Christ, that to be buried in Saint Francis cowles should remit foure parts of penance? what is then left 5 To be buried in Saint Francis cowle.] The friars succeeded in persuading the people," that they could get a great thing of the pope, or of cardinals in England, better cheap than other procurators could." (Wickliffe against the Friars, p. 60, A. D. 1608): and by these means they gradually usurped and drew away from the secular clergy and the parochial churches, to themselves and their own abbies, the administering of the several sacraments, hearing of confessions, and burials of the dead, especially of all the wealthy part of the community; together with such other religious offices, as might be converted to purposes of gain. "Friars drawen to them confession, and burying of riche men by manie subtil means, and masse-pence, and trentals, but they will not come to poore mens Dirige, ne receave them to be buried amongst them." (Wickliffe against Friars, p. 28). By having his grave within the precincts of the Abbey, they made the rich man believe, that he should partake of the merit of all the masses, prayers, fastings, and other good works which should continue, till the day of doom, to be performed in that holy spot. But to be buried in a cowl or hood, and the rest of a friar's habit, especially if accompanied and corroborated by a letter of fraternity, this was a sure protection against all manner of harm. "They techen lords and nameliche (especially) ladies, that if they dien in Francis's habite, they shoulden never come to Hell, for virtue thereof." Wickliffe in Lewis's History, p. 22. In Pierce the Ploughman's Creed, we have an incomparable description of these arts of the friars. One of them is supposed to be wheedling a man out of his money and among other equally strong arguments, having told the person of whom he is begging, that the order are now building a magnificent abbey, for which he is employed to gather the means, he promises, And mightest thou amenden us with moneye of thyn owen, left to our Saviour Christ, which taketh away the sins of the world? This I will justifie to be a great blasphemie to the blood of Christ. Also, that it was a great folly to go on pilgrimage; and that preachers in times past have been Antichrists, and now it hath pleased God somewhat to shew forth their falshood and errors. Also, that the miracles done at Walsingham, at Canterburie, and there in Ipswich, were done by the divel, through the sufferance of God, to blind the poore people: and that the pope had not the "King John, being buried at Worcester, under the high altar, was wrapped in a monk's cowl, which the superstition of those times accounted sacred. And I find also, that some of the honourable family of the Hastings were interred in habits of the friars minors, in their convent church at Coventry." Staveley's Hist. of Churches in England, p. 265. In truth, it is certain, that the practice was a very frequent one. King John died in the year 1216. Thus early then the custom must have begun. It is referred to, along with other superstitions of a like nature, in the following extract from a sermon, which has been already cited, preached on occasion of the funeral solemnity of the emperor Ferdinand, by Grindall, then bishop of London. "In times past men made preparacions afore death, but (God knoweth) farre out of square. Some redemed for money great plentye of indulgencies from Rome, and he that had the greatest plentie of them, to be cast with him into his grave when he was buried, (whiche I myself have sene done) was counted the best prepared for death. Others made provisions or foundacions to have great number of masses said for them after death, thereby to be the sooner delivered out of purgatorie. Other there were that thought it a more reasonable and speedye waye to quench the fire of purgatory afore they fel into it; and therefore they procured a great number of masses and trentals to be said for them afore death. Some of those that have bene learned, the more was the pity, have died in an observant or gray friars cowle, and afterward bene buried in the same, and so thought themselves well prepared. But alas! al these preparacions were preposterous." Funeral Sermon, signat. D 3. b. A. D. 1564. But the largest and best account, and exposure of this lamentable folly, may be read in Erasmus's Colloquy, intitled Exequia Seraphicæ. C 2 keyes keyes that Peter had, except he follow Peter in his living. Moreover, it was deposed against him, that he was notoriously suspected as an heretike, and twice pulled out of the pulpit in the diocesse of Norwich. Also it was deposed against him, that he should in the parish church of Willesdon, exhort the people to put away their gods of silver and gold, and leave their offerings unto them, for that such things as they offered, have been knowne oftentimes afterward to have been given to the stewes. Also that Jewes and Saracens would have become Christian men long ago, had it not been for the idolatrie of Christian men in offering of candles, waxe, and inoney to stockes and stones." Over and besides these cavilling matters, articuled and deposed against him, heere follow certaine other articles, whereupon he was detected, gathered out of his Sermon, which he preached in the parish church of Saint Magnus, in Whitson weeke, in the yeere of our Lord, 1527. Certaine other Articles producted against Master Thomas Bilney. "First he said, pray you only to God, and to no Saints, rehearsing the Letanie; and when he 6 Would have become christian men.] See Becon's works, vol. III. fol. 49 and 51. A. D. 1564. But arguments of this kind must not be carried too far. The reason of Jews and Saracens will not always be right reason; and a fit pattern for christians to conform themselves to. An argument very like the above has been not unfrequently urged by Socinian writers against the doctrines of the Trinity, the divinity of Christ, the atonement, &c. If we would make christianity palateable (say they) to Jews and Mohammedans, we must not press these high and unintelligible notions. See Leslie's Theological Works; Horsley's Tracts, &c. came came to Sancta Maria, ora pro nobis, he said, stay there 7. He said, that christian men ought to worship God only, and no Saints. He said, that christian people should set up no lights before the Images of Saints: for Saints in 8 heaven Stay there.] This is the petition in the Romish Litanies which follows next after that to the Trinity. It is succeeded by many others addressed to different saints. Bilney does not mean that the invocation of the virgin may be retained; but that we should stop immediately after the petition to the Trinity. "If there be but one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, where is our blessed ladie? Where is then saint Peter, and other saints?" Bilney in Fox's Acts, p. 913. Among the erroneous opinions complained of to the prelates by the lower house of convocation, June 23, 1536, as commonly preached, taught, and spoken, to the slander of this noble realm, disquietness of the people, and damage of chris. tian souls, this was one: "Item, it is preached against the Litany, and also said, that it was never merry in England sithence the Litany was ordained, and Sancta Maria, Sancta Catharina, &c. sung and said." Wilkins's Concilia, Vol. III. p. 805. & Should set up no lights.] The offering, finding, and setting up of wax tapers before images was a good work, from which no one was excused. And in this way, though it was easy to every separate individual, yet upon the whole to some churches it became a source of very considerable profit. In the Northumberland Houshold Book, p. 338, we find that the earl paid yearly for "the upholdyng of a light of wax" before the blood of Hales, our lady at Walsingham, saint Margaret in Lincolnshire, and our lady of Doncaster, the several sums of 108., 68. 8d., 10s., and 13s. 4d. In what estimation the people were taught to regard this act of devotion, may be collected from the following story, which continued to be read in churches, even till after the death of Bilney. On this account the extract is historically important, and the insertion of it may therefore be excused. In many other respects, it is painful to have to dwell thus long upon scenes so disgraceful. But the purpose of the editor in these compilations will be much misunderstood, if it be not believed, that while he has also other salutary objects in view, he is peculiarly solicitous by heaven need no light, and the Images have no eyes to see. He by them to turn the reader's thoughts upon himself, and upon that deceitfulness of sin, which will insinuate itself into the purest profession of religion. "Thou standest by Faith. Be not high-minded, but fear." "Also ther was a woman of evyll lyvyng, and she dyd never good dede in her lyfe, but only founde a candell brennyng before our lady. So it happed, whan she was deed, fendes came to her, and toke her soule. And whan they were goynge, there came two aungels, and rebuked the fendes, why they were so bolde for to take the soule, without dome. Than sayd the fendes, ther nedeth none (no doom); she dyde never good dede. Than sayd the aungels, take and brynge the soule before our lady. And so they dyde. But whan it was founde that she dyde never good dede, she must nedes go to helle. Than sayd our lady, She founde a candell brennynge afore me, and it was ever hier wyll whyle she lyved. And therfore I wyll be as kynde to her, as she was to me. And bad an angel take a grete serge (taper) and lyght it, and set it before her in helle. And our lady charged and commaunded that there sholde no fende come there nye; but let it stonde brennynge for ever more, to comforte all that ben in hell. Than sayd the fendes, they had lever (rather) leave the soule, than do so. Than badde our lady take the soule, and bere it to the body agayne. So they dyd. And when she was a-lyve, she bethought her oon her streyght dome there as she was at; and wente and shrove her to a preest, and lyved longe after; and she amended her lyf, and was ever after a good woman, and an holy." Festival, fol. 91, imprinted by Richard Faques. Compare same work, fol. 24. There is enough in the above narration, without going any further, to shew that the reformers had good reason to condemn the abuse of this, and other such-like ceremonies, as they were taught and practised in those times. Let us now see, what could be pleaded in their defence, in a work which had particular respect to the opinions of Bilney, by a most ingenious and powerful advocate. "Christ also promised that saint Mary Magdalene shoulde be worshipped thoroughe the world, and have here an honourable remembrance, for that she bestowed that precyouse oyntement uppon hys holy hed. Which thing whan I consider, it maketh me mervaile of the maduesse of these heretyques, that barke against the olde auncient |