Their Lying.

AVgustus, Emperor of Rome, in the Tryumph which he made of Marke Anthony and Cleopatra, brought with him to Rome a Priest, of Egypt, aged threescore yeres, who in all the dayes of his life neuer told any lye: In regard whereof the Senate presently ordained that hee should be made free, and created Pon­tifex Maximus: also, that a Statue should be erected for him, and placed amongst those [Page]of the most renowned men of all the Anci­ents. In the dayes of Claudius, Emperour likewise of Rome, there died a man in Rome named Pamphylus, who neuer told any mat­ter of truth in all his life time, but euermore had his chiefe delight in lying, which cau­sed the Emperour to giue commaund, that no graue should be graunted to his body, but his goods were confiscated, his house ruined, and his wife and children banished out of Rome, to the end that no memory might re­maine of so venemous a beast.

If the same order were among the Papall Frye still in force, wee might hope, that either wee should haue more Truth-tellers, or fewer I yers: But that custome is now abolished, and this vice of Lying raignes more among these Masse-monging Priests, then any people vnder Heauen: Witnesse those many lyes which they tell of their Saints▪ as for example: Saint Denis the Areopagite, (say-they) tooke vp his head after it was stricken off, and carried it in his hand two miles. They say further, that Saint Bernac turned Oke leaues into loaues, stones into Fishes, water into Wine, and that he sayled ouer the Sea vpon a stone, as an hundred and fifty of Ioseph of Arimathea's [Page]company did vpon his sonnes Shirt, and Fryer Herueus vpon his Mantle. They goe on, and tell you, that Saint Nicholas whilest hee lay in his cradle, fasted Wednesdayes, and Fridayes, on which da [...]es he would ne­uer sucke aboue once. They report more­ouer, That Bishop Tryan hauing killed his Cow and his Calfe to entertaine Saint Pa­tricke and his company, found both of them the next morning feeding in the meadow. They further tell of Saint Dominickes books, how they fell into a Riuer, lay there three dayes, and so many nights, but were found afterward by a Fisherman, and taken vp as drie as a feather. They say farther, that Saint Romuala deliuered high poynts of Diuinity as soone as he was borne, and presently af­ter that hee was baptized, made a learned Sermon. They deliuer also, that Saint Mar­garet being swallowed by a Dragon, had no sooner made the signe of the Crosse; but the Dragon burst asunder, and out shee came as sound as a Trout. They say also, that a man who neuer saw further then the length of his nose, opening Xauiers Tombe, and rub­bing his eyes with his hand straightway re­couered his sight. Yea, they are not asha­med to affirme, that Ignatius Loyola was rapt [Page]vp into heauen, and saw the holy Trinity in three Persons, and one Essence, and that God shewed him the paterne of the world which he layd before him when he made it. They report also, that Frier Bennet of A­reZZe being cast into the Sea in a Tempest, was inuironed with a little cloud, and car­ried to the terrestriall Paradise, whom when [...], and Elijah saw, they demaunded of him what hee was? And when they heard he was Saint Francis his brother, they dan­ced for ioy, and led him about to shew him euery corner of Paradise; from whence hee was carryed backe againe ouer the Sea in a little Cloud, which marueilously astoni­shed those that beheld it. They goe on still, and would make you beleeue that one time, whilest Saint Dunston was at his deuotion, the Deuill looked in at the windowe, in the shape of a beautifull Damsell, thinking to allure him to lust: but he hating such ab­hominable filthinesse, tooke the said Deuill by the nose with a paire of hote tongs. Nei­ther doe they heere cease, but tell won­ders surpassing credit, of Saint Thomas Bec­ket: For they auerre, That when Ail­ [...]ardus for stealing of a great Whetstone, (which the Authour that writes it best de­serued) [Page]was by sentence of Law depriued of his eyes, and virilities, vpon prayer to Saint Thomas, he had all restored againe: Yea, euen a bird hauing beene taught to speake, flying out of her Cage, and now ready to be seazed on by a Sparrow-Hawke, sayd onely, Saint Thomas helpe me, and her ene­my fell presently dead, but she escaped, and (belike) reported it: Yea, in his life time the Virgin Mary her selfe was contented to bee his Sempster, and sowed his shirt with red Silke.

But these forgeries be onely fit for Monks to indite, Children to reade, and Fooles to beleeue, inuented at the first to deceiue poore ignorant people, who cannot per­ceiue this their abhominable lying, being nuzled and fostered all their life long in Ignorance, by a commaund from his Ho­linesse, least they should descry their intol­lerable wickednesse. And therefore I will not dwell any longer vpon this poynt, but conclude it with a proofe of their Lying: for in the Raigne of King Richard the se­cond, King of England, their lying was growne to such a passe, that it was held as good an Argument to reason thus, Hic est Frater, Ergo Mendax, He is a Frier, [Page]and therefore a Lyer; as to say, Hoc est Album, Ergo coloratum: This thing is white, and therefore coloured.

Their Gluttonie, and Drun­kennesse.

HItherto we haue seene them ly­ing, now let vs see them wal­king like the tops of trees, tos­sed to and fro with the winde. Let vs also view their Gu man­dizing and Glttony. That these vices are not wanting in them, is euidently proued by that prayer of theirs to their good Saint Dominicke, which runnes thus:

Take him also for a witnesse, who saith, [Page]

And him who saith of them,

Take his testimony likewise, who saith of their Monkes:

But because I will not bee too tedious in so plaine a case as this is, I will conclude this poynt also, with that Epigram which was made vpon Saint Anthonie, the Saint for Swine:

Englished.

Thus much for their Gluttony and Drun­kennesse.

Their Lecherie.

AFter Gluttony and Drunkennesse, followe necessarily Lechery and wantonnesse: and therefore see­ing we haue prooued them immea­surable Drunkards, we may also conclude, that they are intolerable licentious, and ex­treamely addicted to the lust of the flesh. And that they are in this vice nothing infe­riour, or lesse expert, then in their Lying, or Drunkennesse, the many bones of chil­dren found about Monasteries, may bee a sufficient witnesse: yet that wee may not be deficient in examples, take these as wit­nesses of their Fornicating: An Abbatesse in Lombardie rising hastily from a Priest, (with whom shee had layne that night) to take a Nun with her Paramour, put on the Priests Breeches, in stead of her Vaile, vp­on her head, which the poore Nun percei­uing, desired her first to tye the strings of her Coyfe, and then to speake. The Ab­batesse perceiuing her errour, changed the copie of her countenance, and departed. [Page]Take another example or two. A certaine Franciscan in a Towne of Perigrod at the marriage of his Hosts daughter, caused meat to bee serued into his Chamber, for him­selfe and his fellow Fryer, making scruple to sit at the Table with the rest of the Guests, yet made no Conscience after Sup­per to goe to bedd with the Bride in humi­litie, taking the same paines with her in charitie, which he knew the Bridegroome meant to take: Yea, euen their holy Saints, whom so religiously they adore, are not free from this vice, which wee may prooue by the Tale of that Nun, who ha­uing a sore thigh, besought Saint Dominicke, that shee might be restored to her limbes a­gaine; Falling asleepe, she thought she saw Saint Dominicke close by her, taking from vnder his Cope a strong smelling Oynt­ment, wherewith hee annoynted her thigh. And when shee asked him what it was, hee told her, that it was called, The Oyntment of Lone: which we may vnderstand to be the priuate familiaritie which was betwixt them. In the time of Pope Paulus the third, the number of Whores which were in his Register, amounted to fortie and fiue thou­sand; and yet this was but a small number, [Page]compared with that which was before this Popes time. His Holinesse himselfe is many times giuen to this vice, as we may perceiue by the Epitaph of Pope Alexander the sixt his daughter, which runnes after this man­ner:

Englished thus.

If then the Popes be thus, how can wee expect that his Cardinalls should be better? Surely they are as ill as their Master: Wit­nesse the Popes holy Cardinall, Iohannes Cremensis, who being sent by Honorius the second hither into England, in the dayes of King Henry the first, to redresse the sinne­seeming abuse of the Cleargie, in retaining and vsing according to Gods owne Ordi­nance, the societie of their wiues; vpon the birth day of the blessed Virgin, made a so­lemne Oration in praise of Virginitie and Chastitie, with a terrible Inuectiue a­gainst maried Priests; and to amplifie their [Page]sinne the more, hee shewed what extreame impietie it was to rise from the bed of vn­lawfull lust, (for so was their chaste marri­age tearmed) and with polluted hands to touch the Sacrament of the Body of Christ, but the same night following, hee hauing that very day consecrated that holy Sacra­ment, was himselfe taken with a whoore. If the Popes Holinesse, and his reuerend Cardinalls be thus wicked, wee cannot ex­pect that the Minorites, or pettie fiue far­thing Fryers should bee any whit better? If the root bee vnsound, how can the bran­ches flourish? Assuredly they follow the steps of their Superiours, as in all other vi­ces, so in this of Lechery more especially, witnesse him who saith:

Witnesse also him who saith of their holy Fathers in generall:

Take his testimonie also, who saith of them:

But least they should say, that these testi­monies haue been deuised by men of our Profession, to disgrace them and theirs let vs heare what Mantuan, one of their owne Sect saith of them:

And another of their owne Profession witnesseth, that the first prey which Soul­diers sought for when they entred any Towne, was Priests Lemmans: But this their Lechery was dearely bought and well paide for; when Mounsieur d' Avanchi a French man, admitted two Franciscans into his Castle, made them good Cheere, and to make an end of their kinde entertainment: [Page]Hee told them he would pleasure either of them with his pretty wench. They refusing his kind offer at the first, he requested them to make bold with him, telling them with­all, that hee well considered they were but flesh and blood as other men were. In the end he locked them all into a chamber to­gether, and returning thither about an houre after, hee asked them howe they had done; and vnderstanding that they had not beene idle: O wicked Hypocrites, said hee, is this the way to ouercome temptati­on? and hauing so said, hee stripped them as naked as my naile, and hauing whipped them as long as himselfe and men could lay on load, he sent them away all naked as they were, to teach them to fight another time more valiantly against such temptations, or not to giue them the encoūter. One of Mar­quis Berengers Chaplaines also in Italy paid deare for his pleasure, when being taken and stripped naked for playing naught with his Mistris, he lost that part wherewith he of­fended: Let this suffice to haue spoken of their lewd, and licentious liuing.

Their Couetousnesse.

BVt are they cleere or free from Couetousnesse? nothing lesse. Wit­nesse their wandring from place to place, and crauing the beneuo­lence of those people, whom they farre ex­ceed in wealth: Witnesse also that auncient Disticke.

Witnesse likewise that Epigram.

And this.

Englished.

And that,

Witnes also that made of Pope Alexander the sixt.

Englished,

When King Henry the first his Embassa­dour, told the Pope that his Master would not loose his right in the Investitures of the Church for the losse of his Kingdome. The Pope answered, I will not suffer him to inioy them without punishment, no not for the sa­uing of my head. This made one brand them [Page]with this marke, that the clemencie of the Papall See is neuer wanting to any so long as the Red and the White make intercession for them.

Their Auarice may also be seene in their Indulgences, Pardons, Maggot-eaten Re­liques, Paxes, Crucifixes, Trentals, Dirges, Pictures of Saints, Bulls, hallowed Beanes, Holy water, Exorcismes, and a thousand such fables and bables, which were too long and too wearisom a taske to relate, all which are inuented for no other end and purpose, but by drawing money from the poore Ig­norants, to fill and stuffe the Popes Coffers. We may also call to witnesse their couetous­nesse, that best Fire in the Popes Kitchin, Purgatory, which was found out for no­thing else, but that poore people not know­ing any thing to the contrary, might giue lands and liuings to these Masse-monging Priests, to the end that they by saying so ma­ny Masses, Dirges, Aue Maries, and the like for their soules, might rid them out of that (as they thinke) fearefull place. I will con­clude this point with that of the Poet: ‘—Heu Romae, nunc sola pecunia regnat.’

Their Blasphemie.

HEere my haire startles, and my Pen is euen ready to fall out of my hand, considering the many execrable and abominable blas­phemies which their hearts haue conceiued, their mouthes vttered, yea, and their hands committed to writing: to such a height are they growne of impietie, abu­sing and wresting Scriptures (like a nose of waxe) to their owne ends, and applying those things to themselues, which were meant of Christ. Alexander the third hauing com­maunded the Emperour Fredericke to pro­strate himselfe, and aske him pardon for his offences; the Emperour kneeled: This gen­tle Pope, setting his foot vpon his throat, or (as some say) vpon his necke, most blasphe­mously applyed those wordes to himselfe, which were vnderstood of Christ, It is writ­ten, Thou shalt walke vpon the Aspe and the Basiliske, the young Lyon and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder thy feete. The Emperour highly offended for this contempt, answe­red, [Page]I doe not this to thee, but to Saint Peter. The Pope treading vpon him the second time, said, Et mihi, & Petro, Both to me and to Saint Peter. Pope Leo the tenth hea­ring one of his Cardinalls preach, who chu­sed his Text out of the New Testament, burst foorth into these execrable blasphe­mous words, O what great Riches haue wee got by this Fable of Christ? Pope Ju­lius the third louing a Peacocke very well, and missing it one time from his Table, as­ked where it was? Answere was made, That his Physicions had giuen charge hee should eate none, because it was preiu­diciall to his health. He being most blas­phemously bent, presently replies, Fetch mee my Peacocke, Ce dispetto de Dio. When his Cardinalls, and other followers besought him not to bee so angry, hee still perseuers in his impietie, and answeres them, If God were so angry for an Apple, as that hee cast our first parents out of Pa­radise, why may not I who am his Vicar, be thus angry for a Peacocke, which is a greater matter then an Apple.

A Priest of Lorraine holding a Pixe or boxe full of vnconsecrated singing Cakes, (as they tearme them) shuffled them toge­ther, [Page]saying, Yee little Whoresons, ye lit­tle Whoresons, which of you will bee God to day? One praying to our Lady holding her young Babe in her armes, (whom so reli­giously they adore and worship) and hauing receiued such an answer as pleased him not, by one that stood behind the Image, and iudging by the voyce that it was the Child that spake, said, Hold your peace, and let your Mother speake, who is wiser then you. Yea, they are not content thus blasphemous­ly to abuse God and his diuine Word, but they must boast also of this their wicked­nesse.

And are not (I pray you) their prayings to Saints, yea worse then that, to stockes and stones, so many blasphemies against Gods sacred Maiestie? Is it not a most execrable blasphemy, to make our Lady equall, yea, aboue our Sauiour? making him but a halfe, yea, no Sauiour at all.

If this bee not Blasphemy in the high­est degree, I would gladly know what it is? But let them take heed, and consi­der with whome they haue to doe, when thus they mocke GOD, euen with him whose eyes cannot behold Iniquitie, but will repay the committers thereof. This [Page]sinne of Blasphemy hath hee in all ages pu­nished in the highest degree. Witnesse Lu­cius, a notorious blasphemer of Christes Diuinitie, who was deuoured with dogs. Arrius had such a loosenesse of belly, that hee voyded his Intrailes. Lewes the ele­uenth, King of Fraunce, beholding cer­taine Tennis-players, with his wife, a­mongst other talke, said, Hee hoped to doe nothing hereafter which should offend GOD: which words were no sooner out of his mouth, but hee fell downe speach­lesse, and languishing a few houres, dyed in the same place.

Sophocles writeth, That before Aiax went to the Siege of Troy, his father counselled him to fight valiantly, but with­all, to pray to GOD for Victory, where­to Aiax answered, Adiutore Deo, vel ignavus vincere potest, Ego sine Deo. And therefore God smote him with a Frenzie, so that hee went about the field, slaying the silly Sheepe and Cattell, supposing that they had been his enemies; and when this was done, hee kills himselfe on the point of his owne Sword.

One in an Inne laughing at those which [Page]spoke of Christ, offered to sell his soule for a cup of Wine: one hauing bought it off him, the Deuill being among them like a Swaggerer, bought it at the second hand, and then making challenge of his Bargaine, hurryed him away with him in the ayre, af­ter which time he was neuer seene.

Certaine Gamesters at Mantua breaking foorth into blasphemy against our blesse [...] Sauiour, their eyes fell on the Table. And a childe at Rome not aboue fiue yeares of age, blaspheming the Name of God, was carryed away by the Deuill, from betweene his parents armes. And a Marriner at Ra­gouse, most fearefully tearing and rending GOD asunder with his bloudie Oathes, fell into the Sea, and was not seene, till certaine dayes after, that hee was found on the Shoare, where his Bodie was ta­ken vp intire and whole, the Tongue one­ly excepted.

And that I may not bee too tedious in a poynt so euident, wee may see it in the two Popes afore-mentioned, Leo the tenth and Iulius the third; the first of which be­ing ouer-ioyed for a Victory receiued a­gainst the French, reuelled three dayes [Page]and so many nights together, and then dy­ed with Drunkennesse: The latter of them came most miserably to a shamefull end.

Seeing then this sinne neuer escapes vn­punished, what hope can these Blasphe­mers haue? Doe they thinke God is not so iust, or more mercifull then heretofore hee hath beene? Or doe they thinke hee sleepes, or winkes, and will not see their impietie? It is blasphemy to thinke either. Let them therefore eyther amend, or else looke for the like, or more fearefull iudge­ment. But I haue beene (I feare) too long in this poynt, and therefore I will conclude it with that of the Poet Virgil.

Their Pride.

THat the pride of these Pedlers of Reliques is no lesse, then their fore-named Vices, may sufficiently appeare, if we con­sider the many Titles, which that great Vicar, (as hee stiles himselfe) of Christ, arrogates to himselfe, setting him­selfe aboue Kings and Emperours, ma­king them to hold his Stirrop; yea, euen to put their neckes as a Foot-stoole for him to tread vpon, putting on Crownes with his foote, and casting them downe with it againe as soone as put on, and making Kings, with their Wiues and their Chil­dren, to stand three dayes together at his Gate barefoot and barelegged, and there to wayt till his Holinesse be pleased to giue them absolution.

Their Triple-Crowne also is no lesse an Argument of their pride, as is also their challenging to themselues both Ecclesia­sticall and Temporall Authoritie: Euen [Page] Lucifer himselfe is not more proud then is his Holinesse, who holdes out his foot to bee kissed by the greatest Monarchs: One time as hee was stretching it out to bee kissed by an Emperour, a Spaniell got hold of it, and bit it: And therefore his Holinesse lost the Reuerence at that time, which should haue beene done vnto him, because the Emperour refused to kisse that place which a Dogge had bitten. But they will tell you perhaps, that this reue­rence is not done to them, but to the Crosse which is set vpon his Sh [...]oe: But this argues a great deale more pride, in that they dare put so sacred a thing (as they holde the Crosse to bee) vpon their shooe, which seemes to bee but a contemptible, and vile place, and not rather in some more eminent part of the body, as Head, breast, or the like.

Their being carryed on mens shoulders, as though the ground were not good e­nough for them to tread vpon, is a most manifest argument, that this Vice doth raigne in them, and yet (forsooth) the whole World must bee guided by them, and submit themselues to their commaunds: [Page]They must bee supreame Bishops, chiefe Lordes, greatest Comptrollers of States; and eyther all men must obey, and stoope at their becke, or else out comes a Bull presently to excommunicate them, as late­ly it did against our late Queene, now Saint Elizabeth, in which they pronounce her an Heretique, and an Alien from the Common-wealth of Israel. Each Fiue-far­thing Shaueling must bee reuerenced and obserued as if hee were some great man. One of their Profession, a Cardinall, made a Feast to Eleanor of Arragon, wherein were so many seuerall sorts of meates, and daintie Dishes, that it lasted for the space of seauen houres: and least his Ghestes should haue beene wearyed, hee caused sundrie Playes to bee acted, whilest they were at the Table. And to make his pride compleate, hee caused euery Seruitour at euery new Course, to come in a new Suite. Yet all this is nothing to the pride hee shewed to his Concubine Tiresia, for hee kept her publikely in such sumptu­ous manner, that her very Shooes were set full of Pearles and precious Stones. Yet these men must bee accounted the [Page]onely Meeke, Humble, Gentle, and Cour­teous men vpon earth: but if these things I haue reckoned vp, sauour any thing of humilitie, let any equall Arbitrator bee Iudge: for mine owne part, I cannot see that any humble man will exalt himselfe a­boue his Superiours, as the Pope doth.

When Augustine the Monke was sent into Brittaine from Rome, to teach the Britaines Christianitie, it is written, that the Brittaines went first to a certaine ho­ly and wise man, (which liued an Anchorites life) to aske his counsell, whether they ought at Austens Preaching and exhorta­tion to leaue their Traditions or not? The Anchorite replyes, If hee bee a man of God, follow him. But how shall wee prooue (say they) that he is a man of God? The Anchorite answered, If hee bee mild and humble of heart, then hee is a man of God; If curst and proud, hee is not of GOD, neither must you much esteeme his words. They inquire how they might know, whether he were proud or no? If (quoth he) when you come neere him, hee arise cour­teously, and salute you, then thinke him to be a Seruant of Christ, and so heare him [Page]and obey him: if hee despise you, and will not vouchsafe to rise at your presence, let him likewise be despised of you. They go to him, where they finde him set in his Chaire, but stirred not: which when they saw, forthwith waxing wroth, they noted him of Pride; and therefore endeauored to thwart and gainesay whatsoeuer he propo­sed: and so the preaching of the Gospell was put off, till a man of better temper should come. Thus in part haue we seene the pride and the arrogancy of these Shaue­lings, in some small manner layd open to the world, but I may say as Virgil sayd in an other case:

Though I had a thousand mouthes, and euery mouth so many tongues; though I had a Stentorian voyce, which would neuer faile, yet were I not able to reckon vp the one halfe of their pride.

Their wickednesse in generall.

LET vs nowe speake a little of their wickednesse in generall, and so an ende: And nrst con­cerning their Demy-God the Pope: When Leo the tenth was reprooued by certaine of his Cardinalls for his loose and wicked life, hee answered, If I be wicked, I may thank you for it: for you made me such a one as I am. They de­manding of him what he meant thereby, he answeres, Because you made mee Pope: for it is not possible to bee both a Pope and an honest man.

When certaine asked Pasquin, what in­iury had been done him, because hee loo­ked not after his accustomed manner; hath any man called thee Thiefe, Murderer, Poy­soner, or the like? Hee answered, Oh no, but they haue calleō me worse. What? hath any man called thee Sacrilegious person, [Page]or Buggerer, Parricide, or Atheist? Oh no, (saith hee) but they haue called me worse. In the end, being often requested to vt­ter his griefe, breathing out many sighes, with, Alas, Alas, hee sayd, they had called him POPE. The same Pasquin made this Epigram, or (if thou wilt) Epitaph vpon this word Pope.

Hildebrand poysoned seauen or eight Popes, that hee might come to the Pope­dome.

Pope Joan was taken for Pope Iohn, till shee was deliuered of her great belly; since which time they haue gotten a bottomlesse Chaire, through which they were wont to search the Popes humanitie. But nowe they haue left that Custome, hauing giuen sufficient testimony of their virilitie before they come to ascend the Papall Throne.

Pope Boniface (as I take it) the eighth, crept in like a Foxe, reigned like a Wolfe, and dyed like a Dog.

Thus much for the Head, let vs now descend a little lower, and search if the members bee any whitt better, and wee shall finde them simpathize all with the Head: [...]: If the head bee vnsound, the whole body must needs bee ill at ease. If the Popes Holinesse be thus wicked, the people whom they hold to bee altogether vnholy, must needes bee farre worse. They will Sweare, For­sweare, Curse, Blaspheame, Fornicate, Kill, Dare to doe any villanie; and why? His Holinesse doth it, and why not wee? That which is good for him, cannot bee hurtfull to vs: and therefore we will doe it: If need bee, wee can goe to him, and get a Pardon, and when wee haue done, sinne againe, and get a Pardon; and at our death giue but so much to a deuoute Monke, to say so many Dirges, and chaunt so many Masses, and we shall be in as happy an estate as the best.

Hence come those many Powder-plots, Poysons, Poyniards, Gunnes, Inquisiti­ons, [Page]Croysadoes, Rackes, and a thou­sand more such diuellish things, inuented by the Pope and his Monkes, and put in practise by your Laytie. But Oh poore soules, why doe you suffer your selues to bee thus seduced and misse-led by the De­uill in the likenesse and shape of a man? Looke but narrowly with the eye of dis­cretion into his actions, and you shall see how you are deceiued: Weigh our two Religions in an equall ballance, and see if yours bee not too light. Thinke vpon that Epigram:

Heere you may see the difference be­tweene the two Religions, whether of them sweares, blasphemes, curses, whores, drinkes, reuells, and the like, and whe­ther [Page]of them feares to doe these things; Iudge of them, and as you finde them, so follow them. Let vs now speake a little of their holy Fathers. Heare what one saith of their Cardinals:

Another speaking of their Priests, saith, that they are Angeli Sathanae per discor­diam, Angeli Apostatici per superbiam, Angeli Jncubi per Luxuriam, Angeli Abys­si per Auaritiam: And another sayeth of their Monkes:

Englished.

Fulco a French Priest comming to King Richard the first, told him hee had three very badde daughters, which hee wished him to bestowe away from him in marri­age, or else Gods wrath would attend him. When the King denyed hee had any daugh­ter, the Priest answered, Yes, thou hast three Daughters, Pride, Couetousnesse, and Lecherie. The King apprehensiue of his meaning, replyed, My Pride I be­queath to the haughtie Templers and Ho­spitallers, who are as proude as Lucifer himselfe: My Couetousnesse I giue to the White Monkes of Cisteaux Order, for they couet the Deuill and all. And as for my Lecherie, I can bestowe it no where bet­ter, then on the Priestes and Prelates of our times, for therein haue they their most felicitie.

These proud, conetous, Lecherous, op­pressing [Page]Fryers and Monkes did so domi­neere in England in the Raigne of King Henrie the third, that a Cardinall told the Pope, that England was to the Pope like Balaams Asse, which being so often veron­ged, spurre-galled, and cudgelled, it was no maruaile if at the length she opened her mouth to complaine: And as for them­selues and their Romane Court, they were like vnto Ismael, euery mans hand was against them, and theirs against euerie man.

In the same Kings Raigne, Edmund Arch-Bishop of Canterbury weary of his life here in his owne Countrey of England, by reason that hee could not redresse nor suppresse the Popes detestable exactions, and oppressions, made choyce of a volun­tary exile at Pountney in Fraunce, where hee dyed with the honour and opinion of a Saint.

A Senator of Rome sayd to Sylla, that vaunted of himselfe in the Senate: How can you bee a good man, that hauing lit­tle or nothing left you by you father, yet in so short a time are become exceeding rich? So may we say to the Popes Holi­nesse, [Page]vaunting and boasting, that he is a­boue Kings and Emperours, How can you bee a good man, who having (as you pre­tended) little or nothing, but went about begging the beneuolence of good charita­ble people, yet now are raised to that ho­nour and dignitie, that you set your selues aboue your Superiours? And wee may say of all Papists in generall, That they arro­gate to themselues the glorious name of Catholiques, and brand their opposites with the odious name of Heretiques, as certaine Heathen in old time called them­selues Deists, and all men else Atheists: and as the Turke at this day, who will needs be the true Muselman, and all the world beside Pagans. But this their Ca­tholique Religion, is nothing but Catho­lique corruption: and Catholique Papists, Catholique Heretiques.

I will now draw towards a Conclusion, giue mee leaue onely to speake a little of Rome, and so an end: In ancient times, M. Aurelius said of Rome, that it was the head of vices: O Rome without Rome, which now art become Stewes of vices: not without teares (quoth hee) I say, that [Page]there was neuer any Romane Captaine, that killed tenne thousand Asians, with the weapons hee brought into Asia, but he lost an hundred thousand Romanes with the vi­ces they brought to Rome. Thy walles are carryed a great height, but thy vertues ve­ry low: Shee braggeth of the number of her Inhabitants, but may rather weepe, that her vices be more without comparison; In one moneth a man may number the stones of her stately Buildings, but not in ma­ny yeares her lewde manners. O cursed Rome, cursed thou hast beene, art, and wilt bee: As by thy Tyrannie thou hast made thy selfe Lady of Lordes, so the time will come, when thou with Iu­stice shalt returne to bee Seruant of Ser­uants.

The like Sentence another gaue of Rome, who tolde the Senators, that he came out of strange Countries onely to see Rome, and now he found it without Rome: If my Iudgement (saith he) deceiue me not, either these be not Romanes of Rome, or else this is not Rome of the Romanes.

This was Rome in ancient time, and that it is still the same, may sufficiently ap­peare [Page]by those abuses of the Inhabitants thereof afore mentioned: And therefore I thinke I may safely conclude with that Disticke of the Poet:

Englished.