The Theater of the Popes Monarchy, Part 9
The maner of the popes Curtesans, with their horrible exactions, and abuses.
Stuperius.
THese Curtesans are such fellowes, as hauehave ouerrū their maisters,The descriptiō of the popes Curtesans. or as are for some euil face driuen out of their countrey, who comming to Rome, creep eyther into some cardinall, or Bishops stable, and so become their horsekepers. Then in the end, in recompence of theyr great paynes, and long seruice doone, they make them priestes. And after they hauehave schooled them well, and made them wyse, and fit for their purpose, they sende them abroade into the countries: with bulles, and lycenses, to snatch vppe prebends,Popishe curtesans benefice catchers. and benefices for them selues, not when they fall, but before they fall. And if any man bee so bold, as in defence of his …ght, too withstande their proceedings, thē they threatē him with ye pope, the pope,The weapons that papistes fight withall. the court of Rome, the court of Rome: thinking, nay certeinly knowing that no man dare mute against thē, when once they heare the name of the Pope. In this case the patrone like a peisaunt, standeth like one nipt in the head, neyther dareth he, nor any, for him, resist this cormorant curtesan, nor yet go to Rome to trye his right. By this meanes hys beagles,Curtesans the popes beagles, to hunte for gayne. & greedy gripes the curtesans, not only ceaze vponupon fa… prebendes, and benefices for them selues, but also for the Pope, and other hys whelpes at Rome. Thus they hauing got benefices inough, somtimes they are resident vpō them. and sometimes not. And beeyng weary of their benefices, somtimes they sell them,Selling of Benefices. taking great sums of money for them, which doone, they trudge too Rome againe, with all possible speedes where for money they renew their buls, and lycenses againe. Then runne they raunging ouer the Countries afresh,Oh vyle & insatiable caterpillers neuer content wyth ynough. ceazing vppon all kind of lyuings, (as before) and when they hauehave got thē they sell them like filthy Simonists as they bee. Thus some of them heape vppe mountaines of golde and siluer with the spoile of poore churches. Other some come by their prebends,Benefices com by, through a strange maner of cosonage. and lyuings, by a straunge manner of cosonage, as this. After that they hauehave obtained their warraunts, & their graunts from the cou…t of Rome, (the monethmonth well obserued) they cloth themselues either in the habit of some Countrey mann,VVolues in sheepes cloathing. or els of some poore Begger, and when they see the Church doore …pen, then skip they in, & mounting vp to the high altar, there t…ei make declaration, howe that they hold the prebend belonging to that Church, and holy altar by the plenary power, & absolute authority of the pope, commanding both the patrone, and the people that they presume not to molest him,An arraund at Rome wil cost him eyther his lyfe, or al that he hath. lest they fetch him an arrand at Rome: this done, than comming downe from the altar, he entreth into ye house, discharging them that dwel in it, and commaunding them to auoyd with bagg and baggage, and to delyuer vp the keyes, which done, they enter, and take possession of it, and so conuerte it too theyr owne proper vse.
Phile.
Are these fellowes learned or not, for being horsekepers, as you say they were, I cannot see, how they can be learned?
Stupe.
They are so well learned, as the best of them all can hardly speak you 4. true words in Latine.The great lea…ning of popys… horsekeepers the Curtesans They may wel be posed in their A. B. C. And yet whē they come amongst the ignoraunt, and simple people, then sclat they it out lyke dyrte vponupon a wall, and so are they taken to be great learned men. And thus as well they, as the reste delude the worlde with vayne shadowes, and lyue vponupon the spoyle of the church. But of Curtizans, and their abuses inough.
Phil.
Hath the pope any persōs & beneficed men in the countrey? if he hauehave, I pray you shew me their office somwhat, with their maner of liuing.