The Relics of Rome, Part 55 – Part 57
Diuerse Pardons graunted of diuerse Popes for diuers considerations, gathered out of diuers bokes, writtinges and papers.
POpe Innocent the eyght hath graunted to eueryevery man & woman that beareth the length vponupon him of Christes nayles wherwith he was fastned to the crosse,Christes natles worshipped. (the iuste length of eueryevery one of them was nyne inches) and worshyppeth them daylye with fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aues,Greate giftes for so litle labour. and a Crede, that he shall hauehave graunted hym these seuen greate giftes that folowe. The firste is, he shall neuer dye sodayne death, nor euyll death. The second is, he shall neuer be slaine with sweard, nor other weapon. The thirde is, hys ennemies shal neuer ouercome hym. The fourth is, poyson nor false witnesse shal neuer greue hym. The fifte is, he shall hauehave sufficient goods and honest liuing. The sixte is▪ he shal not dye without the sacramentes of the Church. The seuenth is, he shall be deliuered and defended from all wicked spirites, pestilence, feuers, and all other maladies.
Pardon beades.To all good christen people disposed to say our Ladyes psaulter within this Churche or churchyard on any of these beades, the whiche bene pardoned at ye holy place of Shene, shal hauehave ten thousand yeares of pardon.Stringing of beades. Also for euerye worde in the Pater noster, Aue and Credo xxiii. dayes of pardon Totiens quotiens. Also they are pardoned at Siō, and by that ye shall hauehave for eueryevery Pater noster Aue, Note these scholepoīts The fyue Pardons beades.and Credo sayd on them, three hundred dayes of pardō. Also vntounto al those that the beades do string, or cause to be stringed in time of necessitye: there is graunted by .ii. Bishops .lxxx. dayes of pardon, and gods blessing and theyrs. Also ye must say first on the fiue beads, fiue Pater nosters, fiue Aue Maries, and a Crede in the worship of the fyue woundes of our Sauiour Christ. And then after eueryevery Crede, say on the first white bead of the fyue (Iesu for thy holy name) and then on the red beade (and for thy bitter passion) then on the fyrst black beade (saue vsus from sinne and shame) then on the second blacke beade (and endlesse damnation) and then on the laste white beade (bryng vsus to the blysse, that neuer shall mysse, sweete Iesu Amen. The pardon wherof, remembryng ye woundes great and smal of our Sauiour Christ, is fyue .M.iiii.C.lxxv. yeares of these fyue beades. The whole sume of pardō graunted of both monasteries for euerye saulter saying on these beades, is xxvi.M.vi.C. yeares and fyftye dayes, totiens quotiens. The pardō that belōg to ye …eads.Therefore let no man nor woman presume to carye away or to conueye the aforesayd beades, but hang them agayn, where ye fynde thē. For if they doe, they are accursed foure tymes in the yeare in the generall sentence. And at eueryevery saulters and pray… for al Christen soules.
Pope Clement the seuenth … other holy fathers popes of Rome hys predecessoures of theyr paternall holynesse and abundaunt graces, hauehave graunted to all the brethren & sisterne of the sayde gylde,Bostō pardon that nowe bee, and to all other ye will bee, ful power and authoritie to chuse thē any able prieste to theyr confessoure, seculare or religious,Ghostly father. whiche maye heare theyr confessions, and geue vntounto them once in their life and in the article of death, plenary and full remission of al their synnes, excesses, offences, and trespasses, howe greuous and enorme so euer they bee, A paena & culpa, &c. Also eueryevery Prieste chosen by the sayde brother or sister to be hys confessoure,Uowes chaunged. may release al mā ner of othes so yt it be not preiudiciall to any other mans ryght, may change all manner vowes in to other good & vertuous deedes of mercy totiens quotiens, Seruice neglected pardoned.the visiting of Sainte Peter and Saint Paule in the Church of Rome, S. Iames in Compostell, the vowe of religion and chastitye only excepte. He maye also dispense with all spirituall men and women being brethren and sisterne of the sayde gylde, totiens quotiens, for ye forgetting of deuine seruices, as houres canonicalls or penaunce enioyned whether it happen by debilitye or feblenesse of body, negligence or obliuion, or for defaute of bokes.An ante di… Agayn, the brethren and sisterne of the aforesayd gylde, may say, or cause to be sayd, masses and al other diuine seruices before daye light incontinent after three of the clocke after mydnight, not only in halowed places, but also in vnhalowed places though thei be suspensed or interdited by ordinarye authoritye. Also eueryevery brother and sister yt wil say any Wednisday, Friday, or Saterday… one Pater Noster one Aue Maria and a Credo in any church or chappell where they do dwell, and put to their helping hande to the sustentation and maintenaunce of the charges of the said gilde▪ as ofte as they shall so doe, shall hauehave cleane remission A paena & culpa, and the same remission,The chappel of Scal… caeli. as if they had visited the chappell of Scala caeli of Rome, and ye church of S. Iohn Lateranense, when the stations there be celebrated for qu…ck and dead. The aforesaid brethrē and sisterne also causing masse to be sayd either on the Wednisday,Purgato… Friday, or Saterday in church or chappell for ye dead, shal deliuer what soules thei wil, and as ofte as they wil out of purgatorye, prouided alway, so yt thei geue somwhat to the aforesaid gilde. Again, they saying deuoutlye one Pater Noster and one Aue Maria at these feastes following, yt is to saye, Easterday, Witsontyde, Corpus Christi, day, Mihelmas day, the fyrst sonday in cleane lent, and eyght dayes folowing eueryevery of ye sayde feastes, as oft as they shall so doe, shall hauehave cleane remissiō of al their sinnes.White meates. They maye also lawfullye in tyme of Lent and other times of the yeare in ye whiche white meates be prohibite and forbidden, eate Egges, Cheese, Milke, Butter, & al other white meates freely and without scrupulositie or grudge of conscience: and if they be sicke they also may eate flesh with councell of their gostly father and their Phisition.Fleshe. And whosoeuer shall procure any man or woman to be brother or sister of the aforesayd gylde, shal hauehave for hys Godly trauayle .v.C. yeares of pardon. Also eueryevery brother and sister with theyr fathers and mothers departed shall be made partakers of all Masses, Mattenses, Prayers, Suffrages, almesse dede, holy liuinges, pilgrimes, and all other good dedes and workes, of pitie & charitie, yt which be done, and shal be done throughout ye whole vniuersal church Militant, and all the members of the same for euer.
Agayne, they may be buryed in time of interdiction in Christen buryall,Buriall. of whatsoeuer death it shal happen them to dye, yea in places interdited by ordinarye authoritye also. And furthermore our sayd holy father hath graunted to all Christen people being truly… penitent & confessed or hauing purposed to be confessed at such tymes as the lawe hath determined, & there deuoutly do visite the chappel of our ladye in Boston,Large promises. & also do visite thre tymes .vii. altares there assigned in the paryshe church at the feastes of the glorious assumption, Natiuitye, & al other feastes of ye same our blessed lady, or wt in, viii. dayes following after eueryevery of ye same feastes, or any day of the said Vtas, putting to their helping hands to ye maintenaunce of ye charges of the same gild, shal hauehave and enioy al and singular indulgences & remissions of their sinnes, as if thei had personallye visited the churche of the holy Apost…es Peter and Paul at Rome and other the, vii principall churches there in the yeare of Iubile and Grace and also shall hauehave all the same indulgences and remissions of their sinnes, as thei shoulde hauehave if thei had personally visited the Church of S. Iames in Compos…el in Spaine,They al at …ow by the word of god brought to nought, according to … prophecy of christ. EueryEvery plāt that my heauenly …ather hath not planted shal be plucked vp by the rootes. and had done or caused to be done …here any other thing for the obtayning of the indulgences of the said yeare of Iubile at Rome and Compostell. Also our holy father hath declared and decreed, yt these said remissions, faculties, indulgences, and dispensations, shall neuer be reuoked, suspended, nor denulled, but euer to stande in full strength and vertue from henceforth notwithstanding ye yeare of grace or Iubile at Rome or any other manner of cause, whatsoeuer shal happen in tyme to come. And eueryevery man or woman may be made a brother and sister of Boston gilde, and enioye all remissions, priuileges, liberties, &c, if thei will paye euerye one of them at their entring, vi. shillings, viii …ens, and eueryevery yeare after during his or her life .viii. pens. or elles .xiii. shillinges,The price of ye pardon iiii, pens for the whole for eueryevery singulare person towardes ye mainteining & sustentation of priests, clerks & poore beadmen, which daily be foūd with the charges of the same gilde.
Pope Clement the fifte graunted to so many as geue ought to the sustentation of the order of Saint Trinitie of Houndeslowe,The pardō of s, Trinitye of hoū deslowe. his blessing for euer, & twelue yeares, clx. daies of pardō, with relaxations of the thyrde parte of their penaunce, and of ye payne due for their sinnes. Pope Alexander the fourthe to all the brethren & sisterne of the aforesayd order, that geueth some good portion of theyr goodes yerely to the brethren or Massengers of the said order, or in their will and testament do geue and bequeth some honest portiō of substaunce for the reliefe of the sayde brethren, hath licensed and graunted, to choose vntounto them any apte and meete priest to bee their Confessour or ghostly Father, and to absolue them from all their synnes toties quoties, and also bee buryed in Christen buriall, of what so euer deathe hee deceased, if he were not excōmunicate by name. Pope Innocent the thyrde dispenseth wt the Brethren and Sisterne of the aforesayde order concernyng all vowes of abstinence and of pylgrimage going, excepte onelyonly the vowe of pilgrimage vntounto Peter and Paule at Rome and S. Iames at Compostell, so yt it shal be lawful for thē to chaunge those vowes of abstinence and pilgrimage vntounto other workes of mercy & charitie: and thys hath he done of hys speciall grace and meere motion to all them yt geue somewhat to the sayd order of S. Trinitie. Pardōs innumerable and good cheape▪Pope Gregorye the nynth hath graunted to al brethren and sisterne of the aforesayd order, and to all their parentes and frendes, whether they be aliue or dead, al those Indulgences and pardons (which are innumerable and may iustly be cōpared with ye Starres of the Skie and the sandes of the Sea) that they hauehave, whiche goe on pilgrimage eyther vntounto Rome, or vntounto the holy lande. Pope Pius the seconde hath graunted and geuen to the aforesayde brethren and sisterne, once in their life plenary remission, and full forgiuenes of all their sinnes, yea, and that in all suche cases as are reserued to the Apostolique Sea.
Pope Innocent the eight hath confirmed all thaforesayd priuileges,Graciously considered. indulgences, pardons, &c. and of his speciall grace hath doubled them al for the saluacion of the brethren and sisterne of the order of Saint Trinitie.
The absolution, wherwith the Brethren and Sisterne of Saint Trinities order are absoluted from their sinnes▪
AVtoritate dei patris omnipotentis, & beatorum Petri & Pauli Apostolorum eius, ac auctoritate apostolica mihi in hac parte cōmissa: Ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere confessis & cōtritis, & de quibus confiteri velles, si tuae occurrerent memoriae. Plenariam absolutionem omnium peccatorum tuorum, in quantum claues ecclesiae se extendunt in hac parte, auctoritate istarum literarum Apostolicarum tibi do & concedo, ita vt sis absolutus ante tribunal domini nostri Iesu Christi, habeas que vitam aeternam, & viuas in secula seculorum. Amen. Whiche is thus in English.
By the auctoritye of God the father almightye, and of hys blessed Apostles Peter and Paule, and by the Apostolike authoritye committed vntounto me in this behalfe: I absolue thee from all thy sinnes, by thee to me truely confessed and contrite, and of whiche thou wouldest hauehave bene cōfessed, if thei had come vntounto thy remembraunce. Moreouer I geue and graunt vntounto thee full absolution and remission of all thy sinnes, so farre as the keyes of the Churche doe extende in thys behalfe by the authoritye of these Apostolike letters, so that thou …e absolued before the iudgyng seate of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and hauehave euerlastynge lyfe worldes without ende. Amen.
Pardon of the Austen Friers.Pope Iohn the xxiii. graunted to so manye as be brothers and sisters and benefactoures of the friers heremites of Saint Austen, that they shall be partakers of all the Prayers, Sacrifices, Preachynges, Contemplacions, Fastyngs, Watchynges, Pilgrimages, Uowes, Obedience, Chastity, Pouertye, Patience, Mercye, Almosse, and of all other spirituall Laboures, Trauailes, Paines, Excercises, &c, that be done eyther of the friers of the aforesayd order, or of any other deuoute and religious people thorowe out the worlde, with remissiō & forgeuenesse of al their sinnes A paena & culpa toties quoties.
The like pardon was graunted of diuers Popes to the fraternitye of Burton Lazare,Burton Lazare▪ with dispēsatiō of vowes, and relaxation of some part of penāce, with plenary remissiō of al their sinnes
The absolution of this fraternity.
AVtoritate dei patris omnipotentis, Apostolorum Petri & Pauli, & totius matris ecclesiae, a… virtute huius bullae & Papalis indulgenciae, ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis. &c. That is to say. By the authoritye of God the Father almyghty▪ of the Apostles Peter and Paule, & of all the mother Church, & by ye vertu… of this bulle and of the Popes pardon, I absolue thee from al thy sinnes. &c.
To thē that gaue any thing to the hospitall of Sainte Marye of Runciuall nigh vntounto charing crosse without the walles of London,The pardō of Sainet Mary of …unciuall. Pope Clement the fourth graunted that they shoulde be partakers of all the Masses, Prayers, Fastinges, Watchinges, Pilgrimage goings vntounto the holy lande consecrate with the bloud of Christ or vntounto the city of Rome priuileged with the authoritie of the blessed martirs & Apostles Peter and Paul….☞ And if they be priestes or religious persons either men or women, and hauehave failed to say their diuine seruice, eyther thorow negligēce, or defaut of bokes, or sicknes of body: the aforesayd holy father doth mercifully absolue them from al such offences, and release them from the payne & punishement due vntounto suche offendours. Pope Clement the sixte also of his speciall grace hath geuen and graunted to all them that geue some parte of theyr substaunce,GiueGive and it shall be giuen to you. GiueGive money: and the smoke of Rome shall be giuē to you. beyng confessed and contrite, release of the third part enioyned them by theyr ghostly father and three yeares of pardon, we an hundred dayes mo of pardon, with free buriall in places although interdict, and of whatsoeuer kinde of death they chaunce to dye, with a thousand lentes. lxv. yeares of pardon. &c.