The Relics of Rome, Part 51 – Part 54
Of Canonysing and making of Saintes.
The beginning of saintes makingPOpe Leo the nynthe holdyng a councel at Vercellis, made Gerardus Bishop somtime of the Le… corians, a saint. And this pope was the fyrst (as some write) ye euer presumed & toke vpō him to make saints. In the yere, &c. 1049. Christ. Massae.
Pope Gregorye the nynth made frier Dominike, and fryer Fraunces, and fryer Anthony de Padua, & Elizabeth daughter to the King of Hungary, Dominik… Fraunces. Anthonye de padua. Fryers, & Elizabeth▪ Saintes. Clara, Peter Marter, Stanislaus, Saintes. Lewes byshop of Colossa. T…of. Aquine. Thomas byshop of Hereforde, Saintes.Saints. In the yeare. &c. 1225. Plat. Albert. Krantz. Ioan Stella. Pantal.
Pope Alexander the fourth made Clara the Nunne, Peter Martyr the Blackfryer, and Stanslaus Bishop of Cracouia, saintes. In the yeare, &c. 1248. Chronic. Volat. Pantal,
Pope Iohn the .xxii. made Lewes Byshop of Tolossa, & sonne to Charles, King of Fraunce, a Saint. He sainted also Thomas of Aquine, the blackefrier, and Thomas Byshop of Hereforde. In the yeare. 1308. Plat. Volat. Pant.
Pope Nicolas the fyft among a greaterable of others, made Bernardine the Grayfryer,Bernardine the Grayfrier sainted. a Sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1447. Matth. Palmer. Platina. Chronic. Germani.
Pope Calixt the thyrde made Vincent the blackefryer, and Edmunde Kyng of Englande,Uincent Edmunde… Osmunde saintes. Saintes. He also canonysed Osmunde sometyme Byshop of Salisburye, & caused hym to be counted in the number of saintes. In the yeare of oure Lorde, 1455. Volat. Matthe. Palm. Pisamus. Ranulph. Cest. Pantal.
Katerine sainted.Pope Pius the second made Katerine a Sainte. In the yeare. &c. 1458. Volat. Chron.
Iuo a saintPope Clement the sixte made Iuo the priest a sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1336. Volat Christ. Massae.
Bonauenture a saintPope Sixtus the fourthe made Bonauenture the Grayfryer a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1471. Chron. Chronica.
Pope Alexander the thyrd made Barnarde the Monke a saint.Bernarde a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1161. Iacobus. Meyer.
Heliopolde a saint.Pope Innocent the eyght made Heliopolde sometyme Duke of Austria, a Saint. In the yeare, &c. 1484. Chroni. Ioannes. Stella.
Pope Innocent the thyrd made Hughe of Lincolne, Hughe of Lincolne a saint.a saint. In the yeare. &c. 1195 Fasciculus. Temporum.
Hedwigis a saint.Pope Clement the fourth made Hedwigis, sometime Duchesse of Polonia, a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1165. Ioannes. Laziardus. Fasciculus. Temporum. Ioannes. Stella.
Brigit a saint.Pope Boniface the nynth made Brigite the Nunne, a saint. In the yere. &c. 1379 Ioan. Laziardus. Chron.
Pope Leo the nynth made Vuolfgange Byshop of Ratisbone, Vuolfgang a saint.a sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1049. Chron.
Pope Gregory the seuenth made Iohn Gaulbert the Monk,Iohn Gaulbert a saint a saint. In the yere, 1073. Chron.
Pope Innocent the second made Hughe the Charterhouse Monke,Hughe the Monke a saint. a sainte. In the yeare, &c, 113▪. Chron.
Pope Boniface the eyght made Lewes Kyng of Fraunce,Lewes King of Fraunce, a saint. a saint. In the yere, 1290. Ioan. Laziard. Chron.
Pope Innocent the fourth made Edmunde Archebishop of Cantorburye,Edmund & Peter de verona sainted. a saint, and Peter de verona the Blackfryer he canonised also for a saint, & willed hym to be taken for a confessour saint. In the yere, &c. 1242. Sabell. Ioan. Stella. Ioan. LaZiard. Chron.
Pope Eugenius the fourth made Nicolas de Toleto an Austen frier,Nicolas de Toleto a saint. a sainte. In the yeare, &c. 1430. Ioan. Stella. Chron.
Pope Clement the fyfte made Pope Celestine a saint vnderunder the name of Peter.Pope Celestine a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1304. Ioan. Laziard.
Pope Paschalis made Charles ye great a Sainte.Charles ye great sainted. In the yeare, &c. 1164. Christi. Massaeus.
Pope Leo the tenthe made Fraunces the Heremite,Fraunces a sainte. a saint. In the yere. 1507▪ Christ. Massae.
Pope Alexander the thyrde (which I had almost forgottē) made Thomas Becket Archbishop of Cantorbury,Thomas Becket sainted. a saint. In the yeare, &c. 1161. Plat. D. Barns.
Pope Alexander, (sayth the Englishe Festiuall,Of Beckettes translation. Note.) sent letters, into England to the Archbishop Stephen, and to other Abbottes and Prelates, commaunding them to take vp Thomas Beckettes bones, and to lay them in a shryne, and to set it where it might be worshipped of all Christen people.A new idol set vp. Then the Byshop ordayned a day, when yt should be done. So ouer euen, while they might hauehave space: he toke with hym the Byshop of Salisburye, and other monkes and Clerkes many, and wente to the place, where Thomas had layen fyftye yeres. Then they kneled al on ye earth, praying to Thomas deuoutly of help. Then foure tooke vp the tombe, with great dreade and quakyng, and there they founde a little writing, whiche was thys. Here lyeth and resteth Thomas Archebyshop of Cantorburye, Primate of Englande, Becket the popes martyr & saint.and the Popes Legate, slayne for the ryghte of holye Churche the fyfte daye of Christmasse. Then for greate deuotion that they had of the syghte, all cryed: Sainte Thomas, Saint Thomas. And then they toke the head to the Archebyshop to kysse, and so they kyssed it al. And then they beheld his woundes, and sayd: They were vngratious that wounded thee thus. And so layde hym in a shryne, and couered it with clothe of golde, and set torches aboute it brennyng, and the people to watche it all nyght. Then on the morowe came all the states of thys lande, and bare the shryne to the place there as it is nowe, with all reuerence and worship that they coulde.
The author of the festiuall sayeth,A lousye saint, & an vnclenly. yt thys Thomas did weare harde hayre next his bodye, and a breche of ye same: the whiche was so full of vermyn, yt it was an horrible syght to see. And yet he chaunged but once in fortye dayes.
The same author also writeth,Beckets penaunce very homely. that the aforesayde Thomas Beckette made hys Confessoure euerye Wednisdaye and Fryday to beate him with a rodde vponupon his bare body, as a childe is beaten in the Schole (that is to say,) on the arsse, that he myghte suffer worthye penaunce.
Ranulphus Cestrensis in his Chronicle writeth, that when Thomas Becket was translated, Stephen Archbishop of Cantorburye, duryng the said solemnitie, founde haye and prouender to all men that would aske it in the way betwene London and Cantorbury. Also in the day of the Translation he made wyne to runne in pypes continuallye in diuerse places of the Citye: and so ye coste that Stephen made in thys solemnitie, his fourth successour Bonifacius hardly payed it. In Polichron. Lib. 7. Cap. 34.
Pope Alexander the thyrde ordained yt none shoulde be taken for a saint, except he wer fyrst canonised and admitted to be a saint by ye byshop of Romes bull.None saintes but such as the pope admi. In the yeare, 1161. Dec. 3. Tit. 46. Ca Reliquijs. Polydor. Pantaleon.
From the tyme that the Popes began fyrst to canonyse & to make saints vntounto the reygne of Pope Iohn the .xxii.Swarmes of saintes. there are founde to be canonysed fyue thousande, fyue hundred, fyftye, and fyue Saintes, yt the Popes hauehave made, as writteth the author of the Chronicle, entitled. Fasciculus Temporum.
Isuardus the French Monke diligently searching out the number of saintes, found, that eueryevery day in the yeare there are moe than CCC.The popes Sainctes. Saintes to be serued: suche a multitude of newe saintes hauehave the Popes of Rome brought into the Churche of their owne authoritye, whom they hauehave sainted partly for fauour, partly for mony, partly of a blind zeale, and partly for the satisfying of other mens corrupte affections. And these must we take for saints, worship, pray vntounto, call vponupon, make our Intercessours, Mediatours, and Aduocates: and yet know we not for all the popes canonisation, whether they be saintes in heauen, or deuils in hell. It is much to be feared, least this common saying be founde true in a greate number of our Popishe saintes: The bodies of many are worshipped on earth, ☜whose soules are tormented in hell fier.
Of the Reliques of Saintes.
Reliques set out to sale.POpe Paschalis the firste deuised first of al, the glorious setting out to sale of saints Reliques. In the yeare. &c. 820. Fasci…. Temp. Chron. Germ.
Reliques honoured.Pope Clement the first commaunded, that the Reliques of Saints should be reuerently kepte, and had in greate honour. In ye yeare. &c. 1300. Clement. Lib. 3. Tit. 16. Capi. 1. Volat. Pantal.
Pope Gregory ye fourth made a decree, ye masse should be sayd ouer the bodyes of the Martyrs. In ye yeare. &c. 831. Pol.
Sainctes bones honored with Masses. Hands of.Pope Boniface the fifth decreed, that such as were but Benet & Colet should not touch the Reliques of Saints, but they onelye, whiche are Subdeacons, Deacons and Priestes. In the yeare of our Lord. 617. Onuphrius Panuimus. …ac. Phil. Bergom.
Shrines.Pope Sergius ye first deuised the gorgious shrines of saintes, to kepe Reliques in. In the yeare. &c. 684. Fas…. Tēp.
A good and godly acte, but not profitable for the Popes market.Pope Constantine the seconde, whom the seditious tyrannical and superstitious Papistes did afterward violently depose, cruelly thrust into a monastery as into a prison, and most vnmercifully put out his eyes, commaunded, that all such should be depriued of their patrimony, as reserue and kepe by thē the Reliques of any saintes. In the yeare. &c. 769. Ioan. Laziard. Celestinus.
Of Pilgrimages.
POpe Cletus allowed,The anaū ce… of Pilgrimages. and greatlye praysed Pilgrimages vntounto saints but speciallye vntounto the Apostles Peter and Paule, and sayd, That it is more auayleable and profitable for soule health once to visite the aforesayd Apostles at Rome: than to faste by the space of two whole yeares. In the yere of our Lord. 81. Ranulphus. Cestrensis. Lib. 4. Fasciculus Temporum ▪
Pope Anacletus excōmunicated,Pilgrimages ma…e not be hindred. cursed, and pronounced all such gilty of sacrilege, as hinder any man to go on pilgrimage, or to visite the Sepulchres of saintes. In the yeare of our Lord. 101 Lib. Concil▪ Folid.
Pope Calixte the seconde ordayned,Pilgrimes may not be euill entreated. that whosoeuer spoyleth, robbeth, or hurteth any such as go on pilgrimage to Rome, or to anye other holy places of saints: the same should be excommunicated & accursed Ipso facto. In the yeare. …. 1120. Quest. 24. cap. 3. Si quis.
Of Pardons.
WHo was the first Author and Inuētour of the Popishe pardons, I hauehave not hither to readde in any writer, excepte Pope Gregory the firste be he,Gregorye the firste a greate promoter of pardons. whiche greatly corrupted the Church of Christ with his idle inuentions, trifeling traditions, childish ceremonies. &c. To allure the people of his time vntounto y• chief and principall temples of the City and vntounto the often visitation of thē: he promised them that repared thither at solēne feastes, cleane remission of sinnes by his pardon. And he named the pompouse sacrifices▪ Stations, bicause they were celebrated on certain dayes limitted & prescribed by statute. This sede sowen by Gregory, grew to a rype haruest in his successours afterwarde:Popes pardons nets for money, and allurements vntounto vice. so yt where as in Gregoryes tyme they may seme to be inuented for allurementes vntounto deuotion in thē that succeded him those pardons may right well be counted to be nothing els thā very nets for mony, and prouocations vntounto al kinde of vice, while all the worlde see howe innumerable sinnes be forgeuen of the Bishops of Rome for a slender portion of mony.
Pope Boniface the eyght appoynted the yeare of Iubile or grace to be kepte eueryevery hundred yeare,The ye… of Iubile. and graunted to all them that woulde come to Rome, & visite the temples of the Apostles Peter & Paule in the yere of Iubile or grace, cleane remissiō of al their sinnes A paena & culpa. In the yeare, &c. 1290. Ranulphus Cestrensis. Polid.
This Pope was arrogant, proude & Luciferlike, that he shamed not to bost, that he was Lord of all the world Tam in temporalibus quam spiritualibus and y• all Emperours, kynges & princes owe obedience to him. Of this monsture of pride Pope Celestinus hys predecessour prophecied on this māner: Thou camest in as a Foxe: A prophecye.thou shalt reigne as a Lion and die as a Dog. Fisciculus Temporum. Bartho. Carranza. Alb. Krantzius.
Pope Clement the sixe bringing the yeare of Iubile from an hundred yeare (which was tofore appoynted by pope Boniface theight) vntounto fifty,The yeare of Iubile altered. graunted to all maner of persons, that would come on Pilgrimage at y• tyme vntounto Rome, and visite the Church of S. Peter, plenariam indulgentiam, that is to saye full remission of all their sinnes A paena & culpa toties quoties. In the yeare. &c. 1336. …oan. Laziard. Polid. Chron.
Pope Sixtus the fourth brought the yeare of grace, from fifty to. xxv. yeare, confirmyng the olde accustomed pardons. In the yeare of our Lord. 1471. Polyd. Carran. Chron.
Pope Alexander the sixt assigned the Iubile and Stations to be had in sundrye prouinces and countreis,☞ to the entent that lesse thronge of people, and more thrift of money might come to Rome▪ and so the people shoulde onelye loose theyr money and saue theyr laboure. In the yeare of our Lorde. 1492. Polyd. Virgil. Chron.
Stations.Pope Gregory the first ordayned Stacions for euerye daye in Lent thorowe out all the Churches in the Citie of Rome, yea and that for the remission and forgeuenesse of sinnes: commaundynge the people to frequent and vse them with all harty deuotion, and grauntyng to all thē that walke those stations, greate indulgences and larg… pardons. A paena & culpa, toties quoties. In the yeare of our Lord. 590. Ioan. Laeziard. Chr. Massaeus. Polid. Virgil. Chron.