The Bee Hive of the Romish Church, Part 2 · Preface · Chapter 19
The xix. Chapter. VVherein is concluded, that all the ceremonies of the holie Church of Rome, are founded vppon the Scripture, if they be well vnderstoode, and according to their interpretation which onelie is to bee esteemed so good: and what aduantage they hauehave, that stande fast to this interpretation. And herein is likewise mention made of the masse, and of maister Durandus booke.
Ceremonies of the holy Churches in general.YEa, shee doeth nothing in the world, either of great or small importance, but it is all so finelie founded vppon the Scripture, as can bee deuised. And that may appeare by this: That shee hath fetched the golden slippers, and the precious breeches of our most holie Father the Pope out of the Scriptures. For it is written: O howe faire and pleasaunt are the feete of those, which bring tidinges of peace, Esaie. 52.7. Rom. 10.18. This expositiō is set downe by Durandus in his booke called. Rationale diuinorum officiorum chap. 7. Num 8. Slippers and breeches of the Popes.which bring good tidings: which after their interpretation is as much to say, as, That the feete and legges of the Pope of Rome, must be decked with goodlie golden slippers, and with maruellous rich and costlie breeches: as it is well set forth by the holie Doctour & Bishop Durandus. And therevpon it proceedeth likewise, that the Pope doeth suffer Kings & Emperours to kisse his feete: yea, to treade vppon the Emperour Frederiks necke, as is before declared.Seeke the 10. chap. of the 2. part. And the rather his feete are to be kissed, because they are so faire & pleasant, and smell so sweete, especiallie two or three dayes after he is dead: for then come all the deuoute catholike people, and kisse them bare, whereby they obteine a verie great indulgence and pardon.
But nowe, if anie man be desier…us to vnderstand howe finelie all this is grounded vponupon Scripture, and further, to know particularlie the reasons, and causes of all the other ceremonies of the holie Church of Rome, and to see howe they are fished euen out of the verie deepest ground & bottome of the holie Scriptures, let him read the booke of Durandus, which (vponupon this occasion) he hath named,Durandus touching ye Mas…. Rationale diuinorum officiorum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae, that is to say; The reckoning, and reason, or cause of the ceremonies and diuine seruices of the Church of Rome. He shall therein finde maruellous secrets, and verie trimme iewels: yea, if the whole Bible were cleane lost, there might quicklie a newe Bible be deuised and made out of this booke, which would agree a great deale better with the ordinances of the holie Church, then the Epistles of Paul doe, which these Heretikes and Huguenotes hauehave in such great reputation. He hath the textes of the Bible as fast, as a handfull of flies: and there is not one iotte conteined or vsed in the blessed Masse, but hee hath a good reason, and a trimme text to bring in for it. There is not one hole but he hath a pegge to stoppe it: hee doeth there set you forth maruelous trimlie, all the reasons, why the Priest doeth so trimme him selfe in such mumming garments, when he goeth about to play his parte: why hee doeth first put a biggin vponupon his head, and then a long garment like a womans smocke aloft vppon his gowne?Search the 15. and 16. chap. of this 2. part. and then aboue that, a Cassocke without sleeues, looking out at a litle hol… aboue, euen like as a Snaile lookes out of her shell, or like as a magget a pie out of her cayge: Why he is bound with a corde about the middle, like a theefe that were going to hanging: why hee doeth turne sometime his tayle to the people, and sometime his face: why hee trippes sometime to the one ende of the Altar, and sometime to the other side of the Altar, as though hee were daunsing the Maides Morice: Why hee heaues or liftes vppe his voyce sometime like a chimnie sweeper, and by and by hee is as still and quiet againe, as it were a mouse in a trappe: why sometime hee foldeth his handes together, like sorrowfull Marie Magdalene, and sometime hee stretches them out on euerie side, as though hee would shoote in Robin Hoodes bowe: and then sodenlie hee pluckes them in againe, and tosseth them from the one side to the other, as though hee were catching of flies, or would fraye and scarre awaye crowes.
After this hee doeth set foorth verie perfectlie, and in particular, all the occasions and reasons, wherefore Sir Iohns Table is so earlie couered, and the Cup, the little Cannes, and the sauser so mannerlie set therevppon: and wherefore Sir Iohn doeth sometime sleepe at his table, and sometime starteth vppe sodenlie out of his dreame. Item, what it meaneth, that hee doeth runne and whisper his secretes to the breade and wine in their eares with a lowe & soft voyce, and that his companions sometime crie out so yealling with open throates, like wolues in a caue, or like swine when the butcher killeth them: and wherfore some goe to work with Organes, other with ringing of bels, as though there were an vplandish bellie-feast towards, or some such triumphe. And wherefore men do in the meane space light torches, as though they were bringing the Bride to bedde: and wherefore they lift vp the Priests taile behind him, as though they would looke into his arse, to minister a glister to him.
And if you peruse that booke well, you shall likewise finde there, wherefore Sir Domine with his long smocke doth so lustelie lift vp on hie a wafer, and a cup of wine, and that then euerie bodie falleth downe vponupon their knees, and knocketh vponupon their breastes with their fistes: and wherefore the Priest beginneth then to looke so …fully▪ like a ca…e laide on the butchers stall, and then beginneth …o lament the wafer or s…nging bread pitifullie▪ & to weepe with s…nes teares▪ and then at the last, when hee hath tossed it too and fro, long inough, away it goeth with a … into his throate, and so swalloweth it downe without chewing: and then hee hath his cuppe filled againe, and so he sendeth that after the rest. And yet you shall vnderstand further, wherfore he doth licke the chalice so sweetely, as an Ape licketh her yong ones.
And you shall (besides all this) beare wonders, of all the rest of the holie ceremonies of the Romish Church, which they do vse at their Mattēs, at noone, at euensong, at complen, and manie other times, with great deuotion, with all the gestures and fashions which they doe therein vse: and who hauehave deuised them all: and what euerie one of them doeth signifie. Hee can tell you more, all the feast dayes, and double feastes, all Vigils, Ember dayes, and fasting dayes, all dayes of fish and egges, all processions, goings about with the crosse, gange dayes, and all the whole brabling vsed through the yeere: all this hath hee euen at his fingers endes, and can bring in for euerie one of them, textes verie finelie founded out of the Scripture. So that I assure you, it is a pleasure for those that can heare it. Besides all this, you hauehave there set forth all the estate, pompe, and pranckings of our holy Bishops and Prelates, especiallie, of our most holie father the Pope of Rome: whereof there is not one iotte forgotten nor left vnconsidered: yea surelie, I beleeue that his holinesse, sitting vponupon his stoole of easement (sir reuerence of his holinesse) should not make one sowre or skornefull countenance, but this wise & profounde learned Doctour and Bishop, can straightwayes bring in for it some mysterie and weightie matter: And to bring a text of Scripture for it, which shall serue as fit for that purpose, as a sadle for a sowe. What needeth manie wordes? hee is a passing Apoticarie, hee can make a good medicine of a Cabadge stalke.
And therefore it is, that our deare mother the holy Church doeth so greatly esteeme this his booke,Durandus his booke. so that shee would not forgo it for anie good: and she hath reason for it because in deede it is her chiefe iewell or treasure, wherein all her holinesse is locked vp. Where will all these Heretikes now hide them selues, these Lutheranes, Huguenotes, Zwinglians, & Caluinistes, the one heape wt the other, which do bragge so much of the word of God? Let thē but once take this booke of Durādus into their hands, and they shall finde there, that all the ceremonies of the holie church of Rome, all their prankings, and strange deuises, are finely founded vponupon the Scripture, so that there is not one lacking: yea, and that the Scripture is wholie on our side, if it be right vnderstood, according to the meaning and interpretation of our deare mother the holie Church: to witte, that you passe ouer and let slippe the dead letter, and the plaine text, & depend wholie vponupon the spirit of speculation of our Doctours of Louen, & those of Paris, which is only the spirit, That quickeneth & maketh aliue, as is heretofore rehearsed.
Therefore, let all such as wil be good and Catholike subiectes of the holie Church and Sea of Rome, holde fast and sticke to this interpretation, and in anie wise shrinke not from it: but beleeue all whatsoeuer the holy church beleeues, not once going about to knowe, or to aske any questiō what it is: because it is inough for them to know, that the church of Rome cānot erre, so long as she remaineth fast groūded vponupon the foūdation of the Pope. Let them keepe in mind the saying of Salomon, You shall not remooue the pales & markes which your fathers hauehave planted: that is to say:Pro. 22, 28. You shall not once moue, Thus doth Eckius and all other Catholikes expounde it.touche, or alter any thing of al that, which our deare mother the holie Church of Rome hath established and ordeined. And dooing thus, they shalbe her white sonnes, & hauehave the worlde at will, they shall enioye the goods of this worlde: some shall become Bishops, and some Cardinalles, riding brauelie to the Courtes of Popes and Kings vponupon braue horses and Mules, and shal hauehave the fairest Courtisanes of Rome at their commaundementes.
In summe, they shall say to them selues, What canst thou desire? Where contrariwise, these felowes will bee so nosewise, that they will knowe all things, and will beleeue nothing, but iust that which they finde in Scripture, and in their Bible plainlie set out: yea, they doe mocke our deare mother, & the interpretations which shee bringeth forth vponupon the Scriptures But those surelie are Heretikes to the fourth generation: as Doctours and Physicions say, Euen to the hiest steppe of the staires. For like as Master Gentian hath here finely concluded, They do not beleeue the holie Church, They beleeue not the twelue articles of our faith: yea, they doe not beleeue the holie scripture, seeing they will not accept the interpretation of the scripture, which the holie Church hath allowed for good: And therefore, they must be banished, accursed, and excommunicated: yea, they must be burnt to ashes and powder, if they will not recante. For that is the sure sentence and resolute determination of our holie mother the Church of Rome, wherein doeth not fall anie stay or appellation, for that nowe from henceforth they will not, nor shall not beare with them anie longer. And herewith we will make an ende of the second part, hauing emptied this distaffe: and nowe (by master Gentianus leaue) we will in hande and proceede with another part.