The Theater of the Popes monarchy, wherein is described as wel the vncleane liues of that wicked generation, as also their Antichristian gouernment, and vsurped kingdome: together with their horrible superstition, and blasphemous religion, as it is nowe vsed at this present, where Antichrist the Pope and his members doe beare rule.
MY friende (Stuperius) seeing it hath pleased God that we be heare mette togeather at thys present so conueniētly: let vs spend the tyme in some suche godly talke, and communication, as both maye [Page] tend to the glory of God (for to that end chiefly was man ordeined: VVhy manne was created. ) and also to the mutual edification one of another: knowing that at the day of iudgement we must rēder accounts, What accoūts wee must render at the day of iudgement. not only for al our thoughts, words, and deeds (whether they be good or bad) but also for euery least moment of time that hath been lent vs in thys life, how we haue spent and bestowed the same.
I am very glad (brother Philemon) to heare you so well affected. And with all my hearte, I will obeye your good aduertisement and godly request: assuring you, that I reioyce not a lyttle of such a good companion. For indeede (as you say) all our speeches ought to tende to the glory of GOD.All our speeches ought to bee to Gods glory. And therefore when we speake, wee ought to followe the commaundement of the Apostle, who sayeth. Si quis loquitur, vt sermo Dei loquatur. That is, If any mā speake, let him speake as the word of God teacheth him. Again, we haue an other commandement geuen vs by God himselfe in the sixt of Deuteronomie [Page] namely that we talke and commune of the worde of God, when wee rise vp in the morning,VVe ought alway to talke of the woorde of God. when we are at our meat, when wee lay vs downe to sleepe, when wee walke abroade by the waye, when we are at home in our houses, or whatsoeuer wee doe els, all our communication ought to be of God, and of his wō derous workes. And the Apostle in another place willeth vs that our communication be such, as may giue grace to the hearers, and not offence to anye. But now adayes the cleaue contrarye is euerye where practysed. For if anye man talke of the woorde of GOD neuer so lyttle a whyle, doeth it not mouere nauseam as it were, that is, seemeth it not lothesome, when in the meane tyme too talke of bawdrye,Filthy talke counted a creation. of filthinesse and vncleanenesse, a whole houre, a whole daye together, yea all their liues thorow seemeth a recreation (as they cal it) and an exercyse most pleasant. But if they would remember what our sauiour Christ saith in the gospel of S. Mathew 12. chap.Mat. 12. I think they would take heede what they said. De omni verbo otioso homines [Page] reddituri sunt raetionem nouiss [...]me die. That is: Men shal giue account of euery ydle word at the day of iudgement. Againe hee telleth them that Exsermonibus suis iustificabūtur, & ex sermonibus suis condemnabuntur. A ca [...]eat for vncleane talkers. Of their wordes they shall be iustified, and of their words, they shalbe cōdemned. If they woulde bee mindeful of this, I doubt not, but they wold leaue off to interlace their speeches as they doe wyth bawdry, scurrilitie, wantonnesse, & blasphemy, with swearing, cursing, and banning, rather resembling heerein the infernall furies then sober wyse Christians.
You haue saide well. And therefore the Apostle Iames biddeth vs, if we be merry, to sing Psalmes, & if we be sadde or sorrowfull to pray: by whiche rule of the Apostle is forbid and condemned all filthye talke or communication contrary to the word of God, All filthy talke condemned. all vncleane woordes, wanton songues, lasciuious sonettes, bawdye ballades, and all other prophane talke whatsoeuer▪ For wherefore [Page] did the maiestie of GOD giue vnto manne the vse of the tongue aboue all other creatures, VVhy God gaue man the vse of the tongue. but to this ende? namely, that he might gloryfie his Creator therewith, and edifie his Christian brethren? And therfore that wee may discharge our dueties, as well in the one as in the other, let vs descende intoo some particular poynts, which we may handle to the glory of God, and our mutuall edification.
I am wel contented, proceed in Gods name, and demaund what you will.
I pray you how many churches are there generally?
To speake generally there be two Churches.Two Churches. to wit, the Church of God, & the Church of the Diuel: the beloued spouse of Christ, & the whoorish sinagogue of Sathan, the Electe, and the Reprobate, the vessels of saluation, & the vessels of damnation.
Howe many folde is the Church of God?
Two fold, militant, and tryumphant. [Page] Mili [...]nt is that, which beyng dispersed euery where vppon the face of the earth,Militant churche what it is. fighteth and warreth dayly against the Diuell, the world & the fleshe. And Triumphant is that,Churche triumphāt what it is. which beeing deliuered out of this life, resteth in eternall glory. Both which Churches Militant & Triumphant, as they be mēbers of one misticall bodye (Christe Iesus) so shal they a [...]ter the dissolution of this life, bee vnited together as members of the same body,Churche tryumphant and militant all one. christ Iesus being their head. And albeit that they be distinct in tyme and place onely, yet make they both, but one true Church of God, as many members make but one perfect body.
Howe manye folde is the Church malignant?
Two fold, the wicked & reprobate, which liue here militant vppon the earth, & the wicked reprobats which are departed hence, which last may bee called the Church infernall.
Why cal you it militant?
Because it fighteth & warreth against God, against Christ Iesus his worde, against his glorye and sacred [Page] trueth in al things, yea, and agaynst all godlinesse and vertue in general.
Why cal you it the Church infernal?
Because it beeing dissolued, liueth in eternal paines, suffering (in the iustice of God,) the punishment of euerlasting damnation. And euē as the mylitant & triumphant Church of God, doe make but one body: so these Churches of the diuel, both which do liue here, & whiare departed hēce do make but one bodie also, the Diuel being the head thereof,
What doe you call the Church of God?
I cal the Church of God, the vniuersal number,What the church of is. & society of al Christian people, dispearsed throughout the whole worlde agreeing together in one trueth, one faith, and one hope of eternal life by Iesus Christ.
What be the marks and tokens wherby this church is knowen, and discerned from the Church malignant, and sinagogue of sathan?
They bee many, but especially these. The true preaching of the worde [Page] of God, the due administration of the sacramentes,The infallible narkes of the rue Church. the execution of Ecclesiasticall discipline according to the prescript rule of Gods woorde, and the like. So that where thou seest these things duely & truely practised, know thou that there is the vndoubted church of God. Upon the other side where thou seest all these things neglected (as it is in the papacie) nay cleane impugned, knowe thou, that there is not so muche as the face of the true visible Church of God but the coū terfeit church of Sathan where the Diuel maketh his continual residence.
Seeing that the Lorde hath his Churche his beloued spouse, and chosen congregation in this worlde, whō hath he constituted the supreme head, and gouernour of the same.
Christ Iesus whose the bodie is, muste needes bee the heade of the Churche,Cor. 11.3. according to the saying of the Apostle. I will that you knowe that Christ is the heade of euery manne. [...]e. 1.22. Agayne, God hath made al things subiect vnder his feete, and hath appointed him ouer al things to be head ouer ye church. [Page] In another place he saith:Ephe. 4.15. But let vs folowe the truth in loue, and in all things grow vp in him, which is the head, that is Christ. And to the Collossians he saith plainly thus:Colos. 1.18. And hee (meaning Christ) is the head of the bodie of the Churche. Againe in the second chapter following he sayth:Colos. 2.10. And yee are complete in him, which is the hear of all principalitie and power. And further in the booke of Samuel he saith:2. Sam. 22.44. Thou hast deliuered mee from the contentions of my people, thou hast preserued me to bee head ouer nations, &c. By all which places (besides infinite the like,Christ the onlie head of his body the church▪ which, fearing least I might seeme tedious, I omit) it appeareth that Christ Iesus onely is the sole, true, & only head of his body the church, and not anye other power or principalitie vpō earth whatsoeuer. And althogh that Christ bee the onelie vniuersall & peremptorie head of his Church, yet my meaning is not to denie Christian Princes that lawefull power and authoritie which ye word of god doth alow thē:Howe princes are heads ouer the church of God. that is to be the chief heads ouer euery seuerall Church or congregation, and ouer [Page] euery particular person and member of the same, within theyr kingdomes and dominions as his Lieuetenaunts, and Uicegerents vnder hym, to rule and gouerne the people of God by the rule and scepter of his worde.
But I haue harde that no christian prince can be head ouer the Church of God, but the pope onlie, what is your opinion in that?
In deede the Pope (I will not denie) is Supreame head ouer the vniuersall Church vpon the earth:The pope head ouer ye churche of Satan. but of what vniuersall Church? Of the Catholike or vniuersal church of satā (acording to my former diuisiō). Of this malignant church I confes he is the only Supreme head. But ouer the church of God,The pope no head ouer the church of god, nor any member of the same. the Spouse of Christe Iesus, hee is so farre from beeing head, that hee is not so much as a perfect member of the same: For proofe whereof, doe marke but thys one reason: he that impugneth the worde of God, and the doctrine of Christ Iesus wittyngly and willynglie is no true member of Christe Iesus. But the Pope (as the worlde beareth witnesse) [Page] in all his Actes, Dooinges, and Proceedynges generally, impugneche the woorde of GOD both wittinglye and willingly, ergo, neither hee nor any of hys Adherents are the true members of the mysticall bodie of Christe Iesus.
And notwythstandinge,The pope in pudent. that hee is conuinced both by the worde of GOD, the testimonie of his owne conscience, & the common verdict of all the woorlde, that he is so farre frō being the supreme heade ouer the Uniuersall Churche of Christe vppon the earth, that hee is not any true member thereof,The pope d [...]ludeth the worlde. yet hee beareth (or woulde beare) the worlde in hande, that hee is the onely Supreame head ouer the Churche of GOD, that Christe Iesus hath made and constitute hym his Uicare, and Lieuetenaunt generall, to rule and reigne according too hys owne corrupt humour. But howe falsly hee arrogateth this superioritye to hymselfe, euery manne (except wilfullie blynde) maye perceyue. For is not the Church of GOD,The Pope a verlet. the wyfe and Spouse of Christe Iesus? Than [Page] howe dareth he challendge to be head ouer another mans wife? Is he not a verlet, that will require it? and is not the wife a harlot that will permit it? And is not that a monstrous bodye, whiche hath moe heads then one? Therefore co conclude, Christ Iesus is the only Supreme head of the Churche, [...]rist Iesus, & [...]t toe pope is [...]ad ouer his [...]urch. and not the Pope. The Pope hath his Churche (to wit the malignant church, & Sinagogue of Satan) whereouer he is head. And as for the Church of God, hee may let it alone, for he hath no part, nor fellowship therein, except hee repent, and conuert in time.
Who was the first of those lustie bruites, that challendged this Supremacie before all others?
It is saide that Iohn Patriarch of Constantinople, beganne to take vpon him to bee called the supreme head, [...]ho challen [...]ed the name [...]f vniuersal [...]shop first. or vniuersall Bishop ouer all christendome. Then Bonifacius the thirde Bishop of Rome, seeing, that to bee called head ouer all the worlde was a glorious title, obteined of Phocas the Emperour to be called head ouer al the world. [Page] in the yeere of our Lord .680.The pope ha [...]ched of a C [...]catrices egge And thus was the egge laid, that hatched this Cokatrice, with all his filthie pewling brood.
There hath bin & is great controuersie amongst many concerning the Pope, of whom yet hitherto, I could neuer heare a perfect description. I pray you therefore what is the Pope?
Are you such a simple foole that you knowe not what the Pope is? Hee is a manne as others are,VVhat the pope is. but in all kinde of mischiefe farre surpassing any: who, by blood, murder, Simonie, monie, and a thousand such like indirect means vsurpeth the Sea of Rome, where hee sitteth as Bishop generall, and head ouer all the worlde, euen as Lucifer and and Beelzebub doe in the kingdome of hell.The pope [...] foorth in hi [...] colours. But if you will haue a plainer description of him, hee is a blasphemer, a sacrileger, an impostor, a seducer of the people, a false prophet, an Apostatae, a teacher of lyes and fables, a father of superstition, and idolatrie, an enemie to Christ Iesus, and his word, a cruel Tartarian [Page] in sheadding of innocent blood, a homicide or murtherer, a sower of sedition and dissention among Christian Princes, a perturber of ye whole world, And to be short, euen Antichrist himself, [...]he pope An [...]christe. the sonne of perdition, and first borne of Satan, whom Christ Iesus shal destroy with the breath of his mouth.
This is an odde felow in deede, wherefore doth hee call himselfe by the name of pope?
Because hee woulde bee thought too bee some great and wonderfull thing, and to be had in admiration amongest men. For wheras the Latine woorde (Papa) in Englishe (Pope) was at the first a name common too all good Bishops, [...] a commō [...]me to all B. [...] fathers in [...] time. and fathers throughout the worlde, he like a greedie ambitious gripe, challendgeth that name properly to himselfe. And why? Forsooth because he may seeme the graund captain ouer all the worlde. [...]hy the pope called Papa. And therefore hee greatly delighteth to be called Papa, that is Pope, or holy father, as it were pater patrū, the father of all fathers, & head of all people. [...]hereof papa [...]mmeth. But some think (& not vnlikely) that this word papa Pope, commeth [Page] of this interiection papè, which is a word of great wonder, & admiration, for when wee heare anye straunge & vnquoth thing that greatly amaseth vs, we crie out in admiratiō of the same (papè) oh Iesus, oh good Lord, what a wonder is this? So that by arrogating this name to himself he would beare the world in hande that hee is some strange thing, and as it were some diuine power sent downe from the heauens.
Proceed further I pray you to declare vnto me the glorious estate, the princely power, the large dominions, the infinit riches, the magnificēt titles, & dignity of this monster, and worlds wōder the pope, as he wil bee called, for they say, yt in these things, as in al things els he passeth al others
There was neuer any earthly power, neither Emperor, king, prince, duke,No power vpon earth comparable to the pope. Lord, nor any other Potentate, no not Alexāder ye great cōqueror of al ye worlde, Hanniball, Cateline, Hector, nor any other that heerein might compare with this gresie prelate: And no maruayle. For whereas their power extended no further than from Easte [Page] to West, from North to South, and frō one end of the earth to another: his power (or els the beast lyeth) reacheth not onely ouer all the face of the earth, and from one ende of the worlde to another, but also from the earth too heauen (yea heauen is his owne good,The wonderfull power of the pope. to bestowe on whom he wil at his pleasure,) from heauen to hel, frō hel to purgatorie, a place which neither God nor the diuel euer knew, nor yet once hard of, tyl the pope who knoweth all secretes founde it out.
Now is it any maruaile though his power bee greater then all others vpon earth, wheras he hath such absolute power and authoritie in heauen that the Angels are at his becke▪ in hell that the Diuels tremble and quake at his check,The Pope [...]reatly feared [...]n purgatorie. and in Purgatorie that the poore soules broyling in heate, looke for release at his handes, and feare his Maiestie a greate deale more, than the glorious Maiestie of GOD? These thynges howe absurde soeuer they be, hee blushsheth not to publish in bookes and pamphlets to the viewe of the worlde.
What armes giues thys mightie Monarch, for seeing that his power is so great, it must needes bee, that his armes are riche, and suche as may set foorth the glory and magnificence of his Papall estate?
I am very vnskilfull in blasing of armes, for I was neuer herauld in all my life: but yet I wyll tel you the best that I can.The Popes armes which he giueth. The Pope giueth the twoo crosse keyes, which hee calleeh (falsly) Saint Peters keies. These keyes hee blaseth very richly in golde and siluer Scutchins, thereby the rather to perswade the worlde, that neither Emperour,None can enter into heauen without the Popes pasport. Kyng, Queene, high nor lowe, riche, nor poore, can enter in [...]to the kingdome of heauen without the graunt of hys pasporte, & commission, & except hee open, and vnlocke the gates. By force of these keies he perswadeth the worlde that it lyeth in his power to open heauen gates to whome hee will, and too shutte them against whome hee will,The force of the Popes keies. to sende to heauen whom hee pleaseth, and to throwe downe to hell againe whom he thinketh good.
[Page]This is a worthie knight Marshall, I trowe, and such a fellow as is too bee feared. Is it anye maruell thoughe Kynges and Princes, high and lowe, rich and poore, euen all in general haue trembled at the very name of ye Pope? Thus playeth hee both the Iugler in castinge mystes before mennes eyes,The pope plaieth the iugler and the traitor together. the rather to deceiue them wyth hys Diuelish deceptions, and illusions: and also the false Traitour to GOD in stealing away the hearts of the people from the Lord.
Howe came he by these pretensed counterfait keies, can you tell?
I will tell you. As hee commeth by all thinges els, that is, by vsurpation,How the pope commeth by al things. by false wresting, and wrything of Scriptures, and a thousande such like indirect meanes, which he hath coyned in the forge of his owne braine, And the better to bring hys purpose about, he pleadeth to haue receiued them from Saint Peter▪ who (as he falsly alleadgeth) was Pope of Rome before him. But least action bee commensed [Page] against him, his Plee proued naught and him selfe a liar, it behooueth him first of all,Doubted whe [...]ther Peter wer [...]euer at Rome▪ to proue whether Peter was euer at Rome, which is doubted of many: nay clearely proued by as learned and famous menne as haue writte in all tongues, that hee was neuer at Rome, muche lesse Bishoppe or Pope there. And hauing prooued that hee was there (which hee can hardly doe) it standeth hym then in hand to prooue that he was Pope there,Peter neuer pope of Rom [...] whiche neither hee, nor all the worlde too helpe hym with besides, shall neuer bee able too doe. Then hauing prooued that hee was there, and that hee was Pope there also, yet helpeth it him not, excepte hee can prooue that Peter gaue it him eyther by wyll, Deede of gyfte, Feaftmente, or some other lawefull graunte, whereby hee maie wyth good conscience inioye that, whiche both Christe Iesus, the blessed Apostle Saint Peter, and all the reste of the Apostles in generall did alwayes refuse.The Pope pu [...] to his shifts. Or yf that hee canne not dooe thys, lette hym then shewe vs by [Page] what other hidden meanes it may come vnto him, whether by lineal discent, by hereditarie possession, or by what other conueiance. And hauing proued al this, yet helpeth it him nothing at all vnlesse hee canne prooue that Peter had suche large power and authoritie as hee pretendeth by these keies. These thynges if eyther hee or a nye of his whelpes can prooue vnto mee,The Popes whelpes. than wyll I say more vnto them: in the meane time I rest perswaded that hee is so farre from hauing any power in or ouer,The no pope mēber of the church of god. the Churche of God vppon earth by reason of these keyes, or any thing els, that hee is not so muche as a member of the same. But notwythstandinge I confesse,The spiritual keies of the kingdome of heauen. that Peter receyued the Spirituall Keyes of the kingdome of heauen, that is, the power of bindyng, and loosing of sins, togeather with the power and gyfte of expoundinge, interpretynge, and explaning of the holy Scriptures to the people. And not onely did Peter receiue these keyes, but also all the reste of the Apostles wythe hym, and in [Page] them, all other faithfull Preachers, Pastours, Doctours, and Ministers of the Gospell as effectually, as fully, and as amplie as the Apostles themselues.
What is meant by these keies?
A key (yee knowe) is an instrument that men vse, to open, and to shut withall.VVthat is ment by the keies. Therefore is this Metaphor borrowed thereof: by which keyes is meant potestas soluendi, & ligandi, the power of bynding and loosing: as I tolde you before in the Page precedent.
How is binding, & loocing perfourmed?
By preaching of the lawe, and the Gospel, as for example. When the lawe is preached, and the fearefull threates, and comminations therof thundred foorth against any impenitent sinner, then may hee bee saide to be bounden, and his sinnes to bee retained. And when the glad tidings of the Gospel is preached too the penitent, and contrite sinner,How binding and loosing is perfourmed. then may he be saide to be loosed and his sinnes to be remitted.
[Page]Again, when any one ariseth against the Maiestie of GOD, and rebelleth against his lawes and commaundements without eyther remorse of conscience, feare of God, intention of amendement, or repentaunce at all, this man is bounden, and his sinnes retayned. But vpon the other side, if hee sinne of frailtie, and afterwarde truelie repenteth, amendeth, and turneth too the Lorde wythall hys hearte,Howe wee are saide to bee bound and loosed. wyth an intention neuer to committe the same offence againe, and constantly beléeuing in Iesus Christe trusting too bee saued and pardoned by his death, then is hee loosed, and hys sinnes cleerely put away and remitted. In this sorte, and in this case hath euerie faithfull Pastour and Preacher of the Gospell, full, absolute, and Plenarie power too binde the impenitent sinner,Howe the Ministers of the gospel haue power to remit sinne. that is, to pronounce hym by the warraunt of Gods worde, to be bound, and to loose him agayne, that is, to pronounce hym by the woorde of God too bee loosed when hee repenteth, and turneth to the Lorde with all his hearte, as I haue saide.
[Page]Thus ye see the power of the keies, that is,Binding and loosing restrained within the compasse of Gods worde. of bynding, and loosing, is restrayned within the Pale and wall of Gods woorde, and not in suche a lauish maner, and raunging sorte as pleasethe Magister noster, our greate Master the Pope too determine. For if it were true, or coulde bee prooued, that the Pope hadde this Plenarie power, too bynde and loose whome hee would wythout the warraunt of the woorde of GOD, then woulde I not blame them yf all the worlde wente after him, and not onely worshypped hym as a manne, but as a GOD vppon earthe. Is it any maruaile though hee hath withe thys Sweete Bayte,The popes venemous hook and poysone bayte. and venemous Hooke, drawen vntoo hym selfe the moste Kingdomes and Nations of the woorlde? But nowe (GOD bee thanked) they beeing better instructed in the woorde of GOD, and seeynge hys horrible Blasphemie, Superstition, Idolatrie, and euen Diuelrie it selfe, haue the most of them made Defection, and shrunke from hym. [Page] And dayly doe they fall from his Antichristian kingdom,The most part of the popes [...]ingdomes are [...]alne frō him. and the Lord graunt that more and more may fall from hym euery day and houre, tyll there be none left with him, that God may be glorified and they eternally saued in the daye of the Lord Iesus.
Mee thinke that menne might easily spie out his doings being so detestable as they bee, and hauing spied them out, myght then eschewe them, might they not?
Yes: And God bee praysed, so they doe dayly, Englande hathe spied out his knaueries:Kingdomes [...]lne from the [...]pe. and therefore hath spewed hym out. Scotlande hath done the like. Fraunce hath abandoned hym. Germanie hath vtterly forsaken hym: Yea, and part of his owne countrie of Italie seeing hys abhominations, haue and doe dayly fall from hym, with infinite other places, Countries, and Nations, which for breuities sake I omit.
It cānot otherwise be, but hauing the woorde of God amongest them, they must needes finde out his [Page] knaueries being so grosse, that a man with halfe an eye (as they vse to say) may easily perceiue them.
You saye the trueth.Gods worde the ouerthrow of the Popes kingdome. But if the worde of God shoulde once bee set a; broch, and come to light, then (he knoweth it verye well) his kingdome of ignoraunce, and darknesse woulde soone decay and come to naught. And therefore to the end that he may the better maynteine his kingdome of ignoraunce, hee clappeth vppe the Byble,The Pope forbiddeth the reading of the Scriptures. forbidding all men whatsoeuer to reade it, or once to looke one worde vpon it, and that vppon payne of damnation: saying further that none ought to looke vpon it, but he and his rabbynes, or such others as he shal license and authorize therto by his bulles of dispensation. This is cleane contrary to the doctrine of our sauiour Christ, who biddeth vs searche the Scriptures saying.The Popes doctrine contrary to Christes. Scrutamini Scripturas eae sunt enim qui testificantur de me. Whiche is, Searche the scriptures, for those are they that beare witnesse of me. In an other place, he saith, Scrutamini scripturas, in eis enim speratis vitam eternam [Page] habere. Al men ought to search the Scriptures. That is, search the scriptures, for in them you hope to haue eternal life. This is contrary to the example of the Birreans in the Actes of the Apostles,Birreans their notable example. who searched the scriptures dayly to see whether the things preached by the Apostles were true, or not. Nowe whether it bee better to obeye Christe who commandeth vs to search the scriptures or the Pope, who forbiddeth vs the sight of them, iudge you. And to the ende that he may bee sure to keepe the worlde in Cymmeriis tenebris, in palpable darknesse, & grosse ignoraunce stil, (for ignorance he calleth the mother of deuotion,Ignoraunce the mother of damnation not of deuotion. whereas indeede it may well bee called the mother of damnatiō) he not only locketh vp the byble vnder strong lockes, & keyes, but also turneth it into a straunge tongue,Bible locked vp and in a strange toung. contrary to the doctrine both of our sauiour Christe his blessed Apostle Paul, who commandeth that al thinges be done in the Church to edification,1. Cor. 14. & in a knowen tongue: & also to the example of the Prymitiue and Apostolicall Church, who euer vsed to haue the bible, and other diuine bookes, in the mother [Page] tongue, which they vnderstoode. And as though this restraint were not badde ynough, he giueth in charge that no man be so bolde as to interprete or expounde the scriptures,Scripture to be no otherwise interpreted, then pleaseth the Pope. otherwise then hee shall think meet in his commentaries, gloses, and paraphrases. Thus he woulde bee thought too haue all knowledge in his breast (for so som of his Sorbonisis haue writtē of him, that in scrinto pectoris Papae cōditur omnis scientia, that is, In the chest of the popes breast, lieth hid all knowledge whatsoeuer) & to be onely wise,The pope would be thought onely wise. & al the world besides to be blind as betles, & to see, or know nothing. Under which gay pretēce of wisedom & knowledge, whatsoeuer he deereeth must stād for an infallible & an vndoubted truth: no man must ask any questiō of it, but what soeuer he cōmandeth be it right or wrōg, truth or falshood, it must be obeied forthwith vpon payn of damnation. And why not?Nether the Pope nor his Father the Diuell canne erre. for whatsoeuer he speaketh, yea althogh he but dreme it, it is truth forsooth, & so m [...]st al mē take it: for he is the onely felow vpon ye earth that cannot erre, neither in life, nor doctrine, no more thā the diuel himself.
Euery man may count him but an Asse in so deeming of himself, for the holy Ghost teacheth vs, that Omnis homo mendax, solus Deus verax, that is: Euery man is a lier, and God onely is true. Therefore if hee bee a man (but I rather think him a Diuel incarnate) he must needes erre: For hominis est errare, labi, & decipi: It is naturally giuen to euery man to erre, to fall away, & to be deceiued. But notwithstanding they holde (as I heare say) that he is not a plaine or naked man as other men be, The Pope a deyfied creature and no man. but a diuine creature, deified with the Godhead, and euen as it were a God hym selfe, and therefore cannot erre. But Peter of whom he so much braggeth, & whose successor he boasteth himselfe to be, Peter denied hys Mayster thrise. when the Lord had taken hys grace from him for a time, denied his maister, not once, nor twise, but iii. times. Christe called him an other time bar Satana the sonne of the diuell, saying come after mee sathan, thou sauorest not those thyngs whiche are of GOD, but of men. By all [Page] which reasons (with infinite the lyke which might be alleadged, if eyther tyme would permit me, or the necessitie of the cause required the same) it manifestly appeareth, that the pope not only doth erre simply both in life and doctrine, The Pope erreth in all things. but also erreth most grossely, and moste shamefully in al thinges.
Nay, but he hath prouided a cooling card for them that shal so iudge of him. For, be his doings, his whole life, & doctrine neuer so detestable, yet maye none be so bolde,The Popes cooling carde. as to iudge of thē. And his reason (or cooling card) is this. Qui omnium viuentium iudex constitutus est, a nemine est iudicandus, that is, He who is appointed to bee the iudge of all men, ought to bee iudged of none. No although hee draw infinite millions of men,No man may iudge of the Pope. and women to hell, by his wycked example of life, yet may no manne iudge of hym for it. Thus raigneth hee vpon earth as one, neither fearing God, nor yet reuerencing man. And why not? For this is a maxime in his law,A maxime i [...] the Popes law Sic volo, sic iubeo, sic mando, est ratio praeclara, [Page] voluntas, that is, so I will, so I bidde, and so I commaunde, my will is the ballaunce of equitie, and the square rule of iustice.
If his wil stand for law as in truth it doth, then must he neads be of a woonderfull power, and might, yea euen as a God in comparison of other menne, is hee not taken so to be?
Yes truly. And not without great cause, for as they say, he is of such a wonderfull power,The greate power of our Maister Pope. that of wrong he can make righte, of falsehood truth, of iniustice, iustice, of lighte, darkenesse, of darknes light, and when his holinesse is pleased he can make the swanne blacke, and the crowe white. Hee can also diuorce those whom the lawe of God hath ioyned togeather, and againe whom the law of God hath diuorced, he can ioyne together. He can dispēce either with the law of God, or of man, breaking, allowing, or disalowing what pleaseth his humor. Subiects he cā discharge frō their allegeance to their prince.The Pope must haue a share in euery thing. He also licenseth, & dispenseth wt al kind of the euery, [Page] robbery, whordom murther, māslaughter, or els what abhomination soeuer, so that his share may be therin, which you may be sure is not the smallest parte.
This follow seemeth rather a monster in nature then a man, that thus dareth peruerte all thinges to serue his own turne.
If you knew al, you would say so. For he taketh into his handes the whole power, and state of Caesar, & therfore writeth he himselfe heire apparant to the Empire.The Pope heire apparent to the Emperour. And to this purpose hee hath perswaded emperors, kings, & princes that he may & ought so to do iure diuino, that is, by force of gods law, whiche seemeth most monstrous. Wherin if any do resist him, then putteth he them in feare, & threatneth thē with his absolute power in heauen,The Popes fray bugge. earth & hel, & with excōmunication, & other his flashing thunderbolts of cōmination. Yea to this passe hath he brought it, yt neither Emperour, king, nor Prince is lawfullye crowned, which is not crowned by him:The Pope crowneth emperours with his feete. & as thogh his holy hands were too good to set the crown vpō their heads, he crowneth thē [Page] (for the most part) with hys toes, they laying their heades downe vppon the grounde.The Pope deposeth kynges and Emperors when hee ly [...]t. Hee also maketh and putteth downe Emperours, kinges and princes at his pleasure. So that if any one dysplease his holinesse, he is by and by throwen downe as low as hell, deposed from his regal dignitie, his crowne plucked of his head, and scepter out of his hands, excommunicate, and an other put in hys place. And thē if it fortune that this king so deposed doe rise in armes to defende his people, his countrie, and his owne right, then rayseth he vp other kings, & Princes against hym: So that were he otherwise neuer so mightie of hymself, yet shall hee not bee able to preuayle against them all. Upon the other side, if he referre his cause to a general Counsel to be decyded there,No generall counsell can be gathered with out the Pope. it booteth not. For there is no Councell that can be gathered without his consent, and allowance of the same. Neyther maye they determine, or decree any thing but what shall sound pleasant in hys eares. And then the small end of all is,The next way for kinges to come by theyr owne at the popes hands. and the next waye for the kinges and Princes deposed, to [Page] come by their dignities again, to submit themselues, bodies, landes, goodes, people, countrey, life and all into the Popes handes, to aske forgiuenesse, and falling downe vpon their knees, too prostrate themselues, and kisse his feete in hope of grace. This done, then peraduenture if he wil giue money ynough he shall bee restored to hys kyngdome agayne.Marke the cō scyence of this fellow. But yet if an other wyll gyue more then hee for it, hee goeth wythout it too, my lyfe for youres. And notwythstandyng all thys submyssion, if they please him not well, hee wyll not sticke to treade and crample vppon them, lyke dogges. As wee reade of a certayne Emperour,The proude Pope stampte vpon the neck of a good Emperour lyke a dogge. whose neck the Pope proudly stampe vpon as though he had bin, a beast. There was also another pope, who vsed to makkings & Emperours his blocks to stand vpon, when he mounted vpon his horse. Some kings must hold his styrrops,Kynges made footstooles to the pope. other some (on either side one at the least) must lead his horse by the bridle thorow thicke and thinne.Kings holding the popes styrrops. And thus maketh hee all men, both Emperours, kings & princes euen all in generall subiecte vntoo [Page] him, in the meane time he himselfe beeyng subiect to none. And yet notwithstanding, there is nowe, neither emperor, king, nor prince, that dares mute against him, but him they obey as sole lord of heauen & earth.None dares mute against the pope. Whatsoeuer he commaundes, they dare not but fulfil. In so much that if he command them to make warre against the coūtrey, people, or nation, thē gather they their troups & legions of armed men to gether, & forwarde they go, sacking, spoyling and burning both cities, towns, & countries. And imbruing their hands in the blood of poore innocentes,The popes mercy in shedding of blood. they slaye and kill euen all without mercy, man, woman, and child, putting all too the edge of the swoorde most cruelly too beholde. And this they must doe. Why? Because the Pope commands thē so to do: whose commandement whether it bee wrong or ryght aboue all thynges in the Worlde is to bee obeyed in euerye poynt without exception.
This is an intollerable slauery, and seruilitye, I maruell that euer christian princes will suffer thēselues [Page] so to be abused, and that of a greasie prelate.
Nay, he proceedeth further, & as though the former abuses were not sufficyent, hee maketh the lawes, the Courtes,Al courts subiecte too the pope. and Offices of kynges and Prynces subiect vnto hym: So that if any man dislyke of the lawes, & Courtes of their Prynces, he maye frankely, and freely make his appeale to the pope,Appeale to the court of Rome and Court of Rome. By which meanes hee raketh in moneye not a lyttle euerye yeere.
Is it possible that princes will put vp this iniurie at his hands, and not bee reuenged? I praye you how doth hee behaue himselfe towardes them, that they rise not vppe against him, and pull him out of hys kingdom by the eares?
He feedes their humors he speaketh pleasant things vnto them,The popes profession. hee flattereth & fawneth vpon them in such sort as he makes them beleeue the moone is of green cheese, and so it is indeede, if he say so. But for feare of the woorst, and for further safegarde of hys personne, [Page] hee entreth intoo league with all suche kings & princes of euery coūtrey,The pope enreth League wyth kings & princes, and why. as are of any great force & power, least (happily) they might indanger his estate, incase they shoulde resist his Maiesties person. And if it happen that at anye tyme hee want money,VVhat shyfte the pope maketh when he lackes money. The popes beagles doe hunte for money. and knoweth not howe to come by any, then sendeth he foorth hys Embassadours, his Legates, his Suffraganes, and hys Cardynals into all landes, thorow whose diligent industry he setteth kings and princes together by the eares: and beyng at bloody warres amongst themselues, then wil he be sure to take parte with him that is the stronger: be it wrong or right that maketh no matter: for of wrong he can make right. Alwayes prouyded that in all spoyles,The popes share. prayes, bootyes, and escheates, he haue the greatest share, for that is the thinge that hee desires,The mark the pope leueleth at. and the onely marke that hee shootes at. Thus hee feedeth hymselfe wyth the blood of the poore innocent Lambes, contrarye both to the law of God,The pope thirsteth for blood and his own calling, which is to saue blood and not to shed innocent blood.
Doth he euer goe to field in his owne person?
Yea very often, in this sort. First of all hee is cloathed in hys ryche Corselet coate,The pope warreth in his owne person. guilt and behanged with all manner of precious stones, in hys shyrte of mayle, and his heade peece all glystering in golde, with his hoare goatishe bearde, hanging downe too his gyrdlesteede. And in this warlyke manner marcheth he forwarde with his [...]andes of menne,The popes marche in the field when h [...] fighteth for Ioanes beste cap. horses, and charettes, like the sandes of the Sea in number. All whiche beeinge at his becke, when he commaundeth, they inclose mightye townes, circumuall huge cities, subuert castels & towers, trench in strong holds, & in fine battering them with great ordinance (for munition wāt they none) they lay them leuell with the grounde.The popes le [...]nity and com [...]passion. And like mercilesse Tartarians, they slaye man, woman, and child, without respect had either of age,The pope a bloodsucker. sexe, time, place, or person. Which noble stratagem atchieued, this bloodye Villayne with all his cutthroates returne agayne to Rome with no smal spoiles, where is such bonefires, [Page] such feasting and banqueting,Bonefires at Rome for slaughter of Gods saints. suche going of procession, suche massyng, and mummyng for ioye of thys greate vyctory, (or rather moste bloodye massacre of Gods Saintes) as the lyke hath not beene seene of many yeeres before.
Mee thinke it is altogeather agaynste hys callyng, as I sayde before, that hee beeynge a Prieste, shoulde shewe suche crueltie.
What? Cruelty doe you call it? No, it is not crueltie. You maye not flaunder our holye father so. Doe you not knowe that of cruelty,The popes metamorphosis. he can make lenity, and of lenity cruelty, changing any thing intoo the nature of another at his pleasure? And although he rid thē of their liues in this world (which of force they must once leaue, if he were not) yet cā he send thē packing into heauen when hee will: and so haue they made a good change, haue they not? Or if they goe to hell, euen thyther sends he hys power down, with charms & solemne ceremonies, which reach euen vnto the smoaky pit it self,The popes power sent into hell. & vnto the burning lake of the [Page] same. By means wherof althogh he can not peremptorily loose the dāned soules from their cheynes, nor free them from theyr payns, nor although he he not able to breake the turning wheeles, to kil the dreadfull snake, to coole ye boyling ledd, nor to quench the flaming fire, yet cā he ease & make lesser their paines by farre. And which is more, som write that, whē he wil, such is his absolute power) he can bring to passe that the fire of hell cannot burne,The pope ca [...] make the paines of hell to ceasse. the wheeles turne, the ledd boyle, the snakes not sting, nor the woormes gnawe or byte any more. And if the dyuel anger him muche, or it chaunce too rayne a golden showre, he will empty hell in spite of the Diuelles heade, and sende them wyth a pasporte into Heauen, whether God will or not. And why may he not doe this? For hath hee not the keyes of Heauen gates, and may he not open and shut them when he wyll? Nowe he that can doe these thyngs, may he not play the Rex wel ynough? And is he not worthy to be made of,The pope pla [...]eth the Rex. & accepted amongst men, not as a man, but as a God rather?
Yea truly. And as I remember one of his whelpes hath thus written of him. The pope better then God. Papa deo maior & praestātior est, & quicquid potest deus, idē & Papa. That is the Pope is greater and better thā God & looke whatsoeuer god cā do, the same can the pope do. Yea & some of them say, that he can do more thē God. For say they, God cannot make God, The pope can do that God cannot doe. but the pope can make God when hee will, & therfore must he needs be not only a god, but also more than a God. I praye you therefore what authority and power hath he elswhere more than this?
Besides his power in heauē, earth, & hell, he hath also power in another place called Purgatory nullibi, Purgatory. Nullibi. or Purgatory pickepurse choose you whether, a place which neither God nor ye diuel euer knew of, til he of late founde it out, & yet for all that cānot he himself tel where it is, nor in what part it is adiacēt. But in this place he rules ye rost, he is rector chori, the leder of the daūce there, and none rules but hee alone. In thys broyling fire muste euerye soule that [Page] departeth this life bee cleansed and purified (saieth this master lyar) before it can enter into the kingdome of heauen seuē yeres space,The pope saith euery soule must be punished 7. yeeres in purgatorie for euery sinne that euer he cō mitted in thy [...] life. for euery sin that euer he committed in al his life, whether they be small or great, except they bee released by his meanes. And therefore teacheth he the people to giue money to Friers, Monkes,The Popes merchandize. and Priestes too say Masses, Diriges, Trentalles, Ladie Psalters, Himmes, Prayers, Orisons, Exorsizations, and the like for the soules in Purgatorie: which as sone as euer they be said,So sone as money rings in the boxes, ye soules in purgatorye feele ease. the soules feele wonderful great ease thereby: yea of such force are they that so soone as euer the money ringeth in the boxe, the soules receiue comfort. And if money come in freely, hee will not sticke too graunt you foorth suche a generall pardon and indulgence,Money wyll sweepe Purgatory cleane. as shal sweepe all Purgatorie cleane. And beeyng once graunted forth (they cary such meale in mouth as they saye) neither Pluto, The popes bandogs. Cerberus, Lucifer, Beelzebub, nor the greatest Diuelles in Hell cann withstand his power, nor keep back one soule, although they labour neuer so [Page] fast with their croked clawes & crabbed fleshooks to stay ye soules there stil. No they dare not mute against him,How the diuels [...]remble. his power maketh them all too tremble like mountaines, & to shake like Okes: By this deuise of poling purgatorie he gayneth more to himselfe, than the mightiest prince that lyeth vpon the earth, may dispend in annuall reuenewes yeerely. And therefore I cānot blame him thogh he make much of such a pad,Purgatorie the popes sowe. and cherish such a sow yt wil bring him forth euery yeere such a farrow of pigges as these.
I perceiue his power is marueilous great, & farre surpassing the power of any earthly wight els. I pray you with what maner of attyre and habite is he clothed? For seeing, that he excelleth all men in power, & dignitie, it seemeth incident too his maiesticall estate, that hee bee richlier clothed then all other men.
In sumptuous robes, and ryche attyre, there may no earthly creature compare with him. For when he is desposed to bee seene abrode, he is cladde al ouer from toppe to tooe, (as they say) [Page] in purple coloure,The popes attyre. in silkes, veluets, sattans, damaskes, and withall, in cloath of golde, siluer, and tinsell, besette aboute wyth all kynde of pretious Stones from India, and from all the coastes of the worlde. Than vpon his head hath he a Triple crowne all of perfecte golde,A triple crown hanged with Diademes, Carbuncles, Smaradges, Saphyres, Pearles, and all kinde of precious Stones glistring like the Sun.The popes crosier. His crosier then & double crosse of gold is carried solemnly before him, he bring garded behind and before with swarmes of Cardinals,The popes gard. Monkes, Friers, Priestes, and an infinit number of harnished men marching in battaile aray: besides these things, they haue their strange gestures,The strange gestures of the papists. aswel with hande and foote, as with head and shoulders, & all parts of their body, which to see & mark wold make a man to laugh that hath but one laughter in his belly.All thinges the pope cōmeth nere are holy. And in suche veneration is this holy father hadde, that the ground whereupō he standeth or goeth, is takē to be holy ground, all things that he handleth or commeth neere, yea if hee but tooke vppon it with his holy eyes, it is straight way holy.
[Page]In this order marcheth this holy satanist towardes the Temple or Church carryed a wonderfull height vpō mens shoulders,The pope carried on mens shoulders. euen as the sacred Arke of Aaron was, wherein the hiden Manna lay. Compare nowe all thinges whiche this great Antichrist the Pope doth, with the doings and actions of our Sauiour Christe, and thou shalt see no analogie, resemblance, or agreement betwixte them, but rather a playne Antithesis, and contrarietie.The great differēce betwixt Christ and the Pope. Christe Iesus when he was vpon the earth, lyued in pouertie, and meane estate. The pope lyueth in wealth, and abundance of all things. Christe Iesus had neither siluer nor gold, and therefore when hee should pay tribute was forced to flie to a myracle to get a penie, The Pope hath Millions of golde, and mountaines of siluer by him. Christ Iesus commaunded hys Apostles that they should not carry money in their purses, nor two coates for their backs: and that they should preach the worde freely.The pope wyll none of that. The Pope commaundeth the cleane contrarie, insomuch that it is grown into a Prouerb, No Penie, [Page] no Pater noster. Christe Iesus went on foote long and tedious iourneies,If the Pope should goe on foote, it would hurte hym, for hee is so fatte, that it would fry and melt hys grease wythin hym. so that he being wearie was forced to rest him at the well of Iacob, about the sixte houre of the day, that is twelue of the clocke after the Computation of the Iewes. The Pope hee is carried on mens shoulders too too goodly, and rydeth in sumptuous Wagons, Charets, Quoches, Horselitters and the like, beeing all either of pure golde or siluer, or els of some other costly thing, behanged with pretious stones, cloth of golde, veluet, silke, damaske, Satten, and what not els seemely to beholde. Christ Iesus was glad to weare a crowne of thornes vpon his head,But the Pope meanes not to change hys crown of gold for Christes crowne of thornes. pricking him to the brain pan. The Pope weareth a triple crown all of golde, and pretious stones, betokening his threefolde power in heauen, earth, and hell, wherein wee thinke the Pope is much deceiued. For as he hath power in heauen, in earth, in hel, and in Purgatorie,The Pope ought to wear a quadruple crowne. so he shoulde weare a quadruple crowne, too signifie his absolute power in them all. And therefore would I wishe some of his Bastardes to tel his [Page] holines of his great ouersight, and to amend it in time. And thus too conclude, thou seest by these fewe comparisons betwixt Christ and the Pope, what agreement there is betweene them, as muche as is betwixt light, and darkenes, truth and falshood, heate, and cold, God, & the Diuel, heauen, and hell. And therefore mayest thou know that hee is that great Antichrist that was forespoken of, shuld come towardes the ende of the worlde,The pope proued antichrist. whom the Lorde shall destroy with the glory of his comming.
It is greatly to bee wondered at, howe he commeth by money to maintaine this great cost, and stately porte withall?
Neuer wonder at that: for neither emperour, king, nor prince hath such store of Gold in their chestes, as he hath. For besides his owne inheritance which is both far & broad, he hath frō all the parts in Christendom (almost) taxes, tallages,The popes exactions too mayntayne his pride. cōtributiōs, tenths, tithes, Peter pence (as he calleth thē) & other greuous impositions not a few, al which by most intollerable exaction he vsurpeth: [Page] hee hath also belōging to his pretensed patrimonie, both cities, townes, countries & natiōs, castles & towres, besides hauēs, ports, sinques, & creekes, wherby he gaineth yerely 1000 talents & more to his cofers, Beyond al this, he gaineth as much or more, by graūting pardōs, & indulgences, by pardoning & remitting sin,Pardons & indulgences. by giuing forth dispensations, qualifications, tot quots, pluralities, non residentaries, anuates, & like deuises infinite. Besides this, by his pelting palles,The gayn that commes in too the pope by pelting palles. he may drinke 100000. li. a yeere. And what he gaineth by selling, by chopping & chaunging of bishoprikes, abbeies, nunneries,The popes chaffer. priories, prebends, personages, vicarages, and the like, let the world iudge, is it any wonder now, how he cō meth by money enough too support hys estate withal, hauing so many wayes to gaine by? Insomuch that Pope Iohn 22. after his discese left 25. millions,The tresure of Rome infinite. or 25. times a thousande thousande of crownes in redie money behind him, besides what he spent vpon whores,That was not the least part I warrant you. bauds, and knaues, in pride, ryot, gluttonie, and excesse during his life.
[Page]In the time of Pope Martin 5. there was brought too Rome 9. Millions of golde at one time out of Fraunce, which is 9. times a thousand thousand crowns,Oh extreeme polyng. for Benefices, and other Ecclesiasticall promotions, whereat the Archbishop of Madenbourgh admiring said, Iudicet timoraius, quae verago haec: Rome a deuouryng gulphe. that is, Lette a wise man iudge, what a deuouring gulph the Citie of Rome is. Al things as I tolde you before are sold for money at Rome, and therefore Iohn Picus writeth thus,Al thyngs sold at Rome for money. Vendit Alexander, cruces altaria Christum, vendere iure potest, emerat ille prius: that is, Alxander the pope selleth crosses, altares, yea, and Christe himselfe also, and why not? For, saith he, hee bought all before with his money? Whereto agreeth Baptista Mantuanus, a Monk writing thus: Venalia nobis templa, Sacerdotes, altaria, sacra, coronae: ignis, thura, praeces coelum est venale, Deus (que). That is, At Rome Churches, priestes, altares, sacrifices, crownes, fire, frankensence, prayers, heauen, and God himselfe is is to be sold for money. And therefore [Page] hee concludeth thus and saith,The wickednes & corruption of Rome described. Viuire qui sanctè cupitis, discedite Roma, omnia cum liceant, non licet esse pium: that is, All that desire to liue in the feare of God get you from Rome: for wheras all other things are lawfull there, yet is it not lawefull too bee good there.
I marueiled not so muche before, how hee came by money sufficient to maintaine his estate wythal, A thyng to b [...] maruayled at but now I maruel a thousād times more howe hee spendeth so muche as commeth in yeerely into his treasurie?
He hath wayes enough to spend it I warrant you, and if it were x. times as much. For rather thā to faile he wil spend you a hundreth thousande crownes in a yere, vpon whores, baudes and harlots, vpon strumpets, brothels, & vile filthie Sodomits.Hee wil spēde a hūdred thousande crownes in a yere vpon whoores and harlots, &c. He wil spend you as much, nay ten times as m [...]ch, in riot, gluttonie, drunkennesse, g [...]urmandize, and all kinde of excesse. And what hee spends in pride, in erecting of gorgeous houses, in building of Abbeies, Priories [Page] Hospitals,How the pope spendeth hys money. Seminaries, Monastaries, Churches, casteles, and towres (wherin he wil be sure to place his deare friends kinsmen, and familiars) it is infinite and vnmeasurable. Thus briefly hast thou hearde what the Pope is, and howe Luciferlike he liueth: nowe iudge thou whether he be the same that he wold be thought to bee, and not rather Antichrist himselfe. And therefore I cannot but maruaile greatly at the blindnes of the worlde,The pope vnholy. who either effectionate him so muche, or yet thinke him to be holye, whereas of himselfe you see, hee is nothing lesse. But belike hee takethe hys holinesse of the place and Sea of Rome which if it wer true that the place could make an vnholy man,The place cannot make a manne good, vvhiche before is nought. holy, or a naughty man good, then should it follow that all that haue been at Rome, shoulde bee as holy as the Pope, which were blasphemie to say.The Diuel holier then the pope. And then why shoulde not the Diuell be holy, yea and holier than the Pope, for that hee was in a holier place then Rome is: namelye, the kingdome of heauen. And thus muche concerning the pontificall person, state, [Page] and dignitie of the Pope, the great Antichriste of the worlde. Nowe to speake a worde or two of Cardinals the chiefest pillers of this antichristiā vsurped kingdome.
Of Cardinalles the pillers of the Popes kingdome, their original, offices, Pride, and corruption.
I Pray you (brother Stuperius) what are the Cardinals, whome you call the pillers, and supportes of this popish antichristian kingdome?
They are suche as for the most part, are descended of noble blood, of honourable Parentage,Cardinalles what they are and of auncient houses, intruded into this office of Cardinalship, by money, Symonie, and friendshippe, altogeather vnlearned, especially in the lawe of GOD. These Cardinalles haue ioynte power wythe him, in some measure, to gouerne hys kyngdome withall: but the whole power is denied them, as a thing which resteth in the pope alone, as head & prince ouer all the rest.
Whereof doe they take theyr names too bee called Cardinals?
They take their names of this latine word Cardo (as some thinke) that is, [...]Vherof Car [...]ynals take [...]heir names. a hooke, a hinge, or staple, whereupon a dore or a gate doth hang. Too this ende (no doubt) that they may bee thought and taken to be the very hinges hookes, staples and charmels, whereupon the whole frame, and building of the Church doth hang and depend. And euen as no dore nor gate can hang wythout a staple or hooke, or hynge too reste vpon, so no Churche can stand without it bee vnderpropped wyth the staffe of their stay. And so holye a societie and brotherhood is this viperous generatiō of Cardinals,The holy societie of cardinals. that euen ye Pope himself is hatches of them,The pope chosen by cardinals. and chosen by them in conclaues, and secrete places. And thus they delude the world wyth theyr pretensed shewes of faigned holinesse.
When they are created Cardinals by the pope, what othe, & charge do they vndertake, & promise to their idol God the pope?
First of all, they sweare to be faithfull,The othes tha [...] the cardinals take whē they are admitted. true, and loyall to the popes person: secondly, they promise to maintaine and vphold his kingdome, power, and dignitie, and to inlarge S. Peters patrimonie, as muche as lyeth in theyr power. Thirdly, to see that al his law [...]s s [...]ctions, statutes, orders, constitutiōs & ceremonies, be duely kept, and obserued in euery point. Fourthly, that they neither doe cause, nor consent to be done any maner of iniurie, violence, or oppression to the Popes person, nor too conceale i [...] by whomsoeuer it bee intended. And fiftly,Oh cursed oth that they fight and contend against Christ Iesus and his holy worde, to the maintenance of poperie, & extirpation of christianitie. These Cardinals thus sworn, & alleageāced to his holines do in such diligēce execu [...]e their charge, that they will rather bee torne in peeces with wilde horses,The constanc [...] of these cardinals to theyr dad the pope. than to faile in the least point. And for the great credit that he hath in them, oftentimes hee sendeth them Ambassadours & Legates, to Emperours kinges, and princes, by whose meanes he easily vndermineth ye state of [Page] euery countrie,The Pope ma [...]eth whole [...]yngdomes & [...]ountries [...]ys pray tho [...]ow cardinals [...]ood helpe. knoweth al the secretes thereof, and in the ende as a greedy puttocke maketh the same a praye for his owne paunch. By thē he exciteth kings and princes too warres, by them hee whetteth them against the sincere Professours of the Gospel, but as he calleth them against heretiks. Finally by them he worketh all mischiefe in generall.
In what maner be they receiued, when they come as ambassadours, and Legates too kinges, and princes?
Like Gods almost, for going foorth, they sende before them their messengers in poste,The maner of [...]eceiuyng of [...]ardinals being [...]ent as ambas [...]adours into a [...]y lande or [...]ountry. too signifie to the kyng, or prince of their cōming, to thys ende that preparation may be made for them according to their calling. Then, when as they come within the territories of the Lande or Countrie whyther they goe: noble men are sence [...] them with great p [...]mpe, and some [...]s the prince himselfe is glad to t [...]dge towards them,The concourse of people runnyng to meete cardinals. or els they wil looke [...] on him. And as for the greate company of Friers, Monks, Abbots, Priors, C [...] uents, [Page] Priests, Clarks, Scholemasters and the like, they goe not, but run, thicke & threefold, al clad in white Surplesses, with crosses either of gold or siluer carryed before them. The common people also of euery sexe and age, are not beehinde, who comming before their great dads Legate, down they fall vpon theyr knees, with capping & crowching, bowing and becking, wonderful to beholde. And to the ende that this pageant may haue all his perfect members, and right limnies, they are commanded to cry out, Iesus saue your grace (our holy father the cardinal) holy S. Mary,The peoples cry to the cardinals grace. & al the holy saints of god, preserue your highnes, and send you long life. Then goeth hee marching forward guarded with whole armies of men & horses. And all the way as they goe, the mad people kneelyng downe before him, desire theyr holy fathers blessing.The maner of the the Cardinals blessing. Then falleth he to blessing, & crossing eyther wt the two formost fingers of hys righte hande, or els with all the whole hand, muche like the foolish gāder that blesseth his goslings with his bill.
These fellowes are lustie bruites in deede, and carry a statelye port, mary sir, tell mee what do they els?
Their port passeth anye kings port for seldome or neuer do they ryde without two or three thousand mē with them,The stately [...]ort of cardi [...]als. besides noblemen, gentlemē, and others, with suche a sorte of horses, mules, camels, asses, (yea asses the most of them) Wagons, Chariots, Quoches, horslitters,Cardinals beg [...]rly attyre. cartes & other cariages, as is wonderfull to see. And as for their apparrel, it is for the most part of crymson silke, veluet, satten, damask, grogram, & the like. Uppon their heads they weare great broade hats of purple colour. But if you will haue a plainer description of Cardinals, and what a porte they carry, marke this example following of Cardinall Wolsey sometime Cardinall in England,Cardinal Wol [...]y his example [...]t wonderful [...]ride. & by him, mayest thou learne what al the rest are: first, he hadde in his hall cōtinually 3. boords, or tables, kept wt three seuerall officers, that is a shewarde which was alwaies a priest, a treasurer being a knight, & a cōtroler an esquire. [Page] His coferer also being a Doctor, 3. marshals: three yeomen Ushers in the hal, besides two groomes, and almners. Then in the hall kitchin, two Clearkes of the Kitchin,Marke this geare wel. a Clearke controuler, a Surueyor of the the dresser, a clearke of the spicery. Also in his hall kitchin, hee had of ma [...]ster Cookes two, and of other inferior cookes, scullions, and labourers twelue personnes, foure yeomen of the scullery, foure other yeomen of the siluer scullery,Oh famous Cardynal. two yeomen of the pastrye, with two other pastelers vnder the yeomen. Then in his priuy Kitchin a mayster Cooke, who went dayly in Ueluet or in satten with a great chayn of gold, and two other yeomen, and a groome. In the scalding house a yeoman,Oh excelling pryde. and 2. groomes. In the Pantrey two persons. In the buttry two yeomen, 2 groomes, and two [...]ges. In the yeomanry lykewise. In the seller three yeomen, and 3. pages. In his chaundry 2. In the wafary two. In the wardrobe of beddes, the maister of the wardrobe and tenne other persons. In the Laundrye a yeoman, a groome, thirty pages, two yeomen purueyers [Page] and one groome. In the bake house, a yeomen and two groomes. In the woodyard a yeoman,Oh surpassyng vanity. & a grome. In the barne one: in the garden a yeoman & two grooms. Porters at the gate, 2. yeomen & 2, grooms a yeomā of his barge, and a maister of his horse, a cleark of his stable,Here were mo offyces then a fewe. a yeoman of the same. The Sadler: the farrior: a yeoman of hys chariot: a sumpter manne: a yeoman of hys styrroppe, a mu [...]ter. Sixteene groomes of his stable, euery of whom kept 4. Geldings. In the almory a yeoman, and a groom. In his chappel he had a Deane a great diuine,The pomp of the Cardinals Chappel. a Subdeane, a Repeater of the quire: a Gospeller, a Pistler. Of singing priests ten. A maister of the children. Seculars of the chappel: singing men twelue, singing children ten, with a seruant to wait vpon them. In the reuestry a yeoman, & two groom [...]s besides diuers retayners that came thither at principal feasts. For the furniture of his chappel it passeth mās reason to declare with the number of iewels, vessels & ornaments, which daily were vsed there. There hath been seene at one procession in his hall forty foure riche copes of [Page] one sute wor [...], besides rich Crosses, candlestickes, vasons, Ewers, censors, and the lyke infinite.Copes 44. in the cardinalles hall at one time. He had 2. Crossebrarers, and two piller bearers, in his great chamber: And in his priuy chamber, first the chief chamberlain, & vizechāberlain. Of gentlemen vshers (besides one in his priuy chamber) he had 12. daily waiters: & of gētlemen waiters in his priuy chā ber, he had six, and of Lords niene or ten, who had ech of them 2. men ape [...]te allowed thē to wait vpō them,Oh pontificall Prelate. except ye earle of Darby who had 5. men allowed him: Thē [...]ad he of Gentlemen, of Cupbearers, Caruers and sewers, both of the priuie Chamber, and greate chamber. With Gentlemen daily waiters there forty persons: Of yeomen Ushers 6. of groomes in his chamber 8. of yeomen in his chamber fortye fiue dayly.Here is good stuffe marke it who will. There was attendyng on hys boord [...] of Doctoures, and Chaplaynes sixe [...]eene besides them of his chappel: a cleark of his closet:Attendants vpon the cardynals person. 2. secretaries, & 2. clearks of hys signer, & foure Counsellers learned in the Lawe, hee had diuers Officers of the Chauncery also waytynge vppon [Page] him, yt is to say, the clearke of the crown: a ryding clearke, a clearke of the hamper: and a chafer of the ware, then a clearke of the checke: he had also foure footmē garnished in rich rūning coats:Oh Lucifer-like pryde, who euer saw the like. when he rode in any iourney, he had an herrauld of armes, and a Sergeaunt of armes: a Phisition: an Apothicary: four minstrels, a keeper of his ten [...]es: an armorer, an instructer of his wa [...]des, two pe [...]en of the warderobe of his robes: and a keeper of his chamber continually in the court. He had also the Surueyer of Yorke and a Clearke of the green [...] cloth in his house. All these with others mo [...] were vp rysing,By S. Cronian he feasts a prety ordinary▪ then. and downe lying▪ at bed, and a [...]boorde in his house. Besides this, euery Gentleman. Officer; or worthie person, had one dr [...]wn, or mo allowed them to attend vpon them, whiche grewe to a woonderfull companye. Thus hast thou [...]arde the stately porte▪ and lusty countenaunce, that these Cardinals do beare. And looke what a one thou seest this Cardinall Wolsey, too haue been, euen suche are all the reste of the Cardinals at this day. Iudge thou [Page] now whether they passe not any,This passeth the beggerlyenesse of poore Christ and his Apostles. eyther king, prince or Emperour in all kind of excesse whatsoeuer: and whether there be any thing in them, woorthie of commendation, or sauouring of Christ Iesus, or his Apostles. And thus muche briefly concerning Cardinals and their pryde.
Of popish Bishops their office, superstition and pride.
VVHat manner of Bishops hath the Pope, for I am sure they are not the leaste pillers of this his whoorish and Adulterous Church?
Such as his Cardinals are, such are his Bishoppes,The maner of the Popes Byshops. sauing that they carry not such a great port, and statelye sway as the other doe: els they are like them in all kynd of wickednesse. Fyrste of all, they take vpon them names, and tytles proper to kings, princes & Lords. They be stowt,The proude humors of the Bishoppes of Rome. proud and disdainefull, looking not onely for capp and knee of euerye man, but euen for kneeling and [Page] crowchyng downe to the ground. They haue great Bishoprickes worth by estymation two or three thousand pounds by yeere, wherto belong both castles & towers, wy [...]h cities, countries, and townes. They haue also the rule & gouernment of Abbies, granges, nunneries, priories, personages, vicarages, & all other kynd of Ecclesiasticall benefices & spirituall promotions wherof they feed thēselues (for chāge of pasture is good for thē) wt the daintiest morsels.The fat morsels of Romish Bishops. Being thus furnished with abundance of all things, commonly they lye in some strōg castle, sytuat in a solitary place, wher they preach as strawberies vse to grow,VVhere the romish bishops lye. that is once a yere, nay happily not once in 7. yeres. And to say truth, as they say, it needeth not,Blynking Syr Iohns, for they haue their blincking Syr Iohns, their begging Friers, Monks, & cloysterers that do it for thē. These blind buzzards,Friers &c. the popes spanyels. and Assye peisants being sent forth by their Bishops, set abroach with all their might, the popes decrees, ceremonies, & orders: in the meane time not forgetting to declaim against heretikes, that is against such as put their confidence [Page] and trust in Christ Iesus alone, & his sacred trueth.The papystes take [...] greate heed least they preach anye truth. But aboue all things, they take greate care least anye of them might at vnawares preach any truth out of the woord of God, for that were Heresie to God, and treason to the Popes person. For if they shoulde preache the trueth (beeing sworne to maintaine the pope against Christ Iesus,Oh damnable othe. & his woord) then might they be attainted of periury, and besides accused of heresie. Thus neither Bishoppe, nor prelate sworne to the pope,None of the papistes dare preach Christ Iesus aryght. dares preach Christ Iesus aright: for that were too destroye theyr proude Antichristian kingdom, which consisteth only of lies, falshood, murther, treason, vsurpatiō, & rebellion. Insomuch that a good bishop of Coleyne seing what wickednes vnder the visard and pretence of of godlines was daily cōmitted:The example of the bishopp of Coleyn, who rather forsooke hys Bishoprick thē to dyshonour Christ Iesus, as the papistes did. begā to discouer & lay opē their impieties, blasphemies & trecheries: but he was resisted of al, euery barking frier whetted his pē against him, & like serpētine vipers stūg him euē to the death. Wel, report hereof cōming to Rome, ye pope assēbled a coū cel, & cited this good old father to appere [Page] before him. Who seeyng their wycked intentions against him, gaue ouer his bishopricke, rather choosing wythout it, to preach Christ Iesus truly, then wyth it to dishonour him euery waye, as they did. These blockheaded popish byshops, as blinde as blynd bayardes,The Papistes say preaching is not necessary. thinke, yea and shame not say that preaching is not necessary, and that the people doe learne more by their dumb ceremonies, imageries, and other bableries, then they do by hearing the word of God preached. And indeede I think no lesse, for whereas by the worde of God preached they learne the way to saluation,By hearinge the worde of God preached men learn the pathwaye too heauen, by papistry the path way to hell. and life eternal, by imageries and other popish ceremonies, they learn the pathway to hell, and euerlasting damnation. And therefore they learn more by the one, than by the other. But more what? more wickednesse and sin. But notwithstanding their seldome preaching, yet when they doe preache, it shalbe commonly vpon some popish holiday, or festiual day of their own inuention, which is alwayes of greater estimation amōgst them, then the Lords day, to wit, the Sabboth day is. In this [Page] their Pope holy day, what Idolatrye is committed, what superstition is practysed, and what grosse blasphemies,Idolatry committed vppon popish holydayes. & filthy absurdities are permitted, and exercised of them, it is almost vnspeakeable. Then, euen then, is there such censing, and singing, such masking and rynging, such chaunting, and roaryng, in the quyre, wyth Orgayns playing, and musicke soundyng, that thou wouldest rather thynke it a Satyricall stage playe of fooles consecrated to the Diuel, than a sober seruice of wisemen instituted to G [...]d.
How be the bishops attired in these solemn holy daies, & how do they behaue themselues amōgest the rest in this goodly stately Pageant of theyrs?
The Bishoppes are attyred with 14. sundry fortes of garments vpō their backes at once,The ridiculous attyre of Popish bishops vpon holidayes. without the which, they cānot sacrifice, nor (maske) I shuld say masse well. And some haue fifteene seueral kinds of garments, besides their pall, which maketh sixteene. First of al, he puts on his sandalles eythes of silke [Page] or veluet, his amias & his albe as white as snow, hanging down to his shoe. About his loynes he gyrdeth himself with a gyrdle of silke. About his neck is there a stoale, wrought for the greatest part of very good silk:This is dogin. which hauing a crosse ouerlaid vppon it, is ou [...]vnderneath hys gyrdle, & so buckled to him. Thē he putteth on his tunicle of purple colour, and▪ ouer that, his Dalmatike, a short sleeued garment: next [...]e pulles on his sweete gloues vpon his delicate hands,That is pat. his fingers being thwacke with rings, precious stones. The ouer al these, he puts [...]n his cope, with crosses thereon both behind and before: he hath also his braue wrought napkins & hādkerchers, bedecked with gold & siluer roūd about. Thē hath he his pall of a wonderful price,That is worth the wearyng then cō passing in his porkishe necke. His hood with a strange deuised knotte, hangeth behynd his necke in the middest of hys backe. Next after this comes in his forked myter, with 2. labels (I had almost said babels) hanging downe beset round about wt gold, siluer & pretious stones. Last of al, he takes his crosiare staffe in [Page] his hand, bedecke with golde, siluer, and castly i [...]wels. And in this playerly manner doth this hystrionical bishop play his part amongst the rest,The popyshe byshops like so players. making the tēple of the Lord a stage or theater, thēselues players, and the people starke fooles in beholding their fooleries.
What doth the bishop, when he is thus apparrelled?
He marcheth towardes the altar as fast as hee can trudge: which is but very softly, for the burthen of cloths, not only almost waigh him to the groūd but also welneere take away his breath. And being come to the high (halter) altar I should say, marke his straunge [...] stures, & thou wilt wōder. For first of al, (besides the shuffling of priestes, and clearks,The Byshops gestures at the high altar. to & fro like swarmes of bees) ye his [...] as [...]ing vp the which of his eyes towards heauen▪ as though hee would [...] sain [...] straight waye, mumbleth to himself, certaine charmes or exorcisnies (I think) which neither hee nor anye of the rest▪ vnderstande.The byshop coniures. This done, hee putteth off his myter from hys head, where one is [...] at hande to receyue it, to keepe [Page] it, and to putte it on and off, as occasion shall serue.Variety is pleasant. One whyle he standes, another whyle he sittes, sometyme he trippeth, on thys side of the Altare, sometimes vppon that. Nowe he kysseth the Altare here,Insteed of hys lemman. now there, nowe the Chalice, nowe the Paxe, nowe the Booke, nowe one thing, then an other. Then hauing fisked in thys sort about the altare ynough, at the last he comes to the myddest or Centre of the same, and there hee maketh an ende of hys playe. Sometime he standeth hanging downe the head,The bishop in a brown study as though he were in a browne study, mumbling to him selfe no manne knoweth what.
Sometime he ioyneth both his hands together vpon the Altar,The lifting vp of the byshop [...] hands. somtime he lifteth them vp towards heauen, sometime he spreaddeth them towards the North, sometime towards the South, somtime towards the east, & somtime towards the west. One while he pattereth & blesseth, an other while he crosseth and censeth, fearing belike lest any saucy spirit, shuld come neere to deface his doings. Uppon the otherside his ministers are readye to [Page] lay cushiōs of silk,For flesh vpon his backe hee hath none and therefore hath need of cushyons. or cloth of gold vnder his elbowes to lean vpon, vnder his buttoc as to sit vppon, & vnder his feete too stand vpon. After these things thus set in order, the bishop calleth for frankencēse, censors, sweet odours, candles, crosses, banners, & the like trumpery, which being brought, then falleth he to kissing & smearing the altar, & altar stone, as a soueraigne thing. Besides one standeth behind the bishop to see ye nothing be wanting, holding vppe the patin inclosed in silke. Thus al thinges ended, the bishop eateth, and drynketh vppe all himselfe, not giuing anye parte to anye present. Which done the Satyre or Pageant, is perfected and ended.The papistes delude the world wyth gewgawes. Now seest thou with what gewgawes, these beetle headed papistes, doe delude the worlde, and dazle the eyes of the simple.
Besides this, there are some of these bishoppes, that will not blushe too haue a swoorde carryed before them, and placed vppon the holye Altare,A sword carried before popish bishops to the high altar, and why. too the ende that menne maye knowe theyr magnyficall power, and so both feare, and reuerence them the more. Thus [Page] they will bee both kinges, and priestes themselues alone, whether God wyll or not. Othersome there are, that will not take this paines vppon them, but couet rather too bee conuersaunt in Kynges Courtes, hoping thereby to attaine too greater promotion,Byshops conuersant in kinges courts. then by poring vpon a booke, and preaching of Christ Iesus. Where, by that time, that they haue bin a while, they fead humours so excellently, & are so skilfull in the eyght lyberall science (to wit, the noble art of flattery, and assentation) that in short space, they are admitted to be of the priuy councel,Popish bishops skilful in the art of flattery. without whose knowledge, consent, & agreement, nothing can be set forth, or established. In parliamentes they gyue theyr Councels, and rule all the rowte, euen at their pleasures.Byshops victualers of camp [...]. Some others agayne are victuallers of camps, and captaines in the warres nowe and then. These Popishe Byshoppes also are iustices of peace, iustices of Quorum, of heire determiner, and assyses, yea and Iudges of lyfe and death, for the most parte. All whiche callynges as they bee contrarye to the woorde of GOD▪ [Page] in them, so doe they withdrawe them from the discharge of their duties otherwise.
That is verye true, it must needes bee so, for if there were neuer anye, that coulde dyscharge the one offyce suffycientlye, muche lesse shall there euer bee anie founde able too discharge them both. But I pray you what officers hath euerie Archbishop vnder him?
Euerye Archbishoppe amongest the Papistes hath almoste as many officers vnder hym as you hearde before, the Cardynall hadde, and therefore I wyll speake but of one of them, which is a Byshoppe,A byshop suffragane. but called by the name of a Suffragane.
Of Suffraganes amongst the papists, their horrible blasphemye, pride, and superstition.
Hath euery bishop a Suffragane vnder him?
Oh: no. None but Archbyshops, [Page] and metropolitanes only. For if euery inferior bishop should haue another bishop vnder him, that were a great inconuenience, and woulde burthen the church of God too much.
Whereof do they take the names of suffraganes.
Truly I could neuer learne frō whence they take them, nor I thinke Apollo himselfe neither.
What is the office of thys suffragane bishop, and what doth he in his offyce?
He bishoppeth & cōfirmeth children halloweth altars,The offyce of suffraganes in the church of Rome. churches, churchyards & the like, he crosseth & blesseth the people, he prouideth greasy priests in euery parishe, he halloweth water in the font, stones, fire, palmes, ashes, and many other things: he christneth bels & giueth them proper names with great solēnity. Manye other toyes & knacks belong to this suffragans office, which for tediousnes I omit. Only a few of his foolish ceremonies, wil I shew which he vseth in hallowing of churches & chappels, christening of bels, and giuing of orders.
I pray you doe so, for they are things which I greatly desire too knowe.
The manner of hallowing of Churches, and Churcheyardes, as it is now vsed amongest the papistes.
FIrst of all, the sexten lurketh secretly in some corner of the churche,The order of the Papists hallowing of churches & church yardes. all others being thruste foorth, & the church doores fast closed, then are there twelue tapers set burning before the Altar, and as many before ye crosse wythout. The Bishoppe or Suffragane all this while standeth without the Church with a wō derfull great pompe and pride, hauyng holy water hallowed with salt enough standing by him. And taking the holy water,Holy water alwayes one. he goeth three times aboute the Church, casting therof vpon the walles of the Churche as he goeth. Than hauing gone thrise aboute the Churche in this order, hee commeth to the Churchdore, and knocking three times on the [Page] dore with his staffe, saith, these woordes of the Psalme,Oh, blasphemous villanie so to abuse the words of the psalm to such a lewde purpose as thys. Lift vp your gates, &c. as though a whole legion of Diuelles were within the Church. Then commeth me Master clark, and in the name of all the Diuels, he saith, what king is hee that thus dareth knocks at these gates:Mary it is a proud prelate, whom all the diuels in hell cannot resist. And straight way as though the Diuels gaue place, the Clarke openeth the doores, and the bishop entreth wyth a fewe others, who are thought worthye to beholde such mysteries. Being then come into the Churche, first of all hee calleth vppon Saints, and Images, crosseth, and blesseth euery thyng that he seeth or commeth neere. The Churche floore also beeing strowed ouer withe ashes, or els with sande, [...]e first maketh crosses thereon, then letters in Latine, Greeke, and Hebrewe, whereof hee nothing vnderstandeth what they meane, no more then the manne in the Moone.Holy water purifieth & sanctifieth al things Then falleth hee to coniuring of newe holy water (for now the old hath lost his force) wyth wyne, Salte, and Ashes intermixt. This doone, hee proceedeth too hallowe the Altare, and hauing first [Page] made twelue crosses theron,The maner of hallowyng the Altar. he annointeth it with oyle, and chrisme rounde about: after thys hauyng set vpon euery corner of the Altar, a great manye of crosses, he besprynckleth it all ouer with his new made holy water, neuer ceasing but ietting about it 7. times, and as many times sprinkling it with holy water as before. In the middest of the Altar is a foure square hole, hewed out by great art, representyng the Sepulchre, thys hee annoyteth wyth chrysme,He crosseth the altar so often to feare away diuels. and oyle, with a thousande crosses on euery side. In thys Sepulchre, hee layeth his reliques, hys Frankensence, and hys geare.
Thus all thynges done in order, and annoynted with Oyle, and Chrisme, besprynkled with holy water, and crossed on euery side,The play is ended. hee endeth his Pageant and departeth. And thus much concernyng the hallowing of Churches, and churchyards.
This is a wonderful enterlude indeed, the sight of this woulde make a Dogge too cast his gorge. [Page] I pray you what Ceremonies vseth thys Suffragane in giuing of orders?
The Manner of popish orders giuing and what Ceremonies are obserued in the same.
FIrst of all, the Suffragane Bishoppe being come in place, cloathed in his pontificalibus,The maner of gyuyng of popish orders. euery one that is too bee made Priest, is called particularly by name, who standing all vpon a cluster, or heape together, clad in their long albes: the bishop asketh whether they be good and vertuous men, and of sufficienc [...]e able to take vpō them that high calling. The officer (greased in the fist before) answereth that they are learned, able, & sufficient men, and yet he neuer knewe them in all his life, nor yet so much as euer sawe,Because they are bnzzardes, & cannot see. or heard of them before. Then is ther a candle, & a candlestick brought from the high Altar to the Acolouth, with instruction giuen them that their [Page] office is continually to light candles in the Church, and to beare them aboute. This done, than is there an emptie cup brought, and put into their handes with lessons giuen to them, that their office is too giue wyne too the Priest at hys masse, which they doe not, & yet is their crowne shorn for it,These crown [...] shorne make [...] many a man to weare a horn. neither it is lawful for them euer after to weare hayre there any more. After this mayster Coniurer the Bishop receiueth the book [...], and deliuereth it to the new Priestes, commaundyng them to learne it by heart:Let thē learne to reade it first good my lord, before they learne it by heart. & by power and veritie thereof to cast out Diuels. Than is the booke carryed againe to the hygh altar [...], the Priest neuer reading one worde of it, beeing deliuered him clasped, and yet is he commanded to get it by hearte, and to caste out Diuels with the same. Then is deliuered him the tastament,The testament is giuen him, but to preache truly thereout is forbidden hym. in token that hee ought to preache the same truly too the people: whiche thing neyther hee their great grandsire the Pope, nor any of them all do perfourme.
Next after this, there are deliuered vntoo them, the keyes of the Churche [Page] dores togeather with ropes of Hempe,If they must keep out dogs out of the church then must they shut forth thēselues in token that their office is too shut fast the dores, too driue out the Dogs out of the Churche, and to keepe the Churche, and al the holy Reliques fayre & cleane. Then is there oyle brought▪ wherewith euery Priest hath his head,Priests annointed. his fingers, and thumbes oyled and greased. In the doing whereof is great heed taken, least any of the oyle shoulde chaunce to drop [...]owne vpon the grounde, for that were a haynous offence. And therefore the Suffragan Bishoppe, and the Priestes they spounge, they wipt, they rubbe, and drye their fingers,Oh greasie hypocrites who streine at a gnat, & swallowe downe a camel. their head & all wonderfull to beholde. And for feare of the worst, they scoure their fingers & head wyth ashes, or sande, to the ende that all the holy oyle may be dryed vp and none spilt. For further securitie whereof, because they will bee sure that [...] shall be spilt, they send for hot bread from the o [...]en,Hoa [...]e bread [...]ent to dry vp the oyle. which being carryed to the [...]olye Altar [...] they apply it too theyr heads and fingers, that they maye be sure the [...] of their farred oyle is [...] ▪ Whiche [...], the Bishoppe and [Page] Priestes departe, and so endethe the play.
What is the order obserued in Christening of Belles, and what ceremonies doth he vse therein?
The order and maner of christening of Belles, with the ridiculous ceremonies vsed there in by the papists.
WHen the [...] [...] disposed to christen any Bell first of all there in warnyng therof giuen in the church,The order and maner of christening of bel [...] amongst the papists. & good while befo [...]e & the day appointed which day being come▪ the people [...]ock thicke and threefold to see this commedie played. The godfathers & godmothers also being warned before by the churchwardens are present in all the best apparrell that they haue. Besides whom you shall haue 2. or 3. [...] present euery one striuing & contending who shall bee godfathers,They striue who shall offend god most. & godmothers to the bell supposing it a wōderful preferment, a marueilous promotiō, & singuler credit so to be.
[Page]Thus all things made readie, the bishop in all his masking geare commeth foorth like a coniuring iugler, and hauing made holy water with salt, and other sibbersause, he sprinkleth all things with the same, as a thing of an vnspeakable force. And althogh it be at noone dayes,His tapers why not, to light hym to the diuell. yet must he haue his tapers burning round about on euery side: & then kneeling downe hee very solemnely desireth the people to pray, that God wold vouchsafe to graunt to this Bell a blessed and happie Christendom: and withall a lustie sounde to driue away diuels, and [...] against all kinde of peril and [...]pe [...]s whatsoeuer.The oly [...] wyll make the gentleman bel too looke with a cheareful coū tenance. This prayer ended, the Bishop [...]m [...]yuteth the bell in [...] pla [...]s with oyle, and chrisme, mumblyng [...] himselfe certaine coniurat [...]ons & exorcismes, whiche no man heareth but he alone, and yet doe all mē vnderstande i [...] as well as hee. Then commandeth hee the godfathers, & godmothers too gyue the name to the Bell which being giuen, hee powreth on water three or foure seueral times, annointing it with oyle and chrisme as before, [Page] for what cause I knowe not, except it bee either to make his bellie soluble,Why oyle is giuen to the bel. his ioynts nimble, or his colour fayre. This done hee putteth on the Bell a white linnen Chrisome, commanding the godfathers and godmothers thereof, too pull it vp from the grounde by ropes,It were fittes the ropes serued to hang you all in, than to pluck vp the bell wythall. and engines made for that purpose. Thē fall they downe before this new christened bell, all prostrate vpon their knees, and offer vppe to this idol giftes, golde, siluer, frankensence, myrrh, and manye other thinges, euery one striuing who shall giue most. These Sacrifices, and offeringes too the Diuell ended, the Bell is hanged vppe in the steeple, with great applause of the people, euery one reioysing that the bel hath receiued such a happie christendome. For ioy wherof they celebrate a feast to Bacchus,Bacchus feaste celebrate by the papistes. spending all that day, & peraduenture 2. or 3. dayes after in daunsing and ryotting in feasting and banketting, in swilling, and drinking like filthie Epicures, tyll they being as drunken as swine,The papists sobrietie and christianity▪ vomite and disgorge their stinking stomackes, worse then any dogges. And thus endeth [Page] this satyre, together with the plaies Enterludes, Pageants, office, and ceremonies of this Suffragan bishop.
Now whether there bee anythinge heere, either proueable by the woorde of God, or by the example of the primitiue Apostolicall churche, or any particuler member of the same euer since the beginning of the worlde, I referre it too the iudgemente of the wyse and learned.
What Courtes hathe the pope vnder him, I pray you for it can not bee that suche a mightie monarchie can stand without any?
Of the Popes Consistorie Courtes, with the abuses thereof.
HE hath courtes of diuers and sundrie kindes, the seuerall abuses whereof, if I should particularly intreat of, I should rather want time then matter. And therefore I will speake but only a worde or two concerning his consistorie [Page] court, the warehouse of al his horrible fraud, cosonage & deceite. In this court,The discriptiō of the Popes consistorie court. for money, croked things ar made straight, rough, smoth, truth, falshoode, falshood truth, light darknesse, darknesse light, as pleaseth the master of the fees. Heere golde striketh the stroke, siluer wayes downe the ballance, and friendship, bribes, and giftes carrie the palme of victorie away. Heere such marriages as Gods word knitteth together, are dissolued and broken: and such mariages as Gods worde doth separate are vnited together. In this baudie Courte are such filthie matters handeled,Baudy matters handled in the popes consistory court. as chaste eares would blush once to heare spoken of, continent sober minds would shame once to thinke of, and shamefast lippes would bashe to vtter or speake of. And yet wyll these Romish Doctours (Doctours of bawdrie) laughe at them tyll they chynke agayne.Doctors of baudry. Out of thys Consistorie Courte of Faculties the Quauemyre of all abhomination there bee graunted licences too marrie with whome,What thinges be graunted foorth of this consistorie court of the pope. where, and when thou wylte, for money, although it be thy own sister, [Page] and at any time of the yeere, as well at times prohibited,Fruites of the popes courte. as not prohibited, licences to eate flesh in lent, or any tyme els, licences to stand with thy cap vpon thy head in the Church, at time of highe masse, licences to mary as many wiues as thou wilt, licences to commit whoredome, adulterie, and incest at thy pleasure, to keepe whores, & harlots besides thy wife, licences to cōmit Sodomitrie & buggery, licences to rob, to steale, too murther, to slap, & kill, to sweare, & blaspheme the sacred name of god: licences to haue as many benefices as thou canst get, licences to discontinue frō thy Benefices. And to conclude, there is no deed so haynous, no fact so pernitious, nor any crime so infamous, but for money thou maist haue a licēce in this court safely to commit it, & not only to cōmit it, but also to liue, and continue in it. Finally, in this court mayest thou haue a licence,All thinges in the popes courts to be had for money a tolleration, a quallification, & dispensation for any thing, & when thou hast doone, for money thou shalt haue a fayre absolution graunted thee vnder hand and seale manuel, to be discharged [Page] & set free à culpa & poena, Poena & culpa that is, both from the Faulte or Sinne committed, and also from the punishment or guilte, due for the same. Therefore what needest thou to care what thou doest? For if thou hast money enough,The pope for money wyll thruste thee into heauen whether thou wilt or no. feare not, thou shalt not onely haue absolution, and pardon for all thy sinnes, but also in the end shalte bee chruste intoo heauen whether thou wilt or not. Such force hath money in this court.
Bee there many officers in this cou [...]te?
Yea a great many: but because I will not bee tedious, I wyl speake but of one onely: namely the officiall. This Officiall (I may tell you) is no small foole in this court,The official, & hys office. but euen such a fellow as ruleth all wyth a beck. Hym must you please (I hadde welnigh sayde grease) wyth money, bribes, and gyftes: if at least you euer meane too haue good of your Suite: hee onely is the yolke of the egge (as they say) or as it were the ryght hand of the Bishoppe. By hym the Byshoppe casteth foorthe his flashing thunderboltes of citations,The thunderboltes of the romish bishop. [Page] suspensiōs, excommunications, and the like, whē no cause requireth it, agaynst better men then himselfe. But howsoeuer it falleth out, if thou bee once cited to appeare in this courte, I warne thee (aboue all thinges) to carry argent enough with thee,Money will serue thy turne dout thou not. and then I warraunt thee, thou shalt speed better then if the matter were such, that all lawes were on thy side. Then needest thou [...] care,Quid non pecunia potest. whether thy matter bee right or wrong, all is one for that if thou haste money enough. And thus much concerning the Popes consistorie courte, the officers, and abuses of the same.
I haue hearde talke of certaine Popysh Cha [...]ons, I pray you what bee they?
Of Popishe Chanons, their offices, and abuses.
THE Chanons are iolly fellowes I promise you, beeyng all eyther gentlemen [Page] at the leaste, or els descended of some noble blood,Popish chanōs what they bee, and their office. race, or parentage. In the olde time, this roome was reserued for the poore, and such as were godlye, learned and vertuons menne. But in the ende Gentlemen and other fatte cubbes, seeing the great wealth, ease, credite, and promotion that they were in, and with all their dainty fare & ydle life, began to thrust forth the poore men and to intrude themselues. So that now they are nothing in effect,Chanons swa [...] mes of lubberly gentlemen. but swarmes of luberly Gentlemen, and riche chops, lyuing in idlenes, gluttonie, and all kynde of ryotous excesse.
What is their attyre and office?
They vse too weare aboute their shoulders fine skins of hayre, and rich furres hanging downe to the skirts of their garmēts, a goodly sight (forsoth) and well beseemingg such persons.Note the hypocrisie of these deceyuers. And sometimes they goe in blacke mantles (if it please theyr humours) as thoughe they mourned for some notable matter: But Sub veste lugubri latitat [...]r amoenum. That is to say, Vnder [Page] a mourning weede, lurketh many a pleasant and mery hearte. Their office is, nowe and then too resorte too the churche, attyred in theyr lynnen whyte garments, in theyr cowles, or els in their foxe skinne hoods wyth tayles hanging downe to the grounde.Foxes attyred lyke Foxes. Where being assembled, they haue naught to do els, but to sing, and chaunte vppe their Canonicall houres, neyther they them selues, nor others, vnderstandyng what they saye. And least these porkyshe hogges shoulde take too muche paynes or strayne theyr throates ouer wyde,Quire men the chanons lurdens. they haue gotte a sorte of Lurdens, too Sing, Chaunte, and Rowle it vppe for them, and these they call Quyre menne. For money these fellowes wyll ryng it vppe in deede, and in shorte space dyspatch you ye seuen houres, and al. And no maruayle, for from the tyme they begin tyl the time they haue made an end, they neuer cease, but rowle it ouer (like as the waues of the Sea doe vse to tumble one ouer another) as fast as euer they cā galloppe. And whilest they bee at their singing, there is such striuing who shal [Page] go the highest, with such quauering and shiuering,Hogs striuing one too excell another in grunting. such boing and roaring, that (if thou heardest them) thou wouldst eyther thinke them mad, and ready to go to Bethleem, or els that they stroue for some wager. By meanes of which quyer men,A great griefe for poore chanons to sit so long. the Chanōs themselues are discharged from great burthens, & payns: so that they neede to doe nothing, but only to sit by, as hearers of this melodious harmony. And oftētimes they seem weary of that too, and therefore strayne they curtesie, and without saying, much good doe it you, they depart before the play be ended. This is all the toyle and trauell which these men (poore soules) do take,Chanons their estimation & reward for doing nothing & for the which they haue great giftes giuen them, fayre houses buylte them, and are of al men called Rabbi, Sir, Maister, worshipful, and I cannot tell what els. At home they keepe great hospitality: but what is he that fareth the better for it: The Diuell, and theyr fat paunches.Gluttony of Chanons. And thus they liue in al kynd of pleasure, gluttony, and e [...]esse worse then euer did the heathen. And for theyr pleasures (least melancholy and studye [Page] together, might macera [...]e their bodyes) they keepe parrattes, Apes, Munkies, Hawkes,The fooleries and bableries of Chanons. Hounds, and what not els, to delighte them withall. And thus they delighte in sinne, and take pleasure in iniquitie, and I feare me will so contynue stil, till their mouthes be ful of clay, and their breasts ful of grauell. Hitherto, briefly of popish Chanons, their offyces and abuses.
What other degrees bee there? I haue heard of a certaine sort of Curtesanes belonging to the popes Church, I praye you what bee they?
The maner of the popes Curtesans, with their horrible exactions, and abuses.
THese Curtesans are such fellowes, as haue ouerrū their maisters,The descriptiō of the popes Curtesans. or as are for some euil face driuen out of their countrey, who comming to Rome, creep eyther into some cardinall, or Bishops stable, and so become their horsekepers. [Page] Then in the end, in recompence of theyr great paynes, and long seruice doone, they make them priestes. And after they haue schooled them well, and made them wyse, and fit for their purpose, they sende them abroade into the countries: with bulles, and lycenses, to snatch vppe prebends,Popishe curtesans benefice catchers. and benefices for them selues, not when they fall, but before they fall. And if any man bee so bold, as in defence of his [...]ght, too withstande their proceedings, thē they threatē him with ye pope, the pope,The weapons that papistes fight withall. the court of Rome, the court of Rome: thinking, nay certeinly knowing that no man dare mute against thē, when once they heare the name of the Pope. In this case the patrone like a peisaunt, standeth like one nipt in the head, neyther dareth he, nor any, for him, resist this cormorant curtesan, nor yet go to Rome to trye his right. By this meanes hys beagles,Curtesans the popes beagles, to hunte for gayne. & greedy gripes the curtesans, not only ceaze vpon fa [...] prebendes, and benefices for them selues, but also for the Pope, and other hys whelpes at Rome. Thus they hauing got benefices inough, somtimes they are resident vpō [Page] them. and sometimes not. And beeyng weary of their benefices, somtimes they sell them,Selling of Benefices. taking great sums of money for them, which doone, they trudge too Rome againe, with all possible speedes where for money they renew their buls, and lycenses againe. Then runne they raunging ouer the Countries afresh,Oh vyle & insatiable caterpillers neuer content wyth ynough. ceazing vppon all kind of lyuings, (as before) and when they haue got thē they sell them like filthy Simonists as they bee. Thus some of them heape vppe mountaines of golde and siluer with the spoile of poore churches. Other some come by their prebends,Benefices com by, through a strange maner of cosonage. and lyuings, by a straunge manner of cosonage, as this. After that they haue obtained their warraunts, & their graunts from the cou [...]t of Rome, (the moneth well obserued) they cloth themselues either in the habit of some Countrey mann,VVolues in sheepes cloathing. or els of some poore Begger, and when they see the Church doore [...]pen, then skip they in, & mounting vp to the high altar, there t [...]ei make declaration, howe that they hold the prebend belonging to that Church, and holy altar by the plenary power, & [Page] absolute authority of the pope, commanding both the patrone, and the people that they presume not to molest him,An arraund at Rome wil cost him eyther his lyfe, or al that he hath. lest they fetch him an arrand at Rome: this done, than comming downe from the altar, he entreth into ye house, discharging them that dwel in it, and commaunding them to auoyd with bagg and baggage, and to delyuer vp the keyes, which done, they enter, and take possession of it, and so conuerte it too theyr owne proper vse.
Are these fellowes learned or not, for being horsekepers, as you say they were, I cannot see, how they can be learned?
They are so well learned, as the best of them all can hardly speak you 4. true words in Latine.The great lea [...]ning of popys [...] horsekeepers the Curtesans They may wel be posed in their A. B. C. And yet whē they come amongst the ignoraunt, and simple people, then sclat they it out lyke dyrte vpon a wall, and so are they taken to be great learned men. And thus as well they, as the reste delude the worlde with vayne shadowes, and lyue vpon the spoyle of the church. But of Curtizans, [Page] and their abuses inough.
Hath the pope any persōs & beneficed men in the countrey? if he haue, I pray you shew me their office somwhat, with their maner of liuing.
The manner of popish persons & beneficed men, with their Idolatrye, blasphemy and superstition.
The true office of parsons and preachers.THe pope hath great store of them, in euerye corner. Theyr office is to preache the woorde of GOD truely, to minister the sacramentes sincerely, & to gouerne their seuerall flocks & congregations according to the woorde of God. Then the which they doe nothyng lesse, for the pope hath commanded them to the contrary, and therfore they preach (almost) nothing, but lyes, dreames, and fantasies of menne,Preaching of dreames. Idolatrye, blasphemie, superstition, and olde wiues tales, tending to vanity, & leading to vntruth. And to the end that they may the deepelier roote Idolatry, and superstition in the peoples hearts, they haue framed thē [Page] a booke, called the Popish portesse, The popishe portesse a book ful of all abhominatiō, blasphemy, & sacriledges. full of moste horrible blasphemye, fables, and [...]yes, whereto they are so neerely tied, that they thynke it an offence inexpiable too dygresse an ynche from the same.
What manner of Sermons doe these lustye parsons make adayes?
Excellent Sermons I warrāt you: for some spend the time whilest he is in the pulpit,VVhat maner of sermons the popish persons preach. in railing & scolding like queanes, some in shewing what wrōg they haue done thē, what slanders they haue sustained, & what tithes, & duties they haue loste. Some prophesie what shalbee deare, what good cheape, what shalbe plenty, what scarce, & what weather shal happen al times & seasōs of the yere.Good stuffe I warrant you. Othersom fil the peoples eares in shewing them of the popes wars, the emperors wars, the Turks warres, & a thousand such like toyes, and noueltyes. These Robin hoods sermōs ended,Robin hoodes sermons. there is brought a long bederoll of paper, or parchment, wherin are writ the names of infinite thousandes of men, women, [Page] and children departed, all which beeyng openly read with a loude voyce, are thē prayed for, y• they may escape the broyling fire of purgatorie. This done, too masse go they as round as a ball,Blasphemyes in the masse. wherein are mo blasphemies, errors, abuses, & corruptions, then there are sands in the sea, starres in the skie, or grasse vpon the face of the earth. But that is no matter, their stomacks are so wranke, that they cā brook any thing.Person Choploches. To conclude, masse beeing ended, these Person Choploches galloppe as fast as they canne trudge towardes Dinner, where howe dayntely they fare, and howe well they fill theyr paunches all the worlde knoweth.
What exercises do they follow after dinner?
Dinner beeyng ended, they go commonly to the alehouse (for recreation,Exercises after dynner of the Papists. or els to study, you must imagyne) where they carouse, and drinke aboute, till they prate like parrats, and that like pies.Good recreation forsooth and sit for the Diuels grace. And for further recreation to passe the time away withall, the goe to cards, to dice, too chesse, tables, and checquer, [Page] where wanteth neyther drinking, nor swearing, nor any thing els that myght offend the maiestye of God. And sometimes beeyng weary of these exercises, they fall to talke of hawdry,Talking of bawdry. filthinesse, scurrility, and all kynde of vncleannes, moste shamefull to heare. And least the long wynter nights should seeme wea [...]some, or irksome vnto them, they haue 2. or 3. or as many whoores and harlots as they wil,Whores papists bedfellowes. to lye by their sweet sides, to solace themselues withal, after long study of good ale and bawdry. Thus hast thou heard the liues of the popish priests or parsons of the countrey, with their offices, exercises, and abuses. And heereof hitherto.
What say you of Monkes, & their doings? I would very fain heare something of them, what fellowes they be.
Of Monkes, their order, hipocrisie, blasphemy, superstition, & abuses.
THey are such as forsake the world [Page] vtterly, and betake them selues to a certaine kind of strait,The order & life of Monkes described. and a [...]stere life, lyuing eyther in the wildernes or desard, or els in monasteries, and other relygious houses, situate farre from hyghe wayes, and deu [...]yde of company. Theyr apparrell and habite as it is strange, and monstrous, nay apish and foolishe in fashion,Apyshe attyre of monks. so is it of diuerse and sundrye colours. They prescribe to themselues certaine very strict rules, and orders to liue by, through the obseruation wherof, together with these works of merite, and desert,Merites and desert. they trust to inherit the kingdom of heauen. Which place if merits might purchase (as they cannot) why shuld not they haue it? for they haue suche store of them, that for money they wil sel you as manye as you list. And sometimes for these their works of merite (or as they please to cal them,Selling of merits. works of supererogation) they haue benefices, farmes, granges, castles, & towers, yea whole towns, coūtries, & dukedomes giuen them, as ye sundry donatiōs of diuers kings,Gifts for workes of supersti [...] dukes, & others in old time can testifie. And no maruel, their holines is very greate, for [Page] doe they not chaunt vp Psalmes in the quier like hogs in ye stal [...] do they not rore in the church like the fat [...]uls of Basan? do they not fast & pray, & do many good works? And yet for all that, are they not worth a straw. For notwithstāding their fast and abstinence from certaine meats, they wil be sure to eat twise at the least,Fast of papists how strict it is, good Lord. the shortest winters day that is. When at dinner they giu [...] vppe their paunches withall kind of dainties, so as their bellies swelling like ticks or horseliches,Fasting in gluttony. their girdles are fain to bee loosed, that their guttes maye haue more scope: at these fastinge meales they will bee sure too haue all kynde of fishe, all kinde of spices, & al maner of wines of the best, & yet notwithstāding these felows fast to, yea & merit greatly therby▪ but whether this be a true fasting, or not, both Bacchus, Milo, & Apitius themselues princes of drunkennesse, and gluttonye. I thinke, will deny. Thus through theyr hypocrisy and counter feit holinesse, they haue a longe time so bewitched the world, ye euen kings themselues, dukes, Lordes, and others all in generall, haue [Page] not onely thought them wondrous holy menne, but also, haue bought good workes.Good works, and Heauen bought for money. and heauen it selfe of them for money.
Why doe they separate thē selues from other men in that sorte, liuing in the wildernes and desart?
They say, they do it, because the world being corrupt, they would not be corrupe with the same:VVhy monkes liue in the wildernesse. and because it liueth in darknesse, and they in the light. Because they are holye, and the worlde wycked, they good, and the worlde naught, and therefore doe they flye from it.
These are vain allegations, & friuolous reasons: for if the world bee corrupt, (as it is) and sicke, nay dead in sinne, than hath it more need of the phisition to heale the same, Yea but Syr, they may doe what they list. & not to flie away: And if the world be in darknesse, then hath it more need of the light to shine amongst them. And albeit that the worlde bee wicked, may not they lyue godly in the same notwithstanding? Did not Daniel, & many other Iewes in Babilon [Page] liue very godly, The godlye may liue godly amongst the wicked. amongst the wicked? Did not Lot liue godly amongst the Sodomites? Did not Ioseph liue godly in Egypte, and many others? And therfore their separating of thēselues from the worlde for these causes, is most superstitious, vayne, and ridiculous.
You say very well. For although they p [...]ēd, that they forsake the world, yet is it but metre hipocrisie,The deepe hypocrisie of Monkes. and deceit: for there are no men, that liue more in the worlde, nor of the worlde, then they. In so muche that there is no greate thinge anye where done, or attempted, but these Monkes bee at the one end of it. In assemblyes for matters of pollicy, [...]oncerning the common wealth, they are not only there▪ but also publish, and set foorth lawes, statutes, and decrees of theyr owne authority.Monkes haue an oar in euery boate, and burn their lyps in euery mans pottage. If any warres he toward, their councel and aduise is required, if any wedding or solēn feast he any where solemnised, they are there. If any church he dedicate, they are at hand, or els the Comedy hath not all his partes. So that albeeyt that they [Page] pretend to lead spirituall liues, yet maist thou find a worldly life in them, if al others had loss it. To what ende therfore serueth their riote, theyr pompe, theyr proude aray, their shauen crowns shorne downe to the hard eares, or their houses out of high wayes, and the like? Are they any thing els, then counterfei [...] shadowes, and pretensed shewes of sanctity,Practises too wyn worldlye credyt and to lose heauen. and holines, to winne them credit withall, and too get them estimation in the world?
What kynde of vowes doe they make, when they are made Monkes?
They vow first of al to obey ye abbot or prio [...],Vowes which monks make. the superintendent, or regēt of their house. Secondly they swear & vow single life. Thirdly they vow to liue in pouerty al the daies of their life, and vtterly to forsake the worlde, then which they doe nothing lesse. Now how wel they keepe, & performe their vowes all the worlde seeth. Thus they [...] the worlde with theyr hypo [...]sie,Monkes theyr religion wherin it cōsisteth. and fayned Relygion consistyng, in synging, in rules of lyfe, and sundrye other [Page] lawes, and gestures, quoyned in the crooked forge of their owne deceitfull braynes.
How many sorts of monkes are there, any moe then one?
There are of diuers sorts, but bicause I may be short,Two sortes of Monks. I wil deuide thē into a sorts, into rich monks, and poore beggers, euen such as get their lyuings wt playne begging. The welthyer sorte are such, as haue beene inriched by emperor [...], kings, dukes, & noble mē: who willingly haue bestowed vpon them greate possesiōs,How Monkes haue been enriched in olde time. & reuenewes, yea whole coū tries, together wt pastures, medows, cities, towns, parks, pur [...]nes castles tower [...], vine yards, orchards, & sōtime whole dukedomes, & earledoms, to this end, & purpose, yt by their praiers, merits, alms deeds & good works, their soules might escape ye broyling fire of purgatory, and come to rest: which things thei promised them without all doubt to performe.
Seing thei haue vowed to forsake the world, to fast and pray, & to mortifie their liues, what should they doe wyth these great possessions & glory [Page] of the world? me thinke this is contrary to their profession, and maner of liuing.
You say true, but what then? No man may say, Domine cur ita facie, Sir you do amisse, but al is well yt they do, and al truth that they speake, though it be starke false. Indeede they fas [...] (I cannot deuy) but how? til they be as lean as a brawn,Popish fastings. they pray till they be [...] fast on sleepe as a Dormoufe, and they imbrace pouertie, till they be as rich, as any Emperour, king, or prince vppon the earth. These are they that haue forsaken the world, and yet no men more worldly then they. For marke where any fine valleyes were,Monkes planted themselues euer in the best places of the land. where any pleasant meddowes, or pastures [...]ay compassed about with plenty of woods, & waters, wherin they might keepe plenty of fishe against fasting dayes came vppon them: there commonly they plāted themselues, these were the solitarye places, where thys Porket fathers punished their stately poore bodies,Porket fathers. as you haue hearde before. And as for the statelines of their houses they might compare with any Kyng [Page] Prince, or Emperour whatsoeuer. For commōly they were built either of stone or bri [...]k,The statelines of monks houses. or both, moted about, & hauing drawe bridges too drawe vp when they woulde wyth parkes, forests, and chases adioyning, impaled, and trenched round about, and well stored with all kinde of game. In the midst of their houses, cō mōly they had stately towres▪ furnished with all kinde of munition, and bedeckt with curious furniture, and riche ornaments and hangings to banquet & feast in. Theyr c [...]ndu [...]ts runne moste pleasantly in euery place,The wildernes wherein mōks do liue. their gardens, and orchardes lie most pleasantly on euerye [...]or, with fiue hearbes, [...]urious knottes, and cloysters made quadrant wyse. So that it seemeth rather a pleasant▪ Paradi [...]e of delightes, than a wildernesse, or de [...]are to punish or afflic [...]nes body in. The other sort of monkes be they that liue (as I tolde you) of begging▪ of poling,Monkes liuing on beggyng, poling & pillyng. and pilling most miserably. But of monkes their h [...]pocrisie, couetuousnesse, and seuerall abuses h [...]therto.
Is there not a certaine other sect in the popes church, which [Page] they cal Abbots? If there be, I would faine heare somewhat of them, for I thinke they be all whelps of one litter, all pigges of one sow, and al feathers of one nest?
Of Abbots, their office, sodomitrie, superstition, and horrible abuses:
THere are Abbots enough, and moe than a good many. Their propertie is this.The propertie of Abbots. They contemne, and vtterly despise both the Monkes thēselues, their orders, rules, tytles, lyues, and names, contending with tooth & nayle (as they say) to bee head ouer them. And as for theyr conuersation, they are so well giuē and vertuously enclined; that neither mayde,The chastitie of Abbots. gyrle, nor wife (almost) can scape their handes without defiling. Their time (for the most part) as wel the daye as the night, they spend in wanton lewd daunces, filthie talke, in plaies, Enterludes, & the like lasciuious sportes tending [Page] vnto vice. Their crownes they vse too haue shauen▪ as the Monkes haue, their beards cut very ill fauouredly,Abbots coules like draf sacke and their coules hanging down to the middest of their backes, like a bag or Sack to put draffe in. Their superstition, blasphemie, and hypocrisie, is nothing inferiour to the others: and for their moste detestable and horrible vices of Sodomitrie and Buggery, they far excell the [...]est. Thus much briefly of Abbots, and theyr ab [...]ses.
What say you of begging Friers; bee there any of them?
Of begging Fryers, their filthie Hypocrisie, cosonage, dissimulation, couetuousnesse, and abuses.
FRyers quoth you? Yea I tell you, the Pope hath whole Legions of them, swarmyng lyke swarmes of Bees in euery Countrie and Coaste. And as [Page] they bee manne in number, so bee they of diuers, and sundry names.
What be those?
Some are called Franciscane Friers,Fryers of dyuers and sundry sorts and names. of S. Frauncis, Dominick friers, of S. Dominick, Benedictin friers, of S. Benedict. Barnardine fryers of S. B [...]rnard, Augustin [...] friers of S. Augustine, and so of the rest. Othersom are called White friers, Blacke fryers, Gray fryers. Obseruant fryers▪ Friers Mendicats, Smocked friers, & a thousande others the like, which for tediousnesse I lette passe, for as the saying is: pauca sapienti, to a wise manne a fewe things are sufficient. By these you may coniecture what the rest are▪ These friers with the rest of that filthie broode do all of them get their liuings by begging. By the practise whereof within few yeres they heape vp to themselues such mountaines of gold and siluer (and yet it is a marueilous thing▪ Fryers neuer handle money (forsooth) and yet haue whole mountaines of gold and siluer for they neuer handle money neither, but belike it is geuen them by myracle) that they build them gorgeous houses, stately edifices, and sumptuous mansions to dwel [Page] in, furnished with all kind of necessaries supelle [...]iles, cōparable to any prince or noble man.How friers get their riches. And these riches they get with their hypocr [...]ticall prayers, longe seruice, selling of merites, & by their other apish [...]estures of [...]cking down the head, & the like, by their dissembling hypocrisie, filed eloquence,Prety practises for vices on stages. seuere grau [...]tie & austeritie of life, by these crossing and blessing, & by their deep profound flattery, and a thousand such deuises, wherein they are so skilfull, that they maye seem not practisioners, but masters, not masters but doctors. Out of these puddles proceedeth al their game. Thorow the exercise & practise whereof, they are grown so impudent,The impudency of fryers. that ther can be no marriage solemnized neither in towne, nor countrie, no feast, or good cheere any where, but these shamelesse friers are redy with boxes in their hands, begging,Begging friers scratching euery man on the elbow. & crauing money, meate, drinke, and all things els of euery one present. Neither can any mā sit quietly either at dinner, or at supper in his house, but in comme these beging friers, crossing, blessing, & so faring, that they wearie euerie manne [Page] and away will they not, till theyr bellies be ful and their hackes wel loaden also. Then when certaine holye times of fasting and praying commeth in, that the people must fast pray, and do pennance, then, and neuer vntil then, their gaines commeth tumbling in thicke and threefold. Then doth euery man hyre thē too fast,How Friers gaines comes tumbling in. to pray and do penance for them, and pay them well for theyr labour. Besides these deuises they get abundance of their good dames of the coūtrie both of cheese puddinges,My good dames of the countrie the fryers beste friends porke, bacon, brawns, sowse, corne, hemp, flaxe, bread, pyes, custards, flawnes, tarts, and what not; for al is fish that commeth to net, and nothyng commeth amisse, that carryeth a pennie, or a halfpeny on his back. And because they may seeme to giue somewhat agayne,The pedlary ware of friers. they carrye about wyth them tootinge glasses, needles, pinnes, pointes, laces, ribbons, and other pedlary trifles, which they bestow vpon their good dames of the country for bussing thē in the dark: Which thing when they be about leaste they should be cumbred with vntrussing of their pointes, they weare no hosen at [Page] all, but long side gownes to the foot: so that with litle adoe, they may go to their businesse. And if the good man chaunce to come in, in the meane time & find him at it, yet must he imagine that he is but in shriuing of her, and then al is wel.
How many sorts of Friers are there?
There bee twoo sortes,Two sorts of fryers. the rich friers, and the pore begging friers. The richer sorte the Pope dispenseth withall, giuing them leaue that after they haue got their great riches togeather by theyr begginge throughe the world, they may builde them gorgeous houses, and stately buildyngs, plant orchardes, Gardens, Uineyardes and what they wil: purchase landes and liuings as much as they please. Then are they called by the names of Lordes beyng ashamed of the names of beggers any longer. The poore begging fryers are such, as by theyr orders are constrained to remaine in pouertie & to beg as long as they liue.The poore friers doe better seruice to the pope then the ryche. By thē the Pope vttereth his merchandize, and getteth himselfe into fauour of euery one. For the better perfourmaunce whereof they [Page] make no conscience to tel lies, to preach fables,Fryers make no conscience of lyes. & to vtter Canturbury [...]ales for the word of God. They come & raunge all abroad euery where, both by sea and land: they creepe intoo the bosomes of kings, princes, noblemen, gentlemē, subiects, & others, seeking by all meanes possible to withdraw them from the way of truth,The practise of fryers. & to establish their dads kingdom. And thus by this meanes, they vpholde the popes estate, and their owne credite and wealth.
Whatfurther authoritie haue they?
They haue cōmission graunted thē frō yt pope (for feare least their proud kingdom should catch any s [...]at [...]e) to enquyre after heretikes lollardes & other schismatiks,Commission to friers to en [...]uyre after heretikes. which deuide thēselues frō their blaspemous church. By force of which commission (like bloddy butchers dogs) they trouble good mē, & women, & in the end, suck their blood, by burning their bodies to ashes, if they wil not forsake the truth, & beleeue their lyes. But if there be any out of their iurisdiction, whō they cannot handle so, then fal they [Page] the yeere of our Lorde God. 1523. And comming to the Pope afterwarde, confirmed the same order of Iesuites by his Bulles. These holy Iesuites (forsooth) are vowesses as well as the reste, but whereas the others make but 3. vowes, they make foure.Iesuites ma foure vowes First, they vowe pouertie, secondarily, chastitie: thirdly, obedience, and fourthly, that they wyll trudge ouer all the world if they be commaunded eyther by the Pope, or any of their good masters els, to set abroch popery, to abandon Christianitie,The chiefest office of Ies [...]ites. to plaunt superstitiō, & to root out goodly religion, for this is their chiefest offce, as far as euer I coulde perceiue. And of suche perfectiō are they thought to bee, that in holines they are cōparable to ye maiestie of god,The pretense [...] holinesse of se [...]dicious Iesuit [...] in godlines excelling the angels & in rightuousnes far surpassing ye common nature of mankind. And therefore haue they taken to themselues a name deriued very blasphemously frō ye name of Iesus. To this end no doubt, that they may be thought to bee the seruaunts of Iesus and none els, and too holde the trueth, and none but they.
[Page]These seditious Iesuites, a [...] kind of vipers, run rouing, frō place to place, from countrie to countrie, now openly now secretly, sometimes in their priestly habite, [...]h deceitfull [...]elians, ha [...]ing al shewes [...]f godlines, & [...]et none at al. and, sometime in seruing mans attyre, now like lawiers, then like Courtiers, now like one sort of menne, and then like another, and all to roote vp (as I haue saide) christianitie and too plant poperye. And if they perceiue that the prince wyll not incline to theyr humours, nor agree to theyr ydolatrie, and papistrie, but mayntayne the true religion of God, then fall th [...]y to this pollicie. They creepe secretely into the mindes of the Nobilitie, [...]esuites creepe [...]cretly into [...]e mind [...] of [...]he nobility. Gentrie, and Communaltie, indeuoring by al means possible to draw theyr hearts from their alleageaunce, and obedience too theyr lawefull Prince, to di [...]like of all things and too sowe the seedes of Sedition, to moue Rebellion, Insurrection, Commotion, Warre, Mutunie, Murther, Bloodshed, and all kynde of trouble: to this ende, that they and their Complices may with more securitie make Inuast [...]s, and Incursions into that Realme, or [Page] mites, Lateranes, Georgeās, Ioannians, Trinitaries, Iudians, Ambrosians, Magdalines, or Lazarines, redde Augustines, Heleniās Sophians, Wincesbaterers, Gregorians, Cōstātinopolitanes, Columbins, crossed bretheren, Fratres clauorum, blacke friers, bretheren of the holy sepulchre, brethrē of ye vale of Iosaphat, brethrē of S. Ioseph. brethren of S. Rufines, & a thousande others. Also of womē, as Bagghines, Orders of [...] men. Cloke Nuns, sisters Chanonesses, Ancresses. Next come in their orders of Heremites, as Heremites of S. Antonie, Orders of H [...]remits. Heremites of S. Hillarie, of S. Macarins, of S. Theon, of S. Frontinean, S. Horns, S. Helene, S. Apolonia, S. Paule the Heremite, S. Piamotus, S. Casomianus, and infinite the like members of the same rabble, all which too recite, were, infinitum fi [...]ito comprehendere, that is, to comprehend that in number whiche is wythout number. Besides these, they haue also knightes of the Rhodes, or of Malta, Dutch knights, the knightes of Saynt Iames, our Ladies knights, S. Georges [Page] knights, knights of Herusalē, Calitrauenses. Montenienses, Gartarienses, Templers, Iesuites, and the like which for breuities sake I omit.
I pray you what is the order and originall of these Iesuites?
Iesuites their order, originall, treason, hypocrisie, and sedition.
[...]e order and [...]ginning of [...]suites.THE order of these dounghill Iesuites was first founde out in the yeere of our Lorde, 1537. by a Spaniarde borne in Biskey, named Don Egnatio Leguiola, who with twelue of hys companions, whom he called hys Apostles, went to Rome, from thence too Uenice, pretending to goe too Hierusalem, but finding no shipping at Uenice readie, returned to Rome againe, where he published and set abroche hys holy religion of Iesuitanisme, neuer heard of before since the beginning of the world. There was also one Iohn Peter Guarrassa, Bishop of Quietta, a little before found out a stampe or patterne of the same in [Page] they are kinges, and princes ouer sinne, that they haue cut of, and diuided them selues from the world, with many other like fanaticall mysteries.
Are these fryers also annointed as others are, at the time of their initiation?
They are all annoynted, euen from the highest to the lowest, frō the meanest priest to the head ruler, & gouerner of all.Fryers all annoynted. But from whence they deriue this annoyling, and greasing I cannot tell, except it be from the ceremonies of Moses lawe: which if they doe, then denie they Christ to be come, and to haue fulfilled the lawe for vs. For all ceremonies of Moses lawe ceassed,Their ceremoniall law of Moses abrog [...] by Christ. and were abrogate by Christe, as beeing but types and shadowes of things to come, and therefore may they not be vsed now vnder the Gospel without great impietie. And albeit that they grease and annoynt themselues at sundrie tunes, yet espeically doe they it, at three seuerall times:Friers annointed at three times especially. namely, the day of their christendom, the day of their consecration, or initiation (as they cal it) & at ye day of their death. [Page] Besides all this, the church, & church [...] walles are anointed, the high altar, the bels, & euery thing els almost: for their holy oyle hath a wonderfull power, and force in it selfe, & therefore as without it they can almost cōiure nothing, [...]s holy oile [...]h appease [...] broyle. so with it they canne (in effect) doe any thing.
What other orders of religiō haue they besides these that you haue spoken of?
Orders of religion amongest the papistes.
THey haue infinite orders of religion, and religious men, as orders of the Basilians, [...] infinit or [...]rs of religō [...]mongest the [...]apists. Augustinians, Benedictines, Dominicās, Iacobines, Carthusians, Carmelites, Lady brothers, Seruitors, Obseruants, Conuētnals, Penitenciaries, Minimers, Capucines, Mendicants, Cluinares, Camaldulē ses, Valenbrosences, Cisteriences, Bernardines, Coelestines, Gibertenē ses, Milicenses, Castellenses, Mountoleuites, Castinenses, Armetes, Regulars, Premonstratēses, Whilliamites [Page] to making of filthie bookes, & raylyng pamphlets against thē, therby to discredit both them & the doctrine which they professe. They are also ghostly fathers, & do shriue as wel kings, princes, dukes, & noblemen, as also all others of what degree soeuer they bee of, & haue absolute power (or els they lye) to absolue them a culpa & poena, (as pleaseth them to distinguysh) from their sinnes, and the punishment due for the same, so soone as euer they haue whispered thē into their eares.Shrifte a brau [...] deuise for papists and such as maketh [...] theyr purpos [...]. This is a deuise, passing all deuises, for by this he knoweth and vnderstandeth the secretes of al both men, and women, of kings & princes, & if they perceiue any thing to bee intended againste the state of their vsurped kingome, they certifie the pope of it, who straight way sendeth out his flashing thunderbolts of excommunication,The popes curse is Gods blessing no doubt. neuer ceasing til the authours of that practise be cursed with booke bell and candle, as blacke as Hell pitch. These friers cary pardōs through the world, shriue & forgiue sin, certifie ye pope of the secrets, & estate of euery coū trie, & often times return to Rome with [Page] their bags, and their caskets stuf [...] full of money like faithfull children of suche a cursed father.
Haue these poling friers shauen crownes as the other theyr cousin germans the monks haue?
Yea, their crownes are shauen, but after an other maner. For loke how much holier they be then the mōks or any others,Friers crownes broder shorne thē any others because they are holier then any others. so muche broder are their crownes shorne than any others: and therefore is there no hayre permitted to growe all their head ouer, saue around ring or circle, compassing their pate like a headlace or band, with these shauen seō ses they raunge all abrode, despising all others that haue not their heads so shor [...] as theirs is.
I wonder that they bee not ashamed to put off their hats, or to let their heads be seene bare?
They shame at nothyng. For knowe you not, that they haue brasen faces, and therefore cannot blushe. But if they hadde not, yet woulde they not blushe at this: for say they, hereby is signified great thinges: as namely, that [...]