe, his daughters, and al o­ther women in the howse, and beclyp theym in thyne armes, thou shalte be iudged chur­lysshe, or proude, or els to be theyr ennemie. And so that, that among vs here is thought to be a shamefulle thynge, is taken amonge them for a great gentylnes and a familiari­tie. Of suche weight is the custome and ma­ners of people of longe tyme vsed. Also in some cities and countreyes, some thynges not so honeste, are yet by reason of custome and vse, and longe and sure consente of the people, growen into a lawe. And thynke ye than to take away this same venerable ma­ner, of grauitie and sadnes, that hath bene receyued and allowed both by the examples of the high byshoppes, and also by the imi­tation of al the people? Neyther ye remem­bre not the sayenge of the most wise prince, beinge daylye proued afore your eyes: Eos [Page 24] qui aliter uiuere uolunt, quam se habeant mores eorum, inter quos uiuunt, suspicio­sos, aut intemperantes haberi, They that lyue after an other sorte, then the custome is of the people and countreye, where they dwelle, are taken for suspicious and vnruly persones. And if ye thynke it best to stycke to one lawe, what so euer it be, whether it be weake, corrupte, or of small effecte: doo ye not see the mooste sadde sentences of men a­geynste you, whiche haue the high auctoritie bothe to interprete and to make the lawes? For they, whiche by their high power haue made lawes to all the worlde, what lawes they haue made of priestis beardes, it appe­reth more playnely by theym selfe, thanne thoughe they hadde grauen it in a table of brasse. But admytte it be an offence: graunt also (though it appere not) that Alexander the thyrde, was of the same mynde, as prin­ted bokes do shewe. More ouer, graunte it to be estemed a lothly dede: and that a priest with a bearde ought nat to meddell with mi­nistration of the holy sacramentis, nor be in cōpany among mē: but (after your iugemēt) to be exiled or kept in perpetuall prison. Wel go to, let your oratours begyn to accuse vs, let them do theyr vttermoste, lette them ley to our charges what so euer they can before [Page] the iudges, let them make vs to forfayt our goodes, and lyke as rebels & murderers ar wonte to be handled, let them mynde to in­treate vs. But where? Where shal the iud­ges be? Before whom shal they plede their cause? Who shall aknowledge this to be an offence? Who shall condempne vs? I wolle haue them go to those that be moste sadde & best aduised, and vnto them, to whose sentences and determinations not onely al the common people, but also men of gret reputation and might wyl stande. This is the iugement of the twelue men, whiche are ordeyned to sytte in the bishops palaice, to gyue sentence vpon matters in debate: Of the whiche maner there were some tyme certayne menne a­monge the Grekes (when they flourysshed) called Amphictyones, whiche concerninge the lawes, did make answere to al maner of people. And these (I seye) be the iudges, whiche we had nede to haue to make an ende of our matter. Therfore beholde vs here redy at hande, we neither rebelle ageynst you, nor we are not about to flee, we be contente to abyde the iudgement, ye shall not nede to attache vs, and kepe vs in holde. Begyn ye nowe to call for iudgement. Beholde here a­fore your eies a holle college of chosen men, [Page 25] of good lyfe, and well skylled in the lawes. Whervppon do ye tarie? For what cause are ye so abashed? Me thynketh your answeres be very farre to seke. Where is nowe the be­gynnynge of your accusation? that horrible wounder, that priestes shuld weare beardis, whiche ye saye is a newe crime, that was ne­uer harde of before this tyme? Verily ye maye nowe perceyue youre owne folye, and what tryfils ye haue gethered to gether a­monge the thornes. For ye can fynde no iu­ges, but they gyue sentence ageynst you be­fore ye begynne to speake, excepte your sel­fes wolde be bothe iudges and accusers.

Do ye not see, if ye stryue ageynst beardes, there be so many good men that weare ber­des, that your busynes shall be laughed to scorne with euery man? Neither there is any cause why, that you being but thre in nombre or foure at the moste, shulde thynke to haue the true knowlege. This is your wyl, & not your iugement: & where as al men thoughte before, that it was but an errour in you for lacke of knowlege, nowe seinge ye stycke styl in your opinion, the truth apperyng so plein afore your face, euery man maye knowe, ye do it not of ignorance, but of a very proude and obstinate mynde, lest your euyl meninge [Page] shoulde be perceyued. Stynte ye therfore nowe to make any further busynesse, and those maners of men, whiche ye se are mete to be vsed, allowe ye them also, or els if you be so tender and delycate, that ye can not a­byde to be sene lyke men, yet be contente at the leeste waye, that other men vse them selfe as they shulde do.

Thus yf ye intende to determyne youre matter, by the lawes, ye see to what passe it wyll comme. If ye grounde you vpon ho­nestie, ye can fynde no suche honestie in smo­thynge of a mans face. If ye wolle speake of custome and maners: the same custome to weare a bearde is so vsed with princis and chiefe reulers, that nowe it maye be ta­ken for a lawe.

Behold I beseche you the ancient doctours of our Senate howse, whiche are men so ex­cellent in all mener sciences, whiche are not wonte to do any thynge out of good order: ye se them weare beardes, which thyng they wolde not do, excepte they thought it mete for a prieste, & for euer honest man. In con­clusion amonge all these excellent men, thou shalte fynde very fewe without beardes. And those few, if thou woldest demaund for what cause they were no beardes, they woll [Page 26] make many other excuses, rather thē sei, it is vnsemely for a mā of holy orders, not doub­tynge to preferre the truth before their own maners. What shuld I here reherce any mo exāples of other holy men, as archbyshops and bysshoppes, that haue worne beardes, whiche wolde not haue worne them, excepte they had knowen very wel, it was not repugnant to the lawes of Christ? & shal any man be so bolde to recite other lawes before their examples? when it is openly knowen, that they wold not vse a thynge, which was not a patron of perfecte religion and honest ma­ners. Me thynketh our accusers shuld nowe waxe wery, to iuge that thing yuel, which by the consent of al good men is allowed to be bothe semely and laudable. Furthermore where they recyte a lawe for theyr parte, it appereth there is no suche: but (as I haue sayde) by false wrytynge, that taken for a lawe, that neuer was so ordeyned: if it were let theym vnderstande, that by the examples of the two hygh byshops, Iulius & Clement, it is clene abrogate & a [...]nulled. If any man wol sey, that they myght not breke it, than let him deny al the lawes made by them. What shal I sey to these felowes, which wol beleue nothyng but theyr owne fantasies, to theym [Page] there is nothynge harde within an olyue, nor without a nutte. For yf there be any aucto­ritie gyuen to princis and to general counsei­les, priestis ought to weare beardes.

More ouer if they had not iudged it semely for a religious man, they wold neuer haue cō manded that priestes shuld be vnshauen, nor they wolde neuer haue suffered theyr owne facis to be pictured with beardes.

The picture of Iulius is made with a berde in the syght of all men, The face of Clemēt is dayly coyned with a bearde bothe in gold and syluer. But those men (whiche so cruel­ly vexe vs) whan they condempne beardes, they vnderstonde not, that they blame the hyghe bysshoppe, prelates, and other sadde men, and that they mocke the constitutions of holy men: they damne Peter and Paule, and all the appostels, ye and they ley immo­destie to Christe hym selfe. There is no man more vniuste then he, whiche thynketh no­thynge welle doone, but that that he dothe hym selfe.

But for what intent do they make all this busynes? For what cause go they so busily about to moue and put away all berded men from ministrynge of the sacramentis, from the churche, & from all mens companyes? I [Page 27] can not diuise what they shaulde meane, ex­cepte they wolde haue seynt Iohn̄ Baptyste, seynt Iamis, and seynt Ierom, with many other banyshed out of heuen. For it apperith by our aduersaries iudgemente, that those were frowarde persons, rebels, and corrup­ters of good maners. For what other thing by theyr interpretation, maketh they hym, that weareth a bearde, but a proude and an yuell man, that lyueth not after the lawes? and he is wycked, that deserueth to be ba­nysshed out of the churche of Christe. O thā howe myserable and vnhappy were all these holye men before named, to chose a lyfe so peynfull and laborous, as to forsake al the pleasures of this worlde, and to liue in wil­dernesse, to make theyr bodyes leane with fastynge, watchynge, and prayenge: if they shoulde onely for theyr beardes be iudged before god for yuell lyuers. Who doubteth, if they, whiche nowe weare beardes, shall be iudged for yuell lyuers, but that those holy men before sayde, and other that haue ben auctours of that facion, shalbe lyke wise accused of our aduersaries.

If we demaunde of our accusers, what af­fection they haue to be made so smoth: with­out doubte they wyll answere and seye, it is [Page] done bycause the heares shuld not be dypped in the mooste holye bloudde of Christe: And they sey, and it is very trouth, that al honor and reuerence ought to be done to this moste blessed sacrament. But I beseche you than, is there any thynge the lesse reuerence done to this moste hygh sacrament, if the minister shewe hym selfe (as Alexis sayth) more like a man than a woman? For Alexis saythe, that God is not offended with heares, the whiche serue to expresse the perfecte state of man. I beseche you, be heares so fylthy, and so greatlye to be despised, that they are not worthy to come nere the blessed sacrament? But foule nayles, scabby fyngers, a fylthy face, with all the reste of the bodye besyde may do it none vnreuerence: & thynke those men then, that a bearde is so fylthy a thinge, and so hateful to god, that it may in no ma­ner wyse comme nere the blessed sacrament? And yet for all this, the selfe same thynge, the whiche they commaunde so holily to be done, they doo hit not theym selfes. For whiche of all these holy menne (I woll not calle them dissemblers) shall you fynde, that is shauen euery day, as the priestes of Egipt be? And excepte they do shaue their berdes euery day, or els ones for al, plucke out the [Page 28] heares by the rootes, they are not able to perfourme theyr sayenge. For within a daye after, or two at the moste, when they mini­stre ageyne, they contaminate the blessed sa­crament with heares, and cōmytte the same offence, for whiche they accused them that weare berades. They woll sey, that the vn­clennes of the heares, that haue growen but a day or a weke is not lyke to that that hath growen a moneth, a yere, or longer tyme: as who wolde saye, it were none offence for a man to breke the fastynge day with a calfe of a weke or a moneth olde, but he that shuld eate a great oxe dyd greuously offende. And so our moste discrete accusers woll seye, that the moste blessed sacramente is not offended with a heer of one day or a week is growing, but he that touchethe it with a longe heare, that hath growen a moneth, or a holle yere, doth vnreuerently vse it. Trewely this sen­tence is of so smalle effecte, and so vntrue, that it is not worthye to be taried any lon­ger vppon.

Therfore lette vs passe ouer this, and we that be menne, lette vs kepe with al diligēce, the same sobre and honeste custome of bear­des, seing it can be proued by no reason, why a bearde shuld be dispised.

On the other parte smothynge and shauing (as I haue sayde alwayes) whether it hap­pen to a man by nature, or by handy craft, it dothe shewe an outward apparence of synne, and wyckednes, or els of other thinges, whiche are not worthy to be preysed.

Yet bycause they wolde haue somewhat more to babble vppon, they sey, it besemeth not a prieste to professe by his habyte, a so­rowfull, or a heuy mynde. Beholde these valyant defenders of our christen religion. Be holde the grauitie and wysedome of those, whiche wolde take vppon them to be other mennes gydes, they wolde haue priestis to shewe in their out warde semblance none o­ther thynge but myrth and lyghtenes, as it were a scoffer (ye if I mought sey the truth) euen lyke a baudy iester. Well let vs graunt to that. Admytte that a berde is a token of sorow & heuynes: meane ye than, that pristis shoulde neyther mourne, nor be troubled in theyr myndes, nor yet lyue after their owne pleasure? O stony hartis, O cruel myndes, of the whiche sorte there was neuer none harde of before. Oughte not priestes moste of all to mourne in this myserable worlde, when there is no man that hath any cause to laughe? We are constreyned by Nature to [Page 29] mourne for the losse of euerye dere beloued thyng. There is no man except he be madde, that woll forbydde the mother to mourne at the buryenge of her chylde. And wold these delycate felowes of the court of Rome, lette and forbydde vs to wepe and wayle in oure owne funerals? Woll they forbydde vs to mourne and make sorowe, to beholde howe all Italie is ouerronne and distroyed, to see the noble citie of Rome subdued, spoyled, and robbed, and the inhabitantis therof murdred and slayne, to see the great vexation of all christendome, and in the drede and feare of so many folde great peryls, and finally in be­holdynge the confusion of the holle worlde, wol they warne vs to be heuy and sorowful? And as moche of Italy as remayneth, lyeth reked vp in the asshes of her burnyng: and no parte therof is more consumed by fire, than that that longed to priestis. Vnder the ashes lyen the hotte glowyng cooles, whiche seme to kendell vp a farre greatter fyre (ere it be ought longe) than is passed. And is it not le­full for vs, at leest wyse to shew a mourning chiere, and with a heuy countenaunce to wit­nes our great drede, and myserable fortune? And we beinge forsaken of so many christen princis, and mooste vnworthyly reputed, by [Page] whose counseyle and sufferaunce, we were caste out as a common praye, and all taken, as many as were at Rome, and spoyled of all our goodes that we hadde, and are beg­garde with intollerable tributis, and we suffre and endure great crueltie, iniurie, and many folde miseries, and we be not yet lyke to see an ende of these great calamities: for not onely our foes, but also our frendes do dayly catche from vs what so euer they can, and they spare nat so moche as perteyne to the houses of religion. And yet our accusers in this vnlucky and moste myserable tyme, in so great darkenes of the common weale, in so great perturbation of all thynges, goo a­boute to forbydde vs, with feare of cour­synge, that we in no wyse shulde lament our vnluckynes of mooste wretched chaunce.

All the worlde gapethe to deuoure Italye: They haue sucked it as nere as they can, and those scrappes that remayne, they intende to swype cleane awaye.

And these, our ydell accusers take thought for nothynge, but gyue theym selfes onelye to slouthe, and they prepare to lyue in de­lyte and ease, in luste and in lykynge, and goo aboute to shaue and to make smothe theyr facis, lyke as thowghe thereby they [Page 30] shulde greattely helpe and succour the com­mon welthe of christendome, whiche is now in greatte ieoperdye and ruyne. And they thynke they haue sufficientely prouyded for vs, if they can perswade vs to forsake oure mannely state, and to shewe our selfes lyke women. But I woll bydde them fare well, and as men vnworthy of honest companye, to be sent away somewhyther, where they may remayne vnknowen, and lye and inioye theyr fonde appetite. We wolle iudge theym worthy of none other punysshement, nor we woll neyther enuye theyr quietnes, nor yet hate theym, for that they be so delycate to them selfe, in case that they dare not, nor be not able, to hurte or hynder the maners of menne, that haue bene welle and discretely ordeyned.

But wherto shulde I stryue or reason any further with you ageynste the smothenes of shauynge, seinge it hathe ben proued to you bothe by the institutions and holy preceptis of oure forefathers in olde tyme, that we ought to let our beardes growe, to thintent we maye folowe the exaumple of Christe & his disciples, and of so many other fathers that ledde a perfecte good lyfe, and to the intente we moughte eschewe and aduoyde [Page] the occasions of reprofe and sclaunder, and to fle the suspicion and detraction of delycatnes, and laste of all to the intent we mought be iuged rather men than women? For what cause shulde we be ashamed of our beardes, if it be well shewed, what a bearde is, and howe well it becometh a sadde and an honest mā. If it be wel proued, how gretly a berd in creseth the dignitie of a prist? Why shuld we be asshamed of a bearde, if we fynde that by the lawe of nature, it is necessary, and by the lawe wrytten, acceptable to god, and by the lawe of grace it is no where discommen­ded. If the errour of them be ouercome, that holde the contrary opinion: If also the opi­nion, that the blessed sacrament shuld be pol­luted with heres, be wyped awey, and that it is well proued, that a bearde doth none of­fence to the reuerence of that moste high di­uine misterie: If the high princis of our christen religion haue made a lawe ageynste sha­uynge, whiche as appereth by their own ex­amples they wolde we shuld folowe: If v­pon the same lawe there hath folowed not a secrete, nor a darke, but an open and a com­mon consente of the people, ye and welnere of all maner of nations, which euery where are sene to stande styffely in that oppinion: [Page 30] Wherfore then, I beseche you, shuld not we stycke and leane to reason rather then to abusion? and rather folowe the examples of so many vertuous and noble men, than cleaue to the opiniō of a few superstitious persons? If the iudgement of this matter were com­myttted to me, I wolde gyue a perpetualle sentence, that from heneforthe no man be­ynge professed into holy orders, shulde shaue his bearde, accordynge to the vse of those holy fathers: whiche knowynge it a thank­full thynge to god, made such vowes, when they intended moste to be reconciled ageyne to hym. Or elles I feare me, we shall ones ageyne prouoke the yre of god ageynste vs, who beinge displeased with suche feminine delycatenes (as shauynge and smothynge of our skynnes, and makynge softe our lyppes, and perfumynge, and suche other) we maye very well beleue, he dydde sende al kyndes of mischefe into the towne of Rome, whiche yet hytherto we fele: And therfore he com­maunded our goodes to be taken frome vs, and our sumptuous houses to be eyther ouer throwen or els burned, and many other de­lytes of our wanton myndes to be plucked awey from vs.

But when he shall se vs retourne to a bet­ter [Page] mynde, and that we cal to remembrance, that we be mē, and entred into holy orders, and that we wol chastise our lust & lyking, & set naught by delectations and pleasures of this worlde, and clene forsake our softe and feminate affections, & wytnes by our berdis, that we intende to leade a more constant and manly lyfe: without doute he wol metigate his displeasure, and begyn to turne these bitter and cruell chastisinges into a more easye and more gentyl punyshment, and at the last graunt vs an ende of our calamities and mi­series, that haue so longe continued. But in case we wol begyn to vse ageyne our olde facion of delicate and synfull liuing, I am sore aferde, lest that he being more angry, & more displesed towarde vs, than euer he was be­fore, woll sende so sharpe punysshement a­monge vs, that it wyll lyttell auayle vs, to pray him of pitie: and that he wol withdraw aweye from vs his grace, and suffre vs to slyde into all calamities, and so, (whiche al­myghty god defende) the vniuersall furye of al the world, beinge stered vp to crueltie, he shal turne into our mischefe, so that in cōclu­tion, what by the menes of our wicked liuing and the vngentyl dealyng of the people, we shalbe vtterly distroyed.