The Relics of Rome

A.
• ABbas vrspergensis.
• Achiles pyrminius.
• Aeneas siluius.
• Albertus magnus.
• Albertus crantzius.
• Alcuinus.
• Ambrosius.
• Anselmus ryd.
• Antoninus.
• Alnoldus bostius.
• Athanasius.
• Augustinus.
• Author sermonum discipuli

B.
• Bartholomaeus picerius.
• Bartholomaeus de chaimis.
• Bartholomaeus charranza.
• Bartholomaeus westmerus.
• Barnardus abbas.
• Blondus.
• Boniface episcopus.

C.
• Catalogus sanctorum.
• Chrisostomus.
• Christianus massaeus.
• Chronica anglica.
• Chronica chronicarum.
• Cronica flandrica.
• Chronica gallica.
• Chronica germanica.
• Clemens pont. rom.
• Cornelius agrippa.
• Cyprianus.

D.
• Damascenus.
• Decreta iuris canonici.
• Decreta extravagant.

E.
• Edictum constantini Impe.
• Epyphanus.
• Epitome chronicarum.
• Erasmus roterodamus.
• Eruditi cuiuspiā chronicon.
• Euagrius.
• Eusebius, coesariensis
• Eutropius.

F.
• Fasciculus temporum.
• Festiuale anglicum.
• Flores historiarum
• Franciscus petrarcha.

G.
• Gabriel biel
• Gaspar achilles.
• Gaspar hedio.
• Gratianus monachus.
• Gregorius magnus.
• Guilielmus Caxton.
• Guilielmus Durand.

H
• Hartmanus scedel Nurenbergensis.
• Henrichus pantaleon.
• Henrichus primaeus.
• Henrichus de vrimaria.
• Hermanus contractus.
• Hesychius.
• Hieronimus.
• Hiero. paulus Cathalanus.
• Honorius.
• Huldricus episcop. august.
• Huldricus Huttenus.

I.
• Jacobus de visaco.
• Jacobus de voragine.
• Jacobus manlius.
• Jacobus mayer.
• Iaco. philippus bergomēsis
• Jacobus vuimpholibus.
• Johannes billet.
• Johannes charion.
• Johannes cuspinianus.
• Johannes clythoneus.
• Johannes de burgo.
• Johannes laziardus.
• Johannes monachus.
• Ioanns nauclerus.
• Johannes stella.
• Johannes Tilio.
• Isidorus Hispalensis.
• Isuardus gallus.
• Iustinianus imperator.

L.
• Lactantius firmianus.
• Laurentius valla.
• Lex pontificia.
• Liber conciliorum.
• Liber de miraculis R. mariae.
• Liber germanicus de sectis monasticis.

M.
• Marcus anton. sabellicus.
• Martinus papae penitentiarius.
• Martinus polonus.
• Mathaeus parisius.
• Mathaeus palmerius florentinus.
• Mathias palmerius pisamus
• Michael bucchingerus.

N.
• Nauclerus.
• Nicephorus panuinius.
• Nicolas de cusa.

O.
• Onuprius panuinius.
• Origen's.
• Otho frisius.

P.
• Paulinus nolanus.
• Paulus aemilius.
• Paulus phrigio.
• Paulus Vergerius.
• Paulus warnefridus.
• Panormitanus.
• Paralipomena rerum memorabilium▪
• Patronius.
• Petrus Crinitus.
• Paulus diaconus.
• Petrus blesensis.
• Petrus cluniacensis.
• Petrus de natalibus.
• Petrus Lombardus,
• Platina.
• Polichronicon.
• Polidorus vergilius.

R.
• Ranulphus cartrensis.
• Raphael volateranus.
• Rationale di. officiorum.
• Robertus barus anglus.
• Robertus caguinus.

S.
• Sabellicus.
• Sebastianus francke.
• Serenus Episcopus Masciliae.
• Sigebertus.
• Sozomeus.
• Speculum ecclesiasticum.
• Stella clericorum.

T.
• Tertullianus.
• Theodorus bibliander.
• Thomas aquinas.

V.
• Valentinus vannius.
• Vincentius.
• Vitas pa trum.
• Volateranus.

Z.
• Zonoras.

Of the Pope, and of his usurped power and feigned authority.

P Ope Boniface the third thorough great and earnest suit (although many good and Godly learned men resisted him in this behalf, utterly condemning this his ambition and Luciferlike pride in exalting and lifting up himself above his fellow Bishops, and challenging unto him y ^t Supremacy and authority, which the holy Scripture in no place giveth him neither had any of his predecessors y ^e Bishops of Rome tofore enjoyed the same nor once desired it, but rather both written and spoken against such usurped power, as we may see in the writings of Pope Gregory the first against John Patriarch of Constantinople, which attempted the like wicked enterprise, but was resisted) to Phocas the Emperor, at the last obtained of him, that he and his successors forever after should be taken for y ^e chief bishop and supreme head of the universal Church of Christ throughoute the world: and y ^t the Church of Rome from that day foreward should be called, and so admitted and received the chief and principal head Church of y ^e whole world: Again, that the Church of Rome should be in subiectiō to none other Church, but that all Churches universal should be obedient and in subjection unto it. For until that time the Church of Constantinople was counted the highest and of greatest authority because of the imperial see in that city. This thing was brought to pass about the year of our Lord .vi.C.vii. Flatina. Christianus Massaeus. Henricus Pantaleon. Paulus Dia • onus. Anselmus Rid. Polichronicon. Albertus Krantz. Abbas vrspergēsis. Hermannus Contractus. &c

This Phocas (as histories make mention) was a great and cruel tyrant, & by force & violence obtained the Empire. And that he might the more quietlye enjoy it, he wrought not only treason against his Lord and Master, that was Emperor before him called Maurice a mā both noble & virtuous, but he also most shamefully and traytorously slew him, not only him, but all his children also, y ^t none of his flock might live to make any claim to the Imperial Crown after him. A Tyraunt mete to set up the tyranny of the Bishop of Rome contrary to y ^e word of God and the determination of the ancient Cannons.

But this traiterous murderer received a just reward of this his tirannye. For as he unjustly slew: so was he most justly slain. As he deposed his Lord and Master: so was he deposed & put down. As he against all right toke away the Empire frō his Lord: so was it again taken a way from him. As he suffered none of his masters children to live: so died he without childrē, one daughter only excepted. Loke with what measure he met unto his lord and master: with the same was he paid home again, saving that his death was more vilanous and shameful, than the death of his master. For this tyraunte after he had reygned certain years, had first of all his hands and his feet cut of, afterward because he had been a famous and notable adulterer, his privy members with his head were cut of also. As for the residue of his body was burnt to ashes, An ende worthy such a tirant: Zonaras, Paulus Vuarnefridus, Johannes Monachus, Paulus Diaconus, Johannes Cuspinianus, Sebastianus Frank.

Pope Benet the seconde obtained of the Emperor Constantine, that the Bishop of Rome forever after should be taken of all men for Christ's true vicar in earth, and saint Peters lawful successor. This Pope also brought it to pass, that the bishop of Rome only should be called Pope, that is to say, the father of fathers. For before that time all Bishops generallye were called Popes, it may be gathered of diverse writers. In the yere of our Lord si • e hundred .lxvii. Anselmus Ryd. Achilles Perminius, Sebastianus Franck. &c.

Pope Vigilius (as they fain) made a decree with the consent of his adherents that the Sea of Rome should be taken for the head and maistresse of all churches throughout the world. In the yere, &c. v. C. xxxv. according to the doctrine of these two verses.

That same decree also made Pope Simplicius (as they write) in the yere of our Lord: 471. Moreover the papists go forth and say, that when Pope Sylvester was Bishop of Rome, Constantine the Emperor did exalte and advance the Sea of Rome, that he gave unto it not only an ecclesiastical, but also an Imperial, power, appointing the church of Rome to be the chief church through out y ^e world, & to have authority, rule, & preeminence no less over those four principal Churches, Antioch, Alexandria. Constantinople, and Hierusalē, than over all other churches contained under the heavens: Again, y ^t the bishop of Rome should be higher & of greter authority, than all the bishops and priests of the whole world, and y ^t whatsoever should be determined concerning matters of religion, should depend only upon the popes iugement, either to be received, or to be rejected, He appointed also (as the papists go forth to lie) that the pope should have free liberty to wear the apparel either of an emperoure or of a bishop at his pleasure, and that he should have all manner of officers to attend upon, as the Emperors majesty hath. Moreover the aforesaid Emperor Constantine gave to Pope Sylvester and to his such cessors the city of Rome and all Italy, withe the provinces, places and cities of all the weast parts, to be S. Peters patrimony forever: & addeth furthermore these words. If any mā do infringe break, transgress, contemn and condemn this our ordinance, everlasting damnation hang over his head: and the holy and chief apostles, of God Peter and Paul be his enemies, and immortal foes both in this world and in the world to come: yea perish mought he in the lowest part of hell and so be damned forever and ever withe the devil and all the wicked.

Furthermore this Emperor (as the Romanists fain) when he had made this donation to the Church of Rome plucked of the imperial crown made of moste fine gold garnished w ^t all kind of precious stones pearls and jewels from his own head, and set it upon pope Siluesters pate for the reverence y ^t he bare to s. Peter & caused y ^e Romish bishop to be set upon a costlye & richly appareled palfrey, & to be solemnly carried about thorough the city of Rome in the presence of all y ^e citizens, y ^e Emperor himself running on foot like a lacky by the Popes side, holding his horses bridle in his hand, as a most vile page. These things done, y ^e Emperor Constantine departed from the West parts of the world which he had now givē over to Pope Sylvester and to his successors forever to be s. Peters patrimony, with all the privileges, emoluments, commodities & profits of the same, and went himself into y ^e East partes, even unto the city Bizantium, which being in great ruin he repared and amplified, beautifying it with many noble and sumptuous buildings, & called it Constantinople according to his name. He carried also with him almost all the noble men of the Romans, and the whole order of y ^e Senators with their wives & children, because the pope and his complices (as it may appere) should have elboughroume enough, & as few to trouble his holiness, as might be In the yere. &c. 315. Bartolomaeus Picerius de monte arduo, Ioānes Laziardus, Edic. Constant Policronicon, &c.

But how vain, false, forged, lying and counterfayte this bragging of the papists is, concerning the donation of the emperoure Constantine to the Sea of Rome, and the supremacye of that Romish bishop above all other bishops, yea, above Emperors, Kings, Princes, &c. diverse faithful learned & expert writers do abundantly testify Nicolaus de causa. Laurentius Valla, Antoninus Archiep. Florent. Volateranus Hieronimus, Paulus Cathalanus, Albertus Crantzius, Huldrichus Huttenus, &c. But this is the properti of the papists always to father their lies, their idle inventions theyre drowsye dreams, their crooked constitutions, their devilish decrees. &c. Upon such as lived many years before, and upon such as were mē (in their days) of great learning and virtue, that by this means their trifling traditions might seme to be of the greter authority in the eyes of the simple and unlearned people & so although plain errors, yet at y ^e last thorough the color of antiquity be received for moste manifest verities & undoubted truths. Notwithstāding this must we needs confess (which thing the histories do also testify) that after y ^e church of Rome was endowed with temporal possessions, it was ever after more studiouse of y ^e world thā of god, of secular business thā of spiritual excercises, of outward pomp & pride▪ thā of inward deuotiō & christen holiness, of making their own traditions and degrees than of setting forth gods holy commandments & laws, of enriching themselves than of edifyinge the flock of Christ: so that not without a cause it is written, y ^t what time the Church received temporal possessions, y ^e old enemy cried with a loud voice in y ^e air: This day is poison shed forth into the Church of Christ. Therefore saint Jerome in vitas patrum saith: Sithens that holy Church increased in possessions, it hath decreased in virtues according to this common saying: Religio peperit diuitias: Filia deuorauit matrē : y ^t is to say, Religion brought forth richesse, & the daughter hath devoured the Mother. Polichron.

Moreover the Papists fain, that the aforesaid Sylvester being Bishop of Rome, the council of Nice gave this privilege to the Bishop of Rome, that he should be above all other Bishops, as y ^e emperor is above all other kings: and that he should be called Pope, that is to say, the chief father, or the father of fathers. But this is so false, that nothing can be more contrary to y ^e truth. For in the council of Nice, which was celebrate by the commandment of Constantine the Emperor in y ^e year of our Lord .iii.C.xxiiii. where also wer present and gathered together .iii.C. & xviii. Bishops and holy fathers, it was determined, that the Bishops of Alexandria, & Antiochia, and universally all other primates should have all the governance & preeminence of all y ^e countries that were nere unto them, as y ^e bishop of Rome had in Italy, &c.

We will, say they, y ^t the old custom and manner shall continue in Egypt, Libie, and Pentapali, which is, that y ^e Bishop of Alexandria shall have governance and rule over all these: for tha • there is a like custom for y ^e Bishop of Rome. In like manner we will, that at Antioch, & other provinces, everyone shall have their due honor.

Moreover when Faustinus Legate to the bishop of Rome alleged in y ^e sixte council Cartaginense, that the bishop of Rome ought to have the ordering of all great matters in all places by his supreme authority, he alleged no scripture for him (for at that time no scripture was thought to make for it) but he alleged untruly the first general council Nicene, in which Arius the heretic was condemned, to make for that purpose. Which after y ^e boke was brought forth, & no such article found in it, but the contrary: (yet the council at that time sent to Constantinople, Alexandria, and Antioch, where y ^e Patriarchal Sees were, to have the true copy of y ^e Council Nicene, which was sent unto them, & also frō Rome, whether thei sent also for that purpose. And after they found no such article in it, but in the first chapter thereof, the contrary, that all causes ecclesiastical should either be determined within y ^e diocese or else if any wer grieved, thē to appeal to the Council provincial, and there the matter to take full end, so that for no such causes, men should go out of there province,) y ^e whole council Cartaginense wrote to Celestine at y ^e time being Bishop of Rome, that since the council Nicene had no such article in it, as was untruly alleged by Faustinus, but the contrary: they desired him to abstain after to make anymore such demand, denouncing unto him, that they would not suffer any cause great or small to be brought by appeal out of their country & thereupon made a law, that no man should appeal out of the country of Aphricke, vpō pain to be denounced accursed. Wherewith the Bishop of Rome ever after held him content & made no more business with them, seeing he had naught to say to the contrary. In the syxte article of the said council it was also determined, that in the Orient or Easte partes the Bishop of Antioch should be chief: in Egypt the Bishop of Alexandria, about Rome, the Bishop of Rome, and likewise in other countries the Metropolitans should have their preeminence: so that the bishop of Rome never had meddling in those countries. And in the next article following, the bishop of Jerusalem, which city before had been destroyed, and almost desolate, is restored to his old prerogative, to be chief in Palestine and in y ^e country of Iewrye: which Church of Jerusalem, if places should be regarded, should be the chief. For there was accomplished y ^e mystery of our redemption, and Christ himself the eternal word & Son of God there preached in his own person, and after his ascencion, all the Apostles and Disciples, &c.

Furthermore in y ^e council Constantinople it was ordained, that bishops should not be troubled out from their diocese, nor one should meddle with an others jurisdiction, but the bishops of Alexandria should have the governance of the orientall parties, the honor of primacy reserved to the church of Antioch, as it was ordained in the Nicene council. And even so, that the bishops of Asia should oversee Asia, and order all things pertaining to Asia. Likewise, that y ^e bishop of Pont should govern the diocese of Pont. And the bishops of Thracia, their diocese: so y ^t this council also denieth Prelacie or Supremacy to Rome, & to the bishop thereof, reseruyng every diocese to his own bishop. Likewise in the Council Mileuitane it was provided, that all causes concerning one province should be determined in the same.

Of these councils aforesaid it manifestly appeareth, that the bishop of Rome hath no such preeminence, authority, supremacy & jurisdiction over all other bishops and over their provinces and diocese, as he unjustly challengeth, and wickedly usurpeth, but that his power is only in Italy: all other bishops being in all other pointes of like authority with him, everyone having the same authority and power in his own diocese that the Byshoppe of Rome hath in Italy. Sainte Cyprian calleth the Bishop of Rome in his Epystles, which he wrote unto him, Brother, to declare that they were of like authority, and Fellow ministers in the labor of the Gospel.

He maintaineth also with S. Agustine, that there is none, which is Bishop of other bishops: and that it is a great tyranny to desire to be Lord over other bishops. S. Gregory writeth expressly, that he, which would be bishop of all other bishops, shall not have the place of Christ in earth, but of Lucifer, & shall be very Antichrist himself. He saith moreover, that to be called the universal bishop, or head of all other bishops is contrary to the ordinance of y ^e gospel, contrary to the decrees of the Canons: yea, saith he, it is a new name, and a name of blasphemy, whereby y ^e honor of all priests is greatly diminished and abased: He addeth moreover, that the name of the universal bishop for y ^e governor of blessed Peter Prince of the Apostles, was offered to the bishop of Rome at the counsel Chalcedonense & yet notw ^t standing none of all his predecessors would ever take unto thē that name of singularity, neither would thei consent to use it, lest while such private prerogative should be givē to one mā, all other priests should be defrauded of their due honor. &c. Greg. li. 4. epi. 76.78.

And the aforesaid S. Gregory willing to show how greatly he abhorred the name of the universal Bishop or Supreme head of the whole Church of Christ dispersed throughout y ^e world, in all his letters & Epistles called himself the servant of God's servants: which style and manner of writing, his successors do also at this present use, but most falsely and unjustly being in deed in pride Lucifer, in ambitiō Alexander, in tyranny Nero, and in all kind of wickedness Antiochus.

Of these things aforesaid, it is plain and evident y ^t this supremacye & universal power, which the Bishop of Rome challengeth over all other Bishops, is both forged & feigned, and hath no ground in the word of God, nor in the ancient councils, but with much labor & corruption was at the last obtained of that tyrant Phocas y ^e Emperor through the suttletie of Pope Boniface the third, as we have to fore heard, not only to the great dishonor of Christ the alone head of his church, but also to the unworthy abasemente of the Ecclesiastical ministry, as I may speak nothing of the loss of many thousand souls, which being persuaded that the Popes authority is no less, than he and his trumpeters blow and boast, have put the affiaunce of their salvation in his pardons and ceremonies.

But let us behold moe of their decrees, whereby they have stablyshed their tirannical power.

Pope Innocent the first made a law, that the Sea of Rome should be of greater authority, than y ^e Sea of any other bishop throughout the world, and that it should be lawful for the sea of Rome to judge of all other Seas, but that one and alone Sea of Rome to be subject to the judgment of none other. In the year of our Lord. 408. Caus. 9. Quaest. 3. Nemo iudicabit. Pantaleon.

Pope Julius the first in like manner made a decree, y ^t if any man did suspecte his judge, he should appeal unto y ^e sea of Rome, as a place to judge all mē, but to be judged of none. In y ^e yere, &c. 338. Chron. John. Tit. 2.9.6. cap. placuit.

Pope Stephan the first decreed, that whatsoever statutes y ^e church of Rome maketh, they ought of all men necessarily to be observed. In the yere, &c. 361. Gratianus. Dist. 19. Enimuero.

Pope Nicolas the first decreed, that the Popes laws and letters should be of equal authority w ^t the holy Scriptures. In the yere of our Lord. 871. Anselmus Rid▪ That same decree is also attributed, but falsely, to Pope Anacletus, which lived, &c. 101. Chron. germ.

Pope Calicte the seconde made a decree, that it is not lawful for any man to dissent frō the church of Rome. For, saith he, as the Son came to do y ^e will of the father: so must Christian men do the will of their mother, which is the church of Rome. In the year, &c. 1120. Dist. 12. Non decet.

Pope Marcellus ordained that from that time forward a general council should be of no authority, except the bishop of Rome do affirm and allow the same. In the yere of our Lord. 304. Lib▪ Council. Polyd. Vergil. Dist. 17 Synodū. This decree also is ascribed to pope Julius the first. John▪ Laziardus.

Pope Clement ordained, that no man should be friendly unto such as the pope favoreth not, but that he should rather eschew them as enemies, & turn away from them as heathen persons. For seeing (saith he) that the dead, (that is to say, y ^e pope) abhorreth thē, much more y ^e fete that is, all Princes, Kyngs, Rulers, & all other kind of people ought so to do, and utterly deteste them. John. Laziardus.

Pope Clement the first made a constitution, that all Emperors, kings & princes should be subject to the church of Rome both in spiritual and temporal matters, & acknowledge the pope to be their head. Chron. John. Laziardus. Celestinus.

Pope Sixtus made a decree, that if any man wer evil entreated of his Metropolitan, it should be lawful for him to appeal unto the Sea of Rome, mother and head of the universal church of Christ throughout all y ^e world. 2. Q 6. Cap. Si quis putauerit.

Pope Fabian the first ordained, that every mā might lawfully appeal unto the sea of Rome, although sentence wer pronounced against him. In y ^e yere▪ &c. 242.2. Qu 6. ca. Licet. Iac. Phili. Bergō.

Pope Leo the third made a decree, that the decrees of the bishop of Rome should be more regarded & set by, than all the judgments, writings & bo •• es of the best learned. In the yere, &c. 817. Jacob. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Eugenius the fourth gathered a council at Florence, in the which wer present many great learned men both Greeks and Latins. In this council it was required of the Greeks and of the Indians, that they should celebrate the Lord's Supper with vnleuended bread according to the decree of Pope Alexander the first: and y ^t they should grant, y ^t there is a purgatory to purge souls after this life: again, that they should confess the bishop of Rome to be the true vicar of Christ, & the very successor of Peter, and the supreme head of Christ's church throughout y ^e world. But they would not obey the Popes request, but boldly answered, that they would continue in the faith and doctrine, which their Churches from the beginning had received of the Apostles. In the year, &c. 1433. John. Philip. Bergom. Chron.

Pope Boniface the eyght upon a certain great and solemn feast, appareled in his Pontificalibus was carried about the city of Rome on men's shoulders, & gave the people large blessings with wagging his fingers over them on every side. The next day after he put on an imperial robe, decking himself like an Emperor, and commanded a naked sword to be borne before him and he himself sitting upon his moil gloriously, cried out with a loud voice saying. Ecce duo gladij hic. Behold, here are two sweardes: calling himself Lord of the whole world concerning both temporal and spiritual matters. This is that monsture, of whom it is writ̄: Intrauit vt Vulpes, vixit vt Leo, moritur vt Canis. That is to say, he entered in as a fore, he lived as a lyō, he died as a dog. In the year of our Lord. 1290. Albertus. Crantzius, Fascic. Temp. Pantal.

Pope Leo the fourth so greatly esteemed both himself and his authority, that he offered his feet unto princes to be kyssed and honored. In the yere &c. 858. Volat. Plat. Pantal.

Pope Innocent the third first of all crowned Otho the Emperor, and afterward deprived him again, saying: It lieth in my power both to set up & to pluck down emperors, kings and princes at my pleasure. For all power is given unto me both in heaven and in earth. In the yere of our Lord, 1195. Sebast. Frank. Chron. Temton. Fasc. Temp • . Paulus. Phrig, &c.

Pope Alexander the third did not only with martial armors resist the Godly and noble Emperor Frederike, but at the last thorough the might of other princes, subduing him, compelled y ^• aforesaid Emperor, before he wuld give him absolution, & be at one with him, to lie flat down vpō the ground before him in the sight of the people: and the pope setting his foot in the emperors neck, cried out with a loud voice and said: Scriptū est: Super aspidem et basiliscum ambulabis & conculcabis leonem & draconem. That is to say. It is written. Upon the Adder & the Cockatrice shalt thou walk and thou shalt tread down the lion & the dragon. In the year, &c. 1161. Nauclerus▪ Sabel. Iaco. Phil. John. Char.

This pope made & compelled Louis King of France, and Henry King of England to be his lackies & to run on foot by him, y ^e one holding his horses bridle on the right side the other on the left side, leading him with great pomp thorough the city Totiacum unto Ligris. Chroni. Sigebertus.

Pope Hadriane the fourth was not a little angry because the Emperor held with his hand the left stirrope, and not the right, when he came down of his horse, about the year, &c. 1158. Albertus. Crantz. Otho. Frisius. Pantaleon.

Pope Calixtus the second, whē he returned unto Rome caused pope Benet, whom the Emperor had before set up, to be apprehended, and to be set upon an horse, & so ride before him vilanously all the way, his face being turned unto the horses arse, & holding the horse tail being in his hand in stead of a bridle. Afterwarde he threw him into prison, where he most miserably died. About the yere. &c. 1120. Chron. Fasciculus temporum, &c.

Pope Celestine the third crowned the emperor Henry the fyfte, holding the crown between his fete. And whē he had put the crown vpō the emperors head, he smote it of with his foot again: saying y ^t he had power to make Emperors, and to put them down again. In the year. &c. 1195. Crantz.

Pope Cornelius ordained, y ^t no oath should be required of the pope except it were for the mayntaynaunce of holy church. In the year, &c. 255. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Chron.

Pope Gregory the seventh, for dyspleasure that he bare unto Henry the Emperor, wrote unto the princes & people, that lived under y ^e Emperors dominion, that they should by no means obey the Emperor, but rather resist him and his authority, and take him no more for Emperor but rather for an usurper of the empyre. The emperor perceiving this malicious purpose of y ^e pope, wrote again unto him on this manner: When Christ committed the sheep unto Peter, he excepted Kings. The pope answered the Emperor in his letters on this wise: Whē Christ gave y ^e keys unto Peter he excepted no man: by this means chalēging power & authority over all Emperors, Kings, Princes, and Rulers, unto whom notw ^t standing by y ^e word of God both pope & Bishop w ^t all the spiritualty (as they term them) ought to show obedience even from the very heart, not only for conscience sake. In the year, &c. 1073. Christianus Massaeus. Sabast. Frank. Chron.

Pope Boniface the eight wrote unto Philip King of France, that he was Lord of all things as well temporal as spiritual throughout y ^e whole world and that he therefore ought to have received the kingdom of France at his hand, which thing forasmuch as the king had not done, y ^e Pope wrote unto him, y ^t he had justly deserved to be deprived of his kingdom: so y ^t afterward this arrogant Lucifer and mōs • ure of pride excommunicated Kinge Philip, and gave away his kingdome to Albert the Emperor. About the year, &c. 757. Pol. Virg. Pant.

Pope Stephan y ^e seconde was y ^e first Pope that was carried about vpō mens shoulders: which thing his successors have euersince diligētli practiced▪ put in use. In y ^e yere, &c. 757. Pol. Vir. Pan • .

Pope Cletus first of all used in his letters these words: Salutem & Apostolicam benedictionē. In the yere, &c. 81. Chron. Ang.

Pope Gregory the first used first of all in his letters and bulls this title▪ Seruus seruorum dei, that is to say, servant of the servants of God, which title his successors yet keep: but how truly who seeth not? seeing they labor to the uttermost of their power to have the whole world under their girdle, yea & to compel princes kings and emperors, not only to be their lackies, but also to kiss even their very feet. He used this title in all his letters to repress the arrogācye and pride of John Patriarch of Constantinople, which contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel and contrary to the decrees of the old Canons, presumed to usurp a new name to himself, and sought to be called the universal bishop, or head over all other bishops. To show that such a proud & ambitious name ought utterly to be detested of all spiritual ministers, of whatsoever calling or dignity they be, the aforesaid Gregory in all his letters ever after named himself, the servant of the servants of God. In the yere, &c. 590. Ranulphus Cestrens. Chron.

This aforesaid Gregory sent Agustine y ^e Monk w ^t certain other into England to convert and turn the english natiō unto the Romish Religiō. Which Agustine, when thorough his hipocrisy & coūterfait holiness he had won many unto his purpose, and had obtained of king Adelbright to be Archbishop of Canterbury and primate of all England, went into Wales, where he found many godly & learned bishops and preachers of God's word, which sincerely and purelye taught the doctrine of the holy Scripture, and rightlye administered the blessed sacraments according to Christ's institution: whom this aforesaid Agustine the Monk labored also to the uttermost of his power to allure frō the sincerity & simplicity of christs religion, unto the Romish and popish superstitiō, bosting himself to be a Legate of the most holy father the Pope, sent frō Rome: again, made & ordained the chief bishop & primate of all englād, and therefore he willed them to obey him and his doctrine, and to receive y ^e most holy father of Rome, and his catholic Religion. But the Godly and learned Fathers boldly answered, that they were already true Christians, and according to christs doctrine they governed their Churches: therefore they would neither obey him, nor submit themselves to the authority of y ^t strange Romish Bishop, nor yet receive his superstitious ceremonies, but continue, as heretofore they had done, in the simplicity of Christ's religion. By this means this Monk Agustine was compelled to depart, his expectation not satisfied. Notwithstanding this monstrous Monk afterward found the means (such is the charity of the bloody papists) greatly to annoy these Godly and learned fathers, because they would not obey his wicked & deuilishe request. For he complained to Kinge Adelbright, that the Britain's called otherwise Welshmen, would neither obey him nor any man, but only the Archbishop of Carlion. Which thing when the King heard, he was greatly moved, and threatened to destroy them all, writing to Elfride king of Northumberland that he should come to him w ^t all the power that he might make, and that he would meet him at Leiciter & frō thence they would go into Wales and there destroy the Archebishop of Carlion and all those that had refused to obey Agustine and his doctrine.

When the Godly fathers heard of this and that the two kings with their armies approached, to the ende for to destroy them, they sent unto the kings certain holy and virtuous mē, which went barefoot & woolwarde with all humility & meekness, desiring thē • t • cease frō so ungodly an enterprise. But the kings were so stern & so wicked, y ^t they would not once speak to those holy mē, but slew them straightwaies everyone. They spared them no more (alas for sorrow) than the wolf doth y ^e sheep, but cruelly and unjustly murdered those saints of God, so that thei were all martyred y ^t came unto them, being in number five hundred & forty. And from thence those kings went unto Gāgor, for to slay all y ^e Britanes that they might find. But when the Britanes heard of it, they assembled & prepared thenselves with all their power to fight with those kings for the defense of their countreye, and for the mayntaynaunce of Christian religion, so that in that battle king Adelbright was slain by y ^e just judgment of god, and king Elfride was sore wounded and compelled moste cowardly to fly, their whole army also being utterly discomfited & well nigh all slain. They that remained toke them to their fete and fled, so that by this means God gave his servants a glorious victory over the popish enemies. Ex Chron. Angl. Such end, O Lord, give thou to all thine enemies, that of malice and without reap̄taunce persecute thy servants for the testimony of thy truth, that the kingdom of Antichrist and y ^e pope, utterly subverted, thou mayest be known to be the alone Lord and thy word to be the alone verity.

Of the Popes election.

POpe Nicolas the first made a decree, that if any mā would thrust himself into the sea of S. Peter, not being chosen thereunto by such as ar appointed for the electiō of the pope, y ^e same should be judged not Apostolicus but Apostaticus. 49. Dist. Cap. Si quis Apostolice sedi. Anno. 871.

Pope Hadriane the first made a law, that no lay persons should presume to entermedle with the election of y ^e pope 63. Dist. Cap▪ Nullus laicorum. An. 796.

Pope Boniface the second, made a decree that in the election of the pope, the Clergye should be divided from the common people. In the year, &c. 529. Albertus. Krempt.

Pope Leo the eyght ordained, that none should be admitted pope without the consent of the Emperor. In y ^e yere, &c. 962.63. Dist▪ Cap. In Synodo. Chron.

Pope Adriane the third, was of such and so lustye courage, that contrary to the order tofore used, he made a decree, that from henceforth the Emperors should never meddle with the election of y ^e pope as tofore thei had done, nor y ^t their authority or consent should be thought necessary in this behalf, but y ^t the clergy & y ^e people of Rome alone might frankly & freely choose the most holy Father. In the yere of our Lord. 885. Grat. d • st. 62.

Pope Martin the third made y ^e like decree, that the Clergy and the people of Rome only should choose the bishop of Rome, not regarding the consent of the Emperor. In the year, &c. 944. Christ. Massae.

Pope Gregory the tenth ordained, y ^t when the Pope is dead, the Cardinals with all expedition should assēble thenselves together for the electiō of a new Pope, and that they should be shut up together in a closet, nether eating, nor drinking, nor yet departing frō thence, till they had chosen the most holy Father, Christ's vicar & Peters successor. In the yere, &c. 1272. Christ. Mass.

Pope Boniface the second ordained, that the Pope being dead, another Pope should be chosen within three days, least the faith of holy Church for lack of an head, should decay and wax faint. In the year, &c. 529. Dist. 69. cap. Nullus. John. Laziard.

When Pope Alexander the seconde was chosen Bishop of Rome, certain other willing to place a stranger in y ^e See: all the Cardinals cried out with a loud voice and said: No man ought to be chosen pope, except he be borne in the paradise of Italy. In the year, &c. 1063. Ranulphus. Cest.

Pope Sergius the second being before called Os porci, that is to say, Swines snoute, or Hogs mouth, after that he was chosē Bishop of Rome, changed his name, and called himself Sergius. Since that time all Popes have used to change their names, yea and that, as they report, for three causes. One is, because that Christ, when he did chose his Apostles, changed their names. The second is, y ^t as they change their names, so should thei change their manners. The third is, that he which is chosen to an excellent estate, should not be obscured and disgraced with a vile and foul name. In the year, &c. 848. Chron. Polichron. &c.

Of the alteration of y ^e popes names Polidorus Vergilius writeth on this manner: The bishop of Rome hath one special prerogative and privilege, which is, that when he is once created bishop, he may alter & change his name at his pleasure, if the name, which he hath already, do displease him. As for an example: If perchance he hath been before a Malefactor, he may call his name Boniface, that is to say, a well doer. If he have been a coward or fearful person, he may call himself Leo, y ^t is, a Lyon. In stead of this name, Rusticall: he may take unto him the name Urbanus, y ^t is to say, Ciuile, gentle or well mannered. For lewd or wicked, he may cal himself innocent. If he have been a diffamed person, he may take unto him this name Benedictus, that is to say, A man of good name and fame, that the bishop at the least in name may be an ornament & beauty to the dignity of papacy. Sergius the second is reported to have ben the author of this matter, to whom it was granted, forasmuch as he was called, Os porci, that is to say Swines snoute, or Hogs mouthe, to take unto him another name, for to avoid and eschew his other vile and filthy name, &c. Lib. 4. Cap. 10. de inuentor. rerum.

Pope Hilarius the first made a decree that no pope should chose or appoint his successor, but leave it to the free election of the clergy of Rome. In the year, &c. 465. Quaest. 8. Cap. 1. Plerique. John. Laziardus.

Pope John the seventh being an woman feigned her self to be a man, and for the excellency of her learning was chosen pope. This woman pope was afterward begotten with child of her servant & in the time of solemn procession accompanied w ^t a great number of cardinals, patriarches, archbishops, bishops, priests, deacōs, monks, fryers, chanons, Nuns, &c, she fell on travail and was delivered of child, and so suddenly (as they say) died. Afterward there was a decree made among y ^e cardinalls that for the avoiding of such & of so great inconvenience frō thenceforth whosoever should be chosen to be Christ's vicar & Peters successor, he should first of all be set brechlesse & bare arsed in a certain botomlesse chair & y ^e one of y ^e basest cardinals w ^t all humility & reverence worthy such & so noble a prelate, should grope w ^t his hand, whether y ^e most holy father had all his that appertain unto the court of Uenus, or not. If he had them, that thē the Cardinal should cry with a merry and a loud voice, Testiculos habet. And the whole college of the Cardinals reioysyng at the tidings, should answer Deo gratias. And so immediately y ^e Cardinals should set the new chosen and approved pope in S. Peters chair, as a man found worthy such a most excellent dignity. In the yere, &c. 860. Nauclerus. Sabel. Platina. Pantal. Chron. Sebast Franc. Paul. Verg.

Pope John the fyft ordained, that after the Bishop of Rome is elected and chosen, he should be consecrated of the Bishop Hostuense, Portuense & Velitern. In the year, &c. 679. Chron. Volateran. Pantaleon. Some ascribe this ordinance to Pope Mark.

Of Cardinals.

POpe Marcellus ordained in the city of Rome .xv. Cardinals for to baptize such as wer converted frō Paganism unto Christianism, & to burye the martyrs, which suffered death for God's truth. In the yere, &c. Christ. Massae. Polichron.

Pope Sylvester the first appointed y ^e College of Cardinals to beautify and to set forth the honor and dignity of the church: unto the which Cardinals (as the papists fain) the Emperor Constantine gave that same authority and preeminence, that the honorable order of the sage & prudente Senators of Rome tofore had. And Martin in his Chronicle saith, that there are fiftye Cardinals of that holy College, that is to say, seven Bishop Cardinals .xxviii. Priests Cardinals, & .xv. Deacon Cardinals: albeit the most holy father may at all times increase the number of those his spiritual children as he thinketh moste meet for the advancement of the Apostilique see. In the yere, &c. 315. Mart. in Chroni. Johannes Laziardus.

The aforesaid pope also made a decree, that a Bishop Cardinal should not be condemned under .lxxii. witnesses: a priest Cardinal, not under .lxiii. witnesses: A Deacon Carnal, not under xxvii. witnesses. C. Praesul. 2. Qu. 4. Laziardus. Celest.

Pope Innocent the third in a certain council holden at Lions made a decree, that Cardinals should forever after wear red hats vpō their heads, to put thē in remembrance, that they ought to be redye at all times to shed their blood for y ^e liberty of holy church for the Catholyke faith, & for the safeguard of the people. In the yere, &c. 1193 John. Laziard. Johannes. Stella. Christianus. Massaeus. &c.

Of Bishops.

POpe Clement the first ordained, that no Bishop ought to be appointed by the clergy, but with the consent of the common people. He commanded also, that the bishops seat should be set in an higher and more honorable place than the seats and places of other. In the yere, &c. 92. John. Laziard. Chron.

Pope Boniface the third commanded that the clergy and the people of the diocese should chose their own Bishop. In the year of our Lord. 605 Platina. Sabell.

Pope Gregory the seventh ordained, that no priest should take a bishopric of any lay man. If he did that he should be excommunicate and lose his bishopric. In the year of our Lord. 1073. Lib. Council.

Pope Boniface the fourth made a decree, that so long as the bishop lived no man should entreat of the new election of his successor, but differ the matter unto the third day after his death. In the yere of our Lord. 106. Ranulph. Cestrensis.

Pope Sixtus the first made a decree, that if any Byshopryke wer void, no man should presume to be bishop thereof, except he were first admitted unto it by the popes letters. In the yere, &c. 129. Chron. Angl. Lib. Council.

Pope Anacletus made a decree, that a bishop should be consecrated of no less than of three bishops, yea & those of the same province. For saith he an example of ordring bishops was shown unto the Christians in James the lesser bishop of Jerusalem, which was ordained & appointed Bishop of these three, Peter, James and John. But if the Metropolitan shall be consecrated, thē must all the bishops of the province be present at his consecration. In the yere of our Lord, 101. Dist. 66 Cap. Archiepiscopus. John. Laziard. Jacob. Phil. Lib. Council.

The aforesaid pope also ordained, that bishops should not be consecrated, but on the Sunday. 75. Dist. Cap. Ordinationes episcoporum.

Pope Anicetus ordained y ^t no Archbishops should be called primates, but such as had special privilege granted them of the most holy father the pope: and that all such so priuileged, might also be lawfully called patriarches. In the yere, &c. 169. Dist. 98. ca. Nulli. Isuar.

Pope Lucius made an order, that a Bishop should have at all times and in all places attending vpō him .ii. priests and .iii. deacons to testify both of his life and of his doctrine. In the yere, &c. 258. De consec. Dist. 1. Cap. Iubemus. Volat. Plat. Massaeus. D. Barns.

Pope Euaristus ordained, that seven Deacons should attend upon the Bishop and keep him, while he preached, least the enemies of God's truth wuld accuse him wrongfully, and say, that he erred: again, that he should be heard with the more reverence & had in the greater honor. In the year, &c. 110. John. Stella. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.

Pope Calixte the seconde made a decree, that the church may neither chose another Bishop, nor put him away, nor yet be obedient to the ordinance of any other bishop, so long as her proper bishop is a live, seeing that the Apostle saith: The wife is bound to the law of her husband, so long as her husband liveth. But whē he is once dead she is losoned from the law of her husband, so that she may marry with whō she will, so it be in the Lord, that is to say, saith he, the church may chose another Bishop, so that it be done Regulariter, that is, after y ^e order & appointment of our mother holy Church. In y ^e yere, &c. 1120. Quaest. 7.5. Sicut alterius.

This decree also is ascribed to Pope Euaristus. Lib. Council.

Pope Euaristus made a law, y ^t without exceeding great necessity a Bishop might no more forsake his church, thā the husband his wife. For it is writ̄, saith he: he that seeth a woman & lusteth after in his heart he hath commitadultery. In the year of our Lord. 110. Lib. Council.

Pope Innocent, the sixth made a decree that bishops and all other ecclesiastical persons should repair home unto their own houses and cures, maintain hospitality for the relief of the poor and suffer no idle nor loitering lubbers to remain in their houses, but only norishe such as are virtuously occupied, and apply themselves diligently to the study of the holy Scripture and to the reading of the ancient writers, that they might afterward serve in the church of Christ. In the year. &c. 1343 Chron. Johannes Stella.

Pope Gregory the eleventh said to a certain bishop being absent from his bishopric: Thou bishop why goest thou not home to thy bishopric? The bishop answered again with a stout courage: And thou Pope, which callest thyself father of fathers, and the chief of all bishops which oughtest also to give exaumple of doing well to other Bishops, prelates and priests: why art thou so far from Rome and art not resident upon thy bishopric at Rome? In the year, &c. 1362. Albertus. Crant. John. Stella. Chron.

Pope Leo the second ordained, that the Archbishops should pay nothing for their paul to the bishop of Rome, but have it freely given the. In the yere, &c 607. Albertus Crant. Chron.

Pope Anacletus made a decree, that no bishop should presume to admit any persons unto holy orders, that dwell in another bishops diocese. In the yere, &c. 101. Quest. 7. Cap. 1. Epis. in diocesi aliena.

Pope Anicetus made a law that whē an Archbishop, which is the Metropolitan, should be consecrated: all the bishops of that province ought to be present, even as they all are bound to obey him. In the year of our lord. 159. Distinc. 66. Cap. ab omnibus phil. Berg.

Pope Zepherinus decreed, that a bishop called into judgment either of the patriarch, or of the Primate, or of the Metropolitan, should not be condemned without the authority license and consent of the Apostolic sea. In the year, &c. 208. Iac. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Eusebius ordained, that no profane persons whom we cal lay men, should presume to accuse or to cal into judgment their Bishop. In the yere, &c, 309. Lib. Council. Jacob. Philip. Bergom. D. Barns.

Pope Innocent y ^e first made a decree, y ^t those bishops which sell prebendes, benefices, deanryes, Abbotships, priorships, or any other ecclesiastical dignities, either Sacraments or sacramentals, as holy oil, chrism, halowing of altares, &c, should be adjudged Simoniakes, and be punished as persons guilty of Simonye. In the yere, &c. 408. Qu 1. Cap. 3. Si quis praebendas. Philip. Bergom • oan. Stella.

Pope Hormisda decreed, that no secular person should be chosen to be bishop but one of the number of priests. In the year of our Lord. 514. Dist. 61. Cap. 18. In sacerdotibus.

Pope Iginius made a decree, that no Archbishop should condemn his suffragane but in the sight and hearing of other suffragans, and bishops of the same province. In the year, &c. 14. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Polichron.

Pope Theodorus ordained, that no bishop should meddle in the diocese of any other Bishops, but diligently loke to his own cure. In the year. &c. 673. Lib. Council. Christian. Massaeus.

Pope Sylvester instituted, y ^t bishops only should halowe oil and cream, & confyrme children. In the yere. &c. 315. Chron. Platina.

Pope Felix the third appointed, that bishops only should halow Churches. In the yere. &c. 486. Volat. Poli. Pantal.

Pope Liberius ordained, that no bishop or beneficed mā should forsake his flock for any persecution or trouble, though death should ensue, according to this saying of Christ: A good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. In the year, &c. 354. Anselmus Ryd.

Pope Antherus made a decree, that a bishop might be removed frō one bishopric to another, if the necessity or profit of the congregation so require: but yet not without the authority and license of the Bishop of Rome. In the year of our Lord. 239. Platina. Volat. Lib. council.

Pope Pius the first decreed, that the commō people should not accuse their bishop, nor the sheep their shepherd. For saith he, neither is the disciple above his master, nor the servant above his lord. In the yere of our lord. 147. lib. Con.

Pope Nicolas the first ordained, that bishops should not entangle themselves with worldly businesses, nor apply their minds to feats of war but give their whole mind to the study of holy Scriptures, to preaching and to prayer In the year of our Lord. 871. Quest. 23▪ cap Reprehensibile.

Pope John the xxiii. decreed, that bishops should not give their minds to hunting. In the yere, &c. 1409. Dist. 34. Cau. Quorundam.

Pope Eugenius the first ordained that bishops should have persons to punish such priests as offend. In the year of our Lord. 650. Volat. Chron. Grat. Doc. Barns.

Pope Eugenius also, commanded that bishops in their Diocese, should diligently provide that there might be learned scholemaisters to trade up the Christian youth in good letters and liberal arts. Ex sinodo Eugenii. Lib. Council.

Pope Anacletus made a law, that Bishops should persevere and continue still stedfaste and diligente in setting forth the truth of God's word, though never so great trouble follow of it. For saith he, blessed are they, that suffer persecution for righteousness. In the year of our Lord. 101. Dist. 43. Scimus.

Johannes Hus, whom the bloody papists, notwithstanding the Emperors safe conduct, most cruelly brente unto ashes at the council of Constance (where, as some write, were gathered together iii.M.ix.C. and xl. prelates and their Uicares) affirmed openlie and constantlye, that it is not lawful for ecclesiastical persons to have any temporal jurisdiction. In the yere of our Lord. 1415. Aeneas Siluius. Plat. Christ. Massaeus.

Pope Paschalis being Bishoppe of Rome, there was a Council holden at Aquisgranum, in the which it was ordained, that no Ecclesiastical persons should wear any sumptuous garments, nor rings or ouches vpō their fingers, but bishops only, yea and that at such times only, as they say mass, and be in their Pontificalibus. In the year, &c. 827 Christ. Massae. Lib. Council.

The Council Aureliane decreed that every bishop in his diocese should to the uttermost of his power make prouisiō for such poor of y ^e same, as have not whereof to find thenselves: Again, as are sick and so weak, that they ar not able to labor for their living. Dist 82. Cau. Episcopus.

In the Council Toletane the third, it was enacted, that at all bishops and priests tables, there should be no idle talk, nor telling of wanton tales, but reading, hearing and talking of the holy Scriptures. Lib. Council.

The form of the Othe, which the Popyshe Bishops use, at the time of their consecration: as it is specifyed, in the Popes decretalles: De iuramento. C. Ego.

I. N. Bishop frō this hour foreward shall be faithful to s. Peter, and to the holy Apostolic Church of Rome and to my Lord. N. the pope, and to his successors that enter in according to the rule of the Canons. I shall not be neither in council nor in deed, that he should lose his life, or member, or otherwise be evil entreated. The council, which either by himself, or by letters, or by any messanger he shall open unto me, I shall declare it to no mā unto his hindraunce. The papacy of the Church of Rome, and the rules of the holy Fathers, I shall be an helper to defend and to maintain (my order being safe) against all mē. Being called unto any Sinode or council, I shall come, except I have a lawful let. The legate of the Apostolic sea, whom I shall know to be certain, I shall honourablye entertain both at his coming and at his departure or going away. The churches of the Apostles ( at Rome ) I shall visit every yere, either by myself, or by some sure messanger, except I obtain license ( of the holy Father ) to the contrary. So God help me, & these holy Gospels of God.

After this, there was invented and received a newer form and manner of an oath, which the Bishops at their consecration sware to the pope, both larger and more to the purpose to stablyshe and defend the tirannye of the Romish Bishop. In this newer and later oath are these words contained.

The papacy of Rome and the Regal or prince like honor and dominions of S. Peter, I shall be an helper to retain and to defend against all men. The laws, the honors, the privileges and the authority of the Church of Rome, and of our Lord the Pope and of his successoures, I shall to the uttermost of my power labor to conserve, to defend, to increase, and to advance. Neither shall I be, in council, in deed, or in affairs, wherein any sinister or prejudicial things of persons, law, honor, state and power shall be imagined and deuysed against that our Lord Pope, or against that Church of Rome, and if so be I know such things to be handled, deuysed, or procured of any person or persons, I shall hynder and let it to the uttermost of my power, and so soon as is possible with all conueniente speed I shall sygnifye it, and make it known to the same our Lord the Pope, or to some other, by whom it may come to his knowledge. The rules of the holy Fathers, the decrees, the ordinances, the sentences or judgments, the dispositions. the preseruations, the provisions, and the Apostolic commandments. I shall observe with all my power, and cause them also to be observed of other heretics, Schismatikes and all such as rebel and strive against our Lord the Pope or his successoures, I shall to the uttermost of my power persecute impugn and condemn, &c.

Of Priests.

POpe Anacletus ordained, that there should be priests set in every city, town and village, to teache the people God's word, and to minister the Sacraments. He ordained also, that priests should be honored above all men, and that thei should not be vexed or toubled but borne withal, and reverenced of all mē: Agayne, that when any priests were made, they should be solemnly & openly made. In y ^e yere, &c. 101. Lib. Council. Plat. Fascic. Temp. Jacob. Phil. D. Barns.

The aforesaid Pope also made a decree, that all such as backebite or slander any priest, should be excommunicated. For saith he, he that slaundreth a priest, slaundreth Christ. For priests without doubt are Christ's. Lib. Council. Chroni.

Pope Gaius made a decree, y ^t none should be made a priest, except he were first a dorekeper: secondlye a Reader, thirdly an Exorciste or cōiurer: fourthly, an Acholite, a lighter & carier of candles: fifthly, a Subdeacon: sixthly, a Deacon: & seventhly, a priest: and fynallye a bishop, if he can come unto y ^e promotion. In the year, &c. 384. Chron. Plati. Fasc. Temp. D. Barns.

Some ascribe this decree to Pope Stephen the second. Grat. John. La.

Pope Siricius ordained, y ^e priestishe orders should not be given altogether at one time, but at sundry times. In the yere, &c. 389. Sabell. Plat. John. Lazia. 77. Dist. Cap. In singulis.

Pope Gelasius the first commanded y ^e only priestishe orders should be given only four times in y ^e year, yea and y ^t on the Saturday. In the year, &c. 494. Volat. Isidor. D, Barns.

Pope Boniface y ^e first instituted, that no man should be made priest before he be, xxx. years old. For Christ saith he, was thirty years old before he toke on him y ^e office of preaching. In the year, &c. 425. Sigebert. Sabel. Chron.

Pope Zacharias notwithstanding made a decree, y ^t if necessity requireth, priests should not only be made at .xxx. years old but also at .xxv. In the yere, &c. 752. Dist. 79. Cap. Si triginta.

Pope Siricius, of whō we spake afore decreed, y ^t all those men that have been twice married, or else have married a widow to wife, should by no means be received unto the order of priesthood. Isidor. Plat, Albert. Krantz. Pantal.

Pope Gelasius y ^e first, of whō also we spake afore, ordained likewise, y ^t none which wer twice married, should be admitted unto ecclesiastical orders, without the bishop of Rome's dispensation Chron. John. Stella. D. Barns.

Pope Anastasius made a law, y ^t none which was lame or maimed, or wanted any of his members, should be admitted to be a priest. In the yere, &c. 404. Grat. Sabel Plat, Polydor. &c.

The aforesaid pope made a decree, y ^t no strangers, & specially such as come frō beyond the seas, should be admitted unto y ^e clergy, except they brought with them a testimonial sygned with the hands of five bishops. 37. Dist. ca. Extraneo. John. Laziard.

Pope Pelagius ordained that no mā should be admitted unto the ministry, which either of ambition, or elles for wordly lucre and easy living desireth to come unto it. In the yere, &c. 552. Christ. Massaeus.

Pope Hilary the first made a decree, that no man should be admitted to be a priest, except he were both well learned and well mannered. In the year of our Lord. 465. John. Stella. Dist. 55. Cap Penitentis.

Pope John the nynthe ordained, y ^t if any man had committed murder, the same should never be admitted to receive holy orders. Again, if any priest were found gyltye of that fault he should be irregulare, and never after be received into the ministry. In the yere, &c. 904. Dist. 5. C. Mirror. John Stella.

Pope Zepherinus decreed, y ^t whē a bishop should make either deacō or priest, both priests & lay mē should be present. In the yere, &c. 208. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Innocent the first ordained, y ^t no diffamed person should be admitted to be a priest. In the yere, &c, 408. Dist. 50. Cap. Canones. Phil, Bergom.

Pope Zozimus ordained, that no gelded person, nor bond mā should be made a priest, except he were first made free of his Lord. In the year, &c, 424. Fasc. Temp. Chron. But this constitution of y ^e bishop is evil kept of certain men, saith Johannes Laziardus. For now a days, (saith he) not only bondmē, but also bastards and whores children, ar received into the ministry, and have the government of paryshes committed unto them, and they also bestow the patrimony of Christ upon whores at their pleasure.

The aforesaid pope made also a decree, that priests should be no tauernhunters, nor yet sel wine themselves. He ordained again y ^t a deacō should not presume to minister the sacrament of Christ's body & blood to y ^e people, if either bishop or priest wer present. Dist. 93. Cap. Praesente praesbitero. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Anicetus forbad first of all, priests to have beardes, or to wear long side hear. In y ^e yere, &c. 159. Sabell. Lib. Council. Petrus de natal.

Some ascribe this decree to pope Anacletus. Plat. Poli. Massaeus.

Pope Anicetus also commanded, y ^e priests crowns should be shaven, not four cornered, saith he, like unto Simō Magus but as round as a boule like unto Simon Petrus : to put the priests in remembrance that they should despise this world, and set all their minds upon the heavenly crown. Petrus de nat. Christ. Massae. D. Barns.

Pope Zacharias invented the priests apparel. In y ^e yere, &c, 752. Chron. Achil.

Pope Benet y ^e third commanded, that priests should walk in an order, & wear apparel mete for their degree. In the year, &c▪ 863. Fasc. Temp. Chron.

Pope Gregory the fourth in a certain council ordained, y ^t all the clergy both bishops and priests should lay a side all costly apparel & by no means wear rīges, precious stones, gold, silver or any such like sūptuous ornaments, but rather homely & sober apparel after y ^e example of Christ & of his apostles. In the yere. 846. John. Tit. in Chro. Galliae. Plat.

Pope Pelagius y ^e first ordained y ^t priests under pain of deadly sin should say Matins appointed for the day. In the year, &c. 580. Dist. 19. Cap. Elutherias fra. John. Stell.

Pope Urban the second ordained likewise y ^e priests should say every day our ladies Matins openly in the church: & that upon the satterday the whole service should be of her. In the yere, &c. 1086 Sabell. John. Stella. Nauclerus. Guil. Durand. Polichron.

Pope Anastasius the second made a decree, that no priest should omit the saying of his divine service, except it be mass, although he be never so much out of charity, and never so greatly stuffed full of rancor and malice against any person▪ In the year. &c. 498. Johannes Laziardus. Celestinus.

Pope Innocent the seconde decreed, that no man should strike a pr • est. For it is written, saith he: Touche not my anointed. If any man contrary to his commandment did presume to smite the anointed priest, he pronounced him excommunicate ipso facto and accursed, & that by no means he should be absolved (except he stood in danger of death) but only of y ^e pope of Rome. In the year of our Lord. 11 • 1. Causa. 17. Quest, Si quis. John. Stella. Chron.

Pope Euaristus enacted, that priests should not be disquieted, nor evil entreated of the laity, but that they should be had in high reverence and honor. In the year▪ &c. 110. Isidor. Tem. 3. Conc. Polid. Pantaleon.

Pope Pontianus ordained, that prists should be accused of none, but only of priests and bishops, In the year, &c. 230. Gratian. Isidor. polidor.

Pope Fabiā also made a decree, y ^t neither priests should be admitted to accuse the laity, nor the laity the priests. In the yere of our Lord. 242. Caus. 2. Qu. 7. Sicut.

Pope Calixt the first ordained, that in the accusation of a priest no suspicious persons, or of evil name and fame, either any such as be enemies to the priest, should be admitted to give evidence against him. In the yere &c. 217. Quest. 3. Cap. 5. Accusatores John. Laziard.

Pope Alexander the first ordained, that the Laitye should have nothing to do with the clergy: and that the spiritualty should be utterly exēpted from all the jurisdiction, authority and power of the secular rulers. In the yere of our Lord. 119. Albertus. Crantz.

Pope Gaius made a decree, that no lay person should presume to accuse or to call into judgment before a secular judge, either priest or any other that is within holy orders. In the year of our Lord. 284. Jacob. Phillip. Bergom.

Pope Sylvester the first commanded y ^t no priest should be compelled to plead his cause before any secular person, or in any temporal court. In the yere. &c. 315. Quest. 11.1. Cap. Testimonium. & Cap. Si quis.

Pope Julius the .i. made a decree also y ^t a priest should not have his cause heard or pleaded before any temporal judge only. In the year &c. 338. Jacob. Phil. Bergom. Lib. Council.

Pope Boniface the eight in a general council, ordained, that temporal Rulers should not charge the people with any kind of payments, if they did, that the priests should pay them none, except the Pope gave them license. In the yere. &c. 1190. Polidor lib. 17. Angl. Hist.

Pope Nicolas the first ordained, that no temporal man, wer he king or emperor, should have ought to do with those things that appertain unto priests. In the yere, &c. 871. Anselmus Ryd.

Pope Gregory the fourth made a decree, that priests should be free from all kind of worldly bondages, taxes. paymentes, &c. In the year &c. 846. Sabel. Platina.

Pope Urban the second enacted notwithstanding, that the priests shouldr pay tribute to the higher powers for the defense of their country, In the yere. &c. 1086. Qu, 23. Cap. Tributum.

Pope Leo the ninth appointed, that y ^e priests houses should be built nigh unto the churches, that the pastors might always be at hand, whē the parishners should have need of them, and that the poor people, might know, where to have succor and relief in the time of their necessity. In the year of our Lord. 1049. Qu. 12. cap. 1. Necessaria. Nau. John. Stella. D. Barns.

Pope Simmachus ordained, that a priest should keep no woman in his house, except she were his kinswoman his mother, his sister, or his wife, whō he ought godly to govern. In the yere &c. 499. Dist. 81. cap. Volumus. Volat.

Pope Liberius made a law, that no priest should forsake his cure for any persecution or trouble, though death should ensue, according to this saying of Christ: A good shepherd giveth his life for his sheep. In the year of our Lord. 254. Anselmus Rid.

Pope John the eighte ordained that the priests, which were absent from their benefices without a dispensation from the Pope, should be compelled to return unto them, and there to be resident. In the yere, &c. 887. John. Laziard.

Pope Simplicius ordained, that no clearke or priest should receive the inuestiture of his benefice or of his office at any Laymens hand. In the year, &c 471. Ranulpus Cestrensis. John. Laziardus.

Pope Gregory the first made a decree in a certain council holden at Rome, that the Ministers of the altare should give their mind to preaching and not to singing. For, said he, while mē seek a sweet voice in holy service, couenable life is set apart: and the singer w ^t his manners hurteth the people, though w ^t his voice he greatly delighteth them. In the yere. &c. 590. Polichron. Lib. 5.

Pope Victor the second in a certain council holden at Florence, ordained that all bishops and priests, which he proved giltye either of Simonye, or of fornicatiō, should be deprived of their Bishoprics, benefices, and all other ecclesiastical promotions and dignities. In the yere of our lord. 1053.

Pope Eleutherius made a decree y ^t no priest should be degraded or put frō the degree of his priesthood, except he wer first lawfully accused and convict. For saith he, our Savior knew well, that Judas was a thief, and should betray him, but forasmuch as he was not accused, he put him not down, but all that he did in the mean time among the Apostles for y ^e estate of his dignity, it was allowed, and stood fyrme and stable. In the yere, &c. 177. Ranulp. Cest. lib. 4.

In the council Toletane the third, it was decreed, y ^t at priests tables there should be no idle talk, nor telling of wanton tales, but reading, hearing and talking of the holy scriptures. Lib. council.

Of Monastical sects and first of Heremites.

POpe Sylvester the first, bearing rule, the Heremites first of all began, and inhabited the wyldernesse & solitary places. The aforesaid Sylvester had them in great reverence, and confirmed their order. In the yere, &c. 315. Ex libro germanico.

Of Monks.

P Ope Siricius being bishop of Rome, the first Monkishe order began, raised up by Basilius Magnus bishop of Cesarea in Cappadocia. Their coat, cloke, cowl and cap were all white. He prescribed them a rule mixte with many traditions and doctrines of men. Wherefore he is called of them a father and beginner of religious people, whose life he also praiseth, so that he obtained of the aforesaid Siricius to confyrme the order. He called them Monachi, that is to say, solitarye, or separate from the world, and founded in Greece the first house or cloister. But howe unaptly they be called Monachi, and men utterly divided from the world, who seeth not? For where do they dwell, but in the middes of famous cities and great towns? And in what things do they more exercise thenselves, thā in matters of the world. In the year &c. 389. Ibidem. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.

This monstrous Monckishe order is divided into many mōstruous mockish sects, whereof we will rehearse part.

Of Friars, and of the diversity of that sect.

Of Nuns and of the diuersitye of that sect.

P Ope John the first being Bishop of Rome, Monk Benet after that he had placed himself and his monkyshe brethren in a certain noble and famous cloister built upon the Mount Cassinus, raised up also an order of Nuns, and made his Sister Scholastica Abbess over thē. The apparel of these Nuns is a black cote, cloke, cowl and veil. And least the scripture should disceaue her and hers: it was commanded, that none of that order should rede the holy scripture without consent or permission of their superior. In the year, &c. Chron. Lib. Germ.

Of the Monastical apparel.

I N times paste whē with most earneste diligence I searched for the original & beginning of the monastical or monkish apparel, and could by no means find anything thereof in writing: at the last I repaired unto the paynters, & in y ^e entries & porches of y ^e friers, where for y ^e most part a mā may se y ^e histories of both testaments painted & lively setforth in colors: I sought for the matter diligently. And when in all the old testament I could not find any of the Patriarchs, or of the priests, or of the Prophets, or of the Levites, no, nor yet Helias himself, whom notwithstanding the Carmelites or white friers make their Patron & first founder of their Religion, to wear a cowl, and to be clad with Monkysh apparel • I went straightways unto the new testament. There I found Zacharye, Simeō, John the Baptist, Iosephe, Christ, the Apostles, the Disciples, y ^e Scribes, the Pharesees, the Bishops, Annas, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, and many other: but nowhere could I find or perceive the cowl, or monkysh habit. Examining once again more diligently even from the beginning all & singular things: out of hand even at the very beginning of the history in a manner, the devil appeared, & shown himself clad in a cowl, evē y ^e very same devil, y ^t tempted Christ in y ^e desert or wilderness. I was excedīg glad, & rejoiced beyond all measure, y ^t I had found y ^t in picture, which I could never find afore in scripture: I mean, that the devil was the first author, inuentor, and finder, out of the cowl and Monkishe habit: of whom afterward I think verily, the other Monks and Friars borrowed their cowls and disgysed apparel set forth in diverse colors, some white, some black, some graye, some russet, some blue, some blouncket &c. or elles peradventure they received and took the same as left unto them for inheritance from the devil their father. Cornelius Agrippa de incertitudine & vanitate scientiarum.

Of Temples or Churches.

POpe Sylvester bearing rule, Constantine the Emperor built diverse Churches for the Christians, & gave other liberty so to do, to the end, that so many as profess Christ, might openly and without any fear come together to pray & praise God, to hear the reading and Preachyng of the holy Scriptures, to receive the blessed Sacraments, and to occupy themselves in such Godly and virtuous exercises, as God requireth of them in his Sacred word. For unto that time the Christians were so extremelye persecuted of tyrants, that they had no certain publyque place to repare unto, but so many as professed Christ assembled themselves together priuatelye, and praised God in hollowe caves and dens for the fear of the unfaithful, as Laurentius Valla saith in his book de donatione Constantini. In times paste, saith he, before the days of Constantyne the great, the Christians had no Temples, but secrete and close places: holy little houses, but no great and gorgeous buyldynges: Chappelles, no Temples: Oratoryes within private walls, no publyque and open Churches. In the year of our Lord. 315. Ranulphus. Cestrensis▪ Valla. Westmerus.

Pope Iginius ordained, that the Temples or Churches should be hallowed withal solemnitye, and that no Church should be hallowed without a Mass: again, that Churches should be made neither greater nor smaller without the consent of the Metropolitan. In the year of our Lord. 143. De Consecr. Dist. 1. Cap. Omnes Basiliae. Eusebius. Sabell. Phil. Bergom. &c.

An admonition to the Reader.

H Ere must I warn thee (moste gentle Reader) of the crafty iuglynges of the Papists, which whē they have once invented of their idle brain without the authority of God's word a balde and lousye ceremony, or a wicked and a superstitious law, straightways father the same upon some Godly ancient and learned Bishop, that by this means it may be of the more force and of the greater authority with men, and the more easlye disceane the people. Of this their practice here haste thou an evident example. They set forth in their deuilyshe decrees & wicked writings, that this holy Bishop Iginius commanded the halowyng of Churches, when many years after as thou hast tofore▪ heard, the Christians had no Churches, but secretly assembled themselves together in corners, in private houses, in dēnes & caves of the ground, being nowhere safe and sure from the cruelty of the tyraunts, which thyrsted no less for the blood of the Christians, than the pantyng and thyrsty heart desireth the water brokes. How could they halowe, that they had not? Except the Papists will make every cave and den in the ground the Church, which were much against their worship. Agayne, where there is mention made in this decree, that there must be a Mass at the halowyng of a Church, who knoweth not, that the very name of the Mass was unknown many hundred years after to the faithful congregation of Christ, so far is it of that the Mass it self was in use among them, which is but a late and an yesterday byrde, hatched and brought forth of many Popes, yea and that not at one time or in one year, but in many and sundry years. Of this I thought good to warn thee, good reader. Notwithstāding be it true, or be it false. I will truly and faithfully recite and bring forth unto thee, whatsoever I shall find in their histories concerning their tryflyng trumperye: use thy judgment, and know the Papists to be enemies to the truth.

Pope Felix the third made a decree, y ^e Bishops only should halow churches, and that every city, town, or village should yearly keep holy forever after, that day whereon the Church was hallowed. In the year, &c. 486. Plat. Pol. Chron. Pantaleon.

Pope Innocent the first decreed, that a Church once hallowed, should be hallowed no more. In the year, &c. 408. Dist. 68. Cap. Ecclesiis semel. Ioānes Stella.

Pope Boniface the fifth made a law, that whatsoever giltye person fled into sanctuary, that is to say, into the Church or churchyard, for succoure: the same party should not be drawn out again, but suffered there quietly to remain. In the year, &c. 617. Sigeb, Sabell▪ Volat. Plat. &c.

Pope Martin the first made a decree, that Churches should be galantly decked, trimmed and dressed upon the holy days and solemn feasts. In the year of our Lord. 643. Pol. Pantal.

Pope Linus made a law, that no woman should come into the Church, except her face wer covered w ^t a veil or kerchiefe. In the year of our Lord. 70. Chronica Chronicarum. Volat. Fasciculus. Tempo. D. Barns.

Pope Eugenius the fourth bearing rule, a Council was kept at Basille, in the which it was decreed, that such as walk up and down in the Church at service time, should be punished. In the year of our Lord. 1430. Plat. Volat. Lib. Council.

Of Churchyardes.

P Ope Calixte the first ordained first of all the Churchyards, & the halowing of the same. In the year of our Lord. 222 Sabell. Plat. Christ. Massae. Pantal.

Pope Dionyse devised to devide the parishes with their Churches & Churchyardes, and commanded that every Bishop should be content with the limites of his own diocese: & every Priest with the bounds of his own parish. In the year of our Lord. 266. Fascicu. Temp, Volat. Pol. Lib. Council.

Of Churchgoodes.

POpe Iginius appointed, that no Church stuff should be put to profane uses. In the year of our Lord. 261 Volat. Phil. Bergom

Pope Stephen the first made a decree, that those which take away the goods of the Church, should be condemned as menslayers. In the year of our Lord 261. Chron. Lib. Council.

Pope Eusebius ordained, that such as take away anything appertaining unto the Church, they should restore ten times as much again. In the year of our Lord. 309. Chron. Germ.

Pope John the fourth made a decree, that if any invaded or toke away the goods of the Church, he should restore four times as much again. In the year of our Lord. 635. John. Stella. Plat. Chron.

Pope Paul the seconde ordained, that they that did alienate or withdraw any thing from the Church, should be excommunicated. In the year, &c. 1404. Sabell. Chron.

Pope Gregory the fourth instituted, that every Church should have their proper possessions, whereof the Priest may live, least y ^t they taking thought for their living, should be compelled to leave their duty undone. In y ^e yere &c. 846. Plat. D. Barns.

Pope Urban the first, granted, that lands, goods and temporal possessions should on this condition be givē to the Church, that nothing should be private to any man, but that all things should be common among the Priests, so that none of them should want, but everyone have, whatsoever his necessity requireth. In the year. &c. 222. Anselmus. Rid. Volat. Chro. Plat.

Of the Ornamētes of the Church.

POpe Pius the first brought y ^e font into the Church▪ In the year. &c. 147. Plat. Sabel. Chron.

Pope Boniface the seconde ordained the particion between the chauncell and the Church, which we now commonly call the Roodeloft, and commanded that the people should hear the divine service, as they term it, in a several place from the clergy. In the year, &c. 529. Albert. Crantz. Plat • . John. Laziardus. D. Barns. Pantal.

Pope Sabiniane commanded, that Lamps should be kept continually burning in the Church. In the yere, &c. 603. Platina. Albertus. Crantz. D. Barns. Pantaleon.

Pope Innocent the third bearing rule, Eustace ▪ Abbot of Flare came out of Normandye into England, and among his other devises he caused that light should brenne alway in the Churches before the little God's body. Ranulph. Cest.

Pope Zacharye devised oil for the Lamps in the Churches. In the yere, &c. 752. Plat. Pantal.

Pope Gregory the first brought into y ^e church, tapers, torches, candles, &c. In the year, &c. 590. Volat. Pantal.

Pope Sabiniane decreed first that the people should be assembled and come together to hear their divine service at certain hours of the day by ryngging of bells. In the year, &c. 603. Plat. Durand. D. Barns. Pantal.

Pope John the .xxii. ordained, that bells should be tolled every day thryce in the evening, and that then every mā should straight ways knele down, & say thrice the Ave Maria in the worship of our Lady. In the yere, &c. 1309. Chron. Johannes. Stella.

Pope Calixt the third also made a decree, y ^t every day at, xii. of the clock y ^e sexten or parish clerk should toll noon and y ^t so many as hear y ^e bells, straight ways should say an Ave Maria in the honor of our blessed Lady. In the year of our Lord. 1455. Phil. Bergom.

Durand saith, that bells be of such virtue, that when they be roung, they stir men to devotion, they preserve the fruits of the earth, they keep both the minds and the bodies of the faithful from all danger, they put to flight the hosts of our enemies, & dispatche all the suttelties of our evil willers they cause the boisterous hail, y ^e sharp •• ormes, the violent tempests, the terrible thundringes, the fearful lyghtnings, and fierce winds to cease, they drive away also all wicked spirits and devils. Ration. di. off.

Pope Vitalian brought in Organs to make the people merye. In the year of our Lord. 653. Chronic. Volat. Platina. &c.

Pope Sixtus the seconde ordained first of all, that the Supper of the Lord should be celebrated at an altare: which before was not the use. For the holy mysteries of the Lord's body and blood until that time was ministered upon a table according to the practice of Christ, of his Apostles, and of y ^e primative Church. And here may all men see, from whence the popish altares come, for the which the stubborn, sturdye stout papists do so stoutly strive Aboute the year of our Lord, (if stories be true) two hundred three score and five, came in the altares first into the Church. Other affirm, that they came in about the year of our lord, 294 • But I believe that altares came not in the Church before the year of our Lord. 590. When the popish, peuyshe, private Masses began first to creep in▪ Volat. Durand. Fasci • . Temp. Mas. Pet. Aequillinus. Johannes. Stella.

Pope Felix the first instituted the halowing of altares, commanding y ^t no Mass should be song upon any altare, til it be hallowed. In the year, &c. 272. Sabell. Pantal.

Pope Hormisda decreed, y ^t no altares should be set without the consent and special license of the Metropolitan or of the Bishop of the diocese. In the yere of our Lord. 514. Chron. John. Stella. D, Barns.

Pope Boniface the third appointed white linen clothes to be laid upon the altares. In the yere, &c. 605. Pol.

Pope Sixtus the first ordained, that the corporasse clothe, which the priest useth at his mass, should be made of fine white linen cloth, In the yere, &c. 129. Plat. Sabell. Grat. D, Barns. Pantal.

The same Pope also ordained, that lay men, but specially lay women, should not once touche the ornaments of the Church, as copes, vestments, altare clothes, &c, nor the hallowed vessel, as Chalice, Pixe, Cross, Chrismatorye, Sensers, Candlesticks, &c. Plat. Sabell.

Pope Stephen the first made a decree, y ^t a priest in his divine service, should use none other but hallowed garments In the year, &c. 261. Sabell.

Pope Adriane the first being bishop of Rome, there was a synod or council holden at Franckforde, in y ^• which it was decreed, that whosoever doth any service in the Church, he should wear a surples upon his back in service time, and no man to go in his common apparel without a surples, no, not so much as the sexten or Belringer. In the year of our Lord. 796. Christ. Massaeus.

Pope Sylvester the first commanded, that the priest at his mass should wear no silk, nor any coloured clothing, but a white linen Albe only. For Christ, saith he, was buried in a fine white linen cloth. In the year, &c 315. Grat. Plat. John. Stella. D. Barns.

Pope Zepherinus commanded, chalices of glass to be used in the ministration of the Lord's Supper. In the yere, &c. 208. For before that time the sacrament of the holy sign of Christ's blood was ministered in cups made of wood, according to y ^e use of Christ of his apostles, & of y ^e primative church Petrus de nat. Plat. Math. Pal. Pantal.

Pope Urban the first ordained afterward, that the chalices should be made either of silver, or of gold, or of tin In the year of our Lord .222. Platina. Grat. Pol. Bergom.

The saying of Bishop Boniface concerning chalices and bishops, is very notable, and answereth justly to our time. Olim, inquit: Episcopy aurei lignei • vtebantur calicibus: nunc vero lignei Episcopy calicibus vtuntur aureis. In times paste, saith he: Golden bishops used wooden chalices, but now wooden bishops use golden chalices.

Pope Leo the second devised y ^t Paxe, In the year of our Lord. 676. Platina. Pasc. Temp.

Pope Innocent y ^e third invented pixes and boxes for the reservation of the sacramental bread. In the yere, &c. 1195. Paul. Volat. Phi. Pol. Pantal.

Pope Agapetus the first commanded the people to go on procession, on y ^e Sondayes, & to follow the cross. In the yere, &c. 533. Plat. Pal. D. Barns.

Pope Gregory the first brought in banners into the church. Thys was that Gregory, which sent Agustine the Monk into England to preach to the englyshe nation the faith and doctrine of the bishop of Rome with all his superstitious traditions, counterfayte religions, and such other wicked abominations. Thys Monkyshe Agustine with, xl. Monks moe, when they arrived and came on lande in the easte side of Kent in y ^e Island of Thanet, entered in with a cross, & with banners displayed having a crucifix painted upon everyone of them, singing the Letanye with orate pro nobis to all angels, Archangels, Patriarchs, Prophets, priests, Apostles, Martyrs. Confessors, Uirgins, Monks, Nuns, Heremites, and finally to all he saints and she Saints, y ^t they might have good luck and well to fare in setting forth their Romish religion. Which swarm of monks, when they had once thorough their hipocrisy and flattering, obtained of y ^e Kyng to inhabit at Canterbury, went joyfully forth on their journey, having their crucifi • e cross and banners borne before them, and singing Alleluia with a lustye courage and merye voice until they came to y ^e city, where they practiced all kind of superstition, as beads bidding, popish fasting, wiuelesse living, long laten Matins and Masses singing, Saints relics boastyng, &c. In the year of our Lord. 590. Chron. Ranulphus. Cestrens.

Pope Fabiane the first devised the Chrismatories. In the year, &c. 242. Plat. Volat. D. Barns.

Pope Leo the third brought in the sensers. In the year, &c. 817. Pol. Doct. Barns. Pantal.

Pope Alexander the first (as they fain) invented the holy water with the holy water buckets and sprinckels In the year, &c. 119. Libro. Council. Grat. Pol. Plat. Sabel.

Pope Sylvester the first with y ^e oil brought in also the oil pots. In the year, &c. 315. Sabell. Plat. Pantal.

Pope John the eyght made a decree, that if any man did take away any thing once appointed and dedicated to y ^e service of god either out of an holy or unholy place, y ^e same man should be counted gilty of sacrilege. In the year of our Lord. &c. 887. Quest. 17. cap. 4. Siquis. John. Laziard.

Of Images to be had in Churches.

PAulinus Bishop of Nola, as some write, was one of the first promoters & chief proctors to have Images in Churches. In the year, &c. CCCCL. Pantal in Chronogra.

Pope Gregory the first ordained, that Images should be had in Churches for to be lay men's books, but by no means to be worshipped, nor kneled unto. In the year of our Lord. 590. Greg. Lib. 9. Epist. 9. Chron.

Pope Gregory the second confirmed the having of Images in churches and did not only excommunicate the Emperor for abolishing of images, but he also most traitorously stirred up his subjects to rebel against him. In the year. &c. 729. Blondus. Chron.

Pope Constantine gathered a council at Rome against Phillip y ^e Emperor, wherein he condemned the Emperor for destroying Images, and made a decree for the establyshement of them in churches. In the yere. &c. 769. Plat. Pol.

Pope Gregory the third made a law y ^t Images should not only be had, in churches, as lay mens books, but y ^t they also should be worshipped and had in greater reverence, than ever they were before, & that whosoever were of a contrary opinion, he should be condemned for an heretic. In the year. &c. 740. Sigis. Blond. Plat. Sabel.

Here may all men learn to judge with what spirit these Romish Bishops are led, which notwithstanding call them selves moste holy fathers, Christ's vicares in earth, Peters successors, holy Church, the spouse of Christ, that pillare of truth, which cannot err. Pope Gregory the first (as you heard) admitted Images into Churches as lay men's Calenders or books, but by no means to be worshipped. Which also is more than can be proved lawful by the word of God. Notwithstandynge now cometh this most holy father Pope Gregory the third, and he appointeth Images not only to be in Churches, as lay men's books, but also to be worshipped, that is to say, to kneel unto thē, to sense them, to garnish thē with costly vestures, to set up candles before thē to go pilgrimage unto thē to pray before them and to give thē such honor as by no means is due either to stock or stone. The words of Pope Gregory the first are these, concerning y ^t not worshipping of images, writ̄ in a certain epistle unto Serenus Bishop of Massilia, which did not only take away Images out of the churches, whē he see the people worship thē, but he also brake thē all on pieces, & brēt thē. It was saith he, declared unto us, that thou beholdīg certain worshippers of images, diddest break & also cast away the same images out of the church. Verily we comēd thy zeal that thou wouldest have no man to worship that is made with hands, but yet we think (Note good reader, y ^t this Pope doth not plainly affirm by the authority of God's word, y ^t images ought not to be destroyed, but only bringeth forth his own thinking.) we think saith he, that thou oughtest not to have broken those images. For the pycture unto this ende is set up in the churches that such as be unlearned, should at the least by seeing and beholding those Images, read on the walls, that they are not able to rede on books, &c. Lib. 7. Epist. 109.

Both Epiphanius and S. Agustine, numbereth among heretics a certain woman called Marcella which worshipped the images of Jesus, of Paul, &c. and offered incense unto them. Here doth Pope Gregory the first with the consent of Epiphanius and S. Agustine, condemn the judgment of Pope Gregory the third concerning the worshipping of Images. Where is now the spirit of unity become, whereof these holy Fathers brag so greatly?

Pope Stephen the third decreed, that Images should not only be had in Churches, but that they also should be senced. In the year of our Lord. 772. Sigeb. Plat. Vo • at.

Pope Leo, the third, Pope John the seventh, Pope Adrian, the first with other, made also decrees for y ^e establishment of Images in Churches, as witness Sabel, Paulus Aemilius. Sigeb. Plat. Volat. Fasci. Temp.

Pope Paul the first bearing rule, Pipine king of France caused a Council to be assembled and called together, concerning the having and worshipping of Images, where many learned men were present: among whom there was great contencion: some according to the Popes former decrees defendynge both the having and worshiping of Images: some after y ^e doctrine of gods word utterly condemning both the having and worshipping of Images, affirming that it is directly against the word of God in the Temples of the Christians to set up Images which should be nothing else, than stumblyng blocks unto the rude and simple people, and great provocations unto Idolatry, Notwithstandyng the Papists and superstitious Hipocrites did bear such a route and rule in that Sinode that the matter was concluded on their side, so that from henceforth it should be lawful both to have & to worship Images not only of Christ, but also of all saints in Churches or else where, although the express word of God & the examples of the primative Church, & the judgment of diverse godly & learned men teach the contrary, Ioā. Laziard.

A certain wicked woman Empress • of Greece called Iraene, at the request of Pope Theodorus gathered together at the City Nice a swarm of Bishops to the number, as they write, of CCCL. In the which Council was also decreed, that Images should be had in Churches. In though year of our Lord. 695. Blondus. Plat. Eutropius. Polid. Pantaleon. &c.

But this decree • lasted not longe. For the Emperor Constantine the sixth her son, seeing the great abomination that came by Images, so sone as he came to rule, brake that decree, and made a straight law against the • auynge of Images in places where Christian men come together to pray. But the wicked woman his Mother afterward thorough the crafty council of the bloo • dy: Papists found the means to apprehend her son, to depryue him of his Empire, to put out his eyes, and to cast him into prisoon, where he most miserably died. Oh unnatural Mother: yea, O unnatural monsture, Afterwarde this dounghel of Idolatry and superstition set up again her Idols and mahomets. But when Nicephorus came to the Empire he did not only put her down, caste her into prison, where she by the ryghtuous judgment of God most vilesy died according to this saying of our Sauioure Christ, With what measure ye met unto other, with the same shall it be met to you again: but he also destroyed all her poppets, suffering no images to remain in the temples: which order all the Emperors of Greece observed ever after, as histories make mention except one, Theodorus Lascaris, which at a certain council holden at Lugdune, agreed to the Bishop of Rome in admittyng Images. But his subjects therefore depryued him both of his Empire and dignity. Barthol. Westmerus.

Certain godly Ciuile laws against the having of Images in Churches, with the advise, consent, and judgment of diverse godly learned men.

L Eo the third, Emperor of Grece assembled together at Bizance three hundred & thirty godly learned Bishops, which with one consent agreeable to the word of God, decreed with the assent of the Emperor and of the nobility, that all Images should be takē out of churches, and burnt openly. Moreover the Emperor himself at Constantinople threw out of the temples all the Images of Angels, Martyrs, virgins, saints, yea, and of Christ, and burnt, them in the opē market & made a law, that, whosoever resisted his procedinges in this behalf, he should suffer death. In the year of our Lord. 784 Blondus. Eutropius. Platin. Matth. Palme • us. &c.

Constantine the Emperor kept a council at Constantinople, in the which were present a great number of godly Bishops, and other learned men: where it was likewise decreed, that Images should be cast out of Churches, and by no means be suffered in such places, as christen men resort unto for to pray unto their Lord God. In the yere, &c. 739, Sigesb. P. Aemilus. Pantal.

The noble and Godly Emperors Valens and Theodosius made a law, that no man should make or cause to be made any Image of our Sauioure Christ, neither by paynting, nor by grauyng, nor yet by any other way, but that wheresoever any such Image should be found, it should utterly be taken away and destroyed. And whosoever would attempt to do contrary to this their act, they appointed certain grievous punyshementes to be executed upon the transgressoures and breakers thereof, as a law grounded both upon the word of God, and upon the decrees and constitutions of the most worthy ancient Emperors and reverend bishops. Petrus Crinitus. Lib. 9. de honestae disciplina.

Sabanus King of y ^e Bulgarians made also the like law in his Realm for y ^e abolyshmente of Images out of the Churches. In the year of our Lord. 765. Sabell, Mass. Pantal.

Philip y ^e Emperor likewise made a straight law for the abolishyng of Images. In the year of our Lord. 730. Sabel. Paulus Diaconus.

The noble Emperor Adrian commanded, y ^t there should be no Images set up in temples or Churches. John. Laziardus.

Calcobertus King of England destroyed in his Realm when he received the faith of Christ, all the Idols, poppettes, Maumettes and Images that he found or could come by. In the year of our Lord. 640. John. Laziard▪ Vincentius.

Pope Gregory the first after that he was appointed Bishop of Rome, commanded, that all the Idolles and Images of the Heathen should utterly be defaced, their heads cut of, and their other members in all points mangled and disgraced, and so in fine destroyed, that no occasion of Idolatry might afterward be given. In the year of our Lord. 590. John. Laziard. Chronica.

Pope Constantine the second, whom the seditious, tirannicall and superstitious papists did afterward violently depose, cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a vile and stinking prison, and most unmercifully put out his eyes, commanded that no Christian should worship any Image either of God or of any Saint, or invocate or call upon the Virgin Mary, or any other saint in heaven with their prayers, but worship God in spirit and truth, and call vpō his glorious name thorough Jesus Christ our alone Mediator, Advocate and Intercessoure. In the yere, &c. 769. John. Laziard.

The Council Agathense made a decree, that there should be no pictures in Churches, and that no thing should be painted on the walls of Churches, that is honored and worshipped. In the year of our Lord. 440. Libro. Council. Durand.

The Council Toletane the twelfth holden in Spain, made constitutions both against Images and against the worshippers of images. In the yere, &c. 712. Chron. Council.

The Council Elibertine likewise holden in Spain decreed, that all pictures should be had out of churches, and that nothing that is honored or worshipped should be painted on the church walls. In the year, &c. 345. Isidorus. Tom. 1. Council.

The holy Bishop Epiphanius coming into a church to pray, saw a veil there hanging, wherein was painted y ^e image of Christ, or of some saint. So sone as he saw it, he cut y ^e Image away, and said, that it is contrary to the authority of the holy scriptures, to have the Image of any man in the Church of Christ. In the yere of our Lord. 565. S. Hieronymus. Chron.

Of Baptism.

POpe Victor the first commanded, that baptism should be ministered to all men indifferently at Easter. Notwithstandyng if any desired (necessity so requiring) to be baptized at other times: he ordained, that they might lawfully be baptized in all places and at all times, yea and that with any kind of natural water, hallowed or vnhalowed either by a Layman or by a Laywoman. In the year of our Lord. 198. Grat, Fascic. Temp. Lib. Council. Poli. D. Barns.

Pope Gelasi • s ordained, that Baptism should be openly ministered at Easter and at Witsontyde, yea & that freely. In the year. &c. 494. Isidor Grat.

Aboute that time also there was a Council holden in Spain, where it was enacted, that young infantes (if need were) might be baptized on the same day that they were borne. Isidor in Council. Pantal.

Pope Leo the seconde decreed, that Baptism might be ministered every day: where as in the primative Church as it appeareth by ancient writers, the Sacrament of baptism was not commonly ministered, but at two times in the year, that is to say, at Easter and Witsontyde: at which times it was solemnly and with great reverence ministered in the presence of all the congregation. In the year of our Lord. 676. Lib. Council. Volat. Pol. Ch • on.

Pope Gregory the first made a decree, that Monks should not baptize, nor be Godfathers to children at their baptism. In the yere of our Lord▪ 590 Sabell. Pantal. D. Barns.

This decree did Pope Eugenius the third renew. In the year of our Lord. 1147. Lib. Council. Chron.

The aforesaid Gregory also ordained, that Numnes by no means should be Godmothers to children either at Baptism or at Confirmation. Chron. John. Stella.

Pope Calixte the seconde pronounced all such excommunicated, as toke money either for baptisyng or for burying. In the year of our Lord. 1120. John. Tilio. Volat. Pantal.

Pope Nicolas the first ordained, that the sacrament of baptism should stand in effect, although it were ministered of a Pagan and Infidel. In the year of our Lord. 871. Achilles. Dist. 4. De consecratione.

The same Pope made a decree, that baptism should not be twyce ministered to one person. John. Philip. Bergom.

Pope Iginius decreed, that children, which were to be Christened▪ should have a Godfather and Godmother for to be witnesses that they were baptized. In the year. &c. 143. Lib. Council▪ Sabell. Polidor, D. Barns.

Pope Leo the third appointed, that when the child is either christened or bishoped, he should have but one Godfather, be it a man child or a woman child. In the year of our Lord. 817. De consec. Dist. 4. Capi. Non plures. Guil. Durand. John. Stella▪ Phil▪ Bergom.

Pope Theodore the first made a decree, that no father should be Godfather to his own son or daughter: nor no mother Godmother to her own son or daughter. In the year of our Lord. 936. Johannes Laziardus.

Item, he ordained, that if any man were Godfather to another man's daughter, his son might not afterward take her to wife. 30. Quest. 1. Cap. Non Oportet.

Pope Urban the seconde made a decree, that a man and his wife may not be Godfather and Godmother to one child at Baptism. 186.30. Quest. 4. Cap. Quod autem.

Pope Alexander the third ordained, that when it is doubtefull, whether the child be baptized or not, he should be baptized on this manner: If thou be baptized, I baptize thee not again, but if thou be not baptized, I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. Amen. In the yere of our Lord 1161. Guilihelmus. Durand.

Pope Leo, Pope Damasus, and Saint Ambrose brought in the exorcisms & coniurations, the benedictions & blessings, with the other solemn ceremonies. Guil. Durand.

Pope Celestine made a decree, that neither young children, nor any other of what age soever they be, shall be christened, before y ^e priests thorough their coniurations, breathings, spittyngs & saltings do drive the devil out of thē. In the year, &c. 428. Chron. Germ. Dist. 4. de Cons.

Pope Clement the first put oil and cream to the baptism, and commanded, that all y ^t shall be baptized, should be annointed therewith, & crossed in y ^e forehead. In the yere, &c. 92. Chron. Lib. Council. Johannes. Laziardus.

Pope Sylvester the first also ordained, that all y ^t were baptized, should be annointed with oil & cream. In the year, &c. 315. Plat. Volat. Sabell.

In the Council Braccarense, it was ordained, that there should be no money paid for oil and cream▪ wherewith y ^e infantes be annointed in their baptism. Lib. Council,

In the Council holden at Chartage, it was decreed, y ^t a woman although never so well learned, may not presume to baptize, except necessity compelleth. Council. Durand.

In the council Ilerdense, it was ordained, that every priest that cannot have a fonte of stone, may have any other convenient vessel meet for that purpose. Provided alway, that it be never after carried out of the church Guili. Durand.

Of the Lord's Supper, commonly called of the papists, The sacrament of the altare.

POpe Alexander the first commanded, that only vnleuended bread should be used at the Lord's supper. In the year, &c. 119. Lib, Council. Grat. Plat. Sabell.

Before that time the bread appointed for the Lord's Supper was indifferent, whether it wer leuended or vnleuended. Notwithstanding the Greeks from the Apostles time unto this day have ever used leuended bread in the ministration of the Lord's Supper, as they use also wine only in their cup, where as such as be under the Pope customably mingle water w ^t the wine according to Pope Alexanders decree.

Pope Nicolas the seconde decreed, y ^t the bread and the wine, which are set upon the altare, are not only after the conseeration, the sacraments of y ^e body and blood of Christ, but they ar also the very self same body and blood of our Lord & savior Jesus Christ, y ^t was borne of Mary the Virgin, so that the very body of Christ is there truly and unfeignedly handled of the priests hands, broken and torn on pieces with y ^e teeth of y ^e faithful. In the yere, &c. 1961. De consecrate. Dist. 2. Ego. Berengarius.

Pope Innocent the third assembled at Rome in the council Lateran a wonderful swarm of spiritual smeared shorelinges to the number of .xii. hundred and odd, whereof .viii. hundred at the least wer monks, fryers, chanons, and such other monkyshe monstures, which with one consent for y ^e maintenance of their beastly idleness & idle beastliness, devised & confyrmed y ^e doctrine of transubstātiatiō, making it an article of our faith to believe in pain of damnation, that after the priest hath whispered over y ^e bread & wine a few latin words, as Hoc est enim corpus meum. Hic est enim sanguis meus &c : the bread is turned into the natural body of Christ, flesh, blood & bone, sinowes, guts & loins, even as he was borne of Mary the Virgin, and hanged on y ^e cross. Agayne the wine is turned into y ^e very natural blood of Christ, which he received of Mary the Virgin, as it was shed for our redemption on the cross, no substance of bread and wine remaining, but the very substance of bread & wine turned unto the natural substance of the body & blood of Christ, only y ^e accidentss of bread & wine remaining, this monsture of transubstantiation was hatched and brought forth by Antichrist and his chaplaynes. In the year, &c. 1215. Decret. de summa trinitate, Cap. Firmiter.

But as this doctrine of transubstantiation was unknown to the Church of Christ before y ^e wicked and unlawful assembly of y ^e venomous dragon pope Innocent & his pestilent papists: even so likewise from y ^e beginning, unto this day would y ^e church of the Greeks never receive it, but always have abhorred it as a new & strange, yea, a deuelysh and damnable tradition of Antichrist, as they in like manner would never admit that wicked & exe • rabble traditiō of receiving the sacrament of Christ's body and blood under one kind contrary to the institution of Christ, nor the damnable and deuelyshe decree of the single life of priests, although that Romish Antichrist with the Satanical Sectaryes have sought all means possible to bring it to pass.

Pope Honorius the third did not only command, y ^t the sacrament of the altare (as the papists term it) should be worshipped and kneled unto of the people, but also that it should be borne unto the sick after a most comely sort with all reverence and honor, yea and that with candlelight also, though it be at hye noon days. In the yere, &c. 1214. D. 3, Tit. 1. Cap. 10. Lib. Council. Pant.

Pope Innocent the third ordained, that the sacrament of the altare should be kept in y ^e churches continually under lock and key, to the intent to be in a redinesse at all times, least, saith he, thei that are sick, should want y ^e spiritual comfort in y ^e troublesome time of death. In the yere, &c. Lib. Council. Chron. Pant. But in y ^e primative church there was no such reservation and keeping of the sacramental bread either for the sick or for the hole, as it is at this present. For in the Apostles time and many years after, if any bread remained of the communion, it was not reserved & hanged up in the Pixe to be worshipped, as the use is among the papists, brought in by the devil and Antichrist, but it was given to the poor people to eat. And in the time of Hesichius & of Origen (as their commentaries upon Leviticus do testify) the bread that remained after the communion, was brent to ashes. And Clement Pope of Rome made a decree, that if any of the sacramental bread remained, after the Lord's Supper was once done, the clerks should not reserve it to be hanged up and worshipped, but consume and eat it. The old custom was this saith Euagrius in his ecclesiastical history, that when much of the holy partes of the undefiled body of Christ our God did remain, that the young children, which were wont to go to school, should be called to eat them, And Saint Jerome witnesseth also in his commentarye upon Sainte Paul's Epistle to the Corinthians, that after the communion, whatsoever they left, saith he, of the sacrifices (he meaneth the sacramental bread and wine) they consumed it there together in the Church, eating their common Supper.

Pope Julius the first appointed, that the Sacrament of the altare should not be ministered with milk. In the year of our Lord .338. Guili. Durand. Notwithstanding we read, that in the time of Pope Innocent the eyghte, it was suffered, that the priests of Norduegia might sing Mass with water for lack of wine. In the year, &c. 1484 Math. Palmer. Pantal.

Pope Innocent the third bearing rule it was ordained in the council Lateran y ^t whensoever the Sacrament of the altare is carried about, there should be borne before it a bel ringing with a light to cause the people to knele down and worship it. In the year, &c. 1195. Jacobus de visaco.

In the council Arelatense it was decreed, y ^t if any priest were negligent in keeping the body of Christ, so y ^t either mouse or any other beast did eat it, y ^t priest for his offense should do penance fortye days. Dist. 3. De. consecrate.

In the council Remense it was enacted, y ^t whereas afore the manner was for the priests oftentimes to deliver y ^e sacrament of Christ's body and blood to Laymen and to Laywomen, yea to childrē for to bear it unto the sick: the priests from thenceforth should no more so do, but bear it themselves unto them, saying, that it is an horrible and detestable thing for such to carry the holy body of the Lord to y ^e sick: which are forbidden to come into the Chauncel, or to approach nye unto the altare. De consec. Dist. 2.

In a certain council holden at Rotomage, it was decreed, y ^t the sacrament should be given from henceforth neither to Laymen, nor to Laywomen in their hands anymore, but y ^t the priest should put it in their mouths, contrary to the use and practice of the primative church and many hundred years after. Lib. Council.

Pope Boniface the second made a decree, that at the ministration of the Lord's Supper the people & the Clergy should be present, not to be gasers, but partakers of those holy mysteries. In the year. &c. 529. John. Stella.

Pope Anacletus decreed, y ^t a priest, whensoever he doth communicate, shall have two at the least to be partakers with him: and that such as be present, and will not communicate shall as ungodly persons be excommunicate, and put out of the cōgregatiō. In the year &c. 101. Grat. Plat. Phil. Bergom.

In the c • ūsell Antiochen it was like wise agreed, that such as were in the Church, and present at the common prayers, & heard the preaching of gods word, and yet refused to receive the Lord's Sacrament, they should be taken for none of the number of the true Christians. Lib. Council.

Pope Zepherinus appointed, that all that profess christ, or bear the names of Christians, being of the age of twelve or thirtene years or upward, should at the least once in the yere (as at Easter) receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. In the year. &c. 208. Plat. Sabell. Volat. Laziard. &c.

Pope Fabiane commanded, that every Christian should receive the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood thrice in the year, that is to say, at Easter, at Witsontide, and at Christmas. In the yere of our lord .242. Eusebius, Plat. Sabell. Volat. John. Stella. Pantaleon.

In the Council Agathense it was decreed, that those seculare men, which did not receive the Communion at Christmas, Easter and Witsontide, should not be taken for true Catholics. Lib. Council.

There is a decree, as Guilihelmus Durand writeth, that such as ought to receive the Sacrament at Easter, must abstain ab amplexibus, that is to say, from giving their wives the due benevolence, as Saint Paul calleth it, three days afore, and three, or five, or vii, days after, as though the act of Matrimonye were unclean, when notwithstanding the holy Apostle calleth Wedlocke honorable, and the bed undefiled. Rationale di. off.

Of receiving the Sacrament under both kinds according to Christ's Institution.

POpe Gelasius ordained, that all Christians, be they spiritual or temporal, as they term them, should receive the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ in both kinds according to Christ's institution: and that if any would not so receive it, the same should abstain from the whole. In the year of our Lord .494. dist. 2. de consecrate. cap. Comperimus.

Pope Julius the first also commanded, that the people should receive the mysteries of Christ's body and blood according to Christ's institution, both the bread and the cup, one several from the other, as the Apostle saith: let a man examine himself and so eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. In the year of our Lord .338. de consecrate. dist. 2. cap. Cum omne.

In a certain council holden at Basil, it was concluded, that according to Christ's institution the lay people also should receive the Sacrament in both kinds. And this decree was not only established by the authority of the emperor Sigismund, and the consent of the other noble and learned men, which were there present, but it was also confirmed, approved, and allowed by Pope Eugenius the fourth. In the year. &c 1430. Lib. Council. Chron.

Not only in the primative church, but also in the time of S. Cipriane. s. Jerome. S. Ambrose. S. Agustine. S, John Chrisost. &c. and many hundred years after, the lay people received the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood under both kinds, as they likewise had the Sacramētal bread given thē in theyre hands and not put in theyre mouths, as the Papists use in these our days. Are not these the words of saint Ambrose unto the Emperor Theodosius, when he would have received the Sacrament, coming blustering and blowyng from shedding innocent blood? O Emperor, saith he, howe shalt thou with such hands take the holy body of the Lord? With what foolish hardiness shalt thou receive in thy mouth the cup of the precious blood, seeing that thorough the madness of thy words so much blood is wrongfully shed? Seven thousand men, saith the history, were slain at the commandment of the Emperor. Tripar. hist. Lib. 9. cap. 30 That this Emperor Theodosius was a lay man, the Papists themselves will confess I doubt not. Here then learn we two notable things, one is that in the time off. Ambrose, the lay people according to Christ's institution, received y ^t Sacrament under both kinds The second is, that the lay people also had the Sacramental bread given thē into their hand of the ministers, and not thrust into theyre mouths, as the massyng Papists use at this day but this godly plant of Christ, hath that wild bore of Rome with his Antichristiane and filthy pigges • oted up, subverted and destroyed. Take eat, saith Christ Drink ye all of this, saith he. Matth. 26. Mark. 14. Luke. 22. 1. Cor. 11. All saith he, and not priests only.

The cup of the mystery of Christ's blood was so freely suffered before the tyranny of the Romish bishop prevailed, that not only it was ministered to ancient people, but also to young children, as the monuments of the old writers do manifestly declare. Cipr. in serm. de lapsis.

The Greeks, the Ethiopes, and the Bohems, with diverse other nations (as histories make mention) have unto this day always observed and kept the ancient and Apostolic manner of receuing the Sacrament under both kinds according to the institution and ordinance of y ^e Lord Christ, by no means obeying the wicked decree of y ^e bishop of Rome unto the contrary.

Of receiving the Sacrament under one kind after the popes invention.

POpe Innocent the third (as some write) did first of all forbid in the council Lateran, that the lay people should receive the holy communiō of the body and blood of Christ under both kinds: about the year. &c 1215. Other affirm (which I judge to be more true) that that wicked decree of taking away the cup of the mystery of Christ's blood from the lay people contrary to Christ's institution and commandment, was first of all granted confirmed and established in a council holden at Constance, the xiii, session, where y ^e most famous clerk John Wycliffe our country man was condemned for an heretic, & the two learned men John Hus & Hieronymus de Praga were most cruelly and most unjustly murdered and brent also for heretics of the bloody Papists, notwithstanding the Emperors safeconduct, for denying the Popish article of Transubstantiation and maynteyning the receiving of the Sacrament under both kinds. In the year. &c. 1415. This is worthy to be noted, that the Papists them selves in that their devilish decree confess and grant, that Christ's institution is, that the lay people should receive the Sacrament under both kinds, and that in the primative Church all the communicātes did not only receive the mystery of christs body, but also y ^e mystery of Christ's blood, one several from the other, according to y ^e instituciō of christ And notwithstanding the premisses, they straightly charge and commaūde, that from that time forward, none of the Laytye shall receive the Sacrament, but only under the kind of bread, and that they must believe certainly and by no means doubt, that the whole body and blood of Christ is truly contained as well under the kind of bread alone as under the kind of wine also: & that therefore it is sufficient for the laytye to receive the Sacrament under one kind, and that whosoever frō that time fourth shall presume to receive the Sacrament under both kinds (except he be an holy annointed) or think of this decree otherwise than well: he shall be taken, judged, condemned and punished like an heretic according to the appointment of the ecclesiastical laws, that is to say, brent to ashes, as the good monk of Eye in Suffolk was in the days of king Henry the eight, O wolvish and bloody Antichrists. A Christian man to be murdered for obeiyng the commandment of Christ, yea, and that of them, which will be taken for the heads of Christ's church, which also ought rather to shed their own blood, than y ^t any jot or title of God's word should be left undone? O tirannye incomparable. It is not lawful either to put to or take ought frō y ^e testament of a mortal man, if it be once allowed: and shall y ^e vile donghills of the earth presume to alter & change the blessed and everlasting Testament of y ^e only begotten son of god, which he sealed with his most precious blood & delivered to his church to be inviolably kept until his return? Drink ye all of this, saith Christ, and not ye smeared shorelyngs only.

In a council holden at Basil, it was decreed, y ^t not only the lay people, but the priests also, when they themselves make not God's body, should communicate only under one kind. In the year, &c. 1437.

Of confyrmation or bishoppyng of Children.

POpe Clement the first (as the papists fain) first of all ordained the confyrmation or byshopping of children, and commanded y ^t the child being once baptized, should as sone as is possible, be bishopped. For saith he, he is no perfect christiā which not of necessity, but of negligence or of set purpose leueth this thing undone. In the yere, &c. 92. Lib. Council. Fas. Temp. Pol. Pantal.

Some attribute this decree to pope Sylvester the first, which lived in the year, &c. 315. Plat. Volat. D. Barns.

The aforesaid pope also appointed, y ^t none should consecrate the oil and cream, but bishops only, and y ^t they likewise, & none other, should confirm children. Plat. Volat.

Pope Iginius ordained, that children should have a Godfather or Godmother, when they were confyrmed and catechised. In the year, &c, 143. Johannes. Laziardus.

In the council Meldense it was ordained, y ^t bishops should be fasting, whē they confyrme children. Lib. Council. Dist 5. de consecrate.

In a council hold̄ at Aurelia, it was decreed, y ^t the sacrament as they cal it, of confirmation, should be given to such young ones as were of perfect age, as xii, or .xv. years old, & to such as were come to man's state: and y ^t all such, before they be bishopped, should be shriuē, and come fasting to their byshoppyng. Lib. Council. Guilielmus. Durand.

Of Matrimonye.

POpe Euaristus made a law, y ^t all priuye contracts of Matrimony, y ^t wer made without y ^e consent of the parents, should be of no force: and y ^t the mā & the woman should be openly married together in the church, of a priest before the congregation, or else y ^e marriage to be taken as adulterous, incestuous and abhominable. In the year, &c. 110. Lib. Council. Epist. 1. ad episc. Aphrican. Polid. D. Barns.

Pope Sother decreed, y ^t no wife should be holden lawful, except she were first blessed of a Priest. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Agayne, y ^t all marriages should be made not secretly, but openly, and with great solemnity. In the year, &c. 168. Grati. Volat. Sabell.

The same law also made Pope, Nicolas y ^e first. In the yere of our Lord. 87 • Quaest. 3. Cap. 1. Nostrates. Laziard.

Pope Hormisda likewise strayghtly commanded, that the marriage of the Christians should not be celebrated in hocker mocker, but openly in the Church of Christ before the multitude In the year, &c. 514.30. Qu. 5. Cap. Nullus fidelis. John. Stella.

Pope Martin the first ordained, y ^t the man and his wife should not lie together, before the priest had blessed thē and hallowed their bed. In the year, &c. 643. Chron.

Pope Theodorus did inhibit first of all, y ^t a man might not mary y ^e maid, to whom his father was Godfather. In the year of our Lord. 636. Sabell. Gratian.

Pope Fabian made a decree, y ^t no mā should marry any of his kyndred with in the fyfth degree, In the yere, &c. 242. Grat. Sabell. Volat. Plat.

Pope Julius the first made a law, y ^t no man should marry any of his kyndred unto the seventh degree. In the yere, &c. 338. Cau, 35. q. 3. Null. Pol. Pant.

This law was afterwards confyrmed by Gregory the first. But Pope Innocent the third disalowing the decrees both of Pope Julius and of Pope Gregory, renewed the decree of Pope Fabian, licensyng all men to marry from the fourth degree upward, as it is specifyed in a decree, that beginneth, Non debet. In the year, &c. 1215. Paul. Phrig. • olidor. Pantal.

Pope Honorius the third ordained, that if any womā wuld come, & declare before the ordinarye, y ^t her husband is not able to give her y ^e due benevolence although it be three years after they have been married, she shall be separated from her husband, In the year of our Lord. 1214. Dec. 5. Tit. 33. Cap. 28.

Pope Nicolas y ^e first decreed, that no marriage ought to be solemni • ed in the time of Lente, In the year, &c. 871. Grat. Chron.

There is also a decree made in the council Ilerdense that frō Septuagesime unto the Octaues of Easter, &, iii. wekes before the feast of S. John the Baptist, otherwise called Mydsomer: again, that from Aduente unto Twelf • yde after Christmas, marriage in no condition may be solemnised. If any presume to marry in those forbidden times, the popes law is, y ^t thei shall be separated. 3. Qu. 4. Cap, Non oportet.

Pope Gregory ordained, that y ^e man, which sleepeth or lieth with his wife, may not enter into the church, before he hath washed himself with water, & made himself clean. Caus. 33. Quaest. 4. Vir cum propria.

Of Auricular confession.

POpe Innocent the third ordained auriculare confession in the council Lateran, and commanded y ^t all men, women and children, evē so many as are of age, shall at the lease once in the year confess their sins to their own Curate. In the year, &c. 1215. Paulus. Phrig. Massae. Polid.

The aforesaid pope also made a law that if any priest did utter, disclose, or tell abroad the confession of any man, he should be thrust into a monasterye to do penance all the time of his life. De. 5. Tit. 30. Cap. 13.

Pope Gregory also made a law, that no confessor or ghostly father should bewraye any man's confession either by beck, sign, token, word or by any other means. Dist. 6. de paenitentia. Ca. Sacerdos. Ansel. Ryd.

In the Greke Church there was a certain kind of auricular confession used of such as should receive the communion, more than a thousand years paste. Before they came to the Lord's Supper, their manner was to go unto y ^e minister, to learn of him y ^e right use of that holy mystery, and how they might prepare thenselves to come worthily unto that holy and heavenly table: Again, if anything troubled their conscience, to declare it to a godly learned minister, and to ask his council and advise in redress thereof, as y ^• manner at this present is in diverse places of Germany, where the Gospel is preached. Under the cloke of this auriculare confessiō, much mischief was wrought, in so much it was proved, y ^t a certain Deacon did most shamefully abuse a noble citizens wife diverse times, when she came unto y ^e church under this pretence, evē to be confessed. Which thing when Nectarius bishop of Constantinople perceived, he utterly abrogated and put away y ^e arricular confession, leaving the communicants to their own consciences. In the year of our Lord. 395. Hist. Trip. Lib. 9. Cap. 5. P. Phrig.

Of Annoilyng, or extreme unction.

POpe Felix the fourth did institute y ^t such as were in extremes & like to die, should be annoyled. In the yere, &c. 525. Chronic. Volat. Polydor. D, Barns. Pantal.

Pope Innocent the first ordained also, that y ^e sick should be annoynted with oil, being afore consecrate of a bishop In the yere, &c. 404. Lib. Council. Petrus de natal.

Of praying for the dead.

P Ope Pelagius the first ordained first of all the funeral Exequies or Diriges with Masses of Requiem to be done for the dead. He also commanded, that the priests at their Masses should daily pray for the dead in their seconde Memento. In the yere, &c. 52. Grat. Plat. Pol.

Pope Gregory the third commanded, that oblations & sacrifices should be offered of the Priests at their Masses for y ^e dead. In the yere of our Lord. 740. Nauclerus. D. Barns.

Pope Leo appointed the Mass to be a sacrifice for the dead. In the year of our Lord. 444. Vol. Ansel. Ryd.

Pope Benet the third ordained, that the Clergy should be present at the burial of the Bishops, and sing Dirige for their souls: and that the Bishops likewise should be present at the burial of the Clergy, & sing Dirige also for their souls. In the year. &c. 861. Chron. Plat.

Pope John the .xviii. at the instant desire of Oclilo the Monk, appointed one several day in the year to pray for all Christian souls departed: which we commonly call the feast of all souls. In the year. &c. 999. Chron.

Pope Gregory the first by prayer obtained of God (as they write) that the soul of Traianus the Emperor, which many years before had been most miserably tormented in the most bitter pains of hell fire (where they say is no redemption) was delivered out of hell, & brought unto the glorious kingdom of heaven. In the year of our Lord. 590. Polichronicon.

Of divine service, as they cal it: Matins, Prime, and Houres, Evensong. &c.

POpe Sabiniane decreed first, that y ^e people should be assembled together to hear their divine service at certain hours of the day by ringyng of belles. In the year of our Lord. 603. Volat. Fasci. Temp. Chron. Plat. Polid, D. Barns.

Pope Damasus at the instance of the Emperor Theodosius commanded▪ S. Jerome to take an order for the service to be used in Churches, and to appoint what prayers should be said on every day, that there might be an uniformity in the service. Which thing. S. Jerome did with all diligence, in so much that he appointed, what prayers and howe many Psalms should be said every day in the week. When he had finished the service, he sent it unto Damasus, which did right well allow it, and commanded, that all Churches should use that order and none other. For before that time every Church had such prayers appointed, as were thought by the Elders thereof moste mete for the congregation, and served best for the present time. In the year. &c. 371. Guil. Durand. Chron.

Pope Gregory the first brought in Deus in adiutorium. &c. and ordained it to be said every hour at service. In the year of our Lord. 590. Plat. Iac. Phil. Bergom. Poly.

Pope Damasus thorough the council of S, Jerome appointed that Gloria patri, which, as they write, was made at the council of Nice, should be said at the ende of every Psalm. In the year of our Lord. 371. Volat. Sigeb. Polidor. Pantal.

Pope Gregory the seventh ordained, that from Easter day unto the Saterdaye before the feast of the Trinity, there should be said at Matins, but .iii. Psalms and .iii. lessons only: at all other times .ix. lessons. &c. In the yere. &c. 1073. Some write the contrary, and ascribe this invention to Alcuinus, which was scholemaster to Charles the great. Guil. Durand. Chron.

The Legendes or lives of Saints, that be red in the quiere at service time were made by Paulus Longobardus at the desire of Charles the great. And he appointed conuient lessons for every feast of the Saints throughout the year. Bergom.

Isuardus the French Monk at the the desire of Charles the great, made the book, which is called, the Martiloge. Iac. Phil.

Pope Gregory the first, and Pope Gelasius brought in the Respondes and Collectes, that be said at Matins. Guil. Durand.

Pope Damasus added the Himmes: whereof he himself made part, and the residue wer made by saint Hilary, saint Ambrose, and other. Guil. Durand.

Pope Gregory the first devised the Anthems, and made the tune or song unto them. Guil. Durand. John. Laziard.

Notwithstandyng some write, that in y ^• time of Pope Euaristus Anthems were brought into the Church by Ignatius Saint John the Evangelists disciple, yea & that by this occasion Ignatius at a time standing upon a certain mountain heard the Angels in Heaven singing Anthems, He being moved by their example, ordained in like manner that Anthems should be song in the churches, and Psalms likewise after the Anthems. In the year. &c. 109▪ Phil. Bergom. Tripart. Hist.

Pope Damasus ordained, that the quier being divided in two parts: they should singe one verse of the Psalms on the one side, & another on the other side. Sigeb. Durand. Polid. Pantal.

Pope Alexander the second commanded, that Alleluia should not be said nor song in the churches from Septuagesima unto Easter even▪ but in the stead of that, Laus tibi domine. In the year. &c. 1063. Nauclerus. D. Barns.

The same commandment gave Pope Telesphorus also, as Durand writeth. Rat. di. off.

Pope Innocent the third ordained, that whensoever the Mary, or the holy Ghost, or saint Cross is served on the working days, Te deum shall not be said at Matins, nor Gloria in excelsis, & the Crede at Mass. In the year of our Lord. 1195. Guil. Durand.

Pope pontianus made a decree, that the Psalms should be song throughout all Churches both day and night. In the year. &c. 230. Fas. Temp. Chron.

Pope Pelagius the first commanded first of all, that Priests should say daily Matins of the day. In the year. &c 552. Grat. plat. polid. Chron.

Pope Urban the second ordained likewise, that priests should say every day our Ladies mattēs openly in y ^e church: and that upon the Saturday the whole service should be of our Lady. In the year. &c. 1086. Sabel. John. Stella. Nauclerus. pol. Durand. polichron.

Pope Leo the first commanded, that in Septuagesima, and Quadragesima, and Advent, and Lent, Alleluya should not be song, nor Gloria in excelsis. In the yere. &c. 444. Durand. John. Stella. Iac. phil. Bergom.

Saint Ambrose and S. Agustine made Te deum, as they wait. Catalog. Sant. Specul. Eccles. Iac. phil. Bergom.

Pope Leo the nynth made certain songs of the Saints. In the year. &c. 1040. Sigebertus. Chron.

Paulus Longobardus made this hymn, vt queant laxis, with diverse other moe at the desire of charles y ^e great. Bergom.

Pope Zepherinus made the Legend on Childermasse day, which beginneth, Zelus quo tendat. &c. and also the Legend of the decollation of Saint John Baptist. phil. Bergom.

Pope Gregory the nynthe ordained Salue regina to be song in Churches with all devotion and with all solemnity. In the year of our Lord. 1225. Blondus Crantz. The maker of this Anthem was one peter Bishop of Compostella. Guili. Durand.

Pope Sylvester the second being Bishop of Rome, a certain king of France, called Roberte, made this sequence, Sancti spiritus adsit nobis gratia, and this Hymn, Chorus nouae Jerusalem, with these respondes. O Judah & Jerusalem, O Constantia martyrum. Corn • ius Centurio. &c. In the year of our Lord. 995. Guil. Durand. Antoni. Laziardus. phil. Bergom.

Pope Leo the fourth made these Collectes, Deus qui beatum petrum. &c. Deus cuius dextera. &c. In the year of our Lord. &c. 838. Durand.

Pope Paul the first devised the service for Lent. In the yere of our Lord 768. Chron. The same Pope also commanded, that in the time of Lent, the divine service should be done before the sixth hour in the morning. Ioā. Laziard.

Pope Gregory the first ordained the great longe Litany of Saints with Ora pro nobis, which is song on Saint Markes day against the swelling and chyncough: and commanded, that if should be song on that day throughout all the world. Thys Letanye is called Septuplex Litania. For Pope Gregory in this procession begun first at Rome, did in the first place set the Clergye: in the seconde, Abbotes and Monks: in the third, Abbesses with their Numnes: in the fourth, childrē: in the fifth▪ Laymen: in the sixte, widows: and in the seventh, married folk. In the year. &c. 590. Volat. Plat. Guil. Durand. D. Barns.

Pope Leo the first being Bishop of Rome, or as some write, Pope Hylarye bearing rule, Mamertus Claudius Bishop of Vienna invented first of all those iii. Rogation days, that are before the feast of Christ's ascension, and made y ^e Litanies y ^t are song about the stretes & fields on those days, against earthquakes, and tempest of weather, & peril of wild beasts, &c. And it is called the Less Letanye for the difference of the more & greater Letanye, which S. Gregory ordained to be said or song on S. Markes day, whereof we have tofore spoken. In the yere, &c. 444. Plat. Christ. Massae. Pol. Pant.

Pope Liberius appointed, y ^t there should be continual going on processions for war, for famyne, for pestilence, for rain, for drought & for such other adversities, as we be always in danger of, y ^t by supplications, prayers and fastings, we may escape them. In the yere, &c. 354. Guili. Durand.

Pope Agapetus appointed y ^e people to go processions on the Sondayes. In the year of our Lord. 533. Volat. Plat. Petrus de natal. Fas • . Temp. Polidor. D, Barns.

Pope Pelagius the first ordained funeral exequses or Diriges with masses of Requiem to be song or said for the dead In y ^e year, &c. 552. Plat. Pol. Grat. Chron.

Pope Benet the third ordained, y ^t the clergy should be present at the burial of y ^e Bishop, & sing Dirige for their souls and y ^t the bishops likewise should be present at the burial of the Clergye & sing Dirige also for their souls. In the year of our Lord. 863. Lib. Council. Plat. Chron.

Alcuinus the Frenchman, Scholemaster (as they say) to the Emperor Carolus Magnus, made at y ^e desire of Boniface Bishop of Miguntia diverse orisons that be said in the mass, and also diverse offices of diverse masses, Gaudeamus omnes in domino. Salue sancta parens. Requiem aeternam. &c. Jacobus. Phil. Bergom.

The same Alcuinus also made y ^e service of the Trinitye. Guili. Durand. Thomas of Aquine y ^e Blackefryer made the service for the feast of Corpus Christi at the commandment of pope Urban the fourth. In the year, &c. 1262. Petrus de natal. Platina.

A certain mā called Hermannus made these sequences, Rex omnipotence. Ave Maria, &c, and the • r Anthems. Alma redemptoris mater, &c, and Simon Bariona, &c. Guilielmus. Durand.

Theodosius Bishop of Aurelia made Gloria laus: and Ludouicus y ^e Emperor Carolus Magnus son commanded y ^t it should be song on Palme Sunday at the end of the procession in some high and solemn place. Chron. Cuil. Durand. Nauclerus.

Fulbertus a Bishop made these respondes, Stirps less, and Solem iustitiae, and this hymn Chorus nouae Jerusalem. Guili. Durand. Polychr. Lib, 6. This Bishop, as they say, was so devout a man, and so dearly beloved of our Lady the Virgin Mary, that when he was very sore sick, and could taste nothing, she full graciously came down from heaven, and gave him suck out of her own breasts and by this means relyeued him, and • est • red him to his health. Libro de miraculis. B. Mariae

Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria, made the Crede, Quicunque vult saluus esse, &c Fasc. Temp.

Stephen Bishop of Leodia made the service of S, Lamberte, & of the inuentiō of S. Stephen with the note for thē both Fasc. Temp. Christ. Massae.

This responde Sanctus deus, Sanctus fortis, &c, which is song in y ^e church on good fryday: a certain child, as they say, made & gave cōmaundemente y ^t it should be song: and it was afterward confyrmed in the council Calcedonense, about the year, &c. 444. Fascic. Tempor. Christ. Massae.

Petronius Bishop of Bononie made y ^e boke called Vitas patrum. Fasc. Temp.

Pope Theodorus the first being bishop of Rome, Idosirus bishop of Hispalia in Spain, made y ^e office of y ^e mass which is commonly used in y ^e cathedral church of Hispalea. In y ^e church, when y ^e priest lifteth up y ^e sacrament at Mass above his head: The deacon standing by and turning himself to the people, crieth out with a loud voice, & saith: Videte in quem creditis. Loke upon him in whō ye do believe. Agayne, when the priest singeth at mass the pater noster y ^e whole query answereth at the ende of every petition in the same prayer, Amen, contrary to the use of all other churches. John. Laziard. Cestrens.

Osmundus Byshoppe of Salisburye, which for his exercise after his grave studies was wont to write, to limne and to bind books, made the ordinall of the service of the Church, and named it the Consuetudinary. Ranulph. Cestrensis.

Petrus Heremita a french man of the city of Annias, first of all devised Beads, to say Ladies psalters on. In the yere, &c. 1110. Chr. Pol.

Pope Calixt the third made y ^e service of the transfiguration of Christ, & commanded y ^e feast to be celebrated and kept holy on the syxte day of August. Christ. Massae.

In the council Toletane and Gerundense, it was decreed, that y ^e order of mass and of other divine service with the ministration of the sacraments, y ^t is observed in y ^e cathedral Church, should be kept likewise in all other churches of the same diocese. Lib. Council. Durand.

In the Council Gerundense, it was appointed that the Pater Noster should be said every day, after that Matins and Evensong be ended. Lib. Council.

Pope Calixt the third ordained, y ^t the great bell should be tolled every day at noon, or at .xii. of y ^e clock, and y ^t the people hearing the sound of the bell, should straight ways say an Ave Maria, in the worship of our Lady. In the year, &c. 1455. Johannes. Stella. Phil. Bergom.

Pope John the xxii. made a decree y ^t after euensong be done, the bel should be tolled thrice, and that then out of hand every man and woman should straightways fall down upon their knees, and say three Ave Mary's, in the honor of our blessed Lady Sainte Mary. In the year of our Lord, 1302. Chronic.

Pope Clement the fourth at the desire of Louis King of France granted three years of pardon toties quoties, to so many as devoutly say these Oris • ns following.

Benedictum sit dulce nomen domini nostri Jesus Christi, & glorio sissimae virginis Mariae matris eius in aeternū & vltra. AMEN Nos cum prole pia, benedicat virgo Maria.

Which is thus englished.

Blessed be the sweet name of our Lord Jesus Christ, & of the most glorious Virgin Mary his mother forever and a day longer. Sobeit. The Virgin Mary wich her Godly child bless us. Sobeit. Fas. Temp.

Pope Boniface the eyght made this prayer following, and hath granted to all them y ^t deu • utly say this prayer daily before an Image of the cross as many days of pardon toties quoties, as there be gravel stones in y ^e sea, or grasses on y ^e earth, or stars in y ^e fyrmament.

O altissima crux. O innocens sanguis. O paena magna. O Christi penuria. O profunda vulnera. O lanccae perforatio. O sanguinis fluctio. O cordis fractio. O dei amara mors O dei ueneranda dignitas: adiuua me in vitam aeternam. AMEN.

Which is thus englished.

O most high cross. O innocent blood. O great pain. O the penurye of Christ. O the depe wounds. O the pearsyng thorough of the spear. O the flowing of the blood. O the breaking of y ^e heart. O the bitter death of God. O y ^e worshipful dignity of God: help me unto everlasting life. So be it.

Of plain song, prycke song, descant, &c.

G Vido Aretinus devised first of all these six notes, vt, re, my, fa, sol la, In the yere, &c. 1204. Christi. Massaeus.

Pope Gelasius, Pope Gregory y ^e first S. Ambrose with other, brought in first of all y ^e plain song into the churches. Antoninus. Guili. Durand.

Pope Vitalian being a lustye singer and fresh courageous musition himself, brought into the church pricksong descant, & all kind of sweet and pleasant melodye. And because nothing should want to delight the vain, folysh and y ^e idle ears of fond & fantastical men, he joined y ^e Organs to y ^e curious music. Thus was Paul's preaching & Peters praying turned into vain singing & childysh playing, unto y ^e great loss of time, & unto y ^e utter undoing of Christian men's souls, which live not by singing & pipyng, but by every word y ^t cometh out of y ^e mouthe of God. , In the yere, &c. 653. Plat. Volat. Chron. Polyd. D. Barns. Pant.

Of singing in the Church the judgment of diverse learned men.

F Rāciscus: Petrarcha in his boke De remediis vtriusque fortunae declareth y ^• S. Athanasius did utterly forbid singing to be used in the church at service time, because (saith he) he would put away all lightness and vanity, which by the reason of singinge doth oftentimes arise in the minds both of the singers and of the hearers.

S. Jerome reproved not only y ^e lewd fashions of the singing mē in his time, but also their manner of singing, when notwithstanding if the singing used in his time were compared with y ^e minsed music that now beareth chief rule in Churches: it might seme very grave, modest, and tolerable, & ours so light, vain, mad, fond, foolish and fantastical, that Hickscorner himself could not devise a more wanton and trifling pastime. We ought saith S. Jerome, to sing, to make melody, and to praise the Lord rather in mind than in voice. And this it is that is said: Singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts. Let young men, saith he, hear these things, yea, let them hear, whose office it is to singe in the Church, that they must sing to god, not in the voice but in the heart: neither must their throat be anointed after the manner of Gameplayers with sweet ointmēts that in the Church singing more fit for Gameplaces should be heard: but in fear, in work, in knowledge of the Scriptures ought they to sing unto the Lord. Let the voice of the synger so sing, that not the voice of him that singeth, but the words that are read, may delight. In epist. ad Ephe.

There is a godly Distichon fathered on S. Jerome, which because it pertaineth to our matter, I think it convenient also in this place to allege.

That is to say: Not the voice, but the desire: not the Musical instrument, but the heart: not the crier: but the lover singeth in the ear of God.

Saint Cipriane that blessed Martyr saith, that God is not the hearer of the voice, but of the heart: neither is he to be admonished with exclamations and outcries, which seeth the thoughts, as the Lord proveth and saith: What do ye think wickedness in youre heart: And in another place: All congregations shall know, that I am the searcher of the reins and heart, that is to say, of the inward man. Cyprian in orat. dom.

Saint Ambrose also saith: It is without doubt a great incredulity and unfaithfulness to think thus of y ^e power of God, that thou canst not be heard, except thou criest out. Let thy work cry: let thy faith cry: let thy mind cry: let thy passions and sufferings cry: let thy blood, as the blood of holy Abel, cry, whereof God said to Caim: The voice of thy brothers blood cry unto me. For he heareth in secrete, which maketh clean in secrete. We cannot hear man except he speaketh unto us: but unto god, not words but thoughts do speak. Lib. de Caim & Abel.

S. Agustine would, y ^t the Comon prayer in Churches should be so distinctly and plainly set forth, y ^t the people, which are present might perfectly understand them, & say Amen. Lib. de Catechis. Rud.

In another place he declareth, that Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria in his Church useth such manner of singing as was in a manner nothing else, than a plain reading. Lib. confess. 10. cap. 33.

S. Gregory did greatly disalowe certain Deacons at Rome in his time, which, when they ought by their office to have given their mind to the preaching of the gospel, and the provision making for the poor, set all their pleasure on pleasant singing, not caring how they lived afore god, so that with their voices they might please y ^e world He was therefore compelled to make a decree, that all such as be in the holy ministry should from thenceforth under the pain of excommunicatiō give their minds no more to singing, but apply themselves to the studies of the holy scriptures, and the reading of the gospel. In Regist. part. 5. cap. 44.

Undoubtedly, saith S. Gregory, true prayer c • ̄sisteth not in the voice of the mouth, but in the thoughts of y ^e heart. For our words do not make the voices the pithier & of y ^e greater force to come unto the most secret ears of God, but our desire and affections. Therefore saith the Lord in the gospel. Enter into thy closette & sparre the door. He sparreth the door and prayeth in his closet, which holdeth his peace with his mouth, & poureth out the affection of his mind in the sight of god above. Moral. Lib. 22. cap. 18.

S. John Chrysostom also writeth on this manner: It is the duty of a devout mind to pray to God, not with the voice, or with the sound of the voice, but with the devotion of the mind, and with the faith of the heart. Agayne he saith, the crying of the voice is not the work in prayer unto god, whom we know that he beholdeth the secretes of the heart, but the crying of faith, and the devotion of a godly and pure mind Therefore the best way to pray, is to pray with heart mind, spirit, soul and and inward man. Hō. 44. de John. & Paul. Festo.

The Emperor Iustiniane made a law, that all bishops and priests both in the time of divine service, and also in the ministration of the holy sacraments should with so open and clear voice pronounce all things in the tongue which the people understand, that they might thereby be the better edified, and also be the more fervently stirred unto devotion and praying to God. For saith he, so doth the holy Apostle teache in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, saying: If thou give thanks only in the spirit, that is to say, in an unknown tongue, howe shall he that occupyeth the room of the unlearned, say. Amen at thy thanks giving, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest. Thou verily givest thanks well, but y ^e other is not edified • And again in his Epistle to the Romans he saith on this manner: to believe with the heart iustifyeth, and to knowledge with the mouthe, maketh a man safe. In consideration whereof, saith that Godly Emperor, it is convenient, that among other prayers those things also, which are said in the holy oblation, that is to say, in the ministration of the Lord's super, or the hloy communiō of the body and blood of Christ, be uttered & spoken with a loud voice of the devout Bishops & priest to our Lord Jesus Christ one God with the father and the holy ghost, willing thē to know, that if they neglect any of these things, they shall not only give account thereof in y ^e dreadeful judgment of the great God & our savior Jesus Christ, but we also having knowledge hereof, will not be content, nor leave the things unrevenged. In constitut. Authen. 123.

Guilihelmus Durand saith, that the use of singing was ordained for carnal and fleshly men, and not for spiritual and godly minded men. Rat. di. off.

Polidorus • ergilius writeth on this manner: Howe greatly that ordinance of singing brought into the Church by Pope Damasus and Saint Ambrose, began even in those days to be profitable Saint Agustine declareth evidently in the book of his Confessions: where he asketh forgiveness of God, because he had given more heed and better ear to the singing, than to the weighty matter of y ^e holy words. But nowadays saith Polidore, it appeareth evidently, y ^t it is much less profitable for our common wealth, seeing our singers make such a chattering charm in the temples, that nothing can be heard, but the voice: and they that are present (they are present so many as are in the City) being content with such a noise as delight their ears, care nothing at all for the virtue, pithe and strength of the words: so that now it is come to this point, that with the common sort of people, all the worshiping of God seemeth to be set in these singsters, although generally there is no kind of people more light, nor more lewd. And yet the greater parte of the people for to hear them, boing, bleating and yelling, • lock into the Churches as into a common gameplace. They hire them with money, they cherish and feed them, yea to be short, they think them alone to be the ornaments and precious jewels of God's house. &c.

Wherefore without doubt, it were better for religion to cast out • f y ^e churches such chatteryng and • anglyng • ayes, or else so to appoint them, that when they sing, they should rather rehearse the songs after the manner of such as read, than follow the fashion of chatteryng charmers: which thing S. Agustine in his aforesaid book doth witness, that S. Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria did in his diocese, and he commendeth him greatly for it. Lib. 6. de invent. rerum. Cap. 2.

Cornelius Agrippa writeth of singing in churches on this manner. Athanasius did forbid singing in his Churches, because of the vanity thereof. But Ambrose as one more desirous of Ceremonyes and pomp, ordained the use of singing and making melodye in Churches. Agustine as a man indifferent betwixt both, in his book de confessionibus granteth, that by this means he was in a great perplexity and doubt concerning this matter. But now a days Music is grown to such and so great licentiousness, that even at the ministration of y ^e holy Sacrament all kind of wanton & lewd trifelyng songs with pipyng of Organs have their place and course. As for the divine service and common prayer, it is so chaunted, mynsed and mangled of our costlye hired, curious and nise Musitions (not to instruct the audience withal, nor to stir up men's minds unto devotion but with an whoryshe armonye to tickle their ears) that it may justly seme not to be a noise made of men, but rather a bleating of brute beasts, while y ^e children ney discant as it were a sort of coltes: other bellowe a tenoure as it were a company of oxen: other bark a counterpoynt as it were a number of dogs: other roar out a treble like a sort of bulls: other grunte out a base, as it were a number of hogs, so that a foul evil favored noise is made, but as for the words and sentences, and the very matter it self is nothing vnderstranded at all, but the authority and power of judgment is taken away both from the ears and from the mind utterly. In Libro de vanitatc scientiarum.

Erasmus Roterodamus expresseth his mind concerning the curious manner of synging used in Churches, on this wise, and saith. Whye doth the Church doubt to follow so worthy an author ( Paul )? Yea how dare it be bold to descent from him? What other thing is heard in Monasteryes, in Colleges, in Temples almost generally, than a confused noise of voices? But in the time of Paul there was no singing, but saying only. Singing was with great difficultye received of them of the latter time: and yet such singing, as was none other thing, than a distinct and plain pronunciation, even such as we have yet among us, when we sound the Lord's prayer in the holy Canon: and the tongue, wherein these things were song, the common people did then understand and answered Amen. But now what other thing doth the common people hear, than voices signifying nothing? And such for the moste part is the pronunciation, y ^t not so much as the words or voices are heard: only the sound beateth the ears. Erasmus Rot. in annot 1. Corinth. Cap. 14.

Of the Mass, and of all the partes thereof.

P Ope Celestinus the first ordained, y ^t the priest should say the Psalm y ^t beginneth, Iudica me deus, &c, when he putteth on his clothes and reuesteth himself to Mass: and that when he draweth nye to the altare, he should say this verse of y ^e aforesaid psalm: Et introib • ad altare dei, &c. In y ^e yere, &c. 428. Plat. Poly. Fasci. Temp. Christ. Massae. D. Barns. Pant. John. Functius.

Pope Damasus the first decreed, y ^t the priest standing before the altare should say the confiteor and make his confession to GOD, to our Lady Saints Mary, to all Saints, et vobis, and that they that were present should say Miseriatur vestri, &c. Agayne, that the priest after that, should pronounce the absolution and say Absolutionem, & remissionem omnium peccatorum nostrorum, &c, before he presume to go to the altare. In the year, &c. 370. Plati. Polid. D. Barns. &c.

Some attribute this invention to Pope Pontianu : Some to Pope Urbanus.

Pope Gregory the first instituted the Office of the Mass. In the year of our Lord. 590. Platina. Polydor. Pantaleon.

Pope Damasus the first brought in Gloria patri to be said not only at the ende of every Psalm, but also at the office of the Mass. In the year, &c. 370. Plat. Chron.

Pope Gregory the first ordained the Kyrye, and appointed that it should be song nine times openly of the Clergye only at Mass, which before at the commandment of Pope Sylvester was song of the Clergy and people together. Durand. Plat. D. Barns. Pantale. It seemeth to be borrowed out of the Greke Church, forasmuch as the words be Greek and sound in our English tongue. Lord have mercy upon us.

Pope Telesphorus added to the Mass Gloria in excelsis. In the yere, &c. 130. Plat de consec. Dist. 1. Cap. Nocte sacra. Albertus. Krantzius.

Some ascribe it to Pope Symmachus Phil. Bergom

Pope Symmachus the first added to Gloria in excelsis, &c. Laudamuste, and so forth unto the ende. In the year of 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 our Lord. 499. Fascic. Temp. Valentinus vannius. Chron.

Pope Anacletus put to the Mass this salutation, Dominus vobiscum, and commanded y ^t this answer should be made of them y ^t were present, Et cum spiritu tuo. In the yere, &c. 101. Jacobus. Manlius. Vannius. Some ascribe it to Pope Sotherus. Gratia de consec. Dist. 1. Can. Hoc quo{que}.

Johannes Laziardus writeth, y ^t Dominus vobiscum was taken out of the book of Ruth, & added to the mass, I know not by whō. And for Et cum spiritu tuo, it was brought in, saith he, by the council Aurelianense.

Pope Gelasius the first appointed y ^t Collectes whereof he himself made part, & part of thē were devised by other. In the yere, &c. 494. I • idor. Grat. Pol.

Pope Damasus y ^e first bearing rule, the Epistle was added by y ^e council of S. Jerome, who lived in the year of our Lord. 387. Plat. Poly. Antonin. D. Barns.

Some say, that Pope Alexander the first did first of all bring in the Epistle and Gospel, and commanded them to be read at the ministration of the Lord's Supper. In the year, &c.. 119. Chron. Germ. But the author of y ^e book called Fasciculus Temporum ascribeth both the Epistle and the Gospel to Pope Telesphorus.

Pope Gelasius the first brought in y ^e Grayle, commanding that the people should sing it, while the priest or Deacon was going up into y ^e pulpit to rede and to declare the gospel, desiring god, that it might both be spokē and heard with fruit. Phil. Bergom. Antonin. Vannius. Some make Pope Celestinus the author of it. Plat. Some, Pope Gregory the first, Chron. Germ.

Pope Gregory the first, of whom we spake before, added the Alleluya to the Mass, and commanded that it should be song all the whole year save only from Septuagesima unto Easter, Plat. Antonin. D. Barns. Nauclerus. Some ascribe it to pope Gelasius. Phil. Bergom, Some say, it was borrowed of the church of Jerusalem, and so brought into the church of Rome in the time of pope Damasus. It soundeth in English. Praise ye the Lord.

Pope Sergius otherwise called, pope Swines snoute bearing rule, a certain Monk Abbot of S. Gallus, called Notgerus or Nocerius made the Sequences : which afterward crept into the Mass rather by use and custom, than by any constitution of the popes. Valent. Vannius. Jacobus. Vuimpheling. Pantal. Notwithstanding some write, that Pope Nicolas commanded them to be song at mass. Chron. Germ. Durand. And forasmuch as there are many and diverse Sequences, they are ascribed to many and diverse authors. Iodocus. Clitoueus in Elucidario Ecclesiastico appointeth many of them to a certain Monk of Paris, called Adamus de, S. Victore. Other are ascribed to S. Bernard, to Thomas Aquinas, &c.

Pope Gelasius made y ^e Tractes, which on the feriall days are wont to be song or said instead of the Sequences before the Gospel. Chronic. Angl. Bergom. Some ascribe them to Pope Celestinus. John. Laziardus. Some to Pope Telesphorus. Some to pope Gregory the first, which commanded thē to be song at Mass in place of the Sequences frō Septuagesima unto Easter. Some to S. Ambrose. Guil. Durand.

Pope Damasus the first bearing rule, the Gospel was added to the Mass by the council of S. Jerome. Plat. Anto. Polid. D. Barns.

Pope Anastasius ordained, that the people should stand up at the Gospel time, both to take hede to the doctrine thereof, and also to show themselves ready to defend the doctrine of the Gospel evē unto the death. In the year. &c 404 Volat. Plat. Sabell. polidor. &c.

Guilielmus Durand writeth on this manner: Anastasius the Pope saith he, ordained, that standing and not sitting, the Gospel should be heard: to declare the redynesse that we have unto battle for to keep the faith of Christ. Agayne, to set forth our ready and bent will in that behalf many, saith he, when the Gospel is red, cast of their uppermost garments, to declare that all temporal and worldly things are to be forsaken for the law of Christ and of his Gospel, according to this saying Behold, we have forsakē all, & followed thee

Pope Marcus brought in the Crede, and commanded, that the Clergy and the people should sing it together with a loud voice for the confirmation of their faith. In the year of our Lord. 336. Plat. Antoni. Fasc. Temp. Durand. Some ascribe this constitution to Pope Damasus. Iac. Philip. Bergom. The Crede that is song at Mass, some say was made at the Council of Nice : some affirm that it was made at a Council holden at Constantinople. Chron. Germ.

Pope Leo the third ordained sensyng. In the year. &c. 817. Plat. Pol. D. Barns. Pantaleon. And a council holden at Rothomage commandeth, that the altare should be sensed after the Gospel. Lib. Council. Durand.

Pope Gregory the first commanded the Offertorye to be said. Polid. Pantal. Chron. Germ. Some attribute it to Pope Eutychianus. Plat. Some affirm, that the Author thereof is not known. Guil. Durand. Antonin.

As for their solemn and superstitious, yea their abominable and blasphemous Orison, Suscipe sancta trinitas. &c which the Popysh Massemonger saith holding the chalice in his hands with the round cake • aid upon the paten thereof after the Offertorye : the Author thereof is not known, neither maketh it any matter, except it were better. Bernard. Abbas de officio Missae.

The Lauatorye or washynge of the priests hands at Mass, was borrowed of the heathenyshe and Idolatrous priests, which used always to wash their hands before they offered sacrifice to their Idols. Poli. Vergil.

Pope Leo added these words to the Mass, which the priest saith after the Lauatorye, when he tourneth him to the people. Orate pro me Fratres & Sorores. &c. In the year of our Lord. 444 Chron. Germ.

The Secretes were so secretly made, that the secret Authors of those suttle secretes are hitherto secrete and unknown: except ye will father them on Pope Gregory, and Pope Gelasius, as the Papists do all other things, whereof they can find no certain author.

Pope Gelasius ordained, Vere dignum & iustum est. &c. to be said in the Mass before the Prefaces and Sanctus. In the year. &c. 494. Petrus de nat. D. Barns.

Pope Gelasius and Pope Gregory, of whom we spake afore, are counted the authors and makers of the Prefaces. Anto. polid. Durand. Fas. Temp.

Pope Pelagius the first perceauyng many and diverse Prefaces to be made of many and diverse men, selected and chose out of so great a multitude, nine Prefaces, which Pope Gelasius tofore had made with the note or tune, and gave them to be song at Mass before the Canon, as autentyke and Godly. These nine Prefaces are song at Christmas, at the Epiphany of our Lord, at Lent, at the feasts of the Cross, of the Resurrection, of the Ascētion, of Witsontide, of the Trinity, and of the Apostles. In the year. &c. 552. Sigisbert. petrus de natal▪ poli. D. Barns. pant. &c.

Pope Urban the second made the tēth Preface in the honor of Mary the Virgin. In the year. &c. 1086. poli. Vergil. Valent. Vannius.

Pope Sixtus the first brought in the Sanctus. In the year. &c. 129. Anto. Durand. Fasci. Temp. polidor. &c.

The Canon of the Mass was patched, cobled and clouted together of diverse Popes, and containeth many notable blasphemies. The authors thereof are named Pope Gelasius the first, pope Siricius, pope Clement, pope Leo the first pope Gregory the first, pope Gregory the third, pope Alexander the first, pope Sixtus the first, pope Pelagius, pope Sergius, and a certain man called Scholasticus, with other. Chron.

Pope Gelasius made Te igitur clementilsime pater. &c. In the year. &c. 494. Durand. pos. D. Barns.

Pope Siricius added, Communicātes & memoriam venerantes, &c. In the year. &c. 389. Rat. di. off. polid,

Pope Clement put in these words, Vna cum famulo tuo domino nostro papa. &c. Antonius.

Pope Leo the first thrust in, Hanc igitur oblationem. &c. 444. Sigisbert. polid. D. Barns.

Pope Gregory the first devised these words, Diesque nostras in tua pace disponas, &c. plat. Chron. Germ.

Pope Gregory the third put these words also to the Canon, Quorum solemnitas in conspectu tuae maiestatis. &c. 740. Naucler. Sigisb. Plat.

But the Massemongers now leave out these w • rds, and say them no more. For what displeasure to Pope Gregory I know not. Iodocus Clitoueus in the exposition of the Canon, casteth away these words as superfluous. And here see we, that all Papists do not like and approve, whatsoever all Popes do.

Pope Alexander the first added these words: Qui pridie quam pateretur. &c. unto these words, Hoc est enim corpus meum. In the year, &c. 119. Durand. Anton. Volat. Polid. Pantal.

These words Noui & aeterni testamenti, mysterium fidei, which the Papists use in their consecration of the mistery of Christ's blood, although, saith Antoninus, they be not found in the Evangelists, yet must we believe, that Christ so did and spake. For that manner of consecrating, saith he, was delivered to the Church of blessed Peter and of the other Apostles, which were present, when Christ did consecrate, as it is specified, In decret. Extra. de celeb. Missae. Cap. Cum Marthae.

Pope Sixtus ordained, that the Canon of the Mass should be secretly said and Sub silentio. In the year. &c. 264. Anselmus. Ryd. Chron.

If thou wilt know (good Reader) why all things be done with such secretie and silence of the Massyng Papists, when they come to the handelyng of the mysteries of Christ's body and blood, contrary to the practice of the primative Church, yea, and contrary to the commandment of Christ, which saith: That I say unto you in darkness, speak ye in the light. And y ^t ye hear secretly, tell it abroad openly, even upon the house tops: contrary also to this saying of the holy Apostle, So often as ye shall eat this bread, and drink of the cup, show, set forth, preach, declare the Lord's death till he come: Again, contrary to the commandment of the godly Emperor Justinian, and finally contrary to certain ancient decrees of the Popes own making: hear what a tale they tell.

It is reported, saith Guilielmus Durand, that when in old time the Canon was said openly and with a loud voice, all in a manner by the reason of that use could it by heart, and song it in stretes and hie ways, so that it came to pass, that whē certain shepherds did sing it in the field, and laid bread upon a stone: at the pronouncing of those words of consecration, the bread was turned into flesh. But the shepherds by God's judgment were stricken unto death for their presumption thorough fire that came down from heaven. Therefore the holy fathers have decreed, y ^t those words should be spoken in silence, forbidding all men under pain of excommunication, that no man presume to speak those words, but priests only when they are at the altar, yea and that at Mass: again, when they have on their Massing garments.

Thys tale telleth Guil. Durand in his book called Rationale diuinorum officiorum, & also Johannes Billet in his boke de, diuinis officiis, & Honorius in his treatise, de gēma animae: whereof thou mayest learn two things. Firste, that in the primative church and • ong after, whē Christian religion was moste pure: the words of the Lord's Supper, or, as the papists term them, of consecration, were not spoken in hocker mocker, as they be now, but plainly, openly and distinctly, that all might hear thē, understand them, and learn them unto their great comfort▪ and edifying. Secondly y ^t the words of consecration were at that time of so great virtue, y ^t whosoever pronounced them over the bread, were he Lay or Spiritual, priest or Ploweman, Bishop or Butcher: the bread was strayghtwayes turned into the natural body of Christ, as we may see here by y ^e shepeheardes, which were lay men and not holy annointed, which were in the field and not in the Church, which had on their shepeheardes clokes and not hallowed vestments, which had but a common stone to lay their bread on and no hallowed altare. And here mayest thou see, y ^t any lay man, if he can pronounce the words of consecration, having bread laid on a stone, may make Christ's body as well as y ^e priest. For if y ^e lay men by y ^e virtue of y ^e words could make Christ's body at that time: be thou certain and well assured, y ^t they be able to do the same even now also notwythstandyng the holy fathers decrees to the contrary. For the virtue of God's word abideth always one. If the Massemonger therefore can make him, y ^t made them, as their doctrine declareth, then can the Laye man likewise make their maker, and so may the Laity strive with the spiritualtye to the uttermost in God making. Now that the popish priests can make God, which made them, although I could bring forth and allege many authorities even out of their own books: yet will I at this present content myself with one or two sentences, which are written in a boke called Stella Clericorum. The authors words ar these, I ste qui creauit me, dedit mihi creare se: qui creauit me sine me, creature mediante me.

That is to say in English. He that made me, gave me power to make him: and he that made me without me, is made by the means of me. Agayne he saith: Cum ergo tantae dignitatis sit sacerdos, quod creator sit sui creatoris & totius creaturae: ipsum perdere vel damnare, inconueniens est.

Which is thus Englished: Seyng then that a priest is of so great dignity, that he is the maker of his maker and of every creature: to destroy or to condemn him, it is not convenient.

Pope Alexander the first, ordained, that the bread which the priest hath at his Mass, should be but of a small quantitye, saying: Thys oblation the lesser it be, the better it is. Guilielmus. Durand.

Pope Alexander also commanded, that the bread should be unleavened bread, which the priest useth at his Mass. Platina. Sabelli. Lib. Council. Poly. Christ. Massaeus.

Whye their singing cake is rather round than otherwise, Antoninus maketh this reason. The host, saith he, is made round after the manner of a penye, because Judas sold Christ for thirtye pens. Guilielmus Durand writeth thus: The host is formed round because the earth is the Lord's, and all y ^t is therein, y ^e round world, & all y ^t dwell in it, y ^t the outward fashion thereof may signify him, that wanteth both beginning and ending.

Pope Alexander likewise appointed, y ^t the wine in y ^e chalice should be mingled with water, to signify the union & inseperable fellowship of Christ & his church. John. Laziard. • John. Stella. Libro. Council. Grat. Sabel.

Pope Honorius the third commanded, y ^t the Missal bread should be heaued and lifted up above the Priests head at the sacryng time, as they call it: and y ^t all the people should fall down and worship it. In the year of our Lord. 1214. Extra. de celeb. Miss. Can. San • cum olim. Gabriel. Biel super Canone. Missae Lect. 14. et Lect. 50, Dec. 3. Tit. 1. Cap, 10. Pantaleon.

Here may all men see, how ancient a thing this Pope holy sakeryng is, which notwithstanding the blind and seely shepyshe simple souls think to be y ^e best part of the Mass. Verily it is a little more than three hundred and forty years old. A deuilishe & an Idolatrous inuentiō is it, not altogether unlike to the setting up of the golden calf in the wilderness.

Pope Gregory the ninth ordained, y ^t the sacryng bel should be rong, whē the priest lifteth up the Missal bread & Chalice above his head, to move the people to behold that new found God which is not (as the true God ought) to be worshipped in spirit and truth, but in knockyng, kneeling, and lifting up of hands. In the year, &c. 1225. Anselmus. Ryd.

Pope Leo, Pope Victor, Pope Nicolas, Pope Innocent, Pope Honorius, pope Urban ▪ Monk Lanckfrancke, Monk Gratian. Friar Thomas, Friar Bonaventure, and such like monstures & belly God's, invented first of all the God of the altare, and made of the Sacrament, or holy sign of Christ's body and blood, the true natural, real, corporal, carnal substantial, &c, body of Christ GOD and man, flesh, blood and bone, synowes, guts and loins, even as he was borne of Mary the Virgin and hanged on the Cross: no bread nor wyne remaining, but the substance of bread turned into the substance of Christ's natural body, and the substance of wyne changed into the substance of Christ's natural blood: So that we handle him with our hands, put him in our mouthe, tear him with our teeth, eat him, digest him, &c: and partly with their Sophistrye they persuaded, and partly with their tyranny they compelled the people so to believe, as the cruel and bloody papists like wise do in this our age, where the devil and the Pope reign: which days was not known nor heard of in y ^e Church of Christ, so new is the doctrine of transubstantiation and of their missal God: howsoever the wicked and wilye papists bewitche the simple people, and thorough their suttle Sophistrye caste mists before the eyes of the ignorant, and so darken their senses and wits, that they cannot espy y ^e truth of God's word in this behalf, which is aboundauntly setforth thorough the great benefit of God in these our days by the diligente labor & painful travail of many Godly learned men, both in Latin and in English and in diverse other speeches, unto the great comfort of all faithful Christians and unto y ^e confusion of Antichrist and of his kingdom. Vercellen. Council. Florent. Council. Roman. Council. Secund. Sinod. Lateran. Extra, de summa, & fide cathol. Cap firmiter.

Pope Pelagius the second ordained praying for the dead in the Mass. In y ^e year, &c. 580. Plat. Pol. Grat. D. Barns.

Pope Gregory the first succedyng y ^e aforesaid Pelagius increased this constitution concerning y ^e memoration and prayer for y ^e dead, being hereunto allured by y ^e disceatfull apparitions of devils rather than of dead men's spirits which many times appeared unto him ever craving at his hand help and succor for their deliverance out of y ^e most bitter pains of purgatory thorough Diriges and Masses of Requiem, & such like prayers made for the dead greatly abusing his childish pity & light belief For he writeth y ^t a certain mā called Paschasius being dead, appeared unto him & desired him to pray & to say mass for him, which thing he most diligently did, so y ^t afterward y ^e soul of Paschasius appeared again unto him, & told him, y ^t whē he had once song for him .xxx Masses he was straightways delivered out of purgatory. Gregorius in Registro. He writeth again y ^t a certain Monk called Iustus, was delivered out of the fire of purgatory, thorough the sacrifice of thyrtie days, that is to say, thorough a trentall of Masses, which are thirty in number. Gregor. in. Lib. dialogue. 4. Cap. 54.

Here mayest thou see (good Reader) upon what foundatiō singing of masses for the dead is builte. Verily upon the delusions and disceatfull apparitions of the devil and his aungells. Is not this the commandment of God? Thou shalt not ask ( the truth ) of them that be dead. Agayne, if they say unto you: ask council at the Soothsayers, witches, charmers and conjurers: thē make them this answer, Is there a people anywhere, y ^t asketh not council at his God? Shoulde men run unto the dead for the living? If any man want light, let him look upon the law and the testimony, whether they speak not after this meaning. If he do not this, he stumbleth and suffereth hunger, & if he suffer hunger, he is out of patience, and blasphemeth his king and his God.

It had been Gregoryes duty not strayghtwayes to give credit to the wandryng spirits, but to have considered by the holy scriptures, what the will of God is in this behalf. Beleue not every spirit, saith Saint John, but prove y ^e spirits whether they be of god.

Pope Innocent appointed, that the names of the dead should not be rehearsed in the Mass before, but after the consecration. Durand.

Pope Gregory the first put the Pater noster to the Mass, and commanded, that it should be song with a loud voice. In the year. &c. 590. John. Laziardus.

He also commanded, that the priest at his mass before the Lord's prayer, should sing these words Oremus praeceptis, salutaribus moniti. &c. Blessed Gregory saith Durand, thought it good, that the Lord's prayer after y ^e Canon should be said over the host, affirming in his register, that it is unseemly, that the prayer which Scholasticus made, should be said over the Euchariste, & y ^e prayer left out, which the Lord himself had said, & the Apostles likewise were wont to say. It is song, saith he, among the Greeks of all y ^e people together, but among us of the priests alone. Rat. di. off.

Johannes Nauclerus writeth in his chronicle, y ^t the holy Apostle S. Peter, when he celebrated the Lord's supper, used none other but y ^e Lord's prayer which we commonly call the Pater noster. As for all other things that be now used in the mass they have been added and brought in since that time by divers mē of their own fancy & brain without the authority of gods word.

Pope Gregory the first added to the mass also this prayer Libera nos quesumus. &c. and commanded, that it should be said after the Lord's prayer. Chron. Germ.

Pope Innocentius the first put to the mass Pax domini sit semper vobiscum : and commanded that the people should answer. Et cū spiritu tuo. In the yere. &c. 408. Chron. Germ.

Pope Sergius the first of that name invented the Agnus dei, and commanded that it should be song of the clergy and of the people together at the communion or mass. In the year. &c. 684. Plat. Durand. D. Barns.

He ordained also, that while the quiere sing the Agnus, the priest should break the missal bread in three parts: one for the souls of the Saints, that are in Heaven: another for them that are in purgatory, the third for them that are in this world living in sin. Agayne, that the priest should hold still in his hands two pieces of that broken bread over the chalice, and let the third parte thereof fall down into the chalice, saying these words: Hec commixtio corporis & sanguinis. &c.

Pope Leo the second ordained y ^e carrying about & kyssing of y ^e Paxe, y ^t the people might have somewhat to do (as it may seem) while the priest eat up & drink up altogether alone at the altar. In the year. &c. 676. Grat. plat. Fasci. Temp. Durand. D. Barns. Vannius.

Notwithstāding some attribute this idle inuētion to pope Innocent the first. De consec, dist. 2. Cap. Pax igitur. Lib. Council. Michael. Bucchingerus. &c.

Pope Innocent the first made a decree, that on solemn feasts the priests 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 at the Agnus should kiss one another, but the commō people should kiss the Paxe. In the yere. &c. 408. De cons. dist. 2 cap, Pacem. Plat. Sabell. Pol. Pantal.

In the mass for the dead the Paxe is not given, saith Durand, because the faithful souls are no more, neither shall be in the trouble of this world, but they rest now in the Lord, so that the kiss of peace is not necessary nor needful for them, which is the sign of peace and concord, and therefore at that mass this prayer is not said, Domine Jesus Christ qui dedisti Apostolis tuis pacem. &c. Hereof also cometh it to pass, that among the monks there is no Paxe given, because they are counted dead to the world. Rat. di. off. Polid.

Pope Calixtus the first ordained, that so many as were present at mass, after the consecration, should communicate together: if they would not, that they should be excommunicate. For so saith he, did the Apostles appoint, and the holy Church of Rome keepeth that order. In the year of our Lord. 217. Grat. de consec. dist. 1. cap. Paracta. Item. Can. Omnes.

This aforesaid constitution is also ascribed to Pope Anacletus. De consec. dist. 1. cap. Episcopus. Lib. council.

In the primative Church, saith Durande, all that were present at the celebration of masses, that is to say, at the ministratiō of the Lord's supper, were wont every day to communicate, that is, to receive with the minister the Sacrament of the body & blood of Christ, because all the Apostles did drink of the cup according to this saying of the Lord: Drink ye all of this. &c. Again he saith: Verily the priest himself now eateth all the partes of the Host. Notwithstanding in certain Churches, he taketh one parte, and distributeth the other two partes to the ministers, that is to say, to the Deacon and Subdeacon, according unto that, whereof S. Luke maketh mention, that Jesus in Emmaus took the bread and brake it upon the table: and also, as some say, he did eat before the two Disciples, and what remained he gave it unto them▪ He also afterward did eat part of the broiled fish and of the honeycomb, and the residue he gave to his Disciples. And therefore after that the Deacon and Subdeacon have communicated; the clerks and religious persons come also unto the communion, that they also may be partakers of the holy Communion. Afterwarde the people also doth communicate, because Christ did not only eat with his Apostles, which were few in number, but also when he should ascend into heaven he did eat with a multitude of his disciples. And a little after he saith. The high Bishop ( the pope ) receiveth one part of the host, and giveth another parte thereof to the Deacon with a kiss, & another portion to the Subdeacon without a kiss. &c.

Of these things aforesaid may we evidently perceive, that in times paste before papacye bare rule in the church of Christ, the celebration of the Lord's Supper was not a private repaste of one alone, but a banket of many, according to this saying of the Apostle: my brethren when ye come together to eat (the Lord's Supper) tarry one for another. Agayne. All we are partakers of one bread.

Pope Gelasius the first commanded, that the communion should be ministered in both kinds to them that come unto the Lord's table, and that if any were otherwise affected, they should be put away from the Lord's table. For (saith he) the division of one and the same mystery cannot be done without great sacrilege. In the yere. &c. 494 De cons. dist. 1. cap. comperimus.

A council holden at Constance did first of all by public law forbid, that the lay people should receive y ^e Lord's supper under both kinds charging and commanding that from thence forth the layty should communicate only under one kind, when notwithstanding the commandment of Christ is far otherwise. Drink ye all of this saith he.

And Saint Mark saith: They all drank of it. Here is no exceptiō of the laytye. The holy Apostle saint Paul, also, whensoever he maketh any mention of the Lord's supper, joineth always the bread and the cup together, not dividing the one from the other after the doctrine of the pope. In y ^e yere. &c. 1417. Lib. Council. Gabr. Biel. &c.

The Author of the postcommunion is not known saith Durand. Notwithstanding Platina maketh Gregory y ^e first Author of it. So likewise writeth Johannes Stella, and Jacobus. phillippus Bergomensis.

Pope Leo y ^e first brought in Ite missa est, and Benedicamus domino with Deo gratias, for a final conclusion of the mass, so that now every man may go home, as wise as they came. In the year. &c. 444. Michael. Bucchingerus.

It is to be noted, saith Durand, that y ^e mass is ended three manner of ways Firste of all by Ite missa est : and that is in solemn feasts, when Te deum laudamus, and Gloria in excelsis is song, And it is so much to say, Be packing homeward: For the wholesome sacrifice for mankynd is sent or offered unto God. Or it showeth to the people, that the mass or the prayers are done.

Or the meaning of Ite missa est, is this Go after christ, and follow him: for we may not abide in this world, but by good works we must make hast unto the country of heaven: which thing we may easily do for the sacrifice is sent to appease God y ^e father, by the power whereof the helles are broken, and the gate of paradyse is open. Ration. di. offi.

Secondly the Mass is ended by Benedicamus domino, and y ^t is on working days, and generallye when there are no songs of gladness song before, whereby the people should be allured and stirred up to give god thanks. Agayne, the mass is concluded by Benedicamus domino on all fasting days and low feasts. Rat. di. offi.

Thirdly, the mass is finished by Requiescant in pace : and y ^t is when they sing mass of Requiem for the dead. And then ye may not answer Deo gratias, but Amen, that is to say, So be it. For reast is wished unto them, &c. Rat. di. off.

The council Aurelianense ordained, y ^t the people should not depart out of y ^e church after y ^e mass be done, til they be blessed of the priest. Hereof cometh it to pass, y ^t the people on the solemn feasts be blessed with an empty cup, after y ^t the priest hath drunk all up. Lib. Council. Guili. Durand.

Pope Alexander the first made a decree, that the people should be sprinkled with holy water after Mass be done, that they may, saith he, thereby be made holy, pure and clean. In the year of our Lord, 119. Grati. Platina. Sabellicus.

Of these things aforesaid (most gentle Reader) which I have truly and faithfully alleged out of the popish Chronicle writers, mayest thou evidently see, y ^t the Romish and popish mass is not so ancient & of so great antiquitye, as the Romanists and papists brag: but rather that it is a late and yesterday invention. Agayne y ^t it was not instituted of Christ, nor of his Apostles, but first of all clouted together of certain Popes, every man bringing in his patch and at the last beautifying it with strange feathers like unto Esopes crowe. More than a thousand year was this monstrous mass in patching, before it culled be brought unto any perfection, if that may receive perfection, that is most of all imperfecte. Uppon this wicked, superstitious and Idolatrous mass are all monasteries, colleges, chauntries, free chapels, fraternities, and all the sects of Antichrist y ^t pope founded and built, purgatory also and y ^e whole papacy is confyrmed and stablished by the Mass. So long as y ^e Mass endureth, so long shall papisme continue y ^e Pope with his Cardinals, Monks, Friars, Canons, Nuns, Ankers, Ankresses, with all their superstition and Idolatry. But if y ^e mass once fall, then fall they also down to the ground. I will not say down to hell, frō whence all these their false worshipping of god first of all came and had their beginning, according to y ^e Prophecye, which thou redest in the Revelation of Saint John. And albeit y ^t the tirauntes of this world, and the hypocrites of the same, whose God is their belly, strive never so much for y ^e defense and upholding of this their popish mass: they w ^c sword, fire & haltar: these w ^c feigned holiness, crafty persuasions, painted eloquence, false allegations of y ^e holy scriptures, & ancient writers, money, bribes, gifts, supplications, lamētatiōs, &c. Yet shall it perish and come to nought with all the wicked patrons, defenders & • authors of y ^e same, according to this prophecy of our savior Christ: Every plant y ^t my heavenly fāthere hath not planted, shall be plucked up by y ^e roots. And s. Paul saith, y ^t the Lord shall slay y ^e Antichrist that son of perditiō with the breath of his mouth, that is to say, with his holy word.

Of certain decrees appertaining unto the Mass.

POpe Vigilius ordained, y ^t priests when they sing mass, should turn their faces to y ^e east. In y ^e year, &c. 553. Petrus de nat. D. Barns.

Pope Gelasius the first commanded, y ^t y ^e priests should stretch out their arms & hold up their hands in their masses, but specially whē they say the secrets, the Canon, & the prefaces. In the yere, &c. 498. Chron. Germ.

Pope Alexander the first made a decree, y ^t one priest should say but one mass in one day In the year, &c. 119. Grat. Plat. Sabel. Lib. Council.

Pope Telesphorus notwithstanding commanded, y ^t on Christmas day, every priest might sing three masses, one at midnight another at the cockcrowing and y ^e third, when it is fair day light: again, y ^t on all other days no priest shall sing mass before three of y ^e clock in y ^e morning. In the year, &c. 139. Lib. Council. Plat. Sabell. Pant.

Pope Felix the first decreed, y ^t the priests should say mass in no place, but in y ^t which is hallowed. The same pope also ordained, y ^t none should say mass but priests only, except necessity enforced to the contrary: again, y ^e masses should be said for the memory of martyrs. In the yere, &c. 269. Plat. Phil. Bergom, Sabel. D. Barns. Chron. Angl.

Pope Pius y ^e first made a decree that those priests which negligently and without due devotion say mass, should be extremely punished. In the yere, &c. 147. Lib. Council. Sigesbert. D. Barns.

Pope Leo the fourth enacted that a lay man should not presume to come into the chauncell while the priest is at Mass. In the year, &c. 858. Sigisbert Platina.

Pope Sotherus ordained, y ^t a priest should not say mass, except two at y ^e least were present. In y ^e year, &c. 168. Volat. Punctius. D. Barns.

Pope Simmachus appointed, y ^e Gloria in excelsis should be song at mass upon sondayes, principal feasts, saints days, but specially in y ^e feasts of martyrs. In the yere, &c. 499. Plat. Durand. Ranulph. Cestrens.

Pope Nicolas the first made a decree, y ^e Gloria in excelsis should be song on maūdy thursday although it be in lent. In the yere, &c. 871. De cons. 1. Cap. Gloria John. Laziard. Cel. And this he appointed for the solemnity of y ^e institution of y ^e sacrament of Christ's body & blood Johannes. Stella.

Pope Gregory y ^e third ordained, y ^t the Christians should offer ( Dirige Grotes and Mass Pens ) for their friends souls departed and y ^e priests should remember the dead in their masses, and offer sacrifice for them. In the yere, &c. 740. Johannes. Nauclerus. D. Barns.

Pope Nicolas the first appointed, y ^t no man should hear the mass of any priest, y ^t is an whoremonger. In the year, &c. 871. Lib. Council. Gratian. Volat. D. Barns.

The same was also decreed in a certain council holden at Mantua under pope Alexander the second. In the yere, &c. 1062. Dist. 32. Praeter. Et Capit. 18. Siquis ammodo Dist. 56. Capi. Apostolica. authoritate.

Pope Gregory y ^e seventh, otherwise called Hyldebrand excommunicated all those priests, y ^t were whorehunters, and made a decree, y ^t no man should hear the mass of an whoremonging priest: and y ^t if any mā contrary to his ordinance would presume to hear y ^e mass of such a filthy & incontinente priest, the same should be taken for an Idolatoure. In the year, &c. 1073. Dist. 16. Quaest. 7.. Chron

Pope Vigilius commanded, y ^t the Canon of the Mass should be read in no place but at y ^e altare, and of no man but of a priest, yea and y ^t when he hath on his back his hallowed vestures: In the year, &c. 535. Chronic. Germani. Achilles.

Pope Martin the first commanded, that the mass should be song openly with a loud voice. In the yere, &c. 643. Guili. Durand.

Pope Telesphorus ordained, y ^• Alleluya should not be song in the temples frō Septuagesima unto Eas • er even, but y ^t in the stead thereof Laus tibi should be • ong at Mat • ens, Prime and Houres & Even song, and at Mass, a Tra • e. In the year of our Lord. 139. Chronic. • uili. Durand.

Pope Stephan the first decreed, y ^t the 〈◊〉 of y ^e church should be put •• no profane uses, and y ^t none should touc • 〈◊〉 but such as ar holy annoint • d, 〈◊〉 y ^• vengeance & punyshment y ^• 〈◊〉 on Balthazar King of Babylon, fall 〈◊〉 th • also, • hat presume to touch holy 〈◊〉 with their unholy hands. In the 〈◊〉 of our Lord. 261. Lib. Council. Guili▪ Durand.

〈…〉 the first commanded 〈…〉 , even so many as are 〈◊〉 • oly annointed, should by no means touch y ^e chalice, nor the paten thereof, with their bare hands. Hereof came it to pass, y ^t the Laye people were not suffered to touche the bare chalice, whē they came unto the Lord's table in the 〈◊〉 of papi •• rye. In the year, &c. 129. Chron. Germ. Lib. Council.

Pope Gregory the first commanded that priests should have light at their mass, and that there should be set upon the altare a candle brēnyng all the Mass time. In the year of our Lord. 590. Nauclerus. Primeus. Chron.

Pope Clement ordained, that if the altare clothes or Corteynes, or Corpoporasse clothes be so worn, that they can no longer do service, that thē they shall be brent, and the ashes of thē buried in sanctuarye. For they are, saith he, holy and precious tinhges, yea and relics. Guil. Durand.

Pope Pius the first commanded, that if any of the Sacramental wyne should chance to fall upon the ground, or upon any other place, the priests should lick it up with their tongues. In the year. &c. 147. Durand. Lib. Council.

Pope Stephen the first ordained, that a priest in his divine service should use none other, but hallowed garments. In the year of our Lord. 261. Sabel.

The same pope also appointed, that the priests should not wear their hallowed garments, but only in y ^e time of their divine service. Fa • . Temp. Durādus.

Pope Innocent the third bearing rule, it was decreed in the Council Lateran, that men must believe, that although the words, which are recited in the Canon of the Mass, be not rehearsed of the Evangelists in their Gospels, yet were they spokē of Christ & delivered to his Apostles, & their successoures, and be of equal authority with the holy scriptures. In the year. &c. •• 95. Dec. 3. tit. 41. Cap. 6. Chron.

Pope Adrian the first in a Council holden at Rome, made a decree, that the Occidētall or weast Churches thorough out all Europe (all other fashions of Matte • sing and Massyng set a parte and utterly put away) should only use that kind of service, which Pope Gregory the first had tofore ordained. In the year of our Lord. 796. Nauclerus. Sigesbert. Durand. Achiles.

Carolus Magnus the Emperor did not a little help to bring this matter to pass. For he did not only cōmaūde by public edicts, y ^t the decree of y ^e romish bishop (among the which Gregoryes service hath not the least nor the lasts place) should be observed and kept thorough out all the Empire of Rome, but he himself also was a most diligent setter forth of the same. For he ran about from place to place thorough out all the provinces of the Empire, & compelled all the priests, whether they would or not, to receive the service which Pope Gregory appointed, yea and y ^t not only with threatening & manacyng words, but also with emprisonment. John. Nauclerus Guilielmus Durand.

Jacobus de voragine in the life of Pope Gregory the first, telleth a tale concerning this matter. In times past, saith he, when the service, which Ambrose made, was more frequented and used in Churches, than was the service, which Gregory had appointed: the Bishop of Rome called Adrianus gathered a Council together, in the which it was ordained, that Gregoryes service should be observed and kept vniuersallye: which determination of the Council, Charles the Emperor did diligently put in execution, while he rān about by diverse provinces, and enforced all the Clergye, partly with threatenings and partly with punishments, to receive that order. And as touching the books of Ambrose service, he brent them to ashes in all places, and threw into prison many priests that would not consent and agree to the matter. Blessed Eugenius the Bishop coming unto the Council, found that it was dissolved three days before his coming. Notwithstandyng thorough his wisdom, he so persuaded the Lord Pope, that he called again all the Prelates y ^t had been present at the Council, and were now departed by the space of three days. Therefore when the Council was gathered again together, in this all the fathers did consent and agree, that both the ma •• ebokes of Ambrose and Gregory should be laid upon the altar of blessed Peter the An •• le, and the Church doors di • igen • lie shut, and most warely sealed up with the signets of many and diuer • Bishops Again, that they should all the whole night give themselves to prayer, that the Lord might reuele, declare, open and show unto them by some evident sign or token, which of these. ii. services he would have used in the temples. Thus they doing in all points, as they had determined, in the morning opened y ^e church doors, and found both the Missals or massebookes open upon the altare: or rather, as some say, they found Gregoryes massebooke utterly plucked a sunder one piece from another, and scattered abroad into this and that place. As touching Ambrose book, they only found it open upon the altare in the very same place, where they had tofor • laid it. By this sign they thought thenselves sufficiently instructed & taught of God, that the service, which Gregory had made, ought to be set abroad and used throughout all the world: and that Ambroses service should only be observed & kept in his own Church, which is at Mediolanum, where he sometym • was Bishop. Hereof came it to pass, that Gregoryes service hath only place now a days in the greatest parte of Europe. Jacobus de voragine in vita Gregorij primi. Guil. Durand.

Thus hast thou (most gentle Reader) howe the mass was begotten, conceived & borne even anon after the Apostles time, if all be true that the Historiographes write. Thou hast also how the mass grew up in continuance of time, and was increased by diverse popes everyone putting unto it their own fantasye, till at the last it was full finished by Pope Gregory the first, about the year of our Lord. 600, even about the very time, when Mohommetes sect began in the East parte of the world, and papacye in the weste. Notwithstandyng from Pope Gregoryes days unto the time of Carolus Magnus, the form of Gregoryes Mass was used only in the City of Rome, and in the diocese of the same, about two hundred years. Frō Charles the great unto y ^e time of Charles the fifth, the Mass rained, ruled, ruffled, & triūphed, as a moste puissant and mighty Queen, not only in Italy, and Germany, in France and England, but also in all the Churches of the weste part of the world, about. 700. years. But in y ^e days of the Emperor Charles the fifth, and in the most florishyng reign of the most blessed and Godlye Prince Kynge Edward the sixte Kynge of England, France and Ireland &c, the Mass being an old worn hagge, full of sicknesses and disseases, died, was buried and went down into Purgatory, for the maintenaūce whereof she was moste chiefly deuysed and defended, so that now neither Germamanye, nor Denmark, nor England, nor Scotland with many other countries and kingdoms is any more troubled w ^t her sorceries & witchcrafts, neither are those her Chapplens the Massemongers and Purgatory rakers anymore set a work, or had in price.

And although the Mass seem yet to pant and to breathe in some places, as though she would be glad to recover life, and to live yet a little longer in this world: yet forasmuch as she is no God, but an Idol of all moste vain, she shall never so rise again, that she shall recover her old strengths & dignities, but rather shall decay daily more and more, and suffer those worthy and deserved plagues, which God threateneth her in the revelations of blessed. S. John. For this prophecy of our Savior Christ shall forever & ever abide true: Every plāt, that my heavenly father hath not planted, shall be plucked up by the roots.

Of the Massing Priest.

F Orasmuche as no man hath authority and power to consecrate, make and offer the body and blood of Christ (as the Papists teach) but he only, which is a priest lawfully made and appointed: no, neither Angels nor Archaungels, neither blessed Mary, nor any Saint in Heaven.

Pope Gaius the first of that name ordained, that he which should be a Massemonger or Godmaker, that is to say, a priest, should, as it were by degrees, ascend and come up unto the order of priesthood. Therefore he appointed, that such one as would be a priest and say Mass, should first of all be a doorekeper: secondelye, a Reader: thyrdelye, an Exorciste or Coniurare: fourthlye, an Acholute a lyghter and carier of Candles: fyftlye, a Subdeacon: sixthly, a Deacon: and seventhly, a priest, Plat. Polid. &c.

Pope Calixte the first appointed, y ^t y ^e aforesaid orders should be givē four times in the year, y ^t is to say, at y ^e Embring days, whereas before they wer given only in y ^e month of December: so y ^t whosoever will be a Massing priest must diligently attend vpō those times Plat. Valent. Vannius.

Pope Boniface the first made a decree, y ^t no man should be made a Massyng Prieste, before he were thirtye years of age. Grat. Dist. 78. Cap. Si quis triginta.

Pope Zacharius the first notwithstanding fearing that Lady Mass would want Chaplens and customers, dispenseth with the former act, and granted, that a man might be made a Massyng Prieste at the age of .xxv. years, if necessity so required, Lib. Conc • l.

Pope Anicetus ordained, y ^t the Massing priest, should wear no long hair nor bearde, but y ^t he should have Aures patentes, and y ^t he should have his crown shaven as round as a bowle. Gratian. Dist. 23. Cap. Prohibere fratres. Plat.

Pope Leo the first made a decree, y ^t no man that is bond should be admitted to be a Massemonger. Dist. 54. Cap. Episcoporum. Nullus.

Pope Boniface the first commanded, y ^t no banckeroute, or indebted person should be admitted unto y ^e Clergye. Plat. Lib. Council.

Pope Calixt y ^e first appointed, y ^t whosoever will take upon him the order of a Massing priest, must forswear marriage, & lead a single life. Grat. Dist. 27. Ca. Presbyteres. Nauclerus.

Pope Gregory the first made a decree y ^t none y ^t had been twice married, should be admitted to be a priest. Dist. 33. Cap. Maritum duarum.

Pope Gelasius the first ordained, y ^t no dismembered person should be admitted unto y ^e order of priesthood. Grat. Dist. 55 Cap. Si euangelica.

Pope Clement the first appointed, y ^t the priest, after he had said Mass, should continue fasting by the space of three hours, before he either eat or drink. Dist. 2. de consec. De tribus. Gradibus. And Gratianus witnesseth, that a priest also ought to come to Mass fasting. De cons. Dist. 2, Can. Liquido. Item. Cap. Sacramenta altaris.

Of the dignity and power of the Massing Priest, and of the honor that is due unto him, be he good or bad.

P Riestes are worthy to be honored of all men, for the dignity, which they have of GOD. For God hath given them power to bind and to loose, as it is written: Whatsoever ye shall bind upon earth, shall also be bound in heaven. And whatsoever ye shall losen upon earth, shall be losoned also in heaven. For a priest after a certain manner is like Mary the Virgin. And this is declared by three things. Fyrst as the blessed Virgin did conceive Jesus Christ by five words, as is it mentioned in the Gospel of Luke. Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum : So likewise the Prieste maketh the true body of Christ, by these five words, Hoc est enim corpus meum. And as whole Christ immediately after the consent of Mary, was in her womb: so likewise immediately after y ^e pronunciation of y ^e words of consecration, the bread is transsubstātiated & turned into y ^e true body of Christ. Secondly as the blessed Virgin after she had brought forth Christ, did bear him in her hands, & laid him in y ^e maunger: so likewise y ^e priest after the consecration immediately lyfteth up the body of Christ, and layeth him down again, & beareth him, & handleth him in his hands. Thirdly, as y ^e blessed Virgin was sāctifyed in y ^e womb, before she conceived Christ: so likewise y ^e priest receiveth orders & is annointed, before he consecrateth.

For without taking orders he could consecrate nothing: and therefore a layman although he be never so holy can do nothing in this matter, although he should pronounce the words of consecration. In consideration whereof, we must know, y ^t the dignity of priests after a certain manner doth far excel the dignity of Angels. For power to make y ^e body of Christ is givē to none of the Angels, so that the baseste and moste inferioure priest in the world can do that, which the greatest and highest Angel in heaven cannot do. Therefore Barnarde saith: O the worshipful dignity of priests, in whose hands the Son of God as in the Virgines womb is incarnate. Wherefore Agustine saith, that in the consecration of the holy host all the heavenly court serveth him, that is to say, the priest: and the Lord of heaven cometh down unto him. Ambrose therefore also saith writing upon Luke: Doubte thou not, but y ^t the Angels are there present, when Christ is present upon the altare: so y ^t priests are to be honored above all Kings, Princes, Knyghtes and men of Nobility. For a priest is higher than Kynges, more blessed and happy than Aungells, being the maker of his maker, and therefore he is worthy to be honored, &c. Yea let it be granted, that the priest be evil: yet is he to be honored for y ^e dignity of priesthood, as it is declared in the decrees. Priests although they be evil, yet ought we to honor them for the sacraments sake. 1. Quaest. 1. Sacramenta. &c. Sermones Discipuli in Sermon. 28. De honor.

As there are nine quiers or orders of Angels in heaven: so like wise ar there nine dignities of priests.

Fyrst, Priests are above all Kynges and Princes of the earth, as God saith by Ieremye: I have set thee this day over Nations and Kingdoms. And this to be true, appeareth thus. The dignity of the priest is such and so great, y ^t it lieth in his power to consecrate and make Kings: but all the Kynges of the world are not able to make one Priest. And for a proof thereof, that priests be greater and of far more excellencye, than Kings are: it is to be noted, y ^t there is no Prince so great, which doth not bow down his neck in confession to the Prieste, and humble himself before the priest as before God, being in deed God's vicar. Therefore God out of hands exalted the Priests above all men, and above all creatures, as a certain Doctor saith, speaking of Priests. Although by nature ye be men: yet in dignity ye excel all men. Agayne: A Prieste is higher than Kynges, more blessed and happy than Aungells, and the maker of his maker.

Secondly, God hath honored them in temporal things. For those things, which God reserved unto himself, that is to say, the tenths, y ^e offerings, the first fruits, and the other Patrimonyes of Christ crucified, he hath freely given to y ^e priests for the sustentation and mainteinaunce of their body, that they being free from labor (when other mē must needs work for their living) may y ^e more quietly serve God in spiritual things.

Thyrdly, God hath honored them in giving them such immunities, privileges, liberties, and fredomes, that no earthly Prince hath jurisdiction over them, neither king, neither Prince, neither any other seculare mā: no neither dare any man lay violente hand upon them, no, not upon the lessest of y ^e order. For whosoever doth the contrary, he is excommunicate with the greater excommunication eo facto, both in heaven and in earth. Verily God doth so defend thē, y ^t none dare trouble thē either in word or in deed, insomuche y ^t whatsoever displeasure is done unto any of them he thinketh it to be done to himself, as the Lord himself saith by y ^e Prophet Zacharye : He y ^e toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye. Agayne in the Psalm he saith: touch not mine annointed: so y ^t priests are not to be molested so much as with a word, but they ar to be honored, as the Lord said to Moses and Aaron: I will bless them y ^e bless you, and curse them that curse you. In consideration whereof, the priests and mē of the church are priuileged insomuche that whosoever do make, or cause to be made or to be kept any statutes, that be against the liberties of the priests and men of the Clergye, they are straight ways excommunicate & accursed. Item, no wordly Prince dare make exactions upon the Clergye: neither dare any man ask any kind of paymentes, or take anything of the Clergye: For if he do, he is out of hand excommunicate, neither can he be absolved from the aforesaid excommunication, except he make restitution at the full.

Fourthly, God hath honored the priests in that he hath committed unto them the souls of the faithful, that is to say, the holy Church of the which Chrysostom saith: The church is more honorable than heaven, and the angels, & all other creatures. Christ hath loved the Church more than himself for whose sake he came down from heaven into this world, and served for it xxxiii. years, and at the last suffered bitter death for it, and doth now give unto it his body for meat, & his blood for drink, and after this life he giveth himself unto it for a reward. Moreover he hath committed this well-beloved Church to priests with all the gifts, that is to say the Sacraments. For the order of priesthood only hath power to baptize, except it be in necessity, at which time it is lawful for every man and woman to baptize. Also he alone hath authority to minister the Sacrament of confirmation. Item, the priest alone hath power to hear confession, to give absolution, and to enjoin penance, according to this saying of Christ: take the holy Ghost: whose sins ye forgive they are forgiven them: but whose sins ye do retain, they are retained. Itē, he alone hath power to minister the Sacrament of extreme unction. &c. In this incomprehensible dignity God hath singularely honored them above all other men. Ye are that light of the world, saith he. For as the world should be nothing without light even so is the Church nothing without priests.

Fifthly, God hath honored thē in this, that he hath straitly charged all men to be obedient unto them, as unto him self, of what condition or state so ever they be, as he saith: He that heareth you, heareth me: and he that despiseth you, despiseth me. Whatsoever is not lawful (saith Agustine) it is the shepherds office to forbid, and the duty of the flock, to hear and to obey. Therefore all men must obey the Priests even as Christ, when they command them to fast, to keep holy day. &c. Therefore the Lord threateneth them that are disobedient and rebel against the commandment of Priests, saying: he that is proud, and will not obey the commandment of the Priest, let him die the death. An example hereof have we in Dathan, Abiron, and Chore, which rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and therefore the earth opened, and swallowed them up quick.

Sixthly, God hath honored them by giving them power to bind and to loosen, as it is written: Whatsoever ye shall bind upon the earth. &c. This power of binding and losoning is understand one way of excommunication, which is the spiritual sword: and it is greatly to be feared. An other way this power is to be understand of the absolution of sins. Therefore the Bishop whē he maketh priests, bloweth and breatheth upon them, saying: Take the holy Ghost. &c.

Seventhly, God hath honored them in that they are called angels in the scriptures. Therefore saith Gregory: All that are termed by the name of a priest, are called Angels. But wherefore are they called angels. Verelye because they have certain properties with the angels. First, because it is the office of angels to minister unto God and unto men, as the Apostle saith: All Aūgels are ministering spirits. So likewise is it the duty of priests to serve God day & night, and to minister unto men, with the Sacraments. Secondly, because an angel is pure in life: so in like manner ought every priest to be chaste and pure in his life and conversation. For to live chaste, is an aungelike life, as Ambrose saith: they that are not married, nor do mary, are as angels in earth. Damascene saith: Abstinence from marriage is the following of angels. Thyrdly, it is the office of Angels to inform and instruct men by good inspiration. So likewise is it the priests duty to do by the word of god. Fourthly, it is y ^e duty of angels to praise god so likewise are the priests bound under pain of deadly sin to say eueryday, their matins, prime, and hours, even • ong. &c. unto the praise of God.

Eyghtly, God hath honored y ^e priests in this, that they are in some points like to the most blessed virgins Mary. First, as the most blessed virgin Mary did conceive thorough five words the true body of Christ, Fiat mihi secundum verbum tuum, so likewise the priest thorough five words. Hoc est enim corpus meū maketh the body of Christ. And as immediatlye after the consent of Mary, whole Christ was in her womb: so likewise out of hand after the words of consecration be pronounced by the priest, the bread is turned into the substance of the very body of Christ, secondly, as the blessed virgins, after she had brought forth Christ, bare him in her hands, and laid him in the cribe and took him up again: so likewise the priest after the consecration lifteth up Christ, and layeth him down again, and beareth him unto the sick, and handleth him with his hands. Thirdly, as the blessed virgins was sanctified in her womb, before she conceived Christ, as it is written: The most high hath sanctified his tabernacle: so in like manner the priest receiveth holy orders, before he cōsecrateth: for he could not consecrate, except he were ordered. And therefore a Laye man, be he never so holy, can do nothing in this matter, although he pronounceth the words of consecration.

Ninthly, God hath honored the priests above Angels, yea, and somewhat also above the dignity of blessed Mary the virgins. First in the dignity of keeping. For a priest is bound to keep many souls, as the Bishop is bound to look upon all the diocese, and the Pope the whole world, and the Curate his parish, as Bernard saith: O how worthy kepers are they, which so carefully watch, that they may keep the souls that are committed unto them from everlasting death. But an Angel hath but one soul committed unto him for to keep, as Bernard testifieth: Great is the dignity of souls, that everyone of them even from the very time of their birth, should have an aungel appointed for to keep them. Secondly, in taking and touching the body of Christ. The angels do but see God, as it is written: Their angels see the face of my Father, which is in heaven. But in this is the priest greater than the Aūgell: for he doth but see God, but the priest handleth him, yea and eateth him, which was never givē to any Angel so to do, but it sufficeth him to behold God. Thirdly, in consecratyng the body of Christ. And in this point the priest doth not only excel the Angels, but also after a certain manner Mary the Mother of Christ: so that the lessest priest on earth is able to do that, which the greatest Angel in Heaven cannot do. Therefore saith Barnarde: O the dignity of priests worthy to be had in great reverence, in whose hands as in the womb of the Virgin the Son of God is incarnate. Agustine also saith: In the consecration of the holy host the whole court of Heaven doth service to the priest, yea, and the Lord of heaven cometh down unto him. Likewyse saith Ambrose vpō Luke: Doubt thou not, but that Angels are there present when Christ is present on the altare, & whē he is offered: so y ^t Christ may well say to every priest, y ^t which is writ̄ in Isaiah: What could I have done, more for thee, & have not done it? Furthermore we must know, that every mā is bound to honor priests, seeing y ^e god himself hath so many & sundry ways garnished & beautified thē with such & so great honor. But contrary to this do all they, that dishonor priests: and in this they greuouslye offend God, as Henricus de vrimaria writing upon the fourth commandment saith: Woe be unto them and everlasting damnation hangeth over their heads, that do dishonor priests, speak evil of them, defame & backbite them: for they crucify the Son of God again. For so often as thou backbitest or • laundrest a religious person or priest: so often dost thou put a crown of thorn upon Christ's head: For they are the head & upper parte of the Church militante. So often as thou doest any displeasure unto them: so often dost thou fasten Christ with nails to the cross. So often as thou raylest upon them: so often dost thou spit Christ in the face. And so often as thou dost evil entreat them, and find fault either in their speaking or doying: so often dost y ^u thrust Christ unto the heart with a spear. God therefore willing to show howe greatly he detesteth that sin, hath made it evident with that wonderful punishment and unwonted pain, which Dathan, Abiron and Chore, suffered, whom the earth did swalowe up quick, because they did mysuse the Priests. Of these things aforesaid it evidently appeareth, y ^t priests even of duty ought to be honored of all men. In sermonibus discipuli. Germ. iii. Dom. 14. Post. Festum. Trinitatis.

O ye Priests, which are the buckelars and officers of y ^e true Solomon, that is to say, of Jesus Christ, and the chamberlaynes and dispensatoures or stewards of the mysteries of God: Consider & mark diligently in what degree and dignity ye are set over all the goods of the Lord. What could God do more for the Priests than to give them power for to make himself, to handle him, to eat him, & to give him to other? Therefore remember yourselves, and consider well y ^e noble privilege of your dignity.

Althoughe glass be made of vile matter and stuff, yet is it reproved & found to be more clear than gold and silver, so likewise every priest, be he never so great and grievous a sinner, yet doth he far excel all other creatures, both Kings and Princes & is of greater dignity than all y ^e creatures y ^t are. Ye are (saith S. Peter speaking to priests) a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a won people, not only of a temporal election but also of an eternal predestination.

O the worshipful dignity of priests, if ye live worthily and priestlike, within whose hands as in the Virgines womb the son of God is incarnate and made man. O heavenly mystery, which y ^e father and y ^e son, and y ^e holy ghost doth so maruelouslye work by you, y ^t in one and in the same moment the same God, which sitteth & ruleth in heaven, is a sacrifice in your hands. The heaven wondereth at so noble a privilege: the earth marueleth: man is greatly astonied: hell quaketh for fear the devil trembleth and shaketh all y ^t is on him: the Aungelike highness is in great admiration. What then shall I priest give again unto the Lord, for all things that he hath given me? As for an example: He that hath made me, hath given me power to make him: yea he that made me without me, is made by the means of me, &c. Consider therefore (O ye Priests) the marvelous dignity of your excellencye, that God hath not only ordained you before all other people, but he hath also made you passing all other creatures which he hath created unto the praise and glory of his name, &c.

Sauyng y ^e Angels reverence whose number is infinite: I say plainly, that ye are greater than Aungells, and do far excel their dignity largo modo loquendo. For to which of the Angels hath God given that, which he hath given to the priest? I mean. Whatsoever ye bind on earth, shall be bound also in heaven. Note: there are two keys, that is to say, of knowledge and of power, given of the Lord to blessed Peter and to other men: not to all mē, but to Priests alone, and to their successoures. For although God alone forgive sin, yet never or very seldom doth he forgive sin without his ministers, that is to say, Priests. Which thing may be proved by the Lepers, to whom, when the Lord had healed them, he sald: Go: show yourselves to the priests, and humbly obey them. And while they were going, they were made clean. It may also be proved by Lazarus, whom when the Lord had raised up; he said to his Disciples: Loose him and let him go. But wherefor did not the Lord himself loosen him from y ^t knots of the byndings, which had losoned him frō y ^e bonds of death? And wherefor did he not command Mary and Martha his systers to loose him or his kynnesfolke the Jews, which were nearer unto him by the course of nature, than the Disciples of y ^e Lord? Verelye to declare manifestly and to prove plainly that the power to loose and to bind is given of the Lord to priests alone. Behold, how great the goodness of God, and the worthiness of priests, is. For the Lord himself worketh good sometime even by them y ^e are evil: and that to this ende, because the keys of the Church should not be despised or set at naught of the faithful. For although priests sometime have not this power ex merito : yet have they it ex officio dignitatis. And if any priest • e unworthy (which god forbid) y ^t hurteth himself: it hyndreth thee nothing at all. Behold, what great power is given to you priests, For your tongues are made the keys of heaven. O how great dignity, saith Bernard, hath god given to you? How great and excellent is y ^e prerogative of y ^e priests order? He hath preferred you above the Kynges of y ^e earth: He hath exalted this order of priests above all men: Yea as I may speak more highly, he hath preferred you before Aungells thrones and powers. For as he toke not Angels but Abraham's seed to bring to pass redemption: so likewise hath he committed y ^e consecration of his body and blood, not to Aungells, but to men, that is to say, to priests only.

Seeing then, y ^t a priest is of so great dignity, y ^t he is the maker of his maker: him to destroy or to condemn, it is not convenient, &c.

This is a very heavenly privilege, this is an exceeding great glory, this is a grace excelling all grace: a priest to hold God in his hands. We believe & are thoroughly persuaded, y ^t the celebration of so noble a mystery is committed to none of the Angels, to none of the Archeaungels, nor to any other heavenly spirits, but to your order only, &c. For on the altare thorough the mouthe and the hands of y ^e priests, the body of Christ is made, even that very body, which is on the right hand of God, &c.

O ye priests howe great a thing is this, that at the lifting up of your hands, Kynges bow down their heads, yea Kings and Queens offer gifts to you. All the Church or congregation confesseth & calleth you fathers, and desireth you to pray for them, &c.

O the worshipful holiness of priests hands. O blessed and happy exercise. O the true joy of the world, where low things ar joined to y ^e most high things, when Christ handleth Christ, y ^e priest, y ^e son of God. Thou hast a delight to be with the sons of men. Therefore saith Peter, speaking of priests: ye are a chosen generation, a royal Priesthoode, an holy Nation, a won people, &c.

O ye priests consider the excellencye of your moste noble dignity: For the lord hath enriched & beautified you before all other his creatures. Verily priests ar worthy to be honored, seeing y ^e the Lord hath givē unto thē passing all other, so great grace and honor in the world.

Ex lib cui titulus est. Stella Clericorum.

Of the ceremonies of the popish Church. Of holy water.

P Ope Alexander the first (as y ^e papists fain) ordained water mingled with salt to be hallowed, & afterward sprinkled upon the people, to put away their sins, and to make thē holy and pure: He also commanded, y ^t it should be kept both in churches and in houses to chase and drive away devils and wicked spirits, not only out of houses where mendwell, but also out of y ^e hearts of the faithful: as though faith and y ^e deuel could dwell together in one heart In the yere, &c. 110. Grat. Plat. Sabel. Lib. Council. D. Barns. P • antal.

The words of pope Alexanders canon ar these. We bless y ^e water mingled with salt for this purpose, that all that be sprinkled therewith, may be made holy and pure: which thing we command all Priests likewise to do. For saith he, if the ashes of an heyfer sprinkled, made holy and cleansed the people from venial sins: Muche more water sprynckled with salt, and hallowed with holy prayers, doth sanctifye, make holy, and cleanse the people from venial sins.

And if the salt being sprynckled by Helizeus, the barennesse of the • water was healed: Howe much more salt being hallowed with Godlye prayers, taketh away the barennesse of such things as appertain to man, and sanctifieth and pourgeth them y ^t are defiled, and multiplieth such goods as we have need of, and turneth away y ^e disceates of the devil, and defendeth men from all naughty and wicked fancies, &c. De conse. Dist. 3. Cap. Aquam sale conspersam. Lib. Council.

Is not this good stuff? is not this worthy to be called gods service? Oughte not y ^e people to rise up & make curtesy to the Popyshe shauelynge, when he sprinckleth thē with water of so great virtue? Are not the scriptures here well applied? Doth not this ceremony make Christ Jack out of office, with all his works and merits? God have mercy on us, and shortly confoūd Antichrist.

Guilihelmus Durādus saith, y ^t the holy water hath deserved to have of God so great virtue, that as outwardly it wash • h the body from filthiness: so inwardly clēseth the souls from sins. O blasphemy intolerable. This is y ^e goodly Godlye Catholyke doctrine, wherewith the vngoodly ungodly Papists infecte the minds of such Christians, as are simple and light of belief, yea, wherewith they caste the souls of all such, as put their confidence and trust in these pylde, begarly, and lousy ceremonies, into everlasting damnation. And yet must they be called laudable ceremonies, well worthy (and God will.) to be frequented and used in the Church of Christ. And the teachers of this doctrine, & the ministers of these ceremonies must alone be counted worthy to bear office in the Church, to be reputed and taken for the only pyllars of our mother holy Church, to be had in estimation above all men, and to be reverenced as God's of all men: and so many as be of contrary opinion, teaching that our whole salvation cometh only from God thorough faith in the blood of Christ, must be adjudged seditious persons, sowers of discord, authors of new learning, teachers of strange doctrine, and heretics. But as I may by conjecture speak my mind concerning this ceremony: I think verily, that as the ceremony of dealing holy bread on the Sondayes (whereof we shall hereafter speak) was ordained of y ^e fathers of Christ's Church at that time, to put the people in remembrance of Christ's body breaking: so likewise at the same time was this ceremony of water sprinkling brought into the Church to put the people in remembrance of Christ's blood sheadyng on the altare of the Cross for their sins. But as the papists in process of time lost the signification of holy bread, & of all other ceremonies, & therefore joined unto the certain doctrines of error & false faith, so likewise have thei done in y ^e ceremony of holy water. They not knowing the cause of the first instititution, have feigned the holy water, as they cal it, to be of such and so great virtue, might, and power, that it is able to put away sin, to give health both of mind & body, to make so many holy and pure, as be sprinkled with it, to give abundance of things, to drive away devils, to chase away all the power of our ghostly enemy, yea and to pluck him up by the roots and utterly to destroy him with all his Apostatike angels, to put back diseases, to expel all corrupt and pestilente airs, to dispatche all y ^e guyles, subtleties, sleyghtes and disceates of the lurkyng enemy, • o banyshe all things that be contratye to the health, prosperity, and quietness of all such, as dwell in y ^e houses where it is sprinkled, to give security of hope, corroboratiō & strengthening of faith, to bring the holy ghost, & at the last what not? Are not all these things read in their exorcisms & coniuratiōs of their bewitched & salted water as we have tofore heard, and in other Popish treatyses?

Read we not these words in their Popish primare, which we are taught & commanded to say, whē we sprinckle our selves with y ^e water in the Church porche, before we enter into y ^e Church.

Aqua benedicta sit mihi salus • vita. Praesta mihi domine per hanc creaturam aspertionis aquae, sanitatem mentis, integritatem corporis, tutelam salutis, securitatem spei, corroborationem fidei nūc & in futuro. Which is thus Englished.

The blessed water mought be unto me health and life. Grant me, O Lord, by this creature of the sprincklyng of water, health of mind, wholenesse of body, defense of health, safeguard of hope, strengthnynge of faith, now and in time to come.

And because this their dream should be of the more credit: they have fathered those their lies, as they do many other, of an ancient Bishop of Rome, called Alexander the first, which lived. In y ^e yere. &c. 119. And here mayest thou see, what a lying generatiō the Papists are, as I may speak nothing of their pestilent and abhominable doctrine.

Of Holy Bread.

T He use among the Christians was first of all, y ^t so many as came together into the church daily for to pray, and to hear the word of God: the same should also daily receive together the holy communion of the body & blood of Christ. But when the multitude that professed Christ began to increase, and waxed very great, so that that order could not conveniently be observed & kept: the ancient fathers of Christ's church made a decree, y ^e all y ^e Christians should communicate on the Sondayes together, and be no more bound unto the daily communiō, as they to fore were. And here of cometh this sentence of S. Agustine : Daily to communicate I neither cōmende, nor discommend: but on the Sōdays to receive y ^e communion, I would council all men. Whē this receiving of the communiō every Sunday was not done with such devotion, soberness, and gravity, as it ought to have been, but thorough that often coming unto it much dissolution & lightness was shown of diverse people: the Elders of Christ's Church thought it mete for y ^t present time to take away the custom of receiving the communion every Sunday, & to appoint, that the Christians should receive the communion together thrice in the year, y ^t is to say, at Easter, at Witsontyde, and at the feast of Christ's nativity. But when this order also was not duly and reverently observed: it was judged and thought mete, that the people should commonly receive the Lord's Supper but once in the year, that is to say, at Easter: and that in the stead thereof, because the remembrance of Christ's passion and death should not be forgotten nor his blessed body breaking and precious blood sheadyng fall from the remembrance of the people, which is preached, declared, and set forth to the faithful at the Lord's supper by breaking and eating the bread, and by pouring out & by drinking the wine: The Fathers of Christ's Church instituted the ceremonies of holy bread and holy water, to put the people in remembrance of Christ's body breaking, and blood shedding: y ^• as they see the bread, which is distributed every Sunday of the minister broken on many pieces: so they should set before the eyes of their mind the breaking of Christ's body on the altare of the Cross for the remission of their sins: again, that as they see the water sprinkled abroad: so they should remember, that Christ's blood was shed for them on the Cross, by the effusion and sheading whereof, they be purged, cleansed, and purified from all filthiness of sin & iniquity, & by this means address themselves to be thankful to God the Father for so inestimable and exceeding great benefits given unto them in the death of his Son. And these ceremonies of holy bread and holy water at that time were not only ministered to y ^e people of the Godly Pastors, but it was also every Sondaye preached and declared unto thē, what the ceremonies signified, and wherefore they were instituted of the rulers of Christ's church, evē to put thē in remembrance of Christ's body breaking and blood sheadyng on y ^e altare of the Cross for the remission & forgiveness of their sins. And it is not to be doubted, but the Godly Ministers in those days did with sorrowful hearts minister those ceremonies to the people, seeing that they for their unthankfulness & dissolution of life, were deprived of the holy communion of Christ's body and blood, and fed with ceremonies of man's invention: and did likewise diligently exhort the people so to frame their lives according to the rule of God's word, that the Elders of Christ's Church seeing their repentance and amendment of life, might thereby be occasioned to restore unto them the holy and blessed communion, which is the partaking of the body and blood of Christ. Thus were the ceremonies not altogether unprofitable to the people of y ^t age. But it is in these our days far otherwise. For the ceremonies in the Popish Churches are still retained: but who knoweth the signification and meaning of thē. The bread is every Sunday distributed, and the water sprinkled: but howe often is the death of Christ preached? But as touching y ^e ceremonye of holy bread, whereof we now speak, it is become a vain tradition and utterly unprofitable, yea wicked and abhominable, as all other popish ceremonies are likewise. For where as it was instituted to put the people in remembrance of Christ's body breaking the priests deal it unto this ende, y ^t the people eating thereof, should believe to receive health and salvation both of body and soul. For these are the words, which they use in halowing the bread, as they term it, taking upon them by this means to make the creatures of God more holy, than ever God made them, Benedic domine hanc creaturam panis, qui benedixisti quin{que} pan • s in deserto, vt omnes gustantes ex his, recipeant tam corporis quā animae sanitatem. That is to say. Bless, O Lord, this creature of bread, which didst bless five Loaues in the wilderness, that all that taste of them, may receive health both of body and soul.

What other thing is this, than to attribute the virtue of our salvation to a pylde & beggarly ceremony, which alone cometh of y ^e mere mercy and gracious goodness of God to all men, that repent and believe in Christ Jesus his only begotten Son, and our alone Sauioure • If we may obtain health both of body and soul by their be witched bread: then was Christ promised, given, conceived, borne circumcised, persecuted, and put to death for our sins in vain: yea, then was Christ without cause made of God the Father unto us, wisdom and righteousness, and sanctifying, and redemption, y ^t as it is written. He that rejoiceth, should rejoice in the Lord. We know, saith the Apostle, y ^t man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ: and we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by y ^e faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law, because no flesh shall be justified by the works of the law. If we be not justified by the works of that law, which God himself commanded: shall we hope to be made righteous by the obseruaunces of men's trifling traditions, crooked constitutions, idle inventions, drousye dreams, fond fantasyes, antichristian acts, deuilysh decrees, 〈◊〉 O blasphemous Papists.

Of Procession.

P Ope Agapetus the first commanded the people to go procession solemnly on sondayes & other feastiual days. In the year, &c. 533. Platina. Polyd. D. Barns. &.

Guilielmus Durand writeth, that when the people go a Procession, the Belles are ronge to this ende, even to make the devils afraid, and to chase them away. For saith he, the devils are wonderfully afraid, when they hear the trompettes of the church militaunt, I mean the Belles: even as a Tyraunte is greatly afraid, when he heareth in his own land the trumpets of some mighty Kyng that is his enemy. And this is also the cause, why the church, when there is any great tempest, ringeth the Belles, y ^t the devils hearing the trumpets of y ^e everlasting King, should be afraid, and trudge away, and cause no more tempests to arise, &c. Rat. di. off.

Of Sensing.

POpe Leo the third brought Sensing into the church. In the year, &c. 796. Pol. D. Barns. Pantal.

Of Candles bearing on Candelmassedaye.

POpe Sergius, otherwise called, Pope Swinesnoute, commanded, y ^t all the people should go on procession upon Candelmasse day, and carry candles about with them brenning in their hands. In the year. &c. 684. Durand. G. Achilles. Howe this candle bearing on candlemasse day came first up, y ^t author of our english festiual declareth on this manner. Somtyme saith he, when the Romaines by great might and royal power conquered all the world (for they had great dominion) they were so proud, y ^t they forgot God, & made them diverse God's after their own lust. And so among all, they had a God y ^t they called Mars, that had been to fore a notable Knight in battle. And so they prayed to him for help: and for that they would speed y ^t better of this Knyght, the people prayed & did great worship to his mother, y ^t was called Februa, after which woman much people have opinion, that y ^e month February is called. Wherefore y ^e second day of this month is candlemasseday. The Romaines this night went about the city of Rome with Torches & Candles brennyng in worship of this woman Februa, for hope to have y ^e more help and succoure of her son Mars. Then was there a Pope, y ^t was called Sergius, and whē he saw Christian people draw to this false Maumetrye and untrue belief: He thought to undo this foul use and custom, and turn it into God's worship and our Ladies, & gave commandment, y ^t all Christian people should come to Church and offer up a candle brennyng in the worship y ^t they did to this woman Februa, & do worship to our lady & to her son our Lord Jesus Christ. So y ^t now this feast is solemnly hallowed thorough all Christendom. And every Christian man and woman of couenable age is bound to come to church, and offer up their candles as though they were bodily with our Lady, hopyng for this reverence & worship y ^t they do to our Lady, to have a great reward in heaven, and of her son our lord Jesus Christ: and so they may be syker, and it be done in clean life and with good devotion, &c.

Of Ashes sprincklyng.

POpe Gregory the first ordained, y ^t the people on Ashe wednisday should be sprinkled with hallowed Ashes, to put thē in remembrance, y ^t they are but earth, dust and Ashes, In the year, &c. 590. Anselmus Ryd.

Of Palms bearing.

POpe Gregory the first also appointed, y ^t Palms should be borne about in procession on Palme Sunday. Ansel. Ryd.

Of halowing Palms, Ashes, Candles, &c.

POpe Gregory the first in like manner devised the halowing of Palms, Ashes, Candles, &c. Durand, Antonin.

Of Crepyng to the Cross.

POpe Gregory the first likewise brought into the Church, the Crepyng unto the Cross. Sigesb. Antoninus.

Of the halowing of the Paschal.

POpe Zozimus ordained, that the Paschal Taper should be hallowed on Easter even, and set up in every paryshe church. In y ^e yere, of our Lord. 414. Isidor. Volat. Platina. D. Barns.

Some make Pope Theodorus author of it, which lived about the yere of our Lord. 613. Chron. Fasciculus. Temporum. Durand.

Guilielmus Durand saith y ^e Saint Ambrose made the benediction or prayer, wherewith the Paschal Taper is hallowed on Easter even. He saith moreouēr, that Augustinus and Petrus Diaconus the Monk, made also other benedictions, which are not in use. Rat. di. offi.

Of Oil and Creame, and of the halowing of the same.

POpe Clement the first brought first of all the Oil & Creame into the Church. In the yere of our Lord, .92.

Some attribute this ceremonye to Pope Sylvester the first. In the yere, &c. 315. Chron. Lib. Council.

Pope Fabian ordained, y ^t the Oil and Creame, which are used to be kept in the Chrismatorye for sundry purposes and uses, should be renewed every Maundye Thursdaye, and y ^t the old should be brent. For saith he, it is a new sacrament, & therefore must it always be renewed, and the old brent. De conse. Dist. 3. Cap. In literis. Plat. Volat. Fascicu. Temp. Polyd..

Pope Sylvester the first gave straight charge, y ^t neither deacō nor priest should presume to halow Oil and Creame, but only the Bishop. In the year, &c. 315. Lib Council.

Pope Anastasius the first commanded, that so soon as the Bishop hath hallowed the Oil and Creame, either the Subdeacons or the Deacons with all expedition should carrye it unto all the Churches thorough out the diocese that it may be in a readiness against Easter day. In the year of our Lord. 404. Lib. Council. Chron.

Of the Fire on Easter even, and of the Halowing thereof.

POpe Zozimus ordained not only y ^e Paschal Taper to be hallowed on Easter even, but also that a Fire should be made in every Church on that day, and hallowed: again, that the Paschal should be lightened with the flame of that Fire, and all other candles in the Church. In the year. &c. Chron. Germ.

Of Halowing the Fonte on Easter even.

POpe Pius the first brought in the halowing of y ^e Fonte. In the yere &c. 147. Plat. Sabell.

Pope Leo, Pope Damasus, and S. Ambrose added the Exorcismes or coniurations, and the benedictions or blessings, with the other solemnities that be used at y ^e halowing of the Fonte, as droppyng the candle into it, the priests breathing into it, the deviding and casting out of y ^e water. &c. Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand. in. Rat. di. off.

Of halowing new Frutes.

POpe Eutichianus decreed, that all new fruits, but specially Beanes & Grapes should be blessed, consecrated and hallowed upon the altare. In the yere. &c. 276. plat. polid. D. Bar • s.

Of Fasting.

SAint Peter the Apostle of Christ, & first Pope of Rome, (as the Papists fain) where he lived by the space of xxv. years and reygned the great and high Bishop, ordained, that both Advent and Lent should be solemnly & devoutly fasted of all christen people in the remembrance of the first and seconde coming of our Lord Jesus. In the year of our Lord. 36. Ioā. Laziar. Chron. Angl. Durand.

Guilihelmus Durand saith, that after the mind of S. Gregory de consecrate. dist. • . Lent is counted to begin on the first Sondaye in Lent, and to ende easter even: which time saith he, containeth xlii. days: of the which take away the six Sondayes, & so there remain only, 36. days. Therefore that the number of forty days, which Christ fasted, might be perfected, the aforesaid Pope Gregory added and put to Lent four days of the week that go before, that is to say, Wednesday, Thursdaye, Frydaye and Saterdaye. De consecra. dist. 5. Quadragesima. Durand. in Rat. di off.

Telesphorus (as other affirm: which I think to be more true) appointed first of all, Lent to be fasted before Easter. And he moreover added another week to it, which is commonly called Quinquagesima. This week he commanded the priests to fast more than the laytye: because they, which ought to be holier than the reaste, should in this ordinarye fast show more abstistinence than other. In the yere of our Lord. 139. Lib. Council. Euseb. Sabell. Polid. D. Barns.

In a certain Sinode hold̄ at Nice it was ordained, that the fasting of Lent which before endured from the sixth day of Ianuarye unto the sixtenth day of February should begin and ende, as it is now used. Chron. Ranulphus. Cest.

Carcombertus king of England was the first, that commanded the inhabitants of England to fast Lent, about the year of our Lord. 645. Sigeb. in Chron. Pantal.

Pope Gregory the second made a decree, that christen men should fast also on the thursdayes in Lent, which was never used afore: and that there should be solemn massing also on those days in Churches. But Pope Melchiades ordained, that no man should fast the Thursday, no more than the Sunday. For saith he, as the Sunday was solemn because of the resurrection of the Lord: so likewise ought thursdaye to be because on that day Christ instituted his supper, and ascended into heaven. In the year of our Lord. 729. Sigebertus in Chron. Guil. Durand. Pantal.

Pope Sylvester the first ordained, that Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday should be fasted every week thorough out the year. As for Sondayes & thursdayes, he would have them be kept merely holy with double feast (as they use to say) in holy kitchen. For on the sondaye, saith he, t • e Lord Jesus rose up from death to life and on the Thursday he ascended into heaven: he instituted the Sacrament of his body, and made the holy cream. In the yere of our Lord. 315. Bergom.

Pope Gregory the seventh renewed the saterday fast and commanded, that there should be no flesh eaten of Christians that day. In the year. &c. 1073. Plat. Volat. Nauclerus. Johannes Stella de consec. dist. 5. ca • . Quia dies Sabathi.

Many attribute the Saturday fast to Pope Innocent, the first. In the year. &c. 408. Grat. Sabel. Fasci. Temp. Pantal. And Pope Innocentes reason, why men should fast the saterday is this: First because on that day Christ lay buried in the Sepulcher. Secondely, because his disciples for very sorrow fasted that day. Lib. Council. Chron. Chronicarum. Alb. Crantzius.

Notwithstandynge Guilihelmus Durand, saith, that Pope Innocent, made a constitution, y ^t the saterdaye in Lent should not be fasted, because the Lord rested in the sepulcher on the saterday, • or a token of the quietness and reast, that we shall hereafter have: wherein •• in the Festiualle on this manner. Good friends, this week ye shall have Imber days, that is, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: the which days Calixtus the Pope ordained four times in y ^e year, to all that be of conuenable age to fast for certain causes, as ye shall hear. Our old fathers fasted four times in the year, against four high and solemn feasts: and if we will show us good children, we must fast, and follow the same rule that they used. And therefore we fast four times. First in march The second at Whitsontyde. The third between harvest & seedetyme. And the fourth before Christmas. Marche is a time that drieth up the moisture that is in the earth. Wherefore we fast that time to dry the earth of our body of the humors that be noyous to the body and to the soul. For that time the humors of letchery tempteth a mā most of any time of the year. Also we do fast at Whitsontyde, to get grace of the holy Ghost, that we may be in love and charity to God, and to all the world▪ Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charity covereth the multitude of sins. Also we must fast for to have meekness in our hearts, and to put away all pride y ^t reneweth within us. Also we fast between harvest and seed time for to have grace to gather fruits of good works into the house of our conscience, and so by ensample of good living among the people, that we be common with both rich and poor. Also we fast in winter for to slay all stinckyng weeds of sin and of foul earth and fleshly lusts, y ^t maketh good Angels & good people to withdraw them from us. For right as a nettle brenneth roses and other flowers that grow nigh him. In the same wise a vicious man or woman styrreth and setteth on fire them y ^t been in his company. And for these causes we fast four times in the year, & every time three days, y ^e betokeneth three special virtues that helpeth a man to grace, y ^t is fasting, devout praying, and almesse deed doing. And by opiniō of much people these days been called Imber days because y ^t our elder Fathers would on these days eat no bread but cakes made under ashes: So y ^t by the eating of y ^t thei reduced into their mind that they were but ashes, and so should turn again, and wiste not how sone: and by that turned away from all delicious meats and drinks and took none heed, but y ^t they had easy sustenance. This caused them to think on death, and y ^• will cause a man to desire no more thā him needeth, and to abstain himself frō all manner of bodily lusts, & to increase in virtues, whereby we may come to everlasting bless.

And at a council holden at Magonce it was decreed, y ^t when those Imberdayes come, they should be fasted of all people, and that they should on those days come devoutly unto church and hear Mass, and give themselves to prayer and devotion. Libro. Council.

Pope Innocent the third made a decree, that all the Apostles euens should be fasted, except the euens of Phillip and Jacob and of John the Euangeliste. In the yere, &c. 1195. Lib. 3. accretal. Gregorij. Cap. 2. de observation ieiunij. Chron. Germani.

The same pope also appointed, that the even of Mathias should also be fasted as one of y ^e Apostles euens: and y ^t if the day of Mathias be on the monday, y ^e even shall be fasted on the saterday, and not on the Sunday. Ibidem.

Pope Urban the syxt commanded y ^e the euens of these feasts of our Lady, y ^t is to say, the visitation, y ^e assumption & natiuitye, should be fasted. In the yere, &c. 1371. Lib. Council. Chron. Germ.

Pope Boniface the first ordained, y ^e saints euens should be solemnly fasted In the year. &c. 425.

The same ordinance is also ascribed to pope Gregory y ^e second Chron Germa.

Pope Honorius the third made a decree, y ^t if y ^e feast of y ^e natiuitye of Christ, chance to fall upon the Friday, yet it shall be lawful for all men to eat flesh, on that day, except it be such as have vowed to the contrary. In the yere, &c. 1214. Lib, 3. decret. Gregorij. de observation ieiunij.

Pope Gregory the first commanded, y ^t neither flesh, nor any thing y ^t hath affinitye with flesh, as Chese, Milk, Egges, &c, should be eaten on such days, as are appointed to be fasted. In the year. &c. 560. Grat. Pol. Pantale.

Pope Eusebius made a law, y ^t all such feasts as are commanded of priests in the Church to be fasted should in no condition be broken, except necessity compel any man to the contrary. In the year, &c. 309. Lib. Council. Chron. Germ.

In the festival we read, that these sortes of people be priuileged and exempted from the law of fasting: that is to say, Children y ^t been within age. Women y ^t be with child. Olde people y ^t been myghtlesse, weak, and impotente. And finally, laboring people, as pilgrims, and like people, those that the law dispenseth with, upon theyre conscience. Dominica prima in quadragesima.

In the Council Gangrense it was decreed, y ^t if any person of presumption would despise to fast such days as were commanded of holy church, he should be excommunicate and be taken of the Christian congregation as an Ethnike and Publican. Libro. Council. Barthol. Carrantz.

The Popes decrees affirm plainly (as Guilielmus Durand testifieth) that whosoever eateth any thing before Mass be done on such days as are appointed by holy church to be fasted, the same committeth deadly sin. In Rat. di. off, Lib. Council.

In the Council Braccarense it was agreed, y ^t all the Apostles euens should be fasted, except the euens of these Apostles Phillip and Jacob and John the Euangeliste, as we to fore heard out of the decree of Pope Innocent y ^e third. For the feast of Phillip and Jacob, is between Easter and Witsontide, which is a time of joy and gladness, & therefore is there no fasting, according to this old rule, Inter Pen et Pa • non est Dirige, ne{que} fasting day. And y ^e feast of • . John the Evangelist is at Christmas, whē men must make good cheer, and be frolyke and merry. Guilielmus. Durand. Lib. Council.

The Council Chalcedonense made a decree, y ^t they should be counted by no means to fast, which taste any meat or drink, before euenyng prayer be done. Lib. Council.

Jacobus de Voragine in his boke entitled Historia Longobardica, showeth a reason, why the Imberdayes be rather fasted on the Wednisday, Friday, and Saterdaye, than on the Mondaye, Tuesday and Thursday. For saith he, the Lord Jesus was betrayde of Judas on the Wednisday. And on y ^e Fridaye he was crucified. And on the Saturday following, he lay in his sepulcher: and the Apostles were very sad for the death of their Lord.

Of Holy days, and of Feasts of Saints with such like.

P Ope Pius the first ordained y ^t Easter day should be celebrated and kept holy ever on the Sondaye. In the yere of our Lord. 147. Libro. Council. Polyd. D. Barns, Pantal.

Pope Gregory the first approved and allowed the feast of the Trinity : which Pope Alexander would by no means admit. For, saith he, as there ought to be no feast of y ^e Unity : no more ought there to be any feast of the Trinity. In the year, &c. 590. Guilielmus. Durand.

Pope Urban the fourth ordained the feast of the Sacrament of the Altare, otherwise called, The feast of Corpus Christi, with pardons and indulgences great plenty, to allure the foolishly and simple people to commit spiritual whoredom with that Sacrament by adoryng and worshipping it as theyre God, Maker and Sauioure: and willed it to be kept holy the Thursdaye after Trinity Sunday. In the year, &c. 1254. Christianus. Massaeus. John. Stella. Polyd. Pantal.

The beginning of this feast was this In the country of the Leodicenses there was a certain Recluse or Anckresse called Eve, which of a vain, foolishly, and superstitious devotion and love toward the Sacrament of the altare, as they term it, procured thorough earneste suit of Pope Urban the fourth, that the Sacrament of the Altare, commonly called Corpus Christi, might also have a feast and holy day, being as well worthy as the Gallowe tree or cross y ^t Christ was hanged on, which was already celebrated in the Church: and y ^t the same feast of Corpus Christi might with all solemnitye be kept holy thorowoute the whole world. Pope Urban being an holy and devout Father, doubt ye not, considering the great devotion, earneste zeal and Godlye mind of this holy and religious woman, accomplyshed fo • le graciouslye her tender request, and did not only ordain that this feast of Corpus Christi should be kept holy, but he also granted plenarye Indulgence, and large pardon to so many as either do say or hear the service belonging to y ^t feast which Thomas Aquinas the Black fryer made, Arnoldus Bostius. Guili. Durand. Chron.

Before that time there was no such feast known in the church of Christ. But this is moste certain that thorough this feast great Idolatry and much spiritual whoredom is daily committed with the Mass bred in all those places, where the true doctrine of the sacrament is not known. Pope Innocent y ^e third, saith Theodorus Bibliander in the Council Lateranense, placed y ^e fond fansye of Monk Lanfranke concerning Transubstantiation among the articles of the faith of the most high Trinity. In the year. &c. 1215. And because nothing should want to the worshippynge of the new found God of bread and wine: and that the bishop of Rome might have his God Mazin, as Aaron with the idolatrous Israelites had the gold̄ Calf in the wilderness: Pope Urban the fourth ordained the feast of Corpus Chr • sti with large pardons. Council. sa • , dom.

Of this feast we read in the English festival on this manner. Good friends, ye shall understand, that this day is an high and solemn feast in holy church and is the feast of Corpus Christi : It is the feast of our Lord's own body the which is offered to the high father in heaven at the altare for the remission of our sins for all Christian people y ^t live here in perfect love and charity, & for the great succor and help in releuing them that been in pains of Purgatorye, there abidyng the mercy of God. Ye shall understand, that this feast was found by a Pope, that was called Urban, the which had great grace and devotion in the holy Sacrament of the altar, considering the great need help and succor to man's soul and to the • urdering of living to all Christian people here in this present world. Therefore he did establish and ordain this present feast to be hallowed in the next thursday after the feast of the holy Trinity. For all christen people that will be saved, must have sad belief in the holy Sacrament, which is God's own body in form of bread, made by the virtue of Christ's words that the priest saith, and by working of the holy Ghoste. Then for this holy Pope thought to draw people to more devotion and better will to this holy Sacrament, and to do the service this day: he granteth to all that be worhy (that is to say) that be very contrit & confessed of their sins, and be in the Church at both evensongs, at Matins, & at mass, for eche an hundred days of pardon, & for eche hour of the day. xl. days of pardon, & every day of the Vtas an hundred days of pardon in remission of all their sins for evermore enduring. &c In serm. de corpore. christi.

Pope Gregory the ninth appointed y ^e feast of y ^e Nativity of S. John Baptist, which we commonly call Mydsommerday, to kept holy. In the year. &c. 1225. Chron. Germ.

Pope Sylvester the first at the desire of the Emperor Cōstātine instituted y ^e feast of Lāmass, called Ad vincula Sancti Petri. In the year. &c. 315. Grat. Polid.

Pope Eusebius ordained the feast of the Inuētion of the cross. In the year &c. 309. Crat. Guil. Durand.

Pope Honorius devised the feast of the Exaltatiō of the cross. In the yere of our Lord. 622. Plat. Pant.

Some attribute these feasts to Pope Urban the fourth▪ Pol. Virgil.

Pope Calixte the third invented the feast of the Transfiguration of our Lord, and commanded, that it should be celebrated and kept holy with as large indulgences and pardons, as the feast of Corpus Christi. In the year of our Lord. 1455. Matth. Palmer. John. Stella. Pantaleon.

This feast (as the festiual reporteth) is greatly priuileged in holy Church, in so much that orders be givē this day thorough out all Christendom, & great pardons be granted to this day in diuerses places, as in Zion plenare remission, and all is to the weal and comfort of man, and for a purueaunce to sanctify his soul, that in the last resurrection the said soul joined to the body, may together be glorified and transfigured in clerenesse more brighter thā is the Sun, and so ever to endure.

Pope Leo the fourth instituted the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary, and commanded that it should in all places be kept hye and holy by the space of right days. In the year▪ &c. 858. Lib. Council. Sigebert. John. Functius.

Pope Innocent the fourth ordained y ^e Feast of the Natiuitie of Mary the Virgin with the Octaues thereof. In the year, &c. 1242. Volat. Sabel. Pant.

Pope Felix the third appointed the Feast of the Archaungel Michael, to be kept holy. In the yere of our Lord. 486. Lib. Council. Chron.

Pope Felix the third ordained also the Feaste of the Dedicacion of the Temple, commonly called Church holy day, and commanded y ^t every City, Town, or village should yearly keep forever y ^• day, whereon y ^e Church was hallowed. Volat. Plat. Polid. Albertus. Krantzius.

Pope Boniface the fourth ordained the Feast of all Saints, called, All Halowes. In the year of our Lord. 606. Plat. Volat, Polid.

Pope Gregory the fourth afterward willed, that the Feaste of all Saints should be kept the first day of November. In the year of our Lord. 486. Plat. Sabel. Polid. D. Barns.

Pope John the .xviii. confirmed the Feast of all souls, which was begōn by a certain Monk called Oclilo, and commanded that it should be kept • oly in every Church the day following the Feast of all Saints. In the year of our Lord. 999. Petrus. Damianus. Christianus. Massaeus. Volat. Fascicu • us. Temporum. John. Stella. Polid.

This Feast, as they write, toke the beginning on this manner. A certain Monk named Oclilo provincial of the Monks of Clun • acensis order, upon an occasion that he heard about Etna the mountain of Sicily oftentimes great weeping, lamenting, and crying, which he supposed to be the yellynge of evil spirits that wailed because the souls of dead men were taken out of Purgatory from thē by the peticiōs, prayers, suffrages, and sacrifices of well disposed Christian people, persuaded his Convent to make a general Obite for all souls the day next after the feast of all Saints, and desired Pope John the xviii. to set it forth by his authority, and to command it to be observed generally as a godly Institution full of loving, tender, and pitiful charity. Which thing Pope John did with all expedition: so that of this Monks foolish supposition, there hath sprong up much vain superstition. Volat. Polid. John. Laziard.

Pope Sixtus the fourth ordained the feasts of the Conception, and presentation of Mary the Virgin: and the Feasts of Anne her Mother, and of Joseph her husband, and also of Francis. In the year. &c. 1469. Decret. Extravagant. John. Laziard.

Pope Urban the sixth made the visitation of Mary holyday. In the year. &c. 1390. Christ. Mass. Chron. Germ.

Pope Sergius, otherwise called Popes Swinesnoute, confirmed the feast of the Purification of Mary, commonly called Candelmassedaye, which before was instituted at Constantinople, Pope Vigilius being Bishop of Rome. In the year of our Lord. 684. Sigeb. Pantal. And he commanded that all the people should on that day go procession, & carry brennyng candles about with them in their hands. Chron. Germ. Guil. Durand.

Pope Boniface the eyght ordained that the feasts of the four Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John: again, that the feasts of the four Doctors, Ambrose, Jerome, Agustine, and Gregory should be double feasts in holy Church. In the year of our Lord. 1286. Fasciculus Temp. Christ. Massaeus. John. Stella.

Pope Leo the first commanded, that the Sunday should be kept holy, and that all Christians should behave themselves Godlye and virtuously all the day long, in praying, in hearing & reading the word of God, in visityng the sick and poor, and in comforting the comfortless. In the year of our Lord. 444. Volat. Sabel. Pantal.

Pope Leo the third bearing rule, a Council was holden at Magontia in Germany, where it was decreed, that all Sōdays should be kept holy with all reverence, and that all men on those days should abstain from all service, work and worldly business: and that there should be no Markets, no Fairs, no bying nor selling on the Sunday: Again, that no man on that day should be judged either unto death, or unto any pain. In the year. &c. 817. Lib. Council. Barth. Carranza.

Pope Innocent y ^e fourth bearing rule, it was agreed in a certain council hold̄ at Lions, what holy-days should specially be observed and kept: where it was decreed that the Sondayes should be kept holy from Saturday at noon, till Sunday at night. Item, the feasts following should also be hallowed and kept holy, that is to say: the feasts of the Natiuitie of Christ, of S. Stephen of S. John the Euangeliste, of the Innocentes, of S. Sylvester, of the Circūcision, of y ^e Epiphanye, of Easter, with the whole weeks y ^t go before & after, of the Rogation days, of the Ascension of Christ, of Whitsuntide with the two days following, of S. John Baptist, of the xxii. Apostles, of S. Laurence, of blessed Mary, of S. Michael of the Dedication of the Temple, of all Saints, of S. Martin, and to be short, all such feasts of Canonised Saints as every Bishop in his diocese with y ^e consent of the Clergye and the people, have determined to keep holy. As for all other feasts y ^t are in the year: the people ought neither to be compelled to keep them holy day nor yet to be forbidden, but every man to do according to his deuotiō. In the yere of our lord. 1242. Libro. Council. Polydor. Guilielmus. Durand.

This decree also was made in a council holden at Maguntia. Bartholom. Carrantz.

A council holden at Basille confyrmed the feast of the Conception of Mary the Virgin: and granted to so many as deuoutlye keep it holy day, and be present at the service, an hundred and fyftye days of pardon. Lib Council.

In y ^e council Toletane it was decreed, y ^t the feast of the Annunciation of Mary should be kept holy the fyftene day of the Calendes of Ianuarye, and that the feast of the Natiuitye of her son, that is to say, Christmas, should be celebrated and kept holy the eyghts day of the Calendes of Ianuarye. Lib. Council.

Item in a council holden at Basille the feast of the visitation of Mary was confyrmed, & an hundred days of pardon granted to all them, y ^e with good devotion be present at the service of y ^e day. Lib. Council.

Of Canonysing and making of Saints.

POpe Leo the nynthe holding a council at Vercellis, made Gerardus Bishop sometime of the Le • corians, a saint. And this pope was the first (as some write) y ^e ever presumed & toke vpō him to make saints. In the yere, &c. 1049. Christ. Massae.

Pope Gregory the nynth made frier Dominike, and fryer Francis, and fryer Anthony de Padua, & Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary, Saints. In the year. &c. 1225. Plat. Albert. Krantz. John Stella. Pantal.

Pope Alexander the fourth made Clara the Nun, Peter Martyr the Blackfryer, and Stanslaus Bishop of Cracouia, saints. In the year, &c. 1248. Chronic. Volat. Pantal,

Pope John the .xxii. made Louis Bishop of Tolossa, & son to Charles, King of France, a Saint. He sainted also Thomas of Aquine, the blackefrier, and Thomas Bishop of Hereforde. In the year. 1308. Plat. Volat. Pant.

Pope Nicolas the fyft among a greaterable of others, made Bernardine the Grayfryer, a Sainte. In the year, &c. 1447. Matth. Palmer. Platina. Chronic. Germani.

Pope Calixt the third made Vincent the blackefryer, and Edmunde Kyng of England, Saints. He also canonysed Osmunde sometime Bishop of Salisburye, & caused him to be counted in the number of saints. In the year of our Lord, 1455. Volat. Matthe. Palm. Pisamus. Ranulph. Cest. Pantal.

Pope Pius the second made Katerine a Sainte. In the year. &c. 1458. Volat. Chron.

Pope Clement the sixte made Iuo the priest a sainte. In the year, &c. 1336. Volat Christ. Massae.

Pope Sixtus the fourth made Bonaventure the Grayfryer a saint. In the year, &c. 1471. Chron. Chronica.

Pope Alexander the third made Barnarde the Monk a saint. In the year, &c. 1161. Jacobus. Meyer.

Pope Innocent the eyght made Heliopolde sometime Duke of Austria, a Saint. In the year, &c. 1484. Chroni. Johannes. Stella.

Pope Innocent the third made Hughe of Lincoln, a saint. In the year. &c. 1195 Fasciculus. Temporum.

Pope Clement the fourth made Hedwigis, sometime Duchesse of Polonia, a saint. In the year, &c. 1165. Johannes. Laziardus. Fasciculus. Temporum. Johannes. Stella.

Pope Boniface the nynth made Brigite the Nun, a saint. In the yere. &c. 1379 John. Laziardus. Chron.

Pope Leo the nynth made Vuolfgange Bishop of Ratisbone, a sainte. In the year, &c. 1049. Chron.

Pope Gregory the seventh made John Gaulbert the Monk, a saint. In the yere, 1073. Chron.

Pope Innocent the second made Hughe the Charterhouse Monk, a sainte. In the year, &c, 113▪. Chron.

Pope Boniface the eyght made Louis Kyng of France, a saint. In the yere, 1290. John. Laziard. Chron.

Pope Innocent the fourth made Edmunde Archebishop of Cantorburye, a saint, and Peter de verona the Blackfryer he canonised also for a saint, & willed him to be taken for a confessor saint. In the yere, &c. 1242. Sabell. John. Stella. John. LaZiard. Chron.

Pope Eugenius the fourth made Nicolas de Toleto an Agustine frier, a sainte. In the year, &c. 1430. John. Stella. Chron.

Pope Clement the fyfte made Pope Celestine a saint under the name of Peter. In the year, &c. 1304. John. Laziard.

Pope Paschalis made Charles y ^e great a Sainte. In the year, &c. 1164. Christi. Massaeus.

Pope Leo the tenthe made Francis the Heremite, a saint. In the yere. 1507▪ Christ. Massae.

Pope Alexander the third (which I had almost forgottē) made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Cantorbury, a saint. In the year, &c. 1161. Plat. D. Barns.

Pope Alexander, (saith the English Festival, ) sent letters, into England to the Archbishop Stephen, and to other Abbottes and Prelates, commanding them to take up Thomas Beckettes bones, and to lay them in a shryne, and to set it where it might be worshipped of all Christian people. Then the Bishop ordained a day, when y ^t should be done. So over even, while they might have space: he toke with him the Bishop of Salisburye, and other monks and Clerks many, and went to the place, where Thomas had lain fyftye years. Then they kneled all on y ^e earth, praying to Thomas devoutly of help. Then four took up the tomb, with great dread and quakyng, and there they found a little writing, which was this. Here lieth and resteth Thomas Archebyshop of Cantorburye, Primate of England, and the Popes Legate, slain for the right of holy Church the fyfte day of Christmas. Then for great devotion that they had of the sight, all cried: Sainte Thomas, Saint Thomas. And then they toke the head to the Archebyshop to kiss, and so they kyssed it all. And then they beheld his wounds, and said: They were ungracious that wounded thee thus. And so laid him in a shryne, and covered it with clothe of gold, and set torches about it brennyng, and the people to watch it all night. Then on the morrow came all the states of this lande, and bare the shryne to the place there as it is now, with all reverence and worship that they could.

The author of the festival saith, y ^t this Thomas did wear hard hair next his body, and a breche of y ^e same: the which was so full of vermyn, y ^t it was an horrible sight to see. And yet he changed but once in fortye days.

The same author also writeth, that the aforesaid Thomas Beckette made his Confessoure every Wednisdaye and Friday to beat him with a rod upon his bare body, as a child is beaten in the Schole (that is to say,) on the arsse, that he might suffer worthy penance.

Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Chronicle writeth, that when Thomas Becket was translated, Stephen Archbishop of Cantorburye, during the said solemnity, found haye and prouender to all men that would ask it in the way between London and Cantorbury. Also in the day of the Translation he made wyne to run in pypes continually in diverse places of the Citye: and so y ^e cost that Stephen made in this solemnity, his fourth successor Boniface hardly paid it. In Polichron. Lib. 7. Cap. 34.

Pope Alexander the third ordained y ^t none should be taken for a saint, except he wer first canonised and admitted to be a saint by y ^e bishop of Rome's bull. In the year, 1161. Dec. 3. Tit. 46. Ca Reliquijs. Polydor. Pantaleon.

From the time that the Popes began first to canonyse & to make saints unto the reign of Pope John the .xxii. there are found to be canonysed five thousand, five hundred, fyftye, and five Saints, y ^t the Popes have made, as writeth the author of the Chronicle, entitled. Fasciculus Temporum.

Isuardus the French Monk diligently searching out the number of saints, found, that every day in the year there are moe than CCC. Saints to be served: such a multitude of new saints have the Popes of Rome brought into the Church of their own authority, whom they have sainted partly for favor, partly for money, partly of a blind zeal, and partly for the satisfying of other men's corrupt affections. And these must we take for saints, worship, pray unto, call upon, make our Intercessors, Mediators, and Advocates: and yet know we not for all the popes canonisation, whether they be saints in heaven, or devils in hell. It is much to be feared, least this common saying be found true in a great number of our Popish saints: The bodies of many are worshipped on earth, whose souls are tormented in hell fire.

Of the Relics of Saints.

P Ope Paschalis the first devised first of all, the glorious setting out to sale of saints Relics. In the year. &c. 820. Fasci • . Temp. Chron. Germ.

Pope Clement the first commanded, that the Relics of Saints should be reverently kept, and had in great honor. In y ^e year. &c. 1300. Clement. Lib. 3. Tit. 16. Capi. 1. Volat. Pantal.

Pope Gregory y ^e fourth made a decree, y ^e mass should be said over the bodies of the Martyrs. In y ^e year. &c. 831. Pol.

Pope Boniface the fifth decreed, that such as were but Benet & Colet should not touch the Relics of Saints, but they only, which are Subdeacons, Deacons and Priests. In the year of our Lord. 617. Onuphrius Panuimus. • ac. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Sergius y ^e first devised the gorgeous shrines of saints, to keep Relics in. In the year. &c. 684. Fas • . Tēp.

Pope Constantine the seconde, whom the seditious tyrannical and superstitious Papists did afterward violently depose, cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a prison, and most unmercifully put out his eyes, commanded, that all such should be deprived of their patrimony, as reserve and keep by thē the Relics of any saints. In the year. &c. 769. John. Laziard. Celestinus.

Of Pilgrimages.

POpe Cletus allowed, and greatly praised Pilgrimages unto saints but specially unto the Apostles Peter and Paul, and said, That it is more auayleable and profitable for soul health once to visit the aforesaid Apostles at Rome: than to fast by the space of two whole years. In the yere of our Lord. 81. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Lib. 4. Fasciculus Temporum ▪

Pope Anacletus excommunicated, cursed, and pronounced all such gilty of sacrilege, as hinder any man to go on pilgrimage, or to visit the Sepulchers of saints. In the year of our Lord. 101 Lib. Council▪ Folid.

Pope Calixte the seconde ordained, that whosoever spoileth, robbeth, or hurteth any such as go on pilgrimage to Rome, or to any other holy places of saints: the same should be excommunicated & accursed Ipso facto. In the year. •• . 1120. Quest. 24. cap. 3. Si quis.

Of Pardons.

W Ho was the first Author and Inuētour of the Popish pardons, I have not hither to readde in any writer, except Pope Gregory the first be he, which greatly corrupted the Church of Christ with his idle inventions, trifling traditions, childish ceremonies. &c. To allure the people of his time unto y ^• chief and principal temples of the City and unto the often visitation of thē: he promised them that repared thither at solemn feasts, clean remission of sins by his pardon. And he named the pompouse sacrifices▪ Stations, because they were celebrated on certain days limited & prescribed by statute. This seed sown by Gregory, grew to a rype harvest in his successors afterward: so y ^t where as in Gregoryes time they may seme to be invented for allurementes unto devotion in thē that succeeded him those pardons may right well be counted to be nothing else thā very nets for money, and provocations unto all kind of vice, while all the world see howe innumerable sins be forgiven of the Bishops of Rome for a slender portion of money.

Pope Boniface the eyght appointed the year of Jubilee or grace to be kept every hundred year, and granted to all them that would come to Rome, & visit the temples of the Apostles Peter & Paul in the yere of Jubilee or grace, clean remissiō of all their sins A paena & culpa. In the year, &c. 1290. Ranulphus Cestrensis. Polid.

This Pope was arrogant, proud & Luciferlike, that he shamed not to bost, that he was Lord of all the world Tam in temporalibus quam spiritualibus and y ^• all Emperors, kings & princes owe obedience to him. Of this monsture of pride Pope Celestinus his predecessor prophesied on this manner: Thou camest in as a Fox: thou shalt reign as a Lion and die as a Dog. Fisciculus Temporum. Bartho. Carranza. Alb. Krantzius.

Pope Clement the six bringing the year of Jubilee from an hundred year (which was tofore appointed by pope Boniface theight ) unto fifty, granted to all manner of persons, that would come on Pilgrimage at y ^• time unto Rome, and visit the Church of S. Peter, plenariam indulgentiam, that is to say full remission of all their sins A paena & culpa toties quoties. In the year. &c. 1336. • oan. Laziard. Polid. Chron.

Pope Sixtus the fourth brought the year of grace, from fifty to. xxv. year, confirmyng the old accustomed pardons. In the year of our Lord. 1471. Polyd. Carran. Chron.

Pope Alexander the sixth assigned the Jubilee and Stations to be had in sundry provinces and countries, to the intent that less thronge of people, and more thrift of money might come to Rome▪ and so the people should only loose their money and save their labor. In the year of our Lord. 1492. Polyd. Virgil. Chron.

Pope Gregory the first ordained Stacions for every day in Lent thorough out all the Churches in the City of Rome, yea and that for the remission and forgiveness of sins: commaundynge the people to frequent and use them with all hearty devotion, and grauntyng to all thē that walk those stations, great indulgences and large • pardons. A paena & culpa, toties quoties. In the year of our Lord. 590. John. Laeziard. Chr. Massaeus. Polid. Virgil. Chron.

Diuerse Pardons granted of diverse Popes for diverse considerations, gathered out of diverse books, writtinges and papers.

P Ope Innocent the eyght hath granted to every man & woman that beareth the length upon him of Christ's nails wherewith he was fastened to the cross, (the just length of everyone of them was nine inches) and worshyppeth them daily with five Pater nosters and five Aues, and a Crede, that he shall have granted him these seven great gifts that follow. The first is, he shall never die sudden death, nor evil death. The second is, he shall never be slain with sword, nor other weapon. The third is, his enemies shall never overcome him. The fourth is, poison nor false witness shall never grieve him. The fifth is, he shall have sufficient goods and honest living. The sixte is▪ he shall not die without the sacraments of the Church. The seventh is, he shall be delivered and defended from all wicked spirits, pestilence, fevers, and all other maladies.

To all good christen people disposed to say our Ladies psaulter within this Church or churchyard on any of these beads, the which been pardoned at y ^e holy place of Shene, shall have ten thousand years of pardon. Also for every word in the Pater noster, Ave and Credo xxiii. days of pardon Totiens quotiens. Also they are pardoned at Siō, and by that ye shall have for every Pater noster Ave, and Credo said on them, three hundred days of pardō. Also unto all those that the beads do string, or cause to be stringed in time of necessity: there is granted by .ii. Bishops .lxxx. days of pardon, and gods blessing and theirs. Also ye must say first on the five beads, five Pater nosters, five Ave Mary's, and a Crede in the worship of the five wounds of our Savior Christ. And then after every Crede, say on the first white bead of the five ( Jesus for thy holy name ) and then on the red beade ( and for thy bitter passion ) then on the first black beade ( save us from sin and shame ) then on the second black beade ( and endless damnation ) and then on the last white beade ( bring us to the blysse, that never shall mysse, sweet Jesus Amen. The pardon whereof, remembering y ^e wounds great and small of our Savior Christ, is five .M.iiii.C.lxxv. years of these five beads. The whole sum of pardō granted of both monasteries for every saulter saying on these beads, is xxvi.M.vi.C. years and fyftye days, totiens quotiens. Therefore let no man nor woman presume to carry away or to conueye the aforesaid beads, but hang them again, where ye find thē. For if they do, they are accursed four times in the year in the general sentence. And at every saulters and pray • for all Christian souls.

Pope Clement the seventh 〈…〉 other holy fathers popes of Rome his predecessoures of their paternal holiness and abundaunt graces, have granted to all the brethren & sisterne of the said gylde, that now be, and to all other y ^e will be, full power and authority to choose thē any able priest to their confessoure, seculare or religious, which may hear their confessions, and give unto them once in their life and in the article of death, plenary and full remission of all their sins, excesses, offenses, and trespasses, howe grievous and enorme so ever they be, A paena & culpa, &c. Also every Prieste chosen by the said brother or sister to be his confessoure, may release all manner of oaths so y ^t it be not prejudicial to any other man's right, may change all manner vows in to other good & virtuous deeds of mercy totiens quotiens, the visiting of Sainte Peter and Saint Paul in the Church of Rome, S. James in Compostell, the vow of religion and chastitye only except. He may also dispense with all spiritual men and women being brethren and sisterne of the said gylde, totiens quotiens, for y ^e forgetting of divine services, as hours canonicalls or penance enjoined whether it happen by debilitye or feblenesse of body, negligence or oblivion, or for defaute of books. Again, the brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid gylde, may say, or cause to be said, masses and all other divine services before day light incontinent after three of the clock after mydnight, not only in hallowed places, but also in vnhalowed places though thei be suspensed or interdicted by ordinarye authority. Also every brother and sister y ^t will say any Wednisday, Friday, or Saturday • one Pater Noster one Ave Maria and a Credo in any church or chapel where they do dwell, and put to their helping hand to the sustentation and maintenance of the charges of the said gilde▪ as often as they shall so do, shall have clean remission A paena & culpa, and the same remission, as if they had visited the chapel of Scala caeli of Rome, and y ^e church of S. John Lateranense, when the stations there be celebrated for qu • ck and dead. The aforesaid brethrē and sisterne also causing mass to be said either on the Wednisday, Friday, or Saturday in church or chapel for y ^e dead, shall deliver what souls thei will, and as often as they will out of purgatory, provided always, so y ^t thei give somewhat to the aforesaid gilde. Again, they saying deuoutlye one Pater Noster and one Ave Maria at these feasts following, y ^t is to say, Easterday, Witsontyde, Corpus Christi, day, Mihelmas day, the first Sunday in clean lent, and eyght days following every of y ^e said feasts, as oft as they shall so do, shall have clean remissiō of all their sins. They may also lawfullye in time of Lent and other times of the year in y ^e which white meats be prohibit and forbidden, eat Egges, Cheese, Milk, Butter, & all other white meats freely and without scrupulousity or grudge of conscience: and if they be sick they also may eat flesh with council of their gostly father and their Physician. And whosoever shall procure any man or woman to be brother or sister of the aforesaid gylde, shall have for his Godly travail .v.C. years of pardon. Also every brother and sister with their fathers and mothers departed shall be made partakers of all Masses, Mattenses, Prayers, Suffrages, almesse deed, holy livings, pilgrims, and all other good deeds and works, of pity & charity, y ^t which be done, and shall be done throughout y ^e whole universal church Militant, and all the members of the same forever.

Agayne, they may be buried in time of interdiction in Christian burial, of whatsoever death it shall happen them to die, yea in places interdicted by ordinarye authority also. And furthermore our said holy father hath granted to all Christian people being truly • penitent & confessed or having purposed to be confessed at such times as the law hath determined, & there devoutly do visit the chapel of our ladye in Boston, & also do visit three times .vii. altares there assigned in the paryshe church at the feasts of the glorious assumption, Natiuitye, & all other feasts of y ^e same our blessed lady, or w ^t in, viii. days following after every of y ^e same feasts, or any day of the said Vtas, putting to their helping hands to y ^e maintenance of y ^e charges of the same gild, shall have and enjoy all and singular indulgences & remissions of their sins, as if thei had personallye visited the church of the holy Apost • es Peter and Paul at Rome and other the, vii principal churches there in the year of Jubilee and Grace and also shall have all the same indulgences and remissions of their sins, as thei should have if thei had personally visited the Church of S. James in Compos • el in Spain, and had done or caused to be done • here any other thing for the obtaining of the indulgences of the said year of Jubilee at Rome and Compostell. Also our holy father hath declared and decreed, y ^t these said remissions, faculties, indulgences, and dispensations, shall never be revoked, suspended, nor denulled, but ever to stand in full strength and virtue from henceforth notwithstanding y ^e year of grace or Jubilee at Rome or any other manner of cause, whatsoever shall happen in time to come. And every man or woman may be made a brother and sister of Boston gilde, and enjoy all remissions, privileges, liberties, &c, if thei will pay everyone of them at their entering, vi. shillings, viii • ens, and every year after during his or her life .viii. pens. or elles .xiii. shillinges, iiii, pens for the whole for every singular person towards y ^e maintaining & sustentation of priests, clerks & poor beadmen, which daily be found with the charges of the same gilde.

Pope Clement the fifth granted to so many as give ought to the sustentation of the order of Saint Trinity of Houndeslowe, his blessing forever, & twelve years, clx. days of pardō, with relaxations of the third parte of their penance, and of y ^e pain due for their sins. Pope Alexander the fourth to all the brethren & sisterne of the aforesaid order, that giveth some good portion of their goods yearly to the brethren or Massengers of the said order, or in their will and testament do give and bequeth some honest portiō of substance for the relief of the said brethren, hath licensed and granted, to choose unto them any apt and meet priest to be their Confessor or ghostly Father, and to absolve them from all their sins toties quoties, and also be buried in Christian burial, of what so ever death he deceased, if he were not excommunicate by name. Pope Innocent the third dispenseth w ^t the Brethren and Sisterne of the aforesaid order concerning all vows of abstinence and of pylgrimage going, except only the vow of pilgrimage unto Peter and Paul at Rome and S. James at Compostell, so y ^t it shall be lawful for thē to change those vows of abstinence and pilgrimage unto other works of mercy & charity: and this hath he done of his special grace and mere motion to all them y ^t give somewhat to the said order of S. Trinity. Pope Gregory the nynth hath granted to all brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid order, and to all their parents and friends, whether they be alive or dead, all those Indulgences and pardons (which are innumerable and may justly be compared with y ^e Stars of the Sky and the sandes of the Sea) that they have, which go on pilgrimage either unto Rome, or unto the holy lande. Pope Pius the seconde hath granted and given to the aforesaid brethren and sisterne, once in their life plenary remission, and full forgiveness of all their sins, yea, and that in all such cases as are reserved to the Apostolic Sea.

Pope Innocent the eight hath confirmed all thaforesayd privileges, indulgences, pardons, &c. and of his special grace hath doubled them all for the salvation of the brethren and sisterne of the order of Saint Trinity.

The absolution, wherewith the Brethren and Sisterne of Saint Trinities order are absoluted from their sins▪

A Vtoritate dei patris omnipotentis, & beatorum Petri & Pauli Apostolorum eius, ac authoritate apostolica mihi in hac parte cōmissa: Ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere confessis & cōtritis, & de quibus confiteri velles, si tuae occurrerent memory. Plenariam absolutionem omnium peccatorum tuorum, in quantum claues ecclesiae se extendunt in hac parte, authoritate istarum literarum Apostolicarum tibi do & concedo, ita vt sis absolutus ante tribunal domini nostri Jesus Christi, habeas{que} vitam aeternam, & viuas in secula seculorum. Amen. Which is thus in English.

By the authority of God the father almighty, and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by the Apostolic authority committed unto me in this behalf: I absolve thee from all thy sins, by thee to me truly confessed and contrite, and of which thou wouldest have been confessed, if thei had come unto thy remembrance. Moreover I give and grant unto thee full absolution and remission of all thy sins, so far as the keys of the Church do extend in this behalf by the authority of these Apostolic letters, so that thou • e absolved before the judging seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have everlasting life worlds without ende. Amen.

Pope John the xxiii. granted to so many as be brothers and sisters and benefactoures of the friers heremites of Saint Agustine, that they shall be partakers of all the Prayers, Sacrifices, Preachynges, Contemplacions, Fastyngs, Watchynges, Pilgrimages, Uowes, Obedience, Chastity, Pouertye, Patience, Mercye, Almosse, and of all other spiritual Laboures, Trauailes, Paines, Excercises, &c, that be done either of the friers of the aforesaid order, or of any other devout and religious people thorough out the world, with remissiō & forgiveness of all their sins A paena & culpa toties quoties.

The like pardon was granted of diverse Popes to the fraternitye of Burton Lazare, with dispēsatiō of vows, and relaxation of some part of penance, with plenary remissiō of all their sins

The absolution of this fraternity.

A Vtoritate dei patris omnipotentis, Apostolorum Petri & Pauli, & totius matris ecclesiae, a • virtute huius bullae & Papalis indulgenciae, ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis. &c. That is to say. By the authority of God the Father almyghty▪ of the Apostles Peter and Paul, & of all the mother Church, & by y ^e vertu • of this bulle and of the Popes pardon, I absolve thee from all thy sins. &c.

To thē that gave anything to the hospital of Sainte Mary of Runciuall nigh unto charing cross without the walls of London, Pope Clement the fourth granted that they should be partakers of all the Masses, Prayers, Fastinges, Watchinges, Pilgrimage goings unto the holy lande consecrate with the blood of Christ or unto the city of Rome priuileged with the authority of the blessed martyrs & Apostles Peter and Paul • . And if they be priests or religious persons either men or women, and have failed to say their divine service, either thorough negligence, or defaut of books, or sickness of body: the aforesaid holy father doth mercifully absolve them from all such offenses, and release them from the pain & punishment due unto such offenders. Pope Clement the sixte also of his special grace hath given and granted to all them that give some parte of their substance, being confessed and contrite, release of the third part enjoined them by their ghostly father and three years of pardon, w ^e an hundred days mo of pardon, with free burial in places although interdict, and of whatsoever kind of death they chance to die, with a thousand lentes. lxv. years of pardon. &c.

The form of the absolution appertainyng unto this Fraternitie.

A Vtoritate dei omnipotētis, & beatorum Petri & Pauli Apostolorum eius, ac autoritate apostolica mihi in hac parte commissaEgo absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis & paenis tibi in Purgatorio debitis propter culpas & offensas, quas contra deum & animātuam commisisti. Et in quantum mihi committitur, restituo te illi innocentiae, in qua eras quando baptizatus fuisti, exceptis punctis hijs reseruatis Domino Papae, vt animae tua viuat cum Christo in secula seculorum. Amen. Which is thus in English.

By the authority of God almighty and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by the Apostolic author • tie committed unto me in this behalf I absolve thee from all thy sins and pains due unto thee in Purgatory for the faults and offenses, which thou hast committed against God and thine own soul. And as much as lieth in my power, I restore thee unto that innocencye, wherein thou were, when thou waste baptized: those points only excepted, which are reserved to the Lord Pope, y ^t thy soul may live with Christ worlds without ende. Amen.

Pope Alexander the third hath granted to all them that give ought to the maintenance of the Collegiat Church of Saint John of Beuerlaye an hundred days of pardon, and relaxation from the seventh parte of their penaūce. And Pope Innocent the fourth hath granted to all the brethrē of the same. Faternitie, pardon of all sins forgotten, & of all vows brokē, except the vow unto the holy land, & at their latter • nd, remission & forgiveness of all their sins A paena & culpa : so that to every brother & sister of that Fraternitie being confessed & absolved, their cōfessour may well say on this manner, as it is specified in the printed pardon▪

Of this pardon it is also thus written,

THe pardō granted to the Fraternity of s. Cornelis at Westminster for such as give any thing unto it, cometh in y ^e yere to .MM vii. C. &. ix. days forever to endure, granted by the holy father in god Thomas of the title of S Cecily, Cardinal, priest of Rome and Legate, Archebyshop of York, and Chancelor of England, &c. and of diverse other Cardinals and Bishops.

Certain Popes of Rome have committed and given authority & power to Priests having cure and charge of souls to absolve their ghostly childrē and parishioners, the which be brethrē or sistern to y ^e holy Fraternitie of the sepulcher of our Lord Jesus Christ, of all sins and crimes either confessed or forgotten, & of penance not well done. Also of vsurye, rapine, pollynge and pyllyng, extortion or other good evil gotten (except they know to whom they ought to make restitution) they are absolved. And of all manner of offenses done to father and mother, if they were not done w ^e laying hands on thē with violence. Also the sentence of cursyng done vnknowingly: also of of vows broken, the vow of Jerusalem signed with the cross in the body, and the vow of Religion with solemnitye professed, only excepted. Also priests and Clerks that have made any offense in saying their service. Also the aforesaid holy Fathers have granted to the brethren and sistern of the said place, the Stations of Rome, and the indulgences of the pilgrimages of the holy lande, which sum of indulgence is. lxxx. M. years of pardō. Also our holy father Urban the fourth of that name hath given & granted to all brethren and sisterne of the said Fraternitie at the translation of Saint Swithein and at the Octaues of the same, and at the Natiuitye of our Lord & the Octaues of the same, and upon good Friday, & upon Easter day with the Octaues of the same, to be released of the seventh part of their penance, & four years, and four Lentes of pardon. Our said holy father willeth also that they that be brethren and sisterne of the said Fraternitie, have ecclesiastical sepulture without denial (of whatsoever death they chance to die) except they be openlie and by name excommunicate.

To the Fraternitie or brothehoode of S. Erasmus, beside y ^e deliverance of many souls out of y ^e bitter pains of purgatory, with innumerable indulgences & pardons for them y ^t be alive, are granted five special gifts & singular benefits, Fyrst, he shall have reasonable goods to his lives ende. Secondly, his enemies shall have no power on him. Thirdly, what lawful petition he asketh of God, shall be granted him. Fourthly, he shall be vnbounde of his tribulation and disease. Fyftly, at his last end he shall receive the blessed body of our Sauioure Christ Jesus in form of bread to his salvation by the gracious prayer & petition of this blessed Martyr S. Erasmus. Al these pardons, indulgences, privileges, gifts & benefits shall all they have, y ^t give any part or portion of their goods to y ^e upholding and maintaining of the holy place of S. Erasmus.

Many other raggemans roules could I here have placed, which contain also innumerable pardons, infinite indulgences, great gifts, singular privileges, wonderful liberties, marvelous deliverances & spedy remedies of souls out of purgatory, &c, but these may seme to suffice at this present. For hereof mayest y ^u evidently perceive, what relics we have received from Rome, & what good stuff the popish pardoners have brought us in times paste frō y ^e moste holy father, or rather frō y ^e romish Antichrist, & all for money. Do what thou wilt: live as y ^u wilt: if money come, y ^u art out of hand made clean, and absolved frō all thy sins A paena & culpa, toties quoties, & art made as pure & faultless as y ^u were in time of thy baptism, so y ^t now by the virtue of these pardons thou mayest boldelye stand before y ^• judging place of Christ, and be free from y ^e sentence of damnation, and in fine, be made fellow heir with Christ, of everlasting salvation.

But if thou wilt have the true pardon and remission of thy sins, and be delivered A paena & culpa, toties quoties, take this order. Fyrst, repent thee of thy former life. Secondly flee unto God the Father in the name of his dearly beloved Son Christ Jesus our alone Sauioure and Redemer, crauyng at his hands with strong faith, mercy and forgiveness of thy sins. Thyrdelye, take a new life unto thee, ever desyring strength from above to walk daily more and more in the holy ways of God's moste holy law. If thou do this, doubt thou not, but y ^t thou shalt have abundauntly unto the great consolation and comfort of thy soul, remission of all thy sins, quietness of conscience, the gift of the holy Ghost, God's favor, grace, and mercy, and after this transitorye life, everlasting life with all heavenly joy and vnoutspeakeable felicity, yea and that without these Antichristians pardons, which are nothing ells, than nets for money, deceauings of y ^e people, defacyng of Christ's death, obscuryngs of God's free grace, very spurs unto all lewdness of life, and a right patheway unto everlasting damnation. Hear what god saith by y ^e prophet: Come to the waters all ye y ^t be thirstye, and ye y ^t have no money. Come bye, y ^t ye may have to eat. Come, bye wine & milk without any money, or money worth. Wherefore do you lay out your money, for the thing y ^e fedeth you not, & spend your labor about the thing y ^e satisfieth you not? But hearken, hark̄ rather unto me, and ye shall eat of the best, & your soul shall have her pleasure in plenteousness. Enclyne your ears, & come unto me: take hede (I say) & your souls shall live, &c. Are not these the words of our Savior Christ? Come unto me all ye that labor and are laden, and I shall ease you. Agayne, Let him that is a thyrst come. And let who soever will, take of the water of life, freely and without any money. Of thē that will seek remission of their sins and pardon of their wicked life, or any other spiritual and heavenly gift: but only at his hand by faith in Christ: God complaineth grievously on this manner and saith: Be astonyshed (O ye heavens) be afraid, and abashed at such a thing, saith the Lord. For my people hath done two evils. They have forsaken me the well of y ^e water of life, and have dygged them pyttes, yea vile and broken pittes, y ^e can hold no water. Blessed is the man, saith the Psalmograph, whose hope the name of the Lord is, and hath not turned unto vanities, nor unto such as go about with lies.

Of Purgatorye.

W ho was the first inuentour, deviser, and fynder out of the Popes false feigned, fiery purgatory: I cannot find by any histories or monuments, that I have red unto this day. But after it was found and devised by some subtle head thorough the subtle suggestion of most subtle Satan, which seeketh all means possible to obscure the price of Christ's death, and to sow errors and heresies in the hearts of painted Hipocrites, yea of all people, so much as lieth in his power unto y ^e destruction and condemnation of their souls: there wanted not specially of the company of Sophisters, and Monks, espiing that there would rise no small auauntage to their purses of this goodly new and late invention: which set a good face on the matter, countenauncing it out with the authorityes of the holy Scripture adding thereunto their false, pestilent, and lying glosses, wherewith they bleared the eyes of the simple, and caste such mystes before their sight, that these certain hundred years they could never see the true purgatory of the soul, which is the precious blood of our Savior Christ, but believed verily, that there was a place of purgyng after this life (as though the blood of Christ were not a sufficient purgatory for their souls) from the which they must be delivered either by suffering intolerable pains themselves in that firye furnace, till they have made sufficient satisfaction for their sins, or else by the Suffrages and sacrifices of the Mass or by almosse deeds done for them of their executours and friends, &c.

Thys dream of purgatory and praying for the dead hath been maintained from time to time not only by the writings of diverse men, but also by the decrees and Councelles of diverse & sundry Popes and of their adherents, as a mighty and strange defense of the Catholyke Church and her devout Chaplens, without the which a great parte of the Popes Churches buildings is like out of hand to fall unto miserable ruin, and utter decay.

Where this place of Purgatorye is: none of our purgatory rakers or proctoures thereof is able to declare. Diuerse of them have diverse opinions in this behalf: as it is an hard thing for liars and taleforgers to agree, in all points among themselves, so alone is the truth perfect and constant, and without verities or discord. Some of them affirm and say, that it is in a certain place even next unto hell under y ^e earth. Some hold y ^t it is not nigh unto hell, (for then might it seme y ^t such as are in Purgatorye, should never ascend and come unto heaven,) for as much (as we rede in y ^e Gospel of Luke) that there is so great a space between them that are above and them that are beneath, y ^t they which are above, cannot come down to them y ^e are beneath: neither can they that are beneath, come up to them y ^t ar above.) But above in the air, yea and that in torrida zona, because that after they be sufficiently purged, they may be nigh and go strayghtwayes unto heaven. Some other say, y ^t they be neither beneath near unto Hell, nor yet above nigh unto Heaven, but according to the dispensation and appointment of god, diverse souls are diversely placed, some here, some there, some in this place, some in that place: some beneath some above, some in the midst, according to their deserts, but all suffering pains either more or less, till sufficient satisfactiō be made for their sins either by themselves in pains suffering, or else by other in Massesingyng, in almosse giving, in watching, in praying, in pilgrimage going, in the popes pardons bying, &c. The tales and lies, which the papists have invented concerning the places of souls after their departure, is to much wonderful and marvelous. In Longobardica historia: in Legenda aurea, in vitis patrum, in the Festiual, &c. shalt thou find examples plentifully: which books in times paste were better known and more preached to the simple people, than the true and pure word of God.

And as they do not agree among themselves where pyckpursse Purgatory is: so likewise do they dissēt both in the tormentors & in the torments of the souls. Some teach, y ^e the souls in purgatory are punished of the good aūgels at gods appointment: some say, that they be wicked Spirites of hell y ^t punish them. Some again hold, that the souls in purgatory are tormented with fire only, according to this sentence of Saint Paul: Vniuscuius{que} opus quale sit, ignis probabit : some contrariwise affirm, y ^t they are punished both with fire and water, according to this saying of the Psalmograph. Transiuimus per ignem & aquam, & reduxisti nos in refrigerium. But howsoever the seely simple souls be punished, the Papists with one voice affirm, that they are most paynefully afflicted and tormented, yea and that with such pains and torments, as be incomparable: the pains & torments of hell only excepted. Of those most intolerable pains of purgatory, thus rede we in the Popes decrees. He must first be purged with the fire of purgatory, that hath deferred the fruit of conversion unto another world. And this fire, although it be not everlasting, is notwithstanding a wonderful grievous fire. For it excedeth and passeth all pain, which any man at any time hath suffered in this life. In the flesh there was never so great pain found, although the Martyrs did suffer marvelous torments &c. And in the book entytled, Sermones discipuli, we rede on this manner. The souls which are in purgatory, are in moste grievous pains. For if all the burning coals in the world were gathered together and poured upon an heap, and a man should stand in the mids of them, yet should he not suffer so great heat and burning, as the souls do in Purgatory. No temporal pain may be compared with the pains of Purgatorye. The pains is so great, that a little short time seemeth to be very longe and great time. Therefore we rede, that a certain Religious man burned in Purgatorye only, while one Mass was a saying: and he appeared to his fellow, and said, that he had burned in Purgatorye a great number of year.

And some souls are punished there a longe space: some, thyrtie years, some an hundred: some, a thousand, more or less: some, unto the ende of the world. Again in the treatise called in Latin, Stella Clericorum, we find this written: The fire, and other pains that are in Purgatorye, are more grievous and more bitter, than all the pains of the Martyrs, and all kinds of torments, that could be imagyned and invented of the Tyrauntes in this world. And the souls of them that are thus punished, do far excel the multitude of all them that live in this world. And therefore saith Agustine: He knoweth not, what he asketh, which desireth Purgatorye. O God howe sweet a thing shall it be to make satisfaction in this world? I say, y ^t it is more grievous to be in Purgatory one twyncklyng of an eye, than all y ^e pain, which blessed Laurence had upon the Gredyron. Therefore one tear issuing out of a pure heart doth purge more, thā ten years in Purgatory: & yet between two evils the lessest is to be chosen. And therefore the souls that are in Purgatorye, cry with Job on this manner, and say: Miseremini mei, Miseremini mei, saltem vos amici mei: Quia manus domini tetigit me. That is to say: Have pity on me, have pity on me, at the least ye that are my friends: for the hand of the Lord hath touched me.

After that the Papists had thus feigned Purgatory and the moste horrible & dredeful pains thereof: they thought it also good to devise something to relieve these pains and to ease the bitter torments which the seely souls suffer in that most grievous fire of purgatory: by this their devise nothing doubting but that no small advantage should rise unto them, which in deed hath had hitherto fortunate success. Diuerse invented diverse remedies against these fyry torments: Which thing hath been brought to pass by y ^e constitutions & ordinances of men partly, as we may see in y ^e Councils Florentine and Constantiense: and partly by the books and writings of the Sophisticall Papists: Some of their deuyses here to recite, I think it not unfitting nor out of the way.

The author of the book entitled, Stella Clericorum, saith, that there are iii. Churches. The first is in this world and that is called, Ecclesia Militans, that is, y ^e Militant or warrefayring church, The second is in heaven: and it is called, Ecclesia Triumphans: that is to say. The Triumphant Church. The third is in Purgatory: and it is called, Ecclesia Expectans : that is, The Church Expectant, and that looketh for and abideth deliverance. This latter Church is in great pains, from the which they may be delivered, saith he, four manner of ways. Vnde Versus.

Missa, preces, dona, ieiunia, quatuor ista Absoluūt animas, quas purgās detinet ignis

That is to say, Mass, Prayers, Gifts, Fastings: These four things set at liberty y ^e souls that are in Purgatorye. And a little after he saith. The device to pray for them that are dead, is holy and wholesome. It is holy by the compassion of the dear friends. It is wholesome, thorough giving of almosse, and the prayer of the faithful, and specially of the Priests, to whom the souls are committed. For almosse is the meat of souls and prayer is the drink. Fastings also of the faithful is a great refection & bāket for the souls and pilgrimage going of friends is the dispatche and deliverance of pains. As for pardons, they also profit the souls in purgatory even so far, as they deserved, while they lived in this world. But before all remedies, wherewith y ^e soul being in Purgatory may be holpen: the mass far excelleth. Therefore saith Gregory: Oh how great and lively gift of God is this? For the divine mysteries are never celebrated ( He meaneth that the mass is never song or said ) but that two virtuous works do concur, and are brought to pass: that is to say, the conversion of one sinner and the deliueraūce of one soul at the lest out of Purgatorye.

The like doctrine doth the author of the festival teache on this manner. Ye shall understand, that there been four things, that greatly holpen souls that been in Purgatorye and that been these. Fidelium amicorum oratio eleemosynarum largitio: salutaris hostia, & ieiuniorum obseruatio. That is: prayers of friends devoutly said, & almosse deed doying, and masses singing, and abstinence in fasting. That prayers help much a soul that is in Purgatory: the author proveth for lack of the testimonies of holy scripture, with this narracion or tale that followeth. We find written saith he, in Legenda aureae, how there was a man, y ^t had his house fast by a churchyard side & y ^t his door opened to the Church. And he used by custom as oft as he went or came, to say every time, De profūdis, for all christē souls. Thē it happened so on a time, that he was pursued with enemies as he went homewards. But when he came into the churchyard, he kneled down and thought to say, De profundis. But his enemies came after. Anone the dead bodies rose every chone with instruments as they wrought with by their lives and anon they drove away his enemies. But when they saw that, they cried God mercy and this man, & ever after prayde and did almosse deeds for them that were in pain. Thus I may well prove, saith he, that devout prayers helpen many a soul that been in Purgatory.

Also almesse deeds helpen many a soul. Sicut aqua extinguit ignem: ita eleemosyna extinguit peccatum.

Right as water quencheth fire: so almesse deed quencheth the fire y ^t brenneth them that been in Purgatorye: if they been in good life and in perfect charity that done it, &c.

Now to prove, that almesse deeds done for souls in Purgatorye, profit thē greatly, he bringeth in this narratiō or tale. We rede, (saith he) y ^t in old time, good people would on all hollowen day, bake bread & deal it for all christē souls. And yet there ben some, but all to few. We rede In Legenda aurea of a knight that should go to a battle, and had a cosen that he loved passing well, and said to him thus. If he were slain in the battle, he should sel his horse, & deal the value to poor people in almesse, to pray for all christē souls. So it happened, y ^t he was slain, and his cosin loved well y ^e horse, & took him to his own use. Then soon after, this Knight appeared to his cosin, and said thus to him. These eyght days for my horse thou hast made me to burn in purgatory, and therefore God will take vengeance on thee. Forsoth quod he, this day thy soul shall be in hell with y ^e fende. Ego purgatus vado in regnum dei. And I am purged, and go to the kingdom of heaven. And anon an horrible noise was heard in the air of fendes, which caught this man and bare him away.

The third thing, y ^• helpeth souls in purgatory, is the Mass, For when any soul appeareth to any mā to have any help: he desireth masses, & prayeth to have masses songen for him. Right as meat and drink comforteth a mā when he is feeble: so the sacrament of y ^e altare cōforteth y ^e souls y ^e masses been done for. It is written in Legenda aurea how a Bishop suspended a priest because he could say none other mass, but of Requiem, which he song every day devoutly after his cōning. Then on a day as the bishop went towards matins it seemed to him, y ^e dead bodies rose & came about him and said: Thou haste said no mass for us. And moreover thou haste taken our priest away frō us. Loke y ^t this be amended, or else God will in short time take vengeance on thee for our sake. Then was y ^e bishop greatly afeard, and anon he • ad the priest sing mass of Requiem, as he did tofore. And so he did as often as he might.

Also we find y ^e fyshers set their nets in harvest, and they took up a great piece of Ise, and y ^t was the coldeste Ise that ever they felt, and it would not melte for the Sun. And so brought they y ^e Ise to y ^e Bishop. For he had a great brennyng heat in his foot, and it was the coldest y ^t ever he felt. Then spake there a voice to him out of the Ise, and said: I am a soul y ^e suffereth my penance here in this Ise. For I have no friends, y ^t will do masses for me. I shall be delivered of my penance and y ^u shalt be whole of thy sickness if thou wilt say mass for me. And he said, he would sing for him, and bad tell him his name. And ever while he was at mass, he laid the Ise under his foot and ever as he said mass, the Ise melted away. And so within a while y ^t Ise was molten, and y ^e soul was delivered frō pain, and y ^e bishop was whole of his sickness. Then the soul appeared to him w ^t much joy, & said: With y ^e masses singing I am brought out of pain into everlasting bless.

The like fables many & diverse, are told of Gregorius Magnus, of Petrus Cluniacensis, of Jacobus de Voragine, &c.

But y ^e author of y ^e book entitled, Sermones discipuli, rehearseth ten manner of things, wherewith y ^e souls y ^t are in purgatory, may be delivered out of their pains. The first is, the setting up of candles at massetime before y ^e sacrament, or before Images, in y ^e honor & praise of God and of his Saints.

The seconde is, Sensyng of the Altare when Mass of Requiem is songen for the souls departed, with this inward desire, that God will deliver y ^e soul from the stenche of purgatory, where it is now punished.

The third is, sprinkling of holy water upon the Sepulchers or graves, & upon y ^e bones of the dead. And here must they desire, y ^t as the heat of this present fire is cooled by y ^e sprinkling of water: so likewise the heat of y ^e fire of purgatory may be tempered & cooled for y ^e soul y ^t we pray for, thorough the dew of the heavenly grace & mercy.

The fourth is, Prayer for the dead. And here must we direct our prayers unto saints in heaven for the souls y ^t are in purgatory, y ^t they may make intercession for thē unto God: for they may do much with God. And for this cause we send y ^e saints unto y ^e heavenly king as massengers, y ^t they may obtain of that King, indulgence, pardon and favor for those souls. Therefore must we in this behalf devoutly pray to s. Mary, to S. Peter. &c.

The fyft is, oblations and offeryngs for y ^e souls departed, y ^t they may be delivered from the dets, which they owe unto God▪

The sixth is, fastings, watchings, afflictions & knelings for y ^e souls departed, as it is specifyed in the popes decrees: Ieiunia viuentium sunt auxilia defunctorum. The fasting of y ^t living ar y ^e helps of the dead.

The seventh is, paying of y ^e dets of the dead. This profiteth y ^e souls y ^t are in purgatory beyond all measure. For while y ^e dettes are vnpayd, y ^e souls are grievously punished in purgatory.

The eyght is, offering up of bread & wine, y ^t it may please God likewise to feed y ^e hungry soul, and to give drink to y ^e thirstye soul y ^t is in purgatory. Likewyse y ^e exercisyng of the works of mercy for the souls departed, as in giving meat to y ^e hungry, drink to the thirstye, lodging to the harborless, clothes to the naked, &c.

The nynth is, when a man accomplisheth & fulfilleth y ^e penance for the souls departed, which y ^e souls themselves were bound to do in this world when they were yet living. For the more any man doth for them in this world: the less have they to suffer in the pains of purgatory.

The tenth is, the celebratiō of masses. And this is the greatest and most principal remedy and help that can be devised for the deliverance of souls out of Purgatorye. For we read, y ^t a certain soul was appointed of God to ligh in Purgatorye xv. years: which notwithstanding thorough one Mass was delivered out of all those pains. For this word Missa which we in English call Mass, is derived a Mittendo, y ^t is, of sending. For in the Mass grace is sent to a sinner being in sin, and to y ^e souls a plain deliverance from all pain. Therefore saith Agustine, y ^t there is no mass celebrated, but y ^e two virtuous works do concur and ar brought to pass. The one is, a conversion of a sinner from his sin. The other is, a deliverance of a soul out of purgatory, But some mā peradventure will here demand, howe it cometh to pass, y ^t the souls which are in purgatory, do know the suffrages, which are here done for the? I answer: the Angels, which do here abide & tarry with us, do many times visit y ^e souls in purgatory, & declare unto thē y ^e suffrages, which we do for thē, here & so comfort thē. O how joyful a thing is this to them? Serm. 41. de anim.

Besydes these remedies aforesaid against the troublous torments of painful purgatory, which the selye simple souls suffer for y ^e satisfaction of God's justice, as the papists teach: there is another remedy, which I of late found in y ^e latter end of an old written boke. And this is of so great virtue, y ^t whosoever devoutly practiseth it shall w ^t out doubt (as it is there specifyed) deliver one soul out of purgatory at the least yea and that within .ix. days. Probatum est.

Fyrst on the Sunday, cause a mass to be song or said in y ^e worship of y ^e Trinity. Set also .iii. candles burning before y ^e sacrament all y ^e mass time. Fede also three poor men, or give three almesses to the nedye.

Secondly on y ^e monday, cause a mass to be song or said in y ^e worship of all Angels. Light also .ix. candles in the honor of the ▪ix. orders of Aungells. Fede .ix. pore mē, or give .ix. almosses.

Thirdly, on y ^• twesday cause a mass to be song or said in the honor of S. Spirit: and lighten .vii. candles in the worship of the .vii. gifts which he giveth. Fede also .vii. poor men, or give .vii. almosses.

Fourthly, on the Wednisday cause a mass to be song or said in the worship of S. John Baptist and of all the patriarches. Light four candles, & feed four poor mē, or give four almosses

Fiftlye, on the Thursdaye cause a Mass to be song or said of S. Peter and of the .xii. Apostles. Lighten .xii. candles, & feed .xii. poor men, or give xii. almosses.

Sixthly, on the Friday cause a mass to be song or said in the worship of S. Cross. Lighten .v. candles. Feede .v. poor men, or give, v. almosses.

Seventhly and finally, on the Saturday cause a mass to be song or said in the honor of our lady and all virgins Lighten, v. candles. Fede .v. poor mē, or give v. almosses. He y ^t thus doth: trust to it verily: for he shall deliver shortly, any soul that he will out of purgatory. Ita est. Probatum est. Amen. Fiat. Fiat. Jesus mercy. Lady help.

Of Trentales for souls departed, and howe they first began.

THere was sometime at Rome a certain Pope called Gregory, which had a mother, whom he loved above all things, and chiefly for her goodness and virtue. It chanced thorough misfortune that the aforesaid womā was big with child, which for fear of her son & shame of the people, whē the time of her labor drew nye, killed the child. So like did she at another time also no man knowing of it: After ward • t so chanced, that the aforesaid woman fell sick and died. The Pope and all the people did greatly rejoice of her, for they thought her to be a good woman & to be saved. But afterward when the aforesaid Pope song mass, he saw just by him a certain darkness, so that it seemed rather night than day: and in the same darkness he beheld a certain moste miserable creature, to whom he said: O thou creature, I conjure thee in God's behalf, that thou declare unto me, what thou art. She answered. O most dearly beloved son, I am thy Mother. The Pope maruellyng greatly at the matter: said unto her: We hoped that thou haddest been a good woman, and placed in the kingdom of Heaven. Howe cometh it to pass, that thou art now in such pain? She opened unto him all things, that she had done in this world: and told him y ^t therefore she suffered such pains, y ^t the very flames of fire came out of the mouth of her. The Pope being moved with sorrow and pain of his mother, said unto her, O mine own mother, cā anything in the world deliver thee out of this pain? She said: If any mā would sing a trentall of masses for me, I should be delivered out of all my pains, & be saved. He said: What masses should they be? She answered: Thre masses of y ^e Nativity of our lord. Thre masses of y ^e Epiphany of our lord Three of the Purification of our Lady. Thre of the Annūciation of our Lady. Thre of the Resurrection of our Lord. Thre of the ascensiō of our Lord. Thre of Penthecost. Three of the Trinity. Thre of the Assūption of our Lady: and three of her Natiuitie: so y ^t these masses be celebrated within y ^e Octaues of y ^e said feasts, as on the first day, with the same Kirie eleyson. Gloria in excelsis, & Credo: & also the same Sequēce & Preface, with Communicantes. Hane igitur: Sanctus, and Agnus, as it is contained in y ^e Canon of the Mass: also with these prayers following, so that the prayers that follow be said with the collecte of the Feast under one Oremus, and under one Per dominum. There must also be said every day throughout the year, Placebo, and Dirige, with ix. Psalms, and ix. lessons, and ix. Anthems, except it be at the time of Easter, when it shall be said daily with three lessons only. The commondation also must be said as often, so that both at Placebo, and at Dirige the first collect or prayer shall be Deus summaspes, &c. & also at the commondaciō. Again, at the mass of the day, y ^e aforesaid prayer shall be said of him, that celebrateth the mass throughout the whole year. The Collecte shall be always, Deus summaspes. The secretes. Omnipotens sempiterne Deus. The post Cōmunion, Deus cuius misericordia. &c. If any man will do thus much for me, quod she, I shall be delivered from my pain. And y ^e son said, that he would gladly do that for his mother. And he commanded her, that she should come again unto him at the very same time the year following. All these things, that she desired, were done. When the time drew nigh that y ^e Pope appointed of her return, the Pope himself song mass, and saw a great light, and in it two Angels coming down, and a most goodly, fair, and beautiful Lady between them. He being afraid thought her to be the Queen of Heaven, and fell down at the feet of her▪ saying: O Regina coeli, miserere animae matris meae. O Queen of Heaven have mercy on my mothers soul. But she answered: O my most dear son, I am thy mother. Blessed be the hour y ^t I bare thee. For of such one, as thou didst se me in times paste, hath God made me, as thou now seest, thorough thy masses and prayers. And all they, for whom the aforesaid Masses shall be longe, shall be likewise saved, even as I am. Ex missali manuscripto. Anno domini. 1354.

Of the virtues of the Mass.

THe mass hath xii. virtues, as it is specified in a certain book called The signification of the Mass, imprinted in the English tongue by Robert Wier, Cum priuilegio regali ad imprimendum solum.

The first virtue or fruit of the mass is, as some doctors do write, y ^t a man doth merit more whiles that he doth bear mass devoutly, than if he should give for gods sake as much ground and lande, as he could pass & go over y ^e space of y ^e same mass, O what may be then deserve, which doth hear every day .iii. or .iiii. masses? And what doth he lese, and what compte shall he make afore God at the day of judgment, which hath not so great business, but that he may hear one mass at the least every day? O what shall it grieve you, that ye have lost so much? This ye shall understand according to y ^e dignity and excellētnesse of the mass.

The second virtue is, that the holy angels be glad to be nigh unto y ^e person in keeping him, whē he hath heard mass as David saith, god did cōmaūd his Angels to keep and preserve you in all your ways and business.

The third virtue is, y ^t the man beholding with deuotiō & reverence y ^e holy Sacrament in the mass as S. Agustine • aith, god doth give him y ^e fame day all things necessary for his body. Item vain words & unadvised oaths be for given & pardoned, and he is preserved from sudden death. A man doth lese no time, while that he doth hear mass. All the steps in coming and in going be compted of the holy Angel. And if the man die the same day that he hath herd mass without receyuyng the Sacrament, God shall compt it as spiritually received.

The fourth virtue is, that a person being in sin, oftetimes in the Mass time by the presence of the holy Sacrament, doth receive a good inspiration, so that from thenceforth he doth convert him from his sins: as the good thief upon the cross, Mary Magedalene afore the feet of our Lord. If they had not been present with our Lord peradventure they should not have had pardon of their sins.

The fifth virtue or fruit is, that a man hearing mass devoutly, receiveth spiritually the Sacrament, so that he desire it deuoutlye. And so it may chance, that a man hearing mass deuoutlye, shall obtain more grace▪ than the priest which doth it. For the priest is not always equally well disposed. And so may a man every day receive the holy Sacrament spiritually▪

The sixte virtue is, that the man hearing Mass, and being in the state of grace, is partaker of all the masses done throughout all the world. And that is more or less, after as the man is in the love and favor of God. For it is one of the Articles of the holy Catholic faith, as in the Communion of the holy Church.

The seventh virtue is, that the prayer of them which do hear Mass • is sooner heard and accepted of God in the mass time, than at any other time. For then the priest and the holy Angels, which beabout the altare, do help you to pray.

The eight virtue is, that the souls being in Purgatory, whiles y ^• the man doth hear Mass, and doth pray for thē have a singular absolution, during the same Mass. For there is nothing that doth bring them so shortly out of the pains of purgatory, as to cause to say or to hear devoutly Mass for them.

The ninth virtue is, that it is better to hear one mass in our life time, thā to cause an hundred to be said or heard for us after our death. And y ^e it is better that a man cause a mass to be said for him in his life, than an hundred after his death: the reason is this. For a mā may now deserve and merit much with a Mass, but not after his death. For then he doth only find y ^e , which he hath deserved in his life. And hundred thousand masses now done, cā not augment one moment of glory & joy after this time. But by a mass, which I do hear, I may obtain that I shall not come in Purgatory. But after our death, the mass delivereth only from Purgatorye. Is it not better then, not to come in purgatory, than when a mā is there, to tarry and look for aid and help to be delivered.

The tenth virtue is, y ^e a woman hearing mass devoutly, if it chance, that she do labor of child the same day, she shall be delivered without fault y ^e more easily and with less pain. For the holy Angels be very busy and diligent about her. Therefore all women being with child (if it be possible) shall hear mass every day. For by the virtue of the mass, y ^e fruit or child is preserved. And they shall put their trust in the sacrament, and in our blessed Lady the Mother of God, and in none other thing.

The eleventh virtue is, y ^t all thing that a mā doth enterprise after he hath heard mass, shall prosper and come to good end: again, y ^e which the man doth eat & drink after he hath heard mass, shall profit more to the necessity of nature.

The twelfth virtue is, y ^t if the man die the same day y ^t he hath heard mass God shall give him a singular grace, which otherwise he should not have had, that is to say, that God himself or his Aungells at the last hour of his death, shall help & comfort him as the man hath served God at y ^e mass. For it is written in the holy Gospel: With what measure ye have measured: with the same also I will measure you everlastingly. AMEN.

In the Festival also we read thus concerning this matter. S. Agustine saith, y ^t it profiteth greatly all Christian people for to hear mass, and specially for nine causes, and saith in this manner of wise.

Quia illo die quo audierit missam, necessaria cibaria conceduntur. For that day y ^e he heareth a mass, he shall fail no bodily food or sus • enaunce, nor no necessary thing y ^t shall be belonging or appertaining unto him, nor no let ne impediment shall he have in his journey that he hath to go or ride, wheresoerver he trauayleth.

The second cause is, all venial sins be forgiven him by the virtue of the mass, and idle words.

The third is, y ^t if a man die: it shall stand him for his housel.

The fourth, he shall not y ^t day l • se his sight.

The fifth, all idle oaths that day shall be forgiven him.

The sixth, y ^t nay he shall die no sudden death.

The seventh, as long as he heareth mass, he shall not wax old.

The eyght, all his steppes toward & fromward the holy church, his good Aungel reckoneth to his salvation.

The nynth, all the while y ^t he beholdeth the blessed sacrament, all wicked spirits flee from him, and have no power over him, be he never so great a sinner.

In Stella Clericorum concerning the virtue of y ^e Mass, we find these words: Before all remedies, wherewith the souls being in purgatory may be holpen: the Mass far excelleth. Therefore saith Gregory: Oh, howe great & lively gift of God is this? For mass is never song or said, but that two virtuous works do concur, and are brought to pass: that is to say, the conversion of one sinner, and the deliverance of one soul at the least out of purgatory.

Of Councils.

P Ope Marcellus the first made a decree, y ^t no council might be lawfully assembled & gathered together, whether it be general or national, without the bishop of Rome's consent and assente. In the year of our Lord. 304. Dift. 17. ( ap. Synodum. Polydor. Bartholo. Carrantza. Libro. Council.

Pope Julius, Pope Damasus, & Pope Gregory, ratified the same decree afterward. Council. Polyd.

Pope Felix the second ordained, y ^t all bishops should come to y ^e general council, or else signify to y ^e popes holiness. Why thei cannot come. In the yere, &c. 370. Dist. 18. Cap. Non oportet. Lib. Council. John. Laziard.

This decree was afterward renewed in a council holden at Chartage.

In a Synod hold̄ at Constantia, it was decreed, y ^t frō henceforth general councils should be holden from ten year to ten year, to this ende, y ^t the Lord's field might be purged from all briars, thystles, thorns, heresies, errors, schisms, &c. Notwithstandyng reseruyng this authority and power to y ^e pope, y ^t he may not only every .x. yere, but at all other times also appoint a general counsel, when his pleasure is. John. Laziard, Cest.

It was decreed at y ^e council of Nice, y ^t every bishop should twice yearelye have a Synod or Sene general within his diocese, to correct and reform such things as were out of order. But now y ^e matter is so handled, y ^t Senes be only Courts to gather Senage and Proxye, no correction of manners or errors, or of any other absurdities had in those assemblies. Libro, Council. Polydor.

Pope Pelagius the first, made a law, that the Council, which is celebrated without the mind and consent of the Romish Bishop, should be called not Concilium, but Conuenticulum, or Conciliabulum : and that whatsoever is enacted or agreed upon in such a Council, should be frustrate, void, and of none effect. In the year of our Lord. 552. Dist. 17. Capit. Multis denuo. Libro. Council.

The same Pope also enacted, that all such matters of doubt and question, as could not be quietly divided & brought unto perfect agreemente in the lesser Sinodes or councils, should be referred unto a greater See: if they cā not there be determined justly and truly, y ^t then they shall be brought unto the Apostolic See. Ibidem.

In the council Agathense it was decreed, y ^t such as wer accited to come unto the council, and refused so to do, should be accursed. Dist. 18. Capit. Siquis. Si Episcopus.

Pope Agatho made a decree, y ^t all the constitutions & ordinances of y ^e church of Rome, should be received and taken, as things establyshed and confyrmed with the very divine and Godly voice of Peter himself. In the year, &c. 673. Dist. 19. Cap. Sic omnes.

Pope Stephen the first ordained, y ^t whatsoever the church of Rome doth decree and appoint, it should forever & without breach be observed of all men. In the year of our Lord. 261. Dist. 19. Cap. Enimuero.

Pope Antberius ordained, y ^t whatsoever was decreed of other Bishops, might be dissolved of the bishop of Rome, as one y ^t hath power to • udge of all churches. In the yere, &c. 239 Cau. 9. Qu. 3. Cap. Cuncta.

Pope Innocent made a law, y ^t no mā should presume to judge y ^e Bishop of Rome. For he being judge of all men, ought to be judged neither of y ^e Emperor, nor of all y ^e clergyc, nor of Kings, nor of the common people. Caus. 9. Qu. 3. Cap. Nemo indicabit. The same decree made also pope Nicolas, Pope Gelasius, Pope Anastasius, &c.

A certain council holden of diverse, wise, learned and Godly men, at Constantia, objected against Pope John the xxiii. of y ^e name (being there present) diverse borrible faults: of the which he was openly convict, to y ^e mumber of moe thā forty, yea & those most grievous sins. The pope secretly fleing, was apprehended, deposed, & caste into prison.

Afterward in y ^e council it was decreed, that a general council lawfully gathered together, is above the pope, and hath authority immediately of Christ, which alone is the head of the Church, Christ. Massoe. in Chron.

Thys act of y ^e council seemeth to be contrary unto that, which saith, y ^t the pope and his See are not bound to be subject, to the councils and determinations of other. Cap. Significasti: de elect. And y ^t the pope hath in his heart all manner of laws: Again, y ^t he is not bound to purge and clear of himself such crimes and faults, as are objected against him. &c.

Of Heretykes.

POpe Siritius ordained, y ^t Heretics should be banished and y ^t no Christians should communicate or keep company with thē: again, if any of them did revoke their errors and heresies, that they should be thrust into Monasteries as into prisons perpetually, there unto death to remain, giving themselves to fasting & prayer. In the year, &c. 389. Johannes. Stella. Lib. Council.

Pope Pelagius the first not content with this former punishment, made a decree, that all heretics and Schismatikes, with all such as be contumaciter disobediente to holy Churches ordinances should be put to death by the seculare power. Provided always, that the Popish bloody butcherlyke Bishops with their woluishe wicked officers and Antichristian adherētes do first of all persecute thē, emprison thē, accite them Coram nobis, accuse them, condemn them, and afterward according to their deuilishe decrees commit them to the secular power and temporal magistrates, as unto their butchers & hāg men to dispatche them out of the way either by fire, sword, or halter. For these holy and charitable Fathers cry out with their forefathers and Popelike predecessors: Non licet nobis interficere quenquam. It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. In the year of our Lord. 552.24. q. cap. 5. Relegentes. Angl. Chron. John. Laziard.

Pope John the .xxii. made a decree, y ^t whosoever did affirm, that Christ and his Apostles had no possessions neither in proper nor in commune, y ^e same should be taken for an heretic. Agayne, that whosoever did hold this opinion, that it was not lawful for Christ and his Apostles to enjoy those things, which the Scripture testifieth that they had, nor to give them, nor by the occupying of thē to get & win more for y ^e maintenance of their living: he likewise should be adjudged an heretic. Of this it followed, that many Friers and Nuns of Francis order were brent as heretics in diverse places of the world in resisting this decree of y ^e Pope for the maintenance of their monastical and willful poverty. In the year of our Lord. 958. Math. Palmer, John. Laziard.