The Relics of Rome, Part 8
Of Monkes.
POpe Siricius beyng bishop of Rome,The beginning of mō kish orders the first Monkishe order began, raised vp by Basilius Magnus bishop of Caesarea in Cappadocia. Their coat, cloke, coule and cappe were all white. He prescribed them a rule mixte with many traditions and doctrines of men. Wherfore he is called of them a father and beginner of religious people, whose lyfe he also prayseth, so that he obtayned of the aforesayde Siricius to confyrme the order. He called them Monachi, that is to saye, solitarye, or seperate from the worlde, and founded in Greece the fyrste house or cloyster. But howe vnaptly they be called Monachi, and men vtterlye deuided from the world,Whye they are called Monachi who seeth not? For where do they dwell, but in the middes of famous cities and great townes? And in what thinges doe they more exercise thēselues, thā in matters of the world. In the yeare &c. 389. Ibidem. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.
This monstruous Monckishe order is deuided into many mōstruous mockish sects, wherof we wil reherse part.
Of the Benedictine Monkes.
POpe Iohn the fyrst being bishop of Rome, Benet a father and a fauourer also of Monks, gathered together al strowed and scattered religious persons, and begā a peculiar order vponupon the Mount Cassinus, where he built a most renoumed cloister, geuing them there a rule, prescript and forme of liuing, as though Christ had forgotten it. Afterwarde the aforesaide Benet hauing muche people resortyng vntounto him built .xii. other monasteries, and sylled them also with religious men. Of this order is reported to hauehave bene 24,Euill …ede groweth fast. Popes of Rome. C.lxxxii. Cardinals. M.CCCC.lxiiii. Archbishoppes and bishoppes .xv.M. & lxx. renowmed Abbotes, and as saieth Pope Iohn the xxii. there hauehave ben of this order .v.M.vi.C.lv. Monks canonisate and made Saints. In the yere, &c. 523.
This Benet also inuēted an order for his sister Scholastica, and made her Abbesse ouer many Nuns. Her clothing was a blacke cote,The beginning of Nunnes. Nunnes forbidden to read the holy scriptures. cloke, coule, & vayle. And least the Scripture should deceiue her and hers: it was commaunded that none should reade the holye Scripture without the consente or permission of their superiour, Here is to be sene how God is sought in al monastical orders, whiche among them in hys woorde is expelled.
Of the Cluniacensis order of Monkes.
POpe Sergius the thirde bearyng rule, ye order of Cluniacensis was set vp by a certaine Abbot called Ocion or Otho, as som call him. For whē the Monkes of S. Benets rule were nerehand decayed in Godlinesse: this Oclon, Oclon tē der of Mō kery.or Otho lyued so, that they were quickened agayne by reason of his holynesse. Their clothyng and rule was accordyng to the appointment of Mōk Benettes rule. This Monkishe order was richely endowed with great substaunce, and yearely rentes by a certayne Duke of Aquitania, called Guillidinus. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 913 Plat. Sabell. Libro. Germ. Polidor. Pantaleon.
Of the Camaldinensis order.
POpe Leo the fourth occupyeng the See of Rome, the Monkishe religiō of the Camaldinensis was deuised by Romoaldus of Rauenna, in the Mount Apenninus Their coule & cloke with all that euer they weare from top to toe is white. They kepe perpetuall silēce. EueryEvery wednisday & Friday they fast bread and water. Thei go barefote and lye on the grounde. In the yere. &c. 850. Chron. Pol. Lib. Germ.
Of the Hieronimians order.
POpe Innocentius the Seuenth, beyng bishop of Rome, the Monkish order of the Hieronimians, began vnderunder the name of Saint Hierom whiche after Christes byrthe. 490. leauing his natiue coūtrey, wēt into Iury & there not farre from Bethlehē, builded him an house where he liued very deuoutly in the latter ende of his lyfe, These Apes and counterfaitors of S. Hierome weare their clothes of white and a cope plaited aboue ouer theyr coate, gyrde with a leather gyrdle. In the yere. &c. 145. This order was endued with diuers priueleges, fraunchises and liberties by certaine bishoppes of Rome, as Gregory the twelfthe Eugenius the fourthe. &c. Chron. Polydor. Libro Germ.
Of the Gregorians order.
POpe Gregory the fyrste borne of a noble stocke, and verye plentuouslye endowed with goods of fortune, forsoke al & became a Monke. After the decease of his father he builded Syxe religious houses in Sicilia, geuyng them a forme and rule of liuing. He builded an other within Rome, in the name and honor of Saint Andrew, wherein he dwelte with many Monkyshe brethren, which from time to time keping his rule diligently, are called Gregorians. Their habite is of a copper coloured course cloth according to their rule. In the yeare. &c 594. Chron. Lib. Germ.
Of the Shadowed valley order.
POpe Gregory the Sixte bearyng rule, Ioannes Gualbertus a knight began this order in a certayne mountayne called, valla vmbrosa, that is to say, a shadowie valley, vnderunder Benets rule, with adding therto, & chaungyng of black clothes into gray. In the yere, &c. 1038 Chron. Polyd. Lib. Germ.
Of the Grandimontensis order.
POpe Alexander the second beyng bishop of Rome, the secte fo…the Grandimontensis Monks was inuented by Stephen of Auernia, their order is to lead a streight life (as Monks vse to do) to geue themselues to watching, fastyng and praying: to weare a cote of males vponupon their bare bodyes, and a blacke cloke thereupon. In the yeare, &c. 176. Chron. Pol, Lib. Germ.
Of the Cisterciensis order.
POpe Vrban the seconde bearing rule, Roberte Abbot of Molisme in Cistercium a wildernesse or Forest in Burgundy, dyd institute the order of Cistercians, albeit some ascribe this to one Ordingus a Monke, that persuaded the aforesaid Roberte to ye same. They weare red shoes, and white rochets on a blacke coate, all shoren saue a little cyrkle. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 198. Ibidem. Of thys Religion was that greate clearke s. Barnard.
Of the Humiliates order.
POpe Innocentius the thyrd confirmed and allowed the order of the Humiliates, fyrste of all deuysed by certayne personnes, exiled by Frederichus Barbarosa: which when thei were restored to theyr countreye apparelled themselues all in white, and promised to goe in lowlye and simple clothyng: the men and women to bee seperate eche from other, & to laboure eueryevery one what he was skilled in.
They had one common purse among them. They professe S. Benets rule. Thys order in processe of tyme hath encreased so, both in goodes and persons, that it was confyrmed and endowed wyth many priuileges of diuerse Byshops of Rome. In the yeare of our lord. 1166. Ibidem. Iac. Phil. Bergō.
Of the Celestines order.
POpe Celestinus ye fifth, willingly gaue ouer hys bishoprike, and returned agayn to hys solitary lyfe, wherin he quietly liued before his papacie. Certayne supersticious persons lyke apes counterfayted thys Bishop, taking vponupon them an order vnderunder ye rule of s. Benet in a wildernesse, and called themselues Celestines after Celestine. Their orders garment, cloke, …oule, and cappe are blew. In the yere, &c. 1297. Ibidem.
Of the Gilbertines order.
POpe Eugenius the fourthe bearyng rule, in England, S. Gilbert, at Tirington and Sempryngham began an order of monkes, called after hym Gilbertines. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1148. Chron. Polid.
Of the Iustinians order.
POpe Eugenius the fourth confirmed the Religiō of the Iustinians, adourning the same with many liberties & priuileges. It was fyrst of all inuented by Lewes Barbus a Councelour of Uenice, & practised in ye partyes of Treuis… in the cloyster of S. Iustine by the citye Badua. They professe Monke Benets rule, but in habite and apparell they differ. In the yeare of oure Lord. 1412. Ibidem.
Of the Charterhouse Monkes.
POpe Gregorye the seuenth being bishop of Rome,Bruno. Bruno of Colein ye Philosopher & diuine, whom Barnarde calleth a faire piller of ye church, did institute ye order of ye Charterhouse mōks in ye diocesse of Gracianopolis, at a place named Curtusia. Their lyfe was outwardlye full of paynted holynesse, in forbearyng fleshe, in fastyng breade and water eueryevery fridaye, in wearyng hayrye clothes nexte theyr bodye, full of solitarynesse, much silence euer pinned in, neuer going oute, refusyng all womens company, with other semblable ceremonyes. In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1620. Ibidem.
Of the Templares orders.
POpe Gelasius the seconde bearing rule, the order of the Templars beganne at Hierusalem, and continued nerehand two hundred yeares, whose beginning was thus. After that Gotfraye Duke of Lorayne had conquered Ierusalem: certayne Knights perceauing, yt such pylgrimes as came to them of their deuotiō, were robbed and murthered by the way: thei made a bonde among thē to serue God in Chiualrye. At the beginning they were but fewe, and gaue themselues to wilfull pouertye, and theyr chiefe master was a keper of the temple dore, wherof they wer called Templarij. Thei dwelt together not farre from Christs Sepulchre, lodging the pylgrimes, keping them from mischiefe, and shewing them much kindnesse, bringing thē from one holy city vntounto an other. The badge of their order was a white cloke with a redde crosse. Saint Bernarde made them a rule, according to the appointment whereof they framed their liues. Afterwarde they became very riche thorowe the giftes of great men and pilgrimes. But Pope Clement the fifte put them downe and destroyed them all in one daye:The destructiō of ye Tēplars. partlye bycause (as they write) they renounced ye fayth of Christ, and conspired with ye turkes, & partly for other notable crimes. Not withstanding some say, yt this rooting out of them was more bicause of enuy of their prosperitye and royaltye, than of giltinesse. For whē their gaundmaster Iames Burgonion was burnt at Paris with manye of hys brethren, he tooke hys death thereon, that he was neuer giltye of the accusations layde to hym. Thus peryshed thys order of the Templares all in one daye, theyr landes and possessions beeyng distributed and geuen to other. In the yere of our Lorde. 1110.
Of the Premonstratenses order.
POpe Calixtus the second approued and allowed the monkyshe order of the Premonstratenses, which was fyrst of all deuysed by a certayne mā borne at Colein called Noto hobertus a priest. They be vnderunder the rule of Benet the monke. They be clothed in white from top to toe, to declare their vnstayned virginitie. In the yeare, &c. 1119. Chron. Pol. Lib. Germ.
Of the order of the white Monkes of Mount Oliuet.
POpe Gregory the twelfth reigning, the monks of mount Oliuet sprōg vp thorow the deuice of Bernardus Ptolomeus. Their clothyng is all whyte. Their rule is Benets, with some addicions vntounto it. In the yeare of our lord. 1406. Ibidem
Of the Georgian Monkes.
POpe Gregory the twelfth confyrmed and stablished also the order of S. George of Alga by Venice, which was begun by a spirituall man ye patriarke Laurence Iustiniane, a man of an incredible straightnesse of life. These mōks are vnderunder S. Peters rule, and the fyrst order, with certayne ordinaunces ioyned thereto. In the yeare, &c. 1407. Lib. Germ. Chron.
Of the white Monkes.
POpe Vrban the Seconde reignyng, the order of white Monkes began, fyrst deuised by one Stephen Harding, and afterwarde in ye yere of our lord▪ 1135, it was brought into Englande by a certayne man called Walter Espek, whiche builte an Abbey of the same order, called Meriuale. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.
Of the Ioannites order.
POpe Honorius bearing rule, Raymund a man of nobilitye fyrst of all inuented the order of s. Iohn Baptist at Hierusalem, about the yeare, &c. 1130. Chron. Angl.
Of the order of scourgers, or flagellatours.
POpe Clement the sixt being Byshop of Rome, a certayne pestilent secte of false religious persons sprong vp in high Almayne which called themselues Penitentes Cruciferos, seu, Flagellatores, that is to saye, Penitent crosse bearers, or scourgers of thē selues. Their manner was to go from place to place, hauyng a banner vponupon the crucifixe borne before them, and neuer to tarye in one place, but on the sondaye. EueryEvery day also they dyd penaunce both mornyng and euenyng, by scourging themselues before ye people, with a great whip of .iii. cordes ful of knots,O Antichristian hipocrites. vponupon their bare bodies, sharp byg nedles being put into the cordes: affyrmyng yt it was reueled vntounto them by an Angell from heauen, that they thus scourging themselues, shoulde within .xxx. dayes and .xii. houres thorowe the suffryng of those paynes bee made so cleane and free from synne, as they were, when they fyrste receaued baptisme. In the yeare, &c. 133. Ioannes. Laziardus. Mat. Palmer. Christ. Mass. These martirs of the Diuell were afterward destroyed by Phlilip, kyng of Fraunce.
Like vntounto these aforesaid is there at Rome, and in other places of Italye a sect, which so are called Flagellatores or scourgers. The true brethren of this order go barefoote, and beat themselues vppon the bare skin, till the bloud followeth. They go in long white linnen shirtes, hauing an hole on the backe, and are open vppon the bare skinne. Thereupon they doe beate themselues with scourges▪ yt are made for the purpose, yea and that so long til the bloud doth rū out bothe ouer their shoulders and also downe to their feete. These be admitted of the bishop of Rome as penitētiaries. They go barefoted in procession, two and two together on good Friday, when the passion is preached. The white linnen garmēt which they vse, hath an hood sowed vntounto it, which they drawe ouer their heades, when they wil not be sene. This commeth ouer their faces, and it hath holes like a visar, where thorow they both see and draw their breath. Suche as force not whether they are sene or not, or hauehave not breath inough, they drawe downe the coule frō their heads, and so scourge themselues openly. Greate men also and diuers other citizens vse this fantasy with them also, but specially, vpō good Friday, which of great inwarde deuotion disguise themselues also, as the aforesaide: so that some time .iii. or iiii. hundreth are seene of them in one procession. But the noble men and citizens go for the most parte vponupon slippers, & the shirtes put on aboue their hoses and hauehave a scourge in theyr handes, wherwith some strike themselues, …ome weare it only betwene theyr armes. This do they that they maye bee pertakers of their pardon, do penaūce for their sinnes, and come to Gods fauour. &. Lib. Germ.
Of the order of the starred Monkes.
POpe Clement the sixte bearing rule, Iohn king of Fraunce son of Phillip the Frenche king, inuented the secte & order of those monks, which in latin are called Stellati, What the Starre signifieth.whose maner is alway to weare a star vponupon their brest, signifiēg hereby, that there is nothing in them, but the light of perfection, and the cleare shining of good workes, yea that they themselues are the lighte of the world,Math. v. Dan. xii. according to this sayeng of Christ, vos estis lux mundi, Ye are ye light of the world. Item, that they shall rise agayne at the laste day all shining and glisteryng as the most cleare and pleasaunt starres, according as it is writtē by the Prophete: They that hauehave instructed and taught other shal shine as the glisteryng of the firmament: & they that inform many vntounto righteousnesse shall be as the starres, worlde without ende. In the yeare of our Lorde. 1336. Christ. Mass. Lib. Germ.
Of the order of the Gerardians.
POpe Boniface ye ninth reigning, a certain mā called Gerardus being of greate learning & of vertuous conuersation, ordayned a certain fraternitie or brotherhode of learned godly mē to teach scholers, and to bring vp youth onelyonly in good letters, but also in good maners, that by this means there might be learned men alwaye in store apte to beare rule in the church of Christ, & also to gouerne the common weale according to the prescript and rule of gods doctrine Thys Gerardus beyng but a Deacon, preached the word of God both purely and feruently.Note well. And when he was moued by his frendes to be a priest, he alwais answered, that he was vnworthy to hauehave such an high office. He was wont oftē times to say, that he would not hauehave ye cure of soules, not so muche as by the space of one nighte, for all the golde of Arabie. In the yeare, &c. 3379. Chron. Christ. Mass.
Of the order of the Iesuites.
POpe Vrban the fifth greatly alowed the order of the Iesuites, and gaue vntounto it many great and singuler priueleges, commaundyng the Monkes of that order to weare a white kyrtle & a russet coule, and that they should be called of all men Clerici Apostolici, that is to saye, the Apostels clearkes. This order of the Iesuites was the inuention of Ioannes Columbinus in Sena a city of Hethruria, they wer at the beginning no priestes nor consecrated persons, but wer men of the lay sorte, geuen and addicte willingly and freely to prayer and to labour, getting their meat with the trauail of their hā des and with ye sweat of their browes liuing as it were in common after the example of Christ and of his disciples. They are called Iesuites, bicause the name of Iesus should be often in theyr mouth. In the yere, &c. 1368. Phil. Berg. Libro. Germ.
Of the order of white dawbed Monkes.
POpe Boniface bearyng rule, the order, which is called Ordo de albatorum was inuented by a certayne priest in Italy, which pretēded such a modesty and grauity both in woordes and in countenaunce that eueryevery man toke him for a Sainct. The professors of this order were cladde all with long white lynnen clothes euen down to the ground, hauyng coules vponupon theyr heads lyke vntounto other Monkes. The chief point of their profession was to lament the state of mankind, to bewaile the sinnes of the people, and to pray for a redresse of ye same at gods hand. They neuer wente abroade but they had a crosse with the image of the crucifyx borne before thē, which crosse ye Lucenses kepe at this day with great reuerence as a moste precious relique, and daily make vowes, & offer diuers giftes vntounto it. But Pope Boniface aforesayd conceauyng that they should do no good to hys honourable estate, if they continued, forasmuch as they all appeared before men righteous, good and Godly, and the Pope with hys cō plices, most wicked, euel and vngodly, caused the author of thys order as a seditious person to be beheaded at Viterbium. Some say that he was brent as a superstitious hipocrite, and attaynted of some heresye. In the yeare of oure Lorde .1400. Lib. Germ. Philip. Bergom. Polid. &c.
A monstruous multitude of mō kish monstures.But why do I trauayle to set forthe the number of these Monkyshe orders seeing they be almoste innumerable, and a man in a manner maye assone number the sandes of the sea, and tell the starres of the firmament, as to prescribe a certaine number of them? For besides these that I hauehave rehersed, ther are diuers other monastical orders, as Ambrosians, Sarrabartes, Bernardines, Sā bonites, Beghartines, Apostolianes, Guilhelmites, Iosephians, Sepulchrians, Sheerians, Swerders, Crosse started, Constantinopolitanes, Wentzelaians, Nolhartians, Iacobites, Swearde Iacobites, Helenians, Ierusalemites, Iosophatians, Selauonians, Maries brethren, Ioannites, Lazarites, Magdalenians, Keyed Monkes, Holy ghostes men, Specularians, Hospitalianes, Mosarabites, Georgians. &c. Bidding all these monstruous monasticall disordered orders Adieu, I wyll recite some other deuises of the Romishe bishoppes concernyng Monkes, and afterwarde fall in hande wyth the other Cloysterers, whiche are in deede those very Locustes whereof Saincte Iohn speaketh in the booke of hys Reuelations.
Rules concerning all orders of Monkes.
POpe Gregory the seuenth ordained, that no Monkes should eat flesh at any time,Monkes forbiddē to eate fleshe. but geue thē selues to thin diet, and course fare. In the yere &c. 173. Ioan. Laziard. Gratianus De consec. Dist. 5. cap. Carnē cuiquā mona.
Pope Pelagius made a decree that no Monk should be promoted to bee Abbot,The election of Abbotes. except he wer laufully chosen, and accordyng to the rules of the Cannon law. In the yere, &c. 552. Christ. Massae.
Pope Theodorus made a decree, that no Monke should chaunge his place to go vntounto any other cloyster without licēce of his Abbot or Prior.Monkes may not depart out of their cloister without licence. Monks admitted vntounto holy orders In the yere &c. 673. Chroni. Christ. Mass.
Pope Siricius first of al admitted mō kes vntounto holye orders, for before hys tyme they wer not coūted amōg clearkes, but taken for mere lay mē. In the yere &c. 389: Albertus Krantz.
Pope Boniface the fourth made a decree, yt Monkes might vse the office of preaching,Monkes spirituall ministers. of Christening, of hearing confessions, and also of assoyling men from their sinnes. In the yere. &c. 606. Ranul…hus. Cestren. chron. Ang.
Pope Eugenius the first ordained first of all, that monkes should be shutte vp in their cloysters.Cloysterer deuysed. For before that time the monks vsed to range and to gadde abroad, wher and whether they lysted. In the yeare of our Lord .650. Albert. Krants. Chron.
Pope Eusebius ordayned,This decre is wicked. yt a young man or a young woman although being assured together in the way of maryage, maye notwithstanding theyr promyses made, depart one from an other, and become cloysterers. In the yeare, &c. 309. Quaest. 27. Cap. 2. Dispontatam. Phil. Bergom.
Pope Eugenius the fyrst decreed,Monkes at libertye to tary in their cloysters or not. that Monkes shoulde not goe oute of theyr cloyster without special licence of their Superiour. In the yere, &c. 650. Quaest. 16. Cap. 1. Placuit.
The aforesayd Pope also cōmaunded, yt no monke should be holdē in the cloyster against his wil. Q…o 1. c. Signi.
Pope Iohn ye fyrst bearing rule,The vowes of chastitye, pouertye & obedience. mōke Benet an Italian builded an Abbey in Cassine, and assembled the monkes, that wer dispersed alone in diuerse places, into one couente, & ordred them with instructiōs of māners & rules of liuing. confyrmed with thre vowes, that is to say, chastitie, wilful pouertye and obedience, bycause they should altogether mortifye their owne will and lustes. In the yeare of our lorde. 524.. Chron. Polidor.
The yeare of probatiō.These threafore named vowes, Basilius Byshop of Casarea did fyrste institute & publishe: And also assigne the yeare of probation or trial, that religious persons had afore they wer professed. In the yeare, &c. 183. Ibidem.
Pope Gregory the eyght reygning, a certaine noble man called Hugo toke away from monkes and Nunnes theyr great lordships,An acte not to bee dis…aysed. and to much wealthy yearely liuings & reuenues, and gaue thē so much, as shuld suffyce for meate, drinke and clothe. In the yere, &c. 1186. Ioan. Laziard.
Monkes good and godly.Pope Boniface the fourth being Byshop of Rome, there were in the Abbey of Bangor two thousande & two hundred Monkes, which al liued by the labour of their own hands, & by ye sweate of their own browes, according to this commaundement of God:Gen. iii. In ye sweate of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread, &c. Agayne, Thou shalt eate ye labours of thy hands.Psal. 128. In the yere, &c. 606. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.
Of Channons.
POpe Eugenius the fourth being Byshop of Rome, the order of ye regular Chanons began in Hethruria in the parts of Luca, in the cloyster Frisonaria. Of thys secte there are two opinions. For some say, ye Austen by and by after he was created byshop, brought hys Channons in thys rule & forme of liuing, wherin they hauehave bene lōg trained & nouseled vp: Other some bragge and make their vaunt, that it was deuised of the Apostles, & of thys opinion was Thomas of Aquine. But how soeuer the matter go, Austen was doubtlesse eyther the inuentour of the secte, or renuer of it, and therefore maye iustlye bee called and taken for the author of that fashion. The Channons clothing by their fyrst foundatiō was a white cote,The chanōs clothyng. and a linnen roche… vnderunder a blacke cope with a scapuler to couer their head and shoulders. The aforesayd Pope Eugenius endowed this order with many priuileges and great libertyes. In the yeare, &c. 14, 0. Libro. Germ. Polidorus. Chron.
Pope Gregorye the .xi. bearing rule, certayne spiritual fathers of s, Austens order in the parties of Sene in Italye, inuented a sect of Chanons, called Scopetines, or S. Saluators order. Whiche order the aforesayd Gregory dyd approue and endue with many and diuerse priuileges, and numbred them among ye Chanons regulare, or quier priestes. And for a memorial of theyr fyrst foū dation and spirituall state, they weare a white garment with a white scapularye vponupon a white rochet. They lyue of their rentes and reuenues. They preach not, but they heare confessions. In the yeare, &c. 1367. L…. …erm. …hilip. Bergom.