CHAP. I.

a The confession which the Priest maketh, 1. Cor. 11. is in stead of the probations which S. Paule requi­reth of those that will come to the Supper. But because the Priest prepareth him selfe to renoūce Iesus Christ in his Masse, he also oftētims purgeth his conscience in his preparation, by great blas­phemies: as herafter shall be shewed in his place.

b For, if he hath not this purpose and intent, all is nothing that he doth. And so by this meanes as many as worship the host that is betweene his hāds, commit flat idolatry. For according to their doctrine, without it, it is no God. Now the peo­ple can neuer be able to assure them selues what the Priests minde is. For, none knoweth his heart but God alone. Whereupon ensueth, that they which are at Masse, are alwayes vncertaine what to beleeue: and so consequently can haue no true faith. For; faith & doubting can in no wise dwell together.

c That is to say, he must haue his part by hart, that he may be the better able to play it.

d To wit, he must haue very good skill howe to play the munky or Iacke-napes.

e The Romish religion and deuotion wholy consisteth in Apish and bobtailde toyes, as here may appeare. For he is accompted the most de­uout [Page 4]Sir Iohn that can best play at hey passe and repasse, Iupiter, Saturnus hey.

f It is not amisse done of them in calling it [...] table: bycause they are thereat slaall fed, as wit­nesse vnto vs their double chynnes and fat lun­chious of flesh on their bodies.

g This is a goodly king, for he can not defen [...] him selfe from mise, neither yet from wormes and spiders, as hereafter shalbe declared.

h Thus here we see the sine deuises of the mor­ris, shewes and contenances of the play which herein he must obserue for a testimonie of hi [...] deuotion and loue towardes God, of whom n [...] word hath once bene spoken.

i And this is the chiefe and principall parte [...] for, seeing the landleapar or rogge speaketh hers of fingers, handes, feete, armes, shoulders, head backe, and belly: we are therefore here through­ly to cōsider what is meant by this kind of speach which consisteth altogether in dumbe shewes, a if it were a mummery.

k These, no doubt of it, must needes be won­derfull great heauenly misteries which are vsed it these iuggling pastimes, being meete disporte [...] worthy such puppies.

l This is for the driuing away of the flyes, by­cause they should haue no parte of the Prieste▪ breakfast: and bycause also, that his God of him selfe, is not able to driue them away, as it is sai [...] of the Idoles.

m It were no small danger, if in stead of fore right crosses, they should make Saint Androwe [...] [Page 5]crosses, especially if it should be in time of warre betweene the French and the Burgonions.

n There might also some danger fall out euen in a sippe of wine, which afterward might hinder the lifting vp of the chalice.

o As for the circles let him leaue them, to the Mathematiciens and Cowpers.

p There are in it also, French, Italian, Span­nish, courtlike, Bald, clownish, and maidenlike duckinges and Bowinges, and many other sortes wherein some vaine must be had, for the iolly lea­ding of this friscaball morris, which they may learne from women and maides.

What kindes of meates and drinkes, and what maner of Cup must be set vpon this Table. CHAPITER II.

a Herein, experience is more requisite then opinion & good intent, for in this place we speake of that which is to be set vpon the table.

b The arte and cunning how to taste wine.

c It were very dangerous if whippit Sir Iohn should sippe onely the least droppe, but that he should for that day, lose two blanckes and all his whole dayes worke, besides the losing of his breakfast afterward. For he should then be no more fasting: & so consequently not in the Estate to say Masse, without it were such a drie Masse, as they say & be deawe or moisten about womens beaddes that lie in.

d The Arte and skill how to braye wine, and taste it without drinking thereof, to wit, to taste it by the nose.

e If the priest of Payerne, whose wine was powdred with salt, to wit, his bottell, whē he gaue it a soupe, had looked well to this cautell, he had not bene so deceaued as he was. But had souped of his bottell without powdring. For then, was it no more wine but blood: in the transubstantatiō whereof, the salte was not transubstantiated, as witnesseth vnto vs the priest, who thought him [Page 8]selfe to be poisoned, & with very feare, supposed that he should haue died presently at the Aultar.

i Here it were dangerous powring in of blood.

g Forasmuch as wine is better, and because also that the bottell and soupe of wine therein are likewise better: and in like sorte the blood, and so consequently the soule. For, if we shall giue cre­dit to our auncient gossips pinte pottes, who loue well typling, and are well seene in the iudging of good wines: They say, that good wine maketh good blood, & good blood maketh a good soule: and a good soule is in the hie waye of saluation: Whervpon, they like liuely gossips cōclude with a iolly Logicall Sorites or Sollogisme that he which wilbe saued must drinke wel. And I verely beleue that those venerable men our maisters the Sorbo­nistes, who loue a cup of wine aswell as our gos­sips, ought not so greatly haue opposed thē selues against the Lutherans, and annotations of Robert Stephanus his Bible as they haue done, if they had done well.

h Saue that in the Adoration of the hoste and chalice, which he must worship, with an, If, for feare of committing idolatry: because that idola­ters cannot be certaine and sure of the minde and faith of the priest which sayeth Masse. Wherefore, according to their diuinite, the hoste which the priest sheweth must be worshipped, with this cō ­dition, saying in his heart, If thou be there ô God, I worship thee: but if thou be not there, I worship thee not, that is to say, I will withdraw my pinne from the stake and play no more.

i That is to say, according to the drynesse and and thirstynesse of the time & priest. For, men cō ­monly, drinke more in Sommer then in Winter: & oftentimes many priestes are angry with their clearkes for powring in to litle, especially at the last rinsing when they entend to make cleane the chalice, when as they say in the lifting vp of it, Quia pius es.

k These ignorant doltes speake here better then they are ware of, saying, That the outward signes serue the bodely senses: and that the minde and soule are nourrished and fed with the thing signified & conteined in them, to wit, Sacramētal­ly. Thē are not the body & blood of Iesus receiued corporally, materially and sensibly, in the supper. For, the soule and mind haue no bodely mouth.

l Here, the boyes and striplinges which serue at the Table are taught the skill how to power water into wine. And besides, herein, I tell you, is very great danger. For, ouer and besides that, the soupe of wine should be nothing so good, nei­ther could the wine be turned into blood, if there should not be more wine then water.

Of the rehearsing and pronouncing of the Canon of the Masse, and especially of the Sacrament all wordes and of the power & vertue of the priestes intent. CHAPTER III.

a Herein must good Mast person bestowe the substance of all his fiue wittes. For here, I tell you goeth the hare away.

b This venerable Pilate hath not for this point, [Page 11]set downe in his Latine Masse booke that which he thought to haue done, for the instructiō of his Masse Priest. For he meaneth as it is here transla­ted: But, that which he setteth downe in the La­tine, is as much as if he had said, he must reade the Canon after a more doleful maner, pronouncing his wordes as a melancholike & testie man, that is hard to be pleased.

c To gather him selfe vp roundly together, ought to be vnderstood of the thoughtes of his mind, which he is to gather and bind vp together as it were in a fagot: to the end they might be fast bound vp together: so that their mindes should euer runne vpon their bellies and vpon the maids, vpon whom my Sir whips haue oftentimes more mind, then vpon their consecration: which is a very dangerous matter, especially in this place, by reason the people should become flat idolaters in worshipping the host, if so be the Priest should not rightly consecrate: which he is neuer able to do if his mind be not fully and wholy thereon.

d He is to chaunge these wordes, and pro­nounce wordes cleane contrary to the wordes of Iesus Christ, to wit: Take not nor eate not any of you of this: seeing that none dare once take or eate any of this, saue the Priest alone.

e This is meant if he be not brokē winded, or if so be he hath not bene so foundred, & so ouer­taken with the Pope, as that he is not able to take his breath.

f In our language, this word My, is not the last word, but the Body is the last. For we do not [Page 12]say Body mine, but, my bodie: neither do we say, This is body mine. And therefore seing the whole vertue of the consecration and transubstantiatiō hangeth vpon the last word, he must not say, For this is my body: But ought to say, shalbe. For o­therwise the bread shold be body, before it were, because it is not vntill the last word. For, all the words cannot be spoken at one choppe. And be­sides our venerable Maisters should be greatly troubled about the difficulties that are in this matter.

g They feared that the Priest should eate him selfe and his owne body, as they say that Christ did eate him selfe and his owne body, fleshe and bones, and that he dranke his owne natural blood in the Supper which he made vnto his Apostles. For, if these wordes be said in the person of the Priest, then the bread shall be conuerted into the Priestes body, and not into Iesus his body.

h There is much to do in wordes, about the intent of the Priest, because as they teach, all the power of consecration & transubstantiation con­sisteth therein: so that neither the pronunciation of the words are auailable in this matter, neither yet the faith and intent of as many as are present at Masse, if the intent of the Priest be not before them all in it. And yet there is another point to be considered of, which is this: That if his minde should be so troubled as that in consecrating the one, he intended to consecrate the other, and had any such intent, then all his paine were lost: to wit, if he meant to consecrate the wine, when he [Page 13]was about the consecrating of the bread, or pur­posed to consecrate the bread, when he was a cō ­secrating of the wine.

VVhat difference there is betwene the goddes which the Priestes make by reason of their consecra­tion, and of their numbers. CHAPTER IIII.

a There is not onely a difference betweene the singing cakes, whereon the Priest meaneth to make his Gods, besides his choise, which shall be the first: But also which of them shall be the grea­test or the least, and most honorable amongst the [Page 14]rest. For, that which the priest choseth for to serue his owne turne, is of the largest sorte, and more honorable then any of the other, and gallantlier fr [...]eth, skippeth, and curtesieth then the rest which lie blo [...]shly still vpon the Aultar. And this is vnde [...]stood to be done vpon such dayes as the sup [...]er [...]s administred to all the parish or at least to the most of them. For it is not sufficient that the priestes, all the rest of the yeare admini­ster the supper vnto them selues alone, cleane cō ­trary to the ordinance of Iesus Christ: But they will besides also, because they can abide no e­qualitie, that the priest which shall administer the supper publikly that day, shall haue his God by him selfe, and such a one as shalbe both larger and honorablier then any other, and both eate him, & drinke his wine all alone by him selfe long be­fore any of the rest: making first of all, euery man, most solemnely and magnifically worship his God, which soone after he eateth. And therefore it is here said, that he is to haue a farre greater cō ­sideration and minde vpon him, then vpon any of the other, which lie there dishonorably, and do not so much as once pitch or turne as the other doth, who danseth alone with his venerable Mai­ster whip. And therefore he playeth with these poore Gods, as the poore yong sluttes which go to the dansing games are dealt withall, whom none take into the danse, making no reckning of them, but stand by, gasing vpon the faire virgines which do danse. For, euery man knoweth how whipped Sir Hugh sporteth with his God, and [Page 15]how many friskes, gamboldes, and capriaes, and what reuerences, reprinses, and braules, he vseth: and how he lifteth, & tosseth him aboue his head, & some time on this side and on that, & vnder his armes. To be short, I can not be able to vtter vnto you the nombers of sleightes of legier demaine, which he so gallantly maketh him play.

b Now Sir, when he maketh so many Gods at once, he hath no reason, properly to say, This is my body: but should rather say, These are my bodyes. But he may very well say it by the blood, bycause that in his consecration, he turneth none of the wine into blood, saue onely that which is in his chalice which he iuggleth into it: which blood he maketh onely for the body of his owne God, and for none of the rest. And therefore it must nedes be, that either the rest haue no blood, or els that he maketh their blood all at once with the bodies: As in very deede it ought to be, if this bread were turned, and as they say, really, essen­tially, substantially, sensibly, and corporally tran­substantiated into the naturall body of Iesus Christ: or else it cannot be chosen but that the rest of the bodyes which are made for the commō people, haue no blood at all in thē. And although the priestes God, hath blood, yet bycause it is se­parated from the body, therefore it cannot be but a dead body, because a liuing body is not without blood. Wherefore the body of the God which they eate is a dead body. Againe, if they say that there is blood in the bodyes which the common people eate, thē deale they more cruelly, making [Page 16]them eate them while they are yet aliue.

c This is a very necessary aduertisement, be­cause Sir Iohn Shorne hath not the enterlude booke caried after him in this stage play, to be prompted behind in the eare, if he should at anie time haply forget his part, as they commonly do in other stage playes.

In what sort the Priests are to take hould, and handle the Chalice, and how to renue, and eate their Gods CHAPTER Ʋ.

a By this, is learned the Art howe to take and handle the chalice.

b Nowe because there must be alwayes gods [Page 17]in the pixe, ready to carie to those that are sicke, when neede shall be, and also to honour & keepe the Church, therefore they must often times be renued, and newe put in, in their steade, for o­therwise they would be mouldy and filthy. And so by that meane they should not remaine white gods, but mouldye and greene gods: as manie times it commeth to passe through the negligēce, securenesse, and default of their Gard, as hereafter shall be shewed. Nowe, when these gods are re­nued, the Priest which renueth them, must of ne­cessitie eate the old ones, and put in for them span newe ones. But whensoeuer there is a generall receauing of their maker (as they say) if it so fall out, as that there be not as many receauers to eate as there are Gods to be eaten, either the Priest must eate all that are left, or else he must giue to eche man, more then one peece, either else put them into the pixe to be afterward distributed, as we haue before said. And for the greater solemni­zing of the banquet, when as Mast Person is to gobble them vp, it must commonly be done when he is at Masse. But because the same host which the Priest hath renued, is the more honorable and surer, he for his honours sake goeth foremost, and is first swallowed vp. For M. Iohn Shorne is not so certaine of the other olde Gods, as he is of his owne newe one: as well by reason that some o­ther blacke-Smithes might haue made them, as also, for that it is possible, they might haue beene changed: And therefore it is here said, that he is sure of his owne: that is to say, that he hath brea­thed [Page 18]vpon it, with a good intent, to make a ioly, braue, round and white God of it, like to a iolie large slise of a Turnipe: But he is not so certaine of any of the rest, nor yet of the intent of my mai­sters the black-Smithes that forged them. Where­fore it is said, That he beleeueth all that the mo­ther holy Church of Rome vseth, but he is not as­sured of it. And therefore he walketh in the faith of Priesthood, which is well to be considered of. For, either faith is ioyned with knowledge or without knowledge. And if knowledge be ioy­ned with faith, what maner of faith can that be, which knoweth not that, that it beleeueth? But if it be faith without knowledge, then is not the other faith, which is ioyned with knowledge. And so both on the one side & on the other, there is faith, without faith. I doubt not but that our maisters could distinguish here very well: But let them make what distinction they lust, they know neither Christian faith, nor yet Christian know­ledge. For, they haue no foundation from the word of the Lord of all that they here bring in.

c I vnderstand by the washings that are here spoken of, of the last finger licking which the Priest maketh, after he hath eaten his God, & his flesh, & drōk his blood, the last time that he pou­reth in wine into his chalice, as well for the wash­ing and rinsing of his teeth as of his fingers & cha­lice: to the ende there should neither fleshe, or blood, remaine either in his throte, handes, nor Chalice. And because this last wine that is pow­red in, is not blood, as is the first, it behoueth him [Page 19]to eate all the Gods that are to be eaten, before such time as he powreth in this last wine for the rinsing of his teeth and fingers, for otherwise they should not be eaten to breake-fast: which were a most grieuous & deadly sinne. But when it is blood, then it is another matter. And the Priest hath neuer broken his fast, no though he eate ne­uer so many of his round singing cakes which are turned into Gods, vntill he be ready to burst with­all: and drinke as much wine turned into blood, as that he be as dronke as a pisse-pot, and so, be ready to burst and kill him selfe withall.

VVhat commemorations are to be made in the Canon of the Masse, and for whom they ought spe­ciallie to be made. CHAPTER ƲI.

a This admonition is chiefly made, by reason of the two Mementoes which are thrust into the Canon, the one for the quicke, and the other for the dead: in which the priest, especially nameth such as pleaseth him. And therefore there is an N. set downe, that he might thereby be admonished to name all those to whom he pretended most es­pecially to apply the vertue and merite of his sa­crifice. He may referre them also to the comme­morations which are there made of the men and women saintes, because that euery priest putteth in as many as he hath a chiefe deuotion vnto, and euery curate, the patrone of his parish, and euery frier his benefactour.

b Howbeit Iesus Christ neuer said, Do ye this in remambraunce of your fathers, mothers, bre­thren, sisters, nor any other whatsoeuer: But, Do ye this in the remembraunce of me.

c This especially, ought namely to be vnder­stood of such as offer at Masse: in which, the mo­ney that they gape after, serueth them for the arte of memorie.

What cunning he ought to haue in washing of his teeth and gullet before he say Masse, and before such time as he eate of those Gods, and how and in what sorte he must afterward spit. CHAPTER VII.

a This Cautell or instruction is manifestly grounded, Matth. 23. vpō those wordes of our Sauiour Christ saying, Woe be vnto you Scribes, Pharisers and hypocrites which straine at a gnat and swallow downe a camell. And againe, Luc. 11. Ye make cleane the outside of the cup and platter: but within ye are full of bribery and excesse.

b This Angell of Clauase is the authour of the Euangelicall Summary, a Sophisticall and schoole doctour, as Richard and Thomas Aqui­nas and the rest were, who had leasure enough to [Page 22]dispute of such speculatiue matters.

c The suerest way for him is, to swallow downe his spettle, with hypocras and malmesey at the beginning of his dinner, or in some other colation after his breakfast, or spit in his bosome, to the end, that the peeces of flesh which he hath eaten, and the blood which he hath dronke might be the more honorably preserued.

The maner that is to be obserued in saying of Masse. CHAPTER VIII.

a Here is one very hard question to be resol­ued as touching one thing that is propounded in this Cautell, especially when Masses for the dead are spoken of. For, if the soules of the dead be not deliuered, vntill such time as the Masse which is said for them be ended, then, without doubt, the shortest Masses are most auaileable. And therfore poore mens soules herein, haue the aduantage o­uer the rich mens. For they dispatch the poore mens soules with a short and quicke Requiem, which carieth them to heauen in post, whereas the rich mens soules, are faire and easily caried, with a long Requiē in an horse litter. But because we haue already handled this matter, in one part of our Christian disputations, intituled, The office for the dead, I will busie my selfe no further with it at this time.

b Herein it behoueth vs to note what diffe­rence there is betweene the Hunters & Souldiers Masses, and such other like. In very deede the Hū ­ters masses are most commonly best liked of, by reason they are short. Wherupon we are to note, that forasmuch as the Priestes are for the more [Page 24]part ignorant, therefore they ought to say Masse more deliberately and with greater deuotion, be­cause they can not so readily dispatch them, nor so lightly huddle them ouer, as they which are better learned.

c He is so strange, Deut. 32. as that we may verie well say as it is written, That through strange Goddes they haue prouoked the Lord, and through their abominations, stirred him vnto wrath. They haue sacrificed vnto deuilles and not vnto God, and vnto such Gods as they neuer knewe; euen verie strange ones, and such as came next to hand, and such as their fathers neuer feared. Thou hast for­gotten the mighty God which begot thee, & put out of remembraunce him, who fashioned thee. For, was there euer a more straunge God, then that God, which the Priests made in their Masse? And from whence, I beseech you, came he? Sure­ly not farre of. Will you know then from whence he came, forsooth first out of the field, then from the mill, next from the fire, last of all, made by the Priest, causing him whome he him selfe made & fashioned with his owne hands, and breath, to be worshipped, in stead of that God which hath fra­med & made vs all: and therefore is iustly fashio­ned into the forme of a singing cake, because that by his meanes, the true God & right Sauiour who said, do ye this in remembraunce of me, is turned into a cake. This is such a God, as neither the true fathers the Patriarks, neither yet the Prophets, A­postles, nor any other of the Auncient Church, e­uer feared or knewe, Dan. 11. This is the God Moasim of [Page 25]Antichrist, of whom Daniell prophesied, whome the fathers knewe not: and such a one as is hono­red with golde and siluer.

Of the number of their Collects, and of the diuersities of their Per omnia, and of their conclusions. CHAPTER IX.

a We haue before declared, what is meant b [...] the name of a collect in the masse, & from when [...] it came. Now, in this place they shew them selue [...] to be right Pythagoriās by their nōbring, whereby they make vnto vs here, not onely a Pythagorian kinde of philosophy, which consisteth in nō ­bringe, but also a very magicall arte. For the mā ­ner & custome of enchaunters, is, to dispose the [...] characters, magicall figures, charmes, enchaunte­mentes and sorceries, by certain nombres: where­in they suppose great misteries to be, and wherin also lieth the whole vertue of their diuelish artes. [Page 27]And so likewise, as the Masse is none other but a very kinde of sorcery, euen so also it is compassed with certain nombers: especially the prayers that are made in it, and the making of the crosses, that they skirmish so withall. whervpon is to be noted, that there are oftentimes great blasphemies com­mitted in those prayers which they call collectes, bycause of the men and women saintes that are called vpon in them, in steed of God, and of their merittes, which are ioyned with the merittes of Iesus Christ, as also by reason of the superstitious prayers, which are made in them for the dead, pre­supposing thereby that there is a Purgatorie, by meane whereof, the blood of Iesus Christ our true Purgatorie, is vtterly renounced. And therefore they had great reason to set downe rules to con­clude their blasphemies with the name of God, and with the holy Trinitie of personnes, one God in vnitie.

CHAPTER X.

a The false doctrine and errour of popish tran­substantiation, hath brought the whole Romish church & all her doctors into meruelous labirin­thes: and engendred amongest them an infinite nomber of insoluble questions & difficulties, & an exceeding nōber of doubtes: & the most straunge and brutish absurdities that possibly may be de­uised as all men partly may iudge by the cautelles and instructions hereafter ensuing.

b Hereupon, might grow, diuerse and sondry inocnueniences. For, as touching the first, it might so fall out, as that there is none saue the same bo­dy that is there already made, and no blood at all. Or admit them to be both there, what shall be­come of the sacrifice, which is yet to be made, and [Page 30]besides who shall eate this body, and drinke [...] blood, but to put the body into the pixe?

c By these signes, are meant the crossing [...] wherewith he must so often crosse the bread [...] wine which are vpon the Altar.

d It would also breede a great inconuenie [...] to haue two workmen to make one body. Whe [...] fore, that which the one beginneth to make, is [...] compted as nothing, if he goe not through w [...] it, and make it vp altogether, and withall, that [...] bodie hath not his full forme, vntill such tim [...] the last worde be pronounced.

e In this case there are two body makers [...] the one breatheth ouer the bread, and thereu [...] is the bodie made: and the other ouer the w [...] wherewith the blood is made.

Of the faultes which the Priest may commit ab [...] the matters appertaining to his breake-fast, a [...] the sacrifice which he is to offer in the Masse. CHAPTER XI.

a Those thinges which serue for the sacrifi [...] of the Masse, and the wine brewesse which th [...] priest there vseth, are bread, wine, and water. A [...] [Page 33]therefore he must be well aduised that he lacke none of all these thinges.

b Surely there is great reason herein. And be­sides, there is also, a For, which declareth the same. For, sith there remaineth no wine, but blood, there is no reason why water should be enterme­dled with blood. Howbeit, if water had ben mixed with the wine, before the wine had bene turned into blood, no doubt of it, but that the water had bene transubstantiated into blood with the wine, if there had bene a discreet mixture of thē, as hath bene before declared: although the questionarie Doctors & schoolemen, haue wonderfully dispu­ted about this matter. But they which are of the soundest opinion, haue made a full resolutiō, That like as holy water, which is put amongest other water, maketh all the rest of the water, holy: euē so doth the wine which is put amongest the water, turne the same water into wine, if so be there be no greater quantitie of water, then is of wine. And therefore, were all these goodly instructions and cautelles heretofore set downe concerning this matter, which might like wise as well serue for the worke of miracles, as the hostes many times ser­ued, by turning of water into wine. For, they were not to powre in so much water, as that it might easely be discerned to be so. Howbeit, to returne to the transubstātiatiō of the water, it is to be no­ted, that that is two wayes to be considered of: for, it must first, be cōuerted into wine, and after that, from wine, into blood: for else, it is impossible to be said, to be transubstātiated. I will not speake of [Page 34]those men, who thought it to be transubstan­tiated into fleawme: Of the celebra­tiō of the Masse. C. In quadam. bycause Pope Innocent ne­uer allowed thereof, but by decrees condem­ned the same.

c Now, if they which forget to put in wate [...] be punished, what shall become of those who for­get to put in wine.

d If this should be so, Then were the sacra­mentall wordes pronounced in vaine: and tha [...] which is worse, if there doctrine be true, then are those wordes vntrue. For, those wordes do veri­fie, that what soeuer is by them declared, is blood, and yet there is nothing but water. Wherefore, what shall we say of those men, who haue wor­shipped the chalice and water, as if there had bene blood. Now, should all they be Idolaters, accor­ding to the opiniō of person Poule Iawbone, who not onely forgot to put water into his wine, bu [...] forgot also to put wine into his chalice? Howbeit, I suppose that this seldome or neuer falleth ou [...] so, and that these iolly brewing drawers, rather forget the powring in of water, then wine. But be­cause there should be no lacke herein, the most o [...] them begin at that end, with their masse, catching the chalice in their hand, so soone as they are con­fessed, before they be either reuested, or yet put on either biggin, surplisse, or albe. Some of them do it about the middest of the Masse, when as they come towardes the secrettes thereof: or, if they haue already done it, they consider whether they haue committed any offence therein yea or no. Now, these daungers fall out the rather, when as [Page 35]these iolly Sir Shornes are troubled in minde, as hath many times hapned in this countrey, whenas at the beginning, the Gospell began here to be first preached. For, so soone as any Minister or Preacher of the Gospell, were once entred into any citie or towne, and that the Priestes vnder­stood that he was come thether to Preach, they were oftentimes without either sens or memory: which is a most necessarie thing to be had in such a case. For, if either toe tripper or land leaper, should want his memorie, how should he thinke him selfe of so many passes and repasses, pit­ches, turnes, and gallant trickes, for the beauti­fying of his daunsing and tumbling toyes? how­beit these poore wretched priestes being sore troubled in minde, is the cause that one of them forgetteth the putting in of water, an other the putting in of wine, an other the washing of his fingers, an other the lifting vp of his God, and some, one thing, and some an other. And when any man that is with them at Masse perceaueth it, and telleth them of it, they make this aun­swere, These Deuilles so trouble vs, as that we know not where we are. But there are many who can especially testifie, how often this hath bene spoken by that good and faithfull seruant of Ie­sus Christ our good brother Farel, whose name onely hath more feared them, then euer the De­uils did, whome they coniured with their holy water, or yet with bell booke, and candle. Where­in, God hath shewed his great power, condem­ning by the Iudge, these seducers as malefactours, [Page 36]euen in their owne consciences, and hath put them into the handes of the Lord chiefe Iustice both of heauen and earth. No doubt of it, out priestes had neuer more neede of these cautelles, then at this present they haue, considering how fearefull and amazed they are, being no whit at all persecuted. Howbeit they haue good cause so to be. For, it geueth their kitchins a vile blow. And besides, there ensueth a worse matter here­on then so, because they are not able as they would, make their kitchin fier burne so bright as mighr roste those which goe about to put it out, being next coosin Germaine to the fier of Purgatorie, wherewith they seeth, roste, and bake, all that they eate, at the coste and charges of the poore soules which lye there to­sted and fryed.

e To receaue the body, is here taken for the eating of the body, but bycause this name see­meth vnto them to be most horrible, they vse an other, somewhat more fauorable, name.

f And if this should be so, Then the priest should eate in this Masse, two bodyes of God, the last of which, and not, the first, should soone after, be well moisted with his blood. And the first, ea­ten without blood.

g This, is throughly to be considered of. For, if Christians should not see these seducers knaue­ries, they should be in great hazard, and commit great offence against their kitchin.

h This Hostien who is here spoken of, hath made a great booke full of these Geew Gawes, [Page 37]able to lode an Asse: but especially in the fourth booke, the 15. Title. Where he treateth of this matter.

i Note, That here, the bread is still called bread, both after the consecration, and after the eating of it also: which is so great an heresie, as who so euer holdeth it, is worthie to frie a fagot. Howbeit the Authour may herein, very well ex­cuse him selfe, by alleaging Saint Paule, 1. Cor. 11. who hath done asmuch and more too, for he calleth it bread and wine, aswell after the consecration as be­fore. But here, although it be called bread, yet for all that, we must vnderstand it to be flesh. And therfore it behoueth maister Goblin to swal­low downe the water to his breakefast, for feare that in casting vp the water, he caste vp withall some peece of flesh that might sticke in his teeth, or remaine in his mouth.

In what estate the priest standeth, which sayeth Masse, who hath either broken his fast, or is in deadly sinne. CHAPTER XII.

a There was a canon in the Salegaustadien Counsell, celebrated in the dayes of Pope Bene­dict the eight, and of the Emperour Henry the second, by which was decreed, that that priest which should haue dranke after the cocke crowe, if he had not done it vpon some necessitie, should not once haue dared to haue bene so bolde, as to haue said Masse the day following. Now, if there shalbe so great danger onely by the swallowing downe of a droppe of water, when he washeth his mouth and cleanseth his teeth, The third Aphri can. Councell Chap. 8. about which, there haue bene so great disputations amongest the Popish doctours: how greatly is it to be dou­bled, if that maste person shall haue wittingly and willingly well wet his whiscle, and that with no water? Moreouer, there was an other Canon made in the third Councell holden at Carthage, Wal. of the first beginning. C. 19. about the time of Pade Syrice, wherein was or­deined, That the Sacrament of the Aultar (mea­ning the Lordes Supper) should not be celebra­ted but by such as were fasting: sauing at one time of the yeare, and that was on Corpus Christi [Page 39]day, and vpon holy or mawndy Thursday. Which Tolleration was afterward abolished by the first Bracarien Councell, A Councell Wal. of the first beginning. C. 19. holden about the dayes of Pope Honorius the first, and in the third yeare of king Ariamire. It is not to be doubted that these ordenaunces were made by these Councells for superstitions sake, as though the Sacrament and communion were blemished, if a man had eaten any thing before, as they of the Romish church at this present holde, making conscience to com­municate, if so be a man should swallow downe but one drop of water, in washing of his mouth, as before hath bene said. For, to aunswere the first, all men know, that our Lorde Iesus Christ did not administer his first supper to his disciples, after they had supped. The 9. Booke of the Tripartite Historie Cha. 18. Furthermore ouer and be­sides this, which we haue lately heard out of the Councell of Carthage, we reade also in the Ec­clesiasticall Histories, that in olde time, some ce­lebrated the Supper in many places, in the mor­ning, after they had broken their fast, and other some, in the euening: and this they did weeke­ly. But bycause many abused it, and excee­ded herein, it was not thought amisse to induce the people to communicate the Supper fasting, by reason they might more soberly and reue­rently receaue it. And yet it therefore follow­eth not, that we are to obserue these decrees so superstitiously, as they of the Romish church doe.

b These miserable ignoraunt soules know not what difference there is betweene deadly sinne, [Page 40]and veniall sinne. And therefore they make bu [...] seauen of thē, with all their braunches. Howbeit▪ we will not at this present speake any more [...] this matter, aswell for that the place requireth [...] not, as also for that we haue both very largely & familiarly handled it in our first dialogue vpon the exposition of the commaundements.

c The Romanistes deuide their Sacrament o [...] penaunce, into three principall heades or parte [...] to wit, into contrition, confession, and satisfacti­on. And afterward they ioyne with contritiō, two other kindes, the one called atrition, and the o­ther, contusion. Now, they say that contrition, is so great and greuous a sorrow & heauines for the sinnes cōmitted, as that the hart is therwith torne and broken, as if a man should break a stone with an yron mawle all to fetters. And that attrytion i [...] a great deale lesse, as if a man had onely taynted or broken but a peece of it. And this kind serueth for all such, as can not so throughly repent them as they would, or ought: and is in steade of a litle blaunching, which somewhat flattereth their cō ­sciences, and so riddeth them of the doubt which otherwise might torment them. It should seeme that this cautell meaneth to shew this attritiō, by this desier of the grace of contrition, whereof it maketh mention: whereas the other kind is called contusion, which is taken from a word which sig­nifieth to broose and breake, as a man stampeth in a morter a thing that is very great into a nom­ber of great peeces, and not into powder. For, it would go very hardly with maister Iacket, great­ly [Page 41]to repēt him that he had dronk in the morning, & then to weepe so much withall, as to suffer the wine burst out at his eyes: if peraduenture he had dronke to much: as oftentimes manie haue done, whose eyes by that meane haue bene lined with Venetian skarlet. And so might the like fall out with anie of the rest, after they haue come from di­spling of their harlots. Wherefore, if they can not haue this contrition in them vpon the sodeine or presently, yet let them haue at the least attrition or contusion, and be sory that they can not be so hartely sory for their sinnes as they woulde, or ought to be. And this in my opinion, is the remedy which here is noted.

d These holy men are greatly afearde to of­fend their mother holy Church. For, what were it if the people perceaued these thinges? And there­fore it were better vtterly to forsake & leaue both confession and absolution, then fall into such an inconuenience.

Of the litle small vermine and wormes which fall in­to the Chalice, and of the wine that is poysoned. CHAPTER XIII.

a It is not meete that any small flie, or anie such like vermine, should so trouble these God [Page 43]makers, Tully in his 1 & 2. bookes of Diuin. as the king of Molosses Ape troubled the Lacedemonians, whenas he ouerthrew the payle wherein the lots of Dodena were.

b Here, a man may learne the Art to fish for flies and spiders, and to make a lye pot to put thē in. In deede he must be verie warie and cunninge how he goeth about them. For these beastes I tell you, are very subtill and dangerous, but especially whē they are dronk, as these are which are drow­ned in wine, or to speake more properly, as the Priestes say, in blood. Because the wine after the consecration, is then no more wine, but blood. Wherupon there may some question arise: to wit, whether these flies, spiders, or such other like ver­mine, dronke blood or else wine, seing that they are choked withall, euē as they that are drowned, which had not so come to passe except they had dronk more then was meete. Howbeit I will leaue the determination hereof to the good Gentlemen my maisters the Sorbonistes.

c The shrine is a place wherein is put all the holy trash, as reliques and such other thinges. And therefore this shall be the shrine for flies, spiders, and vermine: and so in the Popish Church, flies, spiders, and vermine shalbe in the number of their reliques and holy trash, because such reliques are meetest for such Sainctes as they haue.

d This is to be vnderstood, of the ly pot which we earst spake of, wherein these flies, spiders and wormes are washt. Howbeit if this messe of girt­brew, or belly vēgeance like not M. Sir Iohn Pan­cridge: he is discharged of it, if he poure it into the [Page 44]stewe amongst the reliques: and besides, it hath no verie good tast with it, by reason of the drugs that are mingled therein.

e In this place it is a great deale worse, then in the ly pot amongst the flies. For that were a ve­ry dangerous bloud, if it should kill him: & farre vnlike the bloud of Iesus Christ, that giueth life, which Pope Victor the third found by experiēce, as heretofore hath bene shewed.

f It is rather better to set them on fire, then to make another shrine, & mo reliques of the Priests vomit, with the poisoned reliques. For that vomi [...] should be burnt, & afterward put into the shrine.

g This is not said without cause, for accident are not onely without substance.

h Reliques of the poisoned precious blood or the priests God. Wherfore it is also to be honored, & caried about in procession, euen as was the holy host of Dion, which was so martyred by a Iewe, a [...] that, by the testimony of the singing cake, or vir­gine wax, which the Priests colored & made red, there came out of it very blood, euen as came out of the host of the God of the Iacobins of Berne, & out of the handkerchief of Cābray. For, is not this holy blood to be said to be martyred, whē as it is empoisoned. It had bin much better for Pope Vi­ctor, that the empoisoned wine which he dranke, had bin put into such a shrine in the Church, then to make a shrine of his stomach and belly, which could not digest it. Although the Popes cause th [...] selues to be borne vpon an hie horslitter, & to be worshipped as God, yea with greater honour and [Page 45]magnificence then their white cakie God, whom they cause to ride before them vpon a white gel­ding: yet doe I verily beleeue, that they had rather haue such blud be caried & worshipped in their stead, then to gulpe it downe as Victor did.

Areceipt both for the Priests memory and also for their forgetfulnesse. CHAPTER XIIII.

a The Priest that said, that he was farre more carefull about the Masses which he had said, then about those which he had ouerslipt, made a much more ready dispatch of them. For he said, that he had committed but one fault in those which hee had not saide, that is to say, which he neuer sayd: but as for the rest, that he had made as many faults in them, as there were wordes and ioly iestes and countenances: for he coulde neither reade well, nor yet iuggle well.

b And therefore it is commonly sayed, that a lyer must haue a good memory: for otherwise he should be oftentimes cut short of.

c This is not spoken without good cause: for this witchcraft & sorcerie is fetcht frō the Priests, who put all power in the pronunciation of the wordes, as the rest of Sorcerers and Enchaunters do. And therefore if they mistake the least worde or syllable, the whole power and vertue of the [Page 47]charme is vtterly ouerthrown and of none effect. Neuerthelesse these Magicians which woulde make an Art magike of their Sacramentall words, (for so it pleaseth them to call them) are not able certainely to shewe the forme of wordes which Iesus Christ and his Apostles vsed in this conse­cration whereof they so much bragge. For, al­though the Euangelistes agree all with S. Paule in the substance: yet for all that there is not one of them that in euerie poynt reciteth the selfe same wordes alike. And besides, the Priestes neuer fol­lowe the verie forme of any of them, but vse ma­nie moe wordes in their order and forme, then are in anie of the Euangelistes and Apostles.

Areceipt against the default or want of the intent of the Priest in the Consecration. CHAPTER XV.

a Because that the intent of these Gods for­gers is so requisite about that busines which they go about, so that they can do nothing without it, as hath bene alreadie said: They in the first place make a difference betweene attention and intent: saying, that intent is necessarilie to be required therein, but not attention: to wit, that it is suffi­cient that the Priest hath a purpose to consecrate, when he consecrateth, although his mind at that time be not attentife, nor once thinketh of that that he doeth, as he ought. Which fault they iudg to be well worthie of reprehension, but yet not so great, as that it can anie way be an hinderaunce, but that the Gods may be rightly framed and fa­shioned. And because it may so fall out, that vpon the verie point of the consecration, he hath nei­ther attention nor intent, but that his minde is so rauished, as that both his hart & thought is other­wise occupied: yet they say it is sufficient, that he haue a generall impression in his mind remaining through a customable impression, much like vnto the faith and deuotion of the Romanistes, who in matter of faith do generallie and customablie be­leeue as their mother holy Church beleeueth, al­beit they either know not what the Church is, not yet what it beleeueth. And these villanous & cur­sed [Page 49]blasphemers thus skorning Iesus Christ, make him their Vicar: saying, that he thinketh for thē, and that his intent supplyeth the want of their thought and deuotion. That is to saye, whiles their mindes runne vpon their gossips & minions, Iesus Christ was to looke to their businesse. For they pile him iolily wel together with their force­ries & blasphemies. And what is he then that will not tremble with feare to heare of these villanous mockeries?

b We haue hertofore declared, in what sense they take this habitall and vertuall intent, which they set forth for the want of the actual. Thus here we nowe see an other kinde of receipt for want of the Gods. For it may so fal out (althogh they think it an hard matter) as that these fat swinish bollers will sometimes enter so deepe into the contēpla­tion of the kitchin, or some other odde toy which commeth in their braine, as that they will haue as great regard & care of that which they are in hād withall as an horse, & be as deuout in their maske, as a very Roge, saue onely for the wetting of their whistle. But admit that this hardly falleth out so, what then wold they say of these sorcering priests who were burnt after they had denied God vtter­ly, as they thē selues haue confessed, after they had practised this occupation of making of Gods, & saying of Masse, full out twenty yeares together? I wold gladly know of thē what deuotion & intent they had in their consecration? & what maner of Gods they made? & what accompt a man should make of these Gods, which were thus forged by [Page 50]sorcerers. I haue alleaged one exāple of this mat­ter in that part of my Christian disputatiōs, which is intituled, The Office for the dead, and there fore I wil here speake no more of it, saue that I find herein no cautell, which might serue for a receipt against such an inconuenience.

Of the receipts and remedies, if the host happen to fall into the Chalice or otherwise. CHAPTER XVI.

a This miserable and wretched God is here, in as great daunger to be drowned in his owne blood, as the flies and spiders, of whome we haue heretofore spoken. Or if he be not drowned, yet is he at the least well sowsed and soked, & thereby hath good Sir Iohn a farre greater goulp of wine. [Page 51]For it is not the maner to plonge the whole God ouer head and eares in his owne bloud, saue onely one of the three peeces. And againe this God which is so plōged ouer head & cares in the Cha­lice, hath not so good sport as the rest haue. For this gentle Sir Friskaball, so daunseth his galliard, his capres, and fetcheth his somersaultes with his hands alone, & so pitcheth & turneth as that his poore and miserable God stirreth not one inche, but still looketh, when both he & his blood wher­in he was plonged, should be whistled vp at once.

b They call here, their host, the Eucharist, which signifieth giuing of thanks: howbeit there is neither time nor reason in it. For, what thankes giuing can that be said to be in the Masse, which is nothing else but continuall blasphemie against Iesus Christ, and his holy Supper?

c This is a thing that right well so deserueth to be dealt withall. Because the earth is not fitte to beare such an idoll, nor the idoll worthye to touch it.

d By this, we afresh see new scraped reliques come in place.

Of the receiptes and remedies for the spillinge of blood. CHAPTER XVII.

a It is said of the serpent & of the enemies of God, that they should licke and eate the earth.

b Here againe we see, matter of a number of newe reliques.

c Were it not better to put all the Table-clothes full & whole into the Shrine? Howbeit in very deed, it would be ouer chargable so to do, & the Shrine would neuer be able to quite the cost.

d Iolie Sir Iohn should not in this case neede [Page 53]to carie the past to the ouen, but make a stewe or lye pot of it.

e VVhy should not this lubberly Sir Iohn haue bene caused to haue dronke of this? For it is farre more likely for him to do it, then to drinke vp the washinges of the flies and spiders, and the other vermine, whereof there was a draught before made, if it pleased the patient to take it and suppe it of.

Of the Pristes which vomit vp their God of the masse. CHAPTER XVIII.

a The Eucharist, is here againe taken for the host, and Priests God. But because they thinke it ouer straunge to say, If anie man vomite vp the host, or God, or the bodie of God, or flesh, they [Page 54]had therefore rather say, the Eucharist: to witte, the action of thankesgiuinge. And so by this meane they haue not sayed greathe amisse. For in verie deede, they vomite vp all the actions of thankesgiuing, which ought to be rendred to Ie­sus Christ in the Supper, thorough the horrible blasphemies that they spewe out in their Masses. But, who is he that is able to abide to heare these their speeches, without great horrour? And be­sides, after that this most vile and wicked rabble of Balaamites haue thus cast vp their most filthie and stinking gorge, then must forsooth their most pestilent and stinking vomite be shrined, to make thereof a most detestable relique.

Of the punishment that is to be inflicted vppon such a Priest as shall suffer his God to be either stolen a­way, lost, or putrified. CHAPTER XIX.

a Here they take the name of the Sacrament in the selfe same sense that before they tooke the name of the Eucharist, and for one and the selfe same cause. For this were toto grosse a kinde [...] speeche, to say that God, or the bodie of Go [...] [...] or the flesh should be eaten with mise, or such [...] ther like bestiall. Whereupon wee are to no [...] that it is requisite for this God to haue a Gard [...] attende vpon him, for otherwise he shoulde [...] alwayes in great daunger, or at least, if the py [...] should not be stronglie and fast locked, to abide the assaultes of such valiaunt Champions. And yet all this, coulde not oftentimes, suffice to hold them out.

b It is not a matter of small moment, to lose God.

c This is to be vnderstood when it is broken in peeces, after that the host diuided.

d The consecrated hostes, are Gods made of bread. But a man cannot say that of them, and of such Iesus Christs, as it is written of Iesus the true Sonne of God, Thou shalt not suffer thie holie one to see corruption. Psal. 16. Marc. 16. Actes. 2. Luke. 24. Matth. 18. And againe, Hee is risen, he is not here: againe, whie seeke you the liuing amonge the dead.

e They call the species of the Sacrament, the accidentes, without the substaunce of breade. VVherefore then should they be so greatlie a­fearde, if there remaine nothinge else, but the forme and colour of bread, without anie substāce either of it, or of the bodie, whereinto it is tran­substantiated.

Of the doubtfull and vomited Gods of the Masse. CHAPTER XX.

a This instruction is set downe for those that be doubtfull Gods, to wit, of such Gods as are doubted whether they are Gods or not.

b This is meant, by the whole or broken Gods which lie hidden vnder the couer of the chalice, which they call the paten, or vnder the fine lin­nencloth vnder which they laie their Gods: and therefore is called the Corporas cloth, because the body of their God resteth him selfe vpon it.

c I will here tell you a tale, for the better vn­derstanding as well of this Cautell, as also of all the rest that followe, which fell out in Ausserre, in the yeare a thousand, fiue hundred, twentie sixe, vpon Corpus Christi day: which was tould me by such men, as are worthy to be beleeued, because some of them played a part at that time in that pageant. The tale is thus: There was in those daies an old Fryer Iacobin, in the couēt of the Iacobins of the same place, who was almost so throughlie rotten with the pockes, as that he was readie to fall in peeces. Howbeit I meane here to suppresse his name, although I right well knowe both his Christen and surname. This fatherly old Sir ha­uing forborn saying of Masse a long time, neither yet hauing either made or eaten any Gods a long space by reason of his age and feeblenesse, mea­ning to honor his ioly mealy God vpon his owne festiuall day, went to Masse. Howbeit his stomach was neither able to beare nor yet digest either the [Page 58]body of his God which he had eaten, or yet the blood of him which he had dronke. Whereupon, as he thought to returne to his chamber, passing through the couent Cloister, it so fell out, as that he cast his gorge, right before the Chapter dore. I will here leaue to your considerations, what drugges he voyded out of the shop of this misera­ble rotten pockie stomach, and howe this God which he had eaten was drest. Hereupon foorth­with arose a noise and great affray all the couent ouer. And because the Prior was not there, by rea­son he was gone to preach not farre of, all the rest of the Friers were the more amazed and vnproui­ded of councell. Neuerthelesse they were at the last aduised, after long cōsultatiō, to set ouer this holy body, that tabernacle, which they were wō ­ted to set ouer the sepulchres, when they sing for the dead, and this was done because none should bestride this holy vomite, or, for that the dogges should not licke it vp. For this was a meete dishe of meate to banquet them withall. And to adde more honour to this holy vomite, there were four waxe tapres set at the foure corners of the Taber­nacle. After this, the nouices were cōmaunded to sing all the whole day, this versicle of the Hymne of the said Feast, which beginneth thus, Tantum ergo Sacramentum, veneremur cernui, &c. That is to say: Let vs then, enclining and bowing our selues to the ground, honour this so great and ex­cellent a Sacrament: which was asmuch to say at that time, as this vomit of this olde fatherly Iakrum: which no doubt, was a very noble and [Page 59]most famous sacrament. They song also the An­tiphone of the same day, which beginneth thus, O Sacrum conuiuium, that is to say, O holy Ban­quet. And in very deede they had great reason so to sing. For they were worthie to haue it, that so honored it. Howbeit there was not one of them all, that would once taste of it, as holy as it was: For, after they had thus honored it, they were de­termined to haue some priest or deacon amongest them, who should slippe downe this holy bāquet into his Gorge, as is their iolly maner & custome, and as the Cautelles, which we presently haue handled, do teach. Howbeit, there was neuer a Iacke of them all that once durst be so bolde and arrogant as to take it in hand, and thinke him selfe worthie thereof: in so much that they all, could neuer with a better heart haue said, Domine, non sum dignus vt intres sub tectum meum, when as they meane to eate their God as at that time they said: to wit, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my house rouse: to wit, to be swal­lowed downe and lodged in his stomach. Thus here we see, Matth. 8. Luc. 5.6. to what sence these blasphemers ap­plie these holy wordes of this good Centurion, who spake vnto Iesus Christ. Wherefore seeing they all so vtterly refused it, it behoued them to take some other counsell: that is to say, that this holy vomit should be reuerently shoueld toge­ther and gathered vp, with the God in the pyxe, and that the ground whereon he laye, should be carefully and speedely pared, and so be carried to the church. When they had hereupon concluded, [Page 60]The Suppriour (whose name I forbeare to tell, al­beit I right well know it) put on his holy vest­mentes, and anon, al the Friers of the couent went to church in a solemne procession and two No­uices going before this holy Shrine with candle­stickes and tapres. Which Nouices are presently here with vs who can witnesse the whole matter. And no maruel though they vtterly forsooke such a kind of religion, & such doctrine, when as they had seene the ientle practize thereof. For who is he that can abide to heare and thinke of these thinges, without great horrour? Howbeit who can not but maruell, that all Christendome, hath not bene plonged tenne millions of times more ouer hed and eares, amongest whome so horrible and great blasphemies and abhominations, haue so long continued, yea euen amongest those that were thought to be the very pillers of the church? For here we manifestly see by these Cauteles, that the practize hereof hath bene so common, as that it hath bene registred in writing. Who would euer haue thought or beleued, that Christian people could haue fallen, I will not saye into such bru­tishnes, but into such rage and furie? For, what is furie and madnesse, if these be not it? Had they not great reason to persecute and burne all such as would not giue credit to such mōstrous abho­minations, and worship the vomit of such stin­king pocky Iackes? O the goodnesse of God, how couldest thou be so patient, as once to abide such horrible blasphemies, against the holy maiestie of thy sonne Iesus Christ? But sith these abominable [Page 61]wretches are not cōtented onely not to acknow­ledge their faultes, but that which is worse, that where as they them selues well deserued to be fleane or rosted a liue, and yet persecuted & burnt such as would not cōsēt to these greuous wicked­nesses, are they not well worthie to be manifested to be such as in very deede they are, euen by their owne bookes and deedes? Go to now then, you my maisters the Iacobins, you I say my maisters the Inquinatours, Inquisitours I would haue said, of the Faith, Go on I say and stay not to persecute and burne such as will not worshippe the Gods, which you and such as you your selues are, vomit vp, and honour them in procession with you. But now to make an ende of this historie. After that my lord Suppriour, and all the whole couent were reuested, and had set them selues in order to go on processiō, the ground with all speed was pared, and the holy vomit gathered vp, with iolly holy and anointed fingers. Then began some of the Iacobins a fresh to howle vp their notes, & other some of the most hypocriticall sort of them, when they saw this so dolefull & pityfull a spectacle be­gan to mourne and wepe. For, this inconuenience greatly troubled their solemne feast. After that this holy vomit was brought to the church in pro­cession, they fell againe in counsell, to know what should be done with it. Then, some of the aun­cientest doctours of the couent were of the opi­nion, that it should be burnt, and the ashes of it be put vp and kept in a Shrine. For, they thought it better so to deale with it, thē suffer it any longer, [Page 62]to rot and corrupt. Wherein they very well ob­serued and put in practize that which is appoin­ted by this Cautelle. Now, by this historie, euery man may the better iudge of the rest, and consi­der with him selfe, whether there be any dirtie & filthie dealing in this popish religion yea or no.

Of the rotten and burnt Gods. CHAPTER XXI.

a The Euchariste and sacrifice are here in this Cautele taken againe for the hoste and body of Christ. But I beseech you tell me, what the iudge­ment of God hath bene vpon these Apostles of the church of Antechrist? hath there not fallen a meruelous furie amongest them, when as by their owne very councels, they haue established lawes, and made decrees & canons for such bald stuffe? They may soone perceaue what their Gods are which they kepe in their pixe, when as they them selues can not kepe them selues from rottonnesse and corruption. And therefore what incorruption & immortalitie may we looke for at their handes? And how may we take these rotten round hostes, for that true liuely bread which came downe frō [Page 63]heauen, to giue life to the world? It is written, the [...] [...] [...]euer waxeth olde: howbeit this God ro [...]eth euen with very age. But the worst of all the rest is this, That, after they haue suffred him to mo [...]ld and rotte, or to be vomited vp, they forth with burne him to ashes. Let them now go to, and dispute asmuch as they luste, and say also that they burne nothing else but rottennesse, and Accidentes without substance. We, will at this time dispute no more hereof, because we haue al­ready, else where spoke enough of the matter.

Of the Gods, which vermine eate and deuoure. CHAPTER XXII.

a O earth, why openest thou not, and swal­lowest vp this horrible blasphemers? For what a kind of speach call you this. If the body of Christ being consumed by Mise and Spiders, commeth to naught? O you villanous and detestable blas­phemers, what Lordes body is it that you speake of? Is it the body of the Lord Iesus, the very true sonne of God? doth he suffer him selfe to be ea­ten of Mise and Spiders? But you saye, that you meane hereby Christes body, the species and ac­cidentes of bread onely, without any substance, and not Christes naturall body. O bestly and bru­tish Balamites, do you not see how God maketh you speake, euen to the cōfounding of your selues by the testimony of your owne mouthes, writings, & wordes, & haue entred sute against your owne selues, that it might be a perpetuall remembrance in your Masse bookes, of the most execrable and cursed blasphemies that euer were heard of on earth, sithence the world was a world. You, euen you your selues at this very present, expound thē your selues: for you manifestly declare that your meaning heretofore, was to signifie the same, by these wordes, Euchariste, Hoste, Sacrament, Spe­cies of Sacrament, Sacrifice, and such other like: & withall, you cōfirme the exposition which you haue made of them, to the ende no man should thinke, that we had done you any wronge. But [Page 65]turne your selues which way you please; and in­terpret your body of Christ that is so consumed and eaten with Mise, Spiders, and Wormes, and brought to naught as it liketh you best. And yet if there were none other mischiefe in all this your hellish diuinitie, but your so vnreuerent speaking of the most precious body of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, surely, you most horrible blasphemours & most detestable heretiques, are well worthy to fry the hugest & most notable fagots that euer were in the world. And therefore now make ready your fagots and set them on a light fire, to burne and roste vs withall, because we will not beleue in your straunge Gods, and straunge Christes, who suffer them selues to be deuoured of vermine, and perish in their bellies.

b There are some of them that are not con­tented that the mouse or vermine which shalbe taken with the deede doing, be burnt, but giue commandement that it be first flead and puld in peeces, and make thereof a faire Anatomie, that they might plucke out such part of the body as re­maineth vndigest out of the belly and guttes. For, is not this traiterous vermine worthy to be quartered, as a traitour, and afterward burnt like an heretique?

c This Ordenaunce of burning the vomit, is but to supply the wante, if there be none to be found that will eate it. Which without doubt they are very well worthy of, to the ende it might be truely said of them, and without any maner of fi­guratiue kind of speach, The dogge is turned to [Page 66]his vomit againe. For, such dogges, are worthie neuer to eate any better kind of meate.

Of the sundry sortes of brewing of drinkes in the Masse, and what choise is to be made of them. CHAPTER XXIII.

a They say, that there are many kindes of peares, wherwith a man may make wine, to say Masse withall for want of other stuffe. And if a mā [Page 67]may make wine of peares, why should there not be wine likewise made aswell of mulberies and pomegranades, & of such other like? Now these poore asseheades greatly torment them selues a­bout these outward signes, being more carefull about them, then about these thinges which are signified by the Sacramentes. For, this is all the matter wherewith they busy their heades withall, seeing they haue made of Idoles, visible and ma­teriall signes.

b They needed not, so greatly haue tormēted them selues, nor yet moued so many questions a­bout the mingling of water with wine, if they would haue stood to the simple ordenaunce of Ie­sus Christ. For, seeing that Iesus Christ gaue no such commandement about the mixture of water with wine, what a mockerie is this for them, so greatly to breake their braines about the matter? For, how auncient a custome soeuer this is, and what soeuer reason and misticall sence may be al­leaged to colour this withall, we must alwayes stand vpon this sure ground, That the surest way is, simply to follow the ordenaunces of Iesus Christ, without adding any thing to them, or di­minishing any thing from them.

Of the spilling of the wine and blood, and what is to be done to it, if it be frosen. CHAPTER XXIIII.

a According to their philosophie, they talke ve­ry cunningly in these cauteles. For, before the trā ­substantiation, they call the wine, wine: and after the transubstantiation, they call it blood. For, by that they teach, it is then no more wine.

b This is it that couereth the chalice.

c This is, because no body should see it, that thereby, no occasion of offence might arise: al­though it be a farre greater offence, to turne wine into blood.

d This manifestly sheweth, that this blood must needes be very cold when as it is frosen, and separated from the body. For, blood neuer friseth in a mans body except the body be stone dead.

e And by this meanes the blood shalbe twise breathed ouer.

f It shalbe very requisite, by this rekening, that the fier be next with the blood, as with the body, which was first made and sodden in it be­twene two hoate irons.

g This may wel be called a swallowing downe, and yet rather, an eating of wine: nay rather of blood, because it is no more wine. And therefore if the priest be choked with it, whenas he thinketh to swallow it downe, a man may say that he was choked with the blood of his God. And yet for all our iesting there is greater daunger in it, then we are aware of. For, if Anacreon was choked with the stone of a grape, and Fabius the pretour with an haire, as he was drinking of milke, and some o­thers with a f [...]e in drinking of water, if a man shal beleue the aunciēt Histories: must there not needs then (I beseech you) be great daunger in swal­lowing downe an whole peece of ise?

Of the Conclusion of the Cauteles of the Masse. CHAPTER XXV.

a There is neuer a wiseman a liue, that would once beleue, I will not speake of the Pastours and guides of Christians, but euen of the most sensles people in all the world, that euer it were possible to thinke or imagine that there could be such great mockeries & monstrous absurdities in these iolly Cautelles, which hetherto we haue heard of, if their owne bookes did not set them downe vn­to vs, as sure and certaine testimonies. For mine owne part, I would neuer haue beleued it, if I had not seene and felt them. Neuerthelesse, by the cō ­clusion which is here made, we may easely vnder­stand that there are carte Iodes of them, if all they were set downe which the alleaged doctours vpō this conclusion, haue writen on. For, how many questionarie and schoole doctours & how many Decretistes and Cannonnistes haue bloted their papers with them? And besides, which of them all hath not spokē of them, & bestowed the greatest parte of his time and studie, to dispute and write their resolutions vpon these toyes, mockeries, frensies and furies? And therefore that that we haue here published abraod is but a shorte ab­stract, taken word for word out of their popish Masse booke, wherof we haue heretofore spoken: [Page 71]which these venerable doctours haue collected, and thrust into it for the instructiō of their anoin­ted rable. And because there arise a thousand o­ther inconueniences, of the absurdities which fol­low this doctrine of transubstantiation, which are not comprehended in the same, they send all such as would vnderstand further of them to the mai­sters of that arte. Howbeit we haue of these here, moe then a good many. For, there are ouer many of them to be drawen out of this ther durtie doc­trine, able to serue all such as had rather feed with them, like filthie stinking dogges vppon that, which they haue vomited vp, then be fed and fil­led with the true bread of life, and sound heauen­ly doctrine. For if there be such an infinite nom­ber of mockeries, and filthy villanous abhomina­tions in so small a pamflet, in respect of the great volumes which haue bene writen of them, what anhorrible thing were it to read and heare all the blasphemies that are conteined in those bookes? Wherefore, what so euer he is that would vnder­stand any moe thinges of them, and is not con­tented to drinke of these small streames which issuethence, let him go and drinke his fill at the spring head: What? do I say at the spring head? Nay I might rather say at these stinking and fil­thy puddles, the onely thinking of which, is able to make a man caste vp, euen the very bowels out of his belly.

How the priest is to make him selfe ready to go to the saying of Masse, and what thinges are requi­site for the same. And first of his secret Confession and Absolution. CHAPTER I.

SEEING we haue somewhat large­ly spoken of the first originall, ge­nealogie, and foundation of the Masse, & of the partes and parcelle [...] thereof, and of the instructions gi­uen to the priestes, aswell to teach them how to play their partes therin, as also how they may prouide, for the inconueniences which might be fall them in this interlude: it is now he time to set forth the full maner thereof, wherein a man might see all the whole members set toge­ther in one body: which we promised to do, ac­cording to the order of the Masse bookes, wherof we haue heretofore spoken. Wherefore we intēd to begin with the preparation of the person of the priest which must say Masse: in which is required, that he first say his Cōfiteor, by the appointment of Innocent the third, and afterward be combed & trimmed: after he hath thus done he must then wash his handes, and in the ende reuest him with his holy garnments. I wil not speake of the prepa­ratiue prayers which are specially enioyned him to say. And therfore we wil in the first place speke [Page 73]of his secret confession and absolution, and see, in what sort that is done, according to the tenour of the Masse books: and we will besides, set downe the exposition afterward, answering those letters that are marked in the text, Missa. 8. &. 9. that we may thereby the better declare the abuses and blasphemies, which are in them.

A declaration of the abuse and blasphemies contay­ned in this forme of Confession and absolution. CHAPTER II.

a BEcause the Priest prepareth him selfe to blaspheme God, & renounce Iesus Christ by the saying of his Masse: he, for the putting him selfe into a good estate, for the performing there­of, beginneth with the most manifest blasphe­mies that may be against God and his Christ, to purge him of his sinnes: as may appeare by the absolution that is giuen him, wherein, the merite of Iesus Christ is vtterly renounced: as oftentimes hath beene seene.

b In this confession, there are two persons to play this enterlude, the one is the Confessour, and the other he that is confessed.

c Who is able to fulfill this commandement, to number all his sinnes? Psalm. 19. For it is written, who knoweth all the sinnes which he hath committed? And therefore Dauid, who spake these words, be­sought [Page 51]the Lorde to purge him from his secrete sinnes, because he knew that it was impossible for him to vnderstand and knowe them, so farre was it of from him as to be able to number them all.

d The merite of the passion of Iesus Christ is sufficient for vs to obtaine pardon & forgiuenesse of our sinnes at the hands of God, or else it is not. Nowe if it be not, then without all doubt Iesus Christ is not Iesus Christ, to wit, the verie true Sa­uiour & Redeemer of the Soules of miserable sin­ners. And if he be sufficient, whie then do these blasphemers, adde in their fourme of absolution, not only the suffrages of our mother holy Churh, but also the good deedes of him that maketh his confession: attributing the remission of his sinnes as well vnto thē, as vnto the death of Iesus Christ? What other meaning haue they then herein, but to make Iesus Christ no alone Sauiour, but onelie an halfe Sauiour, or the thirde part of a Sauiour? And that we obtaine not remission of our sinnes, onely by his death, but partly by it, and partly by the suffrages of our mother holy Church (which as they tearme them, are called workes of supere­rogation) and partly by the good workes which we our selues may do. So that by this meane a sin­ner shall not be beholden to Iesus Christ, but for the thirde part of his saluation, and for the other thirde part, to the Church: by which is chieflie meant, the Priests, Monkes, and Friers, and that annointed rabble of shauelinges: & by their suf­frages and prayers, and for the last third part eue­rie man is to fetch it out of the shoppe of his owne [Page 76]workes. Thus here we see what honour these ab­hominable blasphemers giue vnto Iesus Christ, and what meanes they vse topurge them of their sinnes, who confesse them selues vnto their ve­nerable holinesse.

e In this place they take repentance for satis­faction, by which they enioyne such as they haue absolued, that, which they here call, this & this, to wit, whatsoeuer shall com in the Cōfessors braine: who therwith againe addeth blasphemy vpō blas­phemie. For, for the first, that, which is enioyned him for penance, is taken to be a satisfaction for his sinnes to God ward, which is againe set in the roome of the satisfaction of Iesus Christ, or at the least to ech it withall, to supply the wāt that might be in him, to the end that Iesus Christ should not haue all the honor of being our onely Sauiour, but that one part therof might stil be atributed to our selues, & to our own merits & works. Which thing is expressed in that forme which is vsed at Gene­ua, in this manner. Pro poenitentia salutari, vos dice­tis ter Pater noster, vel facietis &c. Ista poenitentia & meritum passionis Iesu Christi, & omnia bona per te facta & facienda tibi valeant ad remissionem omnium peccatorum, &c. That is to say, You shall say for your penance three Pater nosters, or do &c. Let this penance, and the merite of the Passion of Ie­sus Christ, and all the good deedes which thou hast alreadie done & hereafter shalt do, be auaila­ble to thee for the remission of thy sinnes, &c. And besides, here is a worse thing then all the rest, That the works which they enioyne thē to do for [Page 77]such their penance & satisfaction, are either full of superstition & idolatrie, or else manifest blasphe­mies, as to babble and patter ouer certaine Pater nosters, & Aue Maries, before idols, or else to offer vp candels vnto thē, to make thē sing Masses both for the quicke and dead, to go on pilgrimage to make thē buy bulles, & other such like trash. Here we see after what sort the popish Church vseth to pay & content God, as if a man should satisfie the law, for a fault that he had committed against the same, in paying the penaltie that was set vpon his head by order of lawe, for his offence.

f Here good Mast Confessor, is not contented to announce to the miserable sinner which hath confessed him selfe vnto him, absolution & remis­sion of his sinnes, in the name of Iesus Christ: But speaketh like a Prince, as if Iesus Christ could doe nothing without his Mastship, saying, and I for my part, by mine absolute authority do absolue thee, &c. And thē forthwith concludeth most blasphe­mously, In the name of the Father, of the Sonne, & of the holy Ghost, &c. And therein blasphemeth the whole Trinitie.

In what sort the Psalmes are to be recited, howe he must be barbed and trimmed, & how he must first wash, in preparing him selfe to go to Masse. CHAPTER III.

AFter that Sir Swibbersale is thus confessed & absolued, then is he as pure and cleane of all his sinnes, as is a filthy and stinking conduct pipe through which runneth water that cometh from [Page 78]a most stinking and vnsauerie puddle. Bern. of the offi [...]e of the Masse. Ni­colas de Plot. Frac. Sacer. de expo. Miss. And that he may be hereunto the better prepared, he must needes (according to the Romish guise) ruffle vp a long time together, immediatly at the begin­ning, fiue Psalms, to wit, the LXXXIII. LXXXIIII. LXXXV. CV. CXXVIII. after the numbers of their common translation. But here is the best of it, Linus 1. that these liers make Linus the Authour of this Romish order, whom they put in to be Peters first successour. Whereupon may be iudged, by that which hath bene heretofore said, what the work­men were, which haue put to their hande to the forging of the Masse, and what likelihood there is that Linus was he who set down this apish maner which hereafter we shall see, by the fashion of the Masse, which shall be set downe, after the Popish maner: & chieflie when as there was not a Masse at that time in vse. Other some of them make Da­masen and Ierome the Authors thereof, as hath bin alreadie sayed. But what reason haue they to say, that these men should be the Authors more then anie of the rest. For the barking and iolye gestes which are in this office, manifestlie declare of what antiquitie it may be iudged to be. Howbeit let vs go on with the rest, and neuer trouble our selues to thinke who were the authours of it, Nicolas de Plo. Frac. Sace. de ex­pos. Miss. Duran. Rat. de off lib 4. Rub. de ca Comp. be­cause no man is able iustly to name them. When he hath saide ouer these Psalmes, there is an ex­presse ordmaunce set downe hereupon: that the Priest must be barbed and trimmed as smooth as a fritter, and all the stragling heares of his head taken away, which might fall from it. For it were [Page 79]a dangerous case to haue anie of them light in the Chalice, for feare of choking the Priest therwith, when as he should drinke the blood that is in it, as Fabius the Romaine Senator and Pretor was in drinking of a little milke, Plin. lib. 7. cap. 7. as elsewhere hath bene sayed: and yet they neuer alleadge this reason for them selues, albeit there is a great deale more likely hoode in it then in anie that they haue alleadged, which reasons, do verie well like their spouse & gossip. But who wold haue thought that these barbings & trimmings in this enterlude, had bin so necessarie instruments to be vsed at Masse? And yet forsooth they are, & grūoded vpon euery point of their teeth, and that not without iolie mi­steries, and iolie misticall senses also, whereby is signified the purging of all superfluite, and euill thoughtes and imaginations. For there are as ma­nie vile thoughtes in the Priests head as there are haires. And therfore these blockheaded groomes are well worthie to haue their heades barbed and trimmed with a good bigge comb. And although this ordināce toucheth generally all Masse sayers, yet the simple Priestes do not so well obscrue the same in their Masses, as the Bishops do: Nicolas de Plo. tract. Sacer. de expos Miss. Duran. Rat. diu. Offic. lib. 4. Rub. de ca. Comp And ther­fore I knowe not whether this vse be in all places, as it is at Rome, and the places thereabout. And it may be that the simple Priests are contented to be barbed and trimmed at home, because they haue no Barbers to furbushe them so honorably in the Church, as my Lordes the Bishops haue. Now the common people do scarse in deede vnderstande, any thing of this secrete, and of these misteries of [Page 80]barbing & trimming, Duran. Rat. lib. 4 de Cap. Comp. Nicol. de Plo­tract. Sacer. de expos. Miss. vnlesse it be such as haue ve­rie narrowly looked into al the ceremonies of the Episcopall Masses. After this fine deuise of bar­bing, followeth the first washing. I call it the first because there are three of them appointed for the Masse: to wit, that which is immediatly at the be­ginning, in the preparation of the Priest, at which washinges he eftsoones also washeth his face: the second is in the middest of the Masse: and the thirde and last, he washeth with wine and no [...] with water. And therefore at that time he licketh his fingers: and so doth he not ot anie of the rest, howbeit he doeth that, because he had handle [...] the bodie and blood of his God. Wherefore, it is meete that he should make them cleane, to the ende no part thereof should sticke to them. Now it is no maruell although they wash them so often, considering they are so filthie, and so besmeared ouer with blasphemies.

Of their holy vestiments, and of the consecration and signification of them. CHAPTER IIII.

AFter all these preparations, the roge must also put on the masking garments which are ap­pointed for him, Nicolas de Plo. tract. Sacer. de [...] expos Miss. Duran. Rat. l [...]b. 3 Inocen de Offic. Miss. Ber [...]ard. de Parenti. for the playing of his part in this enterlude (howbeit, there is great difference be­tweene the simple Priestes vestimentes, and the Bishops.) For a Bishop putteth on nine, and a sim­ple Priest but six. And for the first, it is ordained that euerie one be shod, so that it is not lawfull for [Page 81]him that hath vowed to goe barefooted, to saye Masse vnshodde. For, as they say, the Priest that sayeth Masse, is likened to a man of warre, and a valiant Champion, who goeth to fight with the Deuill, in the defence of Christians. And therfore it is meete that he should be armed & well furni­shed: for he hath to deale with a dangerous beast. And therefore the first thing that he must put on, must be hisshooes, in steade of buskins of maile: which as they say, do signifie also the incarnation & humility of Iesus Christ. Is not the humane na­ture of Iesus Christ, Nicolas de Plo. de expos Miss. Duran. Rat. lib. 3 Rub. de Calig. which he tooke vpon him for vs, verie reuerently here honoured, as to be called a shoe, and compared vnto it. And because they would yet shewe them selues more horrible blas­phemers against it, they alleadge Saint Iohn Bap­tist for the authour of this iollie misticall expo­sition, saying, that he so called it. Doeth not this deserue burninge? Is there anie deuill in hell, that is able more notablie to make a ieste of the worde of the Lorde, and tourne it more villa­nouslie into a straunge sense, then these blasphe­mers haue done? But let vs nowe leaue the feete, and come we to the head, whereon the Byshop weareth an horned Myter in stead of an helmet & Beurgonet, where a simple Priest hath nothing on but his coyfe & a womans couerchefe: which ouer and besides this, signifieth also accordinge to their exposition, the wimple wherewith Ie­sus Christ his face was couered, Mat. 27. Marc. 15. Luc. 23. when as the soul­diers stroke him, sayinge, Tell vs nowe thou Christ, who is it that strooke thee? Nowe, [Page 82]the Bishops in verie deede, are a great deale more worthy to weare the miter, then the simple priests, because it is a tokē of infamous & pillary knights, as hath beene sayed elsewhere, because they are more abhominable then they. Because they are the men which make the Priestes. And therefore when Iohn Hus was burnt at Constance, because they meant to make a laughing stocke of him, & declare him to be more infamous, they put a pa­per miter on his head, whereon two deuilles were pictured, and betweene them was written, Here­siarcha, to wit, the Prince of heresie. Thus here we see the true deuise agreeing not onely with Iohn Hus, the seruant of Iesus Christ, but with the Bi­shops miters also, to the honouring of the order of Bishops, with such honour as belongeth vnto them. But let vs leaue nowe to speake of the Bi­shops miters, and of the Priestes coifes and ker­chefes, and speake of the rest of the harnesse of these villanouse Champions. Where good labou­rers are wonted to cast of their clothes when they go about their worke, for feare they should be to hoate, the Bishops and Priestes do cleane contra­rie, putting garment vpon garment when as they go to worke. But here we must vnderstande, that to make an amendes for that, they cast of their clothes when they goe to meate: For, there they intende to play their part in good sad earnest, so that they will eate till they sweate withall. But here, where they meane to mocke God and his people, they put their mothers smocke, which they call an Abue, vppon their gownes, which, [Page 83]as they interprete it, is in stead of a shirt of maile, and therwith representeth the gowne which He­rode gaue to Iesus Christ in a mockerie. For, these peeces of harnesse ioyne iumpe together. And be­sides the girdle wherewith he girdeth his smocke, doeth signifie the bowe, wherewith, these Ar­chers serue in this bloudie warre: and the scourge wherewith they scourged Christ: and the little corde, wherewith the stole is tyed to his girdle, signifieth the quiuer wherein to put the Arrowes. The stole, that is to saye, the brest plate, which goeth about the necke, and is crossed ouer the bellie like a Saint Andrewes crosse, as the swad­ling bandes of young children are, serueth for a launce to shake against the enemie: and also in steade of the corde wherewith Iesus Christ was bound, when they scourged him. The manipule, that is to say, the young childes swadling bande, which is put about his arme as a braselet, is his mace or courtelance: and the corde also where­with Iesus Christes handes were bound. The cha­suble is his buckler or Curate, & the purple gar­ment, wherein Iesus Christ was skorned. The booke, is the sworde to fight against the enemie. I meane not a [...] this time to speake anie longer of the vestementes and ornamentes, which the Bi­shops haue ouer and aboue the simple Priestes. Neither will I any longer busie my selfe in recom­pting the sundrie expositions, nor yet the diuerse, misticall, and spirituall senses, which the Doctors of the Romish Church set downe in their bookes, for the interpreting of the misticall significations [Page 84]of these holy reuestiments. For, there are as many diuersities of thē as their fond braines can dreame dolteries on. It is enough that I haue superficially runne ouer thē, as slightly passing ouer that which hath bene already touched, that you might vnder­stand with what furniture, this valiant Champion & Popish knight, entreth into the field to battell, to fight with the Deuill, that is to say, to play his maisters prize, & then like a Roge, ef [...]sones to play the passion. Wherein he farre differeth from Iesus Christ, who meaning to wash his Apostles feete, would put on no more garmentes then he had at that time on: but rather put of those which he had on, & sone after offred vp him self a sacrifice, stark naked on the crosse. Moreouer, we must also vn­derstand, that it is meete, that all this harnes, & all these masking robes must, according to the maner be cōsecrated, that is to say coniured & charmed. for if they shold not so do, the deuil wold neuer be aferd of thē. But what mā is he that wold not sone iudge, how fearfull they are on thē, when as in this behalf, they se thē so strāgely disguised, & so notably armed frō top to toe? Surely, they are so afeard of thē, as that they wil not once step a fotoe either from them, Iohn. 13.19. Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss. or yet from their churches. Now, they make Pope Steuē the 1. the very author of the or­dināce of the cōsecratiō of these habits: albeit the ordināces which haue bin aleaged vnder his name concerning this matter, haue bin no whit at all so spokē of, as in his place hath bin sene. Neither do I know who were the authors of so many kindes of weeds. Li Consi. We read amōgst the Canōs of the 3. Braca­rien [Page 85]coūsell which was solemnized about the time of Pope Vitalien, that by it was ordained: That no Priest should say masse, or receiue the Sacrament without he did were the holy weed, which is there called oraciū, & couereth both his sholders: but we do not reade any mentiō made of these which are now rehearsed, neither yet of any of these foolish toyes, nor of so many sundry kinds of disguisings, as at this daywe se to be in al this Popish church.

Of the prayers which the Priestes huddle vp, whiles they are apparelling of them selues, to say Masse, and of the weedes which they put on. CHAPTER Ʋ.

THere remaineth now none other thing to be spoken of, but to see how this gentle knight putteth on his harnesse, to enter into this fight. Wherupō we haue here againe to note, that ouer & besides the consecratiō of his masking clothes, there are yet sacramental words, which the Priest must mumble vp in the teeth, whiles he is in fur­nishing of him selfe, & that euery peece of his har­nes hath his peculiar prayer by it self, that it might be of power to serue the turne for the which it was ordained. Wherin we may see how they iest, both with God & with his word. But as the diuine of­fice is diuerse, according to the diuers vses therof, euen so likewise ar the prayers diuerse, which here we wil presently speake of, & also the application of the harnes & masking apparell. But let vs now heare them mentioned in their owne proper and open language to the ende we may the better dis­couer [Page 86]their villanies, & lay thē so open, as that the very childrē may vnderstand thē, & beware of thē

A declararation of the thinges aforesaide. CHAPTER VI.

a WE haue oftentimes spoken of the signe of the crosse which they make in say­ing Masse, whereunto they attribute great power, as else where hath bene sayed.

b Is not this a maruelous mockery, nay rather intollerable blasphemies to apply that, vnto mas­king stuffe & foolish toyes, which S. Paul writeth, Ephes. 6. 1. Thess. 5. of the true Spirituall armor, wherwith euery true Christian ought to be armed, against the assalts of Satan? And in stead of the saluatiō & hope, which we haue in Iesus Christ, which hope S. Paule gi­ueth [Page 88]vs for an helmet: these blasphemers set be­fore vs a coife and a womans kerchefe: for that is it which they meane by the Amict. The vse of sense and reason, is taken for the yoake and bur­den of the Lorde. But because others, place the Chesuble in stead thereof, we will speake of it in his due place.

c There is not so small a string that is tacked to this Amict, which hath not great misteries in it.

d S. Paule giueth to arme the breast withall, the curate or breast plate of righteousnesse, faith, and charitie: And the Priest in steade thereof, ta­keth a womans smock that traileth on the ground and is tucked vp aboue the girdle steade, to make large pockets both before and behind: as little boyes make of their shirtes in sommer season, to carrie peares, apples, nuttes, and such other like frute in.

e S. Paule saith, Ephes. 6. 1, Thess. 5. Stande stedfast therefore ha­uing your loins girt about with the girdle of truth And the Priest, in steade of this girdle which is an arming girdle seruing for the spirituall battle, taketh a girdle made of a corde: by which also is signified the chastitie that ought to be in them: which they haue so slipperly tied vp, as that it is farre enough of them.

f VVhere S. Paule maketh faith the buckler, Ephes. 6. & the word of God the sworde, the Priest taketh here a bend, for a bracelet and gauntlet. And be­sides, where the children and seruauntes of God, which suffer here in the world for the name of the Lord, and do afterward greatly glad thē selues in [Page 89]their deliurance, and receaue with great ioye, the frute of their tribulations: and after that are great­ly comforted in the haruest time, bringing home with them their handes full of corne, and other frutes of their trauelles: The priestes in like sorte, who haue taken great paines to sow for Iesus Christ, bring home with them also out of their haruest, some prety childes string wreathed about their armes, which they call a Maniple, that is to saye, an handfull of corne, that their haruest might be according to their seade time. Is not this good stuffe to be put in?

g The Stole, taketh the name of Stola, which, both in Greek & Latin, doth signifie, a long robe, especially of a woman. We haue already interpre­ted in what sence this Stole is taken in this iolly enterlude. Some of them take it for a robe of righ­teousnesse, and other some for, a yoke. Galat. 6. In stead of Iesus Christ the true robe of righteousnesse, wher­with all they, which are truly baptized in him, are clothed, the priest taketh this breast plate, for an horse that should draw in a carte, or carry a sadle.

h Iesus Christ sayeth, come vnto me all ye that are heauie laden and I will refresh you. Take my yoke vpon you, for it is easie and light. Matth. 11. By these wordes, he would haue euery mā submit him selfe to his discipline, and acknowledge him for their maister, & come to him for succour and aide. And in stead hereof, the priest putteth on this Gew Gawe, and slitted garmēt, which they call a Cha­suble, into which he putteth his head through an hole, as a partridge putteth his head out of a cage. M. G. [Page 90]Here is a iolly yoke of Iesus. Other of them do take it for a Shirte of Maile or Brigandine. Loe, now here you see good Maste whip point de vise, armed cape a pie, to enter the listes, and disgui­sed to lead his base daunse, and play his parte. But before he putteth on his Chasuble he must needes make & cōiure his holy water, in his long smocke, like a Grape treader, euery time he maketh it, whether it be in winter or sommer, so it be on the Sonday, and the Masse parrochiale. Now we will speake no more of the coniuring and sprinkling about of this holy water, Alexander 5. by reason we haue handled this matter else where. Neither will we make mention of going of procession about the church, Agapetus 1. which Agapetus ordeined, as hath here­tofore bene said. Thus we see how maister Curate beginneth to giue the assault to the table, vpon which he intendeth to breake his faste, and play a cast of legier de maine.

Of the diuision of the office of the Masse, and first of that parte which is called the Preparation, and of the comming of the priest to the Aultar. And of the confession which he maketh before it. CHAPTER VII.

ACcording to the exposition of the doctours of the Masse, Nico. de Plou. de expo. Mis. we may deuide the office there­of into six partes. The first is called the Preparatiō, & that lasteth from the beginning vntill he come to the Epistle. The second, is called the Instructiō, [Page 91]and that dureth vnto the Offertorie. The third, is called the Oblation, and continueth vnto the Preface. The fourth, is called the Consecration, and lasteth vnto the Lordes prayers. The fifth, is called the perception of the Sacrament, & dureth vnto the communion. The sixt is called the Actiō of thankesgeuing, and continueth vnto the ende. Now we will shew you the reasons why they are so named, when as we shall enter into the parti­cular interpretation of euery of them. The begin­ning thē of the Masse is called the Preparatiō, be­cause it is put in for the prayers which the aunciēt Church made, that thereby, the ministers thereof might be aswell prepared to the preaching of the word of God, as the hearers to heare and receaue it with frute and edifying. And there is a forme of publike confession. There are also prayers, & sing­ing of Psalmes. But let vs see how the forme and maner of the auncient Church is here turned vp­side down, & what blasphemies are vsed amōgest this stuffe. And to the ende that euery man might the better remember the names of the authours, to whom the peeces, that are eeked to the Masse, are attributed, according to that discourse which hath bene made of it, we will set them downe in the margine, in the behalfe of euery of them, and shalbe marked with the lettres of the alphabet. And whersoeuer any one ordenance shalbe attri­buted to many, I will set downe one lettre for all.

Of the thinges that are to be considered, vpon this entree and publike confession of the priest. CHAPTER VIII.

BEcause others haue more at large and more particularly and plainly, handled those places of the holy Scriptures which are here alleaged, shewing how ill they are applied, and how they mocke and blaspheme God, I will the lightlier passe them ouer, and stay the longer vpon the rest of the pointes, which may be ouerslipt.

a Seeing the priest is thus in his owne person prepared, to go to the Aultar, I will first of all de­maund of him, whether he vsed this Aultar, which is here spoken of, Hebr. 13. after the maner of the Ieweish or Heathnish aultars. For, Christians, haue no mate­riall aultars, but onely this spirituall Aultar, wher­on, it is not lawfull for thē that serue in the Taber­nacle, or that be still Ieweish, to eate, and therfore much lesse for thē that follow the heathen: as they herein do, which are of the Romish church decla­ring them selues thereby, to be either very Iewes, or very Heathen, or else both: onelesse happely they meane not to take the name of Aultar, for such an Aultar as they sacrifice vpon for the re­demption of soules, as they say they do, whē they are at Masse: but for the Table wheron the supper is celebrated, and whereon they giue thankes to God (which are the very true sacrifices of prayse) in that sence which the aunciēt Fathers tooke the name of Aultar, when as they speake of the Sacra­ment of the Supper, which vpon that occasiō was called, the Sacrament of the Aultar.

b If that which hath bene now said of the Aultar, Psalme 43. be well vnderstood, it is an easie matter to iudge, for what purpose this Psalme is here set downe, and the reason thereof.

c It was ordeined in the 2. Councell of Laodi­cea, La. Concil. that many of the Psalmes, and their versicles, should not be confounded one with an other: but be rehearsed in the selfe same forme and maner as the seruantes of God made them. Which orde­nance they of the popish church do worse ob­serue in the Masse, then in any other place. For, ei­ther they confound pele mele for euery purpose, many of the versicles which are taken out of the Psalmes, as if they would make neither rime nor reason of them, or else they deuide a Psalme, and take out of it certen versicles which they mingle and remingle, & so rehearse them to no purpose, and without all reason, as easely may be iudged, by the sight of this maner which is here vsed in their Masse.

d I my selfe knew once a parish priest, who ne­uer vnderstood: either yet was able to pronounce, this Introibo, but alwayes said, Et introibo adtar­tara Dei: that is to say, I will go into the hell of God. In which saying, he deceaued not him selfe much. For, to take the Aultar in that sence, which they of the popish church, here take it, and to do that which they do in it, is in very deede the hie way to hell: for asmuch they forsake Iesus Christ vpon it, by whome onely we are to be deliuered thence. And therefore there is good cause, why the priest looketh downeward, bowing him selfe [Page 95]to the ground, as a man that had quite and cleane forgotten heauen, yea and his owne nature also wherein God created him, and as if he were be­come a very beast, touching his smeller downe­ward, according to the maner which the Poete here writeth of, Ouid. Meta. lib. 1. and in the same sence as it is here set downe in English.

But this our maister Asse driuer, leaueth loo­king vp into heauen, and stoupeth to the ground, whereof he is more carefull, then of heauen. But if he did this in humblenesse of minde and con­tritenesse of heart for his sinnes, as the miserable Publicane did, there were great reason in it. But I thinke him farre enough of from that.

e This versicle is taken out of another Psalme, and not out of the former, which manifestly con­teruaileth the confession that the priest anonafter maketh. Psal. 136. For where the Prophete exhorteth the people of God, to praise the Lord, and giue him such thankes as belōg vnto him (which the word, Confesse, signifieth in the holy Scriptures) he ad­dresseth him selfe vnto another, them vnto God.

f Dauid sayeth, Against thee alone haue I sin­ned. I haue said, Psal. 31. I wil confesse my vnrighteousnes vnto the Lord, against my selfe: & thou forgauest the iniquitie of my sinne. But here, the priest con­fesseth [Page 96]him selfe, to all the men & woman saintes. For he thinketh it not enough to confesse him selfe to God alone, with whom al the Patriarches, Prophetes, & Apostles were very well contented.

g But the worst of all the rest is this, that when he craueth pardon in his confession, for his sinnes, he neuer once maketh mention of Iesus Christ, to beseech him to be his Aduocate vnto his Fa­ther to helpe him: But onely of the virgine Ma­rie, and of the men and women Saintes. Which is too grosse a blasphemy against the office and be­nefite of Iesus Christ, 1. Tim. 2. 1. Iohn. 2. Rom. 8. vnto whom, the onely office of Mediatour and Aduocate apparteineth.

h This lowe stowping, maketh a iolly shew of a penitent person.

i The clarke which helpeth the priest to Masse, absolueth the priest, aswell as the priest absolueth him anon after. And therefore it is, that they con­fesse them selues one to an other. But here is all the difference that is betwene them, that the Mi­sereatur which the clarke and the rest that helpe him at Masse do pronounce to the priest, is said in the singular nomber, because it is spoken particu­larly to the priest.

Of the confession and absolution aswell of the clarkes which helpe him at Masse, as of those which are al­so at the hearing of it, and of the absolution which the priest giueth them, and of the prayers which he sayeth before he commeth to the Aultar and of the iestures, gapinges and gaspinges of his mouth, and wreathinges which he must there make. CHAPTER IX.

Of the blasphemies that are both in this Absolution as also in all these prayers, and of the Sepulchers and reliques which are buried in the Aultars. CHAPTER X.

a HEre is to be vnderstood, that after the priest is confessed, as we haue heard, and absolued aswell, as the clarke is able to absolue him, his clarke and they which helpe him at Masse, make likewise their confession, & thē he also absolueth thē, in such maner and order as here is set downe: although therein be some diuersitie, according to the seuerall vsages. Now, there is almost neuer a worde wherein are not as many blasphemies as there are sundry vsages, especially, for so much as, the honour which apperteineth to Iesus Christ a­lone, is not onely giuen to men & women Saintes, but also vnto the signe of the crosse. And so much as concerneth the men and women Saintes who chiefly are named aswell in the confessiō as in the absolution, we are to note that therein is neither certaine nomber, nor yet order. For, euery of them putteth in whom soeuer pleaseth them, but espe­cially their Patrons, and such as they haue a most singular deuotion vnto. It is easely also, by this forme and maner, to be iudged, that this enterlude is not fit to be playd, without there be moe then one person with the priest at Masse: because it is an enterlude that requiteth many.

b After that this blasphemour hath disgorged a cart loode full of blasphemies against God, he then calleth vpon him for helpe: and forthwith he againe returneth to blaspheme both him, and [Page 100]the virgine Mary also, calling vpon her in stead of Iesus Christ. Hereby we may vnderstand, that a man may iudge of what soeuer is in the Masse, that is taken out of the holy Scriptures, seeing it is entermedled with as infinite a nomber of bla­sphemies, as good & holsome meate is entermed­led with poison. Wherefore, it is so farre of that that which seemeth to be good, is not there made any whit the better, but rather become a great deale more detestable, for so much as the word & name of God, & of the men & women Saintes are therin more profaned & blasphemed. And againe, we se moreouer what a mixture of sondry peeces is here heaped vp together to & fro without any iudgement in the world, and without following any one certaine text of any certaine matter.

c Why hath the priest here a cōmandement to buzze the two prayers ensuing softly & secretly? For this is manifestly against the Statutes and de­crees of the councell of Basile, by which is ordei­ned that the priests are to be reproued and cor­rected which say Masse with secret prayers, & so low vowed, as that they which are present and a­bout them, cannot heare what they say: By which also all they are condemned, who either mumble vp or curtall their wordes either in their Masse or canonicall Howres, and do not so distinctly pro­nounce thē, as that euery one may well vnderstād what they say. For if these prayers whereof we now speake be such as in deede they ought to be, why thē pronounce they them not rather a lowd that euery mā may heare them, thē mumble them [Page 101]vp in their teeth as they do? Especially seeing they pronounce thē not particularly to thē selues, but generally to all those which are at Masse, to the end that all they might be also cōprehended and wrapped, within the horrible blasphemies in thē conteined? Wherefore it is no maruell though he mumble thē vp secretly, as if it were a charme, and stowp downe with his head & backe, still looking to the ground: for he is not worthy to lift vp his head to heauen stained it with such blasphemies. For, as for the first point, that which is called Sācta Sāctorū, that is to say, the holy of holy ones, wher­of he speaketh, to go into, is not the same which God ordeined by Moses, Exod. 30. amongest the Israelites: for, that is cleerly abolished [...]y the cōming of Ie­sus Christ, who hath perfited that, Heb. 8.9.10. wherof it was a figure. Neither is it that, whereinto Christ Iesus wēt, which is heauen. And God ordeined none o­ther but these two. Whervpō must needes follow, that that place wherof the priest, here maketh mē ­tiō, is inuēted & deuised by mē & the deuill toge­ther, & an hellish Sācta Sāctorū. And therfore loo­keth he downe to the groūd, wherby he declareth that he seeketh not after Iesus Christ, Coloss. 2. who sitteth in the heauēs at the right hand of God his father, & requireth likewise that he may go into it with his merittes, with all those that are at Masse with him. For there is neuer a man that hath deserued more to go into hell, & into the infernal sanctuary of Satan, thē he: And there is none other meane to go into the sāctuary of Iesus Christ, which is hea­uen, saue onely by his merites, wherof there is no [Page 102]more mention here made, then in the prayer fol­lowing, wherin he craueth not onely pardon for his sinnes of all the Saintes in generall, but espe­cially of those, whose reliques are in the place where he him selfe is, as if in them were more ver­tue, then in any of the rest.

d And as for the reliques which are here spoken of, we are to remember what was said heretofore, of the churches which were built in such places as the sepulchres, reliques, and commemorations of the Martyres were. And because that many Aul­tars and chapelles were here and there built & set vp a broad in the countrey, there to celebrate the remembraunce of the Martyres: soone after that this custome was receaued, it was ordeined by the first Councell of Carthage, Ex Libr. Con. solemnized about the dayes of Pope Anastase that the Bishops might pull downe, all the Aultars and chappelles, that should be set vp in any places where before time had not bene, some sepulchers, reliques, houses, places of resorte, or some memoriall of the Mar­tyrs: or if they could not do it without mouing of some commotion, yet that they might at the least, forbid all Christiās to haunt any such places. And for this cause was it afterward ordeined by the Councell of Epanuense which was solemnised in the time of Gelasius the first, Ex Lib. Con. that no Aultar ex­cept it were of stone, & had also some reliques of the Saintes, should be anointed and consecrated with Cresme. And because they could not find places ynow wherein to set vp so many churches and aultars as they would, they were faine to bor­row [Page 103]them in other places, or else make and coun­terfet them as they lusted. Wherefore it is enough for them at this present, to put into the bowels of the Aultar when it is consecrated & dedicated, in at an hole which is made in the middest thereof, called by them a Sepulcher, the smallest peeces of reliques that may be, locked vp in some prety coffer, with three graynes of frankinsence. And it is out of all doubt, that they may call this hole, a Sepulcher: bycause forsoothe it is made to repre­sent the Sepulchers of the Martyres, for, they are not there in deede, but by imagination, as those which the Heathen made, called Cenotaphion, because they were empty, and had no bodyes bu­ried in them. And to the ende that these sepul­chers should not seeme to be altogether in vaine, they make men beleue that they haue put cer­tein peeces of reliques into them. But the Lord knoweth and seeth what great deceit is in them, and what reliques they thrust into them. We that haue seene these abhominable Aultars puld downe, can testifie what great villaines haue bene found within these sepulchers of the Aul­tars, and what notable knaueries haue bene dis­couered in these iolly workes. But our aduer­saries will not beleue vs herein, because they thinke vs to be parciall: howbeit we haue no such meaning, for, they them selues maye see it by experience aswell as we, and may also te­stifie and vnderstand whether we lye or saye true. But admit that these were the verie true reliques of the Martyres, yet shall they be neuer [Page 104]able to excuse them selues of the Idolatrie & bla­sphemies which they commit in these thinges.

e It is no maruell although this Shaueling, kisse the talbe wheron he meaneth to breake his fast, and his paten, and sawcer also, and that he like­wise maketh strong parfumes: for these thinges I tell you make him both faire and fat.

f And therefore this is the Christ which he worshippeth: that is to say, the table and the saw­cer. And in some places he kisseth also the feet of the image of the ctucyfix which is in his Masse booke, wherof we intend to say somewhat, when as we come to the Canon.

Of the Introite, Kyrie eleyson, and Gloria in excelsis Deo. CHAPTER XI.

The things that are to be noted and considered of, vp­pon these od remnantes before mentioned. CHAPTER XII.

a IN the first pitching & setting of this daunce. the head and backe are they which playe the chiefest part. And by and by after the hands, and eftsones the feete. Nicolas de Plo­de expos. Miss. Wherupon we are here to note that when the Queresters beginne to sing the in­troit, the Priest which doth the office, must come out of the Reuestrie, in his players weedes to play his part. They say that this signifieth Iesus Christ comming out of the wombe of the Virgine, as a [Page 107]bridegrome that cōmeth out of his chamber. For questionlesse this tricksie Sir Iohn, is a pleasaunt bridegrome, and ioly minion, apparelled & gar­nished like a comly paramour to go to a wedding

b See here what a ioly entry he maketh. He hath fed thē, saith this gentle Sir Iohn, & his queresters also sing the very same introite, very chauntingly. But what is this food, & those whom it doth feed? Forsooth the foode which Dauid spake of, Psalm. 81. Deut. 32. which God gaue vnto the childrē of Israell according as Moses in times past, had writtē of: these ioly scof­fing mates, liken it to the banket which they make in their Masse, & to their God which they eate in it. Wherin they haue no whit said amisse. For, to say truely, this is a God which throughly feedeth thē with the pure finesse of the wheat, & with all sweet, pleasant, & delicate food. For, if there be a­ny good & pleasant dish to be had in al the world, it is kept for their kitchin & boord. I remēber that whē we were yōg boys, we were told, because we shold be the more desirous to study, that we might be made Priestes, that when we were Priestes we should eate white bread. But because this introite is a sentence gelt out of a Psalme, it hath no full sense with it. Neither is it taken in this place, in such sense as it is set down in the Psalme. Where­fore if we will expound it, and giue it the most fit sense to the matter wherūto it is applied, we may thus interprete it, He, that is to say, the caky God of the Masse: hath fedde them, to wit, the Priests: with the finesse of the wheate, and honie of the Rocke: that is to say, verie fat, with the best and [Page 108]most delicate foode. And therefore haue they so great a mind, & are alwayes so ready to sing dou­ble & treble Alleluyas, which are meary and plea­sant notes. For this I tell you is no melancholique or sad feast. And for this cause are all the streetes strewed ouer with herbs, flours, & greene boughs, & behoong with Arras and tapestrie, and withall the brauest ornamēts that may be hanged abroad, and especiallie, when this iolie white God is ca­ried about on procession, he is then accompanied with notable musicall instruments, with goodlie tapers and torch staues: and both he him selfe, and they which beare him, & as manie as accom­panie him, are receaued with maruelous pleasant pastimes, enterludes, morisdaunces, and with all the sports that may be deuised: and this is to make him amends for the straight imprisonment which he endureth all the rest of the yeare.

c In this sort put they this versicle in practise which is taken out of the selfe same Psalme, Psal. 81 Ex lib. Concil. that the introit is taken out of, saying, Reioyce and be glad, &c. For, this is their God and aide: whome they thus vainelye, like worldlinges, mocke, cleane contrarie to the Canons and decrees of the Councell of Affrike, which was celebrated about the time of Boniface the first, and of the thirde Councell of Toledo, celebrated in the dayes of Pelagius the 2. and of the Councell of Basil: which forbad daunsing, morisdaunces, enterludes and playes vpon festiuall dayes, & chiefly in churches.

d The causes whie in times past, the Gloria patri was ordained to be said, & song, at the ende [Page 109]of euerie Psalme, doth manifestly appeare amon­gest the Canons of the second Vasensian Coūcel, which was holden after the dayes of Leo the first, wherin an expresse ordinance is made, according to the practise that was then in vse in the east and west churches. Ex lib. Con. Howbeit the third councell of To­ledo which we haue so often spoken of, addeth thereto one point which at this day is not obser­ued, that is, that no man should say onely, Gloria patri &c. but adde thereto, And honor, sayinge, Glorie and honor be to the Father, &c. Because it is found to be so said in the Apocalipse: and that vpon paine of excommunication.

e The second Vasensian Councell which we earst spake of, hath confirmed the custome, which as well the East as the West Churches receaued, concerning the rehearsal of the Kyrie eleyson: cō ­manding it to be said & often rehearsed not onely in the Masse, but also in all the Canonical houres. We haue here a fresh, iollie gaye misteries in the numbers of 3. and 9. which we will no more here speake of, but leaue this pithagoricall and magi­cal diuinitie to such as take delight therein.

f The Priest maketh here a preatie pitch of his base daunce, with a solemne reuerence both with his head and backe.

g He setteth down here a rule, at what times the Gloria in excelsis is to be said, or not said, ac­cording to those ordināces which we haue alrea­die set downe in their place. And because there haue bin manie lawes giuen by diuerse, touching one only peece, I haue also marked the names of [Page 101]euerie Author in the margine, in such sort as hath bene before said, to the end that whosoeuer were desirous to see the ordinaunces that are made for these purposes, may finde them vpon the Popes heades that made them.

h These fragmēts which speak of the holy Ghost and of the virgine Mary, haue bene added to this himne by others, & not by them which made all the rest: but I could neuer yet reade who were the Authors of them, Neither are they said, but in our Ladies Masses, and on her festiuall dayes.

Of the Dominus vobiscum, and of the collect, & of the writhing and wreathing countenances that are to be vsed in this other Antique. CHAPTER XIII.

Here follow the annotations belonging to the fragmentes aforesaid. CHAPTER XIIII.

a GEntle Sir Iohn is far in loue with the Table. For he kisseth it often.

b He turneth himselfe 5. times about vnto the people during the time that he is playing of his play, or dauncing of his antike. Moreouer, he con­tinually turneth his back & hinder parts, because according to Vigilius ordinance he must turne his face towards the East, Ala. de offic. Miss. cap. 8. because the situation of the Churches & Altars are set East ward. Howbeit, it becōmeth not a Iuggler, a player, but much lesse a Preacher to turn their backs vpon the people, be­fore they iuggle, play or preach. For, it is the or­dinary way to tourne their faces to whome they speake, & not their backs. Howbeit, the Priestes, meane not to speak vnto the people, whē they say Masse: nether shold they vnderstād thē, if they did: but they talk to the bread & wine, to the idolls, & table, & to the bord clothes & napkins, which lie before them: & vnto the Sūne, ouer against which ^c Gregor. Innocent. 1 Jnnocent. 3. [Page 112]they tourne them selues: or else it were meete to haue their Churches & Altars so built, as that the Priest might haue the people before him, when he sayeth Masse, as a Preacher is wonted to haue his pulpit. But then againe should herein fall out a great inconuenience, when he should salute them, & turne him selfe vnto thē as here is noted. For thē his back should be towards thē, & therfore should not neede any whit to turne or returne him selfe.

c The Bishops, in stead of saying Dominus vobiscum, shall say, pax Domini sit semper vobis­cum, that is to say, the peace of God be & remaine with you for euermore: Although, it was ordained in the first Bracarien Councell, about the time of Honorius the 1. that the Bishops & Priests should not haue sundry sortes of saluting the people, but that both the one & the other of thē shold vse this common order, Dominus vobiscū, & none other.

d These exhortations to prayers & such other like, manifestly declare, that they which are at masse, should vnderstand what is said. For, how shal the hearers pray with him that saith the pray­ers in the Masse, if they vnderstād not what is said in it, and what the exhortations are which are made vnto them? This also declareth, that a Priest should not say Masse alone by him selfe.

e This is one of the prayers which they call collects, which serueth not greatly amisse for the Supper of the Lord, if it be rightly vnderstood. For it maketh no mention of any reall, materiall, and sensible presence of the bodie and bloud of Iesus Christ, in the Sacrament of the Supper, as the do­ctrine [Page 113]of transubstantiatiō importeth: But onely a memorial, of the secrets & Sacramēts of thē, & of the vertue & efficacie of the death & passiō of Ie­sus Christ, of whō we are made partakers through a spirituall communion, which we haue with his body and blood in the Supper, as is represented to vs therein by the signes, Breui. R.S.L. and in the action and administration thereof. They vse the same prayer and collect at the euensong of the selfe same feast, whereof we haue expounded the Masse.

What gestures he must keepe with his handes.

Of the second part of the Masse, called instruction, and for what causes it is so called, and of the preaching that was vsed in the avncient Church, and of the charge which was giuen to the Bishops thereof. CHAPTER XV.

THis title of instructiō, Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss which these Popish do­ctors them selues giue vnto their Masse, doth the better confirme that which we haue hereto­fore said, of the order of the ancient Church, con­cerning publike prayers, and the preaching of the word of God, & of the Ecclesiasticall assemblies. For, we se by this selfe same order, which is at this day obserued in the Masse, that the doctrine of the Apostles & Euangelists, is preferred before pray­ers: by which, as well the people as the Ministers of the Church, ought to prepare them selues for this doctrine, the one of them to teach it, and the other to heare and vnderstand it. And therefore, manie ordinances were made by the Councelles, [Page 114]appertaining to this matter, as well for the mini­sters of the Church, as for the people. And for the first it was decreed by the fourth Councel of Car­thage, Ex lib. Con. That whatsoeuer they were that went out of the Church and auditory, whiles the Priest was preaching of the word of God vnto the people, should be excommunicated: neither were there any forbidden to heare or come into the Church, were they heathen, Iewes, or heretiques, euē vnto the Masse of the Catechumeni, whereof we haue spoken elsewhere. And to th'end that the people should neuer be without this food: It was also de­creed by the councell of Arles, solemnized in the dayes of Charlemaine, That the Priests should not preach onely in cities, Ex lib. Con. but also in euerie Parrishe Church in the countries, and that they should not contēne nor neglect the doing herof. And at the Councell of Tours, holden also in the dayes of the said Charlemaine: the Bishops thēselues were en­ioyned to do it, & to haue Homilies: that is to say, Sermons containing necessarie doctrine, for the instruction of the people, but especiallie concer­ning the principall pointes of Christian religion: and those to be verie familiar & meete for the ca­pacitie & grosse vnderstanding of the simple peo­ple: and to that ende were they translated into a tongue, wherein euerie man might best vnder­stand them. By the like reason ar the Bishops com­maunded to studie diligently the holy Scriptures, but especially the holy Euangelists, & Pauls Epi­stles, & to be so familiarly acquainted with thē, as that they might haue them by heart: and study [Page 115]also verie diligently the bookes of the holy Do­ctors and ancient fathers, in which they had made an exposition of the holy letters, to the ende they might be instructed to be able to teach and edifie the people, as well by good & holsome doctrine, as also by their good life and holy conuersation. Ex lib. Con. The like was also commanded and confirmed by a Coūcell at Chalen, celebrated again in the daies of the said Charlemaine, which saith, That God in the holy Scriptures hath commaunded, and so haue also the holy aunciēt Canons, That Byshops should dayly be studying of holie writ, seekinge out the misteries and secreates of the woorde of God: to the end they might shine in the Church thorough the brightnesse of this doctrine, Ex lib. Con. and ne­uer ceasse nourishing and filling the soules com­mitted to their charge, with the foode of Goddes worde. And for the establishing of a verie good order, that no want should be founde herein, it was againe decreed in the first Councell of Ma­gonce, celebrated in the yeare 813. That the Bishoppes should perfourme this duetie in theyr owne personnes, except they were sicke, not at home, or else were withdrawn by some necessary businesse: and that in such cases, they should haue meete men to do it in their steades, to the ende the people might neuer be without a Sermon vppon the Sondaye, nor vppon anie holye dayes. The Councell of Rheims celebrated about the tyme of Pope Leo the thirde, Ex lib. Con. still commaunded and con­firmed that which was before decreed, at the coū ­cell of Tours, concerning the Bishoppes studies [Page 116]of the holy Scriptures, & of the Homilies & Ser­mons in the vulgar tong, for the common people, Ex lib. Con. Moreouer, it was ordained in the Lateran Coun­cell, solemnized in the dayes of Innocent the 3. in the yeare 1215. that in those cities and cuntries where there were people of sundrie languages, & had sundrie ceremonies, and fashions in the ser­uice of God, and yet were of one faith and of one religion, that they all should be prouided of meet men to say their seruice, and administer the Sacra­ments, and to teach them also both by worde and example, according to their fashions & language. The like also was ordained concerning the Prea­ching of Bishoppes, and the aide that they should haue, if they could not preach being withdrawne therefrom vpon lawfull causes, or were not them selues alone able to do it: And then it is eftsoones said, that they shall in no wise be borne withall, who by reason of ignorance are not able to do it. Wherupon it was likewise established, that there should be appointed learned diuines, to teach the Priestes and the rest, and Maisters also to instruct the poore, without wages, to the ende the Chur­ches should not be vnprouided of Pastors, to feed them with spirituall foode, Ex lib. Con. that is meete & neces­sarie for the soule. Lastly the Coūcell of Oxinford holdē in England, ordained againe the like which others before had done, cōcerning the preaching of Priests in euerie parish Church. Here now we may see, how they, who haue alwayes the Coun­cels & decrees in their mouthes, obserue thē. And therfore euery mā may see what instruction there [Page 117]is at this present, in this part of the Masse, which is called by the name of instruction. We may easi­lie iudge by this, what is in it. VVherefore let vs somwhat narrowly consider of whatsoeuer is in it.

Of the order which the anciēt church held in the rea­ding of the Epistle and Gospell, and of the ordinan­ces which the ancient Councelles made thereon. CHAPTER XVI.

THere was mention made in the Councell of Rheimes which wee earst alleadged, Ex lib. Con. of the charge that was giuen to the Subdeacons for the reading of the Epistle before all men, and to the Deacon, for the reading of the Gospell, for the in­struction of the faithfull. And in the Councell of Valēce, holden in Spaine, about the dayes of Sym­mach or Hormisd, Ex lib. Con. it was decreed that the Gospell should be read after the Epistle: that is to say, after Paules Epistles: Because there was a time, when as the Masse began with the Epistle, as elsewhere hath bin said, and that they read nothing else in it, but the Epistles of the Apostles, and after thē, the Gospelles. And therefore it was ordained in the same Councell, that according to the ancient Ca­nons, & custome of the auncient Church, the Go­spell should be read after the rest of the lessons, ta­ken out of th'Epistles of the Apostles, in the Masse of the Catechumeni, before the offertorie of the faithfull: to th'end that the faithful who taried lōg at the diuine seruice, might be instructed as wel by reading of the said lessons, as by the sermōs which the Bishops & priests made on them, but also the [Page 118]catechumeni, penitētiaries, & all the rest likewise, which as yet were enemies vnto the religion, or not well instructed, or excōmunicated, who were put out, whē they went to the Sermon, & nothing left vndone but the cōmunion, & offertory of the faithful, for the releuing of the pore. And the cause of this ordinance is there rendred. It is, said they, because that we haue found by experiēce, that ma­ny by this meane haue bin conuerted to the faith, after they had once hard the doctrine. Wherin we haue againe a very euidēt testimony of that which hath bene said, as well of the preaching, as also of the diuine seruice, which in the auncient time of the Church was said in a lāguage that all men vn­derstood. For, if it had bene deliuered in an vn­knowen tong, they which ar here spoken of, had not bin conuerted, neither had it so fallē out with thē, as the holy Apostle him self saith it falleth out with the verie infidelles, 1, Cor. 14. when they come into the Church, & heare & vnderstand the doctrine that is there handled. Their hart, saith he, is touched ther­with, & they right well know that God is in them whome they heare so speake, but contrariwise, it had fallen out otherwise with them, then as the same Apostle saith it fell out, if they which spake, had spoken in an vnknowen toung. They would haue thought, saith he, that you had byn fooles & mad men. Moreouer, because there were some, then in those dayes which entermedled songs, & Psalmes, betweene the reading of the Epistle and Gospell, Ex lib. Con. it is said in the decrees of the 4. Coun­cell of Tolede, celebrated about the time of Ho­norius [Page 119]the first, that it is contrarie to the auncient Cannons, and auncient custome of the Church. Wherefore it is forbidden vpon paine of excom­munication that it be no more so done, but that those prayers, songs, & Psalmes shall be reserued to be said or song after the reading of the Gospel, to the end the order be not marred, but that the doctrine shall be preferred in his place, without confusion. Wherein appeareth, that whatsoeuer is nowe in the Masse, betweene the Epistle & the Gospell, to wit, the Response and Graduell, the Tracts, Alleluya, and prose, haue bene added to the Masse, as well against the ordinaunce of this Councell, as also of the rest of the ancient Canōs, by it alleadged. But it is no maruell although that this ordinance hath not taken any great effect, cō ­sidering that the custome of reading and decla­ring of the Epistle and Gospell in a tong which all men vnderstand, hath bene vtterly abolished in the Masse, wherefore there is no daunger in con­founding both of order and doctrine, whereas is neither order nor doctrine, but altogether shame and confusion. I haue of set purpose handled these matters in this place somewhat with the largest, (albeit I haue alreadie spoken some thing of them hertofore) to the end that euery man may the bet­ter vnderstād, what instruction there is in this part of the Masse, called so by that name. Let vs then first of all heare the Epistle which the Subdeacon is about to sing vs, spreading abroade his fayre white hands, according to that instruction which is giuen him thereof.

Of the reading of th'Epistle of the Masse that is cele­brated on Corpus Christi day, and of the matters worthie the consideration therein. CHAPTER XII.

a We may iudge by this peece which is here thrust in, taken out of the first Epistle to the Co­rinthes, with what iudgemēt the places were col­lected out of the holy Scriptures, which being ta­ken from them, were applied to the Masse. For, for the first, to what purpose is this here put in? Bre­thrē. For, That which I receaued of the Lord. &c. Whervnto is this, For, referred? wherfore rēdreth he a reason: considering that there is nothing go­ing before, that cā be referred to any thing which may any way serue the turne, for the matter that S. Paule here treateth of? This peece therfore must otherwise be deuided and sclantled, to make it serue for this purpose. Thus we see how they are wonted ordinarely to deale with the Scriptures.

b S. Paul, by these words declareth, that he was nothing so rash, as these men, who haue added so many thinges to the Supper, as that they haue tur­ned it into a pestilēt Idolatrous Masse, & haue by those additions, so blemished it, as that there re­maineth not any face or forme of the true Supper of the Lord, wherby, he also sheweth that he was neuer any of their company. For, he saieth plainly that he deliuered vnto the Corinthiās, such a pure & sound institutiō of the same, as he receaued frō the Lord Iesus, without adding therto, or dimini­shing therfrō: wherin, he eftsoones giueth to vn­derstād, that it is not lawfull for any mā to do it, of what authority so euer he be. 1. Cor. 11.12. If S. Paul then durst take no further authority vpō him, being the man that was rapt vp into the third heauen, and saw thinges not lawfull for any man to speake, what [Page 122]shal we think of the forgers of the Masse, of whom we haue heretofore spoken, who thereby, haue so blemished the supper of the Lord, as that they haue vtterly ouerthrowen & abolished it? whom then should we not assueredly follow, 1. Cor. 11. either S. Paule, who sayeth, follow me, as I follow Christ, or these Apostates and Antechristes, who do cleane con­trary to him: and besides, would burne all those that had rather follow Iesus and the holy Apo­stles, then them selues.

c S. Mark, in his 14. Ch. sayth, that he blessed, de­claring therby, that to blesse, & giue thākes, is here taken to be alone, as hath ben say in other places.

d This breaking declareth, that this bread ought to be distributed, as it is here.

e He eateth it not alone as the priest doth, nei­ther doth he worship it, or yet putteth it into a pixe, to cary about on procession, & to carry here & there to be worshipped, or to cōiure tempestes: but cōmandeth it to be taken, & eftsoones eaten.

f We haue heretofore sufficiētly hādled this mat­ter, to teach vs in what sence these words are to be takē, & how those words also are to be takē which follow the cup dish, ouer and besides that, which we at larg haue writē & disputed vpō, in the booke of the Ministery of the word of God, & of the Sa­craments. And therfore we will here only say, and not deny but that the very body and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, is truly deliuered vnto all the faithful, in the supper, by an inuisible power of the holy Ghost, spiritually, & to the spirituall & rege­nerate man, which receaueth it by faith, & is ther­with [Page 123]spiritually fed in a spirituall life, as the body receaueth the material bread, & is therwith fed in a corporal life, but that there is no alteratiō of the substance in either of both, neither yet any natu­rall and material coniunction betwene the bread and wine, and the body and blood of Iesus Christ.

g There is in S. Paules wordes, according to the Greeke, which is broken for you.

h He sayeth not, Do ye this as a sacrifice, for the redemption of the soules, both of the quicke and dead: but that we should do that which he did, & caused to be done in the Supper, & not that which he did on the crosse, wheron he offred a sacrifice for the redemption of our soules, which is sufficiēt for vs, & can be done by none other, nor in any o­ther place, neither yet by any other meane, wher­of, the Supper is a remēbrance, & no sacrifice, but much lesse a Masse: for it is neither the one, nor yet the other, because they would make it that which it cannot be. For, it cannot be this sacrifice, if it be not Iesus Christ him selfe, who offred him selfe, in that sorte that he was offred: And if that be it, thē without doubt, Iesus the son of God ceaseth to be.

i If the Romanistes would strictly, & according to the letter, presse the words of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, which he spake concerning the body and blood of the Supper, we may also cōclude by the same reasons, that the cup is likewise the new Te­stament, confirmed by the blood of Iesus Christ, and not the blood it selfe, according to the testi­monies of Saint Paule and Saint Luke, 1. Cor. 11. Luke 12. who both vse the very selfe same wordes therein.

k This is to declare that which he said: Do ye this: that is to say, eate this bread, and drinke this wine in remembrance of me, as I haue appointed you: which thing the Apostle manifestly expla­neth immediatly after, both of the one & the other without any deuiding of thē, as they of the romish church deuide thē in the cōmuniō of the people.

l This expoundeth what it is to celebrate this remembrance of Iesus Christ, for the which the Supper was instituted. He sayeth not, As aften as ye shall offer this bread, & this cup, you shal make a sacrifice of the body and blood of the Lord.

m This accordeth with the testimony which the Angels gaue vnto the Apostles that day that Iesus Christ ascēded, Act. 1. touching his returne from heauē. By which words, S. Paul, giueth vs very plainly to vnderstād, that he ment not that Iesus Christ descē ded frō heauē corporally, in flesh blood & bones, & came into the priests handes in that behalfe, to be made a sacrifice, & afterward, to be really & in deede eaten by him, as they of the popish church vnderstand it: But declareth, that he is in heauē in his natural body, from whence we must looke for him, to come to iudge the quicke & the dead, ac­cording to the wordes of the articles of our Faith: And that in the meane while, we should here ce­lebrate the remembrance of him, thereby to giue him thankes, & that we might alwayes more and more assure our selues of his promises, & that we are in him and he in vs, through the power of the faith which we haue in him, & of the holy Ghost, by whose power he dwelleth in vs.

n Here, S. Paule, after the pronouncing of the Sacramētall wordes, calleth the bread & wine, the signes of the Supper, & not the body and blood. 1. Cor. 6. Ephes. 1. Which thing was not done, without the assuered councell of the spirite of God. For, although they of the Romish church, excuse this maner of spea­king, in their expositions, to the end it should not encounter with their trāsubstantiatiō: yet should they haue had a farre greater aduauntage, if Saint Paule had rather vsed the name of the body and blood, then of the name of bread and cuppe.

o They receaue it vnworthely, which receaue it to any other ende, and in any other sorte then the Lord hath appointed it. Wherefore, all they of the Romish church, but especially all the priestes cannot receaue it but vnworthely.

p The greatnesse of the offence which is com­mitted by his vnworthinesse, ought to make all men a feard. For, it is asmuch as they should sell, betray, & crucifie Iesus Christ which, all they do, Hebr. 6. as the Apostle witnesseth, that abuse his benefit.

q He sayeth not, let euery man proue him selfe with a priest, or cōfesse all his sinnes to him alone, when as he is of the yeares of discretiō, at the least once a yeare at Easter: and that he endeuour him withall his might, to accōplish the penance which is enioined him, vpō paine to be driuen out of the church all the dayes of his life, and to be depri­ued of buriall after his death: as Innocēt the third ordeined in the Laterane Coūcel, Ex libr. Con. which we haue already spoken of: But his meaning is, that euery man should proue him selfe, because that he is not [Page 126]capable to receaue the Supper who cannot ap­proue him selfe, after this rule of Saint Paule. And therefore, in the old time, the Catechumeni were not receaued hereunto, neither yet at this day, are young boyes and girles, vntill such time as they are instructed and taught to do it.

r He now setteth downe the horriblenesse of the punishment, to the ende that they which will not tremble at the greuousnesse of the deede, should at the least feare the greatnesse of the pu­nishment.

h We are not by this therefore to say, that this bread is the naturall body of Iesus Christ: but that he doth him as great wrong, as if he violated his very body, for asmuch as he profaneth & blasphe­meth it asmuch as in him lyeth, because that through his infidelity, vnworthines, & vnthākful­nes, he maketh no more accompt of it, thē if there were no more difference betwene the body of Ie­sus Christ, and another mans, and that the Supper were no better, then a profane banket. Moreouer, although I haue, somewhat at large, handled all these matters in other places & bookes, yet haue I thouhgt good to touch this matter a litle by the way, thereby to let the Romanistes vnderstand, by the text of the Epistle which they sing in this Masse, how sufficient it is to ouerthrow not onely all their corpus Christi Feast, and all the idolatrie therein committed, but also all their Masses, Con­fessions, and mens traditions, which are manifest­ly against the word of God, or that haue no suer foundation therein. And now, to the rest.

Of the Graduel, Response, and Alleluya, and of those thinges which are to be considered as touching them. CHAPTER XVIII.

a We haue spokē somwhat at large of the Gra­duell or Graile, & also of the Alleluya, Tractes, & of the seasons to sing, & to be still. These are frag­mentes which change according to the diuersitie of the Masses, & seasons, as the Introites. The ver­sicles which are here put in for the Graile of this Masse, haue in them a meruelous iolly kind of do­ctrine, if the same be well vnderstood, & well ap­plied. Psal. 145. But that which Dauid spake of the proui­dence of God, cōcerning the gouerning & bode­ly feeding of man, and all other liuing creatures, is here very vnfitly applied vnto the matter of the supper. For, it, was not ordeined for the feeding of this corporall life, which is sustained with bode­ly meate and drinke, but for a spirituall and eter­nall kind of life: which we receiue not in the bread [Page 128]and wine, that is giuen vs in the Supper, but in Iesus Christ the true bread of life, & in his body & blood, which by them are represented. This place, is quite and cleane against the popish doctrine, because, it, teacheth men to runne to dead men, which they cal men and women Saintes, that they might obteine at their hands those thinges which the Prophet teacheth vs, to aske and looke for, at the handes of God alone.

b The fourth Councel of Tolede, which we haue heretofore alleaged, maketh mention of certaine priests in Spaine, who at all times song Alleluya, & namely in Lent: saying, that that is against the custome of all churches, because it is a song of ioy and not of sadnesse. Wherfore, it is forbidden, any more so to be dealt withall, vpon paine, that who soeuer doeth it, shalbe discharged of his office. And because, that this time, wherein this Masse is to be celebrated, is a time of ioye, and chiefly for the priestes, for the reasons afore said, it is so­lemnely song in it.

c It is to no purpose to alleage here the place of S. Iohn, as it is alleaged: because it hath no full sence in it, neither doth it any whit agree with that that goeth before, neither yet with that that followeth. Moreouer, it is so often repeated in this peece, as that they set it downe for their Gospell. But if they say it once, it is enough for them, whe­ther it be to purpose or not, considering that their mouthes runne ouer, with so much speaking of flesh and blood, of meat and drinke, and of man­ger and boire.

Of the Sequence, and Prose. CHAPTER XIX.

Of the thinges that are to be considered, vpon these afore said fragmentes and matters, but especially vpon the Prose. CHAPTER XX.

a BEcause the Prose & Sequence that is said in this Masse, is very long, I haue only here set downe about the one halfe thereof, in such forme and maner, as that a man may the easelier iudge of the rest.

b That which we receaue so often heard out [Page 131]of Saint Paule, is comprehended within this com­plement, wherein is said, that Iesus Christ cōman­ded to minister the Supper in such forme and ma­ner, and to such an ende as he him selfe had leaft them an example. How then durst these false pro­phetes be so bold as to alter and ouerthrow this holy ordinance, with this patched inuention of theirs in the Masse.

c Seeing then that Iesus Christ hath taught vs how to deale in the Supper, where will this slibber Gibber find in the institutiō therof, that he ordei­ned the consecration of the bread and wine, to be made an hoste for saluation: that is to say, a sacri­fice to obtaine saluation therby? For, an host, doth not fignify such a round white cake as that which they call an hoste in the Masse, and as the simple so thinke of it: But signifieth that which is sacri­ficed, & the very sacrifice it selfe. And for asmuch as the priests, take the Masse to be such a sacrifice, as wherein they sacrifice Iesus Christ with their owne handes: they call this white round cake the hoste, which they take to be Iesus Christ, because they meane to sacrifice him, & offer him vp. How­beit the supper was not ordeined for this purpose, but contrary wise to admonish vs that there was none other sacrifice, but that which Iesus Christ made vpon the crosse, which could not be by any meanes againe sacrificed: but, that that, was the remembrance of this sacrifice. And taking this name of the hoste in this sence, the wine which they also offer for the blood of Iesus Christ, should be an hoste likewise, aswell as the bread, although [Page 132]it be not so called. Againe, neither should the litle round Robins which are deliuered to the people in the administration of the Supper, nor yet the great ones that are kept in the pixe, or shrine (as the holy hoste of Dijon, and such like) be any hostes, because that they are not offred vp, nor sa­crificed as that is, which is in the Masse. And ther­fore euen by their owne doctrine and practise, they do misterme them.

d Where find they me againe this instruction, whereby Christians are taught, that the bread is thē no more bread, when as the priest hath brea­thed ouer it, and hudled vp certaine wordes in so doing, but very flesh: & the wine likewise no more wine, but euen very blood? For, that which is spo­ken in this complement, that the bread is turned into flesh, and the wine into blood, signifieth the selfe same, which the author himselfe sayth in the hymne at euēsong in the said feast, in these words,

That is to say,

The word flesh, maketh the true bread flesh by the word: & the wine, is made the blood of Christ, although the sence cānot perceaue it. And for the strengthning of a sincere hart, faith only sufficeth. This last sentence is very true, if it be applied to a true faith, founded vpon the pure & clere word of God as shall more at large hereafter be spoken. [Page 133]But the first is a sentence altogether against the sence which they here take it for, not onely of the pure word of God, but also of the nature of all the sacramēts (which cā be no sacramēts, if they haue not the true signes in them, & the things also that are signified by thē) & likewise against the, iudge­mēt of the aunciēt Church: as hath bene declared by the words of Ireneus: yea & also against the ve­ry doctrine of Popish transubstantiatiō. For, they which are the vpholders therof, dare not thēselues affirme, that the bread and wine are changed into the very substaunce of the body and blood of Ie­sus Christ, by reason of the great absurdities that would ensue vpon this opiniō: as hath bene by vs already somwhat largely handled, in the booke of the Ministery of the word of God, & of the Sacra­ments. And therefore they had rather say that the substāce of the bread & wine is nothing, & cleane vanished away, & the body & blood of the Lord to become in place. It must not be said then that the bread is become flesh, that is to say, translated into flesh: or goeth for flesh, & so giueth it place: But rather that flesh becometh bread, & that the substance of bread giueth it place, & lodgeth vn­der his accidentes. The like is also of the wine and blood. We see now the certainty that is in this do­ctrine, and what a notable foundation it hath.

e Although faith beholdeth thinges which can not be seene with the bodely eyes, nor yet percei­ued by mans raison: yet is it neither bleareyed nor blind, to suffer it selfe to be lead as a young child that is without iudgemēt, who is easely made be­leue [Page 134]that bladders are lanternes, and what soeuer else it seeth, or like vnto old foolish doting womē who lightly beleue what soeuer foolish thing is tould them, or like brute bestes who are easely led in a string. For, faith, looketh into the word of God with her spiritually eyes: wherein she beholdeth & vnderstādeth as it were in a glasse, those things which God sheweth & manifesteth vnto her, which mans reason is neuer able to vnderstād nor cōpre­hēd by the light of nature, without it be regenera­ted & renued by the spirit of God: & what soeuer faith seeth in this glasse, is a great deale more cer­taine thē that which the body seeth with his eyes or that mās reason is able to cōprehēd or perceiue with al her natural senses. But, as it cānot be faith, without it be first groūded vpō the word of God: so likewise can it see no whit, but in this glasse, wherin God manifesteth & representeth himselfe vnto it. But the faith of the Romanists, which Tho­mas of Aquine maketh so cōstant in this Prose, is a bleareyed & blind faith, and altogether brutish, which suffreth it selfe to be lead by the blind, the leaders of the blind, as one that is blind her self: & by beastes, as a miserable brute beast, which fol­loweth others. For, where is this glasse of Gods word, wherein it beholdeth that, which Thomas sayth it beleueth, & so cōstātly kepeth in hart, cō ­cerning this bewitched Popish trāsubstātiatiō & cōsecratiō: for, it is not enough that the whole or­der of nature which God hath ordeined be ouer­throwen in it (as it is here said) but that eftsoones the whole dispēsatiō of the mistery of Christes in­carnatiō [Page 135]must also be ouerthrowen, & Iesus Christ robbed of his humaine nature, & the whole order which God hath placed in his church by his word, & the very true nature of the Sacramēts likewise. Wherefore it is greater reason to call their faith, which follow the Popish church, & go to worke thus aduenturously & blokishly, rather a rash and arrogant faith, then a firme and constant faith.

f Let vs see now what it is that they say is here done ouer & beyond all order of nature. It is for­sooth, that accidents of bread & wine do here re­maine, and yet without substance either of bread or wine: and contrarywise, that the body & blood of Iesus Christ is here, without the accidentes and qualities of bread and wine. Wherefore, by these kindes & signes, they vnderstād the accidēts and qualities of bread & wine: & by the thinges, vnder which these excellēt thinges are hidden, they vn­derstād, the substance of them: & by these hidden thinges, the body and blod of Iesus Christ, which are in very substance, vnder the shew of bread & wine, and not vnder the bread & wine it selfe, but vnder a false shew of them: so that the bread and wine wich they see there, are not there: but the body and blood which is not seene there, and wherof is no shew in the whole world.

g Although the body, according to their do­ctrine is vnder the kindes of bread: and the blood vnder the kindes of wine: yet we must not beleue forsooth, that they are separated one from the o­ther: but that the body is aswell vnder the kind of wine as the blood: and the blood vnder the kind [Page 136]of bread, as the body. Thus we see the body and blood separated, and yet for all that they are not separated. And no more is it in deede, if this pre­sence, be spiritually taken, as it is conuenient it should be. But to take it corporally & naturally as they take it, it serueth to no purpose, except they deale with brute beastes, who are contented, that my maisters the Sophisters, sorcerers, & coniurers haue said that it is so, although they haue no na­turall ground for it, nor yet any ground out of the word of God.

h Let them here consider vpon that which we haue already said, when we spake of the brea­king of the hoste, and agree therunto, with Beren­gers honorable amendes and adiuration.

i Either the body of Iesus Christ is not a true naturall body, or else this cannot be, which is here said, taking it corporally and naturally, and not spiritually. For, as Saint Augustine sayeth, we right well know that this grace is not consumed by peece meale.

k This is false, if it be vnderstood not onely of the signes, but also of the thinges signified. For as it hath bene already shewed by the wordes of S. Augustine, that Iesus Christ, his flesh, & blood, cā neuer be receaued but vnto saluatiō & not to dā ­natiō: and yet forsooth the signes may: But it is not because Iesus Christ is receaued with thē, but be­cause he is not receaued with them. For, if he, were receaued, then that would follow which he pro­mised by the receauing of him, and which hath so often bene said in the Alleluya, and which shalbe [Page 137]said in the Gospell following. The receauing then of the faithfull and vnfaithfull is not alike. For, the faithfull receaueth the signe and the thing signi­fied, & the vnfaithfull receaueth nothing saue the signe onely, although he be at the selfe same ta­ble, & receaueth the selfe same Sacrament of the selfe same Minister.

l They which beleeue this so monstrous do­ctrine, ar not without cause admonished that they stagger not. For to say truely, they must be verie dronke, & more senslesse then brute beasts. Now, as they would make men beleeue, that the bread is chaunged into a bodie, & the wine into blood, and yet the one fully and wholly in the other, as well as if it were all one: Euen so likewise would they make men beleeue, that although they haue deuided their roūd cake into many peeces (which is the bodie of their Christ.) Yet that there is as much substance in one of the peeces as was in the whole cake. But I do beleeue, that if they should come to the partition of an inheritaunce of lande, which wholy appertained vnto them, it would be a very hard matter to make them receiue & allow this philosophie: and make them agree, that there were as much in one peece of it, as in the totall. They would therein be as greatly troubled as the Curate was who expoūded this text, That to loue God with all his hart, signified, with the greater part, when as his parishioners told him, that they would, according to that exposition, demaunde their part of the Curate. For although he said, that it was all his, yet notwithstanding, that it ought to [Page 138]be vnderstood onely of the greater part, and not of all, as he had expounded it, of the loue of the whole hart towards God: fearing that he should haue excluded the Saincts, & so thereby haue lost the offringes which he had vnder their names. But to returne to our new Mathematicians, & see how their newe & strange Philosophy is able to beare, that there are accidents without substance: theyr Mathematicall science may also as well beare it, that one peece is as much as the whole in this matter. There were some reason in it, and if they said, that he, receaueth as much of Iesus Christ, spiritually, which receaueth but one peece of bread that is distributed, as he which receaueth & eateth the whole loafe: because the bodie of Ie­sus Christ is not deliuered & eatē by peece meale, as the bread which representeth it. But this can in no wise agree, if this bread be taken for the natu­rall & materiall body of Iesus Christ. For, he hath alwayes a true naturall mans bodie, although he be glorified & dispoiled of his whole mortal state and condition.

m If the Angels liue with pretie round cakes, they may call this breade their breade. But what blasphemie is this, to call a round white cake the bread of Angels, and of the children of God, ta­king it for Iesus Christ him selfe, the true bread of life, of the Angelles, and of all the elect of God, and not of such dogges as these are, to change the true bread of life into round cakes which they thē selues haue charmed? And therefore there is more reason to call these rounde cakes, the breade of [Page 139]Asses, wolues, dogges and hogges, then the bread of the sheepe of Iesus Christ: who hearken after none other voice but the voice of their shepheard: and receaue none other foode, but that which he giueth them.

Of the Ceremonies that are to be obserued before the lesson, or reading of the Gospell, and of the visitatiō or looking to the matters which are prepared, for the consecration, and for the Sacrament. CHAPTER XXI.

In what sort these aforesaid ceremonies are to be considered of. CHAPTER XXII.

a HEere is to be noted, that whippit Sir Hugh hath not shewed all his sleights and tricks in his daunce, from the one ende of the Altar to the other, & from the first beginning of his enter­lude & antike, but with pawses, or with half turnes & reprinses, vnto the midst therof, continually re­turning frō the right side of the Altar. But now h [...] fully & wholly getteth to the other side where h [...] will againe make long pawses, and after that halfe [Page 141]turnes & reprinses: one whiles going to the midst of the Table, and there stay a while, making both short & very long pawses: & after that returning to the left side, vntill he repasse againe vnto the right. Now, we are further to vnderstād, that there is neuer a one tricke in the daunce, nor yet euer a mopping and mowing whatsoeuer, that hath not many iolly misticall and spirituall senses, which I will at this time suppresse, because it would be o­uer long and toto foolish a thing to speake of.

b The name of Sacrifice, is here taken, for the bread & wine which should be consecrated & sacrified, & yet are not. This admonition is here giuen for the auoiding of such inconueniences as might fal out about these matters, which we more at large handled in the Cautels. Whereupon we are to note, that that which is here done in this behalfe, after the Geneua fashiō, & others, is in o­ther places done after the offertory, according to the Popish manner

c It was decreed by the Councell of Wormes, Ex lib. Con. That there should be nothing else offered in the Masse, saue onely the bread, and cup, as hath bin by other Councelles heretofore ordained: but al­so that the wine should in no wise be offred with­out water, as in deede it is not tollerated to offer water wtthout wine, but both at once. Berno, de offie. Miss. cap. 11. Ex lib. Con. And in the Triburme Councel which was after celebrated in the dayes of the Emperour Arnulph, in the yeare, 895. it is in the same decreed, set downe, and ex­presly ordained, That two parts should be wine, & the third water. Which ordinance is laid vpon A­lexander [Page 142]the fift, of whome we haue spoken in his place, & vpon the other ancient Fathers. Howbeit I know not how this ordinance can agree with the decree of the fourth Councell of Orleance, solem­nized about the time of Pelagius the first, in the dayes of king Childebert: by which decree it was ordained, that none should presume to offer anie thing in the oblations of the holy Cup, but that which was thought to be of the fruite of the vine: & that, not to be mingled with water. I know not whether the fault be in the book, or in the ill hād­ling of it. And after the reason is there eftsones rē ­dred. For, it is said, That that is to be iudged sacri­ledge, when any other thing is offered, then that which our sauiour hath by his holy cōmandemēts ordained. I leaue the reconciling of this matter to those to whom it more concerneth then vs.

d The Councelles before alleadged, Con. VVormes. Con. Tril [...]rine which make mention of the mingling of the water with wine, alleadge for a reason of this ordinance, that the same is a signification of the coniunction and vnion of the people, signified by the waters in the Apocalypse, with Iesus Christ, signified by the wine. And therefore it is expresly said, that 2. parts must be wine, and the 3. water: because the wine which signifieth the Maiestie of Iesus, is far grea­ter then the water, which signifieth but the maie­stie of the people. But who gaue them this com­maundement, and who reuealed this secreat vnto them? what places and testimonies of the holie Scripture haue they, to testifie this? For, if it were so, it is wonder, that they would not sounde one [Page 143]word thereof amongst all the wordes which they mūble vp, when they powre the wine and water into the Chalice: but make mention rather of an other misterie, which S. Augustine hath touched: howbeit his mind was not of the mingling of wa­ter with the wine in the Chalice, but looked vnto the blood and water which gushed out of Christ Iesus side. Wherupon he saith, Iohn. 1. August. That that side was the fountaine of the Sacraments of the Christian Church, to wit of Baptisme, & of the Supper: by which, as first by Baptisme the washing awaye of our sinnes, and by the Supper, our redemption. By which Supper the sacrifice & sheding of the blud of Iesus Christ therein are signified vnto vs: with­out the which, we could not be redeemed. Nowe there is farre greater reason in this misticall expo­sitiō of S. Augustine, which they here touch by the words that they pronounce, when they make this mixture, then in this application, and in the other misterie which hertofore was propounded. For it is sufficiently enough represented in Baptisme, & in the Supper, without making of another new & strange Sacrament after their own fashiō groūded onely vpon allegories and imaginations of their owne heades. For, what greater vnion can they represent between Iesus Christ & the faithfull, thē that which is represented by the whole action & administration of the Supper, which is the trewe Sacrament of vnion? By which, the coniunction that is betweene the head and the members is so liuely expressed by the vnion of the graines, whereof the wine and breade are made: which [Page 144]by the water can not bee so well represented, being not made of so many graines as the wine is. And therefore they might verie well content them selues with Iesus Christes simple and pure ordinaunce.

e We haue here a verie proper and pleasaunt enterlude. For if the Masse be not so solemnized, as that there be three players in it, to wit, the Dea­con, Subdeacon, & Sir Gurdegobresse, who play­eth the notablest part, Sir Gurdebreasse must in this point play the drunken Priest, and both sing and aunswere him selfe. For, first of all, he com­maundeth him selfe to blesse him selfe, and after, doth that which he commaundeth him selfe. But how euer it is with him, he must take his leaue to reade the wordes of the Gospell: that is to say, so to deliuer it, as that no man vnderstandeth one worde that is in it. For, such Apostles and messen­gers hath the Popish Church, who are sent out to announce the Gospell in the Masse, without de­claring anie thing of that they say: which is not the office of a true and good messenger. And ther­fore is not this a great mockery which the Popish Church vseth, to haue the Deacon desire to haue his lippes and hart purified, as the lippes of Isaiah were with an hote burning cole, that he might be made morthy to set forth the holy Gospell? Is not this euen to mock and scorne both God & men?

Of the second incensing, and of the lesson of the Gospell. CHAPTER XXIII.

VVhat thinges are to be noted vpon these foresaid matters. CHAPTER XXIIII.

a IT hath bene saide, that Leo was he who first ordained the censinges in the Masse, howbeit I cannot say whether he ordained them all yea or no, or whether some bodie else added mo therto. If it be not a solemne Masse, the Gods which are made in it, are not perfumed.

b And againe, the play were not worth a but­ton, if this frankensence were not charmed accor­ding to their accustomed maner. What kinde of consecration & blessing is this? And besides, what a mockery and sorcery is this, to speake vnto the frankensence? Now, if this frankensence be burnt in the honour of the deuill (as in deede it is, consi­dering that he is the very Authour, of such a Masse as at this present it is) then call they for his bles­sing to be vpon this frankensence.

c The Romanists, Matth. 2, whē they make an expositiō of the misticall meaning of the giftes which the wise men that came frō the East, by the guiding of the star, to worship our Sauior Iesus Christ offred, say, that the offring of the gould, declared him to be a King, & that the mirrhe, signified his humility & death: & the frākēsens, the acknowledging of him to be God, because that incēse betokeneth diuini­ty, Deut, 33 & that God ordained the incēsings in the law, that by thē such homage should be don vnto him as appertained & was conuenient for his diuine maiesty. By this interpretatiō thē, the Altar, chalice masse booke, & the Priest himselfe also should be, God. At the least wise, that honor is here don vnto them, which, as they say, appertaineth vnto God. And therfore it is no maruel, that S. Gurdegobreas so honoreth his table & chalice, & his masse book also (which by his will he would not change nor giue for his mealy God.) For, I may tell it to you, they ar a great deal more beneficial vnto him, thē the Bible is. For, the Bible would neuer bring him to that honor, to drink in so faire & goodly plate, nor so good wine, neither yet make him so fat, nor so wel liking. Neither is it any maruell though Sir Gurdegobreas himself be censed, cōsidering that by these his sleights of legier de main, he cā so wel iuggle, as that he can make Gods euen with his breathing. Now, if he be a maker of Gods, he him selfe must needs be farre greater & more excellēt then the Gods, which he maketh, for as much as the workman, doth euer farre excell his work.

d If the Prist him self say or sing the Gospell, he [Page 148]saluteth the people with his arse alwaies towards them. But if the Deacō do it, he turneth his side to­wards them, & looketh on thē, as cause my deare.

e We haue elswhere spoken of the ceremonies, wherewith the Gospell is honoured in the Masse. And that which hath bin said of the priest, may al­so, in some sort, be referred to the dealing of the people, especially about the cr [...]ssing of thēselues.

f They alwayes beginne the fragments of the Gospell which they rehearse in this maner, In the place, as in the Epistles takē out of the Acts of the Apostles, they say, In diebus illis, that is to say, in those dayes, & in those which are taken out of the Epistles of S. Paul, they say, Fratres, Brethren: & in those which are taken out of the Catholique Epistles, Charissimi, Dearelie beloued. Wherein, they speake as if they addressed their wordes to the people, as if there were manie of them, when as in verie deede oftentimes there is but one bo­die with the Priest, and sometimes none at all but him selfe alone. As for the other two prefaces, the Priestes them selues haue made such a skorne and by worde of them, as that when a man shew­eth them anie of their follies and faultes, by the rule of the Gospell, they aunswere, that it was, in illo tempore, in that time: &, In diebus illis, In those dayes. VVhereupon they would conclude, That that was in the olde time and aged dayes, and that those times and dayes are gone & past, as though the Gospell appertained nothing at all to them. Which doctrine is so wel put in practise as wel by them selues, as also by those which follow them, as [Page 149]that they most manifestly declare, both by their doctrine, life & conuersation, that they make no more accompt, nor care no more for the Gospel, & the word of God, then if it neuer cōcerned, nor yet appertained any whit vnto them.

g The matter contained in this little fragment of the Gospell, according to S. Iohn, here alleaged hath both largely & sufficiently enough bin hand­led in th'expositiō of the office vpō Corpus Christi day, where we shewed how these wordes wayed with the the doctrine of the Romanists, cōcerning the bodily presence & communion of the bodie and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, as well to the beleeuers as to the faithlesse, in the Supper.

h It should seeme that he would here make a charme of the words of the Gospell, requiring by them to haue sinnes defaced, as though the power therof consisted in the words, & in the vttering of thē. But we are to note, that as faith commeth, & is giuen by God through the hearing of his worde, without which there can be no true faith: euen so likewise, hearing serueth to none other purpose, but to condēnation, if it be not receaued by faith, by mean wherof, sinns are defaced, by the blud of Iesus Christ. Now, seing the people vnderstād not that which is spoken, how can their sinnes be de­faced by the words of the Gospell, which they can not beleeue to be true, & so can haue no true faith without they vnderstood thē? For, Rom. 10. as the Apostle saith, how can they beleeue without it be told thē. I wil not deny but that they may beleue, howbeit it shalbe after the maner of the Popish Church: in [Page 150]which Church, to beleeue, is taken with them, to beleeue vpon credit, & report of the countrie, and thinke that whatsoeuer it saith & setteth foorth, is true, although they which beleeue it, vndestand not one worde of it. But this neither comforteth, nor yet confirmeth the conscience of anie.

i This is euen like to the maner of the Priestes them selues, who are oftentimes so ignoraunt, as that they vnderstand not, what they them selues say, and yet beleeue & confesse these holy words.

Of the Nycene and Constantinople Creede, containing the sound faith of the true and auncient Church. CHAPTER XXV.

Of the thinges that are to be considered in this Crede, concerning those matters which we are presently in hand withall. CHAPTER XXVI.

a WE haue already spokē somwhat large­lie, of the singing & silēce of the crede in the Masse. In the Masse booke, it is commaun­ded to be said on this festiuall day, and on the o­ctaues thereof. There is concerning the recitall of the Creede, a Decree in the third Councel of To­lede, solemnized in the dayes of pope Pelagius the second: which expreslie commaundeth, That it should be recited and deliuered verie loudly be­fore the Lordes prayer, throughout all the Chur­ches of Gallice and Spaine, after the maner of the East Churches, and Councell of Constantinople: to the end that the faith might be manifested, and haue testimonie, so that the hartes of the people which were purified by faith, might go & receaue the bodie and blood of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Which Decree, manifestly confirmeth that which we haue alreadie spokē hereof elsewhere. There is also a Decree in the Councel of Basil, against such as should say it by halfes, as I haue oftentimes sene them do, Ex lib. Con, when I went to Masse being then very yōg. Our Priests song the creede after the Almain maner, which they called the Almaine crede, & it went no further then to, & homo factus est, & there they ended it. They vsed it when they had hast to their dinner, and were wearied to say the Creede out at length: and no doubt of it, they deale so with it euen at this day, for all the decreé of the Counsell of Basill.

b This aduertissement concerneth the iollie shew of the countenance & sleight of the handes, which Sir Gurdegobresse must hold & maintaine.

c A Creatour, is more proper and vsuall, then a maker: and the Greeke word is so set downe for that purpose. And therefore seeing it is so, that God is the creatour of all thinges, and consequēt­ly the Gouernour and Guider of them, and vphol­deth and mainteineth them, why runne the priests to creatures, and other what soeuer they are, whe­ther it be to men, or women Saintes, but to him alone, if they take him for the creatour, & father, and all the rest, for creatures. For, to pray to any other then vnto God, is against this Article. For, prayer without faith, cannot be right. Now, none of vs all confesse in this Creede, which conteineth the very whole some and effect of Faith and Chri­stian religion, that we beliue in any other then in God the Father, the Sonne, & the holy Ghost. No, we do not say that we beleue in the Church her selfe: But only that we do beleue the Church. For, there is a difference betwene that that we beleue of the Church, and that which we beleue of God the Father, of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghost, & in them: in whom, we say we beleue: that is to say, that we put our whole trust and confidence in them, but not in the Church. For, it, is compo­sed of men: and as the Prophete sayeth, cursed is that man, which putteth his trust in man. Where­fore, we onely say, that as we put our trust in the Father, the Sonne, and the holy Ghost: we beleue also that ther is a Church, that is to say, an holy as­semblee, by reason of this affiaunce that it hath in the Father▪ the Sonne, & the holy Ghost, by whom it is sanctified, and stayeth it selfe vpon one God, [Page 154]who is father vnto it, by the loue of his sonne Ie­sus Christ, through the sanctification of the holy Ghost. Then is it not God, neither the Father, nor the Sonne, nor yet the holy Ghost, nor any parte or member of the Deitie, no not the Angels them selues: but are all creatures. And therefore, if it be not lawfull to beleue in them, neither is it law­full to call vpon them in steed of God, and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ our Lord, and giue them the honour which apperteineth to God alone, if we will not gaine say the whole volume of the word of God, the Church it selfe, and the faith thereof: I meane not the Popish church, which is not plea­sed with such a faith, but the true auncient Chri­stian Church.

d Againe, this onely Article, by which the true Church confesseth Iesus to be the onely Lord, & true Christ, the onely true and naturall Sonne of God, is of it selfe sufficient enough to ouerthrow not onely the Masse, but also all the rest of the Po­pish doctrine and religion, For, if he be Christ, he is the very anointed of the Lord, our very King, high and euerlasting Bishop, and Priest, and true Prophet, who freed vs from the power and tyran­nie of Satan, from sinne, death, and hell, as our ve­ry true King, and reconciled vnto his Father, by the sacrifice of his death (which is spoken of in the Articles following) as our true sacrificer, who onely hath power to do it, & our alone Mediatour and Aduocate: and plainely reuealed and manife­sted to vs the whole will of God, not onely as a Prophet, but as the very true sonne of God, com­ming [Page 155]from the bosome of his Father. Iohn 1.14. And there­fore we neede none other doctrine and reuelatiō, nor yet mens traditions, for our saluation: neither yet any other Sacrifice, Sauiour, Redeemour, Me­diatour, Aduocate, and patron, to God for vs. For, as there is none other, that is very God and very mā, but he alone: Euen so likewise can none other performe this office. And this is the cause of that incarnation, which was spoken of a litle before: by which, the sonne of God, being one and the selfe same God, and of the selfe same substance with the Father, tooke vpon him mans nature, & was made man, Iohn 1. 1. Tim. 2, 3. to the ende that both God and man, might in him, be conioined and reconciled.

e If the doctrine of transubstantiation be true, and such as doth admit and allow, the carnall pre­sence of Iesus Christ in the Masse, this Article of Iesus Christ his Ascension into heauen is false, or else the body of Iesus Christ is no true body. For it is not said that he hid him selfe, and became in­uisible, continuing here below vpon earth, but that he is Ascended into heauen.

f There is none other comming of Iesus Christ in the flesh, and in proper person, spoken of throughout the whole Creede, saue onely these two which haue hetherto bene here spoken of. There is here no mention made of this inuisible comming, of the hoste of the priestes, nor yet of this carnall presence, deuised by them of the Po­pish church. Seeing then it is so, why are they iud­ged for heretiques, which beleue all that is con­teined in that Creede, neither yet deny any thing [Page 156]that is thereof conteined throughout the whole volume of the holy Scriptures, wheron it is groū ­ded? Contrarywise, why are they taken for Ca­tholikes, and faithfull Christians, which beleue it not, but beleue, mainteine, & teach all to the con­trary, denying both by their doctrine and workes, that, which they here confesse with their mouths, as we might presently shew from point to point, if we had not already, very largely and plainely handled the same in our Dialogues vpō the com­mon Creede, called the Apostles Creede.

Of the third parte of the Masse, called Oblation. CHAPTER XXVII.

FRom the singing and rehearsing of the Creed, euē vnto the Canon, there is almost no speach had of the Oblation. This parte also of the Masse, is so named, which in old time was the beginning of the Masse of the Catechumeni. Now a man may in it, see, many goodly thinges, for the buil­ding vp of his faith, and beleuing of that which heretofore we haue treated of, touching the of­fringes of the faithfull in the auncient Church, & the presentation of them vnto the Lord, lifting vp on hie, and recommending vnto him, the thinges, which they offred. All this geare, is now at this present referred to the bread and wine, which are prepared in the sacrifice, with prayers, that the of­fring of them is for the saluation, of quicke and dead, of bodyes and soūles, and not by the merite of Iesus Christ alone, but also through the merite [Page 157]of men and women Saintes. As concerning the principall part of this point of the enterlude, after that this scraping Squibbe, hath gotten the mony into his maungy fistes, he then maketh his Sermō. Howbeit we will here cease to speake any farther of this matter. Dict. 3. Ca. Omnis Chri­stianus. Nico. de Plou. expo. 3. part. Miss. For it shall suffice that we speake onely of the offringes, amongest which, there are some of them, which Christians, in some feastes are bound, vnto, according to the ordinarie cu­stome, as is conteined in the Decres: Because for­sooth it is writen, Thou shalt not come before me em­pty fisted. And againe, there are other Canons a­mongest the auncient Councels, which are not at this day very well obserued. For, first, it was de­creed in the Elibertine Councell, celebrated in Spaine about the time of the Nicene Councell, Libr. Con. & of Syluester the first: that the Bishop might not receiue either gifts, or offrings, of those who com­municated not at the Lordes Supper. But at this day it is cleane contrary. For euery man bringeth giftes and offringes to the churches, and no man communicateth there, saue only the priest, which sayeth the Masse, except it be some dayes in the yeare. Libr. Con. And in the Councell of Aquisgraue (called Bawmorte) celebrated vnder king Pepin the son of Lewys: it was decreed, that no man should of­fer any thing which he had not receiued from the hand of the Lord, & which he had not iustly got, and was acceptable in his sight. For, it is writen, He that offreth to God of the spoile of the poore, is like vnto him that offred a child in the presence of his Father. Who soeuer he be then, that will [Page 158]offer any thing vnto the Lord as be commeth him, let him first of all, Rom. 12. offer vp him selfe, as the Apostle teacheth, a liuely and holy hoste or sacrifice, which pleaseth the Lord, and afterward, those thinges which he hath iustly gotten: that is to say, which he hath receaued frō the hand of the Lord, and giue it blessedly to his benefit, vnto the Lord for vsury. Thus we see what is said in these Coun­cels, of the offringes of the Church, which should not be giuen to the profit of the priestes, if it were rightly obserued. For, with what kindes of of­fringes are they most of all enriched, saue onely with the riches of the great theeues and extortio­ners? And besides, if they should receaue no of­fringes, but of those which communicated at the Supper, they should receiue none but vpon such dayes as they communicated it to all the people. This ordinance, againe admonisheth vs, that there was a communiō for all the people at the Supper, at such time as this was made: and that they, who did not cōmunicate without they had some law­full let, were accompted is prophane and Hea­then people.

Of the Offring, and of the presentation of the chalice or cuppe, and bread. CHAPTER XXVIII.

Of the pointes that are to be considered of, vpon the matters aforesaid. CHAPTER XXIX.

a HEre is another salutation, wherin Sir Row­ley, drudg of the pudding house, fetcheth another prety turne, shewing his foule paunch vnto the people.

b This fragment, which is taken for the Of­fertory, is taken out of Leuiticus, Leui. 21. but not in such sorte as it is there set downe. Now, here in this, is a wonderfull skorning of God. For, first of all, the priest which sayeth Masse, exhorteth the people to pray, saying, let vs pray: and after, he himselfe prayeth neuer a whit. For, there is no mention of prayer in these wordes, but onely an aduertise­ment which the Lord gaue, to the Leuitical priests onely, how they, should vnderstand to gouerne and behaue them selues in their office, & not vn­to the Popish priestes. For, there is no mention made here of the sacrifices of the Masse, neither of the bread, nor yet of the incense which therein are offred: But of the Leuiticall sacrifices, of burnt offringes and loaues of bread, that were offred in them: not in the figure of the Popish priestes, and of their round wafer cakes, and sacrifices, but in the figure of Iesus Christ the hie Priest (who is the true bread that came downe from heauen) and of his sacrifice, Heb. 7.9. Ioh. 6. by which he offred and gaue him selfe for the life of the world. And therefore this sacrifice, cā in no wise iumpe with the priests of the Romish church, without they will say that they are the Leuiticall succession, and Iewes, still looking for the comming of the hie priest Iesus Christ. For, if they should so do, they should be no saints, but through such blasphemy, villanously [Page 162]trample vnder foote the name of the Lord.

c These verses of the Psalmes, Psal. 116. are here, mer­uelous properly applied. For, where Dauid pro­miseth to giue thankes to God, for the sauing health and deliuerance which he had bestowed vpon him, and that through a banket of praise: this blasphemour applieth it to his goblet, wher­with he here so pleasauntly playeth his parte, and wherby he renounceth the very true sauing health & deliuerance, which we haue receaued, through the sacrifice and benefite of his death.

d Loe here the sleights and trickes of the go­blet. Loe here, a pleasaunt cup of saluation, & ex­cellent sacrifice. It seemeth here that he meaneth to offer to drinke to God, when as he tosseth vp his goblet in so hie a maner. But what is it that he here offreth? what is it that he would haue mount vp so hie? Is it wine? For by their doctrine it is not yet blood. I am a fraid to speake of the bla­sphemies conteined in this prayer, for they are as many as their are wordes and syllables. To what purpose serueth Iesus Christ any more, if the masse, and his sacrifice haue this power and vertue both for quicke and dead, as is here set downe?

e O thou hellish blasphemer, is this the honor which thou dost to the holy Trinity, to offer thy goblet, in the steed of the blood of the very Sonne of God? and not onely in remembraunce of Iesus Christ, which died for vs, but also of the men and women saints who neuer died for vs. And besides if this be in remembrance, wherefore takest thou it then for the sacrifice and oblation it selfe, which [Page 163]was offred by Iesus Christ, Berno de off [...]c. Miss Ca 12. Berno Nicol. de offic. Miss. Ca. 13. of whome the Supper is a remembrance. Berno saith and affirmeth, that this prayer is not appointed to be said by any or­dinance, order or vsage, but onely by an ecclesia­sticall custome. He findeth fault also with one thing that is here committed in this vsage, which we follow at this present: that is, that after that this sacrifice is done in the remembraunce of the death and resurrection of Iesus Christ, that it is not conuenient any other remembraunce should be had in it, either of the natiuitie, or of any such other like.

f He maketh the goblet friske it here, all a pleasure.

g He taketh the sawcer also in his hand, to make his round Robin also whip it about, ouer which, he vomiteth as many blasphemies, as he doth ouer his goblet. And therefore all this is said in hudder mudder, after the maner of Magiciās or cōiurers. After this he falleth a iuggling about his goblet, and iolly round Robin, besides his encen­sing, according to the Romish office, which is stuf­fed with as many blasphemies: & causeth the go­blet & cake also to be encēsed at the table. This is it, which they make Leo the third, to be the prin­cipall authour of, and they attribute it also to the Councell of Roan. Now, seing the holy Scriptures manifestly tell vs, Ephes. 5. that the encensinges of the law were the figures of Iesus Christ, who offred his body a sweet smelling sacrifice, & that they like­wise represented the prayers of the Saints, Apoc 5. Psal. 141. as it is writen in the Apocalypse, & Psalmes, in which it is [Page 164]said, That my prayer cōmeth before thee like en­cense. We haue now no more need of these mate­riall encēsings to serue & helpe the Religion, on­lesse we will stil play the Iewes: or vse thē to serue our turnes onely for persumes, to keepe ill smelles from vs, and cleanse the ayer. For, if we otherwise vse them, the Lord shall say that vnto vs, which he spake by his Prophet, Isaia 1. I abhorre your encensings.

Of the washing of handes, of the recommendation of the priest and sacrifice: and of the secret. CHAPTER XXX.

Of the thinges that are to be considered of vpon the aforesaid matters. CHAPTER XXXI.

a HEre is now the second, and solemnest, hand washing in the Masse, but yet not the most delicate. And therefore Iohn sweet lippes, licketh not his fingers. He is contented to wash and make cleane his handes, as Pilate did, when he was wil­ling to condemne Iesus Christ. For, seeing he will needes sacrifice it, and that there can be no sacri­fice without shedding of blood, and death, when any liue thing is sacrificed, how farre is he behind Pilate (I pray you) who condemned Iesus Christ to be hanged on the crosse? He may then very well bragge, that he washeth his polluted handes amongest innocentes, or in innocencie, as it is in the Psalme, which this blasphemour abuseth here so villanously. But is there either rime or reason here in this? I will speake no more of the blasphe­mies which are in these prayers, either because they are altogether contrary to the true calling on the name of God, and the merite of Iesus Christ, or else because they are ill fauouredly ap­plied, and the holy word of God, by them, pro­phaned and dishonored.

b Here are crosses plentie. The priestes are very well contented to skirmish with them, and [Page 167]kisse them as long as you will: but to beare the crosse of Iesus Christ for his wordes sake, backe with that legge. They cannot skill of it.

c Who is that inuisible sacrificer and keeper, that he calleth vpon, for the sanctifying of so exe­crable a sacrifice? If it be he for whome it is pre­pared, and in whose name it is offred, surely it cannot be the holy Ghost, Ephes. 2.6. nor yet Iesus the ho­ly of holy ones, but the vncleane spirite who gui­deth and ruleth the enemies of Iesus. Berno of the office of the Masse Ca. 12. Berno te­stifieth that this prayer is said after the vse of the Gaules and French.

d Euery man may here see the pitches and turnes, and legier de maines that are vsed and played, to all ententes & purposes. And amongest all the rest it is ordeined that maister Iohn must turne him selfe to the people, and recommend him to their prayers, promising them also to lend them his. Howbeit the people vnderstand not a word of that he sayeth. Wherefore he lo­seth this his recommendation without haply it serue him for the stopping of a gappe, for the bet­ter garnishing and furnishing of the play. Wher­upon, we haue to note, that if he haue but one to make aunswere, he should say, brother, pray, and not brethren, pray ye.

e Here, he maketh all these his companions, that are at Masse with him, saying, that the sa­crifice which he offreth, is aswell theirs, as his. And therefore if he renounce Iesus Christ in of­fring it, they all likewise renounce him, which are at Masse with him. It should seeme, that this [Page 168]was taken from the maner and vse of the aun­cient Church, wherein the Ministers of the word of God, desiered the Church to pray for them, and wherein also, they which offred their goods, aswell for the sustentation of the poore, as for the maintenaunce of the diuine seruice, called vpon God.

f He againe exhorteth to prayer, and after, prayeth him selfe in secret, when he hath a litle pitcht and turned. And therefore this prayer is called, Nico. de Plou. expo. 3. part. Miss. Secret. And because he sometimes sayeth moe then one of them, as he doeth of the col­lectes, it is leaft to my young Maisters choise that doth the office: who hath a rule, to say alwayes as many Secrettes, as he shall say other collectes. Now, I could neuer yet finde out the Authours, that put to all these fragmentes which were put in, sithence the Offertorie, without, as I take it, they be the Authours of the Secrettes, to whom they attribute the Collectes, because they are such prayers as alter and chaunge, according to the diuersitie of the Masses. I know not whe­ther these Secrettes, were put into the Masse, in steed of prayers which are secretly made by eue­ry one in particular in the auncient Church, after the deliuerie of the worde of God, and the pu­blicke prayers, which the Minister sayeth in the name of the whole Church, Alama. de of­fic. Miss. Ca. 3. Cypria. de Do­minica oratio­ne. Serm. 6. Matth. 6. yea or no. Alamarius meaning to rēder a reason hereof, alleageth that, which S. Cyprian wrote, of the modesty, counte­nances, and humilitie which are to be vsed & ob­serued in prayer, finding fault with the disorders [Page 169]that are committed therein. And amongest all o­ther pointes he teacheth, that there is no need to vse much babling: which thing our Sauiour Christ him selfe expreslie hath touched. And besides that it is not needefull forcibly to crie out therein, con­sidering that we are to deale with God, who both seeth and knoweth our hartes. Howbeit Cyprian his meaninge is not, that the common prayers, which are saide in the Church in the name of the whole Congregation, should so basely be mum­bled vp, as that no man might bee able to heare them. For he speaketh not onely of such prayers, but generallie of all. For, it is one thing to praye particularly and a part, and another thing, to pray in common, as the ministers of the Church doe, who are, as it were, the mouth of the whole Con­gregatiō. Again why apply they not likewise this vnto their roaring and yelling, wherewith they make a farre greater noise in their Churches, then euer did the Priestes of Ball, as if their God were deafe, a sleepe, or else dronke in some Tauerne? Wherfore say they not this in such sort, as they say the secretes and Canon?

g There are some of their secretes in the Masse which containe horible blasphhemies. As for this that is here set downe is not amisse, nor yet con­trarie to the true doctrine of the Supper. They make it not here strange to vse this worde, Signi­fieth, declaring that the Supper representeth the peace and vnion which wee haue in Iesus Christ: which cannot be vnderstood of their Masse, wher­vnto they applye it. For, what signification can [Page 170]there be of peace and vnion in the Priests particu­lar Supper, and in the breade and wine which he offereth? This may be said of the Supper, hauing regard to the sacrifice of thankesgiuing, which is there offred, giuing thankes vnto Iesus Christ by the communicating thereof with a common ac­corde and consent.

Of the Preface, and of the Sanctus. CHAPTER XXXII.

Of the points that are to be noted vpon the aforesaide Text. CHAPTER XXXIII.

a HEre, M. hethethee hothethee, standeth like a man in a great amaze.

b Here in this point is some great matter: for, he saith the secrete very softly, for feare he should be heard, and soone after crieth out aloude, to no purpose in the world, for euer and euer: To th'end [Page 172]that the people, & they which help him at Masse, might answer, Amen. without ether hearing or yet vnderstanding what it was that he said, neither yet whereunto he referreth this his Per omnia. For this word Amen, is an Hebrewe word, by which, they that speake it, declare their consent to that which is said, and testifie that they take it to be true, and wish it to be so. But how can he that so answereth answere in trueth, without he do it scoffingly and merily, when as he vnderstandeth not that, which he affirmeth and testifieth? For it is as if a manne should set his hand and seale vnto an obligation, or letter, hauing neuer read it, nor yet knowinge what is within it. And therefore the holy Apostle saith, How shall he say Amen to thy prayer, who neither knoweth what thou sayest, nor yet vnder­standeth thee one whit? 1. Cor. 14. And if this be to be done in the publique prayers of the Church, it is much more requisite in the administration of the Sacra­ments. For, sith they are as it were a confirmation of the contract and couenaunt which the Lorde hath made with vs: what protestation, are we a­ble, for our partes, to make, if we vnderstand not the contents and articles of the couenant, where­of, the Sacramentes are as it were the seales? It is also much like, as if men should seale to a couenāt and vnderstood not what it is, & as if they should beare witnes vnto it, & yet knew not the contents thereof. And therfore the Sacramental words of all Sacramentes, are so to be vttered, as that they to whom they appertaine, might, as well as their capacitie were able to beare it, vnderstand them.

c Here he saluteth the people with his tayle towardes them, without tourning him selfe about vnto them.

d Wee haue alreadie elsewhere declared to what end this is said, and from whence it was ta­ken, and how the contrarie is done in the Masse of this exhortation. And therefore the Doctors them selues of the Popish Church do testifie, that none can haue part of this Sacrament, without he lift vp his hart on high, and that manie of them which say, they lifte them vp on high, doe manie times shamefully lye.

e Although all that goeth before, serueth for a preface, they especially call all that which fol­loweth it, by the same name, vnto the Sanctus. We haue somewhat at large spoken in other pla­ces of the diuersitie of Prefaces, which also haue their seuerall tunes, accordinge to the dayes and feasts, for which they are properly appointed. The Canons which we haue spoken of, that forbid no Collectes, prayers, prefaces, proses, nor anie o­ther Apocriphaes, noranie thing else that is not approued lawfull, to be vsed, haue yet rehearsed them in diuerse and sundrie Councels, as namely, in the second Laodicean Councell, & in the Mil­laine. And therefore it was many times ordained, that there should be but one fourme of the Diuine office: in one selfe same Prouince and Countrey: and especially in the Gerundense, first Bracarien, Ex lib. Con fourth and eleuenth Tolentane, Councelles. For which cause, they had their diuerse and sundrie v­sages giuen them, according to the diuersity of the [Page 174]Bishoprickes and Diocesses. The forme & maner of the Preface which is here set down, is ordained to be said euerie day from Christmasse night vn­to the Epiphanie. It serueth also for Candlemasse and this Corpus Christi day. The rest of the feasts, haue theirs also, by them selues. Furthermore I finde no great hurt in that, that is herein contay­ned, if it were applied as it should be, that is, ac­cording to the forme of the auncient Church.

f This aduertisement that is here giuen is, be­cause that hitherto M. Rowley Rownsie as a man amazed, holdeth out his handes a stroute, as if io­lie Sainct Frauncis should shew the skarres of his wounds. And in the end of his preface he putteth them againe together.

g Ouer and besides that which hath bene al­readie said of the ordinance of Pope Sixtus cōcer­ning the Sanctus, there is yet a Canon in the se­cond Vasense Councell, which commaundeth it to be said in all Masses, of what qualitie or condi­tiō soeuer they be. It is a notable thing to see frō whēce this geare it fetcht. For, there is nothing, of it selfe, but is to the praise and glorie of God. But being applied to this Idoll of the Masse, wherfore serueth it, but onely for blasphemie? For, the Lord knoweth what goodly Angelles, and Seraphims, we haue of these blasphemers, to sing praise vnto him. They may very wel cal him holy, holy, as oftē as they lust, when they so horriblie blaspheme him. And they may verie wel also take vnto them, the name of Seraphims, which signifie as much, as burning and slaming, but not with loue to God [Page 175]and their neighboures, as men enlightened with the light of God, as the Angelles are: but burning and flaming with rage and furie, to persecute and burne the children of God, which woulde praise him, as the Angelles doe: which they, quite and cleane take both from him, and from our Lorde Iesus Christ also, transporting the same vnto an Idoll of paast, & to that Romish Antichrist, whom they call Sanctissime Pater, that is to say, most ho­lie Father, in the Superlatiue degree, compre­hending all in one word, which the Angels made three of.

h They entermeddle manie words of strange languages in their Masse (besides their barbarous Latin) which they chieflie take from the Hebrues, and some from the Greekes: counterfaiting the Magicians, and heathen, and Marke the heretike, who were wont to intermeddle many barbarous, strange, and hard wordes to pronounce, in their charmes and diuine offices, that they might ther­by make the people, the more amazed, Arno. contra Gent. The. de fa. ha [...]t Lucy in Necy, and their doinges, a great deale the more wonderfull and strange, as Arnobius, Theodorete, and Lucian do testifie. They haue here Sabaoth and Osanna, frō the Hebrewes, which them selues cannot rightlie pronounce, and therefore much lesse vnderstand. But what a manner of speaking is this, thus to cō ­found one language with another, being not dri­uen of necessitie so to doe, neither yet to any pur­pose? It is as if we should say, Lorde God exerci­tuum, mingling Latin with English, not speaking fully, either the one or the other, in stead of saying [Page 176]all in English, Lord God of hostes, or in Latine, Domine 'Deus exercituum. And this is like all the rest.

i The Lorde also knoweth, to what great pur­pose the wordes of Dauid are here alleadged, for the comming of this newe Christ.

Of the fourth part of the Masse, called Consecration, CHAPTER XXXIIII.

After he hath made an end of the Sanctus, then followeth the Cannon, which is conuenient for him to declare, with the ceremonies before men­tioned, aswell here, as in the Cautels of the Masse alreadie recited. There are also certaine vsages, according to which the Lauabo is onely giuen in this behalfe, Expo. 4. part. Miss, as that which Nicholas de Ploue en­sueth. Now, here beginneth the most abhomina­ble sorcerie & Magicall art that is in all the whole Masse, insomuch that it may rather be rightly cal­led a deuillish execration, then a consecration, as they tearm it. We haue alreadie sufficiently spokē of these forgers of this goodly peece of worke, a­mongst which Nicholas de Ploue hath put in Clemēt the first, Ex 4. par. Miss, saying, that he ordained the Canon, [Page 177]that is, before the consecration. And we will here againe set downe as well generallie as particular­ly in the margine, the Authors to whome it is at­tributed. Now, because there is farre greater dan­ger in this point, then in anie other point of the Masse, it was ordained in the Councell of Oxen­ford, Ex lib. Con. holdē in England by the Archbyshop S [...]euē, that the Archdeacons in their visitations, should prouide, that if anie faults were to be found in the Canon thereof, that it should be amended & cor­rected: and that the Priestes might be able at the least verie well to pronounce the words of it, and soundly vnderstande the same. Here is also to be noted, that whē my Maisters which say the Masse are come so farre, some of them must with great reuerence and humilitie kisse the Altar, and some, the image of the Crucifixe (which is purposly pi­ctured in the Masse booke to that end) which see­meth to be a thing verie agreable with the decree of the Elibertine Councell, celebrated in Spaine, Ex lib. Con. about the time of the Nicene Councell and of Sil­uester the first, in which the pictures of Images were forbidden to be in the Church: to the ende that that which is to be honoured should not be painted & pictured on the walles. Howbeit, when this ordinance was made, the Masse had not then that furniture about it, which nowe it hath. And therefore it is verie meete that it should be garni­shed with this ornament, and especially in this point: wherein is contained the most shameful & horrible idolatrie & blasphemy that is possible to be deuised. Moreouer, the Maisters of the ceremo­nies, [Page 178]and expositors of this Canon, haue diuided it into certaine partes, some onely into fiue, and other some into twelue, as euerie of them shall be seene in their place and order.

Of the first part of the Canō of the Masse, containing a generall Prayer for the whole Church, and in e­speciall one for Prelates and Princes. CHAPTER XXXV.

a The prayer which is here set downe in this first part of the Canon, standeth in steade of the prayers which were wonted to be saide in the an­cient Church, especially as S. Paule teacheth, for Princes & great men in authoritie, 1. Tim. 2. Apoc. cap. 3 9. a form wherof we haue in Tertullian. But the beginning is taken out of the prayer which is said ouer the offringes, which the faithful offer, but to what vses, we haue therof els where spoken: which prayer these men improperly applie to their singing cake, and Cha­lice, thinking to make of them a Sacrifice.

b As oftē as these words, blesse, & blessing, are mētioned in the Masse, there must alwayes crosses be made with the hand & fingers. For, they think, that to blesse, is to make signes of the crosse. Now there are very ioly misteries & magical Sacramēts amongst these, howbeit we will passe them ouer.

c Our yong Maisters, make manie stout & strōg reasons, about the exposition of these 3. wordes, and all because forsooth, mention is made in the plurall number, of gifts, presents, and Sacrifices, as if there were moe of them then one. Which thing they will in no wise confesse. For, they say that Ie­sus Christ is there offered, which is but one onelie gifte and Sacrifice. Howbeit this difficultie was not in the Church, in which such & the like words were referred to the giftes and presents which the faithfull offred in the Church, which were breade and wine, wherewith the Supper was celebrated. And all these gifts & presents, were called Sacrifi­ces: [Page 180]some, because they were offred to God, for the releeuing of the poore mēbers of Iesus Christ, Heb. 13. in that sense which the Apostle calleth the almes and releefe of the poore, Sacrifices: saying, that with such Sacrifices and offrings God is wel plea­sed: and some others againe, to wit, those which wer takē to be vsed about the Supper, were called also by that name, because that the Supper is cele brated with thankesgiuing, which the same Apo­stle likewise calleth the sacrifices of thākesgiuing, as all other sorts of prayers are. Heb. 13. And therefore it is called the Eucharist, which importeth as much. But to what purpose is it, to offer bread and wine to God, for the whole Church? Surely this must needs be a very goodly Sacrifice, & wel worthy so high a Maiestie: and a verie proper chaunge, to change Iesus Christ into a singing cake and a litle wine, to make a Sacrifice of him. For, they are not here as yet transubstantiated. Moreouer, they say that these crosses and commemorations of giftes and presents do signifie amongest the rest, Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss. Iudas his treason.

d They expound this worde illibata for incor­ruptibile, although in verie deed, it signifieth pro­perly, a thing which was neuer dismēbred nor ta­sted of, but an whole & soūd thing. Now, they are againe verie much deceaued in the exposition of this word, because that oftentimes these iollie in­corruptible giftes, presentes, and Sacrifices, doe greatly corrupt and rot, as we haue vnderstood by the Cautelles of the Masse, heretofore recited. Whereupon, Chap. 3. li. Con. an ordinance also was made in the [Page 181]third Councel of Arles (celebrated about the time of Pope Leo) against those which looked not well vnto them, but suffred them to be lost, or be eaten with mise, or some other vermine: And therefore surely these could not be called illibata, that is to say, whole and sound.

e It was ordained in the 2. Vasense Councel, De expo. Miss. that the name of the Pope of Rome should be re­cited in the prayers of the Church. Nicholas de Ploue sayeth, That Clement the first, made this ordinaunce, and was after confirmed by Pelagius which sayeth, That he, without all doubt is sepa­rated from the world, who, for anie dissention, re­membreth not the Pope in the Masse, according to the custome in that behalfe receaued.

f This second remembrance is for the Bishop of the same Diocesse, where the Masse is said. Nicol. de Plo. This is not to be said, if the Bishop him selfe sayeth the Masse, neither yet at Rome, because the Pope him selfe is there, who is more then a Bishop. These N. N. signifie, that they of whome they will speake, must here bee named by theire owne names: For it behooueth that my yong Maister, which sayeth the Masse, haue a speciall minde v­pon them.

g It was ordained in the Councel of Rheims. celebrated about the time of Pope Leo the third, That prayers should be made for the Emperour, and his children. Ex lib. Con. If the Prince of the Countrey be anie other then an Emperour or King, hee must name him by his name, whether he be Duke or Earle.

Of the second part of the Canon, containing the commemoration for the quicke. CHAPTER XXXVI.

a This commemoration is in stead of the re­commendations that were wont to be vsed in the auncient Church, in that forme which hath else­where bin spokē of as touching the publike pray­ers therof: howbeit it is an horrible thing to se the blasphemies that are herein. Our young Maisters rendring a reason, Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss why there is a commemoratiō, made rather for the quicke, then for the dead, in this Canon say, That it is because that the quicke are in farre greater daunger then the dead, for al­though the dead are greatly tormented in Purga­torie, yet that they are without the danger of con­dēnation, & so are not the liuing. Now, if it be so, I greatly wonder why they haue not put in the cō ­memoration of these miserable deade soules, be­fore the commemoration of the Sainctes, which [Page 183]commeth after it. For, the Sainctes which are al­readie in glorie, haue a more pleasaunt wayting, then these poore soules that lye broiling in Pur­gatorie. Againe, if the Masse doe them no good for whom it is sayed, vntill it be ended, or at the least vntill the Sacrifice of it be offred: then, Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss these good soules lose nothing by it, although they be made to waite somewhat the longer. Here is also to be noted, That these yong Maisters commonly say their mementoes, as though they were a slepe and in a slomber, like vnto dormise. For which cause our Maisters finde great fault [...]th them, as well, for that it commeth oftentimes to passe, that they which are at the Masse go away thence, being greeued to see them sleepe, and tary so long in their businesse, because it is much better for thē to dispatch them selues of that which they cary in memorie, for the auoiding of the wandringe of their mindes this way and that, as oftentimes it falleth out.

b This naming of women seruantes doth ma­nie times giue occasion of offence to manie of my young Maisters, because it putteth them in minde of their women seruantes that are at home in their houses. Which thing is sufficient enough to trouble their mindes, both to make them for­get their minding of consecration and also make all those become idolaters that are present with them at Masse.

e This N. doth againe admoyish them of their names, which they are especially to recommend.

d This maner of speeche declareth, that not [Page 184]onely the Priest which sayeth the Masse offereth the Sacrifice which there is made, but also as ma­ny as are there with him. Wherefore then attribu­teth he the workmāship to thē that are with him as well as to him selfe? And therefore seing it is so, they which are at masse with him do asmuch blas­pheme the benefit of the death & passion, & of the Sacrificing of Iesus cōmitted in the same, as they which say it. Nowe a man may easilie iudge, by that which followeth, whether there be any blas­phemie in it yea or no. For, it is namelye sayed, that this Sacrifice is offered, for the saluation and redemption of the soules of all those, which are present at it, and also of all theires: which can no wayes agree, but with the onelie Sacrifice which Iesus made vpon the crosse. Wherefore I greatlie maruell that the earth openeth not, and swalloweth vp these blasphemoures, so often as this horrible blasphemie proceedeth out of their mouths. VVe haue shewed in what sense this ma­ner of speaking was in vse, to wit, For whome we offer thee, or, they which offer thee, when wee spake of the custome that was sometimes in the Church, in those dayes when the Supper was cō ­municated, to all, and that they which there com­municated, offred the bread that was there distri­buted, for the making of the Supper: but not to make such a Sacrifice of it, as is here described.

e Wee haue alreadie handled and treated in what sense the Supper might be called a Sacrifice of thankesgiuing. Howbeit, they are not conten­ted to make here of their Masse, such a Sacrifice of [Page 185]thankesgeuing as the Supper is, which also it can not be, seeing it is not in deede the Supper: But which is more, they make of it a propiciatory sa­crifice, that is to say for the remission of sinnes, in steed of geuing thankes with it, of that remission and grace, obteined through the sacrifice of the death of Iesus, as is made in the true Supper of his, calling these iolly sacrifices of theirs, their vowes, to wit, that which they haue promised and vowed to God: as if all what soeuer, both they them selues, and all Christians besides, are by their Ba­ptisme bound vnto, were comprised within this sacrifice.

f This importeth, that this sacrifice stretcheth it selfe no further for them that are liuing, but for spirituall benefites, and for their saluation. Wher­fore then do they it for earthly benefites, and for brute beastes, and such other like?

Of the third parte of the Canon conteining the first Commemoration of the Saintes. CHAPTER XXXVII.

a We haue heretofore, sufficiently spoken of the cōmemoration of the Saints. This is the first of this Canon, Dur. Rar. lib. 4. Ru. de 3. part. ca. Nic. de expo. Miss. 4. part. Clithou. in Elucid. which Nicholas de Ploue, attributeth not vnto Syrice as the rest do, but vnto Linus the first. Howbeit, who soeuer is authour thereof, it altereth and chaungeth in sundrie solemne and festiuall daies, by reason of diuerse additiōs which are put to it. We haue spoken also of that which Gregorie the third added for the Saintes dayes. And here is also to be noted, that ech monke, frier and priest thrusteth in their patrones as pleaseth them. It is easely to be iudged, that this peece was patched, too long, after the death of Iesus Christ, because that the names of Saintes are in it, which were long time after: yea and such saintes to, as are not very well knowen: howbeit there is no re­medie, but that we must needes beleue those men which haue enrolled them. At the least, there is one Grysogone, who, if I be not deceiued, is put in for Chrysogone. But I know not whence they had him. Here are two pointes, principally to be no­ted, in this maner of commemoration. The first is, that they ioyne the commemoration of the Saints [Page 187]with the commemoratiō of Iesus Christ, as if they were all alike and fellowes, and, as though the Supper had bene ordeined aswell for it, as for that of Iesus Christes. The other is, the praying that is made to them in it, and not to Iesus Christ alone. And what soeuer we speake here of this comme­moration, may also serue for all the rest that here­after ensue.

b Here is somewhat a strange kind of speach, whereas they say of the virgine Mary, genetricis Dei, & Domini nostri Iesu Christi, which is asmuch as if we should say, a begetter, or which hath be­gotten God, & our Lord Iesus Christ. I know not whether they meane to counterfet the poete in v­sing for Mater, which signifieth mother, by this word, Genitrix, which the Latines neuer vse, with­out it be in versifying and in poesie: or else whe­ther they thinke it to be more elegant, because it is not so common, but lesse vsed. Wherein, they sauour much of their countrey Schoolemaisters, who furnish their compositions with all the most eloquent wordes they can possibly get, be they poeticall or otherwise, so that they be straunge, & rare in vse. For therin cōsisteth al their whole ele­gancie. Howbeit the maner of speach which they in the olde time vsed, is nothing like to this. For they haue, according to the meaning of the Scri­ptures, rightly saied that, which we so often times haue heard in the Creede, that the Father being verie God, hath begotten the Sonne, who is also very God of very God: but when we speake of the virgine Mary, we say that Iesus was borne of [Page 188]her, and not begotten of her. But we will ouer slippe this, as a thing that may be more fitly han­dled. Neuerthelesse there is yet an other point herein to be handled, and that is this, that when Saint Paule vseth this maner of speach, & sayeth, God, and our Lord Iesus Christ: the name of God is referred commonly to the Father, and the name of our Lord, to Iesus Christ. For, although Iesus Christ the very Sonne of God, is very God with the Father, and the Father also, Lord, aswell as the Sonne: yet for all that, there is a difference in spea­king of the vnitie of God, and of the distinction of the three personnes in Trinitie. And therefore according to the maner of Saint Paule his speach, and the vnderstanding of his wordes, we should here vnderstand, that the virgine Marie, should not be the mother of Iesus Christ alone, but also of the Father, and that she had begotten, both the Father and the Sonne. But if they would say, that this is here set downe to meete with the he­resie of the Nestorians, thereby to declare, that Iesus Christ is not man alone: or that there are in him two personnes, as he is in one and the selfe same person, verie God and verie man: it might be a great deale more properly spoken in other wordes, and neuer abuse the wordes of the A­postle.

c This is one of the places, Rat. lib. 4. Rub. d. 4. part. chae. Nico. de Plou. de expo. Miss. wherein no, Amen, is aunswered: because (as they say) the Angels aunswere him.

Of the fourth parte of the Canon. [Page 189]CHAPTER XXXVIII.

a They call the Canon likewise by the name of Action, And therefore, that, which they say vn­der the title of the Action, is asmuch as if they should haue sayed vnder the Canon. Howbeit I know not to what end it is that they thus say. And as for the name of Action, they call it also the Ca­non. Because as they say, it is as it were a sute or cause brought in by the priest before God, against the Deuil, for all Christians. And therefore it is no maruell though Sir Bartill, who pleadeth this plea, causeth himselfe to be well payed for the sutes which he cōmenceth, cōsidering that he ta­keth vpō him the part of a lawyer in so dangerous a case. Let Iesus Christ therfore rest him selfe and be still, Rom. 8. 1. Tim. 2. and let S. Paule also giue him vs no more for our Aduocate, but giue ouer this charge vnto good Sir Squibble Squabble, who playeth the prety man so liuely, herein.

b It appeareth by this prayer, that they fol­low the trace somewhat of that which was some­times vsed in the auncient Church, as concerning [Page 190]the offringes of the faithfull, which they offred vnto God. For, we may here easely see, that this iolly Sir whip offreth not his offringes alone, but the whole church together, and that the church would neuer haue made this request which here­in is conteined, if she had meant to offer Iesus Christ, in offring of bread and wine vnto God. For she prayed for Iesus Christ, that he might be acceptable vnto the Father with his sacrifice, in steed that he might make vs acceptable vnto him by his sacrifice. And therfore, what is he that seeth not the blasphemie that is here committed, and in many other the like prayers, which are in this Ca­non, and how the custome of the aunciēt Church, and the maner of dealing therein is vtterly per­uerted?

c Nicholas de Ploue, Nic. de Plou. de expo. Miss. 4 part. Rat. lil. 4. Rub. de 4. part. cap. Berno. de offic. Miss. Ca. 13. Ala. de off [...]c. Miss. Ca. 23. attributeth the begin­ning of this peece vnto Leo the first, and the con­clusion thereof, vnto Gregory the first. Howbeit, Berno and Durand, do attribute the one halfe of it to Gregory alone: to wit, the three demaundes that are in it. And so, although it be but a very small peece, yet is it not all of one mans making.

Of the fift parte of the Canon, conteining the en­traunce into the Transubstantiation. CHAPTER XXXIX.

a This is one of those prayers which is againe attributed to Leo and Gregory. They which de­uide the Canon but into fiue partes, begin here the second conteining the consecration of the sacrifice.

b I will not here enter into the exposition of the epithetes and titles which they here giue vnto their oblation. And therefore they which haue a minde to vnderstand them, may learne them at their handes which haue treated of that matter. It is enough for vs that we aduertise here the Rea­ders, to call to minde that which we haue already admonished them of, else where, as concerning the bread and wine in the Supper, which were ta­ken from the offrings of the faithful: & remember likewise that which we haue already hādled som­what at large of the transubstantiatiō of the Aun­cients, and in what sense they vnderstood how the bread and wine were made the body & blood of our Lord Iesus in the Supper, and chaunged & turned into them. For we haue here, the maner & testimonie of all these thinges. For, this oblation, which is here spoken of, according as they in the [Page 192]olde time vsed it (in that sense that it hath alrea­dy bene interpreted) was taken from the giftes and presents which we haue so often made men­tion of. And therfore the Church made this prayer vnto God, not meaning that the substance of the bread and wine were changed into the substance of the body and blood of Iesus Christ, according to the doctrine of Popish transubstantiation: but that they were dedicated and consecrated vnto this holy Sacrament, truely to represent this bo­dy and blood, and the right communicating of them, in such sense as we haue already handled them, when as we spake of the nature of the con­secration, & in what signification the same ought to be taken. For, if these wordes be otherwise vn­derstood, they are taken contrary to the meaning of the holy Scriptures and the auncient Church: as hath very largely and manifestly bene shewed by the testimony of the auncient Church doctors, alleaged for that purpose, by occasiō of the office of the Feast of Corpus Christi day: who haue vsed the like wordes, in the very selfe same sense that we expound these. Howbeit, these our Roma­nistes, haue playd their partes herein, as they haue done in all other such like thinges, applying this to their transubstantiation, as they haue applied the testimonies of the auncient doctours: cleane contrary to the meaning both of the doctours, & also of the auncient Church. And therefore this prayer may very well be thus taken, as a request which the Church requireth, that the bread and wine might be so dedicated and consecrated to [Page 193]this holy Sacrament, as that in communicating thereof, it might also be a true partaking of the body and blood of Iesus Christ, and of their sacri­fice: as in very deed they are figured by the bread and wine, and as the bread and wine, by a sacra­mentall and spirituall presence and vnion do lay them open before vs. And surely there is no rea­son why we should take it in the same sense that the Romanistes take it, for, in it, is conteined a most intollerable blasphemy. For, what a kind of speach is this, to craue at the handes of God, to haue the substaunce of bread and wine chaunged into the substaunce of the body and blood of Ie­sus Christ? For, if that should be so, it would there­upon follow, that that which before was bread, is now become the body of Christ, which in very deed it was not. And so, the body of Christ shal be a new body, and not that body which is in heauē. For, if it be the same body which is in heauen, thē can not the bread be turned into it, and be made that body that before it was. For, what should be­come of the substance of bread, seeing it hath no more the substance of bread. And therfore it must either vtterly become nothing, or else become such a thing as it neuer was before. For, this bread must either be conuerted into the body of Iesus Christ, or else this body must needes be a new bo­by of Iesus Christ: or, if it be the same that is in heauen, it must needes be that the bread must be onely ioined vnto it, or else this body must needes grow into the same substaunce that the bread is of, which is ioined vnto it. The Questionarie and [Page 194]Sophisticall doctors, seeing that these absurdities and an infinite number of other such like, woulde follow vpon this doctrine, haue, through diuerse gloses & expositions, wonderfully tormented thē selues, to make an open waye to escape withall, which we haue sufficiently spokē of in our booke of the ministery & Sacraments. And therefore we wil here speake no more of them.

c Our Romish doctors, make sundry and di­uerse expositions of the signes of the crosses that are here made. But chiefly they diligently admo­nish, and namely Berno, to haue great regard, that the numbers be not odde, Ber, Micro. de offic. Miss. Ca. 14. Alama. de offic Miss. Ca. 14. according to the rea­sons by him alleaged. And contrariwise Alamari­us sayeth, that it shall not now be needefull to be very inquisitiue, why they make moe in one place then in another, and more or lesse. For, sayeth he, they that were with Iesus Christ, when he made his supper, can right wel tel, whether he made any crosses, or not, especially, seeing the crosse where­on he was crucified, was not yet set vp. Wherin, he giueth vs sufficiently to vnderstand, that it is more likely that Iesus Christ made none at that time, thē otherwise. But, seeing they haue bene not onely added to the Sacraments, as he sayeth, but are also so requisite to be had in them, as that wi [...]hout thē, there is nothing well done, as we haue alreadye treated in another place. Nowe because it is not truly knowne who ordeined these crosses, Micro. Ber. de ossic. Miss. Ca. 14. Berno, referreth them all to the Romish office, & to Gre­gory who ordeined it: saying that all this, came from the Apostolique sea, as all the rest of the ce­remonies [Page 195]of the Church did. And because Berno setteth not downe what Gregorye it was, it is no­ted in the margine, amōgst the exemplares which Cochleus imprinted, Cochle in Spe­cu anti deuo. im. that it was Gregory the sea­uenth. Which ordinaunces doe right well agree with his condition, like a coniurer as he was, if the testimonies which we haue heard of him be true. For it is the property of all coniurers to vse diuerse caracters, signes, and sigures.

Of the sixt part of the Canon, conteining the conse­cration of the Bread. CHAPTER XL.

a Here is shewed, what ceremonies are re­quisite for the handling of the host or round cake.

b Here we see the wordes of the consecrati­on. Now, they that wil conferre these words, with the wordes of the Euangelistes and of S. Paul, shal easily iudge, what difference is in them, and that there is somewhat added thereto which is not in their words. For, as we haue heretofore sayd in o­ther places, they no whit followe either the Euan­gelistes or yet the Apostles.

c Alamarius meaning to shew that the masse was founded vpon that which is here recited, Alama. de off. Miss. Ca. 14. that our Lord Iesus did, sayeth for the first point, That the Priest doth that which Iesus did whē he tooke the bread, when as he beginneth to take it into his handes, after the offertory, and the Secrettes: and that he here taketh it: and giueth thankes as he did, whenas he sayeth the preface, and blesseth it here. Wherein he putteth a difference betwene blessing, and thankesgiuing, notwithstanding that the Euangelists haue put in the one for the other, and not both of them at once, & so content them selues with the one, and leaue out the other, so long as one of them is in. Howbeit the Priestes make them goe arme in arme togither, as if there were some great difference betwene them, and such a difference in deede as it pleaseth them to set downe of them. Afterward he sayeth, that the Priest breaketh the bread as he did, whenas he breaketh the hoste. And besides that he distribu­teth it, and maketh a communion thereof, as Iesus Christ did. But to whome distributeth he it? For­sooth [Page 197]to none but to him selfe. Wherefore then sayeth he here, Eate ye all of this. Either Alamari­us was disposed to be mery when he sayd this: or els it must needes be, that at those dayes when he wrote these things, there was a publike communi­on for all the people in the masse. Nowe he was Archbishop of Trieues, in the dayes of the Empe­rour Lewys the godly, vnto whome he dedicated his booke. At the least, he neuer found that euer Iesus Christ lifted vp either the bread or Chalice, to cause them to be worshipped: neither yet any foundation of the maner how he administred the supper, whereby he is able to shew, wherein, he ei­ther representeth or yet followeth Iesus Christ in this point.

d First of all, the priest here worshippeth the God which he him selfe hath made: and when he hath so done, he lifteth it vp ouer his head with his arse towards them, that others might also see it, & likewise worship it. And al this while there is such tolling and tingling of Belles, such playing of Or­ganes, & such delicate musicke, especially if it be vpon any solemne festiuall day, as was vsed in the worshipping of Nebuchadnezer his idoll. There is also great store of lights. And amongest the rest, there are some which haue staffe torches lighted in one of their handes, and with the other they beare vp the chasuble of that worshipful Sir Gur­degobreas, as if they meant to set him an ende, as Apothecaries vse to deale with those vnto whom they minister their clisters. And all this while it is a wonder to see what bald countenaunces & vile [Page 198]faces euery of them maketh in worshipping of this iolly newe printed paasty God, as white and round, as the slyfe of a turneup roote. Berno saith, that the Romanistes haue ordeined, that no masse shall be celebrated without both tapers and waxe candles lighted. And although they haue many waxe candles & lampes at this their hellish sacri­fice, continually burning, yet must there needes be the greatest & most palpable darkenes amongst them that possibly can be, whenas they worship a round cake & peece of paaste, in steede of Iesus Christ the very sonne of God, & the very true Sa­uiour and Redeemer of all mankind. And for so much as that this round cake is not God vntil such time as the Sacramental wordes be fully & wholy pronounced ouer it, our venerable maisters doe of set purpose admonish the gentle maister God for­ger, to be very carefull, so to deale with this round Robin of the boxe, as that none of the people see it, before such time as it be consecrated & turned into God by reason of the danger that some sim­ple & ignorant folke might fall into, in worship­ping it before it were God, & thereby become ve­ry Idolaters. Nowe, it is meete here to be noted, that in this consecration, are conteined, the con­ception, natiuitie, apparition and comming of this newe Christ: vnto whome they chaunt vp his Be­nedictus, before he be conceiued or yet borne. And nowe we will come vnto his death and passion, which followeth in that parte wherein the sacri­fice is conteined, which is done after that he is forged.

Of the seauenth parte of the Canon, contey­ning the consecration of the Chalice. CHAPTER XLI.

In like maner when supper was done, taking also this excel­lent Chalice into his holy and reuerend handes, and againe giuing thankes, bles † sed it, and gaue it vnto his Disciples, say­ing, ^c Take and drinke ye all of this.

For, this is the ^d Cuppe of my blood of the new & euerlasting Testamēt, the ^e mystery of faith, which shall be shed for you and for many, for the remission of sinnes, As often as ye shall doe this, ye shall doe it in the remē ­braunce of me.

^f Here he lifteth vp the chalice, and setteth it downe againe in his place.

a Some of them lift vp the chalice being co­uered, & some vncouered. And although the cere­monies be contrary one to another, yet are there alwayes great mysteries in them. For, the couered chalice, signifieth the hidden secrete of the Sacra­ment: and the vncouered Chalice, the separation of the body and bloud in his passion. And therfore they consecrate them apart.

b Nycholas de Ploue manifestly sayeth, Gorrain Mat. Ca. 26. Nico. de Plo­ue, de Expo, Miss. 2. par. Cā. That Iesus Christ made no crosse, whenas he blessed & consecrated aswell the bread as the wine in the supper, because there was no vertue in the crosse before such time as he had suffred his passiō ther­on. And therefore he expoundeth it thus. He bles­sed it (sayth he) that is to say, he gaue the power of blessing vnto his wordes, to the ende the bread & wine might be transubstantiated into the body & blood. Here we see an exposition greatly agre­ing with the wordes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ, if we wil giue credite to this dreaming foolish doc­tor. And againe, the power which these Magiciās attribute vnto the crosse after the passion, greatly sauoureth of their Magicall arte. For is not this power in Christ Iesus crucified, in whome consi­steth all power & vertue, & not in the crosse, nor yet in the signes thereof which they make with their hands, as if a man should beate flyes away, or els play the fencer?

c The Counsel of Constance opposeth it self vnto these wordes of our Sauiour Iesus Christ.

d Although these our venerable maisters doe both strongly and cōstantly vphold & mainteine [Page 201]that the Sacramental words must be taken accor­ding to the letter, without anie figuratiue kind of exposition: yet are they enforced to expound this place figuratiuely: saying, This cup, that is to say, that which is contained in this Cup. For, they dare not at any hand say, that the Cup is changed into blood, as the wordes according to the letter, doe signifie, and according to their doctrine of tran­substantiation, & the exposition which they make vpon the wordes appertaining to the consecratiō of the bread. And besides this I do verily beleeue, that they would be perillouslie angry, to see their golden and siluer Chalices turned into blood. For I tell you that that were much against their profit. And therfore it is no maruell that they receaue & allow this glose here in this place. Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss 2. part. Can. Nicholas de Ploue, mightelie findeth fault, with all those Priestes which gaspe & breath so much ouer the bread, and ouer the Chalice, and accompteth thē to be monstrous offensiue puppies.

e This, & many other wordes moe haue bin put into the consecration both of the breade and wine, which are not to be found, in such forme & maner, as they are here set down, either in S. Paul, or yet in anie of the Euangelists.

f The Chalice is to be worshipped of it selfe, De celeb. Miss Ca. Sane Ni­colas. de Plo. de expos. Miss as well as his round cake. And therefore it is or­dained that the people, at the time of the eleuatiō aswel of the singing cake, as of the chalice, shal de­uoutly kneele on their knees, & worship thē both.

Of the eight part of the Canon, containing the Sacrifice which is made in the Masse. [Page]CHAPTER XLII.

a He is here commaunded to spreade abrode his arms, representing therby Iesus Christ hāging vpon the crosse. And therefore forsooth my good Pontificial M. Ienkin vnderwood, must here coū ­terfait the Crucifix. Now in verie deede, both the place & the text fitteth his purpose iump. For, this is the place where this my M. the Sacrificer ma­keth his Sacrifice, & wherein, he himselfe saith he sacrificeth & offreth Iesus Christ, to God. And be­cause that Iesus Christ was Sacrificed vppon the crosse, therfore this our venerable Sir, counterfai­teth the crosse, with spreading out of his armes, whereon he is with great ease crucified. Now, be­cause the case so standeth, I maruell much how it falleth out, that he is not rather commaunded to spreade them out at the vttermost length. Nicho­las de Ploue, who taketh vpon him to make an exposition of these iollie mysticall meaninges, Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss. 2. part. Con. is verie angrie, with a thraue of glorious young Maisters, who shame to spreade out here their hands & armes, for the representing of the maner & form wherin they were redémed by Iesus Christ vpō the crosse: & yet are not ashamed to retch out [Page 204]not onely their hands & armes at vnlawfull dan­ces and manie other their horrible and abhomi­nable pastimes: and perhaps, saith he, to the em­bracing of their women and strumpets with them, but also the whole bodie likewise, representinge thereby, the verie image and right figure of their father the Deuill.

b When our young Maister speaketh of the passion, he must hold his hands & armes a crosse: and when he speaketh of the resurrection, he must withdraw them: But when he speaketh of the as­cension, then his worshipfulnesse must lifte them vp aboue his shoulders. Is not this here I beseech you, a iollie merie Redeemer, and pleasant Iesus Christ? Who is it that will not be afeard to heare these scoffes and blasphemies? Wherefore I will surceasse to speake any more of these their misti­call expositions.

c Here are notable iollie seruants of God, & a wonderfull holy people, who vtterly deny their Sauiour that redeemed them. For, what meaneth this offring of a round peece of past, vnto the most excellent Maiestie of God, which they here call, a pure, holie, and immaculate host, and the bread of life, &c? Is not here (I pray you) a goodly exchāge to haue Iesus Christ the verie true bread of life, to be turned into a round cake, & corruptible peece of bread?

d They which deuided this Canon into fiue partes onely, make the thirde part there of in this place, which is a prayer, that containeth another most horrible blasphemie. For here, this cursed [Page 205]blasphemer praieth for the Sonne of God, to haue the Father accept of him: that is to say, his Sonne Iesus, whome he, according to his minde, offreth vnto him, euen as the auncient Patriarches, that are here named, did their corruptible thinges, which they offred vnto the Lorde. For, although he offreth in verie deede, nothing else but bread and wine, yet forsooth, his intent is to offer the ve­rie bodie and blood of Iesus Christ, the verie true Sonne of God. Now, if the Sacrifice which he of­fred, had not bene more acceptable vnto the Fa­ther, then those Sacrifices which the auncient Fa­thers offered, it had not bene needefull for him to haue come to perfourme that, which they by no meanes were able to perfourme, by these Sacrifi­ces. And therefore seing he is come, and hath per­formed it, what meaneth here this blasphemour? For, if he offer vp that sacrifice which Iesus Christ offred, what needeth he pray for the same, & be­come an aduocate vnto God the Father for him, that he might be acceptable vnto his maiesty. And besides, whie maketh he him a companion with the materiall Sacrifices of the ancient Patriarkes, of whom he here speaketh? Moreouer, if there be nothing else but bread & wine which he offreth, what neede wee anie such Sacrifice to be ioy­ned with the sound and perfect Sacrifice of Iesus Christ?

Of the ninth part of the Canon, which also appertai­neth vnto the Sacrifice of the Masse. CHAPTER XLIII.

a What is the meaning here, of our yōg Mai­ster, by these things which he would haue the An­gels, by the commaundement of God, cary vp in­to heauen? Surely, we can vnderstand it to be none other thing, but onely this bodie & blood which he saith he offreth, and the same which he calleth the bread of euerlasting life, and the Cup of euer­lasting saluatiō. Howbeit, Thomas of Aquin per­ceauing that this carieth no reason with it, inter­preteth these wordes, Lib. 4. Sen. d [...]st. 13 Ni [...]l. de Plo. De expo. M [...]ss. 3. part. Can. to be the vowes & prayers as well of the Priest which sayeth the Masse, as of the people who are present at it: saying that it is not in the power of the Angelles to consecrate the [Page 217]bodie and blood of Iesus Christ. Whereupon he would conclude, as I take it, that it appertaineth not vnto them neither, to carie them vp into hea­uen. Some there are also who make other kindes of gloses hereon, whereon are grounded far wea­ker reasons. Now, if it be meete that we thus vn­derstand the matter of the bodie and blood of Ie­sus Christ, as in verie deede we ought, according as they teach, if we will not wreast the wordes of the Text, then must wee of necessitie make an o­ther consecration, to bring them againe out of heauen, if we will so often eate and drinke them, as here it is sayed immediatlie after. Nichol. de. Plo. de expos. Miss. 3. part. Can. Marc. 16. Luke 24 Act. 13. Hebr. 9.10. Our Lorde Iesus Christ is ascended vp into heauen alone, without the helpe of the Angelles, where he now is in the high Sanctuarie of God, makinge inter­cession for vs: But here in this place, the An­gelles must carie him vp thether: for they would deale with him in heauen, euen as they deale with him here vpon earth: For, as they must nedes ca­rie their God, because he is of him self neither able to foot it, or yet ride, without they cary him & hold him: they wold haue the Angels cary him vp into heauen, bicause they thēselues ar not able to do it.

b Here, gentle Sir Iohn playeth the partes both of Iesus Christ, & of Iudas also, if we wil beleue our venerable Maisters: For, they say, that here he ri­seth vp, representing thereby Iesus Christ when he rose vp, after he had prayed in the Garden: and then playeth Iudas parte, kissing the Aul­tare, as Iudas at that time kissed Christ. Where­in theyre Maystershippes VVorshipfulnesse, [Page 216] [...] [Page 217] [...] [Page 208]obserue no great good order. For, first of all, they crucifie him in their Sacrifice, and afterward put him into the Garden to betray him, and then play Iudas his part, thrusting him into the hands of the Iewes.

c These wordes manifestly declare, that they were not appointed for such Masses as are cele­brated at this day, but for a generall Supper and Communion, which was made vnto all the peo­ple. For, to what purpose should such a prayer serue, if there should be none to communicate but the Priest him selfe that sayeth the Masse? For, ac­cording to the meaning of this prayer, it extēdeth it selfe no further, but to as manie as are partakers of the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ who com­municate in the Sacrament of the Supper, in such sort, as we haue often heretofore said. Wherupon it followeth, that the Masse also serueth for none, but for such as there communicate, and receaue at the Supper as the Priest doth. I speake thus much because hee him selfe beleeueth that the Masse should be receaued for the Supper of Iesus Christ. For, he there commaundeth, all those to take and eate the bread, and also drinke the wine, which there ar offred, who according to the Lords ordi­nance, meane to be partakers of the things by thē signified, after such manner as he had appointed.

d Here, Mast Personne crosseth him selfe, for feare he should lose him self, if he were not crossed and marked.

Of the commemoration for the dead, which is the tenth part of the Canon. [Page 209]CHAPTER XLIIII.

a It was forbidden by the first Bracarien Coū ­cell, celebrated about the dayes of Pope Hono­rius, that there should be no cōmemoration made in the oblation (that is to say, in the Supper, by the auncient Fathers so named, and now amongst the Papistes called the Masse) for those that violently killed themselues, either by the sword, poisoning, hanging, or breaking of their neckes, or by anie other meane whatsoeuer, and that their bodies should not be buried with singing of Psalmes, as they do in some places. The like also was establi­shed for all such as were punished for their offen­ces, and for the Catechumeni who died vnbapti­zed. VVhich ordinaunce confirmeth that which we haue alreadie spoken of, elsewhere, of those causes for which the commemoration of the dead was in olde time brought in amongest the Ec­clesiasticall assemblies, and especiallie about the [Page] [Page] [Page 204] [...] [Page 205] [...] [Page 216] [...] [Page 217] [...] [Page 208] [...] [Page 209] [...] [Page 210]administration of the Supper, making thereby a difference betwixt those that died in the vnion & doctrine of the Church, and others that were se­parated from the same, or that had giuen occasion of offence thereunto.

b This Memento, and the Prayer therein contained for the deade, greatlie serueth their turnes, who giue money for the saying of Masses, for the deliuering of poore soules out of Purgato­rie: For, he speaketh but of those which are al­readie in heauen: for whome Maister Nicholas prayeth, that they might enioy that, which they alreadie enioye. For, what is it to sleepe, and rest in the sleepe of peace and in Christ, but to rest with Iesus Christ in his Kingedome? And what other refreshing of light and peace can they haue, seeing they haue the same alreadie? And therfore doe we not here, manifestly see, howe these scof­fers mocke and iest at poore, abused, and blinde Christians, and vnder what colour, they spoyle and robbe them? For, they thinke it not enough that they haue falslie counterfaited their Purga­torie, to rost and frie poore soules: But also, if all that they say were true, they more and more de­ceaue the miserable people, making them beleue that they pray in theire Memento, for the soules, that are detained in the paines of Purgatorie, and yet do nothing lesse, as their owne Canon wel te­stifieth: if they will not expound the words con­tained in this commemoration, in a cleane con­trarie sense, and otherwise, then the meaning of those wordes import.

Of the eleuenth part of the Canon, containing the last commemoration of the Sainctes. CHAPTER XLV.

a There is neuer a place in all this mask, wher­in Sir Gurdegobreasse more mumpeth and mop­peth, and maketh more pitifull faces, then he doth in this, without it be when he goeth about to eat his God. This poore Sir Iohn had here great need to be comforted: for he is left here post alone, and hath manie thinges to do. For, after he hath, all a­lone, played the partes of Iudas, the Iewes, Pi­late, and the hangman, Alam. de offic. Miss. Cap. 25. Berno de offic. Miss. Cap. 17. Nicol. de Plo. de expos. Miss and crucified and Sacrifi­ced Iesus Christ: he must here yet once more play the part of the Iewes, who knocked vppon their breastes, after that Iesus was dead, & of the thiefe that hong by him. Our yong Maisters say, that this [Page 213]was an honest theefe, but they may paraduenture be deceaued. And besides this he must also play the Centurions parte, who saide, Truely this was the verie Sonne of God. And therfore, he knocked vpon his breast, lifted vp his voice, and confessed him selfe to be as great a sinner as any of the rest.

b This is the last cōmemoration of the saints that is in all the Canon. And here it might verie well be disputed, wherefore the men and women Sainctes that are here named, are rather put in in this place, then a great manie of others that are farre more worthie. Howbeit we wil leaue the de­ciding hereof vnto our yong Maisters.

c They haue great reason, that no Amen, be here aunswered, for the ratifying of that, that hath beene alreadie sayed. For, what hope ought these Apostles haue to come into the company of the Saincts that are with God, who so villanously here renounce the verie Sonne of God, by whom and through whome the Sainctes are entred into that heauenly glorie, and who take a cleane con­trary course, to walk in that way which the Saints went for the attaining thereto. There is no doubt, but that this prayer is as well heard, as was Bala­hams, who desired to be in the companie of Is­raell, Dur. Rat. lib. 4. Nico. de Plo. de expos. Miss. and that his soule might die the death of the righteous. Howbeit, these Gallauntes our young Maisters neuer alleadge anie such cause, but say, That it is because that the Angelles aunswer him, and that this is the verie place wherein they doe this office.

d There is neuer a place in all this ioly maske [Page 214]and morisdaunce, wherein Sir Gurdegobreasse better, or more notablie bestirreth his sleight fingers, nor wherein he causeth his God more Iustelie leape ouer, about, and on euerie side his Chalice, or yet maketh him fetch more daun­gerous somplesauntes fore right, thwart, and eue­rie way, then in this. And besides, after he hath made him friske and gambaulde his fill, then he sheweth him on the one side of him, and not o­uer his head as he did before: But all on the one side, as our Roging bearewardes are wonted to doe with their Apes, when they haue caused them skippe and daunce vntill they can no more: as if hee should saye as they are wonted: Nowe Iacke, see thy keeper. Here Sir Gurdegobreasse maketh other manner of countenaunces, then earst he did, when he was so pensiue and alone. For he right well sheweth that the goute is not in his fingers. And besides, there is neuer a place that he had neede take greater heede vnto, that he make not roundelles in steade of crosses, then this, according to the aduertisement that we haue alreadie set downe in the Cautelles. For, he go­eth about his woorke so nimblie, as that a man would thinke that he did but tourne and returne his hands, as though he would make nothing but roundels, or else Saint Andrewes crosses, in stead of foreright crosses.

e If all honour and glorie be due vnto God, as it is in deede, why then do these blasphemours so often spoile him thereof, and especially in their Masses, giuing it to creatures.

f This aduertisement is to teach Sir Gurde­gobreas how to compas his turnes & halfe turnes which here he must make. But who woulde not tremble with feare, to heare the words which they here speake? For, they alwayes call their rounde cake which they make here friske and gambauld, The Lordes bodie. Are they not afcarde, thus to blaspheme him? For, if this be the bodie of Iesus, must he be thus ledde and played withall? Was there euer Cat in takinge of a mouse, that euer played with the mouse, as they playe with him? What is he that can but maruel at the great good­nesse of God, that is able so long to abide these so horible blasphemies, as to call a rounde cake, the bodie of the Sonne of God, and besides make it thus trippe and daunce?

Of the sift part of the Masse, called the Com­munion, and first of the Lordes prayer, and silence of the Masse. CHAPTER XLVI.

They which deuide the Masse into six parts be­gin here, the fift, which they call the perception of the Sacrament, and communion, although there be no communion at all.

a There is as great reason in this per omnia, as in the other which they say after their secreats, for the beginning of their preface. For our young Maister the Consecratour and Coniurour, hath mumbled vp in secreat, all his Canon hetherto, & afterward, beginneth to roare out in his bulchins voice this his iollie per omnia.

b There is in this part, Ber. Micro de offic. Miss. c. 17 Alam. de offic. Miss. Cap. 30. Dur. Rat. lib. 4. Ru. de resupar Nicol. de Plo. 5. part. Miss. by the Romish order, in all solemne Masses, great misteries, in the manner of the handling, holding, couering & vncouering the Paten: and about the Deacons, Subdeacons, and Acolites: who according to our yōg maisters expositions, do here represent the women which came to the Sepulcher of Iesus Christ. Howbeit, [Page 217]we wil not busy our heades any farther about this geare. It shall suffice vs to vnderstand, that our young maisters expound the paten, to signifie the largenes of charitie. And surely they haue great reason in it. For, there is no doubt, but that these our young maisters haue very large platters and saucers at their table. Moreouer, after that Syr Gurdegobreas hath played the passion and death of Iesus Christ, he passeth from that, and thrusteth him selfe in, to playe the buriall, resurrection and ascension, euen to the verye ende of the Masse. And because, when he hath made his white God lustily daunce and skippe, he nowe layeth him downe to rest a while: howbeit he resteth not there long. And after he hath lifted him vp, he lay­eth him downe againe, and when he hath crucifi­ed him, he putteth him into the graue. And be­cause he keepeth here againe silence, as he doth in the recitall of the Canon: Therefore this place of the Masse, is properly called the Silence: and the Priest, softly and secretly sayeth this prayer, after he hath sayd the Lordes prayer, because he hath put his Iesus into the Sepulchre. And in this sort expound they these ceremonies, and all the rest of the ceremonies that follow. Howbeit this shoulde neuer haue needed, if a man would but touch the tenth parte of the dotages which these dottrels set forth, to make them agree with their foolish dreames.

c It hath heretofore bene sayd, That the Apo­stles appointed the Lordes prayer, which they cal Dominicall, to be recited in the supper. And we a­gaine [Page 218]reade, that this was ordeined by Gregorye the first, and that he added this litle preface, which the Priest reciteth before it. Wherevpon, there were some that noted him of folly, Berno. Microlog. de offic. Miss. Ca. 12. Dur. Rat. lib. 4 Rub. de patr. no. Nico. de Plou. 5. part. Expo. Miss. Li. Concil. & reprehended him for it. And therfore he was enforced to purge & defend him selfe of it, as in his registre we read: where he, amongest other his reasons alleageth: That it was not likely, that the prayers which the schoolemen collected, and put into the Canon, were to be recited, and therefore much lesse the Lordes prayer. And because there were certaine Priestes in Spayne, which sayd it not, It was or­deyned in the fourth Councell of Tolete, celebra­ted about the time of Honourius the first, that what soeuer Priest, or Clarke, that sayd it not aswell in the publicque office, as in the perticular, should be deposed from his dignitie and office. It is wonder to see how shamefast our young maisters are here. For they speake as if they durst not say this pray­er, except they were commaunded & taught to do it out of the doctrine of Iesus Christ: without which, in truth they ought not do. For they ought not take in hande any diuine seruice, without his ordenance. But why were they not so ashamed, in all the rest of their dealings? And wherfore were they so bold, rashe, & arrogant, to thrust in such a number of their doting inuentions, dreames, and blasphemies, into the pure & holy ordenaunce of Iesus, the sonne of god? Moreouer, we might shew how well this praier agreeth with their owne do­ctrine, if we had not set the same forth at large in those our dialogues, wherin we haue made an ex­position [Page 219]of the same: howbeit we wil here touch only one point, that greatliest appertaineth to this matter: and that is this, that when our Lord Iesus Christ teacheth vs to seeke after god our father in heauen, he admonisheth vs, that he wil be serued with a spirituall seruice, & which alone he accep­teth of, as our Lord Iesus Christ him selfe teacheth vs, in the talke which he had with the womā of Sa­mary, Iohn. 4. about this matter. Nowe, we must not wor­ship & honor the sonne, otherwise thē we would honor the father, because there is alwaies but one & the self same essential & substantiall God. And therfore if we will worship him, as he is to be wor­shipped, we must lift our hartes vp vnto heauen, where Iesus Christ, as S. Paule telleth vs, Coloss. 3. sitteth at the right hande of God his father: & not seeke to worshippe him here below on earth in a peece of bread, a round cake, a goblet, in the handes of my yong M. in a pyxe, amongst vermine & myse, who are alwaies at warre with this poore white God. Wherefore, we are throughly to consider of those words which the Priest speaketh, whē he nameth heauē, in the beginning of his praier. Where he admoniseth vs to lift vp our hartes, & after when he cōmeth to say, Panē nostrū, &c. our daily bread, he in many places lifteth vp his round cake aboue his shoulders, as if he would say, let him alone in hea­uen, & worship him here in this round cake. Or, it may be, he doth it for this purpose, to declare that this round cake, is the daily bread of these young masters. For they may boldly vaūt, that he feedeth them, and that he hath many of these praesta quaesu­mus young masters, who would haue very hungry [Page 220]bellies and leane chappes, if this iolly litle round shorne God, like a Priestes round shorne crowne, gotte them not two or three, two pences a daye, through out the yeare.

d After that my young maister hath made great sporte with his round cake, and his goblet, then must his saucer also haue his turne.

e In other places the Clarkes, or els the An­gels, say Amen. But here, our maister Martin him selfe sayeth it: wherein, I tel you, are no smal my­steries. Howbeit we will not tell what they are, because they are aboue our reache. And besides, After he hath alowd roared out the Pater noster, he againe returneth to the mumbling vp of other blasphemous prayers, calling vpon others, then Iesus Christ. Now, our young maisters yeeld a ve­ry strong and notable reason, for the roaring out of the Lordes prayer, seeing that all the whole ca­non is sayd in secrete, and besides, all the rest of the prayers which followe immediatly after. It is, say they, because this prayer is taken out of the Gospell, and because that Iesus Christ commaun­ded, that that which he sayd in secrete, and in the eare, should be preached aboue in the house tops, in the open places and streetes. Wherein I can not but take it in good part, and greatly thanke them for their so free confessing of the truth. Wherevp­ō, we may cōtrarywise conclude, that it is no mar­uell, though they mumble vp and buzze all the rest, and especially their whole Canon, secretly & softly, as all Coniurers doe, which is cleane con­trary to the doctrine of the Gospell, and full of [Page 221]most horrible blaspemies.

f Here againe we see, howe he playeth with his paten and sawcer.

Of the breaking of the hoste, of the Agnus Dei, and of the Priestes draught of wine. CHAPTER XLVII.

Of the poyntes that are to be noted vpon the [Page 223]text next going before. CHAPTER XLVIII.

a MArke here an horrible and wicked kinde of speach. For, he speaketh in this place, of the body of Christ, as of the bodye of a theefe which should be deliuered into the hangmans handes, to be broken & laid vpon the wheele. And although he be notwithstanding commaunded, very reue­rently to receiue it, yet he meaneth forthwith to breake it in peeces: and that ouer the Chalice, for feare any peece thereof should fall beside it, & so be lost. The Romish masse booke, and the masse booke that is set forth according to the vse of Lu­sanne, call it somewhat more cunningly. For, in steede of calling it the body, they call it the hoste, which, he must first of all breake into two peeces, & after that, breake one of those two peeces into two other peeces, to the end there might be three in all. Now, herein are againe diuerse and sundrye mysteries, mystical senses, & straung expositions, touching this breaking, & the peeces of them, & the significations of euery of them, howbeit it is enough that we haue sufficiently spoken of this trash els where. For it grieueth me to lose so much time about the remouing of this filthy & bald pal try stuffe, although I haue but euē somwhat slight­ly and superficially heretofore slipt them ouer.

b Howe is it possible that this young maister, can any way once thinke of the passion and death of Iesus Christ, when as he is troubled about so many deuises, & making of so many faces & coū ­tenaūces [Page 224]as he must make al the time of this mask, wherein he entendeth to represent the same? Surely, this sawcer & paten of his is very cleanly remoued. There is not a kitchin boy in the whole world that is better able, more speedily to remoue his di­shes and platters then this good olde shot remo­ueth his saweer.

c This poore lambe, me thinketh, should here be greatly afeard, when he seeth him selfe in the wolues clawes, ready to be deuoured. We see here what a iolly S. Iohn this is, that speaketh to so iol­ly a Iesus Christ, made & fashioned of a peece of paaste. And it is no maruell, though he speaketh his wordes thrise one after another. For, the round cake, wherevnto he speaketh, hath very thicke eares, and therefore very dull of hearing, for the vnderstanding of that which he speaketh vnto it. Alamarius & Berno, Alam. de offic. Miss. Ca. 33. Microlo de offic. Miss. Ca. 18. according to the ordenaunce of Sergius the first, as concerning the Agnus Dei, &c. which hath bene already spoken of, say, that he ordeined, that the Agnus Dei, should be soong, whiles the body of our Lord Iesus Christ was in breaking, and pluckt in peeces, to the ende, for­sooth, say they, that he, whose body we see & be­leeue, to be broken, should be mercifull vnto vs. Here, they speake euen as grossely and sclaunde­rously, as the Alphabet and masse booke of the Priestes imprinted after the vse of Geneua doth, whereof we haue so often spoken. And besides, he addeth that after this breaking, all must commu­nicate, during the time that the Antiphone, called the communion, be soong, whereof, we wil incon­tinent [Page 225]speake.

d Here, he taketh his owne draught of wine. We are not to make recitall of that which hath bene already sayd, as concerning this matter. It should seeme, that their meaning here, is, to ioyne the blood and the bodye togither: because they were seuered. And therefore they should temper the whole body togither, and not the third parte thereof onely, neither is it the third part in verye deede, but an halfe, of one of the halfes.

e Seeing there is none, that taketh part of this draught of wine but Sir Iohn him selfe: he pray­eth but in vaine in that prayer which he mūbleth and buzzeth vp, praying, that it might chiefly be for the saluation both of his owne soule and bo­dy, and then for the saluation also of as many as should take the same. For, who are they that re­ceiue any part thereof? Here againe we see, ano­ther testimonie, which very wel agreeth with that which we haue heard Berno so much speake of, Berno. Microlo. de of­fic. Mass. Ca. 19. De Conse. dist. 2. Ca. Qu [...]m omne & Ca. Cū primis. as concerning the general communion of all. For if there be no supper and communion, but onely for the Priest which sayeth the Masse, this prayer must be chaunged, or els some of the wordes be left out. I will say nothing of the blasphemie that is in it, wherein this blasphemer desireth that the mixture which is made with that draught of wine, might be for the saluation both of soule and bo­dy, of all those that should drinke thereof, and a preparatiue for the receiuing of euerlasting life. But let vs now speake what an hard matter it is on the contrarye side, where it is forbidden to [Page 226]mingle the bread and wine together, as we haue els where declared: and where commaundement is giuen, that they should be receiued seuerally: according to the ordenaunce of our Lorde Iesus Christ, and not one, without the other: as may ap­peare by the decrees which are recited vnder the names of Iulius the first, and Gelasius the first. Wherfore, by these decrees, It is not lawful by the first, either for Priest or people, to mingle any of these thinges one with another: nor yet receiue the bread without the wine. Nowe, let our young maisters, if it may stand with their good pleasures, resolue vs of this hard doubt: & yeld vs a sounder resolution then that which is set downe in the glose of the decrees: or els it will breede them a great inconuenience in the matter. Moreouer, as concerning this mixture of the bread and wine, which they call the Body and Blood of our Lorde Iesus Christ, Alam. de offic. Miss. Cap. 31. Alamarius maketh mention of the di­uersitie that is therein. For some doe it, before the Agnus Dei, as the Romanistes, and others after, as the Geneuians & Lausannistes. Howbeit, all this is to no purpose.

Of the Peace, Preparation to breakefast, and of the Priestes Communion. CHAPTER XLIX.

Of the pointes that are to be considered, vpon the matters next going before. CHAPTER L.

a IF there is none other that can giue peace, nor fight for vs, but God alone, which in deede, we must needes acknowledge and confesse: we are not then to desire these thinges at the handes ei­ther of men or yet women Saintes: nor yet make S. George, S. Christofer, or yet S. Barbara, and such like, the patrones of warre, as the heathen made Perseus, Minerua, and Bellona the Goddes and Goddesses of warre, in the stead of Mars.

b The Priest, as the popish maner is, kisseth the Aultar, & giuing the pax to the Clarke, saith, peace be with thee: and the Clarke aunswereth, And with thy spirite. Miss. R. Berno de offic. Miss. Ca. 18. Berno sayth, that the pax, ac­cording to the ordenance of Innocent, is giuen before the Communion: signifying thereby, that he eateth his owne iudgement, which presumeth [Page 229]to communicate, before such time as he be first reconciled to his brother, and hath agreed with him. Here againe we see, that he ioyneth the pax with the Communion: which no whit agreeth with that, that Durand and his companions haue els where brought in. But must he haue an Idol to put him in mind of that, whereof the Supper and Communion is a Sacrament? In steade of this Idol my young maister kisseth, as we haue before sayd, either the Aultar, the image of the crucifyx, the re­liques, or els the sawcer, which they call the Patē. In other places, when any mariage is solemnized, both the Bridegroome and the Bride also, must o­pen their purses wide, if they meane to kisse this iolly Idoll the pax. In very deede, if it brought thē a good and longe lasting peace, they coulde not pay too much for it. Howbeit it behoueth them to haue another maner of peace then they shall get by it.

c Here is to be noted, that in this kind of dea­ling, my younge maister is called father: which thing in deede, oftentimes falleth out rightly, and especially when the sonne helpeth the father to say masse, as it many times commeth to passe in this great multitude of Priestes bastards.

d Here, M. Gourdy beginneth his Benedici­te, & is more eagre & earnest vnto his breakefast.

e Although this blasphemer desireth God here, to make him worthy of this Sacrament, yet would he haue forgiuenes of his sinnes, and by his merites, be replenished with the grace of the holy Ghost, and not by the death and passion of Iesus [Page 230]Christ alone.

f He confesseth here, that there is none other saluation but in God alone, and yet for all this he seeketh for more, and addresseth him selfe more to other creatures then vnto him, who is the alone Sauiour, and creator of all things.

g There were some reason in this prayer, if it were applied to the true supper of Iesus Christ, which sendeth vs vnto his death: by which we re­ceiue his body and blood, which is the fruite, that is here by them required, & not by this most bla­sphemous sacrifice, whereof mētion is made in the Canon. Micro. de offic. Miss. Ca. 18. Berno sayth that this prayer is not taken out of any certaine order or vsage, but onely from the traditions and inuentions of deuout men. He sayth the like of others also, which are sayd in the deliuering and receiuing of the Communion.

h Here is a prayerful of great blasphemy. For our Sauiour Christ sayth, Iohn. 6. That whosoeuer eateth me, liueth by the meanes of me. And yet this bla­sphemer prayeth, that the receiuing of his bodye might not turne to his condemnation. Howbeit, this so grosse an error & blasphemy, proceedeth from that which we haue so often heard out of the prose of Thomas of Aquine, which hath hereto­fore in part bene expoūded, for want of distingui­shing the difference that is betwene the Commu­nion of the faithful, & the faithles, & of the signe, without the thing signed, & with it. There might be here some likelyhood, if he meant, by the body of our Lord Iesus, the bread which it presenteth: howbeit he vnderstandeth it after the popish ma­ner. [Page 231]For so the faithles may receiue the signe: but none can receiue the body of our Lorde, signified thereby, but the faithfull onely.

Of the Priest his Breakefast, and Communion. CHAPTER LI.

Of the matters that are to be considered of, vpon the Priest his breakefast and Communion. CHAPTER LII.

a THe bodie of Christ is not a round cake de­uided into foure quarters, as is the rounde cake of this our Sir Gurdegobreasse.

b He must receaue another kinde of breade, then this round cake, if he will haue the heauenly bread.

c Here is a verie pitifull Sir Gurdey.

d Here is a pleasant Centuriō, who speaketh vnto his round cake, euen as the Centurion in the Gospell, spake vnto Iesus the very Sonne of God.

e The house rouffe of this scuruie shaueling, is his belly, wherinto, he meaneth like a rauening wolfe, to swallowe vp, this sillie lambe which he now calleth Lorde, vpon whome before, he hath called for mercie, that afterward he might deuour him.

f The bodie, that is to say, the round cake, is verie easilie to be handled, and very light to crosse him selfe, and serue him to play withall like a flie flap, because the flies should not trouble and vex him when he is at breakefast, and drinking of his wine.

g Such a prayer, no whit appertaineth vnto this round cake, nor yet vnto this banquet wherat Iesus Christ is not present.

h Here, he more honoureth his Goblet, then he doth the bodie of his God. Howbeit I doe not greatly maruell at that: Because his Goblet is made either of goulde, siluer, or at least, of verie fine tinne: and his God, is made of no better stuffe, then of a peece of paast. And besides, the Goblet is a pleasaunt thing to such sipping mates.

i These verses of Dauid are here againe as properly applied as they were in that place, wher­in they were heretofore propounded.

k Here, hee must make the Goblet also, to friske a little about for the crossing of him selfe, as well as hee made the rounde cake friske about to crosse his reuerende worshipful­nesse.

l This wine and this water are no blood, as that was which he euen nowe swallowed downe, but are onely giuen him to make cleane and rinse his Goblet and wide weasant, least there should remaine any blood in them.

m But in this prayer, which he here maketh at his last washing, which they call purifying, is great reason: For they haue reason to purifie and cleanse them selues, after they haue polluted their handes and mouthes, with such horrible sacrileadges and blasphemies, committed as well against the death and passion, as also against the bodie and blood of our Sauiour and Redee­mer [Page 235]Iesus Christ. Howbeit let vs consider of that which they speake. Howe shall we receaue the selfe same thing with our soules, which we receiue with our mouthes? For, the soule hath no such mouthas the body hath, neither doth it eate or yet drink so: neither is it in such sort fed, either with such meates & such drinkes. For, bread & wine, do serue to feede the bodie, and not the soule, saue that the soule is taught by them, by reason of the bodelie senses, of spirituall and inuisible thinges, which are signified by these visible and materiall signes. But the right meate and drinke of the soule, are the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ, not corporallie taken by the mouth of the bodie, as the Popish Church teacheth. But spi­rituallie, by the mouth of faith: which is the mouth of the soule and spirite, by meane where­of, the bodie is also afterwarde spirituallie fedde, and it can not otherwise bee. For, admit, that a man should eate the verie bodie, and drinke the verie blood of our Lorde and Sauiour Ie­sus Christ, yet should neither soule nor bodie Communicate thereof, nor yet be fedde there­with, vnto euerlastinge life. For, the heauen­lie and deuine meate and drinke, is spirituall, and receaued by fayth. And where that is, we shall neede none other. And therefore, the signes of breade and wine that are distributed to vs in the Supper, are not giuen vs, that with them and by them wee shoulde receaue the bo­die and blood of our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christ, as if a peece of flesh should be giuen vs [Page 236]to eate without bread, or in paast, and wine in a cup to drinke, as the Romish rabble, and certaine others, vnderstande and take it, who corporallie conioyne the signes, with the thinges signed and signified: But are giuē to vs, liuely to represent vn­to our bodily senses, that which our Lorde repre­senteth to our inward senses, or rather to stirre vp and dispose the whole man, to receaue the hea­uenly and diuine giftes, through faith and in spi­rite. Againe, if this bread and wine which the Priest receaueth in the Supper vnto him self alone are the bodie and blood of Iesus Christ, as he ta­keth it, and woulde haue men beleeue it, so that there remaineth no more substance of the breade and wine: then surely, this gift and present is not corporall, but euerlasting euen as Iesus Christ him selfe is. And therefore he doeth him great wrong, so to name it. If this thē be not the bodie & bloud of Iesus Christ, but onely breade and wine, as in verie deed it is: which way can he make it becom a remedie for eternall life? which remedie is in none but in Iesus Christ alone. And besides, we ar here further to note that, which the Priest sayeth, as if there were manie, which banquetted with him at the verie same table, & as if they had com­municated of the selfe same Sacrament. Is not this a maruelous kinde of mockerie? He, verily thin­keth, that this prayer was not made to be sayed in particular Masses, but when the people commu­nicated together.

n He forgetteth not here to sucke his fingers.

o Our yong Maisters say, that after this Sup­per [Page 237]is done, the bodie of Iesus Christ retur­neth to heauen. Howbeit this our scabd, scald, shorne Squier, who gobleth him vp, meaneth to haue him remaine in his entrailes and bowelles. It is also written in that small pamphlet called Stella Clericorum, that the Priest is Iesus Christ his Se­pulcher, because he swalloweth downe his bodie and blood into his bellie. Morouer, he hath great reason to haue his sinnes cleansed by the meanes of these notable and pure Sacramentes which he hath receaued, by which, he hath so horriblie re­nounced and blasphemed, euen Iesus Christ him selfe.

p We here see, a verie pleasant Simeon, sin­ging that song, which that good Simeon soong, when he held the yong child Iesus Christ in his armes. Howbeit this our newe Simeon, hath done much more, if we would beleeue him: For, he hath holden him, handled and tossed him, both aliue & dead, euen as bigge and great as he was, when he hoong vpon the wodden crosse. May not he then verie well sing, like the good seruant of Iesus Christ, who hath verie notablie honored & mag­nified the glorie of his Maister?

Of the sixt part of the Masse, called the Action of thankesgiuing, and of the communion thereof, and of the pointes that are to be considered vpon these matters. CHAPTER LIII.

a Here againe, is another whole turne, from the one ende of the Table to the other. And in all this whole daunce, there are but two of these. For, from the first beginning of the Masse, euen vnto the Gospell, he standeth at the right side [Page]& passeth not aboue the midst of the Table, in all the turnes he maketh, vntil the reading of the Go­spell, and then he goeth further, and carrieth his booke vnto the left side, and there remaineth vn­till this time, neuer going beyond the middest of the Table.

b It is a pleasaunt thing to see, how this pick­pot, rinseth & tosseth vpsidowne here, his Chalice and licketh it with his tong and lipps. There is no doubt but that he maketh cleane his plate. For, there was neuer kitchin maide that euer washed her spoones cleaner.

c Here beginneth the sixt and last part of the Masse, called the Action of graces, Nicol. de Plo. De expo. Miss. 6. part. because the Priest therein saith his graces, after he hath dronk vp his wine, and broken his fast.

d Berno saith, Berno de offic. Miss. Cap. 18. Mam. de offic. Miss. cap. 34. Ex lib. Con. that this peece is called Com­munion, because it is sayed whiles the people are receauing of the Communion, which they should receaue immediatlie after the Paxe. Here againe we see, a verie euident testimonie of the Commu­nion of the auncient Masse. Whereof there was a Decree in the fourth Councell of Tolete: where­in mention is made that certaine Priestes Com­municated immediatlie after the Lordes prayer was sayed: and after, blessed the people. Which thing is there forbidden, and commaundement giuen, to blesse the people after the Lords prayer: & besides, that the Sacrament of the body & blud of the Lorde, should be receiued in this maner, to wit, that the Priests and deacons should commu­nicate before the Altar, the Clergie in the Quier, [Page 240]& the people without in the bodie of the church. So that by this decree, there was but one common Supper for them all. And there was no difference in it, but the distinction of places, which was done for the auoiding of confusion in the Church. And because that in all ages, there were alwayes many people, who honoured not, nor reuerenced the Sacramentes, ne yet the Communion of the Sup­per, as they ought: The auncient Councels made manie ordinaunces about them: as that for one, which hath alreadie bin alleaged, as to communi­cate thrise a yeare at the least, if not oftener, which is continued amōgst the decrees of the Agathens Coūcell: Ex lib. Con. where it was ordained, that they which did it not, should not be taken for Catholiques, nor receaued amongst them: which is againe re­nued and confirmed by the Councell of Toures, without exception of anie, saue such as were put from it for some notorious offences.

e This peece called Communion, and the o­ther following, Post-communion, chaunge, euen as the Masses doe. I haue not set downe this, here, at large, because that whatsoeuer is in it, is con­tained in the Epistle alreadie set foorth. Wherein we may againe se, that these offices of the Romish Church, haue beene made without anie great iudgement, as good as they are. For howe often haue they bene amended, and yet to no purpose? And besides, they set down this peece as a prayer, and action of thankesgiuing, neither hath this bin in it a [...]e long while, as herein we haue an exam­ple thereof.

f This is the sixt time that the Priest saluteth the people, there lacketh now non but the last, & that is to close vp the Masse withall. The first is, before the first collect: The second, before the Gospell: The third, after the Creede: The fourth at the be­ginning of the preface: The fift, before he sayeth, The peace of the Lord be with you. In this sixt, he turneth himselfe towards the people, as he doeth in the last.

g There is greater reason to call this peece, the Action of thankesgiuing, then the other, consi­deringe what name it carrieth with it, which sig­nifieth, that it ought to be said after the Commu­nion: and the other that goeth before, during the Communion, whereof it carieth the name. For, thanks are properly rendred after that the Cōmu­nion is done. This word againe, giueth vs to vn­derstand, that there ought to be a Communion in the Masse, and not the Priest his breakefast alone, which cānot be so called. There is a rule set down that as many prayers must be said for this postcō ­munion, as alreadie hath bene before said, of col­lectes and secrets.

h Me thinketh that there are verie improper and obscure kinds of speaches in this prayer: al­though that in the rest it is to be born withal. For, the taking and receauing of the bodie & blood of Iesus Christ, to speake properly, is not temporall: as wel because we receaue them not onely for the time, wherein we outwardly receaue the signes of them in the Supper, neither yet for anie temporal life: but that they should remaine alwayes in vs, [Page 242]and we by them, be fed and refreshed. And there­fore this ought to be said, of the outward signes & administration of the Supper, which prefigureth that perfect fruition of the Lords Table which is prepared for vs in heauen, where we shall eate of the desired bread in the kingdome of God: which banquet we begin alreadie here, by a spiritual cō ­municating which we haue with Iesus Christ, as is figured to vs in his Supper.

Of the leaue that is giuen to the people in the ende of the Masse, and of the prayer which the Priest saith immediatly after, and of the matters that are to be considered therevpon. CHAPTER LIIII.

a We will not here speake any more of the kissing of the image in the Masse booke, neither yet of his last salutation of the Priest vnto the peo­ple. Neither shall it be needfull againe to rehearse that, which hath alreadie bin said of this leaue, Ite Missa est. But only set down the exposition which Barnard de Paratine, Iohn Beleth, & Nicholas de Ploue, make thereof, saying, that this is as much, Nicol. de Plo. in expo. 6. par Miss. Berno de offic. Mess. Ca. 20. Alam. de offic. Miss. Ca. 36. Nicol. de Plo. expo. 6. part. as if the Priest should haue said, Get you hence a­bout your businesse: For, the Masse is, or the host and oblation, is made an ende of. And therefore go after it. Whie? then must they go into out yōg Maisters bellie that hath eaten it? Now, here is to be noted, that the Priest playeth both Iesus Christ his part in his ascension vnto heauen, and also the part of the Angelles who spake vnto the Apostles after his ascension: and the people, play the part of the retourning of the Apostles vnto Ierusalem, after the ascension, or according to the expositiō [Page 244]of Iohn Baleth, of the returning of the people of Israell from Babilon. I beseech you are not here great reasons in euerie of these gentle expositiōs?

b Moreouer, this leaue is not alwayes giuen after one maner of fashion, according to the rule which is here set down. For, if it be not giuē with Ite missa est, the Priest turneth not himself vnto the people. And here Durand rendreth a reason of this diuersitie, Rat. li, 4. par. Rub. de ora. no. saying, that Ite missa est, was, in the old time sayed, when as the people met together in great numbers at Masse, by reason of the Commu­nion that then was made, to giue them leaue after this maner: & that at other times, when the peo­ple did not assemble after that sort, they vsed ano­ther kinde of fashion.

c If the faithfull that are dead rest alreadie in peace, as before hath bene said, then is this a vaine prayer for that purpose that they make it. Moreo­uer, they say that there is no peace graunted for the dead in the Masse, & that there is no mention at all made of them in the same, because they haue no neede thereof. And therefore it should seeme by this, that they are quite & clane forgotten in it.

d Euen as all the rest of the Romish Masse, as at this day it is, is nothing else but a continuall blas­pheming of the name of God, and of the merit & passion of the death of Iesus Christ: it can not be chosen, but that it must also conclude with a most horrible and cursed blasphemie. For after that the Priest hath forsaken Iesus Christ the Sonne of God, and withall, both the Father, and the holie Ghost also, in him: he prayeth that the holie Tri­nitie [Page 245]would accept of this so insupportable blas­phemie: manifestly confessing, that he taketh his Masse to be not onelie a Sacrifice of praise and thankesgiuing: but also a propitiatorie Sacrifice, for the obtaining, by meane thereof, remission of sinnes, which we no wayes can obtaine, but by the onelie Sacrifice which Iesus Christ made: as hath alreadie bene often said. And seeing it is so, it was impossible to make a better conclusion of the ex­position of the Masse, thē Nicholas de Ploue hath there made: greatly commending, not onely this prayer which wee here presently speake of, Tract fac. de expos. Miss. 6. part. but also the curtesies & bowings that are to be made in the saying thereof: mightelie reprouing al such as say it not, as it is here ordained. Wherevpon, he bringeth foorth for his authoritie, A very plea­saunt tale. a maruelouse pleasant tale as followeth. There was, quoth he, a man possest with a deuill, who was brought be­fore a certaine Priest, whome this Priest asked, what he thought of two other Priestes which hee named vnto him. Then this deuill that tormented this poore wretched man, said vnto him, The first Priest, quoth he, which thou namedst vnto me, was sometime ours, but he is now the Lords. And as for the other, quoth this gentle maister deuill, would be a verie honest man if it were not for stealing. This Priest who had demaunded of this M. the deuil his prophet, this questiō, greatly mar­uelled to heare this answer, because he tooke this priest, of whom the deuill made him this auswer, to be a verie holie man. Whervpon he determined to enquire further of him more substātially, asking [Page 246]him, what it was that he would steale, whō the de­uill answered, That it was this last prayer, whereof we now speake. Vpon which answer enquiry was made, whether it was so as the deuill had sated or not, & it was found so in deed. Whervpō this said Nicholas de Ploue, a Doctor of the decrees, cōclu­deth, that the Priests ought, not onely to be verie carefull to see that this prayer, with these ceremo­nies, were not omitted, but also nothing else, that was wonted to be obserued in the Church, in the Masse. What is he then that will not in good ear­nest, haue great regard herevnto, considering that so great a Doctor as the deuill is, is a witnes herof, & hath giuen his sentence & iudgement vpon the same? For, without all doubt, this is a doctor, pro­phet & witnesse, that is worthy to be brought in in such a matter. For, he is able to be a witnes therof, as of a matter of his owne handie work, which he right well vnderstood and knew.

Of the finall conclusion of the Masse, and of the last blessing thereof. CHAPTER LV.

Of the pointes that are to be considered of, vpon the text next going before. CHAPTER LVI.

a BEcause this our Iuggler would bid his table farewell, that he might go to another, where he should haue better cheere, he crosseth and kis­seth it for his last farewell.

b Soone after, because he hath playd in this enterlude, with his Chasuble, all that is needefull, he pulleth of that peece first, which he last put on. Then pawseth he a while, still standing in his white smocke with the rest of his masking robes, for the ending of some parte of the playe that yet remaineth behind vnplayed.

c There is a Canon in the Salegunstadien Councell, Lib. Con. celebrated in the dayes of Pope Bene­dict the eight, and of the Emperour Henry the se­cond: wherein, mention is made of the superstiti­on of certaine men and women, which customa­bly alwayes had the beginning of the Gospell af­ter S. Iohn, and of the especiall Masses of the Tri­nitie, and of S. Michael, &c. which thing is there forbidden. Nowe, the maner of the reciting of this peece of the Gospell, after S. Iohn, which the Priest here reciteth in the ende of his Masse, is no­thing els but such a meere superstition and wit­chery as was forbidden in this Councell. For it is not sayd, to instruct the people withall, because it is onely buzzed vp in the teeth without the hea­ring and vnderstanding of any. Neither is it sayde for a prayer, because there is no such matter con­teyned [Page 250]within it, but onely a doctrine to instruct vs in the fayth of the diuinite and humanite of Ie­sus Christ. Howbeit, it should seme, that the priest which recyteth it, and they that heare it do great­ly meryte, onely for hearing of it recyted, or for that it is there, recyted: and that there is great vertue in the wordes thereof, though no body vnderstand them, by reason of the iolly wordes and no­table matters that ar in it. Wherin they are much like the Iewes, who attribute as great vertue to the wordes and sillable of the names of God, which they haue in their languag in the holy scriptures, as if the power of God were tyed to them.

d This prayer is very necessary for all theise Gentlemen sacryficers, Moonckes, Fryers, Pro­phetes, and Ministers of Antechrist. For, the feare which they haue of loosing their temporall bene­fites, maketh them altogether forget heauen, and all heauenly and eternall benefites. For why do they all, so stoutly oppose them selues vnto the Gospell of Iesus Christ, and reformation of the Christian Church, for the mayntenaunce of their sacrilegous Masse, the very syncke of all blasphemyes: mens tradytions, full of all super­stitions and Idolatryes: and the popish sea also, the very sea of Antichrist, and of all abhomy­nation, saue onely for the temporall benefites which they receaue thereby, and fearing to lose them? For take away from them theyr lusty prebendes and fatt benefices, which they haue for the mayntenaunce of theise filthy and stynkyng abhomynations of theyrs, and they will soone [Page 251]after, care but a litle for them.

e We haue els where spoken of the orde­naunce, which biddeth the people to beware, how they presume to go from Masse, before such tyme as they haue the priestes blessing, and that the solemnite of the Masse be finished. This ordenaunce is conteyned within the Canons of the Agathensan councell, Lib. Con. where it is ordeyned that the Bishopp should bring all those to open shame and to do open penaunce which did the contrary. And in the first Councell of Orleaunce likewise, Ber. de offic. Miss. Ca. 20. Alam. de offic. Miss. C. 36.37 Dur. Rat. lib. 4 De ben nom. celebrated about the tyme of Pope Hormisde, wherein it is ordeyned, that the people should receiue the priest his blessing, if the Bishoppe were not there. This is to be vnder­stoode of the laste blessing, which is a double blessing: For they sende one of them immediat­ly after the Ite Missa est, or, Benedicamus Domi­no. And besides, there is yet another, which they call, the very last, by comparing it with the fore­most: which, they saye, representeth the com­ming of the holye Ghost, that was sent vn­to the Apostles. Vppon Whitesondaye, as the other, representeth the ascension, because Iesus Christe blessed his Apostles and Disci­ples, Luke. 24. Nichol. de. Plo de expos. Miss. 6. par. Alam de offic. Miss. Ca. 36. when he ascended into heauen. Nowe, because there are two blessings, it is to be doubted, of which of these two these fore­sayd Canons, meane. Howebeit, Alamarius set­teth downe a ful and resolute determination here­of, satisfying all suche as are desirous to vn­derstande, in what place the Masse properly [Page 152]beginneth and endeth, to the ende that if they can not be present at the whole diuine office, yet that they might be at the least, at the principall parte thereof, and which is properly of the Masse and of the very substaunce of it. Whereupon he sayth, That the Masse beginneth properly, VVhen the Masse begin­neth and en­deth. euen there, where the Priest beginneth the sacrifice: that is, in that place wherein we haue begoone the third parte thereof, according to the diuision which we haue followed, and which some at this present vse: and sayth, that it endeth with that blessing, which is with the Ite, Missa est. And for confirma­tion of his iudgement, he alleageth Isidore, who sayeth that the Masse beginneth at that same ve­ry place, Isidore. li. Ety. where the Catechumeni are put forth, when as the Deacon cryeth out, and sayeth, if there be any one of the Catechumeni, let him goe out. And all that which he there sayeth, confir­meth asmuch as we haue already heretofore spo­ken, of the Masse of the Catechumeni, and of the faithfull. And besides all this, the sayde Alamarius rendreth a reason, why there is no mention made in the Memento, but for the faithfull that are li­uing, and namely for those which are there pre­sent. Because sayth he, that in the action of the sa­crament there is no prayer made, but for the faith­full, and the sacrament is administred to none but to them. And therefore they cause all the rest to goe out. Ber. Micr. de offic. Miss. Ca. 21. Con. Tol. Ca. 18. Con. Aga. Ca. 44. Moreouer, Berno moueth a question, to knowe what kinde of men they are that ought to giue this blessing, because that Pope Damasus the first, gaue this power and authoritie onely to Bi­shops [Page 153]where Leo and Gelasius neuer forbad the Priests, except the Bishop him selfe were present. Hieroni Ru­stic. Narbo. He alleageth also the testimony of S. Ierome, by whome, he againe sheweth, that if the Priestes haue right power and authoritie to consecrate & administer the Sacrament of the supper, that they ought also aswell giue the blessing to the people. Berno, for the resoluing of this doubt, sayeth, that there is either a fault in the booke, of the matter which is written of Damasus, or els that this orde­naunce must be taken, according to Leo and Ge­lasius their meanings, either els that the custome of the Church did afterward cary it away, & that it was of greater force and authoritie, then the or­denaunce of Damassus. And in the ende he con­cludeth, that this authoritie was in the olde time, only giuen to the Bishops, because as he thought it was not greatly necessary for to haue the priests giue the blessing, seeing that there were none of the faithfull that continued at the Masse, but such as did communicate: vnto whome, the prayer that is called the postcommunion (which was appoynted for none but for the Communicants) serued in steede of the blessing. But whenas in processe of time, the people were withoulden frō the Communion, and yet could not be suffred to be at the diuiue seruice, there was a tolleration graunted, that the Priest might giue the people the blessing, to the ende it should not seeme that they should goe away bereaued both of the bles­sing, and also of the Communion. To be short, how euer it was, were it by reason of this occasi­on, [Page 154]or otherwise, he concludeth, that the custome of the Church grewe to be such, as that this bles­sing of the Priest could not be omitted, without great offence, C [...]n. Aga. Ca. 44. whatsoeuer either Damasus, or yet the Agathensian Councell, had herein ordained, which thought it to be so meant, as Damasus had alleaged. I haue here of purpose, againe set downe these things, that euery man might the better vn­derstand, what great difference there is betwene the Masse, as it is at this day in the popish church, and the maner that was vsed therein, in the aun­cient Church, to the end it might not be thought, that this Masse of the Popish church, is vsed in the diuine seruice, after that maner that it was in the auncient church we: also see the superstitious dif­ference that was betwene the office of the Bishop and the Priest, being thus diuided in two, in suche maner and forme, and for the reasons which we haue heretofore, els where rendred. For seing that the ministery both of Bishops and Priestes, hath bene alwaies one & the selfe same ministery, so farre forth as it toucheth, & extendeth it selfe vn­to preaching, & administration of the sacraments: why shoulde not the blessing of the one, be of as great effect & power, as the blessing of the other, considering that Blessing, is prayer, and that that prayer which the ministers of the Church make, is made as it were in the person of the Lord God, and in the name and behalfe of the whole church, whereof the minister is as it were the mouth, by which God him selfe speaketh, and offreth and giueth his blessing and power to this holy mini­stery, [Page 255]which he him selfe hath ordeyned? My meaning is, by this my speach, of the ministerye of the Gospell, and of the true ministers there­of.

f After that the Priest hath pronounced his last blessing, he putteth of all his masking robes, which he before had put on, to play this parte, and againe mumbleth vp his prayers, as he did when he made him self ready: but the Lord God know­eth to what great purpose they are sayd, and so buzzed vp.

g We are to seeke for other maner of Priests, and Gods seruauntes, then these are, for the ex­ecuting of that, that is there spoken of in this psalme.

h Here againe we see, how this iolly Simeon playeth his part.

i Here is hudled vp pele mele, both canticles, psalmes and prayers, in Greeke and eke in Latine, one in anothers necke, from a post to a pudding pricke. As touching this Canticle, which the Gre­cians made in the behalfe of the Hebrewes, Da­niels companions, who were put into Nebuchad­nezer his hoate burning furnace, they haue great reason both to alleage & singe it, to make an ende of such a blasphemy as the masse is, & that by such infamous, and detestable people, as these are, who execute the office, not of these faithfull seruaunts of God, which were put into the furnace, because they had rather be burnt quicke, then they would worship any idolls, against the expresse commaū ­dement and lawe of God: but of Nebuchadnezer [Page 156]causing such to be burnt to death, who as these holy people were, wil not worship their idols, but chose rather to be burnt, thē so villanouslie deny Iesus Christ, as he is daylie denied in the Masse, & by mens traditions, which are obserued vnder the raigne of Antichrist, in stead of the commaunde­ments and ordinances of God. And here we will make an end of the Masse, which we haue a great long time song, hauing touched no matters ther­in, but onelie the most grosse and doltish. Which thing we haue done, to the end that all men might the better vnderstand, how farre it differeth from the holy Supper of Iesus Christ, & what a masse & huge heape, of all abhominable idolatrie it is, and the verie raigne and gouernement of Antichrist, and his whole prop and foundation, whom I beseech the Lord eftsoones ouer­throw and destroy with the breath of his mouth. So be it.