A TESTIMOnie of ANTIQVITIE, shewing the auncient fayth in the Church of England touching the sacrament of the body and bloude of the Lord here publikely preached, and also receaued in the Saxons tyme, aboue 600. yeares agoe.
Goe into the streetes, and inquyre for the olde way: and if it be the good and ryght way, then goe therin, that ye maye finde rest for your soules. But they say: we will not vvalke therein.
Jmprinted at London by Iohn Day, dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath S. Martyns.
¶Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis
The Preface to the Christian Reader.
GReat contention hath nowe been of longe tyme about the moste comfortable sacrament of the body & bloud of Christ our Sauiour: in the inquisition and determinatiō wherof many be charged and condemned of heresye, and reproued as bringers vp of new doctryne, not knowen of olde in the church before Berengarius tyme, who taught in Fraunce, in the daies whē William the Norman was by conqueste kyng of England, and Hildebrande otherwyse called Gregorius the seuenth, was pope of Rome: But that thou mayest knowe (good christian reader) how this is aduouched [Page] more boldly then truely, in especiall of some certayne men which be more ready to maintaine their old iudgement, thē of humilitie to submitte them selues vnto a truth: here is set forth vnto thee a testimonye of verye auncient tyme, wherin is plainly shewed what was the iudgement of the learned men in thys matter, in the dayes of the Saxons before the conquest. Fyrst thou hast here a Sermon or homelye, for the holy day of Easter, written in the olde Englishe or Saxon speech, which doth of set purpose and at large, intreate of thys doctryne, and is found among many other Sermons in the same olde speech, made for other festiuall dayes and sondayes of the yeare, and vsed to be spoken orderly accordyng to those daies vnto the people, [Page 3] as by the bokes thē selues it doth well appeare. And of such Sermons be yet manye bookes to be seene, partlye remayning in priuate mens handes, and taken out from monasteryes at their dissolution: partlye yet reserued in the libraryes of Cathedrall churches, as of Worceter, Hereford, and Exeter. From which places diuerse of these bookes haue bene deliuered into the handes of the moste reuerend father, Matthewe Archbyshop of Canterburye, by whose diligent search for such writings of historye, and other monumentes of antiquitie, as might reueale vnto vs what hath ben the state of our church in England from tyme to tyme, these thynges that bee here made knowen vnto thee, do come to lyght. Howe be it the Sermons [Page] were not first written in the olde Saxon tounge: but were translated into it, as it shoulde appeare, from the Lattyne. For about the end of a Saxon boke of lx. Sermons, (which hath aboute the middest of it this Sermō agaynst the bodely presēce) be added these wordes of the translatour. Fela faegere godspell ƿe forlaetaþ on þisū dihte. ða maeg aƿendan se ðe ƿile; Ne durre ƿe ðas boc na micle sƿiþor gelaengan. ðyles ðe heo ungemetegod sy. & mannum aeþraet ðurh hire micelny'sse astirige; We let passe many good gospells, which he that lyste may translate. For we dare not enlarge thys boke much further, lest it be ouer great, & so cause [Page 4] to men lothsomnes through hys bygnes. And in an other booke contaynyng some of these Saxon Sermons it is also thus written in Lattyne. In hoc codicillo continentur duodecim sermones anglice quos accepimus de libris quos Aelfricus abbas Anglice transtulit. In thys booke be comprysed xij. Sermons whche we haue taken out of the bookes that Aelfricke abbot translated into Englishe. In which wordes truelye here is also declared who was the translatour, to witte, one Aelfricke. And so hee doth confesse of hym self in the preface of his Saxon grāmer, where he doth moreouer geue vs to vnderstand the number of the Sermons that he translated thus. Ic AElfric ƿolde ðas litlan boc apendan [Page] to engliscum gereorde of ðam staef craefte ðe is gehaten gsammatica. syþþan ic tƿa bec aƿende on hund eahtatigū spellum. I Aelfricke was desirous to turne into our Englishe tounge from the arte of letters called grammer thys little booke, after that I had translated the two bookes in fourescore Sermons. But how soeuer it be nowe manifest enoughe by thys aboue declared, how that these Sermons were translated: I thinke notwithstanding, that there will hardlye be found of them any Lattyne bookes being (I feare me) vtterlye peryshed & made out of the waye since the conquest by some which coulde not well broke thys doctrine. And that such hath bene the [Page 5] dealing of some partiall readers, may partlye hereof appeare. There is yet a very aunciēt boke of Cannons of Worceter librarye, and is for the most parte all in Latyne, but yet intermyngled in certayne places, euē thre or foure leaues together with the olde Saxon tounge: and one place of this booke handleth thys matter of the sacrament: but a fewe lynes, wherin dyd consiste the chiefe poynte of the cōtrouersie, be rased out by some reader: yet consider how the corruption of hym, whosoeuer he was, is bewrayed. This part of the Lattyne booke was taken out of ij. epistles of Aelfrike before named, & were written of hym aswell in the Saxon tounge, as the Lattyne. The Saxon epistles be yet wholie to be had in the librarye of the [Page] same church, in a boke written all in Saxon, and is intituled, a boke of Cānons, & shrift boke. But in the Church of Exeter, these epistles be seene both in the Saxon tounge, and also in the Lattyne. By the which it shall be easie for any to restore agayne, not onely the sense of the place rased in Worceter booke, but also the very same Lattyn wordes. And the words of these two epistles, so much as concerne the sacramentall bread & wyne, we here set immediatlye after the Sermon: fyrst in Saxon, then the words of the second epistle we set also in Lattyne: deliuering them most faythfully as they are to be seene in the bookes from whence they are taken. And as touching the Saxon writings, they be set out in such forme of letters, and darke speech, as [Page 6] was vsed, whē they were written: translated also for our better vnderstanding, into our common, and vsuall Englishe speech. But nowe it remayneth we do make knowen who thys Aelfricke was, whom we here speake of, in what age he liued, and in what estimation. He was truely brought vp in the scholes of Aethelwolde byshop of Winchester, Aethelwolde I meane the elder, and greate saincte of Winchester church: So canonised because in the dayes of Edgar kyng of England, he conspyred with Dunstane Archbyshop of Canterburie, & Oswalde bishop of Worceter, to expell out of the Cathedrall churches, through out all England the maryed priestes, which then were in those churches the olde dwellers, as wryteth Ranulphus Cestrencis [Page] in hys pollicronicon and to set vp of newe the religion or rather superstition & hipocrisie of monkes, after that the same had been a longe tyme, by the iuste iudgement of God, vtterlye abolished, the Danes spoyling them, & cruelly burning them vp in there houses, as is at large, and plentifullye confessed in the historyes of their owne churches. For thys newe rearing vp of monkerie is Aethelwolde called in moste olde historyes, pater monachorum, the father of monkes. Vnder thys Aethelwolde was Aelfrike traded vp in lerning, as he witnesseth of him selfe in the Lattyne preface of his Saxon grammer, where speaking of hys interpretation of Lattyne wordes he wryteth thus. Scio multis modis verba posse interpret [...]ri, sed [Page 7] ego simplicem interpretationem sequor, fastidiū vitādi causa. Si alicui tamen displicuerit nostra interpretatio, dicat quomodo vult. Nos con tenti sumus sicut didicimus in scholis venerabilis praesulis Aethelwoldi qui multos ad bonum imbuit. I know that wordes may be expounded diuers waies, but for to auoyde lothsomnes I doe follow the playne interpretation. Which if anye shall mislike he may do as he thinketh best: but we are cōtent to speake, as we haue learned in the scholes of the moste worthye byshop Aethelwolde, who hath bene a good instructour to manye, or who hath brought vp many to good. This he writeth of hymselfe. So vppon this his education in the schooles of Aethelwolde he became afterward to be an earnest louer and a great setter forwarde of monkerye, [Page] and therefore no lesse busie writer and speaker agaynst the matrimonye of priestes in hys tyme. For which respecte he was afterwarde so regarded, that he was made by Oswalde byshop of Worceter (as reporteth John Capgraue) the first abbot of S. Albons newlye restored, & replenished with mōkes, and was also made abbot of Malmesburye by kyng Edgar, (as reporteth William of Malmesburye) in the lyfe of Aldelmus. And truly he calleth him selfe abbot in diuers of his epistles, although he neuer named of what place, as in that he wryteth Egnesh amensibus fratribus de consuetudine monachorum. To the monkes of Egnesham, of the order and manner of monkes, and in this he wryteth here to Wulfstane Archbyshop of Yorke, and in [Page 8] an other agaynst priestes matrimonye sent to one Sygeferth, with whom was an anker abyding, which defended the mariage of pristes, affyrming it to be lawful. The epistle beginneth thus in the Saxon tonge. Aelfric abb. gret Sigeferþ freondlice; Me is gesaed ꝧ ðu saedest beo me ꝧ ic oþer taehte on Engliscen geƿriten. oþer eoƿer ancor aet ham mid eoƿ taehþ. forþan ðe he sƿutelice saegþ ꝧ hit sie alefd. ꝧ maesse preostas ƿel motan ƿifigen. and min geƿriten ƿiþcƿeþeþ ðysen. That is, Elfricke abbot doth send frendlye salutation to Sigeferth. It is tolde me that I teach otherwyse in my English [Page] writynges, thē doth thy anker teach, which is at home wyth thee. For he sayth playnly that it is a lawfull thing for a priest to marye, and my wrytynges doth speake agaynst thys. &c. Thus aswell in hys owne epistles, as in all other bookes of Sermons in the Saxon tounge, that I haue sene, I finde him alwaies called abbot, and onely so called. Howbeit, John Capgraue who gathered together into one volume, the liues of English sainctes, writeth in the life of Oswalde, that Aelfricke was laste of all aduaunced to the Archbishops see of Canterburie. In alijs inquit Angliae partibus insignes ecclesias ob praefixam causam clericis euacuauit, et eas viris monasticae institutionis sublimauit: quorū haec nomina sunt. Ecclesia S. Albani, S. Aetheldredae virginis in Eli et ea quae apud [Page 9] Beamfledam constituta honorabilis habebatur. Instituit enim in ecclesia S. Albani Aelfricū abbatē, qui ad Archiepiscopatum Cantuariensem postea sublimatus fuit. In other partes of Englande Oswald auoyded out of the most notable churches the clarkes, & aduaunced the same places with men of the order of monkes, whose names be these S. Albons, the church of the virgin S. Aetheldrede in Ely, and that which is at Beamfleot reputed very famous. He dyd appoynte abbot in S. Albons Aelfricke, who was afterward promoted to the Archbyshopricke of Canterburye. Truely thys Aelfricke we here speake of, was equall in tyme toWho dyd put out secular priestes out of the church of Canterbury, as the story of that house sheweth. Elfricke Archbyshop of Canterbury, as may certainly appeare to him that will well consider, when Wulfstane Archbishop [Page] of Yorke, and Wulfsine byshop of Scyrburne liued, vnto whom Aelfricke wryteth the Saxon epistles, from which the wordes concerning the Sacrament hereafter following be taken. And the certaintye of thys consideration, may well be had out of William Malmesburye De Pontificibus, & out of the subscription of bishops, to the grauntes, letters patentes, and charters of Aethelrede,These charters are to be sene. who raigned king of Englād at this time. Howbeit whether this Aelfricke, & Aelfricke Archb. of Canterbury was but one, & the same mā, I leaue it to other mens iudgement further to consider: for that writing here to Wulfstane, he nameth him selfe but abbot, & yet Aelfricke Archb. of Canterbury, was promoted to that his archb. stole vj. yeres [Page 10] before that Wulfstane was made Archbishop of Yorke, as is declared most manifestly in the historyes of Symeon of Durham, Roger Houeden, the historie of Rochester, Flores Hystoriarum, Thomas Stubbes in hys historie of the Archbishops of Yorke, and in all other moste auncient histories, aswell written in the olde Saxon tounge, as in Lattyne: Moreouer in many deedes and writynges of giftes, made by kyng Aethelrede, when Aelfricke subscribeth as Archbyshop of Canterburye, then in them is one Aldulphus, Wulfstanes predecessour, named Archbyshop of Yorke, and Wulfstane him self subscribeth but as an inferiour byshop. But be it, that this Aelfricke was onely abbot, and not Archbishop of Canterburye, yet this is also most true, [Page] that beside the prayse of great learning, & of being a most eloquēt interpreter (for which William of Malmesburye doth greatly commend him) he was also of such credite and estimation to the lyking of that age in which he liued, that all his writinges, and chiefly these his epistles, were then thought to contayne sounde doctrine: and the byshops them selues dyd iudge them full of ryghte good counsaile, preceptes, and rules to gouerne therby their clergie: and therfore dyd most earnestly request to haue these epistles sent vnto them, as doe well appeare by ij. shorte Lattyne epistles, set before the Saxon epistles, wherof the one is sent to Wulfsine byshop of Scyrburne, the other to Wulfstane Archbyshop of Yorke. And after this also byshops of [Page 11] other churches amonge other cānons that they collected out of generall & perticular councells, out of the bookes of Gildas, out of the poenitentialls of Theodorus Archbyshop of Canterburye, out of the extractes of Egberhtus the iiij. Archbishop of Yorke frō Paulinus: out of the epistles of Alcuinus teacher to Charles the great, and to conclude, out of the writinges of the fathers of the primatiue church: amonge other Cannons I saye, they collected together for the better orderyng of their churches, they doe place amonge them also these two epistles of Aelfricke, as is to be sene in ij. bokes of Cānons of Worceter librarye: wherof the one is all in the olde Saxon tounge, and there these epistles of Aelfricke be in the same tounge: the other [Page] is for the most parte all in Lattyne, and is intituled Admonitio spiritualis doctrinae, where these epistles be in the Lattyne tounge, and be ioyned together for an exhortation to be made of the byshop to hys clergie. There is also a like booke of Cannons of Exeter church, where these two epistles in Lattyne be appoynted in stede of two sermons to bee preached, Ad clericos et presbyteros, to the clerkes and priestes, and the epistles be also in the same boke in the Saxon tonge. And thys booke was geuen to Sainct Peters church in Exeter by Leofricke the first and most famous bishop of that church, as in hys owne recorde and graūt of all such landes, bokes, and other thinges he gaue vnto the church, it is thus expressed in the Saxon tounge. [Page 12] Here sƿutelaþ on ðissere bec hƿaet Leofric b. haefþ gedon into sancti Petres minstre on Exanceastre ðaer his bisceop stol is. ꝧ is ꝧ he haefþ geinnod ꝧ aer geutod ƿaes ðurh Godes fultume. &c. ðonne is seo oncnaƿennis ðe he haefþ god mid gecnaƿen & sanctum Petrū into ðam halgan mynstre on cyrclicū madmū ꝧ is ꝧ he haefþ þider inngedon. 11. ful maesse bec. & ane colectaneum. & .11. pistel bec. & .11. fulsang bec. & .1. nihtsang. & .1. ad te leuaui. & .11. psalteras. &. se ðriddan sƿa man [Page] singþ on rome. & .11. ymneras. & 1. deorƿurþ bletsung boc. &.111. oþer. & þeos englisc Cristes boc. & .11. sumer raeding bec. & 1. ƿinter raeding boc. & regula canonicorum. & martyrologium. & .1. canon on leden & scrift boc on englisc. &c. Here is shewed in thys booke or charter, what Leofrike bishop hath geuen into Saint Peters mynster at Exeter, where his bishops seate is, that is, that he hath gotte in agayne through Gods helpe, what soeuer was takē out: & so forth, first shewing what lādes of such as was taken from the church he recouered agayne, partlye by his earnest complaynte, and sute made for the same, partlye by his geuyng of [Page 13] rewardes. Nexte making also report what landes with other treasure of his own he gaue of newe to the place: he commeth at laste to the rehearsall of hys bookes, wherof the last here named a Cannon on Leden & scrift boc on Englisc. that is, a Cannon boke in Lattyne and shryfte boke in Englishe, is the boke we speake of, and hath in it the Lattyne and Saxon epistles of Aelfricke. Thus as this boke of Exeter church hath thys good euidence by which it is shewed, that Leofrike was the geuer therof: euen so the boke of Cānons of Worceter church, written all in Saxon, hath in it most certayne testimonie that the writer therof was the publike scribe of the church whose name was Wulfgeat. For thus [...] [Page] haue. And let byshops take heede that they presume not to ordaine priestes or deacons vnlesse they do first professe to haue no wiues. Now albeit thys and many other councels helde from tyme to tyme by the space more thē of an hundreth yeares after this did litle auaile, but that the priestes did both marrye, and still kepe their wiues, because as wryteth Gerardus Archbyshop of Yorke to Anselme. Cum ad ordines aliquos inuito, dura ceruice renituntur ne in ordinando castitatem profiteantur. When I call any to orders they resiste with a stiffe necke, that they doe not in taking order professe chastitie. Or as is reported in the Saxon storye of Peterborowe church, speaking of the councells of Anselme, of Iohn of Cremona, & of William Archbyshop [Page 15] of Canterburye. Ne forstod noht ealle þa bodlaces. All these decrees auayled nothyng. Ealle heoldon here ƿifes be ðes cinges leaf sƿa sƿa hi ear didon. They all kept their wiues still by the kinges leaue as they dyd before: Yet it came to passe vpon thys decree of Lanfranke, that the forme of wordes wherin the priestes should vowe chastitie, was nowe fyrst put into some bishopsNo suche demaunde of thys profession in any Englyshe pontificall before thys tyme. pontificall. Ego frater N. promitto deo, omnibus (que) Sanctis eius castitatem corporis mei secundum cannonum decreta, & secundum ordinem mihi imponendū seruare domino praesule N. presente. And as the wordes were thus put into some pōtifical in a general speaking as the māner is. [...] [Page] thys cōtrouersie, but also, that more is, what was the cōmon receaued doctrine herein of the whole church of England, as well when Aelfricke hym self lyued, as before hys tyme, and also after his time, euē frō him to the conquest. But what was the condition and state of the church, whē Aelfricke him self liued? In deede to confesse the truth, it was in diuers pointes of Religion full of blindnes and ignoraunce: full of childysh seruitude to ceremonies, as it was longe before and after: and to much geuen to the loue of monketye, which now at thys tyme vnmeasurablye tooke roote, and grewe excessiuely. But yet to speake what the aduersaryes of the truth haue iudged of thys time, it is most certayne, that there is no age of the church of England, [Page 17] which they haue more reuerenced, and thought more holy then thys. For of what age haue they canonized vnto vs more sainctes and to their lyking more notable? Fyrst Odo Archbyshop of Canteaburye, who dyed in the beginning of king Edgars raigne. Then king Edgar hym selfe, by whom Aelfricke was made abbot of Malmesburye. Then Edward called the Martyr kyng Edgars bastard sonne. Then Editha kyng Edgars bastarde daughter. Also Dunstane archbyshop of Canterbury, of whō Aelfricke was greatly estemed. Aethelwold bishop of Winchester, vnder whom Aelfricke had hys first bringing vp. Oswalde byshop of Worceter, and after Archbyshop of Yorke, who made Aelfricke abbot of S. Albons. Wulfsine bishop of Scyrburne [Page] vnto whom Aelfricke wryteth the first of the epistles we here speake of. Elfleda a Nunne of Romesey, and Wulhilda Abbesse of Barkyng, lyued in the dayes of king Edgar. And laste of all Wlfritha K. Edgars cōcubyne. All these I say with some other more, be canonized for sainctes of this age in which Aelfricke him self liued in great fame & credite. Also Leofricke and Wulfsine, whom we haue shewed to haue been the geuers of those Cannon bookes wherin be seene Aelfrickes epistles be reuerenced for moste holy men and saintes of their churches. And these ij. liued byshops in the comming in of the Conquerour. Thus doe some men now a dayes not onely dissent in doctrine from their owne church, but also from that age [Page 18] of their churche whiche they haue thought moste holy, and iudged a most excellēt paterne to be folowed. Wherfore what may we nowe thinke of that great cōsent, wherof the Romanistes haue long made vaunte, to witte, their doctrine to haue cōtinued many hundred yeares as it were lincked together with a continuall chaine, wherof hath been no breche at any time. Truely this their so great affirmation hath vttered vnto vs no truth, as good christian reader thou mayest well iudge by dulye weighing of this which hath been spoken, and by the reading also of that which here followeth, wherunto I now leaue thee.
Trusting that after thou hast well weighed this matter of such manner of the being of Christes body in the sacramēt, [Page] as sheweth this testimonye, no vntruth or dishonour shall neede to bee attributed to Christes louing wordes pronounced at his laste supper among his apostles: no derogation to his most sacred institution: no diminishing of any cōfort to christen mens soules in the vse of hys reuerend sacrament: but all thinge to stand right vp moste agreablie both to the veritie of Christes infallible wordes, and to the right nature, congruence, and efficacie of so holy a sacramēt, and finallye most comfortable to the conscience of man, for his spirituall vniting and incorporation with Christes blessed body and bloud to immortalitie, and for the sure gadge of his resurrection.
AMEN.
A SERMON OF the Paschall Lambe, and of the sacramentall body and bloud of Christ our Sauiour, written in the olde Saxon tounge before the Conquest, and appoynted in the reigne of the Saxons to be spoken vnto the people at Easter before they shoulde receaue the Communion, and now first translated into our common Englishe speche.
MEn ða leofostan. gelome eoƿ is gesaed ymbe ures haelendes aeriste. hu he on ðisum andƿeardan daege aeften his ðroƿunge mihtiglice of deaþe aras; Nu ƿille ƿe eoƿ geopenian ðurh Godes gife be ðam halgan husle ðe ge nu togan sceolon. & geƿissian eoƿer andgyt ymbe ðaere gerynu. aegþer ge aefter þaere ealdan gecyþnysse. ge aefter þaere nipan. ðylaes ðe aenig tƿeonunge eoƿ derian maege be þam liflicū gereorde; Se aelmihtiga God bebead Moyses [Page] ðam heretogan on egypta lande. ꝧ he sceolde bebeodan Israhela folce. ꝧ hi namon aet aelcū heorþe anes geares lamb on ðaere nihte ðe hi ferdon of þam lande to þam behatenan earde. & sceoldon ꝧ lamb Gode geoffrian. and syþþan sniþan. and pyrcan rode tacn on heora gedyrum. & oferslegum mid þaes lambes blode. etan syþþan ðaes lambes flaesc gebraed. & ðeorfe hlafas mid feldlicre lactucan; God cƿaeþ to Moysen. ne ete ge of ðam lambe nan þing hreap. ne on paetere gesoþen. ac gebraed to fyre; [Page] Etaþ ꝧ heafod. and þa faet. & ꝧ inneƿearde. ne his nan þing ne belife oþ mergen. gif þaer hƿaet tolafe sy. forbaerneþ ꝧ. ðicgaþ hit on ðas ƿisan; Begyrdaþ eoƿere lendenu. & beoþ gesceode. habbaþ eoƿ staf on hande. & etaþ heardlice. ðeos tid is Godes faereld; & ƿearþ ða on ðaere nihte ofslegen on aelcum huse geond eall Pharaoes rice, ꝧ frumcennede cild. & paes ꝧ Godes folc Israhel ahred fram ðam ferlican deaþe. ðurh ðaes lambes offrunge. & his blodes mearcunge; þa cƿaeþ God to [Page] Moysen. healdaþ ðisne daeg on eoƿrū gemynde. & freolsiaþ hine maerlice on eoƿrum cynrenum mid ecum bigenage. & etaþ ðeorfne hlaf symle seofan dagas aet þisre freols tide; Aeften þissere daede laedde God ꝧ Israhela folc ofer ða readan sae. mid drium fotum. & adraencte ðaer on Pharao. & ealne his here samod ðe heora ehton. and afedde syð ðan ꝧ Israhela folc feoƿertig geara mid heofonlicū bigleofan. & him forgeaf ƿaeter of heardum stan clude. oþ ꝧ hi comon to þam behatenū eþele; [Page] Sume ðas race ƿe habbaþ getrahtnod on oþre stoƿe. sume ƿe ƿyllaþ nu geopenian. ꝧ ðe belimpþ to ðam halgan husle; Cristene menn nemoton healdan nu ða ealdan ae lichamlice. ac him gedafenaþ ꝧ hi cunnon hƿaet heo gastlice tacnie; ꝧ unscaeþþie lamb ðe se ealde Israhela ða ofsnaþ. haefde getacnunge aefter gastlicum andgyte Cristes ðroƿunge se ðe unscaeþþig for ure alysednysse his halige blod ageat; Be ðam singaþ Godes ðeoƿas aet aelcere maessan. agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi [Page] miserere nobis; ꝧ is on urū gereorde. ðu Godes lamb ðe aetbretst middan eardes synna gemiltsa us; ꝧ Israhela folc ƿearþ ahred fram ðam faerlicum deaþe. & fram Pharaoes þeoƿte ðurh ðaes lambes offrunge. ðe haefde getacnunge Cristes ðroƿunge. ðurh ða ƿe sind alysede fram ðam ecum deaþe, & þaes reþan deofles anƿealde. gif ƿe rihtlice gelyfaþ on ðone soþan alysend ealles middan eandes haelend Crist; ꝧ lamb ƿaes geoffrode on aefnunge. and ure haelend ðroƿode on ðaere sixtan [Page] ylde ðissere ƿorulde; Seo yld is geteald to aefnunge ðises ateorigenlican middan eardes; Hi mearcodan mid ðaes lambes blode on heora gedyrum. and ouerslegum tau. ꝧ is rode tacen. & ƿurdon sƿa gescilde fram ðam engle. ðe acƿealde þaera egiptiscra frumcennedan cild; And ƿe sceolon mearcian ure forepearde heafod. & urne lichaman mid Cristes rode tacne. ꝧ ƿe beon ahredde frā forƿyrde. ðonne ƿe beoþ ge mearcode aegþer ge on foran heafde ge on heortan mid blode ðaere [Page] drihtenlican ðroƿunge; ꝧ Israhela folc aet ðaes lambes flaesc on heora easter tide ða ða hi ahredde ƿurdon. & ƿe þicgaþ nu gastlice cristes lichaman. & his blod drincaþ. ðonne ƿe mid soþum geleafan ꝧ halige husel ðicgaþ; Ðone timan hi heoldon him to easter tide seofan dagas mid micclum ƿurþmynte ðe hi ahredde ƿurdon ƿiþ Pharao. & of ðam earde ferdon. sƿa eac cristene menn healdaþ Cristes aerist us to easter tide ðaes seofan dagas. forþan ðe ƿe sint ðurh his ðroƿunge. and [Page] aerist alysede. & ƿe beoþ geclaensode ðurh ðaes halgan husel ganges. sƿa sƿa Crist sylf cƿaeþ on his godƿelle; Soþ soþ ic eoƿ secge. naebbe ge lif on eoƿ. buton ge eten min flaesc. and drincon min blod; Se ðe et min flaesc. & min blood drincþ. he ƿunaþ on me. and ic on him. and he haefþ ꝧ ece lif. and ic hine araere on ðam endenextan daege; Ic eom se liflica hlaf ðe of heofonum astah. na sƿa sƿa eoƿere forth faederas aeton ðone heofonlican hlaf on ƿestene. and syþþan sƿulton; Se ðe et ðisne. [Page] hlaf. he leofaþ on ecnysse; He halgode hlaf aer his þroƿunge. and to daelde his discipulum ðus cƿþeende; Etaþ ðisne hlaf hit is min lichama. and doþ þis on mynum gemynde; Eft he bletsode ƿin on anum calice. and cƿaeþ; Drincaþ ealle of ðisum. ðis is min blod ꝧ ðe biþ for manegum agoten on synna forgyfenysse; Ða apostoli dydon sƿa sƿa Crist het. ꝧ hi halgodon hlaf. and ƿin to husle eft syþþan on his gemynde; Eac sƿylce heora aefter genegan. and ealle sacerdas be Cristes [Page] haese halgiaþ hlaf & ƿin to husle on his naman mid þaere apostolican bletsunge; Nu smeadon gehƿilce men oft. and git gelome smeagaþ. hu se hlaf ðe biþ of corne gegearcod. and ðurh fyres haetan abacen mage beon aƿend to Cristes lichaman. oƿƿe ꝧ ƿin þebiþ of manegum berium aƿrungen ƿeorþe aƿend ðurh anigre bletsūge to drihtnes blode; Nu recge ƿe gehƿilcum mannum ꝧ sume ðing sind gecƿedene be Criste ðurh getacnunge. sume ðurh geƿissum ðinge; Soþ ðing isand [Page] geƿis ꝧ Crist ƿaes of maedene acenned. & sylf ƿilles ðroƿode deaþ. and paes bebyriged. & on ðisum daege of deaþ aras; He is gecƿeden hlaf ðurh getacnunge. and lamb. & leo. and gehu elles; He is hlaf gehaten. forþan ðe he is ure lif & engla; He is lamb gecƿeden for his unscaeþþinysse; Leo for ðaere strencþe. ðe he ofer sƿiþde ðone strangan deofol; Ac sƿa ðeah aefter soþum gecynde nis Crist naþor ne hlaf. ne lamb. ne leo; Hƿi is ðonne ꝧ halige husell gecƿeden Cristes lichama. oþþe [Page] his bold. gif hit nis soþlice ꝧ ꝧ hit gehaten is; Soþlice se hlaf. and ꝧ ƿin ðe beoþ ðurh sacerda maessan gehalgode oþer ðing hi aeteoƿiaþ menniscum andgitum ƿiþ utan. and oþer ðing hi clypiaþ ƿiþ innan geleaffullum modeum; ƿiþ utan hi beoþ geseƿene hlaf & ƿin aegþer geon hiƿe ge on sƿaecce. ac hi beoþ soþlice aefter þaere halgunge Cristes lichama. and his blod ðurh gastlice ge rynu; Haeþen cild biþ gefullod. ac hit ne braet na his hiƿ ƿiþ utan ðeah ðe hit beo ƿiþ innan aƿend; Hit biþ [Page] gebroht synfull ðurh adames forgaegednysse to ðam fant fate; Ac hit biþ aþƿogen fram eallum synnum ƿiþ innan. ðeah ðe hit ƿiþ utan his hiƿ ne aƿende; Eac sƿylce ꝧ halige fant ƿaeter ðe is gehaten lifes ƿylspring. is gelic on hiƿe oþrū ƿaeterum. and is under ðeod brosnunge. ac ðaes halgan gastes miht genealaecþ þam brosnigendlicum ƿaetere. ðurh sacerda bletsunge. and hit maeg syþþan lichaman. and saƿle aþƿean fram eallum synnū þurh gastlice mihte; Efne nu ƿe geseoþ tƿa ðing [Page] on ðisum anum gesceafte; AEfter soþum gecynde. ꝧ ƿaefter is brosniendlic ƿaete. & aeter gastlicre gerynu haefþ halƿende mihte; Sƿa eac gif ƿe sceaƿiaþ ꝧ halige husel aefter lichamlicū andgite. ðonne geseo ƿe ꝧ hit is gesceaft brosniendlic. & aƿendedlic; Gif ƿe ða gastlican mihte ðaer on tocnaƿaþ ðonne undergite ƿe ꝧ ðaer is lif on. and forgifþ undeadlicnysse. ðam ðe hit mid geleafan þicgaþ; Micel is betƿux ðaere ungeseƿenlican mihte ðaes halgan husles. and ðam geseƿenlican [Page] hiƿe agenes gecyndes; Hit is on gecynde brosniendlic hlaf. and brosniendlic ƿin. & is aefter mihte Godcundes ƿordes. soþlice Cristes lichama and his blod. na sƿaþeah lichamalice. ac gastlice; Micel is betƿux ðam lichaman ðe Crist on ðroƿode. and ðam lichaman ðe to husle biþ gehalgod; Se lichama soþlice ðe Crist on ðroƿode ƿaes geboren of Manian flaesce. mid blode & mid banum, mid felle & mid sinum. on menniscum limum. mid gesceadƿisre saƿle gelifaest. & his gastlica lichama [Page] ðe ƿe husel hataþ is of manegum cornum gegaderod. buton blode. & bane. limleas. & saƿulleas. and nis forþi nan ðing ðaer on to understandenne lichamlice. as is eall gastlice to understandene. Sƿa hƿaet sƿa on ðam husle is ðe us lifes edƿist forgifþ. ꝧ is of ðaere gastlican mihte. and ungeseƿenlicre fremmincge; Forþi is ꝧ halige husel gehaten gerynu. forþan ðe oþer ðing is ðaeron geseƿen. and oþer ðing undergiten; ꝧ ꝧ ðaer geseƿen is haefþ lichamlic hiƿ. & ꝧ ꝧ ƿe ðaer on [Page] understandaþ haefþ gastlice mihte; ƿitodlice Cristes lichama ðe deaþ ðroƿode. and of deaþe aras. ne sƿylt naefre heonon forþ. ac is ece and unþroƿiendlic; ꝧ husel is hƿilƿendlic. na ece; Brosniendlic. and biþ sticc maelum todaeled; Betƿux toþum tocoƿen. and into ðam buce asend. ac hit biþ ðeah hƿaeþere aefter gastlicre mihte on aelcum daele eall; Manega underfoþ ðone halgan lichaman. and he biþ sƿa ðeah on aelcum daele eall aefter gastlicre gerynu; þeah sume menn gesceote laesse [Page] dael ne biþ sƿa ðeah na mare miht on ðam maran daele ðonne on ðam laessan. for ðan ðe hit bit on aelcum menn ansund aefter ðaere ungeseƿenlican mihte; þeos gerynu is ƿedd. and hiƿ; Cristes lichama is soþfaestnyss; Ðis ƿedd ƿe healdaþ gerynelice. oþ ꝧ ƿe becumon to ðaere soþfaestnysse. and þonne biþ þis ƿedd geendod; Soþlice hit is sƿa sƿa ƿe aer cƿaedon Cristes lichama. and his blod. na lichamlice. ac gastlice; Ne sceole ge fmeagan hu hit gedon sy. ac healdan on eoƿrum [Page] geleafan ꝧ hit sƿa gedon sy; ƿe raedaþ on oþaere. bec. ðe is gehaten uitas patrum. ꝧ tƿegen munecas abaedon aet Gode sume sƿutelunge be þā halgan husle. and aefter þaere bene gestodon him maessan; Ða gesaƿon hi licgan an cild on þam ƿeofode ðe se maesse freost aet maessode. and Godes engel stod mid handsexe andbidiende oð ꝧ se preost ꝧ husel tobraec; þa tolyþode se engel ꝧ cild on ðam disce. and his blod into ðam calice ageat; Eft ða ða hi to ðam husle eodon. ða ƿearþ hit aƿend to [Page] hlafe. and to ƿine. and hi hit ðygedon. Gode ðancigende ðaere sƿutelunge; Eac se halga Gregorius abaed aet Criste. ꝧ he ateoƿede anū tƿynigendum ƿife embe his ger ynu micele seþunge; Heo eode to husle mid tƿynigendum mode. and Gregorius begeat aet Gode ðaerrihte. ꝧ him bam ƿearþ aeteoƿed seo snaed ðaes husles. ðe heo ðicgan sceolde. sƿylce þaer laege on þam disce anes fingres liþ eall geblodgod. & ðaes ƿifes tƿeonung ƿearþ ða gerihtlaeced; Vton nu gehyran ðaes apostoles [Page] ƿord embe ðas gerynu; Paulus se apostol eƿaeþ be ðam ealdan folce Israhel. ðus ƿritende on his pistole to geleasfullū mannum; Ealle ure forþ faederas ƿeron gefullude on ƿolcne. and on sae. and ealle hi aeton ðone ylcan gastlican mete. and ealle hi druncon ðone ylcan gastlican drenc; Hi druncon soþlice of aefter filigendan stane. & se stan ƿaes Crist; Naes se stan ðe ꝧ ƿaeter þa of fleoƿ lichamlice crist ac he getacnode Crist. ðe clypode þus to eallū geleaffullū mannū. [Page] sƿa hƿam sƿa ðyrste come to me & drince; And of his innoþe fleoƿþ liflic ƿaeter; þis he saede be ðam halgan gaste ðe ða under fengon. ðe on hine gelyfdon; Se apostol Paulus cƿaeþ ꝧ ꝧ Israhela folc aete ðone ylcan gastlican mete. and drunce ðone ilcan gastlican drenc. forþan þe se ylca heofonlica mete ðe hi afedde. xl. geara. & ꝧ ƿaeter ðe of ðam stane fleoƿ. haefde getacnunge Cristes lichaman. and his boldes. ðe nu beoþ geoffrede daeghƿōlice on godes cyrcan; Hit ƿaeron þa ylcan [Page] ðe ƿe nu offriaþ. na lichamlice ac gastlice; ƿe saedon eoƿ hƿene aer ꝧ Crist halgode hlaf & ƿin aer his þroƿunge to husle. and cƿaeþ. ðis is min lichama. and min blod; Ne ðroƿode he ða gyt. ac sƿa ðeah he aƿende ðurh ungeseƿenlice mihte ðone hlaf to his agenum lichaman. and ꝧ ƿin to his blode. sƿa sƿa he aer dyde. on ðam ƿestene aer ðan ðe he to men geboren ƿurde. ða ða he aƿende ðone heofonlican mete to hiƿ falaesce. and ꝧ floƿende ƿaeter of ðam stane to his agenum blode; Fela manna [Page] aeton of ðam heofonlican mete on ðam ƿestene. and druncon ðone gastlican drenc. and ƿurdon sƿa ðeah deade. sƿa sƿa Crist saede; Ne maende Crist ðone ðeah ðe nan mann forbugan ne maeg. ac he maende ðone ecan deaþ ðe sume of ðam folce for heora geleafleaste geearnodon; Moyses and Aaron. and manega oþre of ðam folce ðe Gode gelicodon. aeton ðone heofonlican hlaf. ac hi naeron deade ðam ecum deaþ. ðeah ðe hi gemaenū deaþ. forþ ferdon; Hi gesaƿon ꝧ se heofonlica mete [Page] ƿaes geseƿenlic. & brosniendlic. ac hi understodon gastlice be ðam geseƿenlicum ðinge. and hit gastlice ðigdon; Se haelend cƿaeþ. se ðe et min flaesc. and drincþ min blod. he haefþ ece lif; Ne het he na etan ðone lichaman. ðe he mid befangen ƿaes. ne ꝧ blod orincan. ðe he for us ageat. ac he maende mid þam ƿorde ꝧ halige husel. ðe gastlic is his lichama and his blod. and se þe þaes onbyrigþ mid geleaffulre heortan. he haefþ ꝧ ece lif, On ðaere ealdan ae geleaffulle men offrodon Gode mistlice lac. [Page] ðe haefdon to ƿearde getacnunge Cristes lichama. ðe sylffon urum synnū syþþan geoffrode his heofonlican faeder to onsaegednysse; ƿitodlice ðis husel þe nu biþ gehalgod aet Godes ƿeofode. is gemynd Cristes lichaman ðe he for us geoffrode. and his blodes ðe he for us ageat. sƿa sƿa he sylf het. doþ ðis on minum gemynde; Aene þroƿode Crist ðurh hine sylfne. ac 'sƿa ðeah daeghƿomlice biþ his ðroƿung geedniƿod ðurh gerynu ðaes halgan husles aet ðaere halgan maessan; [Page] For ði fremaþ seo halige maesse micclum ge ðam libbendum. ge ðam forþ farenum. sƿa sƿa hit sor oft gesƿutelod is; Vs is eac tosmeagenne. ꝧ ꝧ halige husel is aegþer ge cristes lichama. ge ealles geleafulles folces. aefter gastlicre gerynu; Sƿa sƿa se ƿise Agustinus be ðam cpaeþ; Gif ge ƿillaþ understandan be cristes lichaman. gehyraþ ðone apostol Paulum þus cƿeþende; Ge soƿlice sindon Cristes lichama. & leomu; Nu is eoƿer gerynui geled on Godes myran. and ge underfoþ eoƿer [Page] gerynu toþam ðe ge sylfe sind; Beoþ ꝧ ꝧ ge geseoþ on þam ƿeofode. and underfoþ ꝧ ꝧ gesylfe sind; Eft cƿaeþ se apostol Paulus be ðisum. ƿe manega syndon an hlaf. & an lichama; Vnderstandaþ nu. and blissiaþ. feala sind an hlaf. & an lichoma on Criste; He is ure heafod. & ƿe sind his lima; Ne biþ se hlaf of anum corne. ac of manegū; Ne ꝧ ƿin of anre berian. ac of manegum; Sƿa ƿe sceolon eac habban annysse on urum drihtne. sƿa sƿa hit aƿrisen is be þā geleaffullan ƿeorode. ꝧ hi ƿaeron on sƿa [Page] micelre annysse. sƿilce him eallum ƿaere an saƿul. and an heorte; Crist gehal gode on his beode ða gerynu ure ribbe. & ure annisse. se þe underfehþ ðaere annysse gerynu. and ne hilt ðene bend ðaere soþan sibbe. ne un derfehþ he na gerynu for him sylfum. ac gecyonysse togeanes him sylfum; Micel god biƿ cristenum mannum. ꝧ hi gelome to husle gan. gif hi unscaeþþignysse on heora heortan beraþ to ðam ƿeofode. gif hi ne beoþ mid leahtrum ofrette; þam yfelan men [Page] ne becymþ to nanum gode. ac to forƿyrde. gifhe ðaes halgan husles unƿurþe onbyrigþ; Halige bec beodaþ ꝧ man ge maenege ƿaeten to ðam ƿine ðe to husle sceal. forþan þe ꝧ ƿaeter haefþ þaes folces getacnunge. sƿa sƿa ꝧ ƿin Crister blodes; & forði ne sceal naþor buton oþrum beon geoffrode aet ðaere halgan maessan. ꝧ Crist beo mid us. and ƿe mid Criste. ꝧ heafod mid ðam leomum. & þa leomu mid þam heafode; ƿe ƿoldon gefyrn trahtnian beiþā lambe þe se ealde Israhel aet heora easter [Page] tyde geoffrodon. ac ƿe ƿoldon aerest eoƿ genaeccan ymbe ðas gerynu. and syþþan hu hit man ðicgan sceal; ꝧ getacniendlice lamb ƿaes geoffrnod aet heora easter tide. & se apostol Paulus cƿaeþ on ðisum daegþerlicum pistole. ꝧ Crist is ure easter tide. se ðe for ur ƿaes geoffrod. & on ðisum daege of deaþe aras; Israhel ðigde ðaes lamber flaesc. sƿa sƿa God bebead. mid ðeorfum hlafum. & feldlicum lactucum. & ƿe sceolon ðicgan ꝧ halige husel Crites lichaman. & his blod buton beorman [Page] yfeln ysse and manfulnysse; Sƿa sƿa se beorma aƿent þa gesceafta of heora gecynde. sƿa aƿendaþ eac leahtras ðaes mannes gecynde frā unscaeþþignysse to geƿemmednysse; Se apostol taehte ꝧ ƿe sceoldon geƿistfullian na on yselnysse beorman. ac on ðeorfnyssum sifernysse. & soþfaestnysse; Lactuca hatte seo ƿyrt ðe hi etan sceoldan mid ðam þeorfum blafum. heo is biter on ðigene; And ƿe sceolon mid biiternysse soþre behreoƿrunge ure mod geclaensian. [Page] gif ƿe ƿillaþ Cristes lichaman ðicgan; Naes ꝧ Israhela folc geƿunod. to hreaƿum flaesce. ðeah ðe God him bebude. ꝧ hi hit hreaƿ ne aeton. ne on ƿaetere gesoden, ac gebraed to fire; Se ƿile ðicgan Godes lichaman hreaƿne. se ðe buton gesceade ƿenþ ꝧ he ƿaere anfeald man us gelice. & naere God; & se ðe aefter menniscum ƿisdome ƿyile smeagan ymbe ða gerynu Cristes flaesclicnysse. he deþ sƿylce he seoþe ðaes lambes flaesc on ƿaetere. for ðan ðe ƿaeter getacnaþ on ðissere stoƿe [Page] mennisc ingehid; Ac ƿe sceolon ƿitan ꝧ ealle ða gerynu Cristes menniscnysse ƿaeron gefadode ðurh mihte ðaes halgan gastes. donne ðicge ƿe his lichaman gebraedne to fire. forþan ðe se halga gast com on fyres hiƿe to ðam apostolum on mistlicum gereordum; Israhel sceold etan þaer lambes heafod. & ða fet. and ꝧ inneƿearde. & ðaer nan ðing belifan ne moste ofer niht; Gif ðaer hƿaet belife. forbaernan ꝧ on fyre. & ne tobraecan ða baan; AEfter gaslicum & gite ƿe etaþ ðaes [Page] lambes heafod. ðonne ƿe underfoþ Cristes godcundnysse on urum geleakan; Eft ðonne ƿe his menniscnysse mid lufe underfoþ. þonne ete ƿe þaes lambes fet. forþan ðe Crist is angin & ende. God aer ealle ƿorulda. and man on ðissere ƿorulde geendunge; Hƿaet is ðaes lambes inneƿearde buton Cristes digelan bebodu. ða ƿe etaþ ðonne ƿe lifes ƿord mid graedignysse underfoþ; Nan ðingne moste ðaes lambes belifan oþ merigen. forþan ðe Godes cƿydas sind to smeagenne mid [Page] sƿa micelre carfulnysse. sƿa ꝧ ealle his beboda mid & gite and ƿeorce beon asmeade on nihte þises andƿeardan lifes. aerþan þe se endenexta daeg ðaes gemaenelican aeristes aeteoƿige; Gifƿe þonne ealle þa genynu Cristes slaesclicnysse þurh smeagan ne magon. ðonne sceole ƿe ðia lafe betaecan ðaes halgan gastes mihte mid soþre eadmodnysse. and na to dyrstelice ymbe ða deopan digelnysse ofer ures and gytes maeþe smeagan; Hi aeton ꝧ lamb mid begysdum lendenum; On lendenū is seo galnysse [Page] ðaes lichoman. and se þe ƿyle ꝧ husel ðicgan he sceal geƿryiþan ða galnysse. & mid claennysse ða halgan þigene onfon; Hi ƿaeron eac gesceode; Hƿaet sind gescy buton deadra nytena hyda; ƿe beoþ soþlice gesceode. gif ƿe efenlaecaþ mid urum faerelde and ƿeorce forþfarenra manna lif. ðaena ðe Gode geþugon ðurh gehealdsumnysse his beboda; Hi haefdon him staef on handa aet þaere þigene; Se staef getacnaþ gymene. & hyrdnysse; þa ðe bet cunnon & magon. sceolon gyman oþra manna. [Page] & mid heora fultume underƿriþian; þam gemettum ƿaer beboden ꝧ hi sceoldon caflice etan. forðam ðe God onscunaþ ða sleacnysse on his ðegnum. and ða he lufaþ ðe mid modes cafnesse ðaes ecan lifes mirþe secaþe; Hit is aƿriten. Ne elca ðu to gecyrranne to Gode. ðylaes þe se tima losie þurh ða sleacan elcunge; þa gemettan ne moston ðaes lambes ban scaenan. ne ða cempan ðe Crist ahengon ne moston tobraecan his halgan sceancan. sƿa sƿa hi dydon. þaera tƿegra sceaþena [Page] ðe him on tƿa healfa hangodon. ac driht aras of deaþe gesund buton aelcere forrotodnysse; And hi sceolon geseon aet ðam micclan dome hƿaene hi geƿundodon ƿaelhreoƿlice on rode; þeos tid is gehaten on ebreiscum geneorde Pasca. ꝧ is on leden Transitus. & on englis Faereld. forþan ðe on ðisum daege ferde Godes folc fram egipta lande ofer ða readan sae. fram ðeoƿte to ðam behaitenan earde; Vre driht ferde eac on þisne timan. sƿa sƿa se Godspellere Iohns cƿaeþ. fram ðisum [Page] middan earde to his heofonlican faeder; ƿe sceolon fylian urū heafde. & faran frā deofle to criste. frā þissere unscaeþþigan ƿorulde to his staþelfaetan rice. ac ƿe sceolon aerest on urū and-ƿeardan life faran frā leahtrum to halgum maegnum. fram unþeaƿum to godum þeaƿum. gif ƿe ƿillaþ aefter ðisum laenan life faran toþā ecan; & aefter urū aeriste to haelende Criste; He us geli [...]de to his lifigendan faed [...]r. ðe hine sealde for usū synnum to deaþe; Si hun ƿuldor and lof. ðaere ƿ [...]ldaeda. on ealr [...] ƿorulda ƿorulo. AMEN.
MEn beloued, it hath bene often sayd vnto you aboute our Sauiours resurrection, how he on this present day after hys suffering, mightely rose from death. Now will we open vnto you through Gods grace, of the holy housell, whiche ye shoulde nowe goe vnto, and instructe your vnderstandyng aboute thys mysterie, both after the olde couenaunte, and also after the newe, that no doubting may trouble you about thys liuelye foode. The almyghtie God badde Moyses [Page 21] his captaine in ye land of Aegypt, to commaunde ye people of Israell to take for euery familye a lambe of one yeare old, the night they departed out of ye countrey to ye land of promise, & to offer yt lambe to God, & after to kill it, & to make ye signe of ye crosse, with ye lābes bloud vpon the side postes, & the vpper poste of their dore, & afterward to eate ye lambes flesh rosted, & vnleauened bread wt wilde lettisse. God sayth vnto Moyses. Eate of ye lābe nothing raw, nor soddē in water, but rosted wt fire. [Page 22] Eate ye head, ye feete, and the inwardes, & let nothing of it be left vntill ye morning: if any thing therof remaine, yt shall you burne wt fire. Eate it in this wyse. Gyrde your loynes, & do your shoes on your fete, haue you staues in your hādes, & eat it in hast. This time is ye lordes passeouer. And ther was slain on yt night in euery house throgh out Pharaos raigne, the first borne child: and Gods people of Israell were deliuered frō yt sodeine death through the lābes offring, & his bloudes marking. Thē said God vnto [Page 23] Moyses. Keepe this day in your remembraunce, and holde it a greate feast in your kinredes with a perpetuall obseruation, and eate vnleauened bread alwayes seuen dayes at thys feaste. After thys deede God ledde the people of Israell ouer ye redde sea, wt dry foote,Exod. 14. and drowned therin Pharao, & al his army together wt their possessions, & fedde afterward ye Israelits fortie yeares with heauenlye foode, & gaue thē water out of the hard rocke,Exod. 17. vntil they came to the promised land. [Page 24] Part of this storye we haue treated of in an other place, part we shall now declare, to witte, yt which belongeth to the holy housell. Christian men may not now kepe that olde lawe bodely, but it behoueth them to know, what it ghostlye signifieth. That innocēt lambe which the old Israelites did then kill, had significatiō after ghostly vnderstanding of Christes suffering, who vngiltie shedde his holy bloude for our redemptiō. Hereof sing Gods seruauntes at euery masse. Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi [Page 24] miserere nobis. That is in our speech, Thou lambe of God that takest away ye sinnes of the world haue mercy vpon vs. Those Israelites were deliuered from that sodaine death, & frō Pharaos bondage by the lambes offringe which signified Christes suffering:Math. 27. through which we be deliuered from euerlasting death,Marc. 15. & frō the deuils cruel raigne,Luke. 24. if we rightly beleue in the true redemer of the whole world Christ the Sauiour. That lambe was offered in the euening and our Saniour suffered in the sixt [Page 26] age of thys world, This age of thys corruptible worlde is reckened vnto the euening They marked with the lābes bloude vpon the doores, and the vpper postesNo such signe commaunded by God in that place of scripture, but it was the bloud that God dyd loke vpon. Exod 12. Tau, that is the signe of the crosse, and were so defended from the angell that killed the Aegyptians first borne childe. And weVnderstand thys as that of S. Paule. Ephe. 2. Christ reconciled both to God in one body through hys crosse. ought to marke our foreheades, and our bodyes with ye takē of Christes roode, that we may be also deliuered from destruction, when we shall be marked both on forehead, and also in harte with the bloud of our [Page 27] Lordes suffering. Those Israelites eate the lambes fleshe at their Easter time, when they were deliuered, and we receiue ghostlye, Christ bodye, and drinke his bloude, when we receaue with true beliefe that holye housell. That tyme they kepte with them at Easter seuen dayes with great worshippe, when they were deliuered frō Pharao, and went from that land. So also Christen men kepe Christes resurrectiō at ye time of Easter these vij. dayes, because through hys suffering and [Page 28] risiing we be deliuered, and be made cleane by goyng to this holy housell, as Christ sayth in his ghospell. Verely, verely, I saye vnto you, ye haue no life in you except ye eate my flesh, & drinke my bloud. He yt eateth my flesh & drinketh my bloud, abydeth in me, & I in him, and hath yt euerlasting life: & I shall raise him vp in ye laste day.Iohn. 6. I am ye liuely bread, that came down frō heauē, not so as your forefathers eate that heauenlye bread in the wildernesse, and afterwarde dyed. He that eateth thys [Page 29] bread, he liueth for euer. He blessed bread before his suffering, and deuided it to his disciples, thus saying. Eate thys bread,Math. 26. it is my body, & do this in my remembraunce.Luke. 22. Also he blessed wyne in one cuppe,Marke. 14 and sayd. Drinke ye all of thys. Thys is my bloude that is shedde for many, in forgeuenesse of sinnes. The Apostles dyd as Christ commaunded, that is, they blessed bread & wyne to housell agayne afterward in hys remembraunce.1. Cor. 11. Euen so also since their departure all priestes by Christes [Page 30] commaundement doe blesse bread & wine to housell in hys name wt the Apostolike blessing. Now men haue often This was now in question, and so before Beringarius tyme. searched & do yet oftē search, howe bread that is gathered of corne, and through fyers heate baked, maye bee turned to Christes body, or how wyne that is pressed out of many grapes is turned through one blessing to the Lordes bloude. Now saye we to suche men, that some thinges be spoken of Christ byA necessarye distinction. signification, some thyng by thyng certaine. True thyng is [Page 31] and certaine yt Christ was borne of a maide, & suffred death of his own accorde, & was buryed, & on this daye rose from death. He is sayd bread by signification, & a lambe, & a lyon, & a mountayne. He is called bread, because he is our life & angells life. He is sayd to be a lābe for his innocencie. A lyon for strēgth wherwith he ouer came ye strōg deuill. But Christ is not so notwithstā ding after true nature neither bread, nor a lābe, nor a Lyon. VVhy is then yt holy housel, called Christs body, or [Page 32] his bloud if it be not truelye that it is called. Truely the bread and the wine whyche by the masse of the priest is balowed, shewe one thyng without to humayne vnderstanding & an other thing they call within to beleuing mindes. VVithout they bee sene bread & wine both in figure & in tast: and they be truely after their halowing, Christes body & hys bloude through ghostly mistery. An heathen childe is christened, yet he altereth not his shape without though he be chaunged within. He is [Page 33] brought to ye fontstone sinfull through Adams disobedience. Howbeit he is washed from all sinne within, though he hath not chaunged his shape without.The water in baptisme, and bread and wine in the Lords supper, compared. Euē so the holy fonte water that is called the welspring of lyfe is like in shape to other waters, and is subiecte to corruption, but the holy ghostes might commeth to ye corruptible water, through the priestes blessing, and it may after wash the body & soule frō all sinne, through ghostly mighte. Beholde nowe wee see two thinges [Page 34] in this one creature. After true nature that water is corruptible moysture, & after ghostlye misterye, hath holowing mighte. So also if wee beholde that holye housell after bodely vnderstanding, then see we that it is a creature corruptible and mutable: if we acknoledge therein ghostlye myght, than vnderstand we that lyfe is therin, and that it geueth immortalitie to them that eate it with beliefe. Muche is betwixte the inuisible myghte of the holye housell, and the visible [Page 35] shape of his proper nature, It isNo transubstantiation. neturally corruptible bread, & corruptible wine: and is by mighte of Godes worde truely Christes bodye, and his bloude: not so notwithstāding bodely, but ghostly. Much is betwixte theDifferē ces betwixt Christes naturall body, and the Sacramēt therof. bodie Christ suffred in, and the bodie that is halowed to housell. The bodie truely that Christ suffered in was borne of the1. Difference. flesh of Marie, with bloud,Not the body that suffred is in the housell. and with bone, with skinne, and with sinowes, in humane limmes, with a reasonable soule liuing: and his ghostlie bodie, [Page 36] whiche we call the housell, is gathered of many cornes: without bloude, and bone, without lymme, without soule: and therfore nothing is to be vnderstand therein bodelye, but all is ghostlye to be vnderstande. VVhat soeuer is in that housell, whiche geueth substaunce of lyfe, yt is of the ghostlye might, and inuisible doing. Therfore is yt holy housel called a misterye, because there is one thīg in it seen, & an other thīg vnderstāded. That which is ther2. Difference. sene, hath bodely shape: and yt we do there [Page 37] vnderstand, hath ghostlye might. Certaynely Christes bodye which suffred death and rose from death, neuer 3. Difference. dyeth henceforth: but is eternall, & vnpassible. That housell is temporall, not eternall. 4. Difference. Corruptible, and dealed into sondrye partes. Chewed betwene teeth, and sent into the bellye:Math. 15. howbeit neuerthelesse after ghostlye myght, it is all in euery part. Manye receaue that holye body: and yet notwithstanding, it is so all in euerye parte after ghostly mistery. Though some chewe lesse [Page 38] deale, yet is there no more myghte notwithstanding in the more parte, then in the lesse: because it is all in all men after the inuisible myght. Thys misterye is a5. Difference. pledge and a figure: Christes bodye is truth it selfe, Thys pledge we doe keepe mistically, vntill that we be come to the truth it selfe: and then is this pledge ended. Truelye it is so as we before haue said Christes bodye, and hys bloude: not bodilye, but ghostlye. And ye shoulde not searche how it is done, but hold it in your [Page 39] beliefe that it is so done. VVe read in an other booke called vita patrum, that two Monkes desired of God some demonstration toucbing the holy housell,These tales seme to be infarsed placed here vpon no occasion. and after as they stoode to heare masse, they sawe a childe lying on the alter, where the priest sayd masse, and Gods Aungell stoode with a sworde, and abode looking vntill ye priest brake ye housell. Then the angell deuided yt childe vpon the dyshe, and shedde his bloud into ye chalice. But whē they did go to ye housell, thē was it turned to [Page 40] bread & wine, & they dyd eate it geuing god thankes for yt shewing. Also S. Gregory desired of Christ, yt he would shew to a certain womā doubting about his mysterye some greate affyrmation. She went to housell wt doubting minde, and Gregorye forthwith obteined of God, that to them both was shewed yt part of the housell which ye woman should receaue, as if there lay in a dish a ioynte of a finger al be bloded: and so ye womans doubting was thē forthwith healed. But now heare the apostles [Page 41] wordes about this misterye. Paule ye apostle speaketh of ye old Israelites thus writing in his epistle to faithfull mē.1. Cor. 10. All our forefathers were baptised in the cloud, and in the sea: and all they ate the same ghostlye meate, and dranke the same ghostly drinke. They dranke truely of the stone yt followed them, and that stone was Christ. Neither was that Note this exposition which is now a dayes thought new. stone then from whiche the water ranne bodelye Christ, but it signifyed Christ, that calleth thus to al beleauing & faithful mē: [Page 42] whosoeuer thirsteth let him come to me,Iohn. 4. & drinke. And from his bowelles floweth lyuely water. This he sayd of the holy ghost, whom he receaueth which beleaueth on hym.1. Cor. 10. The apostle Paule sayth that the Israelites did eat the same ghostly meate,Exod. 17. and drinke the same ghostly drinke: bycause yt heauenly meate yt fedde thē xl. yeares, and that water which from the stone did flowe, had signification of Christes bodye, and his bloude, that nowe be offered daylye in Godes churche, It was the same [Page 43] which we now offer: not bodely, but ghostly. VVe sayd vnto you ere while,Math. 26. yt Christ halowed bread and wyne to housell before his suffering,Luke. 22. and sayd:Marke. 14 this is my body, & my bloud. Yet he had not thē suffred but so notwithstanding heNow we eate that bodye which was eaten before he was borne by the faythfull. turned through inuisible might yt bread to hys owne body, & yt wyne to his bloode, as he before did in ye wildernes before yt he was borne to mē, whē heSee a transubstantiatiō. turned that heauenly meate to his fleshe, and the flowing water from that stone to hys owne bloude. Verye many [Page 44] ate of thatManna. heauenlye meate in the wildernes, and dranke that ghostlye drinke and were neuertheles dead,Iohn. 6. as Christ sayd. And christ ment not that death whiche none can escape: but that euerlastynge death, whiche some of that folke deserued for their vnbeliefe. Moyses and Aaron, and many other of that people whiche pleased God eate that heauenly bread, and they dyed not that euerlastyng death, though they dyed the common death. They sawe that the heauenlye meate [Page 45] was visible, and corruptible, and they ghostly vnderstode by yt visible thing, and ghostly receyued it. The Sauiour sayeth:Iohn. 6. He yt eateth my fleshe, and drinketh my bloud, hath euerlasting lyfe. And he bad thē not eate yt body which he was going about we, nor yt bloud to drink which he shed for vs:What body do the faithfull now eate. but he mēt wt those wordes yt holy housell, which ghostly is his body, & his bloud, & he yt tasteth it with beleauing hart, hath that eternall life. In the old law faithful mē offred to god diuers sacrifices, [Page 46] that hadA signification before Christ fore significatiō of Christes body, which for our sinnes he himselfe to his heauenly father hath sinceA sacrifice in Christes tyme. offred to sacrifice. Certaynlye this housell whiche we doe nowe halow at gods alter is aA remembraunce after Christ. remembraūce of Christes body which he offred for vs, and of his bloude whiche he shedd for vs:Math. 26. So he him selfe commaunded, do thys in my remembraunce.Ebreu. 10. Once suffred Christe by hym selfe, but yet neuerthelesse hys suffrynge is daylye renued at the masse through mysterye of the holye housell. [Page 47] Therefore that holy masse is profitable both to the lyuing, and to theThis doctrine with praying to images & to the dead bodies of men at their tombes tooke his beginning of the auarice of mōkes vnto whom it was gain full. dead: as it hath bene often declared. VVe oughte also to consyder diligently how that this holy housell is both Christes body, and the body of all The housell is also the body of al faithfull men. faythfull men, after ghostly mysterye. As the wyse Augustine sayth of it. Yf ye will vnderstand of Christes body heare ye apostle Paule thus speaking. Ye truely be Christes body and his members. Nowe is your mysterye sett on Godes table, and ye receyue your [Page 48] misterye, whiche mistery ye your selues be. Be yt whiche ye se on the alter, & receiue that whiche ye your selues be. Agayn the apostle Paule saith by it: We manye be one bread, and one bodye. Vnderstand nowe and reioice, many be one bread, and one body in Christ. He is our head, and we be his limmes. And ye bread is not of one corne, but of many. Nor the wine of one grape, but of manye. So also we all should haue one vnitie in our Lord, as it is writtē of the faithfull armye, how yt they were in so [Page 50] great an vnitie, as though all of them were one soule, and one harte. Christ halowed on hys table the mysterye of our peace, and of our vnytye: he whyche receyueth that mysterye of vnytye, and kepeth not the bonde of true peace, he receyueth no mysterye for hym selfe, but a witnesse agaynst hymselfe. It is very good for Christen men, that they goe often to housell, yf they brynge wyth them to the alter vngyltynes and innocencye of harte. To an euill man [Page 51] it turneth to no good, but to destructiō, if he receiue vnworthely yt holy housell. HolyNo scripture enforceth the mixture of water with the wyne. bookes commaūd yt water be mengled to yt wine which shalbe for housell: bicause ye water signifieth the people, and theThe wine signifieth christes bloude. wine Christs bloud. And therfore shall neither ye one without the other be offred at ye holy masse: yt Christ may be with vs, & we with Christ: the head wt the limmes, and the limmes with the head. VVe would before haue intreated of the lambe whiche the olde Israelites offered at their Easter [Page 32] tyme, but yt we desired first to declare vnto you of this misterye, and after how we should receyue it. That signifying lambe was offred at the Easter. And the apostle Paule sayeth in the epistle of this present day, that Christ is our Easter, who was offred for vs, and on thys day rose from deathe. The Israelites did eate the lambes fleshe as God commaunded wyth vnleuened bread; and wylde lettisse: How we shoulde come to the holy cōmunion. so we should receyue yt holy housell of Christes bodye and bloud without the leauen [Page 53] of sinne, and iniquitie. As leauen turneth the creatures from their nature: so doth sinne also chaunge the nature of man from innocencye to foules spottes of giltinesse. The apostle hath taught how we should feast not in the leauen of euelnesse but in the swete dough of puritie and truthe. The her be whiche they shoulde eate with the vnleauened bread is called Lettisse, and is bitter in taste. So we shoulde with bitternesse of vnfayned weepinge purifye our mynde, [Page 54] if we wil eat Christes bodye. Those Israelites were not wont to eate rawe fleshe although god forbad them to eate it rawe, and sodden in water, but rosted wyth fyer. He shall receyue the bodye of God rawe that shal thynke wythout reason that Christ was onelye man lyke vnto vs and was not God. And [...]e that wil after mans wisedome search of ye mysterye of Christes incarnation, doth lyke vnto hym yt doth seeth lambes flesh in water: bycause that water in thys same place signifieth mans [Page 55] vnderstāding: but we should vnderstād that al the misterie of Christs humanity was ordered by ye power of ye holy ghost. And thē eate we his body rosted wyth fyre: because the holy ghost came in fyrye lykenes to the apostles in diuerse tonges. The Israelites should eate the lambs head, & ye fete, and ye purtenaunce: and nothing therof muste be left ouer night, Yf any thing therof were lefte, they did burne yt in the fyre: and they brake not ye bones. After ghostlye vnderstandinge we doe then eate the [Page 56] lambes head, when we take hold of Christes diuinitye in our beliefe. Agayn when we take holde of hys humanyte, wyth loue then eate we the lambes feete: bycause that Christ is the beginnyng and ende, god before all world and man in the ende of thys worlde. VVhat bee the lābes purtenaūce, but Christes secrete preceptes, and these we eat, whē we receiue with gredines the worde of lyfe. There muste nothing of the lābe be left vnto the morning, bicause yt all godes sayings are to be searched wt [Page 57] great carefulnesse: so that all his preceptes maye be knowen in vnderstāding & deede in the nyght of thys present lyfe, before that the last day of the vniuersall resurrection do appeare. If we can not search out throughly all the mistery of Christes incarnation, then ought we to betake the rest vnto the might of ye holy ghost wt true humilitie: & not to searche rashlye of that deepe secretnes aboue ye measure of our vnderstāding. They did eat ye lambes flesh wt their loynes gyrt. In the loines is the lust [Page 58] of the body. And he whyche wyll receyue yt housell, shall restrayne that concupiscēce: and take with chastitie that holy receypt. They were also shod. VVhat be shoes but of the hydes of dead beastes. VVe be truely shod if we folow in our steps & deades the lyfe of those pilgrimes, which please god wt keping of his commaūdemēts. They had staues in their handes when they ate. This stafe signifieth a carefulnes and a diligēt ouerseing. And al they, yt best know and cā, should take care of other men, [Page 59] and staye them vppe with their helpe. It was inioyned to the eaters yt they shoulde eate the lambe in haste. For god abhorreth slouthfulnes in his seruantes. And those he loueth that seeke the ioye of euerlasting life with quicknes, & hast of minde. It is written: Prolong not to turne vnto god, lest the time passe awaye through thy slowe tarrying. The eaters mought not break the lābes bones. Nomore mought the souldyers, yt did hang Christ breake his holy legges, as they did of the two theefes [Page 60] that hanged on either syde of him. And ye Lord rose frō death sound without al corruption: & at the last iudgemēt they shal see him, whom they did most cruelly hange on ye crosse. This time is called in ye Ebrue tonge Pasca, and in latine Transitus, & in English a Passouer: bicause yt on this daye the people of Israell passed from the land of Aegipt ouer the read sea: from bondage to the lande of promyse. So also dyd our Lord at thys tyme departe as sayeth Iohn the Euangelyste from thys [Page 61] world to his heauēly father. Euen so we ought to folowe our head, and to go from the deuill to christ: from this vnstable world to his stable kingdōe. Howbeit we should first in this presēt life depart frō vice to holy vertue: from euill manners to good manners, if we will after thys lente lyfe go to that eternal life, & after our resurrection to Christ. He bring vs to his euerliuing father, who gaue him to death for our sinnes. To him be honour, & praise of wel doing, world wythout ende. Amen.
[Page] ¶This sermon is found in diuerse bookes of sermōs written in the olde English or Saxon toung: whereof two bookes bee nowe in the handes of the most reuerend father the Archbishop of Caunterburye.
Here followeth the wordes of Aelfrike abbot of S. Albones, & also of Malmesberye, taken out of his epistle written to Wulfsine byshop of Scyrburne.
It is founde in a booke of the olde Saxon tounge, wherin be xliij. chapters, of Canons and ecclesiasticall constitutions, and also Liber poenitentialis, that is a poenitentiall booke or shryfte booke, deuided into iiij. other bokes, the epistle is set for the 30. chapter of the fourth boke intituled be preost sinoþe, that is, a Synode concerning priestes: and this epistle is also in a canonn boke of the churche of Exeter.
SVme preostas healdaþ þaet husel ðe biþ on easter daeg gehalgod ofer gear to sceocum mannum. ac hi misdoþ sƿyþe deope. ꝧ ðaet halige husel sceole fynegian. & nellaþ understandan hu mycele daedbote seo poenitentialis taecþ be ðam. gif ðaet husel biþ fynig. oþþe haeƿen. oþþe gif hit forloren biþ. oþþe gif mus. oþþe nytenu ðurh gymeleaste hit etaþ; Man sceal healden þaet halige husel mid mycelre gymene & ne forhealdan hit. ac halgian oþer edniƿe to [Page] sceocum mannum. a embe vii. niht. oð ðe embe xiiii. niht ꝧ hit huru fynig ne sy. forþon ðe eal sƿa halig biþ ꝧ husel. þe nu to daeg ƿaes gehalgod sƿa ꝧ ðe on easter daeg ƿaes gehalgod;Ðaet husel is Crister lichama na lichamh ce ac gastlice; Na se lichama ðe he on ðroƿode. ac se lichama ðe he embe spraec. ða ða he bletsode hlaf and ƿin to husle anre nihte aer his ðroƿunge. and cƿaeþ be ðā gebletsode hlafe. ðis is min lichama. and eft be ðam halgan ƿine. ðis is min bloode þe biþ for manegū [Page] agoten on synna forgyfennesse; Vnderstandaþ nu ꝧ se drihten ðe mihte aƿendon ðone hlaf aer his ðroƿunge to his lichaman. and ꝧ ƿin to his blode gastlice. ðaet se ylca daeghƿamlice bletsaþ ðurh sacerda handa hlaf & ƿin to his gastlican lichaman. and to his gastlican blode.
Here thou seest good reader how Aelfrike vpon fynding fault wyth an abuse of his tyme whiche was that priestes on Easter day filled their housell boxe, and so kept the bread a whole yere for sickmen, toke an occasion to speake agaynst the bodely presence of Christ in the sacramēt. So also in an other epistle sent to Wulfstane Archbyshop of York, he reprehending agayne thys ouerlong reseruing of the housell addeth also wordes more at large against the same bodely presence. His wordes be these.
[Page] SVme preostas gefyllaþ heora husel box on eaftron. and healdaþ ofer tƿelf monaþ to untrumum mannum. sƿylce ðaet husel sy haligre ðonne oþer. Ac hi doþ unƿislice. for þam ðe hit ƿannaþ. oþþe mid ealle forrotaþ on sƿa langum fyrste. and he biþ ðonne scyldig sƿa sƿa us saegþ seo boc; Se ðe husel forhylt. oþþe hit forlyst. oþþe mys eton. oþþe oþre nytenu. sceaƿa ða poenitentialem. hƿaet he saegþ be þisum; Eall sƿa halig is ðaet husel ðe biþ gehalgod to daeg. sƿa ðaet [Page] ðe biþ gehalgod on ðam halgan easter daege; Healdaþ forþig ic bidde ðone halgan Crister lichaman mid maran ƿisdome to scocū mannum fram sunnan daege to sunnan daege on sƿiþe claenum boxe. oþþe be þam maestan feoƿertyne niht. and ðicgaþ hit ðonne. & lecgaþ ðaer oþer; ƿe habbaþ bysene be þam on Moyses bocum. sƿa sƿa God sylf bebead on Moyses ae. ðaet se sacerd sceolde on aelcū saeternes daege settan tƿelf hlafas on þam tabernaculo ealle niƿe bacene. ða ƿaeron gehatene [Page] panes propositionis. and hig sceoldon ðaer standan on ðam Godes getaelde oþ oþerne saeternes daeg▪ & etan hi ðonne ða sacerdas sylfe. & settan ðaer oþre; Sume preostar nellaþ ðicgan þaet husel þe hi halgiaþ; Nu ƿille ƿe eoƿ secgan. hu seo boc segþ be ðam; Presbyten missam celebrans. et non audens sumere sacrificium accusante conscientia sua anathema eft; Se maesse preost ðe maessaþ. and ne dear ðaet husel ðicgan. ƿat hine scyldigne. se is amansumod; Laesse pleoh is to [Page] ðicgenne ðaet husel. ðonne to halgienne; Se ðe tuƿa halgaþ ane ofletan to husle. se biþ þam gedƿolan gelice. ðe an cild fullaþ tuƿa; Crist syif gehalgode husel aer his ðroƿunge. he bletsode þone hlaf. & tobraec ðus cƿeþende to his halgum apostolum. etaþ ðisne hlaf. hit is min lichama. & he eft bletsode aenne calic mid ƿine. and cƿaeþ heom ðus to. drincaþ ealle of ðisum. hit is min agen blode ðaere niƿan gecyþnysse. ðe biþfor manegum agoten on synna forgyfenysse; Se drihten þe halgode [Page] husel aer his ðroƿunge. and eƿaeþ ꝧ se hlaf ƿaere his agen lichama. & ðaet ƿin ƿaere ƿitodlice his blod. se halgaþ daeghƿamlice ðurh his sacerda handa hlaf to his lichaman. & ƿin to his blod on gastlicere geryne. sƿa sƿa ƿe raedaþ on bocum. Nebiþ se liflica hlaf lichamlice sƿa þeah se ylca lichama. ðe Crist on ðroƿode; Ne þaet halige ƿin nis þaes haelendes blod þe for us agoten ƿaes on lichamlican ðinge. ac on gastlicum andgyte; AEgþer biþ soþlice se hlaf his lichama. & ꝧ ƿin eac his blod sƿa sƿa se heofonlica [Page] hlaf ƿaes. ðe ƿe hataþ manna. ðe feoƿertig geara afedde Godes folce. & ðaet hlutre ƿaeter ƿaes ƿitodlice his blod. ðe arn of ðam stane on ðā sestene ða; Sƿa sƿa Paulus aƿrat on ƿumon his pistole Omnes patres nostri eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt: et omnes eundem potes spiritualem biberunt. &c. Ealle ure faederas aeton on þā ƿestene þone ylcan gastlican mete. & þone gastlican drenc druncon; Hi druncon of þā gastlicum stane. & se stan ƿaes Crist; Se apostol saede sƿa sƿa genu gehyrdon [Page] ðaet hi ealle aeton ðone ylcan gastlican mete. & hi ealle druncon ðone gastlican drenc; Ne cƿaeþ he na lichamlice. ac gastlice; Naes Crist ða gyt geboren. ne his blod naes agoten. þa þaet Israhela folc geaet ðone mete. & of ðam stane dranc. & se stan naes lichamlice Crist þeah he sƿa cƿaede; Hit ƿaeron þa ylcan gerynu on þaere ealdan ae. & hi gastlice getacnodon ðaet gastlice husel ures haelendes lichaman. ðe ƿe halgiaþ nu.
SOme pristes keepe the housell that is hallowed on Easter day all the yere for syke men. But they doe greatlye amysse, bycause it waxeth horye. And these will not vnderstand how greuous penaunce the poenitentiall booke teacheth by thys, if the housell become hory and rotten: or yf it be lost: or be eaten of mise or of beastes by neglygence. Men shal reserue more carefullye that holy housell, and not reserue it to longe, but hallowe other of newe for [Page 64] syckemen alwayes wythin a weke or a fortnight that it be not somuch as horye. For so holy is the housell whych to day is hallowed as that whyche on Easter daye was hallowed. That housell is Christes bodye not bodylye, but ghostlye. Not the bodye whyche he suffred in, but the bodye of which hee spake, when he blessed bread and wyne to housel a night before his suffring, & sayd by the blessed bread thys is my bodye, & agayne by the holye wyne thys is my bloude, whiche is [Page 64] shede for manye in forgeuenes of sinnes. vnderstand nowe that the lord, who could turne yt bread before his suffring to his body, and yt wyne to his bloude ghostlye: that the selfe same lorde blesseth dayly throughe the priestes handes bread and wine to his ghostly body, and to his ghostly bloud.
Here thou seest good reader how Aelfrike vpon fynding fault wyth an abuse of his tyme whiche was that priests on Easter day filled their housell boxe, and so kept the bread a whole yere for sickmen, toke an occasion to speake agaynst the bodely presence of Christ in the s;acramēt. So also in an other epistle sent to Wulfstane Archbyshop of York, he reprehending agayne thys ouerlong reseruing of the housell addeth also wordes more at large against the same bodely presence. His wordes be these.
[Page 66] SOme priests fil their boxe for housel on Easter day, & so reserue it a whole yere for sicke mē, as though that housel were more holy thē any other. But they do vnaduisedlye, bicause it waxeth black: or al together rotlē by keping it so long space. And thus is he become giltie as ye boke wytnesseth to vs. Yf anye do keepe the housell to long, or lose it, or myse or other beastes do eate it, see what ye paenitential boke sayeth by this. So holy is altogether that housell, whiche is hallowed to daye, as that [Page 67] which is hallowed on Easter day. VVherfore I besech you to kepe that holy bodye of Christ with more aduisement for sick men from sonday to sondaye in a verye cleane boxe: or at the most not to kepe it aboue a fortnight, and then eate it laying other in the place. VVe haue an example hereof in Moyses bookes, as god him selfe hath commaunded in Moyses lawe. How the priestes should set on euery saturnday twelue loaues all newe baked vpon the tabernacle: the whiche were called [Page 68] panes prepositionis: and those shoulde stād there on gods tabernacle, til ye next saturnday, & the did ye pristes thē selues eate them, & set other in ye place. Sōe priestes wil not eate ye housell, which they do hallow. But we will now declare vnto you how ye boke speaketh by thē. Presbyter missā celebrans, et non audens sumere sacrificium, accusante cōsciētia sua, anathema est. The priest that doth saye masse and dare not eate thē housell, hys conscience accusynge hym, is accursed. It is lesse daunger to [Page 69] receyue ye housell, thē to hallowe it. He yt doth twyse hallowe one host to housell, is lyke vnto those heretikes, who do christen twyse one childe. Christ himselfe blessed housel before his suffring: he blessed ye bread and brake thus speaking to hisa postels. Eate this bread it is my body. And agayne he blessed one chalice wt wyne and thus also speaketh vnto thē. Drinke ye all of this it is myne owne bloud of ye newe testament which is shed for many in forgeuenes of synnes. The lord which halowed [Page 70] housel before his suffering & sayeth yt ye bread was his owne body & yt ye wyne was truly his bloud, he haloweth dayly by ye hādes of ye prist bread to his body, & wyne to his bloud in ghostly mystery, as we read in bokes. And yet yt liuely bread is not bodely so notwithstāding: not ye self same body yt Christ suffered in. Nor yt holy wine is ye sauiours bloud which was shed for vs in bodely thing: but in ghostly vnderstanding. Both be truly yt bread hys body, and yt wyne also hys bloud, as was ye heauenly [Page 71] bread, which we call Manna, that fed forty yeres gods people. And ye cleare water which did then runne from the stone in the wildernes, was truly his bloud, as Paul wrote one summe of his epistles. Omnes patres nostri eandem escam spiritualem manducauerunt, et omnes eundem potum spiritualē biberunt, &c. All our fathers ate in the wildernes the same ghostlye meate, and dranke the same ghostly drinke. They dranke of yt gostly stone, and yt stone was christ. The apostle hath said as you now haue heard, [Page 72] that they all did eate ye same ghostly meate, and they all did drinke the same ghostly drinke. And he sayth not bodely but ghostly. And Christ was not yet borne, nor hys bloud shedde, when that the people of Israell ate yt meat, and drank of that stone. And the stone was not bodelye Christ though he so sayd. It was the same mistery in the olde law, and they did ghostlye signifie yt ghostly housell of our sauioures body which we consecrate now.
[Page] This Epistle to VVulfstane Elfrike wrote first in the Latyne tounge, as in a shorte Latyne Epistle set before this, and one other of hys Saxon Epistles he confesseth thus. Aelfricus abbas VVulfstano venerabili archiepiscopo salutem in Christo. Ecce paruimus vestrae almitatis iussionibus transferentes Anglice duas epistolas quas Latino eloquio descriptas ante annum vobis destinauimus, non tamen semper ordinem sequentes, nec verbum ex verbo: sed sensum ex sensu proferentes. Beholde we haue obeyed the commaundement of thy excellencie in translating into Englishe the two Epistles which we sent vnto thee writtē in Latine more then a yeare agoe. Howbeit we keepe not here alwayes the same order: nor yet translate worde for worde, but sense for [Page 73] sense: Nowe because verye fewe there be that doe vnderstande the old Englishe or Saxon (so much is our spech chaunged from the vse of that time, wherin Elfrike liued) and for that also it maye be that some will doubt how skilfullye, and also faithfullye these wordes of Elfrike be translated from the Saxon tounge: we haue thought good to set downe here last of all the very wordes also of his latyne epistle, which is recorded in bokes fayre wrytten of olde in the Cathedrall Churches of Worcester and Excester (*⁎*)
[Page] QVidam vero presbyteri implent alabastrum suum de sacrificio, quod in Pasca Domini santificant: & conseruant per totum annum ad infirmos, quasi sanctior sit caeteris sacrificijs, Sed nimium insipienter faciūt. Quia nigrescit, & putrescit tā diu conseruatum. Et liber poenitentialis pro tali negligentia poenitentiam magnam docet: aut si a muribus commestum sit: aut ab auibus raptum. Tam sanctum est sacrificum, quod hodie sāctificatur (quam) illud quod in die Pascae consecratum est. Et ideo debetis a dominica in dominicam, autper duos, vel maxime tres heddomadas tenere sacrificium in alabastro mundo ad infirmos: ne nigrescat, aut putrescat, si diutius seruetur. Nam in lege Moisi pone [Page] bant sacerdoted semper omni sabbato panes propositionis calidos in tabernaculo coram Domino: & in sequenti sabbato sumebant illos soli sacerdotes, & edebant: & alios nouos pro eis ponebant. Facite & vos sacerdotes similiter. Custodite cauté sacrificium Christi ad infirmos, & edite illud, ne diutius teneatur, (quam) oportet. Et reponite aliud nouiter sanctificatū propter necessitatem infirmorū, ne sine uiatico exeant de hoc seculo. Christus Iesus in die suae sanctae caenae accepit panem: benedixit, ac fregit: de dit discipulis suis dicens. Accipite, & cōmedite. Hoc est enim corpus meum. Similiter & calicem accipiens gratias egit, & dedit illis dicēs. Bibite ex hoc omnes. Hic est sanguis meus noui testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem [Page] peccatorum. Intelligite modo sacerdotes, quod ille dominus qui ante passionē suam potuit conuertere illum panē, & illud vinum ad suum corpus & sanguinem: quod ipse quotidie sanctificat per manus sacerdotum suorum panem ad suum corpus spiritualiter,The words inclosed betwene the ij. halfe circles, some had rased out of Worceter booke, but they are restored agayne out of a booke of Exeter church. & vinum ad suum sanguinem (Non sit tamen hoc sacrificium corpus eius in quo passus est pro nobis: ne (que) sanguis eius, quē pro nobis effudit: sed spiritualiter corpus eius efficiter & sanguis: sicut manna quod de caelo pluit, & aqua quae de petra fluxit. Sicut) Paulus Apostolus ait: Nolo enim vos ignorare fratres, quoniam patres nostri omnes sub nube fuerunt: & omnes mare transieruut: & omnes in Moysi baptizati sunt in nube & in mari. Et omnes eandem escam spiritualem mā [Page 75] ducauerunt: & oēs eundē potū spiritualem biberunt. Bibebāt autem de spirituali consequenti eos petra. Petra autem erat Christus. Vnde dicit Psalmista. Panem coeli dedit eis. Panem angelorum manducauit homo. Nos quo (que) proculdubio māducamus panem angelorum: & bibimus de illa petra, quae Christum significabat: quotiens fideliter accedimus ad sacrificium corporis & sanguinis Christi. (*⁎*)
AS the writynges of the fathers euen of the first age of the Churche bee not thought on all partes so perfect, that whatsoeuer thyng hath beene of thē spoken ought to be receaued without all exceptiō (which honour truelye them selues both knewe and also haue confessed to be onely due to the most holy and tryed word of God:) So in this Sermon here published some thynges be spoken not consonant to sounde doctrine: but rather to such corruption of greate ignoraunce & superstition, as hath taken roote in the church of lōg time, being ouermuch cumbred with monckery. As where it speaketh of the masse to be profitable to the quicke and dead: of the mixture of water with wyne: and wheras here is also made reporte of ii. vayne miracles, which notwithstanding seeme to haue been infarced for that they stand in their [Page] place vnaptly, and without purpose, and the matter without them, both before & after, doth hange in it selfe together most orderly: with some other suspitious wordes soūding to superstitiō. But all these things that be thus of some reprehensiō be as it wer but by the way touched: the full and whole discourse of all the former part of the Sermō, & almost of the whole Sermon is about the vnderstanding of the Sacramentall bread & wine howe it is the bodye and bloude of Christ our Sauiour, by which is reuealed & made knowen, what hath beene the common taught doctrine of the church of England on this behalfe many hundreth yeares agoe, contrarye vnto the vnaduised writyng of some nowe a dayes. Nowe that thys foresayd Saxon Homely with the other testimonies before alleadged, doe fullye agree to the olde auncient bookes (whereof some bee written in the olde Saxon, and some [Page] in the Lattyne) from whence they are taken: these here vnder written vpon diligent perusing, & comparing the same haue found by conference, that they are truelye put forth in Print without any adding, or withdrawing any thyng for the more faithfull reporting of the same, and therefore for the better credite hereof haue subscribed their names.
- Matthewe Archbyshop of Canterburye.
- Thomas Archbyshop of Yorke.
- Edmunde Byshop of London.
- Iames Byshop of Durham.
- Robert Byshop of VVinchester.
- VVilliam Bishop of Chichester.
- Iohn Byshop of Hereford.
- Richard byshop of Elye.
- Edwine Byshop of VVorceter.
- Nicholas Byshop of Lincolne.
- Richard Byshop of S. Dauys.
- [Page]Thomas Bishop of Couentry and Lichfield.
- Iohn Bishop of Norwiche.
- Iohn Bishop of Carlyll.
- Nicholas Bishop of Bangor.
THE Lordes prayer, the Creede and the x. Commaundements in the Saxon and Englishe tounge.
THat it is no new thyng to teache the people of God the Lordes prayer, and the articles of their beliefe in the Englishe tounge wherby they mought the better serue their God, and holde faste their profession of Christianitie: may well be proued by many godly decrees of byshops, and lawes of kinges made frō tyme to tyme in the raigne of the Saxons, before the Conquest. In a councell holden by Cuthbert Archbyshop of Canterburye, in the yeare of our Lorde. 747. and in the 33. yeare of Aethelbalde king of Mercia (who was present at this same Councell with his princes & dukes) it was decreed,William of Malmes. 1. lib. de pontificibus. vt ipsi presbyteri dominicam orationem et simbolum anglice discant et doceant: That the priestes doe both learne them selues and also teach to others the Lordes prayer and the Creede in Englishe. In olde Cannon [Page] bookes of churches, & in the epistles of Aelfricke we read it thus inioyned to priestes. Se maesse preost sceal secgan on sunnan dagū and maesse dagum ðaes godspelles andgyt on englisc ðam folce. and be ðam Pater noster & be ðam Credan eac. sƿa he oftost maege þā mannū to onbryrdnysse. ꝧ hi cunnon geleafan. & heora cristendome gehalden; The priest shall say vnto the people on sondayes, and holydayes the sense of the Gospell in English: and so also touching the Lordes prayer and the Creede, so ofte as he may to mens contritiō, that they may know their beliefe, and kepe suere their Christianitie. Cnut a king of England worthy of memorye, amongest many [Page] other good lawes he made in the time of his princely gouernmēt hath also thys law. And ealle cristene men ƿe laeraþ sƿiþe georne. þaet hig inƿeardne heortan aefre God lufian. and rihtne cristendon geornlic healdan. and god cundan lareoƿan geornlice hyran. & Godes lara & laga smeagan oft & gelome him sylfum to þearke; And ƿe laeraþ ꝧ aelc cristen man geleornige ꝧ he huru cunne rihtne geleafan. and ariht understandan. and Pater noster & Credan geleornian. for ðam mid oþrum sceal aelc cristen mann hine to Gode gebiddan. & mid þam [Page] oþrum gesƿutelan rihtne geleafan: We admonish diligentlye all Christian men, that they doe alwayes loue God with an inwarde harte, and be diligently obedient to deuine teachers and doe subtillye search Gods learning and lawes often and dayly to the profite of them selues. And we warne that all Christian men do learne to know at the least wyse the right beliefe, and aright to vnderstand: and learne the Pater noster, and the Creede. For that with the one euery Christian man shall pray vnto God, and with the other shewe forth right beliefe. Thus is it reserued in memorie, & put in writing, as touching the diligent care that the former age of the church of God bad to haue the people of God wel instructed in that prayer, wherof Christ him self is the author, and in the articles of their beliefe. Which prayer of the Lord, [Page] and Creede with the tenne lawlyke wordes, that God hym selfe taught Moyses, and wrote with hys finger in two tables of stone on the Mount Sinai for all mens chastisement, as well for that olde people that was in tymes paste, as also for vs that bee nowe: be here set out as they are yet sene in old bokes of the Saxon tonge. But for the better vnderstanding of any worde that may seeme harde vnto the reader, we haue thought good to place ouer the Saxon the familiar wordes of our own speech. (⸪)
Math. 6.
- Verely when ye pray
- Soþlice ðonne ge gebiddan
- nyll ye speke much
- nellon ge spraecan faela
- as ye hethē. They thinke
- sƿa sƿa haeþene; Hig ƿenaþ
- that they be harde in
- ðaet hig syn gehyrede on
- their manyfolde speaking.
- heorna maenigfealdan spraece
- Nill ye therefore them
- Nellon ge eornoslice him
- do like vnto. Verely your
- geefenlaecan: Soþlice eoaer
- father wote what your nede
- faeden ƿat hƿaet eoƿ ðearf
- is, before yt ye to hym pray▪
- is▪ aer þam ðe ge hine biddaþ;
- VVherfore praye ye
- Eornostlice gebiddaþ eoƿ
- thus.
- ðus;
Pater noster on englisc.
- THou our father
- Ðu ure faeder
- which art in heauen,
- ðe eart on heofenū.
- be thy name hallowed.
- si þin nama gehalgod.
- Come thy kingdome. Be thy
- Cume þin rice; Si ðin
- will in earth, as in
- ƿilla on eorþan. sƿa sƿa on
- heauen. Geue vs to day
- heofonum; Syle us to daeg
- our daylye bread. And
- urne daeghƿālican hlaf; And
- forgeue vs our trespasses,
- forgif us ure gyltas.
- as we forgeue them that
- sƿa sƿa ƿe forgifaþ ðam ðe
- against vs trespasse. And ne
- ƿiþ us agyltaþ; And ne
- led yu not vs into temptatiō.
- laed ðu na us on costnunge;
- But deliuer vs from euill.
- Ac alys us fram yfele;
- Be it so.
- Si hit sƿa.
The beliefe in English.
Credo in deū on Englisc.
- I Beleue in God
- Ic gelyfe on God
- ye father almightye, maker
- faeder aelmihtigne. scyppend
- of heauē & earth. And
- heofenan & eorþan; &
- I beleue in ye sauiour Christ
- ic gelyfe on haelend Crist
- hys onely begottē sonne our
- his ancennedan sunu urne
- Lorde, who was cōceaued of
- drihten. se ƿaes geeacnod of
- the holy ghost, & borne
- ðam halgan gaste. & acenned
- of Marye the virgyne, suffred
- of Marian ðā maedene. geþroƿod
- vnder Pontius
- under þā Pontiscan
- Pilate, on ye crosse hāged, he
- Pilate. on rode ahangen. he
- was dead, & buryed, & he
- ƿaes dead. & bebyrged. & he
- down descēded to hel. And he
- ny ƿer astah to helle; & he
- arose frō death on the thyrd
- aras of deaþe on þā þriddan
- daye. And he went vp to
- daege; And he astah up to
- heauen, and sitteth now at
- heofonū. and sitt nu aet
- ye righthād of God almighttie
- sƿiðran Godes aelmihtiges
- the father. Frō thence he
- faeder; Ðanon he
- will come to iudge
- ƿile cuman to demenne
- both the quicke, & the
- aegþer ge ðā cucum. ge þam
- deade. And I beleue on the
- deadū; & ic gelyfe on þone
- holy ghost. And the holy
- halgan gast; And ða halgan
- cōgregatiō. And of ye saintes ye
- gelaþunge; & halgena
- societie. And sinnes forgeuenesse.
- gemaennysse; & synna forgifenysse;
- And of ye flesh ye rising.
- & flaesces aerist;
- And yt euerlasting life.
- & ꝧ ece life.
The ten cōmaundementes
þa tyn beboda
- which also God himselfe
- ðe eac God sylf
- proclaimed frō the mounte
- geclypode of þam munte
- with loude voyce to
- mid micelre stemne to
- all the men which with
- eallū ðam mannū ðe mid
- Moyses were in the
- Moyse ƿaeron on ðam
- wildernesse then.
- ƿaestene ða;
- THe lorde was
- Dryhten ƿaes
- speaking these
- sprecende ðas
- wordes to Moyses, and thus
- ƿord to Moyse. and ðus
- sayth: I am the Lord thy
- cƿaeþ. Ic eom ðryhten ðin
- God, I thee out ledde of
- God. Ic ðe ut gelaedde of
- Aegypt lande, and of their
- egipta londe. and of hiora
- bondage. Ne loue yu other
- ðeoƿdome; Ne lufa ðu oþre
- straūge Gods besides me. Ne
- fremde Godas ofer me; Ne
- my name name thou in
- minne noman ne cig ðu on
- vayne: for that thou ne
- idelnesse. forþon ðe ðu ne
- arte giltlesse with me, if
- bist unscyldig ƿiþ me. gif
- thou in vayne namest my
- ðu on idelnesse cigst minne
- name. Remēber that thou
- noman; Gemyne ꝧ ðu
- hallowe thy rest day.
- gehalgige ðone raeste daeg;
- VVorke ye vj. dayes, & on
- ƿyrceaþ eoƿ. vi. dagas. & on
- the seuenth rest ye: bycause
- þā siofoþan restaþ eoƿ. forðam
- in vj. dayes Christ
- on vi. dagū Crist geƿorhte
- made heauen and earth,
- heofonas. & eorþan.
- ye sea, & all creatures, that
- saes. and ealle gesceafta. ðe
- in them be. And he rested
- on him sint; & hine gereste
- on the seuenth day. & therfore
- on þone siofoþan daeg. & forþon
- the Lord it hallowed.
- dryhten hine gehalgod;
- Honour thy father & thy
- Ara ðynū faeder. & þinrae
- mother, that the Lorde
- medder ða ðe dryhten
- gaue thee, yt thou be longe
- sealde ðe. ꝧ ðu sie ðylenge
- lyuing in ye earth. Ne kill
- libbende on eorþan; Ne sleah
- thou. NeThat is, commit no adultery. lig ne yu priuelye.
- ðu; Ne That is, commit no adultery.lige þu dearnenga;
- Ne steale thou. Ne say thou
- Ne stala ðu; Ne saege ðu
- false witnesse. Ne desire
- lease geƿitnesse; Ne ƿilna
- thou of thy neyghbours
- ðu ðynes nehstan
- heritage with vnryght.
- ierfes mid unryhte;
These cōmaundementes we haue taken from the lawes of Alfrede the king, before which they are alwaies placed: but here the maner of speaking in the scripture is somewhat chaunged, and that more is, here is lefte out these wordes. (Non facies sculptile ne (que) omnem similitudinem quae est in coelo desuper, & quae est in terra deorsum, nec eorum quae sunt in aquis sub terra: non adorabis ne (que) coles, &c. 2. Thou shalt [Page] not make to thy selfe any grauen Image, nor the likenes of any thing that is in heauen aboue, or in the earth beneath, or in the water vnder the earth. Thou shalt not bowe downe to them nor worship them. For I thy Lord. &c.) Which thyng is done in all copyes of Alfredes lawes written in the Saxon tounge: and not onely in them but in many other bookes as hath been seene eyther Saxon, or Lattyne intreatyng of the commaundementes, which were written before the Conquest, and since the second Nicene councell, wherin was decreed the worshipping of Images. See what followed of taking away frō the worde of God contrarye to the expresse cō maundement of the same vpon the vngodly decree of that coūcell. Whē this thing was espied by them that translated these lawes into the Lattyne tounge sone after the conquest, these wordes were restored agayne [Page] by the trāslatours to their due place, as by the Lattyne bookes of the lawes it is to be seene. But bicause we haue made mention of that second Nicene councell whiche decreed both of the hauing and worshipping of Images, we shall here brieflye shewe what our stories report, was thought of the same coū cell by the learned of England, and chieflye by that great learned Englyshe man, and of most fame in that age Alcuine, scholemaister to Charles the great. Anno ab incarnatione Domini. 792. Carolus rex Francorum misit Synodalem librum ad Britanniā sibi a Cōstantinopoli directū, in quo libro heu proh dolor multa inconuenientia & verae fidei contraria. reperta sunt: maxime quod pene omniū orientalium doctorum, nō minus quam trecentorū, vel eo amplius episcoporum vnanima [Page] assertione confirmatū imagines adorari debere: quod omnino ecclesia dei execratur. Cō tra quod scripsit Alcuinus epistolam ex autoritate diuinarū scripturarum mirabiliter affirmatā, illam (que) cū codem libro & persona episcoporū & principum nostrorum regi Francorum attulit. That is, In the yere frō the incarnatiō of our Lord. 792. Charles kinge of Fraunce sent to Brytaine a Synode booke, which was directed vnto hym from Constantinople: in the which booke alas many thinges vnconuenient, and contrarye to the true fayth were found: in especiall that it was establyshed with a whole consent almost of all the learned of the East, no lesse then of three hundreth byshoppes or more, that men oughte to worship Images, the whiche the Churche of God doth vtterlye abharre. Agaynst the whiche [Page] Alcuine wrote an epistle wonderouslye proued by the authoritie of holy Scripture, and brought that epistle with the same booke, and names of our byshoppes and princes to the king of Frauuce This story hath Simeon of Durham, Roger Houeden, Flores Historiarum, and the historie of Rochester (⁂)
¶The Saxon Caracters or letters, that be moste straunge, be here knowen by other common Caracters set ouer them.
¶ d.d. ð.th. þ.th. f.f. g.g. i.i. r.r. s.s. t.t. ƿ.w. y.y. z.z. &.and. ꝧ.that.
¶¶ Æ.AE. Æ.AE. Ð.Th. Þ.Th. E.E. H.H. M.M. S.S. Ƿ.W. &.And.
¶One pricke signifieth an vnperfect point, this figure; (which is lyke the Greeke interrogatiue) a full painte, which in some other olde Sai [...] bookes, is expressed wyth three prickes, set in triangle wyse thus :·
Imprinted at Londō by Iohn Day dwelling ouer Aldersgate beneath S. Martyns. ⸫
¶Cum priuilegio Regiae Maiestatis.