The Acts of English Votaries

Marryage instytuted of God.

I N paradyse our eternal and merciful father instytuted marriage, inmedyatlye after man's first creacyon, and left yt with him as an honest, comelye, wholesome, holy, and needful remedy against all beastly abusyons of the flesh that should after hap̄, and granted thereunto his eternal blessing. Increase (saith he) multyplye, and fill the earth, Gene. 1. And this repeated he thryse after that▪ Gene. 8. ct. 9. to the intent yt might be groundedlye marked, and well known of men to be his most ernest ordinance. Thys was the first order of Relygyō that ever was made, and of must holiness, if we dewlye respect the maker thereof with the other cyrcumstaunces besides, preferrynge his wisdom to mannys wisdom. And for that yt should not be reckoned a thing vnaduysedlye done of him, he looked thereupon again among all his other works, and coude behold no imperfeccyon therein, but perceived that yt was of exceeding goodness. Yet hath there sense risen a sort, which have against God's heavenly wisdom, set their fleshly folyshnesse, which are non other to be reckeued than the very seed and of spring of the serpent. Thoughe these have known that there is a God, yet have they not gloryfyed him in faith and mekenesse, but have become most vayue in their ymagynacyons. Whereas he hath declared marriage excedynglye good, they have condemned it as a thing execrable and wicked. And where as he hath spoken yt by his own mouthe, that yt is not good for mā to be alone, they have improved that doctrine and taught the contrary, as a thing more perfect and Godlye.

Marryage contempned of Satan.

THus Satan erected himself against God in that wicked generation, which began first in Cain, and hath ever sense contynued in that posteryte. For this presumpcyon God gave them clearly over, and left them to themselves with all their good intents and vows, whereupon they have wrought sense that time filthiness unspeakable. Their chaste women, vestals Monyals, Nuns, and Begynes, changynge the natural use, have wrougth vnnaturallye. Lyke wise the men in their Prelacyes, presthodes, and innumerable kinds of Monkerye, for want of women hath brent in their lusts, and done abhomynacyons without number, so receiving in themselves the just reward of their error. Of these most hellyshe & dyabolyck trutes, holy Saint Paul admonyshed the Romans, in the first chapter of his Epystle unto them, knowing afore hand that out of their corrupted christy anyte, should rise such a filthy flock as should work them every where. But neither of Paul nor yet of Peter have the fore warnynges away led, but those brockysh boores have gone freely forewarde without check till now of late days, where in God hath given us as more pure sight to behold their buskelynges.

Marryage of Prestes in both laws.

TO make manifest unto thē, what wives the lord appointed by his servant Moses, unto the leuytycall priests in the sacred posteryte of Aaron Levite. zi. et Ezech. 44. yt were but labor lost. Either to put them in remembrance that Christ was borne in marriage, though his mother were always a maid, and that he left unto his Apostles marriage in liberty evermore yt were in vein also. For all this hath God shown unto them playnelye, by his true prophets in this latter age, declaring the fynall destruecyō of that wretched kingdom. As by Martyn Luther, Johan Pomerane, Frances lambert, Oswaldus Myconius, Philpp Melanchtō, & such other (as ys said afore) but all have they taken for fables. That lord sent them one unto their own doors, which effectuallye ded his massage, even Robert Barns by name, of whose grounded arguments they have not yet dyscharged the lease, besides that they have had from him by good Wyllyam Turner and George Ioye. And all this have they dysdaynouslye laughed to scorn. Consyderynge therefore that no gētill speech will amende them, nor yet sharp threttenynges call them to repentance, he will now cast their own vile donge in their faces, that yt shall cleave fast upon them, Mala. 2. He will throw in their tethe by this boke and such other the styukynge examples of their hypocrytysh lives, with their calkynges and cloynynges to patche up that dauberye of the devil, their vowed wyuelesse and husbandelesse chastity.

England inhabyted afore Noah and after.

ANd for as moche as the title of this present treatise only respecteth England, only shall yt treat the unchaste examples of the spirytualte thereof, with certain examples of Romish Popes which than wrought their iuggelynge mastryes there. To fetch the matter from the first foundacyon, & so to stretch yt forewarde, I am fully assertayned by auncyēt writings, that this lande was with people replenyshed longe afore Noes days. Yea, such time as men were multyplyed upon the universal earth, Gene. 6. As they than had left God appointed Relygyō, and had taken ways unto them after their own good intents, such unspeakable filthiness followed, as brought upon them the great dylu • ye or universal flod, which left non alive, but drowned them up as yt ded all other quarters. Thys witnesseth both Moses and Berosus, the most auncyēt writers we read of. After the said flood, was yt again inhabyted by the of spring of Japheth the third son of Nor. For of thē (saith Moses) were the Isles of the Gentyles sorted out into regyons, everyone after, known diverse from other, by their languages, kind redes, & nacyons, Gene. 10. And in the days of Phaleg the son of Heber, was that dyuysyon of Prouynces, like as followeth in the same chapter. Samothes the Brother of Gomer (whō the Bible calleth Mesech) restored than again this lande in his posteryte, the priests thereof called Samothei, for so much as he was the first that fournyshed yt with laws, as witnesseth Johannes Annius in commentarijs Berosi.

Albion with his Samothytes.

AFter this grew yt into a name, & was called Albion. Not ab albis rupibus, as friar Bartylmew hath fantasyed in his work De proprietatibus rerū. Nor yet ab Albiana the kings dougter of Syria, as Marianus the monk hath dreamed yt. For of Latin words coude yt have no name, before the Latin yt self was in use. And the other without grounded autoryte, appeareth a plain fable, as witnesseth both Volateranus and Badius But rather yt should seme to be called Albion, ab Albione Gygante, the son of Neptunus, which was afterward slain of Hercules for stoppynge his passage at the enteraunce of Rhodanus, as testyfyeth Diodorus Siculus and also Pomponius Mcla. Not only because the said Albion was a gyaunt, like as the afore said Samothes was afore him, but also for that his father Neptunus was than take for the lord of great God of the see, wherein yt is enclosed. What the chastity was of the Samothytes or priests for that age, the Poetes doth declare at large. Venus was than their great Goddess, and ruled all in that spiritual famelye, as she hath done ever sense.

The Samothytes and their chastity.

THey had in their temples, vestals (whom now we call Nōnes) who se office was to maintain the fire for performance of the sacryfyces, least yt should at any time go out. These were chosen in before they were .xvi. years old, there remaining vnmaryed the space of .xxx. years, and others always by that time succeeded in their rooms. Some of these were presbyteresses, as they pleased the spyrituall fathers. And as the lyghtes went out by their negligence, their ponnyshmentes were to be beaten of the Bishops. More over if any of thē chanced to fall in aduoutery, except they ded yt in the dark with them, their judgment was to be buried in the ground quycke. Always they went away vyrgynes from them (what so ever was done in the mean season) & at the .xxx. years ende, they were in liberty to marry if they would. Thys testyfyeth Hermanus Torrentinus, and Johannes Textor, with other authors. Yet was not this abominable superstyeyon so tyrannouslye handled among them than, as yt hath been sense a monge their successors the papists, whom by their cruel conceyons (syned they never so longe) they sent at the last to hell with a conscience adust, were not the lord more merciful.

Brute with his Druydes.

IN process of time, gote Brutus Sylvius this lande of the Albyons by conquest, in the .xviij. year of Heli the high pressed of the Israelytes, like as Aeneas ded Italy, and other great aduētourers their regyons. And of him was yt called Brytayne, and the people thereof Brytaynes. After he had fournyshed yt with new regymentes and laws, there entered in a new fashyoned sort of priests, all diverse from the other, and they were called Druydes. These dwelt in the forestes like heremytes and procureth both publyque and private sacryfyces to be done. To them was yt always put, to dys usse all matters of religion, to appoint thereunto the ceremonies, to bring up youth in natural dyscyplyne, & to ende all controuersyes▪ Plinius, Strabo, Cornelius Tacitus, Gaius Julius, and other approved authors, report thē to have their first orygynall in this lande, but that appeareth not true. Rather should they seme to come first hither frō Athens, a most famous city of the Greeks. Johan Hardynge reporteth in his Chronycle, that king Bladud brought them first from thens, allegynge there Merlyne for his author.

The Druydes and their chastity.

What their rule was conceruynge women, we shall not need to seek farther than to the .vi. chapter of Baruch, and the .xiv. chapter of Daniel in the Bible. Baruch saith there, that their custom was to decke their whores with the Jewels and ornaments of their Idolles. Daniel saith, that they with them devoured up the daily offerings and sacryfyces of Bel. Yet Hector Boethius writeth in the seconde boke of his Scottysh Chronycle, that there were some among them, which taught one everlasting God alone to be worshipped, without Image made or other symylytude else. Neither allowed they them (saith he) that applied unto their God's the symylytudes of beasts after the Egyptyanes manner (as the Papystes do yet to this day Saint Mark to a Lyon, Saint Luke to a calf, and Saint Johan to an egle, beside Saint Antonyes pygge, Saint Georges colte, and Saynte Dunstanes devil) but greatly reproved them. Nevertheless yet were they great teachers of sorcerye. For as testyfyeth Johan Textor in his offycynes, so expert were the Brytaynes in art magyck in the days of plynye, that in a manner they passed the Parthyanes, which were the first masters thereof.

Prestes married and unmarried.

NOw as concerning the priests of the Hebrews or Israelytes for all these ages (which were the peculyar flock of God) they had all wives that were ryghtuouse among them, according to the Relygyon that he first appointed them. Not, Melchizedek, Abraham, Moses, Aaron, Phinehas, Samuel, Nathan, Zerubbabel, Jesus, Esdras, Mathathias, & such other, were all married men and had chyldrē. The Scriptures report that these men were beloved with God, and that' in holiness non were ever found like unto them. But neither was that for their vows nor yet for their good intents, Eccli. 44. and so fourth .vi. chapters more. If any were chaste vowers that time the .ii. priests that lusted after Susanna, were of them, Daniel. 13. So were the wanton sons of Heli and Samuel, 1. Reg. 2. & 1. Reg. 8. with such other like. Which were afore God very reprobates, for despysynge his order, as well in that as in other things. Of such chaste vowers were there some, at the very time whā Christ was borne, both relygyouse priests and leuytes, which were most high lie taken among them. These thinking marriage vnholye, abstained from the use of women, but they spared not to work execrable filthiness among thē selves, and one to polute another. Zacharye a married pressed, and father of holy Johan Baptyst, a man for his marriage found just afore God, reprehended that abhomynacyon in them, & was cruelly slain for yt, as testyfyeth Epiphanius li. 1. To. 2. De heresibus. He was put unto death (saith Philip Melanchthon upon the .xi. chapter of Daniel) for rebukynge the vices of his college.

Christ alloweth marriage in his.

IEsus Christ the eternal son of God, never contempned the first ordinance of his everlasting father, but had yt insuche reverence, that he would not be borne but under yt. He found his worthy mother Mary no professed Nonne, as the dottynge papists have dreamed, to cover their sodometrye with a most precious color, but an honest man's wife, married according to the custom than used, Matt. 1. and Luce 1. In her so married without either vow or promise of virgynyte, by the holy Ghostes most wonderful working was he incarnated and so became man, to redeem us from the captyuyte of sin, and restore us again to the full favor of his father. He honored marriage with the first miracle that he outwardlye wrought in our manhood, and called unto his Apostleship, not wyuelesse vowers, but married men. John, 1. & Mar et. 1. He went very gentyllye unto peters house, and healed his wives mother which lay there syeke of a fever, taking his repast there, tarryenge with thē all the night, and doing great cures there also. And at his departure in the morning, he neither commanded Peter to break up howsholde, nor yet to forsake his wife and make her a vowesse. Marci. 1. Luce. 4. Math. 8. He never commanded, nor yet exacted the vow of vyrgynyte in all his whole Gospel, but left all men in liberty to marry if they liest, forbyddynge all men fyrmelye, to make any law of coaccyon or of separacyon, where God hath set freedom in marriage. Math. 19. Marci. 10. No forsakynge of wife and chyldrē admytted he ever, but as the unmovable & constant stādynge by his word requireth yt, in them that he hath appointed to suffer death under the worlds tyranny for yt.

The Apostles & first preachers married

PEters wife went with him in the time of his preaching. 1. Cori. 9. and was put to death at Antioch for confessinge Jesus Christ, as witnesseth Clemens Alexandrinus in .7. li. Stromatum, and Eusebius Caesariensis li. iii. Ca. 30 Ecclesiastice history. Paul left his wife at Philippos, a city of the Macedoneanes, by consent of them both. Phil 4. & 1. Cor. 7. For this only cause (saith both Clemens and Eusebius ) that he might the more easily thereby and with the less cōberaunce, preach the Gospel abroad. Isi dorus híspalēsis in his boke De ortu & obitu sanctorum patrum, and Freculphus lexouiensis in the seconde boke and fort chapter of his Chronycles, reporteth both, that Philip the Apostle preached in fraunce to the very extent of the Occeane see, and was afterward done unto death in hierepoli a city of the Phrygiaues, and at the last honorablye buried there with his daughters. By whose occasion this real me than called Brytayne was converted unto the Christian believe For in the year from Christ's incarnacyō lxiij. was Joseph of Arimathe and other dyscyples sent over of the said Philip to preach Christ, and entered both with their wives and children, Armagus than being Kynge of the lande. This testyfyeth Johan Capgrave in Catologo sanctorum Anglie, Thomas scrope de anti. carm. ca, 7. Iohā Harding in his. 47. chapter, and Polidorus uergilius. li. z. Anglice history.

Brytayne first converted by mē married.

THese were surely the orygynall begynnynges (saith Polidorus of the Christ̄ Relygyō in Brytayne. Gildas witnessyth also, in his first treatise De excidio Britannie. That the Brytaynes toke the christen faith at the very spring or first going forth of the Gospel, whā the church was most perfect, and had most strength of the holy ghost. All that time and a longe season after, the mynysters held their wives, according to the first order of God, without, vowynge or yet professinge of vyrgynyte, and so contynued to the days of Lucius, which ys called in the Chronycles the first Christ̄ Kynge. Though this Lucius were a good man, and began well to inclyne to the Gospel, yet was he worldly minded, and thought that yt wanted dew authority so long as yt was mynystred but of simple and poor lay married men. Anon therefore he sent unto Rome .ii. of those minysters called Eluanus and Meduinus unto Eleutherius the Bishop (for they had than no pope) to have some autoryte from thens. And this was done in the year of our Lord. L. lxxix. Wherupon Marcus Sabellicus saith, Enneade. 7. li. 5. That of all provynces Brytayne was the first that received the Christian fay the with public ordinance.

Christyanyte somewhat corrupted.

THā Eleutherius sent hither .ii. of his doctors, called fugacius and Damyanus, to set here an order. These first baptized lucius with a great part of his nobylyte and commons, and than with his consent changed the Idols temples into christen churches (as they no we all them) the flamynes or Idol sacryfycers, which were than .xxviij. in nonebre, into so many bishops, and the .iii. archyflamynes into .iii. archebyshoppes, as wytnessyth Galfridus Monemthensis in his seconde boke. De origin & gestis Britonum. cap. i. Alphredus Beuerlacensis in his Chronycle, Vincencius, Antoninus, Nauclerus, Bergomas, Polidorus, and a great sort more. Thys chrystianyte endured in Brytayne, the space of .CC. and .xvi. years, unto the persecucyon of Dyoclesyane, saith Ranulphus in Polichronico. li. 4. Ca. 16, Vpō this toke the Rome church first occasion, to deuyde the christen prouynces into dyoceses and parryshes. Mark well these first buyldynges of Antichrist, or of Nemroth the yongar, and consydre out of what good stuff they rise without God's word. All this have I writ̄ hitherto, not as matters correspondynge to the title of my boke, but that their spiritual fruits may appear what they are, even from the very roots.

The first spring of monkerye in Brytayne.

AS this new chrystiantye from Rome, had gotten here of the Pagans both temples and possessyons, and were well fauerdlye satled (their bishops and priests perchance being the same mynysters that had served the Idolles in them afore) anon after there arose out of yt a certain kind of monkerye, not in apparel, but in aperaunce of a more sober life. These within a while seemed better lerued than the other, and more depelye fell into the people's estymacyon. Wherupō arose sone after great strife and vnquyetnesse among thē, and out of that strife most detestable he resye •… . For one of them called pelagius, being of the great monasterye of Bēcornaburch in Chestre shyre (though so me call yt Bāgor) begā to dyspute with them for the strēghte of mannys free will, and said that man might be saved thereby, without the grace of God, so deuyenge the effect of Christ's blood, as his followers are not ashamed to do yet to this day. Agaynst this heretic pelagius, wrote Saint Augustyn, Saint Jerome, Cyrillus, Orosius, Innocencius, Gennadius, and at the last Thomas Braduuardin a doctor here in England, with diverse other.

Heresye in Brytayne ariseth of monkerye.

YEt came there in no vowynge of chastity all this time, neither was vyrgynyte thought any holyar among them than marriage. For one Seuerus being both a monk, pressed, and bishop, had a son there called leporius a monk also and a pressed, which vexed the lande with that leruynge taught of his father, in the year of our Lord. CCCC xxxij. as wytnessyth both Prosper Aquitannus, and also Flores historiarum. Thys leporius made his boast, that he was able to live purelye of him self, and by force of his own free will, without the assistēce of God, as reporteth of him, Gennadius Massiliensis, Honorius Augustudunensis, & Johannes Tritemius, in suis illustriū uirorum Catalogis, and now last of all, Cōradus Gesnerus in uniuersali bibliotheca.. Of the same sort was there another called Agricola, a priests son also, which in the year of our Lord .CCCC.xivi. troubled the Brytaynes with the same doctrine, as flores historiarum showeth. The errors of both these were at the same time confuted by Germanus and Lupus with other frenche doctors, which came thydre thā for the same purpose, specyallye of Saint Augustine in Africa.

A priests son was Saint Partrick.

SAynt Partrick the great Apostle of Ireland, was borne here in this Brytayne about the year of our Lord .CCC.lxi. and had a pressed to his father called Calphurnius, which was also a deacons son that was named Fodunus. His mothers name hyght Conches, and was holy Saint Martynes systre. Thus testyfyeth Ranulphus Cestrensis in Polychronico, li. 4, ca. 29. and Johan Capgrave in Catologo sanctorum Anglie. If this had been fowl play in those days, Saint Martyne would never so pacyentlye have suffered yt. For we read that he was very tendre unto the said Partrick, after that his friends had sent him thydre, and taught him many Godly things. What rule this partrick kept in that behalf, I have not red. Yet find I in his life written, that he had a ladde waytynge on him called Benignus, which always reported him, to be his own proper father, he never deuynege yt. I read also that one Moduenna an Iryshe woman was very famylyar with him, whether yt were by the way of marriage or no, that can I not tell. Ex ante nominatis autoribus.

Saints were begot̄ in whoredom.

TO entre more depelye into the people's oppnyon, a chastity was pretensed anon after in that mōkerye, but not yet solempnelye vowed, & in many places of the realm were monasteryes builded both of men and women, But mark what followed thereof immedyatlye after. Christ chanced in those days to have many bretheren. For many virgynes had than children with our fathers, at the least the fathers of thē were never yet known.

Saint Dubrice that was after ward the great archebyshop of Cairlegyon and metropolytane of all the lande, had a maid to his mother, called Eurdila, but never would she confess him to have any father. Saint Kētigerne bishop of glasghu) that ye now call Saint Asses or Asaphes (had in like case a fair maid to his forth bryngar, but father would she grant non to him, for no cōpulsyon. Merlyne also the great soth sayer of wales, was an holy Nuns son in saint Peters of Cairmardyne, no father yet known to him but a spirit of the air. The first .ii. showeth Johan capgraue in Catal sanc. Ang. And this latter wonder ys mencyoued of all famous writers. A great sort of the histories roude I rehearse, but these are enough at this time.

Lyke examples are among the Turks.

SOche another knauerye ys used among the Turks relygyouse buggerers to this present day, and those children that are begot̄ among them, are holden for most holy saints, as these were. They take it for no marvel that Christ was borne of a vyrgyne, for (they say) they have such among them at all times. But to turn again to my purpose. The cause why the fathers of the afore said children might not than be known, was this, Johan capgraue saith. The law was that time in Brytayne, that if a young wenche had be begot̄ with child in her fathers house, or any where else • , this was her judgment. She should have been brought unto an high mountain, and there throune down headlonges, her corruptour being byheaded. If this law had still contynued, and never so been put to the spiritual court without conseyence, never had the vow of their chastity run so far as yt hath done, to many a thousands dempnacyon.

More Saints yet begotten in whoredom

SAynt David of wales the great archebysehop of Mentuia, which had so many prophecyers and so many Angels sent afore to give warning of his coming .xxx. years ere he was borne, was begotten out of marriage in stynkyng whoredom. For his mother was a Nonne, and his father the earle of a contreye there called Cairdigam shyre. A prince called Dyhocus in Kynge Arthurs time, inflamed at the devils suggestion with the fleshly love of his own natural daughter, begat of her Saint Kynede the holy hermpte, that in Wales wrought so many great miracles. One Dubtacus an Iryshe mā begat holy saint Brigyde of his maid servant called brocsech, even vnderneth his wyure nose to spyght her with it, which had so many re • e • lacyons from heaven, and so many popes pardons frō Rome. Saint Cuthbert the great God, of the Northe, and he that was wont to defend us from the Scots, was a mysbegottē also, for his mother was unmarried. And his father in Ireland to have the good occupȳg of her, slew both her father and mother. These were the spiritual begynnynges of the Saints of that age. If ye believe not me, loke Johan Capgrave in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie. and he shall tell ye moche more of the matter. I coude show yow many more yet of such holy saints byrthes, but lete these for this time suffice.

Whoredom esteemed most holiness.

MArke how abhominable whoryshnesse in all these whorysh fruits, is auaunced of that whorysh Rome church, to the great blemyshynge of Godlye marriage. The spyrytuall Sodomytes and knaves hath not been ashamed to write yt in the lives and lying legēdes of all these, that is to say of Dubricius, David, Kynedus, Kentigerne, Cuthberth, and Brigyde, with such like, and solempnelye so to read and sing yt as God's service in their sēples, that they were sanctyfyed in their mothers wombs. Se what aduauncementes they have for stinking whoredom, and now little deuocyon to chaste marriage instituted of God. Never were the sonnes of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, of Moses, Eleazar, and Phinehas, so painted out with miracles and wonders, nor yet so pranked up with tabernacles and lyghtes, sensynges and massynges, as these whores birds. Thus judge they whoredom holiness, & wholsō marriage sin, Come out of Sodom ye whoremongers and Hypocrytes, popish bishops and priests, for as yet ye have not refourmed this abhomynacyon, but still uphold yt for your Romish God's service. Come out thieves and knaves come out.

Women grievous and solacyouse.

What a do these holy saints of theirs had and their vowers (whā they come ones to vows making) for women and with womē, as to keep them out of their monasteryes, & to make thē bear chyldrē whā they were bar̄, it were in infynyte thing to write. Saint David's monks were sheared away with naked women at a broke side in Rosidaualle. So were Saint Theliaes hermytes also in another place not far frō thens. Saint Dubrices bretheren had many hot mouynges in their flesh, and were fain oft times to stand naked in the cold river. Saint Kentigernes disciplen toke great pains upon them, to make barren women fruitful. Whan saint Brigyde was at the very point of marriage, she stole away preuylye with her iii. maids, and waited longe after vpō bishop Machyll, doing many great cures in his service with holy water. Saint Modwē also after such another sort, waited upon bishop Hiber and his bretheren with her maids. A woman the same season accused bishop Broon for begettynge her with child, and Brigyde like a good body, by a charm or ii made all safe again. As one of her maids was going to her lou • r a priests bed, for returnynge again in time, she coude her moche thank. All these holy histories shall ye find in Iohā capgraue.

A spiritual example of a votarye.

SAynt Iltute, which had been always a most valeaunt captain among the Brytaynes, at the suggestyon of saint of Cadoc an Hermpte, put from him his most virtuous and chaste wife, leaving her nothing else to live upon, but barlye bread and water, an homelye repast for her that had been a ladye and tenderlye brought up. And as she on a time resorted unto him only to have heard the sweet word of the Lord, her coming thydre so sore discontented his mind, that with a charm he put out both her eyes. For I am certain, yt come by no Godlye power, she being led of so Godly a spirit. If this be saint Paul's learning, a man so myserablye to leave, his wife, and so ungodly to use her for axynge good counsel, I report me to yow. Yet must he be still a faynte in the Popes holy church, because he was a tyraūt to marriage, for non other holiness had he. So the Saints reckon I more fytt for hell thā for heavē. Wale, this story hath also Iohā Capgrave in Catalogo sāctorū Anglie

Vrsula with her sort, appointed to marry.

OF Vrsula and her .xi. thousand companyons, have the spyrytuall hypocrites by help of their spiritual father the devil, practysed innumerable lies, by them to make their newlye sought out vyrgynyte to appear somewhat glorious to the worldly dodypolles that never will be wise. The verity of the history ys this, after all just writers. Whan our Brytaynes had ones gotten by their war, the lande of Armorica (that we now call the lesser Brytayne) and were put in perpetual possessyon thereof by their Kynge Maximus about the year of our Lord .CCC. and XC. they accorded among themselves through the assent of Conanius their captain, only to marry with their, own nacyon, and in no wise to have a do with the frenche women there, for diverse parels. Wherupon they sent by and by over the see to Dionothus the duke of Cornewale, which than in the kings absence had gouernan̄ce of all the realm, instaūtlye desyerynge him, to make prouysyon for them Which immedyatlye gathered from all partes of the lande, to the number of .xi. thousand maids and other womē, and so shypped them at London vpō the Thamys with his own dere daughter Vrsula, for so moche as Conanus despered to have her to wife. And as they were abroode upon the main sees, such contrary winds and tēpestes fell upon thē, as drowned some of their shyppes, and drove the resydue of them into the hands of their enemies the hunnes and the pyctes, which slew a great number of them, as they found them not agreeable to their fleshly purposes. Thys showeth Galfredus Monemuthēsis, li. 2. ca, 4. Alphredus Beuerlacensis, Ranulphus Cestrēsis, Ioānes Harding, Robertus Fabiā, Tritemius in Cōpēdio, Volateranus, & Polydorus.

An history to their ghostly purpose.

BVt se here the cōueyaunce of these spyrytuall gentylmen, in Playsterynge up their vnsauerye sorcerye • . They say, they all vowed vyrgynyte, & were persuaded of saint Michael the Archāgell & of saint Iohā the Evangelist, never to marry (as though they were dyswaders of marriage for their lecherouse vows) & so went frō thens relygyously to Rome on pilgrimage, with great deuocyō .ii. and .ii. together, & were honorablye received there of the Pope and his clergy. If this be not good ware, tell me. I think there wanted no spyrytuall occupyenge, for the time they were there, if the story were true. For Daniel saith, that the lust of that proud kingdom, should be upon women. Daniel. 11. In all fleshly desires (saith Hieremye) they are become like rank stoned horse, neyenge at every man's wife. Hieremi. 5. And in deed foam writers have uttered yt, that they were never good sense their being there. Now mark the sequese. In their return homeward again towards Coleynt, they had in their cumpanye (say their writers) pope Ciriacus (if there ever were any such) Poncius, Petrus, Vincencius, Calixtus, kilianus, Florencius, Ambrosius, Justinus, and Christianus, all cardinalles. Cesarius, Clemens, Columbanus, Yuuanus, Lotharius, Pantalus, Mauricius, Maurilius, Foillanus, Sulpicius, Jacobus, Guilhelmus, Michael, Eleutherius, Boniface, and vii more of the Popes howsholde, all Bishops, besides a great number of Prestes and Chaplaynes. Diuerslye is this holy legende handled of Jacobus Bergomas in Li. De claris mulieribus, of Sigebertus, Vincencius, Antoninus, Hartmānus, Carsulanus, Vorago, Vuernerus, Nauclerus, Mantuanus, Vuicelius, Caxton, Capgrave, Hector Boethius, Major, and a great sort more, scarselye one agreynge with another.

Fyne workemanshyp to be marked,

HE that would take the pain, to confer their Chronycles and writings, but cōcernynge this only matter, obseruynge dylygentlye their diverse bestowynge of times, places, and names, with other things perteynynge to the cyrcumstaunce of history, should anon perceive their subtle cōue yaunce in many other matters. The solempne feast of these .xi. thousand she pylgrymes, for their going to Rome, ys yet no small matter in their Idolatrouse church, and yet they poor souls never came there, as the moste auctentyue writers doth prove. Their going out of Brytanie was to become honest Christian men's wives, and not to go on pilgrimage to Rome, and so become bishops bonylasses, or priests playefers Se what our auncyēt English writers hath said in this matter, which more experimentlye knew yt, and lete the forē liars go, which being far of cared the less to lie. In deed this ys a very strange procurynge of Saints, if ye mark yt well, but that the monks and prebendes of Coleyne thought to do somewhat for the pleasure of their Nuns there, which had gathered together an heap of dead men's bones. For their bones coude they not have, being drowned in the great Occeane see, as Galfredus and the other authors veryfyeth afore. But both Christ and Paul ones told us, that we should be subtyllye cyrcumuented of that wylye generacyan, whan they should work their deceitful wonders. Math. 24. and. 2. Thes. 2.

Vowynges ded not yet constrayne.

ALl this time were there no constraynynge vows but all was free to leave or to hold. For Constance the eldeste son of king Constantyne the seconde, being a monk of Sayt Amphibalus abbeye in Cairguent, that ye now call Saint Swythunes in wynchestre, was taken out of yt without dyspensacyon, about the year of our lord. CCCC.xliij. and crowned king of Brytayne, being in full liberty of marriage. Galfredus, Ranulphus, Harding, Capgrave, Caxton, and Fabyan. In like case Maglocunus (as Gildas reporteth) was first a monk, and afterward constytute king in the year of our lord .CCCCC.lij. contynuynge still by the space of more than .xxxiiij. years, and had for the time .ii. wives besides his concubynes. Thys Maglocunus was rekened the most comelye person of all his regyon, and a man to whom God had than given great vyctoryes against the Saxons, Norweyes, and Danes. Yet was he in his age as was longe afore him, Mempricius his predecessor, given to most abominable sodometrye, which he had served in his youth of the consecrate chastity of the holy clergy. Galfredus, Ranulphus, Hardynge, Fabian, and Flores Historiarum. Verye vehement was Gildas being thā a monk of Bencornaburch not far frō Chestre, in his daily preachynges, both against the clergy and layte, concerning that vice and such other, and prophesied afore hand of the subuersyon of this realm by the Saxons for yt, like as yt sone after followed in effect. Loke in both his books, De excidio Britannie, et in scriptis Polidori, Galfredi, et Ranulphi, with the preface of Wyllyam Tyndals obedience.

The Saxons entre with new Christyanyte.

ANon after the Saxons had got̄ of the Brytaynes the full conquest of this land, the name thereof was changed, and hath ever sense been called England of Engist which was thā their chief captain, as wytneseth Johan Harding, Iohā Major, Hector Boethius, Caxtō, Fabyā. Thā came there in a new fashyoned Christyanyte yet ones a gain frō Rome with many more heythnysh yokes than afore. And that was upon this occasyō, as all writers agre. Gregory the first of that name (now called Saint Gregory) beheld in the open market at Rome, English boys to sell. Mark this ghostly mystery, for the prelates had than no wives. And womē in those days might sore have dystayned their newlye rysyn opynyō of holiness, if they had chanced to have been with child by them, and therefore other spiritual remedyes were sought out for thē by their good prouyders and proctours, ye may (if ye will) call thē apple squyres. And as this Gregory beheld them fair skynned and bewtyfullye faced, with hear upon their heads most comelye, anō he axed, of what regyon they were. And answer was made him, that they were of an yle called England. Wele may they be called Angli (saith he) for they have very Angelyck vysages. Se how curyouse these fathers were, in the well • yenge of their wares. Here was no cyrcumstaunce vnloked to, perteynynge to the sale. Yet have this Bishop bent of all writers reckoned the best sense his time. Thys story mencyoneth Jacobus de Voragine, Vincencius, Antoninus, Johannes Capgrave, Major, Polydorus, & an hundred Autours more.

More English boys sold at Rome.

AN other example like unto this, telleth the seyde Johan Capgrave in his Cataloge. That as one Macutus an English Brytayne, and Bishop of Ale • h in Ireland, being at Rome about the year of our lord .CCCCC. perceived certain English boys to be lolde there openly. He gave the price of them, and sent them home again. Of a like lyhode he smelled the spiritual occupyenge there, and pysyed the most dāpnable castynge away of those poor innocents, whom Christ had so derelye redeemed with his blood. Soche another act of christē pitye wrought king Eteluuolphus there (after diverse writers) whan he in the year of our lord. DCCC. xlvij. made suit to Pope leo the fort, to be clearly dyspensed with for the order of subdeacon, which he had in his yowthe received (wholesome ware I warande yow) of Helmestane thā Bishop of wynchestre. For by that time they had crept into the seat of the Serpent, Apoca. 13. and obtained full autoryte to dyspense with all pactes, professyons, promises, vows, • thes, oblygacyons, and sealynges to the Beasts holy service. Mark always the times. Thys story hath Vuylyam of Malmesburye, li. 2. De regibus, Ranulphe, Harding, Fabyan and Polydorus with other. And that the one wanteth, the other always habundauntlye supplieth. Possessyon was taken of that seat of the Beast under phocas the emproure in the year of our lord. DC and .vii. whan the papacye first begōne.

Augustine entereth with his Mōkes

NOw to return again unto Gregory. He sent upon the aforesaid occasion, into England in the year from Christ's in carnacyō .CCCCC. xcvi. a Romy she monk called Augustine, not of the order of Christ as was peter, but of the superstycyouse seete of Benet, there to sprede abroad the Romish faith and religion, for Christ's faith was there long afore. With him entered Melitus, Iustus, Laurencius, Johannes, Petrus, Rufinianus, Paulinus, and a great sort more to the number of .xl. all monks & Italyanes. Wele armed were they with Aristotle's artylerye, as with logyck, Phylosophye, and other crafty scyēces, but of the sacred scriptures, they knew little or nothing. If ye believe not me, read in Johan Capgraues Cataloge, Inu ita Augustini, his interrogacyōs, Ad Gregorium per laurenciū et Petrum, and ye shall find thē void of all christen learning, either of law or Gospel. yea, moste incypyent & foolish. Yet was the said Augustine the best learned among thē. These toke with thē a great number of frenche interpretours, because they were all ignorant of the languages there. Here was a noble christyanyte towards, whā the preachers knew neither the scriptures nor yet the speech of the people. Well, yet they ded miracles. Yea, so said Christ they should do, whā he bad us in any wise to be ware of thē. Mat. 24. For this story, mark specyallye Johan Capgrave in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie, Sigebertus, Vincē • ius, Antoninus, Tritemius, Christianus Masseus, and the church legendarye. Dyuersly were they of womē entreated

ANd as cōcernynge womē, greuousslye were they vexed with them coming hytherwarde, specyallye at a vyllage called Saye, within the coūtie of Angeu in fraunce. In the which was builded immedyatlye after, a church (they say) in the honor of the said Augustine, where as no women come, but are plagued with most sudden death, for the dyspleasure there shown them than, yet ded thy but laugh vpō thē. Thys showeth Alexādre the prior of Esseby in his Annual of Saints by these verses.

Thys story hath also Johan Capgrave, and the old English Festyuall of Saints, which was sontyme the only taught Gospel of England. Notwithstandynge this dyspleasure of women abroad, yet found they womē favorable within England. For Bertha the queen of Kent, than being a frenche woman, caused Kynge Ethelbert to admyt thē with all their tyr • erye trashe. Yet for the small trust he had unto them at their first metynge, he would in no wise commē with thē within any house (the story saith) least they should after any sorcerouse sort by wytche him. The first point of Relygyō they shown, was this. They spread fourth a banner with a painted crucifix and a silver cross thereupon, and so come to the king in processyon, singing the letanye. Wele might this be called a new christyanyte, for neither was yt known of Christ nor of his Apostles, nor yet ever seen in England afore. It came altogether from the dust heap of their monkerye.

Their first spiritual prouysyons here.

AS the king admytted their enteraunce, he couenaunted thus with them, and very wyselye. That his people should always be at liberty, and no man constrained to their new found Relygyon, sacryfyces▪ and worshippings. But alac that freedom con • yaued not longe with them, as ye shall well perceive here after. Than ded Augustine get him into France again, and caused one Etherius than Archebyshop of Arelas, to consecrate him the great bishop of all England, without eleccyon or consent of the people that we read of. And in the year of our Lord even .DC. ded Gregory send unto him from Rome, his prymates pall, with superaltares, ch • lyces, copes, candelstyckes, vestymentes, surplyces, alter clothes, singing books, relly • kes, and the blessings of Peter and Paul. And so admytted him for the first metropolitan of all the whole realm, appoyntynge his seat from thens fourth at Canterburye, than called Doroberna, the worthy city of london ever after depryued of her former title, and so made an vnderlynge. But the spyrituall fathers knew well enough what they ded, beholdynge afore hand many hidden mysteries. They perceived that Canterbury was well out of the way, and moche nygher the see than was London, and so moche the fytter for their crafty conueyaunces, and flyghtes to their holy father if need should require yt, with many other commoditees else. Mark always these numbers of Syxes and their mysteries, for the age of Man and the Beast, Apoca, 13.

Their preparacyons for Antichrist,

THe first stodye of these fathers after they were ones satled, was all about mass offerings, ceremonies, bishops seats, consecracyons, church hallowynges, orders giving, tithes, personages, puryfycacyous of women, and such like. Wherupon a Syunode was called, and there commandment̄ dementes were given that all things should be here observed according in the customs of Rome. In England was there afore their coming a christyanyte, but it was all without masses, and in a manner without choice of ey • her days or meats. The Brytaynes in those days had non other God's service but the Gospel. Seldom admytted they any dyfference of times with the Jews, either any Idol sacry • yces with the Gentyles, but followed the plain rules of the scriptures. If any superstycyons were among their Monks, they had naught to do there with, but were evermore. at liberty. For Prynces at that time were not yet becomen the Beasts Images, to speak out of their spirits, or to make laws according to their lusts. The labor of Augustine with his monks, from the forseyd year of our Lord DC. was to prepare Antichrist a seat here in England, against the full time of his perfyghtage, of. 666. For though he were first conceived in the wicked church of Cain, yet coude he not show himself in his own lykenesse, that is to say, Christ's opē adversary, till Christ came in the flesh. And than he apered at all one time with him, in the malygnaunt church of the Jews or spyrytualte of Herod, which than first began to persecute him and to seek his death.

The prouynge of Augustynes Apostleship.

IN the year of our Lord .DC. and ii held Augustine another counsel in the west part and countye of worcestre, in a place that is yet called Augustynes oke, whereunto he called by commandment, the vii. bishops of the Brytayne church with their principal doctors. And as they were taking their iournaye thydreward, they counseled with a certain solytarye man, which was known to be of amost perfight chri sten life, what was to be done cōcernynge the afore said Augustine. Anon he made them this christen answer: If he be a man of God (saith he) in any wise follow his counsel. If he be not, utterly refuse it. How shall we know that? say they. Ye shall well perceive yt by his gentle spirit, saith he again. For Christ bad his scolers, learn of him to be meek hearted. If he be of that sort, he ys like to bring ye non other than Christ's moste easy yoke. But if ye find him proud, be ware of the importable burdenes of the high minded Pharysees. And as they were common thydre, they found him sitting a loft in a throue of high honor, shewynge unto them no countenance of gentylnesse. Wherfor they regarded him not, but utterly withstode all his enforcemētes.

The English church beginneth with tyranny.

AFter longe dysputacyons and other weywarde wrangelynges, he laid unto their charges, that they were in many things, contrary to the universal Christian church, Notwithstādynge, if they would consent unto him in these .iii. points. That ys to say, to baptyse after the Romish manner, to celebrate the feast of Eastre as they do there, and preach to the English Saxons as he should appoint them, he would well bear with them in all other causes. In no case would they grant unto him, nor yet accept him for their archebyshop▪ but said playnelye, they would still hold their auncyent tradycyōs, which they perfyghtlye knew to be agreeable to the holy Apostles doctrine. Than said Augustine furyouslye unto them, that if they would not peceably grant to his requests, they should be enforced thereunto by most cruel battle. And so in the year next following, were slain of their preachers by Augustynes procurement, to the number of a thousand and ii. hundred, with their great mastre Dionothus. Loke Flores Historiarum, Amandus Zierixensis, Galfrede, Ranulph, Capgrave, Caxton, Fabianc, their church legendarye, and other. Thus ded that carnal Synagogue (than called the English church) which came from Rome with Augustine, most cruelly persecute, at her first coming in, the Christ̄ church of the Brytaynes in these holy martyrs. Theyr synefull Zion builded they than in blood, for that their wicked instytutes were Godlye dysobeyed. But he they sure, yt shall be plowed up in this latter age, and lie wast like a uoyde field, according to Mycheas prophecy. Mich. 3

What the Brytayne church was afore.

TRue is the faithful saying of Johan Leylande in assertione Arturij. fo. 35. That the Romish Bishop sought all means possyble to uphold the English Saxōs in a kingdom falsely gotten, the Brytaynes hatynge him for yt, and he again of mischief prouokynge those Saxons fearcelye to invade them. Mark yt hardelye, for yt ys worthy to be noted. Mark also the agrement of the Brytayne church with the vii. churches of Asia in Saint Iohans time. Not only for the just nonebre of their bishops, but also for their obseruacyon of Eastre afore this Augustynes coming. For in their argumentacyons about that matter, they laid always for themselves the usages of that church received first of Johan the Evangelist, Philip the Apostle, Polycarpus, Traseas, Sagaris, Papirius, and Meliton, allegynge the sayings of Policrates, and Eusebius, in that behalf. The church that Augustine than planted in England, was more governed by bishops polycyes for their advantage, than by the express word of God to his honor, as it hath beue ever sense. And therefore yt was and is yet in outward obseruacyons, rather a polytyque church than a Christ̄ church, the Iewyshe and Heythnishe superstycyons not reckoned. God grant yt ones a shappe after his prescripte laws and ordynaunces. Amen.

Antichrist approached fast to his full age.

IN the year of our Lord (as I said afore). DC. and .vii. Antitechrist fast approchynge to the fullness of his age, grew into a universal fatherhode. For than first began the papacye at Rome under the false Emproure phocas, as witnesseth Abbas Vrspergensis, Hermannus Contractus, Sigebertus, Ranulphus, Matheus Palmarius, Christianus Masseus, Archilles Pirminius, Johannes Carion, et Martinus Lutherus in Mundi supputacione. Than obtained Boniface the third of that name, of the said Phocas for money, in the mids of all seysme, strife, mischief, and murder, to be Satan's great steward here, & the devils leftenaūt. For in his power yt was not, to make him Christ's vycar, nor yet saint Peters successor. Thus gave the Dragon, then his autoryte and power to the Beast with .vii. heads, that arose out of the see, or from the superstycyouse wauerynge multitude, Apoco. 13. Than wanted he nothing else, but to sytt in the place of God, which ys the conscience of Man, that he might there exalte himself above all that is called God. 2 Thessa. 2. To bring that to pass, the Monks and the priests sturred quycklye about them, and left no cautels unsought out to bring all Christian realms under his deuylysh domynyon. For than had the Monks autoryte to preach, baptyse, and assoil from sin, which they never had afore. How and what th • y wrought here in England, ys euydent by that hath been shown af • re, and will be yet more plain in that which hereafter followeth. Mark yt therefore in the name of God, for now ys the time, wherein he must he revealed, that the Lord Jesus may consume him with the breathe of his mouth. Esa, 11. and 2. Thes, 2.

The chastity of his masmongers.

NOw conceruynge the contynencye of this new broached brood or newlye fashyoned clergy. For so moche as they were Monks and came from Rome, they had professed a false chastity, to appear more holy than the priests, and thereby in process of time to rob them of their benefyces or appointed livings. Though Gregory in his time made these constytucyons, that nō should be admytted a pressed which had married ii wijues, nor yet they be accepted that in priesthood, kept concubynes, as testyfyeth Sabellicus, yet durst he not utterly condemn priests marriage, by reason of a most terrible example of innumerable chyldrens heads seen drowned in a ponde. But mark the spyrytuall occupȳge of these hot fathers, for greuouslye were they than vexed with night pollucyōs. Wherupō Augustine sent unto Gregory, to know if they might well say mass having them the night afore. Unto whom after many words, he maketh in effect this answer. That like as they chance unto men iv. ways, that ys to say, by superfluyte of nature, by glottenouse eating & drynkynge, by intyrmyte of the flesh, and by filthy cogytacyons of the mind, so ought they to have .iv. consyderacyons. For the first .iii. a pressed ought not (he saith) to abstain from his mass saying. The fort he describeth by suggestyō, dylectacyon, & consent, leaving yt without any conclusyon. If this be not good wholesome dyuynyte of your holy Romish dayntes, tell me. Thys hath Johan Capgrave in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie.

Contempt of marriage, with tales.

I think a man might find as honest stuff as this, in the scooles of my lord of wynchestres rentes at the bank side at London, if he had need of yt. Ye may se by this, the virtuous stodye of these holy chaste fathers, & the clarkelye conueyaunce of their fleshly mouynges. Great pytie had yt been, but yt had had place in their holy saints legendes to the ghostly infourmacyon of other, but that we should not else well have known their bawdye hypocrisy. If their vnuirginall vows had not been, little should the world have needed this lecherouse learning. Honest marriage hath no knowledge thereof, and yet ys yt a pleasyuge service unto God. Is not that (think yow) a strange kind of chastity, that ys thus every week polluted? Yet may they after this leruynge, every day say Mass, their vow never hyndered, but in marriage they may not so under pain of death. Now forsooth yt ys wholesome ware, & yt should come even unto from the devils black bowgett. Thys ys the reverence these polluted wretches have to matrymonye, being God's clear instytucyon, that they prefer all their fleshly knaueryes unto yt. For yt only, have they named men lay & women lewd, appoyntynge their children tales here in England in dysdayne and scorn. For naught was yt not that Saint Paul called their learning Hypocresye, and the detestable doctrine of devils. 1. Timoth 4. Johan Capgrave and Alexandre of Esseby saith, that forcastynge of fyshe t • yles at this Augustine, Dorsett shyre men had tales ever after. But Polydorus applieth yt unto kentysh men at Stroude by Rochestre, for cuttynge of thomas Beckettes horses tail. Thus hath England in all other lands a perpetual dyffamye of tales by their wryttē legēdes of lies, yet can they not well tell, where to bestow them truly.

Stryfe about the Eastre celebracyon.

NExt after this Augustine was Laurencius archebyshop of Caunterburye. And after him Melitus. Than Iustus, than Honorius, than Theodatus, and Theodorus, all black monks and Italyanes borne to the number of .vii. Thys Laurence held a great Synod with his other prelates in the I will of Māne, dysputynge there with the Scottyshe and Iryshe Bishops, for the feast of Eastre, what day yt should be yearlye celebrated, writynge from thens unto their other prelates a treatise of the same. More thā an hundred years space, were the Papystes thā in controuersye for the day of that Eastre celebracyon, ere they coude be quyeted. Great pains the relygyouse fathers toke in those days to strayne out a gnatt, that their lecherouse posteryte after them, might the better swallow in a mighty camel. Math. 23. In things of small value they were thā very scrupulose, but the wayghtyer causes they coude lete slyppe well enough. What so ever this Laurence was to women by his life, he was (they say) very cruel unto them after his death. For in a se • tē town called fordune, was a church builded in his name, where no women might entre with offering nor without offering, but they had ever more sore bellies of yt. I pray God they went not many times thens with child, for there were many fat Canons and prebendes. Thys superstyeyouse fable borowe they of the paganes, whose opynyon was that no woman might entre into the temple of Venus their great Goddess in the mount of Olympus, without a great vyllanye. Jacobus Zieglerus in sua Syria.

Great business for their other traditions.

HEre pass I over the clowtynge in of their canonycall hours, of their absolucyōs for sins, their temples, their altars, their bel ryngynges, their lētes, their dyuersyte of orders and dyuysyons of paryshes, least I should be therein to tedyouse unto the readers. Aidanus, Finnanus, and Colmānus, being all iii. bishops of lyndysfarne in Northunberlande one after another, & Scottysh men borne, coude not well away with the pride and wanton toys which they beheld in their Romish rites, but persevered still in the simple order of the prymatyue church, not contented to change yt. For the which in those days, they had moche a do with these high stomaked Romans. Hilda in like case, that was thā abbasse of Streneshalt (that we now call Whytby) a womā learned, wise, and virtuous, dysputed with them in their general counsel upon Colmannus side, in the year of our lord .DC. and lxiiij. concerning the day of their eastre celebracyon, their head shauynge, and other vnsauerye ceremonies, and wrote afterward an ernest treatise against Agilbertus a frenche man and at that time bishop of Winchester. All this might not help than, but in process of time they had their whole minds, magry all their hearts. Bedas Giruuinus li. 3. Ca. 25. De gestis Anglorum, Guilhelmus Malmesburye li. 3. De Pontificibus Ranulphus. li. 5. Ca. 17. Ioann es Capgrave and other.

Relygyouse examples dysuadynge marriage.

AFter Laurencius followed Melitus in the Archebyshoppes seat of Caunterburye, in the year of our lord .DC. and .xix. which (they say) both alive & dead, dysuaded young men from christen marriage. As Saint Columbanus a Scott, about the same time, came to the sell of an holy Nonne for ghostly counsel. She bad him, away, least wanton youth would bring them together wild they nylde they. Saint Edwin king of Northumberlande gave unto saint Paulinus the archebyshop of yorke, his young daughter Eanfleda, so sone as she was baptized in the year of our lord. DC. and. xxvi. that he should make her an vnholye Nonne. And the day after the said Edwin was slain, he toke with him both the daughter and mother, and so fled with them unto Rochestre in kent be water, never returnynge thydre again. Saint fiacre a Scottysh hermyte had so great malice unto women, that he plagued so many of thē with the fowl evil, as came within the precynct of his monasterye, because one woman had ones complained to the bysh • p of his prodygyouse charmynges. Hector Boethius. Saint Foillanus an Iryshe Bishop with his bretheren was very famy • yar and seruysable unto Saynte Ger • ruyde and her nonnes at Nigella, & made diverse barren women full gracyouslye to conceive. Saint keynwirye a virgyne of wales, contēmpnynge marriage, fled from thens to Saint Myhels of the mount, to keep her vowed virgynyte among the holy fathers there, as vower with vowers. All these stories hath Johan Capgrave.

Other relygyouse examples of that age.

SEbba king of the East Saxōs, was so bywytched of the Bishop of London and his caskynge collygeners there for his substance, that he had made himself a monk, leaving unto them both his wife and possessyons, if she had been no wiser than he.

Yet was she by their incantacyous at the last deceived, they having of him an innumerable sum of money, and he nothing of them again but a mangye monks cowle and his burial in Paul's. Whan Saint Egbynes father was ones departed in wales, his mother resorted with him to the abbeye of Saint Sampson, and there received of him the habyte of a Nonne, bestowynge the rest of her life among the good bretheren there. Saint Eanswyde abbesse of folkstane in kent, inspyred of the devil, dyffyned christen marriage to be barren of all virtues, to have but transytoryouse fruits, and to be a filthy corrupcyō of virgynyte. Yet ware Mary, Johan Baptyst, and Jesus Christ sweet fruits, thereof, the just fathers of the old law not reckoned. Saint Paul saith also, that by virtue of marriage, the unfaithful man ys sanctyfyed by the woman that ys faithful. 1. Cor. 7. Neither ded he at any time teache marriage to be either a corrupcyon or yet an impedymēt of christen virgynite, whan he coupled the Corintheanes (which 〈7 letters〉 ed still married) a chaste vyrgyne to Christ. 2. Cor. 11. But this gentylwoman Eanswyde was moche better acquainted with the monks learning than with Christ's, and with a chastity rather to their behoove than to his. Yet drove she out all the gyantes there, if their church legende be true. These stories showeth Johan Capgrave.

The wanton toys of the holy fathers.

ABout this same time sent Pope Bonyface the fifth, a shyrte with a golden collor, and a fine petycote of strange making, unto king Edwin with the blessings of Peter and Paul. And unto his wife Ethelburge a silver glass and a comb of yvoriye with the same, to uphold them in this new christyanyte. Se these wanton fathers what toys they use, to set up their kingdom here. Never shall ye read that Christ's dysciples had any such wyttye polycyes. Saint Petrock an hermyte of Cornewale, was fain every night from the crowe of the cock to the spring of the morning, to stand naked in a pyt, to abate the hot mouynges of his flesh. And never coude he have remedy of that dysease, till he went on pilgrimage to Rome & Hierusalē. Here was a new sought out salve for that sore. Saint Pyrane a Bishop also in Cornewale, had a fair dammesell in the monasterye of his mother wingell, called Brunett, whom the Lord of the soil toke up for his occupȳge. At the last he a greed with him no lōgar to have her, thā the bernacle or butture should break him of his sleep, which chanced sone after, & than he sent her home again. If these be not good honest legendes to be redd in the popes holy church, tell me. Plentuouse shall ye find Johan Capgrave in the rehearsal of them and such other.

The ghostly bestowynge of their vows

A Nonne belōgynge to saint Cota, and a monk perteyninge to saint Pyrane, about the same time strake up a covenant of love. And as they met in a wode for performance of the same, a young pygeon fell betwixt thē and made them both ashamed, & so they went home again▪ i • like matter. Soche an other pagent was played at yorke, but it was longe after. The monks of saint Mary abbeye, and the nonnes of Clement thorpe met together there at haye making, the abbottes fole being with them. And as the abbot enquyred of him at supper for pastyme, where he had done all that day. He fell in a great laughynge and declared before all his gestes, that a sore battle had been foughten that after none betwixt his monks and the monks of clemēt thorpe. But he thanked God that his monks had the best, for they lay ever aloft. Bycause that one of Saint modwēs maids, had laid her best beloues shoes at her beds head, the spirits of heaven that were wont to vysyte her, would not come there that night. After she had been at Rome, and was come home again, she dwelt at Scalesclyf, where as an holy hermyte ded oft times vysyte her, and moche refresh her with a legende boke of saints lives. But no tiding was there among them, of Christ's holy gospel. Loke Johan Capgrave.

Erkenwalde and Osith, with their Nondryes.

SAynt Erkenwalde the son of Vffa the first Kynge of the east angles, abbot of Cherteseye and Bishop of London, builded a Nondrye at Berkynge. And because there were at that time in England no Nuns to his mind (for Hilda his kynswoman was to great a scripture woman in those days) he sent over the see for an old acquaintance of his called Hildelitha, learned in art, but not in Christ's dyuynyte, Her made he there abbasse, commyttynge unto her governance, his systre Ethelburge and a great sort more of young maids, to be taught and made nonenes there. Soche rule was kept among thē within a short space after, that God sent upon them a plage of pestylēce, which toke away all their chaplaynes, the cruel Da ••… s following and burning up that was left, monasterye, nonnes and all. Saint Osith was married to Sigher Kynge of the East Saxons. But because she loved the spirytualte moche better thā him, whyls he was on a time in huntynge, she sent by a preuye letter for Accas, and Bedeuuinus, Bishops of the East Angles, contaynynge Norfolk and Sothfolke, causynge thē to put vpō her a nonnes aparell. So made she him to believe in his return, that she had professed the vow of chastity, and gave him thereby a most wretched occasion to live all the days of his life after, in most sinful aduoutrie. But a just plage followed. For in the year of our Lord .DC.liii. was she slain of the Danes, and her whore house (nondrye I should say) utterly destroyed. Yet was she in the Popes church allowed for a stinking martyr, for contempnynge marriage. Johan Capgrave.

The perfect age of the Beast.

THeodorus a Greke, was of pope vptelianus constytute the sixth archebyshop of Caunterburye, frō Augustine or sense the Papacy began, to make all sure here to Antichrists behoove, in the sixtye and six year of his age, and in the year from Christ's incarnacyon six hundred, syxtie, and six, which is in saint Iohans Apocalypse the full age of the Beast, & the full number of man. Mark yt good reader. For now of a Beast, becometh he a king, ye, as Daniel calleth him, the vnshame fast Kynge of faces. Daniel. 8. Presumynge to sit above God in every man's conscience 2. Thessa. 2. Named yt is there, the number of man, and the number of the Beast, for so moche as yt was the time, wherein mannys learning most strongly withstode the learning of God, to the prankynge up of that odyouse adversary, the very man of sin, and son of perdycyon, all blasphemies thereupon following. Euydent is yt, by all the English Chronycles, that than this Theodorus came hither with the seal of that execrable Beast, to mark up all to that most blasphemous kyngdō. For never afore wrought the spirit of Antichrist, the mystery of iniquity so strongelye as at that time. For hither than brought he all vain & crafty scyences, of countinge, calkynge, measurynge, singing, rymynge, reasonynge, arguynge, dyffynynge, shauinge, oylynge, exorcysynge, incantynge, & coniurynge. Loke Johan Capgrave, in uitis Adriani, et Theodori Besydes that Bedas writeth li. 4. Capit, 2. and Ranulphus li. 5. Ca▪ 18.

For the varyaunce had in supputaciōs

TO avoid cōtrouersyes in the supputacyō of years, for so moche as some writeth him to have comē hither in the year afore rehearsed, & some .ii years after. Ye shall understand that Theodatus which was his predecessor, departed in the year of our Lord .DC.lxv. as witnesseth Hermānus Cōtractus in Chronico de sexetatibus mundi. In the year following was this Theodorus admytted of V •• elian{us}, & received his full autoryte of byndynge and losynge (saith Platina ) to hold the English nacyon still in that faith. Mark yt. But by reason of certain delays, yt was more than a year after ere he entered into England. One cause of his tarryaunce (Johan Capgrave saith) was the growynge of his hear concerning his crown, which was shavē afore after a far other sort, he being a Greke. Hys abydynge there for that only cause, was more thā .iv. Monthes, besides other nedye matters. So that yt was the year of our Lord .DClxviij. the xxvi. day of Maye, and the seconde year of his consecracyon ere he came into Kēt, as witnesseth both Bedas and Ranulphus With him sent Vitelian{us} a monk borne in Africa, called Adriā, to loke to his doctrine, least he taught any thing in the English church that were not agreeable to the Romish faith (as the marriage of priests, and the howselynge with leuened bread) for he ded not in all points trust him, because he was a Greke borne. Anon after he set up a Greak scole at Caunterburye of all manner scyences, as Rhetoryck, Logyck, philosophy, Mathesye, Astrology Geometrye, Arithmetyck, and Musyck, and taught them there openly both in latyue and Greke, besides the art Magyck Sortilege, Physuomye, Palmestrye, Alcumye, Necromancye, Chyromācye, Geomancye, and witcherye, that was taught there also. Bedas, Ranulphus, and Johan. Cap

Sealynges to the Beasts obedience

THan constytute he the said Adriane both abbot and general reader there, whyls he cōpased about all the whole regyon for the Eastre celebracyon & other Romish rites. This is the first archebyshop (saith Johan Capgrave ) that all the English church was sworn to. Mark here the Seal of the Beast. Apo. 13. In the year of our Lord. DC.lxxij. he held a Synod at Thetforde in Norfolk, where as he enquyred of every man's faith towards the Church of Rome. Than constytute he bishops for every quarter, and deposed all them that were not confirmed by the popes authority, of whose number Ceddas the bishop of yorke was one. More over he published there a boke of the churches ordynaunces, made by the forsayd Vitelianus, with permyssion of organs to make them myrye, commaundynge yt only to be observed, Christ's order set a part. If this were not the departynge that Paul prophesied to come .2. The .2. where shall we loke for any. A saying hath Johannes de Molinis, in speculo carmel. Ca. 6. which (though he were a papist) I find here most true.

I think a truer sentence coude not than be uttered all circumstances thereupon cōsydered. Great pytye was yt, that the churches posteryte than perceived not so manifest a defeccyon.

More sealynges yet to Antichrists kingdom.

IN the year of our Lord DC. and lxxx. held this Theodorus another counsel at hatefelde in the west parties. Whereas he demanded a reckenynge of the bishops and other curates, what faith and favor their people's had than to the church of Rome, as pope Agathon had commanded him to do by his writings, which wrote than unto him, to do all things wyselye. Ye know what that meaneth▪ I think. Here was non enquirye made, what believe they had than there in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. No, yt was another manner of matter, that they sought. Oh, wonderful was the working of that Serpentes generation. Polidorus saith, li. 4. Anglice history, that false religion & counterfett priesthood, was than throughlye satled and placed there, the Acts of the, iv general counsels received in stead of the .iv. Evēgelies. In the next year following, was a general Synod kept at Constātynople in Grece, where as marriage was forever permytted unto the Greke priests, and utterly forbidden the latynes, or all other besides thē, the Latin mass receiving there his first confirmacyon. But Theodor{us} & his monks were at a good indyfferēt point for that, which had veiled within one mounsterye in the I will of Thanete lxx. Nuns, making fair Myldrede their abbasse. Loke Iohā Capgrave Ranulphe and other English authors. In spyght of the former Acte, ded Vitiza the king of Spain, permytt his priests by a law newlye made, to keep so many concubynes as they would. Michael Ricius de regibus Hispanie, et Paulus Constantine Phrigio in Chronicis regnorum.

Chastyte, Monks, Monasteryes, and Penaunce.

Wernerus Cartusiensis saith, in Fasciculo temporum, that vowynge of chastity was free without constraynt, in the time of Saint Gregory & somewhat after. Bedas reporteth li. 3. Ca. 6. De gestis Anglorum, et Johannes Major in gestis Scotorum li 2 Ca. 11. That a monks cowle, after they had ones vowed chastity, was holden in such reverence, that no mā would in a manner than iourneye, unless he had their blessings Into a most wonderful madness were the people than brought, by their hypocrytycall wytcherye, the very elect persons scant free from that damnable error. Matth. 24. Marci. 13. For the unthankfulness of men (saith Job) in setting his verity light, doth God permytt the Hypocrytes to reign over them in all power of deceitful wonders. Job. 34. 2. Thessal. 2. They ded than spedelye set up monasteryes without nonebre, all the realm over. Johan Hardynge saith in his Chronycle, that king Oswye builded within Nor thumberlande. xii. in one years space. In the year of our lord. DC. and .lxxxiiij. held Theodorus yet another counsel in the North parties at Twyforde, where as he published a certain boke of his own making, called A penytencyall sum, commaundynge his clergy to put yt everywhere in practice. Therin were contained all manner of sins and excesses, with aggrauacyons, reseruacyons, penaltees, sorrows, penuaunces, and ponnyshmentes. And this was to terryfye, captive, and snare the wretched cōscyences of men, even to vttre desperacy on. And where coude have been sought out a practice of more deuylyshnesses Sigebertus, Sabellicus, Tritemius, et Scriptores ferme omnes.

The foundacyon of their Purgatorye.

AT the same very time, was there one Drithelmus in Northumberlande, which leaving both wife and chyldrē in the year of our lord .DC. and .lxxi. made himself a monk at Mailros, Saint Cuthbert thā being abbot there. The said Drithelmus feigned himself on a time to be dead there was knauerye upon knauerye) and reported in his return, that he had seen by an Angels demōstracyon, both purgatory and paradyse, hell and heavē. After that he had subtylly declared this unto king Alphrede and other great men of the contreye there, at the request of the monks, moche people resorted unto him for counsel for their souls from all quarters of England. So redye are the foles of this world to hear lies and illusyons, which never had love to the verity. Thys knave evermore commended unto them confession and penance, fasting, prayer, and alms deeds, specyallye and above all other, mass sayings, and monasteryes building. Was not this think yow, a virtuous christyanyte of these chaste fathers, to begin their holy church with? Were yt not pytie but they were canonysed saints, and their feastfull days solempnysed twice in the year, with ryngynges, syngynges, sensynges, and massynges, as this Cuthbertes were and are yet to this day? I think the Turks church had never more knaves to their Saints thā these. For this Drithelmus ys one of their saints also. Johan Capgrave post uitam Adriani, Sigebertus, Vincencius, Antoninus, with diverse other,

Chastyte of Cuthbert and doctrine of Colfride.

SO cruel was this Cuthberte unto women, after he became a Saint of theirs, that nō might come within his sayntuaryes (they say) at Doilwein, Coruen, and Mailros in Scotland, nor yet at Durham, Tynmouth, and Lyndefarne here in England, under pain of sodē death, their chābers and selles exempted always. Yet was the said Cuthbert very famylyar in his time with Ebba, Elsteda, & Verca .iii. holy abbasses, and builded for his pleasure, a solempne nondrye at Carliell. Fynallye for the specyall good love he had unto Verca above all other, he commanded in his testament, that his body after his departynge, should be wrapped in the fine lynnen clothe that she had given him. Ye may se by this, that these chaste fathers had their lovers, and set somewhat by their own precious bodies. Saint Colfryde abbot of Girwin in Northumberlande, wrote unto Athō king of the Pyctes, that yt was as necessary for the vow of a monk or degree of a pressed (priests were than no vowers) to have a shaven crown for restraynt of their lusts, as for any christen man to bless him against spirits whan they come vpō him. What wise learning this ys, I report me unto yow. Yet ys yt regettred of Bedas in his .v. boke, De gestis Anglorum, and also of Thomas Vualden in his volume, De sacramētalibus. ti. 9. Ca 80 to stop heretypkes mouths with, besides that Johan Capgrave hath said in yt.

The fallen star, and .ii. Horns of the Beast.

ABout this time were many wonderful things seen in diverse quarters of the world, specyallye a great Comete or blasynge star, which seemed with flamynges of fire to fall into the see, great morren following both of beast and man. Not all unlike was this to that ys described, Apoca. 8. And betokened than (in my opynyon) both the vttre fall of the pryncelye governance and also the christen priesthood, or of both under one, as powers of one God. For both they heynge as stars in the firmament or powers from about. Romano. 13. most wretchedlye than declyued frō the true obedience and faithful ad ynystracyon of God's eternal verity, unto the beastly subieccyon and traditions of that execrable Pope. Sens that time have they come from the see. They have taken their autoryte of that Beast which rose out of the see. Apocal. 13. (till now of late days) the .ii. horns of the other Beast, that is to say, of hypocrisy, pryckynge them than forewarde. Those. .ii. horns of that earthly Beast were here in England, the .ii. monkysh sects that in those days first entered. The first of them were the black monks of Saint Benet, which entered first of all with the afore named Augustine in the year of our lord .CCCCC. and xcvi. to peruerte the South Saxons and kentysh men. The other were the black Canons of the other Saint Augustine (both black) which came in with Berinus the archebyshopp of Dorcestre in the year of our lord .DC.xxxvi. from Pope Honorius the first, to deceive the west Saxons. For yche Pope and byshopp preferred evermore the sect he was of. These .ii. wrought so their wicked feats in those days, with lying signs in hypocrisy, that they caused the afore named stars, Regnum et Sacerdocium, Regalyte and priesthood, to fall clearly from heaven. Johan Capgrave, Ranulphus, et Polydorus.

The fall of kyngedoms, and raise of the Papacy.

MArke in the Chronycles, and ye shall find this most true. That like as the Papacy had his first raise in and of the fall of the Empire, so had those kingdoms which first obeyed yt, their orygynall begynnynges of the overthrow of the inferyour kyngedomes. As England under king Inas by the fall of the Brytaynes, and France under king Pypyne by the putting a side of the Merouyngeanes. Sens these lecherouse locusts crept first into England, never throue that kingdom of the auncyent Brytaynes (whose spiritual head was God alone) but every day more and more decayed, till yt was fully ended. Mark yt hardelye from the first coming hither of the said Augustine, till the year of our lord .DC.lxxxix. wherein Cadwallader their last king died a most desolate pylgryme at Rome, offering himself up there most myserablye to the Pope.

Euer sense hath yt been to him obedyent in all blasphemous errors and do • ryues of Deuylles, by the space of .DCCC. and .xliiij. years, till the year of our lord .M.D. and .xxxiij. wherein at our noble kings moste wholesome request, we utterly by oath renounced that odyouse monstre. Now ys yt God's own free kingdom again, and our king his inmedyate mynystre. That Lord grant of his infynyte mercy, that like as we have put a side his name, we may even from the heart also cast over his Idolatrouse yokes▪ following from henceforth the uncorrupt rules of the Gospel. Amen. A like conparyson hath Paulus Orosius, li. 2. Ca. 4. Historiarum mundi, of Babylon and Rome. Verye like begynnynges (saith he) had Babylon and Rome, like powers, like prydes, like contynuaunces, like fortunes, and like ruynes, saving only that Rome arose of the fall of Babylon, and so fourth.

An old prophecy of Merlyne dysclosed.

AS I was in writing this matter an old prophecy of Merlyne came unto my remembrance. That after the manifold irrupcyons of strangers, the kings of this realm should be ones again crowned with the Dyademe of Brute, and bear his auncyent name, the new name of strangers so vanyshynge away. He that applieth unto this a right understanding, shall find yt very true. The dyademe of Brute ys the pryncelye power of this whole regyō, inmedyatlye givē of God without any other mean mastrye worker to Antichrists behoove. F • re was that power f • m the great whores domynyon (which ys the Rome church) till the vyolēt conquest of the English Saxōs▪ which they had of the Brytaynes for their iniquitees sake▪ And now (praise be unto that Lord) yt is in good way to that fredō again, & would fully attain thereunto, were her heythnysh yokes in relygyō ones thrown a side, as I doubt yt not but they will be within short space. As well may ye give creed̄ce to this Merlyne whan he uttered the verity, as unto old Balaam the sothsayer, which at a time prophesied the coming of Christ. Numeri 24. And as concerning the return of the name, mark in this age the writings of learned men, and ye shall well perceive the change, for now cōmonlye do they write us for English men, Brytaynes.

The whores flesh eaten of the x. horns.

THe .x. horns of the first Beast (which were kyngedomes maynteynynge that whore (now joined all into one, doth mortallye hate her at this present instaunt▪ & ys making her desolate and naked in England. In the ende they shall eat her flesh, and clearly cōsum her with the fire appointed. England was sometime into .vii. kyngedomes divided, by the consent of all writers, and wales into .ii. called Cambria & Demecia or north wales & South wales; Ireland making up the tenth. Or if ye hold wales but for one, lete Scotland supplye that room, which oweth unto England perpetual homage. As all these are now in one most worthy & vyctoryouse Kynge but one, so will God put into all their hearts one consent to fulfill his will, and to give her kingdom unto the Beast, or to send yt again to the Deuyll from whens yt first came. Apoca. 17 Consydre with yourselves the late overthrow of the monasteryes, couentes, collegys, and chaunteryes, alleages of unclean spirits, and holds of most hateful birds by the manifest word of God. And think not but the filthy habytacyons of the great mastre devils will follow sone after. Apoc. 18. Lete the gogle eyed Gardyner of wyncestre gyrde at yt till his rybbes ache, and an hundred dyggynge devils upon his side, yet shall not one Iote of the Lord's promise be vnfulfylled at the time appointed for that blasphemous whores overthrow, his most holy mother. Praye in the mean season (good christen readers) pray, pray, pray, that his heavenly will be done in earth and not man's, and fashyon your lives to the form of his most dere son Jesus Christ's doctrine. Amen.

Acts of vowed virgynyte for that age.

NOw to return again to their spiritual acts of chastity for that age. Whā one Sedia the father of saint Aid{us}, perceived that he by no means coude have a child by his wife, he brought her to these cōtynēt fathers for remedy of her barrenness, & she was spedde the next night after by a miracle, for all were miracles they ded. Ioā Cap, Guenhera a Cornysh woman (whom some writers call fair Elyne) that made Kynge Arthure a cuckolde, was after his death deuoutelye received into Ambesburye nondrye, as a penitent to their spiritual use. Guilhelmus Malmesburye. Saint Oswalde laid his wife Bebla in bed with a relygyouse hermyte. And whan the great heat came vpō him (as the spiritual fathers are hastye • he found the means that he was cast in cold water to abate his hot corage. This is one of the holy acts whervpō the pope hath made the said Oswalde a saint. Johan Harding. Saint Ebba which was in those days the mother of all nonnes, was generate of an whore, as were all her fathers children besides her ii. of thē only excepted. This Ebba had in the monasterye of Coldyngham not far from Barwyck, both men & womē dwell lynge together sell by sell) as the manner was than of all Nondryes in England) which exercysed the battayles of chastity so longe, that in their night metynges they went to bed together by couples, their relygyouse love was than so great, till God sent a wild fire upon them for that contempt of marriage. Ionnes Major. libro secundo. Capittulo. 12. & Johannes Capgrave.

A spiritual conueyaunce to be marked.

ETheldred (whom ye call Saint Audrye of helye) married .ii. great princes, Tombert of the South Girwyes, and Egfride the Kynge of Northumberlande, mockynge them both by the space of more than .xiii. years, in not giving them due benevolence according to the holy doctrine of saint Paul 1. Cor. 7. And in occasyonynge them to aduouterouse living. The latter of them knowing that she minded wilfryde thā Bishop of yorke moche more than him (for the story saith that she loved that monk above all the men living) required him in God's behalf to admonysh her of her dewtye, that he might according to his laws have increase of successyon by her. And he like a false traitor knave, not withstanding his promise to the contrary, persuaded her to persevere in her obstynacye and utterly to resyst him, allegynge her vow and requyrynge a divorcement from him. Wherupon he was than compelled to marry another wife, called Ermenburgis, and Eteldrede was professed a Nonne in Coldynghā with Ebba, by the said wilfryde. This Kynge after that perceyuynge his knauerye, by assent of Theodorus the archebyshop of Caunterburye, bannyshed him out of his lande. Than followed she after a pace, and whyls he was bishop of Eastsexe, she bycame abbasse of hely, not far from his elboue, Mark this conueyaunce for your serving. If this were not knauerye, where shall we find knauerye: Yet was this gētylmii cōueyer admytted for a saynte, because he builded a college at Rippon, where myself was ones baited of his Basan bulls, for maynteynynge the Kynges prerogatyue against their Pope, as good mastre Iohā Hercye can full well tell. Johannes Capgrave in uitis Etheldre de, &. Vuilfridi.

Kynges became pylgrymes, and their wives Nuns.

A Verye proper cast the womē had in those days, by the ghostly counsel of the prelates. They sent their husbands to Rome on pilgrimage by heaps, whyls they kept them spyrituall cōpanye at home. Ethelburge made great hast and left no calling on, till her husband Kynge Inas was thydrewardes, with scrippe hatte and staff, she looking for his no more comynge home in the abbeye of Berkynge, This Inas became a monk there, and was the first that clogged the west Saxons with payment of the Rome shott, or Peter Pens to the Pope. Volateranus, and Fabiane. After him followed Ethelrede Kynge of Mercia in like fashyon of Pylgrymage, and became afterward abbot of Bardeneye. Johan Capgrave. Conredus also Kynge of the same prouynce, died a solys he monk at Rome. So ded Kynge Offa of the East Saxons, the self same year of our Lord .DCC. and .ix. besides Kēredus, Ethelwolphus, and a great sort more. Hermannus Contractus, Platina & Polidorus. Colwolphus Kynge of Northūberlande, returned again to Gyrwyn, and there died a monk. Robert Fabiane, Great layser would yt require, to show here how many of such Kynges, the ghostly fathers sent at diverse seasons unto Rome, that they for the time might have the spiritual occupyenge of their wives, and how many of their own bastards they made Kynges for them. And therefore at this time I pass them over. Innumerable knaueryes wrought they in those days, and all under the color of vowed chastity.

Great experymentes of virgynyte.

AS Saint Aldelmus, the bishop of Sherborne (that ye now call Salysburye) chanced to be at Rome, the people there made a fowl exclamacyon upon Pope Sergius the first, for begettynge a wenche with child, which he (they say) by a little strange working pacyfyed. In whose return, a Synod was holden in England against the Brytaynes or welche men, for not cōformynge their churches to the Romish obseruacyons, he there required to inueye against them. Upon the which mocyon, he wrote than two books, one for the Eastre celebracyon, and another in the praise of virgynes, to blemyshe the marriage of their priests there, and also to advance their newlye professed chastity. For that he had also in commandment of Sergius, not withstanding his own known lecherye. This Aldelmus never refused women, but would have them commonlye both at borde and at bed, to mock the devil with. In the time he was abbot of Malmesbury, he appointed oft times to his flesh this martyrdō. As he felt any sore mouynges thereof, he laid by him naked, the fairest maid he coude long time as an whole David's psalter was in saying. And whan his heat was past, he sent her home again as good a maid as he left her. Is not this (think you) a strong argument to prove that all priests may live chaste? This telleth Bedas, Ranulphus, Johan Capgrave, and many other English Autours more.

Images admytted, with chaste examples.

ABout the same time, saint Egwine abbot of Euesham, and bishop of Worcestre (than called wyckes) hearing tell that labor was made to the pope, to have the christen temples replenyshed with Images, to promote that markett forewarde, he hyed him apace to Rome. And there he declared to the holy father, the secrete reuelacyons and commandments of our ladye that he had, to set up an Image of her to be worshipped at Worcestre, delyuerynge him a boke which he had written of the same apparycyons, besides the life of Aldelme. The pope than called Constantyne the first, hearing this new wonder sent him home again with his bulls of autoryte, cōmaundinge Brithwalde than Archebyshop of Caunterburye (with all hast) to call a general Synod of all the clergy for confirmacyon of the same, the kings required not to be absent that day. And thy • was done in the year of our lord. Dcc and .ix. Thys Brithwalde being also a monk, was the first English man that was Archebyshopp of Caunterburye. Mark yt. Saint Guthlake an hermyte of Rependon, told a certain abbot the same time, that going homeward, he should find in a widows house .ii. of his holy monks which had lain with her the night afore for easement of their chastity. Saint Bartellyne hermyte of Stalforde, stale out of Ireland the kings daughter there. And as she was afterward trauelynge of child in a forest, whyls he was seeking the mydwyfe, a wolf came and devoured both her and her child. These stories hath at large Johan Capgrave in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie, Guilhelmus Malmesburye et Ranulphus.

English monks become Antichrists Apostles.

IN those days the monks of England were becomen so mighty in superstycyouse learning, that they were able to pervert all other christen regyons, as they ded than in deed. Some of them went into Germany, some into France, some into Italy and Spain, and became the Popes instruments of all falshed, falshyonynge him up there a new kingdom of all deuylyshnesse to withstand the manifest glory of God, and subduynge thereunto all pryncelye Powers. Yow that are exercysed in Chronycles and Saints Lyues, mark for that age what ys written of Columbanus, Colomannus, Totimannus, Vuenefridus, Vuilibrordus, Vuilibaldus, Vuenebaldus, Burghardus, kilianus, Vuigbertus, Egbertus, Heuualdus the whyght and the black, Etto, Bertuuinus, Eloquius, Lullius, Lebuinus, Liuinus, Ioānes, Embertus, Gallus, Gaudus, Ga • abaldus, Gregorius, Megingolus, Sturmio, and a great sort more with their women, and ye shall se in them practyses wonderful. I will give ye out one here breuelye for an example, for to moche yt were to write of them all. Wenefridus was admytted of Pope Gregory the seconde, for the Archebyshop of Magunce & great Apostle of all Germany, and for his bold countenance was of him named Boniface. In London was he first borne, and professed a black Monk at Cissancestre (now called Chichestre) under abbot wolfharde. After the great Synod holden at London by the afore named Brithwalde, about the year of our Lord .DCC. and .x. where as priests Marryage was judged fornycacyon, and the honourynge of Images accepted for a christen religion. Daniel than Bishop of Winchester, sent this wenefride to Rome with his letters of commendacyon for his manfulnesse there shown. Johannes Capgrave. et Georgius Vuicelius in Hagiologo de sanctis ecclesie.

The great Apostle of all Germany.

THe Pope after certain conmunycacyons, perceyuynge him in all points fytt for his purpose, sent him anon into Germany with his fulle autoryte (as afore ys specyfyed) to do his false feats there, and to bring that styffe necked people under his wicked obedience, whom they call the holy Christian believe. I think sense Christ's incarnacyon was there never non that more lyuelye wrought the Propertees of the other Beaste in Saint Iohans Apocalypse, which rise out of the earth having .ii. horns like the lamb, if ye mark if well. Apocal. in the .13. chapter. For he was next in autoryte to the Pope, by the Popes own witness, such time as he came with the high legacye from his own right side, into all the quarters and Prouynces of the said Germany. 〈2 pages missing〉 him concerning vowed chastity, rellyques, Images, the Popes prymacye, Kynges deposycyons, oaths breaking, and such like errors. Loke the works of Nauclerus, Vuicelius, Bernardus Lutzenburg, and Alphonsus de castro.

Doctryne of Bonyface, with sale of whores.

MOst damnable was the doctrine of this Bonyface, concerning the Pope. In a sertē Epystle of his we find this most execrable sentence.

Thys have the Canonystes regestred in the popes decrees for a perpetual law, and for a necessary artycle of Christian believe. Dist. xl Ca. Si Papa. Yet wrote he at another time to Pope Zacharye, to se the manifest abusyons of Rome reformed, specyallye their maskynges in the night after the paganes manner, and their open sellynge of whores in the markett there. For they were (he said) sore impedymentes to his preachynges. For they that had seen those reuelynges there, mystrusted moche that faith. He wrote also unto king Ethelbalde and other great mē in England, requyrynge them to leave And though this Bonyface allowed not christē matrymonye in priests but hated yt, yet after that one Geraldus a married bishop was slain in Thuringia in time of the wars there, he permytted his son Geilepus to succeed him in that office. Helinādus monachus, Vincēcius, Antoninus, Capgrave. &c.

The monasteryes of fulda & floryake.

HE builded the great monastery of Fulda in Germany, in the year frō Christ's incarnacyon .DCC. & .xliiij. Into the which no womē might entre, but only Lieba & Tecla .ii English nonnes his best beloues. The body of the said Lieba, he commanded by his life, of most tēdre love, to be buried in one grave with his own precious body. So rich was that monasterye within few years after, that yt was able to find the ēprour in his wars .lx. thousāde mē. For the which the abbot had always this pryuylege, to sit vpō the right hand of the said emproure at the high feasts. An other abbeye was buylden afore that at floriake in fraunce, and not far from orlyaunce, in the year of our lord .DC.li. These .ii. monasteryes floriake and fulda with their old inhabytauntes, would I counsel all Chronycle readers to mark, as they fall in their way, for wonders which hath come from thens, as will appear after. A custom the holy fathers had in those days, to lead nonnes about with thē in strange lands where they went. As we read of walburga, Hadeloga, Lieba and such other. I think yt was to help thē to bear their chastity, whose carryage was sometime very comberouse unto them, and they found not than in all contreyes such plenty of Nondryes as hath been sense. Sigebertus, Capgrave, Tritemius, Nauclerus, Vuicelius.

Oxford shurned. And Aleuinus monks.

AShamed are not these prestygyouse Papystes, to utter yt in their stories and read yt in their Saints legendes, in contempt of their christē governors, that no king may entre the town of oxforde without a mischief, because one Algar a Prince about this age would have had Saint frideswyde to wife. As though to be a king were a far vyler or vnworthyer office, than to be a pylde shytten Nonne. O blind bludderynge Balaamytes, without all judgments godly. Of God only ys the worthy office of a Kyng. Prover. 8. where as your fystynge Nōnes, were of Antichrist and the devil. Capgrave, Fabiane, Polidorus. Aboute the same time, was Alcuinus a doctor of England, made abbot of Turonia in France by the gift of Charles the great, which on a night found all his monks dead in the dorter, by the sudden stroke of God for their Sodometrye, one only excepted. Odo cluniacensis, Guilhelmus Malmesburye Vincencius, Antoninus, Ranulphus, & Capgrave post uitam Ythamari. A great matter had yt been in the popes books, if these men had had wives. For thā he coud not have sent them to the devil so fast, according to general commyssyō, which he had of Satan his great mastre; in that vycarshypp of his.

English men ponnyshed at Rome.

AFter Kynge Ethelwolphe being subdeacon, through wanton occupyenge had had a bastard, by the popes dyspensacyō he married Osburga his butlers daughter, and had by her iv. sons, which all succeeded Kynges after him. Guilhelmus Malmesburye, & Johannes Harding. As this Kynge on a time chanced to be at Rome, he se many English men there wearynge fetters and gyues 〈2 pages missing〉 delivered of child without mydwyfe and so died. Wherein God declared manyfestlye to the world, that their glytie rynge church was altogether an whore, to make good that was written in the reuelacyon of Saint Johan. Apo. 17. Oh he that had seen the coūtenaunce of the prelates than, should have beholden a great change.

Popes chosen from thens fourth by their. N.

SEns that time hath popes always been chosen, as stoned horse are in a colte feyer, by their dontye dymyceryes, that they can no more be deceived that way. For at the solempne stallynge of them, the last deacon Cardynall doth grope them brechelesse, at an hole made in the seat for that ghostly purpose, and than crieth yt out before all the multitude, that he hath ware suffycyent to prove him no woman. More over the strete where she was delivered, hath ever sense been shurned in all general processyons, for fear of ill happes. As ys of women a sexten brydge in a Scottyshe I will called Leuissa, where as if but one woman should pass over (they say) there are no salmons seen in that river, all the year after. Hector Boethius in Scotici regni descriptione. For the history afore reherced of this woman Pope, was yt partly my desire that ye should mark that monasterye of fulda. For she was one chaste fruit of our English clergy, yssuynge from thens, ye may chance after this yet to hear of more. Soche an enemy to priests marriage was not in his time, as was that Boniface, which was thereof the first builder. For everywhere ded he, in all his general Synods, condemn if for aduouterye by the popes canon laws, For the scriptures would not serve him. The life of this female pope showeth more at large, Jacobus Bergomas in li. De claris mulieribus, Platina, Sabellicus, Martinus Carsulanus, Volateranus, Nauclerus, Mantuanus, Johannes Stella, Johannes textor, & Robertus Barns in uitis Romanorum Pontificum.

Holye water, with a boke against marriage.

IN the year of our Lord .DCCC. LVIII. as a certain daydeuyll at the forsayd Maguncia was hunted of the priests with processyon and holy water, for dyuerslye vexynge the city, he hyd him self for fear (they say) under one of the priests copes▪ saying. He might well be bold there, considering he had by him the fleshly occupyenge of the general proctours daughter there. This relygyouse example of holy church showeth Sigebertus, Vincencius, Antoninus, 〈2 pages missing〉 Capgrave in uita Etheldrede. Ethelstanus a monk, at one time taking priesthood with Dunstane and Ethelwolde, within a while after left all his orders and toke him to a wife. Wherfor they prophesied of him that his ende should be miserable. And because they would appear no false Prophets, they enchanted him, charmed him, and changed him in to an ele, and so he lived in the water ever after with a great sort more of his company. Wherupon (they say) that monasterye and town hath ever sense been called Eli. Guilhelmus Malmesburye et Johannes Capgrave. A young infante called Brithgina, being no more than one day old, professed Elphegus into the monasterye of wylton about the same time. So ded he also another called Wilfhilda, into the nondrye of Winchester, so sone as she was weaned from suck. Whom afterward king Edgare claimed in marriage, but she was to famylyer with Ethelwolde a monk and a bysshop, to grant thereunto. Whan he came to the house where she was afterward abbasse, there was no small fyllynge in of cups, Johannes Capgrave.

Miracles and wonders wrought.

Whan Odo the Bishop of Salysburye • as elected Archebyshopp of Caunterburye in the year of our lord .DCCCC. and .xlvi. he would in no case be consecrated, till he was by the abbot of Floriake professed a monk. Partlye because all his predecessors in that seat to the number of .xxi. had been monks, and partly for that the priests in those days were in hate of the people for their marriage at the monks suggestyons. And after he had received his palle with Antichrists autoryte from Rome, he wexed so frantyck upon the kings concubynes, that some of them he sealed in the faces with hot burning Irons most shamefullye, and some of them he bannyshed into Ireland forever, but unto his own store he was gentle enough. For most haynouse heresy held he than the christen marriage of priests, and made synodall constytucyons against yt, to enryche the monks through that crafty color with their great possessyons. Hys neuye Oswalde found he to scole at floryake the welsprynge of Necromancye, to learn there all crafty seyences. In his time was a strife among the clergy at Caunterburye, for Christ's flesh and blood in the Sacrament, the priests most earnestly affyrmynge yt to remain still bread 〈◊〉 an only figure of Christ's body, and the monks to be Christ's essencyall body, yea Christ himself. But whā scriptures failed ones upon the monks side▪ they were driven to false miracles o • plain experymentes of sorcerye. For Odo by a cast of legerdemayne, shown unto the people a broken host bledynge, as a popish pressed called sir Nicolas Gerues ded a. ii. years a go in Surreye, by pryckynge his fyngar with a pynnne.

Monkerye augmented by Dunstane.

SAynt Dunstane here in England being taught of Iryshe monks at Glastenburye, was found very connynge in wanton musyck, in sorcerye, and in Image making out of all manner metals, stone, and kinds of wode. By these and such like occupyenges, he found the means to augmēt and enryche the monasteryes of monks and nonnes everywhere whithin England, not withstanding he had oft times moche a do with devils and with women. Yet had he at length these pryuyleges than above all other spiritual doers. He wan by his musyck and fair speech, the good favor of diverse women, yea, of some which had been the kings cōcubynes, as Alfgyne, wilfrith and such other, though he afore had put them to pains. By his sorceryes, he always made the kings fytt for his ghostly purpose, as will appear hereafter, specyallye by king Edmonde that was Ethelstanes brother, whom by his necromancye he brought to the point, inuysysyblye to have been torn in pieces. What he gote by his Image making, the scripture showeth plain, which curseth both the hand and the instrument of the Image maker. Sapi. 14. and Deutro. 27. Thys story declareth more at large Osbertus monachus in uita Dunstani, Vincencius. li. 24. Ca. 74. Antoninus par. 2. • i. 16. Ca. 6. Martanus Scotus, Guilhelmus Malmesburiensis, Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Cap. 10. Volateranus, Bergomas, Nauclerus, Johan Capgrave, Johan hardynge Vuyllyam Caxton, Johan 1. yd gate, and Robert Fabyane.

The relygyouse Occupyenge of Dunstane.

AS Dunstane in the house of a widow was fashyonynge a priests stool, his harp hanging upon the wall without towchynge sownded the note of Gaudent in celis. Wherupon the wenches astoyned, went out of the house with the widow & all her howsholde, proclamynge yt a broad, that he had moche more learning thā was good. For this & such like feats, certain men told 〈2 pages missing〉 I think this play somewhat passed course legerdemayne. After that was Dūstane the high steward of his house, & had over all the realm a iurysdycyon. Of Glastenburye was he put in perpetual possessyon, to make thereof what he would. And so bycame yt first of all Saint Benettes patrymonye. Antedicti Autores. Lete all the Popes army stand up here, and allow this still for a miracle, as they have done hitherto in his legende, yet do not I doubt to prove yt against them all, abominable knauerye by the scriptures.

He vexeth king Edwin, retaynynge his concubyne.

AS king Edwin upon the day of his coronacyon occupied Alfgina his concubyne, having thā non other wife, Dunstane being at that time but a monk and abbot of Glastenburye, plucked them both vyolentlye from the bed, and brought their before the Archebyshopp Odo, threttenynge the woman suspensyon, ye may call yt hanging if ye will. For the which the king after that exyled the said Dūstane into Flanders, & wrought the monks many other dyspleasurs, till they found the means to depose him, by the vertu of ear confession. Voleteranus. li. 3 Geographic, Osbertus, Vincencius, Antoninus, Guilhelmus Ranulphus & Johannes Capgrave. Yet in the conclusyon (they say) he delivered Kynge Edwynes sowle, after he was dead, from hell (I pray God he killed him not afore) and vanquyshed all the devils there by vertu of a Requiem mass, so bringing him into their purgatory. This was (I trow) no bad ware. As a certain noble womā called Alfgina (the Kynges former concubine I fear me) possessynge great substance, had ones commoned with Dunstane, she so delyghted in his fair words (for his advantage) that she would never after from him, but dwell with him still for term of life. She left her own house and builded her an habytacyon by the church, louynglye intertaynynge men of holy orders. In conclusyon whan she departed the world, she left her great coffers and treasure bags with Dūstane to dyspose for her soul (she had heard of Kynge Edwin) with the which he after that builded fine monasteryes. John. Cap. in Cat. sāc. An.

Dunstane keepeth the Kynges of England under.

DVnstane was excedyngly beloved with Cadina Kynge Eldredes mother (these are the plain words, of the history) & he loved her excedynglye again. And whā he ones became 〈2 pages missing〉 like unto the tyranny of these spiritual Antichrists, thus cruelly handelynge, a man that ys dead. This showeth more at large, Liuthprandus Ticinensis▪ li. 2. Capi. 13. ac li. 3 Cap, 12. rerum Europicarum. Blondus Flauius, Baptista Platina, Johannes Stella, Abbas Vrspergensis, Ptolomeus Lucensis, Vincencius, Antoninus, Bergomas & alij.

The chastity of holy church there.

THeodora a most execrable whore, and aduonterouse mother to the forsayd Marozia and theodora the yongar (both unshamefast whores also) so burned in concupiscens of the bewtye of one Johan Rauennas a pressed, than sent in massage to the pope by Peter the Archebyshop of Rauenna, that she not only moved him, but also compelled him to lie with her, and so become her peramoure dere. This whore for his lecherouse occupyenge of her, made him first Bishop of Bononye, than Archebyshop of his own natyue cytye Rauēna, and fynallye Saint Peters vycar in Rome, called Johan the .x. pope of that name, that she might at all times have his company nygher home. This was done in the year of our Lord. DCCCC. and. xv. and he governed the papacye there .xiii. years and more. Liuthprandus Ticinensis li. 2. Dap. 13. rerum per Europam gestarum. It is easy to se by this open experiment, that she and her .ii. daughters might do moche in the holy college of cardynalles. He that judgeth not that church to be whoryshe, which was so depelye under the rule of whores, that they at their pleasure might appoint thereunto what head rulers they would, hath little good judgment in him, I think.

A popes bastard ys made pope

GVido the marques of Thuscia, at the latter married Pope Sergius whore Marozia. Which willing to prefer unto Saint Peters seat, the bastard whom she had by the said Pope, caused him to enpryson her mothers dere peramoure Johan the .x. and to stop up his breathe with a pyllowe. Immedyatlye after, which was the year of our Lord .DCCCC. and xxix. was he constytute pope, and called Iohā the xi. but the same self year he was deposed again. Wherupon she clerly left all spiritual occupyenge, and in displeasure of the prelates, married herself love after her husbands death to one hugh the Kynge of Italy, which was her other husbands brother by the mothers side, and made him the monarke of Rome to recover again this lost dignyte for her bastard. Thus shown she her self to be a plain Herodias, besides her other unshamefast whoredoms in the spity •••… 〈2 pages missing〉 Thys holy successor of Peter and vȳcar of Christ (as they call popes) was accused of his Cardynalles and Bishops unto the Emprour Otho in the general Synod at Rome, that he would say no service, he massed without consecracyon, he gave holy orders in his stable, he made boys Bishops for money, he would never bless himself, he forced not to be perjured, and made the holy palace of Laternense a very stews. For he kept therein Raynerathe wife of him that was knight for his own body, and gave her great possessyons, with benefyces, gold̄ chalyces, and crosses. He held also Stephana and her systre, (which had been his fathers concubyne) and had by her a bastard not longe afore. He occupied at his pleasure Anna a fresh widow, her daughter also and daughters daughter. He spared neither high nor low, old nor young, poor nor rich, fair nor foul (they said) so that no women durst come unto Rome on pilgrimage in his time. Neither reverenced he any place, but would do yt everywhere, yea, upon their very altars. He would hawk, hunt, dance,, leap, dyce, swear, fight, riot, roune, straye abroad in the night breaking up doors and windows, and burn many men's houses, One of his Cardynalles he gelded, he put out an others eyes which had been his godfather. Of some he borrowed an hand, of some a tunge, a fynger, a nose, an ear. In his dyce playnge would he call upon ill spirits, and drink to the devil for love. Thus was he in the ende deposed, till his dere dyamōdes set hands unto yt (for they ruled all) and caused the Romans to set him in again.

Dunstanes autoryte against married priests.

THe papacye held this Iohā the .xii. for the space of .ix. years .iii. months, and .v. days, and was s ••… kē of the devil (they say) as he was lying in bed with a man's wife, & so died within .viii. days after without howsell or shrift, they say. All this writeth of him the foreseyd Liuthprandus li. 6. Ca. 6. and so fourth .v. chapters more to the ende almost of his boke, which at the same self time dwelt at Ticina in Italy. Thys ys he of whom the byworde rise, As myrye as Pope Johan. Unto this holy vycar of Satan & successor of Simon Magus, went Dunstane out of England in the year of our lord. DCCCC. and .lx. to be cōfyrmed archebyshop of Caunterburye. And there received therewith for a great sum of money, autoryte & power of the Beast, Apoca. 13. utterly to dyssolue priests marriage, that his monks by that means, might possess the cathedral churches of England, as within a while after they ded. Thys Dunstane (as witnesseth Iohā Capgrave ) was the first that in this realm compelled men and women to vow chastity and to keep claustrale obedience, against the free doctrine of Saynte Paul. 1 Cor. 7. et Gala. 5. Forbyddynge marriage instytuted of God, which ys the very doctrine of devils. 1. Timoth. 4 Thys ys the worthy orygynall and first foundacyon of monks and priests professed chastity in England. mark yt with the sequel, and tell me hereafter, whether yt be of the devil or nay.

Dunstane executeth his deuylyshe commyssyon.

THys crafty merchaunde Dūstane, as he was returned again into England, by autoryte of this most execrable monstre and wicked Antichrist, gave a straight commandment that priests out of hand should put away their lawful wives (whō that brēt consepenced hypocryte called the vessels of fornycacyon) else would he (he said) according to his commyssyon, put them both from benefyce and living. And where as he perceived the benefyces most welthye, there was he most gredye upon them, and shown most violence & tyranny. For whan the high deanes of cathedral churches, masters of colleges, prebendes, persons, and vycars would not at so beastly a commandment, leave their wives and children so desolate without all natural order, he gote unto him the great power of king Edgare, to assyst that creull commyssyon of his, procured for money of the former Antichrist of Rome, and by force thereof in many places most tyrannouslye expelled them. Ioānes Capgrave in Catalogo sanctorum Anglie. Read all the Bible and Chronycles over, of Nemroth, Pharaoh, Antiochus, Nero, Decius, Traianus, with other like, and I think, ye shall not find a more tyrannouse example. No, not in cruel Herod his self. For though he slew the innocent babes, yet demynyshed he not the living of the fathers and mothers, but this tyrant toke all with him. If he had sought a Godlye reformacyon where marriage was abused, yt had been somewhat commendable. But his huntynge was to destroy yt all together, as an horrible vice in priests, and in place thereof to set up Sodom and Gomor by a sort of Hypocryte monks, so changynge all godly order.

Kynge Edgare ys brought under thereby.

THus bycame the face, first of the Brytonysh and than of the English church sore changed, blemyshed, and by whorysh commyssyons frō the whorysh bishops of the whorysh Synagogue of Rome, was made all together whoryshe. Prove me herein a liar and an heretic if ye can, for I will, by the help of God, stand by that I write here to the ende of my life. If ye can not (I speak only to yow papistical bishops and priests) grant yourselves to be the most thieves, heretykes, and seducers of the people, that ever yet reigned upon the earth, for maynteynynge for holiness so deuylysh a knauerye. Immedyatlye after this be fell a sore chance, as God walde. Kynge Edgare which was ever a great whore mastre and a tyraunte (as the Chronycles report him) had a do with a young maid called wilfrith, brought up in the nondrye of wylton (parauenture to their use) whereupon by force of the former commyssyon, he was condemned of Dunstane to .vii. years penance, and might in no wise be dyspensed with, till he had builded for their commodyte the great nondrye of Shaftesburye with .xii. other monasteryes besides. Specyallye till he had fully granted to the utter condempnacyon of priests marriage through out all his realm, and fyrmelye promised to put the monks in their rooms in the great cathedral churches, writynge to the pope for the same. For as witnesseth both Vuyllyam of Malmesburye, Ranulph of Chestre, Guido de columna, and Robert sabyane, he was not crowned till the .xii. year of his reign.

Dunstane fashyoneth the king to his purpose.

IN the ende, this aduoutrye of the king made greatly for their purpose. For whan yt was ones openly known, Dunstane with his Bulle went by and by unto him, and by force thereof denounced him accursed. The king of gentylnesse, as he was coming towards him, arose out of his regal seat to take him by the hand and give him place. The history saith, that he than dysdayned to give him his hand. And looking upon him with bend brows and most spyghtfull countenaunte, he said thus unto him. Thu that hast not feared to corrupt a vyrgyne made handefast to Christ, presumest to towche (a knave) the consecrate hands of a byshopp? Thu hast defiled the spouse of thy maker (a monks wanton) and thynkest by flattering service, to pacyfye (a 〈2 pages missing〉 But what matter maketh yt which of them yt was, whan all they are allowed now for canonysed Saints in the popes whoryshe church. Yea, the whoremonger, the whore, the whoryshe bastard and all, to set whoryshnesse forewarde and make yt appear holy, where marriage ys thought vnholye. And as for the mother of Edward, Johan Hardynge nameth her Elflede, Polydorus Elfrede, Wyllyam of Malmesburye, Ranulphe, & Fabyane calleth her whyght Egelflede, & Caxton dare give her no name, and therefore the matter ys doubtful. As Dunstane was on a time hallowynge of a church in the honor of Saint devil, saint Deuys I should say, he beheld the right thombe of the foreseyd Edithe, thā being abbesse of wylton, as she was crossynge and blessing her forehead. And moche delyghtynge therein, he toke yt in his hand, and said. Never might this thombe perish. Immedyatlye after he being at Mass and dolouroussye wepynge, said unto the deacon that served him. Alas this floryshynge flour will fade, this redolēt rose will be gone, this dayntye Dyamonde will perish, this sweet byrde will away forever. And after her death he found all her body resolved into ashes, except that thombe and the secrete part under her belly, for those .ii. partes of her, he had blessed afore. In deed he was very homelye to serche so far. But the cause of this (they say) she afterward declared unto him in a secrete vysyon. Thys story showeth Vuillyā of Malmesburye. li. 2. de pontificibus. Ranulphus in polychronico, li. 6. Ca. 9. Vincencius, li. 25. Ca. 33. Antoninus. par. 2. ti. 16. Ca. 8 Johannes Capgrave in uita Edithe.

Kynges become th Beasts Images.

Whan Kynge Edgare had ones performed his .vii. years penaūce for his aduowterye with fair Wilfrith (whom Dūstane parauēture prepared for his own store) he became altogether the dumb Image of the Beast, and might not utter frō thens fourth, but as they gave him spirit. Apo. i • . Than caused they him to call a general counsel (at London some say) in the year of our lord .DCCCC. and .lxix. by the vngracyouse autoryte of the aforeseyd pope Johan. And there was yt fully enacted, and establyshed for a law ever to endure, that all canons of cathedral churches, collygeners, persons, curates, vycars, priests, deacons, and subdeacons should either live chaste, that ys to say, become Sodomytes (for that hath been their chastity ever sense) or else be suspended from all spiritual iurysdyccyon. Thys more than Pharaonycall constytucyō, was the king sworn to aid, maintain, and defend with the materyall sword, by the popes antoryte. Thā were there chosen out .ii. pryncypall vysytours, Ethelwolde the Bishop of Winchester (that nest ys ever vngracyouse) & Oswalde the Bishop of Worcestre, both monks, to se this through out the whole realm executed. Vincencius li. 24. Cap. 83. Antoninus par. 2. li. 16. Cap. 6., Guilhelmus Malmesburye, Ranulphus, Guido de columna, John Capgrave. et opus nouum De utra{que} potestate. fo. 57.

Dunstane ys accused of ill rule.

IN this counsel were some wise men (as all these writers witness, though yt be somewhat fayntly) which laid for their marriage the scriptures, and substancyallye proved themselves the maynteyners of vertu therein, and not of aduouterye as they were there vncharytablye noted. But that would not serve thē. The holy Ghost might in no wise prevail, the popes bawdye bulls being in place, but they must needs have the preferment, no remedy. An other sort were there which accused Dunstane of ill rule in the dark. For Petrus Equilinus saith in Catalogo Sanctorum li. 8. Ca. 49. that he was put to his purgacyon of many things there laid against him. Of a lyekelyhode therefore they had smelled out somewhat that was not all to his spiritual honestye. Neither would these accusacyons help, the popes Power ones so largelye published. The king durst utter nothing that was against him, for fear of new penance, and for as moche as yt was well known that in the time of his old penance he had occupied one mynyon at Winchester, an other at Andouer, besides alfrede whō he at the latter gote to wife by the crafty mourther of her husbāde Ethelwolde an earle.

The king defendeth Dunstane & destroyeth wolves.

BUt to pacyfye and please this Dunstane, king Edgare in his oracyon there to the clergy, rebuked the priests very sore, for banketynge with their wives, for slackness of their mass sayings, for pretermyttynge their canonycall hours, for their crowns shauynges with their vnprestlye aparellynges, and such other like. More over he alleged unto thē in the said oracyon the lamentable complaints (good knauerye I warāde yow) of his fathers sowle aperynge to Dunstane, and reprouynge the wantō behauer of the priests with their wives. He also told them, in repressynge their former accusementes, that 〈2 pages missing〉 by his peramoure Stephana) of his breames and vysyons for the time of his progress, desyeryng his power against the priests also, with many other wonders. Johannnes Capgrave in Catal. Guilhelmus Malmesburye, Vincencius, Antoninus, Ranulphus, Guido de columna▪ et Polydorus.

Oswalde with his Beastlye autoryte.

ON the other side went Oswalde with his autoryte frō that wicked counsel, which had stodyed necromancye with other impure scyēces at floryake besides Orleaunce in frāce, where he was first made monk, and afterward in England bycame byshopp of Worcestre. Thys fellawe so well armed with deceytes as ever were Pharaoh's sorcerers, was thought a man mete to deceive with lying signs the commō sort. So trudged he fourth with his crafty ca • kings, and first expelled the Canons of the cathedral church of worcestre with their careful wives and children, and out of .vii. other churches more within that his dyoces, and there placed for them the laysye lean locusts, which not longe afore had leaped out of the bottomless pytt. Apoca. 9. the monks which at that time were bare and nedye. Thā went he farther abroad, and wrought there like masteryes, whereof England hathdepelye felt ever sense. Hys suggestyons were like the other, as that the priests lived wantonlye, and would not mass in due form. For his travail in this, was he made archebyshop of York by the labor of Dunstane. To tell his other feats yt would axe to moche time, and therefore I pass yt over. These .ii. promoted the said Dūstane above all other, as men having most wylye crafts, to assyst him in his business. These .iii. Monks brought the Kynges so under, that they had than all the realm at their pleasures. Johannes Capgrave, Malmesburye, Vincencius, Antoninus, Ranulphus, Guido de Columna, et Polydorus.

Dunstane maketh a Kynge at his pleasure.

AFter the decease of Kynge Edgare, in the year of our lord. DCCCC. and .lxxv. was a wonderful varyete and scysme through out the whole realm, partly for him that next should succeed Kynge, and partly for the great injury done to the married priests. The queen Alfred with Alpherus the duke of Mercia and other great lords fauorynge her quarrel world needs have Ethelrede Kynge which was her son by Edgare, on the one side. Dunstane and his mōkyshe bishops with the earle and Eastsexe and certain other lords 〈2 pages missing〉 part both of the nobles and commons, judged the priests to have great wrong, and sought everywhere by all means possyble, to bring them again to their old possessyōs and dygnytees. Yea, sum where with good ernest blows and buffettes. Robertus Fabyane cum antedictis Autoribus.

Dunstane maketh an Idol to speak.

THys caused Dunstane in the year of our lord .DCCCC. and lxxv. to call another solempne counsel. But that was where they thought themselves most strong, and might best do their feats, at Winchester. Where after great words had between the duke of Marche and the earle of Eastsexe (which were than appointed as arbyters) Dunstane perceyuynge all to go with the priests, brought fourth his former commyssyō, thinking thereby to stop their mouths. And whan that would not serve, they sought out a practice of the old Idolatrouse priests, which were wont to make their Idolles to speak, by the art of Necromancye, wherein the monks were in those days expert. A rood there was upon the frayter wall in the monasterye where the counsel was hold̄, & (as Uyncēt & Antoninus testyfyeth) Dunstane required thē all to pray thereunto, which was not thā ignorant of that spiritual prouysyon. In the mids of their prayer, the rood spake these words, or else a knave monk behind him in a truncke through the wall, as Bonyface ded after for the papacye of Celestyne. God forbid (saith he) ye should change this order takē. Ye should not do well, now to alter yt. Take Dunstanes ways unto ye, for they are the best. At this work of the devil all they were astoyned, that knew not thereof the crafty cōueyaunce. If this were not clean legerdemayne, tell me. Oh, that there was not a Iohā Boanerges at that time, to prove the spirits of that workemāshyp. 1. John. 4. If there had been but one Thomas Cromwell, they had not so clearly escaped with that knauerye. Polydorus Vergilius, which alloweth thē in many other lewd points, smelled out their bouerye in this, and reporteth diverse other to do the same at the day.

That Idol ys crowned Kynge of England.

IN remembrance of this knauerye (miracle, they say) were afterward writ̄ vpō the wall under that roodes fete, these verses following.

Wyth lie and all. Whom Johan Capgrave reporteth that he se there more thā CCCC. years after, the rood translated from thens into the church for his miracles sake. Aboute the year of our lord a. M. and .xxxvi. as king Canutus being at Southampton was boasted of one of his knyghtes to be the great lord of the see, he thought to prove yt by a commandment of obedience. And as he well perceived that yt would obey him in no point, he toke the crown from his own head, acknowlegynge that there was a lord moche higher & of more power thā himself was. And therefore he promised never more to wear yt, but to render yt up unto him forever. With that, Egelnothus than archebyshopp of Caunterburye, infourmed him of this rood which had dysolued priests matrymonye and done many other great miracles. Which provoked him anon after to go to Winchester, and to resign unto him his regal crown, cōstytutynge him than king of this real me. Was not this (think yow) good wholesome counsel of this Idolouse byshopp. Zacha. 11. if a man had need of yt? A plain token ys yt that they were thā the Images of the Beast. Apoca. 13. & no godly governors, yea, very Idolles 〈◊〉 no kings, that were under such ghostly fathers. Henricus Huntyngtonensis Archidia conus. li. 6. Ranulphus li. 6. Ca. 20. Fabianus. li. 1. Ca. 206. et Polydorus li. 7. with other authors more.

An example of Claustrall virgynyte.

MArianus Scotus & certain other writers besides, do testyfye in their Chronycles, that whan this Canutus coude have no fruit by his wife Elgyne of hampton, and was not througlye contented therewith. She fearing that he should either caste her up, or else resort to some other, gote her among relygyouse chaste women, to know what good chere was among them. And anon she found one to her mind, which was bygge with child by a monk, not withstanding the great chastity that was boasted afort. But Marianus saith, she was a presbyteresse or a priests • e ••… an, to save the honor of that order, because he was a monk his self. Algyne bad this nonne be of good chere, and if she would agre unto her, yt should be to her great honor. But yt must (she said) be kept wonderfully close. Immedyatlye after the queen feigned herself to be great with child, and by the conueyaunce of a mother. B. going betwixt them both, as the time appointed of labourynge, she was delivered of the nonnes child, making the king to be leave yt was his, to no small rejoice of them both. This child was called Sweno, and the year afore Canutus died, was constytute king of Norweye. Some writers have thought that Heraldus the first (which after succeeded king of England) to come fourth also the same way, and his own brother hard Canutus report yt not far otherwise. Ranulphus li 6. Ca. 20. cum ceteris autoribus.

Dunstane dysputeth with sorcerye and murder.

NOw let us return unto Dūstane again. Though the aforesaid controuersye between the priests & the mōnkes ceased for a time, by reason of their legerdemayne in the rood, yet was yt not all fynyshed. For some men of wisdom there were in those days, which smelled somewhat (as Polydorus reporteth) iudgynge yt to be as yt was in deed, very subtle knauerye. And playnelye Ranulphus saith, that the speech came frō the wall. Mark yt bardelye. Wherupon Alpherus the duke of Marche with his company, in the year following (which was from Christ's incarnacyon .DCCCC. and .lxxvi.) sent into Scotland for a certain learned Bishop, which was known both eloquent & wytty, to dys •••… te the matter with thē. Than was the place appointed in a strete or vyllage of the Kynges, called Calua, for they trusted no more close houses in the monasteryes. And whan the Bishop had laid for the married priests such invyncyble scriptures, reason, and arguments as Dunstane and his dodypoll monks were not albe to avoid, the blind asse had non other shyft but to lay these faynte excuses for himself. As that he was an aged man, sore brokē in the labors of holy church, and that he had at that time given over all stodye, and only addycted himself unto prayer. But for as moche (he said) as they would not leave the dysquyetynge of him, but still vex him with old quarellynges, they might well seme to have the vyctorye, yet should they not have their minds. And with that he arose in a great fury, for a color commyttynge his cause unto Christ, but he set the Deuyll by his necromancye to work. For so sone as he was gone, with such as yt pleased his pontyfycall pleasure to call with him, suddenly (saith Fabyane, Antonyne, Vyncent, and Johan Capgrave ) the ioystes of the loft failed, and they that were under yt, perished there.

Dunstanes prouysyon in England for Satan.

THus have this most cruel and wicked generation contynuallye builded their sinful Zion in blood. Michee. 3. and are not yet ashamed of these their manifest knaueryes. For these belly founders, thieves, and mourtherers of theirs yet advance they for their princypall Saints. And whā their feastfull days come, they are yet in the papystych churches of England with no small solēpnyte, mattensed, •… assed, candeled, lyghted, processyoned, sense • , smoked, perfumed, and worshipped, the people brought in believe, that the Latin reading of their wretched acts there in their legendes, ys God's dyuyne service, being without fail the most damnable service of the devil. Lyke as holy Johan Baptyst by preaching repentance, prepared a plain pathwaye, to Christ and his kingdom, Luce. 3. So ded this vnholye Dunstane by sowynge of all superstycyons, make redye the way to Sathā and his filthy kingdom against his coming fourth from the bottomless pytt, after the full thousand of years from Christ's incarnacyon. Apoca. 20. which ys the spirit of Antichrist, He raised up in England the pestylent order of monks, he builded them monasteryes, he procured them substance innumerable, finally he brought into their hands the cathedral churches with the free eleccyon of bishops, that nothing should there be done within that realm, but after their lust and pleasure. Thā was Christ's kingdom clearly put a side, and his immaculate spouse, or church upon his word only dependynge, compelled to flee into the desert. Apoca. 12. Men and womē that ryghtlye believed, durst not than confess their faith, but kept all close within them. For than was Satan abroad, these monks everywhere assystynge him in the fournyshynge out of that proud painted church of Antichrist. Superstycyon, hypocrisy, and vain glory, were afore that time such vices as men were glad to hyde, but now in their gaudyshe ceremonies, they were taken for God's dyuyne service.

Sygnes and plages following these myschefes.

BUt now se what followed of these afore rehearsed myscheues. In the year of our lord .DCCCC. & lxxxviij. (which was the .xii. year before that full thousand) departed this Dunstane, a swarm of devils frequētynge his tumbe, as I shall in the next boke she we more playnelye. Within the same year appeared a bloodye cloud in the skye, which covered all England, as witnesseth Iohā Hardinge with diverse other Chronyclers, and yt rained blood over all the lande. After that entered the Danes so fast (saith Ranulphe) at every porte, that nowhere was the English nacyon able to withstand them. And the monks to help the matter well forewarde, by counsel of their Archebyshop Siricius, gave them .x. thousand pound to begin with, that they might live in rest and not be hyndered. For little cared they what became of the reest, so their precious bodies were safe. After this by diverse compulsyons they augmented that sum, from .x. to .xvi. to .xx. to .xxiiij. to .xxx. and so fourth till they came to the sharp payment of .xl. thousand pound, and till they had no more money to give. For the more the Danes had, the more covetous and cruel they were evermore. Thus ded they to the lande innumerable harm, in seeking their own private commodyte, and so brought their own natyue people in most miserable thralldom. For by that means were the Danes made strong, and the English nacyon bycame feeble and weak, yea, so wretched at the last, that they were fain to call every vile slave among the seyde Danes, their good lord. But now mark the ende cōcernynge these monks. In the year of our lord a thousand & .xii which was the .xxiiij. year from Dunstanes departynge. and the .xii. from the devils going fourth, the Danes after many great vyctoryes within the realm, fyered the city of Caunterburye and enprisoned the Archebyshopp than Elphegus. And as he and his monks were able to give no more money, they tythed thē after this sort. They slew always .ix. and reserved the tenth to perpetual sorrow and seruytude, till they had mourthered of them to the nonebre of more thā ix. hundred, there and in other quarters abroad. And the moste part of them they hynge up by the members, which was a plain sygnyfycacyon, that plage to come than upon them for their Sodometrye and most vyolent contempt of christen marriage. Ranulphus Cestrensis li. 6. Ca. 13. et. 15. Fabianus Par. 1. Cap. 199.