Of Relics — John Calvin

Of Relics · John Calvin

A VEry profitable treaTISE, MADE BY M. IHON Caluyne, declarynge what great profit might come to al chriſtendome, yf there were a regeſter made of all Sainctes bodies and other reliques, which are aſwell in Italy, as in Fraunce, Dutchland, Spaine, and other kingdomes and countreys.

Tranſlated out of Frenche into Engliſh by Steuen Wythers. 1561.

¶Set furth and authoriſed according to the Queenes Maieſties Iniunctions.

¶Prynted at London by Rouland Hall, dwellyng in Goldyng lane at the ſygne of the thre arrowes.

A very neceſſary TREATISE OF THE BOdyes and reliques of Sainctes and martyrs.

SAinct Auguſtine in the booke which he entituled: Of the labour of Monkes, complayning of certaine trifle bearers, who already in hys time did exerciſe a moſt vilainous & filthy kynd of cariyng hyther, and thether reliques of martyrs, addeth, yea yf they be reliques of marters. By the which word he ſignifieth: that euen then the abuſe and deceyt herein was committed in making the poore ſimple people to beleue that bones gathered here & there, were the bones of ſaynctes.

But ſeing the originall of this abuſe is of ſuch antiquitie, it is not to be doubted, but that it hath ben in the meane while by ſo long continuaunce of time greatly multiplied: eſpecially ſeyng the worlde ſince that tyme, is merueylouſlye corrupted, and hath declined from worſe to worſe, euen vntill it be come to the extremitie in the which we ſee it.

Nowe the firſt vice, as it were the roote of this euill, hath bene this, that in ſtede of ſeking Chriſt in his worde & in his ſacraments, and his ſpirituall graces, y^e world accordyng to the olde wont therof hath bene occupied in the renewing of his garmentes, ſhyrtes and other lyke cloutes: and in ſo doing hath left the principall to folowe the acceſſary. In like maner hath it done concernyng the apoſtles, martyrs, and other ſainctes.

For in ſteade of imitating their liues, to folowe their examples it hath ben geuen wholly to contemplate and reſerue as a treaſure, their bones, ſhyrtes, girdles, cappes and other lyke baggage and trifles. I knowe righte well that thys hath a certaine kinde and colour of good deuotion and zeale, whyleſt ſome alledge that they kepe the reliques of Ieſus Chriſt for the honor they beare to him, & for the intent to hauehave a better memorie of him: & ſo likewiſe of the ſaincts: but we muſt conſider that which ſainct Paule ſayeth, that all ſeruyce of God inuented by mans braine, what ſhew ſo euer it hath of wiſdome is not withſtanding but vanitie and foliſhnes: yf it hauehave not a better and more ſure grounde, then our ſeming or iudgement.

Moreouer it behoued to waigh the profyte that myghte comme thereof with the danger: and in ſo doing it woulde hauehave bene founde to hauehave bene very litle profitable or altogether ſuperfluous & vaine to hauehave the reliques in ſuch ſorte: and contrariwiſe it is verye harde or altogether impoſſible that therby men ſhoulde not decline by lytle and litle to ydolatry. For man can not kepe himſelf in the beholdyng and handling of them, but he will alſo honor them: and in honoring them, there is no meaſure but incontinent life that is attributed vntounto them the which apperteyneth onelyonly to Ieſus Chriſt. So then to ſpeake briefly as the thing is, the deſire to hauehave reliques is almoſt neuer without ſuſpition, and that worſe is, it is the mother of ydolatry, which is ordinarely connexed and ioyned therwith. EueryEvery man doeth confeſſe that the cauſe that moued oure Lord to hyde the body of Moyſes, was for feare leaſt y^e people of Iſraell, ſhoulde abuſe it in worſhippyng of it. Now it behoueth to vnderſtande that, that which hath bene done in one ſainct is done in al the reſt, ſeyng that there is one ſelfe ſame reaſon touching all: although we leaue to ſpeake of the ſaynctes here, yet let vsus marke what ſainct Paule ſayeth euen of Ieſus Chriſt himſelfe, for he proteſteth not to know him any more according to the fleſhe, after his reſurrection: admoniſhyng by theſe wordes that all that is carnall in Ieſus Chriſt oughte to be forgotten and ſet aſide to the ende to applye and ſet our affection to ſeke and poſſeſſe him according to the ſpirite.

Now then to pretende that it is a goodly thyng to hauehave ſome memoriall as well of hym as of the ſainctes, for to ſtyrre vp to deuotion. What is this els, but a falſe cloke to paint out our foliſhe and vayne deſier, whiche is grounded on no reaſon? And when this reaſon ſhoulde ſeme to be ſufficient, yet for ſo much as it dothe manifeſtlye repugne to that which the holye goſt hath pronunced by the mouth of ſainct Paul, what wold we hauehave more? Although it be not now nedefull to diſpute longe vponupon this poynct: to wit, whether it be good or euill to hauehave reliques for to kepe them only as precious thynges wythout worſhippynge them. For euen as we hauehave ſayde experience ſheweth that the one is almoſt neuer with out the other.

In the oration of the death of Theodoſius.It is very trew that ſainct Ambroſe ſpeaking of Helene mother to the Emperour Conſtantine, who with great payne and great expences ſoughte the croſſe of our Lorde: ſayeth that ſhe worſhipped only the lord that had hanged thereon and not the wodde. But it is a very rare thing to hauehave the hart addicted to any kinde of reliques whatſoeuer they be, & y^t one do not by & by defile & polute himſelfe wyth ſome kynde of ſuperſtition. I grant that men do not com incontinently or at the firſt to manifeſt Idolatrie: but by litle and litle thei com frō one abſuſe to another, euen vntyll they fall to the extremitie. So much there is that the people that name themſelues Chriſtians, are come euen to this poynte that they hauehave in this caſe committed as great ydolatrye as euer did the heathen. For they hauehave bowed them ſelues and kneled before the reliques, euen as before god. They hauehave lyghted candles and torches in ſygne of homage and honour. They hauehave put their truſt in them: they hauehave had theyr refuge to them, as though the vertue and grace of God had bene encloſed in them. If ydolatry conſiſt in tranſferryng the honor of God to others, ſhall we denye this to be ydolatry? Neither muſt we excuſe the matter in ſayinge, that it hath ben a diſordinat zeale of certaine rude and foliſhe people or of ſimple women: For it hath bene a general diſorder, approued of them which had the guydynge and gouernement of the churche. And likewiſe thei hauehave placed the bones of the dead, and all other reliques vponupon the high aulter, and on higheſt and moſt euident places, to the end to make them with more authoritie honoured.

Beholde then howe the beginning of this foliſhe curioſitie that men hauehave had in tymes paſte, to make a treaſure of Reliques, is come euen to thys moſt manifeſt abhomination, that not only men hauehave turned thē ſelues altogether frō god, for to occupy their minds on vayne and corruptible things, but alſo by a moſt execrable ſacriledge, hauehave worſhipped dead and inſenſible creatures in ſteade of the onelyonly liuyng God.

Now as one euil is neuer alone, but that it draweth another w^t it: this miſcheuous wickedneſſe is crept in ſince that men hauehave receyued for reliques aſwell of Ieſus Chriſt as of the ſainctes, I cannot tell what fylthineſſe and baggage wherein is neither rime nor reaſon. And the worlde hath bene ſo blinded, that what title ſo euer were geuen to euerye trifle that was preſented vntounto it, y^e ſame was forthwith receyued withoute all iudgement or further inquiſition.

So that what bones ſo euer of Aſſes or Dogges, that the firſte mocker or deceyuer woulde hauehave had preferred for bones of martirs men hauehave made no difficultie to receyue them verye deuoutlye. As much hath bene of all the reſt: as it ſhalbe hereafter entreated. For my part I doubt not it hath bene a iuſt puniſhment of god. For ſeyng the worlde hath gone a maddyng after reliques, to abuſe them vntounto a moſt peruerſe kinde of ſuperſtition: it ſtode with good reaſon that god ſhuld permit that after one lye another ſhould folow.

On this maner was he wonte to aduenge hym ſelfe of the diſhonoure that hath bene done to his name, when that men did tranſfer his honour to others.

Wherefore in that there are ſo many falſe and counterfeyte reliques throughout the whole world this procedeth from none other cauſe, but that god hath permitted that the world (for ſo much as it did delight in deceyte and lying) ſhoulde be double begyled and deceyued. It had bene the parte or dutye of chriſtians to hauehave left the bodies of ſaincts in their graues, for to hauehave obeyed to this vniuerſall ſentence. That all men are duſt, and to duſt thei ſhal returne. And not for to lifte them vp in pompe and ſumptuouſnes, for to make as it were a reſurrection before the time. This was not ment but to the contrary againſt the ordināce of god, they hauehave vnburied the bodies of the faithfull, for to exalt them in glory, whereas they oughte to hauehave bene in their graues and reſtyng places, waityng for the latter day. Man hath deſyred to hauehave them, and hath put his truſte in them, he hath honored them and hath made all ſignes of reuence to them. And what hath folowed? The Diuil ſeyng men ſo amaſed, was not content to hauehave deceyued the worlde in one ſort, but hath ſet forth this other deceit, to geue titles of reliques of ſainctes to that which was altogether prophane. And god by hys vengeance hath taken awaye vnderſtanding & iudgement from the vnbeleuers: in ſuch ſort that with out any further inquiſition, they hauehave accepted al what ſoeuer hath bene preſented vntounto them, putting no difference betwene white and blacke. Now for this preſent I minde not to entreate what abhomination it is to abuſe the reliques aſwell of our Lorde Ieſus as of the ſainctes, in ſuch ſorte as men hauehave hitherto done, and as is yet done in the moſt part of chriſtendome, for it woulde require a whole boke to deduce this matter But for aſmuch as it is a thing notorious & knowen, that the moſt parte of the reliques that are ſhewed throughout al places ar falſe and counterfaite, and hauehave bene ſet forth and preferred by deceyuers, who impudētly hauehave abuſed the world: I hauehave thought good to ſpeake ſomwhat therof, to y^e end to giuegive occaſiō to eueryevery mā to think thereon, & to take hede therto, for ſomtime we aproue a thīg raſhly, For ſo muche as our mindes are occupied in ſuch ſort that we take not leaſure to examine what it is to the ende to giuegive good and right iudgement: & ſo we fayle for lacke of takyng heede. But when one doeth admoniſhe vsus, we beginne to thinke thereon, and are wonderous much amaſed, how we hauehave bene ſo eaſye and lyght to beleue that which was in nothyng probable. Euē ſo hath it com to paſſe in thys matter, herein for lack of aduertiſement euerye one beyng preoccupied with that which he heareth ſayde: beholde the body of ſuch a ſainct, beholde his ſhowes, behold hys hoſe, ſuffereth himſelf to be perſuaded that it is ſo. But when I ſhal hauehave euendently ſhewed the deceyte that is committed therein, who ſo euer hath any ſparke of wiſdome and reaſon wil open hys eyes, and giuegive him ſelfe to conſider that which neuer before he thought vponupon.

Although I cannot do as I wold in this litle boke. For it ſhould be nedful to hauehave regeſters frō al partes, for to knowe what reliques are ſayde to be in all places, to the ende to make compariſon of them And then men ſhoulde know that eueryevery Apoſtle ſhoulde hauehave more then foure bodyes, & eueryevery ſainct at the leaſt two or thre and ſo many ſhould be of all the reſt.

To be ſhorte when one ſhoulde hauehave gathered all on a heape, there is no man that woulde not be aſtoniſhed, ſeyng a mockery ſo foliſh and abſurde, the which neuertheles hath had power to blind the whole earth.

I thought y^t for as much as ther is not ſo lytle a cathedrall church that hath not as it wer thouſands of bones and other ſuch litle trifles, what ſhuld it be if one ſhould gather together the whole multitude of two or thre thouſande biſhoprickes, of twentye or thyrtie thouſand abbeys, of more then fourtye thouſande couentes, of ſo many pariſhe churchs & chappels? But yet y^e chiefe & principal ſhuld be to viſet them, & not to name thē only, for thei ar not al ſo knowen y^t thei can be named. In this town thei had (as men ſay) in times paſſed, an arme of S. Anthony y^e which whē it was incloſed in a glaſſe they kiſſed and worſhipped: but at ſuch time as it was takē out & ſhewed forth, it was foūd to be y^e mē ber of an Hart: there was alſo on the high aulter hangyng y^e braine of Sainct Peter as longe as it was incloſed men did not doubte therof. For it had bene blaſphemie not to beleue the ſuperſcription. But when as the neſte was pulled out, and that men did better beholde it, it was founde to be a marble ſtone, I could recite many thinges by like examples, but theſe ſhall ſuffice to do you to vnderſtande what great filthines & ordure ſhoulde be diſcloſed if there were ſome good vniuerſall viſitaſitation made of all the reliques of Europa: Yea, and that with wiſedome and prudence to knowe how to diſcerne them.

For many beholdyng a relique ſhut their eyes through ſuperſtition to the ende, that they ſeing ſhoulde ſee nothyng at all: that is to ſay that they dare not looke in good earneſt to conſider what the thing is. Euen as many that boſt them ſelues to hauehave ſene S. Gloudes bodye whole, or the bodye of ſome other ſainct: and hauehave neuer had this boldnes to lifte vp theyr eyes to beholde what the thynge was. But he that ſhould hauehave the libertie to ſee the ſecreat, and the boldneſſe to vſe it, ſhoulde well know how to ſpeake otherwiſe.

As much is of the head of Mary Magdeline, which is ſhowed nere the towne of Marſeilles wyth the morſel of paſt, or ware that is faſtened vponupon her eye. Men do make a treaſure of her, as it were a god deſcended from heauen: but if a trial wer made of things men might clearely finde the deceyt and craft. It wer then a thing to be deſired, to hauehave a certentie of al the trifles that men kepe heare, and there for reliques: or at the leaſt to hauehave a regeſter of thē to ſhew how many falſhodes there are? But ſeyng this is not poſſible to be done, I wiſhe to hauehave onelyonly the Inuentory of ten or twelue townes: as of Paris, Thoulous, Raines, and Poiters: yf I had but onelyonly theſe, (yet neuertheleſſe) men ſhoulde ſee a meruelous great ſwarme, or at the leaſt a confuſed heape. And it is a wiſhe y^t I hauehave many times deſired that I might recouer ſuche an Inuentory: neuertheles for ſo much as y^t would alſo be hard for me to doe, I thought it much better in the ende to giuegive this lytle aduertyſement which foloweth: To the ende to awake them that ſlepe, and to make them thynke what may be ſayd of y^e whole number, when that in ſo very a lytle a portion, there is founde ſo much abuſe. I meane, when there ſhall be founde ſo much vntrueth in thoſe Reliques whiche I ſhall name, the which is almoſt not the thouſande parte of that which is ſhewed and ſene: what maye one thynke of the reſidue?

Moreouer, if it apear that thoſe which were counted and eſtemed for the moſte certayne hauehave bene fraudulently inuēted and counter feyted: what maye men thynke of thoſe that are more doubtfull? And woulde to god that Chriſten Princes would ſomewhat thinke vponupon thys. For it were their office and dutye not to ſuffer theyr pore ſubiects to be ſo deceiued, not onelyonly by falſe doctrine, but viſibly in makynge them beleue (as the Prouerbe ſayeth) that Rammes bladders are lanternes: for they ſhall make accounte before God for their diſſimulyng, yf ſeing and beholdyng the ſame they kepe ſilence: and it ſhall be dearely ſolde them to hauehave permitted men to mocke God, where as they myght hauehave remedied the ſame.

How ſoeuer it be, I truſt that this lytle treatiſe ſhal ſerue al, geuing eueryevery one occaſion to thinke with himſelfe that which the tytle importeth: that is, yf there were a regeſter made of all the reliques of the worlde, that men ſhould clearly ſee how they hauehave bene deceyued and blynded heretofore, and what darkennes and ignoraunce hath bene throughoute the whole earth.

Let vsus begynne then at Ieſus Chriſte, of whome becauſe they coulde not ſaye that they had the naturall body (for concerning hys miraculous body they hauehave found ſuch meanes to forge it, and that in ſuch number and at all times, as often as ſemed good to them) they hauehave gathered in ſtede therof thouſands of other trifles, to ſupplye this want. Although yet not withſtanding they hauehave not to let the bodye of Ieſus Chriſt eſcape without retaynyng ſome lytle gobbet thereof. For beſides the teath and the heare, the Abbey of Charour in the dioſis of Poiters, vanteth it ſelfe to hauehave the prepuce, that is to ſaye: the foreſkyn that was cut from him in the circumciſion.

I prai you from whence came this ſkinne vntounto them? Sainct Luke the Euangeliſt reciteth very well that our Lord Ieſus was circumciſed: but that the ſkinne was locked vp to be reſerued for a relique he maketh no mencion at all: All the auncient hiſtories ſpeake neuer a worde thereof. And for the ſpace of fiue hundred yeres it was neuer ſpoken of in the Chriſtian churche. Where is it then that it was hidden, for to be founde agayne ſo ſodenly? Moreouer howe coulde it flye vntounto Charour? But for to proue it to be y^t thyng, they ſay that certain droppes of bloode fell from it. This is their ſaying, which had nede of probation. Wherefore a man maye well ſee, that it is but a plaine mockery or delution. Yet neuertheleſſe although that we ſhoulde graunte them that the ſkynne that was cut from Ieſus Chriſt was kepte and that it might be either there, or els where.

What ſhould we ſai of the foreſkinne which is ſhewed at Rome, at Sainct Iohn of Latrans?

It is moſt certain that there was neuer but one. It coulde not be then at Rome and at Charour both together. So then beholde, a moſt manifeſt faſhold and deceite.

There remanieth afterwardes the blood, for the which there hath bene great ſtryfe and much diſſention: For many hauehave ſayde, that there was found no blood of Ieſus Chriſt, but miraculous bloode, yet neuertheleſſe it is ſhewed natural in more then an hundred places. In one place certaine droppes, as at Rochell in Poitou the whiche Nicodemus (as they ſaye) dyd gather in his gloue. In other places violes full, as at Mantone and els where, in other places gobblets ful as at Rome, at ſainct Euſtace. Yea men hauehave not bene content to hauehave bloode alone, but they muſt hauehave mingled it wyth water as it did iſſue out of his ſide when he was pearced on the croſſe. This merchandiſe is to be founde in the church of S. Iohn of Latran at Rome. I leaue the iudgement to eueryevery man what certentie may be had hereof. And namelye whether this be not a manyfeſt lye, to ſay that the blood of Ieſus Chriſt hath bene founde ſeuen or eyghte hundred yeres after his death, for to be ſhewed throughout y^e world: ſeing that in the auncient churche there was neuer made mencion thereof.

There foloweth after, that which did touche the body of our lorde Ieſus: or rather al that thei could gather together for to make reliques of in memorie of him in ſtede of hys bodye.

Fyrſt of all the Maunger, in the which he was put at the tyme of his birth, is to be ſhewed at Rome in the church called our Ladye the greater. Alſo in S. Paules church the clothe wherein he was wrapped: although that there be ſome lytle part of it at S. Sauiours in Spaine. Hys Cradle is alſo at Rome, wyth the ſhyrte that hys mother Mary the Virgyn made hym.

Item in ſ. Iames church at Rome they doe ſhewe the aulter on the whiche he was ſet in the temple, in the time of his preſentacion: as though there had then bene dyuers aulters, as they make in the Papiſtrie as manye as they wyll. So herein they lie without colour or cloke. Beholde what thynges they hauehave had for the time of Chriſtes childhode. It is now not nede full to diſpute muche where it is, that they hauehave founde all this baggage, ſo longe a tyme ſynce the death of Ieſus Chriſt.

For there is none of ſo litle iudgement that doth not ſee their foly. Throughout the whole hiſtorie of the goſpell, there is not ſo muche as one worde mencioned of theſe thynges. In the tyme of the Apoſtles it was neuer harde once ſpoken of.

Aboute fyftye yeares after the death of Chriſt Ieſus, Ieruſalem was beſeiged and deſtroyed. Many auncient doctours hauehave written ſenſe that tyme, makyng mencion of thinges that were in their tyme: namelye of the croſſe and nayles that Helene did finde. But of al theſe ſmal trifles thei ſpeake neuer a worde. Moreouer in the time of Sainct Gregory, it is out of all dout that there was none of all this at Rome, as may be ſeene by his writynges. After whoſe death Rome hath bene diuers tymes taken, pylled, and almoſt altogether waſted. When all this ſhalbe conſidered, what can one ſaye els, but that all this geare hath bene deuiſed for to abuſe the ſimple people. And in verye deede the maſkers as well Prieſtes as Monkes, do well confeſſe that it is ſo, in callynge them Pias fraudes, that is to ſay honeſt deceytes, for to moue the people to deuotion.

There foloweth reliques which appertain to the time that is ſince the childhode of Ieſus Chriſt vntyll his death. Amonges which there is the piller whereon he dyd leane when he diſputed in the temple, with eleuen other lyke pyllers of Salomons temple, I aſke them who did reuele vntounto thē that Ieſus did leane vponupon a pyller?

For the Euangeliſt maketh no mencion therof, in rehearſing the hiſtorie of this diſputacion. And it is not lykely to be trew, that thei gaue him place as vntounto a preacher ſeyng y^t he was not in eſtimacion, nor in authoritie as it doth apear. Moreouer, I demaunde although that he had leaned vponupon a piller, yet howe is it that they knowe it to be the ſame? Thyrdlye from whence that they hauehave had theſe twelue pyllers whiche they ſaye were of the temple of Salomon.

There foloweth after the cruſes wherein the water was that Ieſus Chriſt chaunged into wyne at the bride ale in Cana of Galilee, the which they call Hydries.

I woulde gladly knowe who was the keper of them ſo longe a time, for to diſtribute theym. For we muſt note this that they were not found before .viii. C. or a thouſand yeres after that this miracle was done. I doe not knowe all places where they are ſhewed. I knowe well that ther are of them at Piſe at Rauene, at Cluny, at Angers, at S. Sauiours in Spaine.

But without makyng further diſcourſe of the matter, it is very eaſye, onelyonly by the eye ſyght, to conuince them of a lye. For ſome of them do contain no more but fiue quartes of wine at the moſt, other ſome leſſe: & the others do contain wel nigh a firken. Let them make theſe floutes agre, if thei can: and then I wyll leaue them their Hydries without makynge any controuerſies with them. But they hauehave not bene content wyth the veſſels onelyonly except they had ther w^t the drinke alſo: for at Orleance they ſaye that they hauehave the wine the which thei name Achitricline. For becauſe the Euangeliſt ſainct Iohn recityng the miracle, ſpeaketh of the Architricline, which is to ſay the maiſter of the houſe.

It hath ſemed to them that it was the proper name of the Bridegrome: and they entertayne the people in thys beaſtlyneſſe.

For once a yere they make them that wyll brynge them their offeringe: licke the ende of a ſponne, telling them that they geue them to drink of the wyne that our lord made in y^e banquet. And the quantitie neuer diminiſheth (prouided alwaies that thei fil the gobblet).

I can not tel of what bignes his ſhowes are, which are ſaid to be at Rome in the place named Sancta ſanctorum, nor whether they be thoſe that he ware in his childholde, or in his manhode. And when all is ſayd a like worth is the one as the other. For that whiche I hauehave already ſayde, doth ſufficiently ſhew what impudencye it is, to brynge forth nowe the Showes of Chriſt whyche the Apoſtles them ſelues had not in their time.

Let vsus come to that which doth appertayne to the laſte Supper whiche Chriſte Ieſus made wyth hys Apoſtles. That Table is at Rome at Sainct Iohn of Latran.

There is of the breade at ſainct Sauiours in Spaine. The knife wherewith the paſcal lambe was cut is at Trier: note that Chriſt Ieſus was in a borowed place whē he made his ſupper. In departing frō thence he left y^e table there: we do not reade y^t it was euer caried a way by y^e apoſtles. Ieruſalē w^tin a certeyn ſpace after was deſtroied: as we hauehave ſaid, what likeneſſe is there y^t this table ſhould hauehave ben founde ſeuen or eyghte hundred yeres after? Moreouer the forme and faſhion of tables wer in thoſe dayes cleane contrary to that thei are nowe, for they dyd lye at their meales, and not ſit as it is expreſlye ſayde in the Goſpell. The lye then is to much manifeſt.

And what lackes there more? The cuppe wherein he gaue the Sacrament of his blood to his Apoſtles to drinke, is ſhewed at our Ladye of the Ile neare to Lyons, and in Albegeios in a certaine couent of Auguſtines. Which of the two ſhall one beleue? And yet is it worſe of the platter wherein the paſcall lambe was put: for it is at Rome, at Genes, and at Earles. We muſt nedes ſaye that the cuſtome of that tyme was dyuers from ours. For where as now we hauehave diuers meſſes they muſt nedes hauehave had for one meſſe dyuers platters: Yea if one woulde geue credit to theſe holy reliques, wold anye man hauehave a more open and manifeſt falſhode?

As much is to be ſayd of the linnen cloth, wherwith Ieſus Chriſt dyd wype his apoſtles feete, after that he had waſhed them. There is one at Rome at Sanct Iohn of Latran: another at Aix in Dutchland at ſainct Cornelius with the ſigne of Iudas fote. It muſt nedes be y^t the one or the other is falſe. What ſhall we then iudge? Let vsus ſuffer thē to debate the matter one againſt another, vntyll ſuche tyme as one of the partyes hauehave verified the cauſe. In the meane tyme let vsus thynke that it is nothing but diſceyte, for to go about to make men beleue that the cloth which Ieſus Chriſt left in y^e houſe where he made his ſupper ſhoulde flye (fyue or ſyxe hundred yere after the deſtruction of Ieruſalem) either into Italy or Dutchlande.

I had forgotten the bread wherwith fiue thouſand were miraculouſlye fedde in the Wylderneſſe, whereof one peece is to be ſhewed at Rome, in the church of our Ladye the newe. And a lytle porcion thereof at Saincte Sauiours in Spaine.

It is ſayd in the Scripture that there was a certaine porcion of Manna reſerued, for a remembrance that God had miraculouſly fedde the people of Iſraell in the Wildernes. But of the leauinges that were left of the fyue loaues, the Goſpell maketh no mencion that there was anye reſerued to ſuch an ende or purpoſe: and there is no auncient hiſtorye that ſpeaketh thereof, nor any Doctour of the churche. It is very eaſye to be iudged that thys (which they doe nowe ſhewe) hathe bene kned and made ſince that tyme.

So muche is to be iudged of the bowe that is at Sainct Sauiours in Spayne. For they ſay that it is the ſame that Ieſus helde in hys handes when he entred into Ieruſalem on Paulme Sondaye, nowe the Goſpell maketh no mencion that he dyd holde any ſuch, therefore it is an imagined thing.

Finally, we muſt place in thys rancke, another relique which ſemeth the ſelfe ſame: that is the earth whereon Ieſus Chriſt ſtode when he raiſed vp Lazarus. I prai you who was it y^t marked y^e place ſo well, that after the deſtruction of Ieruſalem, when all was changed in the countrey of Iuda, he coulde goe ſo rightlye to the place wher Ieſus Chriſt had once gone.

It is time to come to y^e principal Reliques of oure Lorde Ieſus, to thoſe I meane that appertayne to his death and paſſion.

And fyrſt of all let vsus begynne to ſpeake of his croſſe, wherevpon he was hanged. I know that it is holden for a certaintie that it was founde of Heline the mother of Conſtantine the Romaine Emperour. I knowe alſo what certaine Doctours hauehave written touching the approbation hereof, for to certifie that the croſſe which ſhe foūd was without doute the ſelfe ſame on the whiche Ieſus Chriſt was hanged. Touchynge all this I reporte me to the thynge it ſelfe, ſo much is there that it was but a foliſh curioſitie of her, or at the leaſt a foliſhe and vnconſidered deuotion. But yet put the caſe it had ben a worke worthye of prayſe to her, for to hauehave taken paynes to fynde the trewe croſſe, and that our lord had then declared by myracle that it was his croſſe which ſhe found: Yet let vsus onelyonly conſider that which is of our time. EueryEvery one doeth holde that this croſſe which Helene founde is yet at Ieruſalem, and none doeth doute thereof. Although the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtory againſt ſayeth the ſame not ablye. For it is ther recited that Helene toke one part therof to ſend to the Emperour her ſonne, who put the ſame at Conſtantinople vponupon a fyne pyller of Marble in the myddeſt of the market. Of the other part, it is ſayde that ſhe did locke the ſame in a copher of ſiluer, and gaue it the Biſhop of Ieruſalem to kepe. So then eyther we ſhall augment the hiſtorie of a lie or els that which is holden at this daye of the true Croſſe, is but a vayne and triflyng opinion.

Let vsus conſider on the other part howe many peeces there are therof through out the worlde. Yf I woulde onelyonly recite that whych I coulde ſay, there woulde be a regeſter ſufficient to fyl a whole boke. There is not ſo litle a town wher there is not ſome peece thereof, and that not onelye in cathedrall churchs, but alſo in ſome pariſhes Likewiſe ther is not ſo wicked an abbey where there is not of it to be ſhewed. And in ſom places ther are good great ſhydes: as at the holye chappell of Paris, and at Poiters & at Rome, where there is a great crucifix made therof as men ſaye. To be ſhort, yf a man woulde gather together all that hath bene founde of thys croſſe, there would be inough to fraighte a great ſhip. The Goſpell teſtifieth that the croſſe myght be caried of one man What audacitie then was this to fyll the earth wyth peeces of wod in ſuche quantitie, that thre hundred men can not cary them? And in deede they hauehave forged this excuſe that howe muche ſo euer be cut therefrom, yet it neuer decreſeth. But this a mockerye ſo abſurde and folyſhe, that euen the ſuperſticious men themſelues know the contrary. I leaue them to iudge what certentie a man mai hauehave of all the trew croſſes y^t are worſhypped here and there. I leaue to declare from whence, and by what meanes certayne peeces are come.

As ſome ſaye, that y^e which they hauehave hereof, was broughte them by Angels: others ſaye that it fell from heauen to them. Thoſe of Poiters ſaye that that which they hauehave thereof, was brought them by one of Helenes ladyes who had ſtolne the ſame: and as ſhe fled ſhe was founde (beyng gone aſtraye) nere vntounto Poitou. Thei ad to this fable that ſhe was lame.

Behold the goodly foundations they hauehave to perſuade the poore people to commit Idolatrye: For they hauehave not bene content to deceyue and abuſe the ſimple people in ſhewynge common wodde in ſtede of the croſſe, but thei hauehave reſolued that it ought to be worſhipped, which is a deuyliſhe doctrine and ſainct Ambroſe namely hath reproued it, as a Heatheneſſe ſuperſticion.

After the croſſe foloweth the title which Pilate cauſed to be put thereon, where he had written, Ieſus of Nazareth kyng of the Iewes. But it were requiſite that we ſhoulde knowe bothe the place and the tyme, and howe it was founde. Some wyll ſay to me that Socrates the hiſtorian of y^e church maketh mencion thereof. I grant it: But he maketh not mencion what was become therof. So then this witneſſe is of no great value nor force. Moreouer it was a writyng made in haſte and withoute conſideration, after that Ieſus Chriſt was crucified. Wherefore to ſhewe a table curiouſlye made, as it were to be kept for a ſhew, is without all reaſon therein.

So then although there were but one only title, it might neuertheleſſe be counterfaite falſe and fained. But ſeynge the towne of Thoulouſe boſteth to hauehave it, and thoſe of Rome ſaye there againſt, ſhewing it in the church of the holy Roode: they falſecifie and bely one the other. Let them fight together then ſo much as they wyl: in the ende bothe of them ſhalbe conuicted of a lye, yf a man would examine the thing as it is.

Yet there is a greater combat of the nayles. I wyll recite them onelyonly that are come to my knowledge. Therevpon there is not ſo lytle a childe but wyll iudge that the Deuyll hath to much deluded the worlde in takyng from it both vnderſtandyng and reaſon, that it coulde diſcerne nothynge in thys matter. If the auncient writers ſaye trewe,Hiſtoria trip. lib. 2, and namely Theodorite Hiſtoriographer of the auncient churche, Helene cauſed one to be nayled on her ſonnes helmet, the other two ſhe put in his horſe bitte. How be it Sainct Ambroſe ſayeth not fully ſo. For he ſayeth that one was put in Conſtantins crowne, of the other his horſebit was made, and the thirde Helene kept. Wee ſe y^t already more then twelue hundred yeres agone this hath bene in controuerſie, to wit, what was become of the nayles. What certentie can be had of thē then at thys preſent tyme.

Now at Millan they boſte that thei hauehave y^e nayle that was put in Conſtantines horſe bitte. To the whiche the towne of Carpentras oppoſeth her ſelfe, ſayinge that it is ſhe that hath it. Nowe S. Ambroſe doth not ſaye that the nayle was knit to the bitte, but that the bitte was made thereof. Whiche thyng can in no wyſe be made to agre eyther w^t their ſaying of Milan, or w^t theirs of Carpentras.

Moreouer there is one in Rome at Sainct Helenes: annother alſo in the church of the holy croſſe, another at Sene, another at Veniſ… In Germany two: at Collyne one at the three Maries: another at Triers, one in Fraunce at the holy chappell of Paris, another at y^e Carmes, one alſo at Sainct Denis in France: one at Burges: one at Tenaill, one at Draguigne.

Beholde here fourtene, whereof account is made: in eueryevery place they alledge good approbation for them ſelues, as they ſuppoſe. And ſo it is that euerye one hath as good right as annother. Wherefor there is no better way then to make them all paſſe vnderunder one fidelium. That is to ſaye, to repute all that they ſaye hereof to be but lyes, ſeyng that otherwiſe a man ſhoulde neuer come to an ende.

There foloweth the Speare-head which can be but one: but we muſt nedes ſaye that it hath paſſed throughe the fournace of ſome alcumiſte. For it is multiplied to four beſide thoſe y^t mai be in other places here and there, whereof I hauehave not hearde. There is one at Rome, the ſeconde at the holye chappel of Paris, the thirde in the abbey of Tenaill, at ſainct Euge: the fourth at Selne, near to Burges. Which of them nowe wyll a man chuſe for the trewe? Wherefore the ſhorteſt waye is to leaue them al foure for ſuch as they are. But preſuppoſe that there were but one onelyonly, yet I would know from whence it came: For neither the auncient hiſtories, neither alſo al the other writers do make any mencion thereof. It muſt nedes be then that they were forged a new.

Touchynge the crowne of thornes, we muſte nedes ſaye that the peeces thereof wer planted again for to grow & waxe greene: otherwiſe I can not tell howe it coulde hauehave bene ſo augmented.

For an Item, there is the third part in the holy chappell of Paris there are three thornes at Rome, in the churche of the holye Croſſe: and in the church of S. Euſtace, of Rome likewiſe ſome litle porcion: at Sene I can not tell how many thornes: at Venice one: at Bourges fyue: at Beſanſon, in Saynct Iohns church thre: at Muntroyal three: at S. Sauiours in Spayne, I can not tell how many: at ſainct Iames in Galice two: at Albye three: at Tholouſe, at Maſcou, at Charoux in Poiters, at Clere, at ſainct Flour, at Sainct Maximin in Prouince, in the Abbey of Salle: in the pariſhe church of S. Martin at Noyon: in eueryevery one of theſe places ther is at y^e leaſt one. If one woulde make diligent inquiſition hereof, he might name foure times as many. Neceſſarily it is ſene that there is much falſehode vſed herin. What confidence then may a man hauehave either of the one or the other? Herewith it is to be noted, that in the whole ancient church they coulde neuer tell what was become of this crowne.

Wherefore it is eaſye to be concluded, that the fyrſt plant therof beganne to budde longe tyme after the death of oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſt.

There foloweth after the gonne of Purple wherewith Pilate cloched our Lorde in diriſion, for as much as he called him ſelfe a king Nowe it was a precious robe which was not to be caſt away: & it is not to be thought y^t Pilate or his men would let it be loſt, after that he had once mocked our Lorde Ieſus therewith. I woulde gladlye knowe who was the marchaunt that bought it of Pilate to kepe it for a relique. But the better to cloke their deceyt: they ſhew ſome ſpots of bloude thereon, as if theſe wicked men woulde hauehave ſpylte a princely robe, in putting it by mockedge vponupon the ſhulders of Ieſus Chriſt I know not whether there be any more in any other place. But of the garment that was wouen from top to toe without ſeme whereon lottes were caſt, becauſe that it ſemed more proper to moue the ſimple people to deuotion ther hath ben diuers foūde: for there is one at Argenteul near Paris, & at Trier another. And if the bulle of Sainct Sauiours in Spaine ſayth trewe, the Chriſtians through theyr raſhe vnconſidered zeale, hauehave done worſe then euer did the vnfaithfull ſouldiours, for they durſt not teare it in peces, but for to ſpare it caſt lots therefore: and the Chriſtians hauehave torne it in peces to worſhip it. But yet what wyll thei anſwere to the Turke, who mocketh their follye, ſaying that he hath it in hys handes. Howbeit, it is not now nedeful to make them plede agaynſt y^e Turk for it ſuffiſeth that they ende the ſtrife amonge them ſelues. The meane while we ſhalbe holden excuſed thoughe we beleue neyther the one nor the other, for feare leſt we ſhoulde fauoure the one parte more then the other, wythoute knowledge of the cauſe, for that were againſt all reaſon. Moreouer if thei wold that men ſhuld beleue theyr ſayings. It is firſt of all requiſite that thei wold agre w^t the Euangeliſts. Now it is ſo that this garment wherevpon lots were caſte, was a coat or a Iacket: which the Grekes cal Clicoton and the Latins tunica. Let one marke if the garment of Argenteul, or that of Trier hauehave ſuch a forme and faſhion. One ſhal finde it to be like a prieſtes cope although thei ſhould put out mens eyes, yet myghte they know their faſhold by feling with their handes. To make an ende of this article, I woulde gladly aſke a litle queſtion touching that that the ſouldiers did. What moued y^e ſouldiers to deuide amongſt them the garmentes and coat of Ieſus Chriſt as the ſcripture witneſſeth It is moſt certaine that it was to ſerue them ſelues for their owne profite.

Let them tell me yf they can who was that Chriſtian that boughte them of the ſouldiours, I meane as well the coat as the other garments that ar ſhewed in other places, as at Rome in the churche of Sainct Euſtace, and els where. Howe is it that the Euangeliſtes hauehave forgotten this? For it is an abſurde thing to ſaye that the ſouldiours had taken in boutye the garmentes, without addyng that they were bought of them agayne at their handes for to make reliques of.

Moreouer, howe is it, that all the auncient wryters, hauehave bene ſo ingrate to make no mencion thereof? I geue them terme to anſwere me to theſe queſtions, when men ſhall hauehave no moore ſence, nor vnderſtandynge to iudge.

The beſt is that wyth the garment they woulde alſo hauehave the Diſe, wherewith the lot was caſt by the ſouldyours.

The one is at Trier, and two other, at Sayncte Sauyoures in Spaine. Wherein they hauehave ſhewed lyuely what is their folyſheneſſe: For the Euangeliſtes ſaye, that the Souldyours dyd caſte Lottes, whyche were then drawen oute of an Hatte, or oute of ſomme ſuch lyke thyng. Euen as when men chuſe the kyng of the Beane, or when as men playe at the Blancke, or at ſuch other lyke games and paſtimes.

To bee ſhorte, euerye man almoſte knoweth what caſtynge of Lottes meaneth: it is commonly vſed in deuydyng of partes.

Theſe Beaſtes hauehave imagyned that the caſtynge of the Lottes, was to playe at Diſe: When they were not in vſage, at the leaſt ſuch as we hauehave it now in our time: for in ſteade of ſixe and ace and other poynctes, they had certayne markes which thei named by theyr names: as Venus or dogge. Now let thē that wyll go kiſſe the reliques in credite of ſo loude, playne, and manifeſt lyers.

It is time to entreat of the head ſhete wherein they hauehave yet more plainly ſhewed as wel their impudencie as their folyſhenes, for beſides the heade ſhete of the veronicque which is ſhewed at Rome in Sainct Peters church, and the kercher that the virgyn Mary, as they ſay: put about the priuy membres of our Lord, which is ſhewed at Sainct Iohn of Latrans: The whiche is alſo at the Auguſtines of Carcoſſone. Item the cloth that was put vponupon his head in the ſepulchre, whiche likewiſe is ſhewed there. There are halfe a douſen townes at the leaſte, that doe boaſte to hauehave whole wyndynge ſhete of the ſepulchre. As Nice it was tranſported from Chamberie thither. Item Aix in Dutchlande. Item at Traicte: Item at Beſanſon: Item at Cadoin in Limoſine: Item a towne of Lorraigne, ſtandyng vponupon the porte of Aſſois. Beſides the peces that are diſparſed from one ſide to another. As at Sainct Sauiours in Spaine, and at the Auguſtins of Albie. I leaue oute yet a whole windyng ſhete, which is at Rome in a moneſtarie of women: becauſe that the Pope dyd forbyde to ſhew it ſolemnlye. I praye you hath not the worlde bene merueylouſlye enraged, to trot a hundred or ſixe ſcore legues longe, wyth greate charges and great paynes, for to ſee a cloute, of the which they coulde hauehave no certentie, but rather wer conſtrayned to dout thereof? for whoſouer eſtemeth or iudgeth the windyng ſhete to be in one certaine place, he maketh all the others falſe, which boſte that they hauehave it.

As for example, he that beleueth that the cloth of Chamberie is the right windynge ſhete, he condemneth thoſe of Beſanſon, of Aix, of Cadoin, of Trier and of Rome, as lyers, and as them that wickedly make the people commit Idolatrye in deceyuyng them, and making them beleue that a prophane cloth is the winding ſhete wherein theyr redemer was wrapt. Let vsus nowe come to the goſpell, for it wer but a ſmal matter for them to accuſe one another of a lye, but the holy ghoſt ſpeakynge agaynſt all, doeth confounde them altogether aſwell one as another.

Fyrſt of all it is much meruaile that the Euangeliſtes make no mencion of this portrature that touched the face of IESVS CHRIST with a kercher: ſeing they make mencion of all the women that did accompany hym to the croſſe. It was a right notable thyng and worthy to be regeſtred, that the face of Ieſus Chriſt ſhould be miraculouſlye imprinted in a lynnen clothe: contrarywyſe, it ſemeth that it is but a matter of ſmall importance, to ſaye that certayne women dyd accompanye Ieſus Chriſt to the croſſe, without there had chaunſed ſome miracle to them. How is it then that the Euangeliſtes rehearſe ſmale thynges and of lytle importance, holdyng their peece and makynge no mencion of principall thinges? Truly if ſuch a miracle had bene done as ſome make men to beleue we muſte needes accuſe the holye ghoſt of forgetfulneſſe, or lacke of diſcretion: that he could not chuſe prudently that which was moſte expedient for to be reported. Thus much be ſpoken touchyng the veronicque ſhete to the end that men might know what an euident and manifeſt lye it is which they wold perſuade the ſimple in.

Moreouer concerning the windyng ſhete in which the body was wrapped, I aſke them a like queſtion, the Euengeleſtes recite diligently y^e miracles that were done at the death of Ieſus Chriſt, and do leaue nothinge out that appertaineth to the hiſtorie: howe is it then that thys eſcaped them, that they ſpeake neuer a worde of ſo excellent a miracle. To wit that the printe of the body of our Lord Ieſus dyd remaine in the lynnen cloth wherein he was buried. This if it had bene ſo, was as worthy to be ſpoken of, as manye other things. Yea the holy Euangeliſt ſainct Iohn declareth, howe that Sainct Peter beyng, entred into the ſepulchre, ſaw the linnen clothes of the ſepulchre, the one of one ſide, the other on the other ſyde: but that there was anye miraculous portrature, he maketh no mencion. And it is not to be thought or preſumed if there had ben any ſuch matter, that he wold hauehave ſuppreſſed ſuch a worke of God. There is yet another dout to be obiected: that is that the Euangeliſts make no mencion that any of the diſciples or of the faythfull women, did cary awaye the ſhetes (wherof the queſtion is) out of the ſcripture: but rather they giuegive vsus to vnderſtand that they left them there, although they playnely expreſſe not the ſame. Nowe the ſepulchre was kept with the ſouldiours. Who afterwardes had the ſhete in their owne power. Is it to be ſuppoſed or thought, that they gaue it ſome faithfull man or woman for to make reliques of? Seinge the Phariſes had corrupted them for to make them forſweare them ſelues, ſaying that the diſciples had ſtolne the bodye: I leaue to reproue them of falſehode, euen by the very ſight of the pictures that they ſhew. For it is eaſie to be ſene y^t they were payntinges made by mans hande. And I can not merueyll ynough fyrſt, howe they were ſuch blockheads that they had no better fetch for to deceyue: and much more, how the worlde hath bene ſo doltiſhe, for to ſuffer it ſelfe to be blinded in ſuch ſort y^t it could not ſee ſo euident a thyng. Moreouer they hauehave well declared that they had the painter at commaundement. For when one wyndyng ſhete was burned there was alwayes another found the next daye. They woulde notwithſtandynge ſaye, that it was the ſelfe ſame that it was before, the which miraculouſlye was ſaued from the fyre: but the pryntyng was ſo freſhe, that the lye auayled nothyng, if there had bene eies for to hauehave ſene and to behold But yet to make an ende wyth. There is a paremptorye reaſon, by the which they are all together conuinced of their impudencye. In all places where as they ſaye they hauehave the holye winding ſhete thei ſhowe a greate ſhete, whiche did conuer all the body with the head: and their in is to be ſene y^e printe of a body togeather al in one pece. Nowe the Euangelyſte S. Iohn ſaithe, that Ieſus Chriſt was buried accordinge to the maner of the Iewes. And what their maner was, one maye, not onelyonly vnderſtande it by the cuſtume that the Iewes obſerue yeat to this daye, but alſo by their bookes, whiche ſufficiently declare the auncient cuſtume that is to binde the body a parte euen to the ſhoulders, after to wrappe the heade in a kerchere, bindinge it at the foure corners. The which alſo the Euangeliſte expreſſeth, whan he ſayethe, that ſainct Petter ſawe the linnen clothes of one ſide wherein the body hade bene wraped: and of an other ſide the kercher whiche was put vponupon the heade for ſuch is the ſignification of this word Suaire, to take it for an hankerchere or couercheffe, and not for a greate ſhete, that ſerueth to wrape the body in. For to conclud briefly, Ether the Euangeliſte ſainct Iohn muſt be a lyer or els all they that boſte them ſelues to hauehave the winding ſhete muſt be conuicted of falſhode, and it muſt euidentlye hauehave apered y^t they hauehave, deaceaued the poore people, by a moſte extreme impudency it ſhould neuer be done if I wold intreate perticulerly, al the mockeries that they vſe: one dothe ſhowe at Rome at ſaincte Iohn of Latran, the rede that was put by mocking in Ieſus Chriſtes hand in ſtead of a ſepter when he was beaten in Pylates howſe.

Lykewyſe at the churche of the croſſe is ſhowen the ſponge, wher the gall and myrrhe was put in his mouthe. I praye you, where is it y^t thei recouered them? It was y^e Infidelſes that hade them in their handes, dyde they delyuer them thinke we to the Apoſtles to make reliques of them? Or dide they thē ſelues looke them vp, for to preſerue them for the time to come?

What ſacreledge is this ſo to abuſe the name of Ieſus Chriſt, for to cloke and couer fables ſo leude lye forged? Aſmuche is of y^e pence that Iudas receued, for betraying of our lorde.

It is ſayde in the Goſpell, that he dyd render them agayne in the ſinagoge of the phariſes, and that after they bowght afylde therew^t for to burye the ſtrangers. Who is it that hathe gotten thoſe pence from the merchantes Handes. If one ſhould ſay that it was the deſciples, that were to folyſhe. Therfore a better coulor muſt be ſought to cloke the matter. If on ſaye that it was done longe tyme after: yet y^t were leſſe apparente, forſomuche as the mony myght hauehave paſſed throughe many mens handes. They muſt neades ſhowe them that either the marchante y^t ſolde his poſſeſſion to the phariſes for to make a buriynge place, did it for to buye the pence, to make reliques of them: or otherwyſe y^t he ſold them againe to the faithefull. Now hereof their was neuer newes in the auncient Churche. It is a like gloſe of the ſtayres of Pilates Iudgement halle, whiche are at S. Iohn of latran at Rome with holes: where they ſay dropes of blood fell from the body of our lorde Ieſus Chriſt.

Item in y^e ſame place in y^e Church of ſainct. Praxede, the piller wherto he was bounde, when he was ſcourged, and in the churche of the holy croſſe three others rounde about the which he was lead when he went to his death.

I knowe not where they hauehave dreamed on all theſe pellers: ſo is it that they hauehave imagened them of their owne fanteſyes for in the holle hiſtorye of the Goſpell we reade nothing of them. It is ſayde that Ieſus Chriſte was whipped but that he was bonde to a peller that is of their gloſe.

One maye eaſely ſee then, that they hauehave gone about nothing els but to heape as it were a ſeae full of lyes.

Wherin they hauehave geuen them ſelues ſuche lybertye, that they hauehave not bene aſhamed to make a relique of the aſſes taile whereon our lord Ieſus rode: for it is to be ſhowne at Genes: but we hauehave no more cauſe to be aſtoniſhede at their iupudencie, then at the foliſheneſſe & ſtupidite of the world who hath receiued wyth great deuotion ſuch a deluſion. Some man might obiecte heare that it is not like that they doe ſhowe all the Reliques which we hauehave already named autentiklye but that they cā alſo by & by, proue frō whenſe they come, & out of whoſe handes they hauehave receaued them. To this I coulde anſwere in one worde, that in ſo euident lyes it is not poſſible to pretende any aparances of trewthe. For howe ſo euer they arme them ſelues with the name of Conſtantine, or of King Louis, or of any pope: all this aualith nothinge, for to approue that Ieſus Chriſt was nayled with fourtene nayles: or that a hole hedge was conſumed to make hys croune of thornes with: or that one Speare blade ſhuld hauehave ingendrede ſince, thre others: or that his cotte ſhuld be multiplied into thre, and hauehave chaunged faſhion for to become a priſtes: coope or that of on onelye windinge ſhete their ſhould hauehave ſpronge a broode as it were the Chikennes of one Henne: that IESVS CHRIST was buryed cleane contraye to the maner that the Ghoſpell mencyoneth.

If I ſhoulde ſhowe a Lumpe of leade, and ſhoulde ſaye. This Lumpe of Golde was geuen me by ſuch a prince, I ſhoulde be eſtemed for a mad foole, and for my ſaying the leade wold not change his colour, nor his nature for to be changed into golde. So when they ſay to vsus, behold what Godfrey of Bullon did ſende hether, after he had conquered the countrey of Iude: and that reaſon doth declare vntounto vsus, that it is but a lye: ſhoulde we ſuffer our ſelues to be abuſed wyth the wordes, and not beholde that whyche we ſee before our eyes?

But yet, to thende that we may knowe howe ſure it is to truſte to all that they aledge for the approbation of their reliques: it is to be noted that the principall Relyques and the moſte notable that be at Rome were brought thither (as they ſaye) by Tytus and Vaſpaſian.

Trewlye it is as playne a mockedge, as if one ſhoulde ſaye that the Turke wente to Ieruſalem, for to ſeeke the holye Croſſe of IESVS CHRIST to the ende to place it at Conſtantinnople.

Vaſpaſian, before he was choſen Emperour conquered and deſtroyed part of Iude afterwardes, when he came to the Empyre he lefte hys ſonne Titus to be hys Leutenant, who afterwards won the citie of Ieruſalem.

Nowe theſe were heathen, who cared or ſet as muche by Ieſus Chriſte as by him that neuer had bene. So one may iudge whether they durſt not as frely lye in alledgyng Godfrey of Bullon or ſainct Louys, as they hauehave alledged Vaſpaſien.

Furthermore, let it be conſidered what iudgement as well the kyng had (whome they call ſainct Louys, as all other ſuch like had. He had in dede (ſuch as it was) a deuotion & zeale for to augment chriſtendome: but if one ſhoulde hauehave ſhewed them goates dunge, and hauehave ſaide to them beholde here be our Ladyes Beades: they woulde without any agayne ſaying hauehave worſhipped them, or woulde hauehave brought them hyther in their ſhippes for to hauehave ſet them vp honorably in ſom place: and ī very dede they hauehave conſumed their bodies & their goods & a great part of y^e ſubſtaunce of their countrey, for to brīg ouer an heape of ſmal trifles, wherewith they were brought in a fooles Paradiſe, thinkinge that they were the moſte precious Iewels in the worlde. But yet to geue more ample vnderſtandynge of this matter, it is to be noted, that in all Grecia and the leſſe Aſia, and Mauritania, whyche we nowe commonly call the countrey of Iude, they ſhew with great aſſuraunce al theſe antiquities, which the poore Idolatours that be about vsus thynke that they hauehave. What is to be iudged betwen the one and the other? We ſhall ſaye the reliques were broughte vsus frō thoſe countreys. The Chriſtians that yet remain ther, affirme that they hauehave them: and deride our folyſhe boſtyng. How ſhould one decide thys proceſſe without an inquiſition, which can not be made, nor neuer wilbe made? wherfore y^e only remedy is to leaue the thyng as it is, not caryng neither for the one part nor for the other.

The laſte reliques that appertain to Ieſus Chriſt are thoſe that they hauehave had ſince his reſurrection: as a morſell of a broyled fyſhe which ſainct Peter preſented him when he appeared to hym on the border of the ſea. We muſt nedes ſay that it was wel ſpiced, or that it was merueylouſly well ſouſſed that it coulde be preſerued ſo long a time. But withoute laughter it is to be thought that the Apoſtles made a relique of the fiſhe which they had prepared for their dynner? Whoſoeuer ſhall not ſee that this is a manifeſt and open mockedge of God, I leaue him as a beaſt, which is not worthye that one ſhoulde teache hym anye further. Ther is alſo the miraculous blood which iſſued out of the cake Gods as at Paris in ſainct Iohns churche, at Dion at Sainct Iohn the Euangeliſts church and elles where in many places. And to the ende they might make the heape more greater, they hauehave ioyned thereto the holye penknife where with our maiſter of Querne was not content: but did reproch them that thei were worſe then Iewes: For aſmuche as they did worſhip the knife, that had bene an inſtrument to violate the precious bodye of Ieſus Chriſte. The which I alledge, becauſe as much might be ſayde of the ſpeare, nayles, and thornes. That is that al they that worſhyppe them (according to our mayſter of Quernes ſentence) are more wycked then the Iewes, who crucified our Lord. Likewiſe they ſhewe the forme and prynt of his fete, where he marched whē he appeared to certaine of his diſciples after his aſcention, as there is one at Rome in Sainct Laurence church in the place where he met Sainct Peter, when he foreſhewed him y^t he ſhoulde ſuffer at Rome. Another at Poiters at S. Raguonde another at Soiſon, an other in Arles. I diſpute not weather Ieſus Chriſt coulde hauehave imprinted the fourme and faſhion of his fete on a ſtone. But I only diſpute of the facte, and I ſaye, that ſeyng there is no lawfull probation hereof, all this ought to be coū ted for a fable. But the moſt beaſtly relique of this kynde is y^e forme of his hippes which is at Reins in Champania, vponupon a ſtone behynd the hyghe aultare. And they ſaye that thys was done at ſuch tyme as oure Lorde became a Maſon, for to buylde their church porche. This blaſphemie is ſo execrable that I am aſhamed to ſpeake any more thereof. Let vsus then paſſe further, and let vsus ſe what is ſaid of his images: I mean not of them which are comonly made by painters, ſtonegrauers or Ioyners, for the number of them is infinite: but of thoſe which hauehave a certayn ſpecial dignitie for to be kept, and contende with ſome ſingularitie as reliques. Now hereof there are two ſortes: Some were made miraculouſlye: As that whiche is ſhewed at Rome in Sayncte Maries churche, that they call in Poeticu. Item another at S. Iohn of Latrans. Item another wherein is drawen his picture at the age of .xii. yeres. Item that of Lukes which the ſaye was made by the angels & which thei cal vultus ſanctus. Theſe are ſuch fonde vayne fables y^t it ſemeth to me it ſhoulde be loſt labour, yea & that it ſhould be rediculous and foliſhe if I dyd occupy my ſelfe therein. Wherefore it ſufficetth to hauehave noted them by the way for men knowe ryghte well that thys is not the exerciſe or vocation of angels to to be paynters: and that our lorde Ieſus wyll otherwiſe be knowen of vsus and brought into oure remembraunce then by carnal images. Euſebius in dede writeth in the Eccleſiaſticall hiſtorie that he ſent a lyuelye Printe of hys viſage to kynge Abagarus but this is as certaine and of as much credit as one of kyng Meluſines commandementes in his chronicles. page missing and foliſhe that y^e moſt part count this as certaine as the Ghoſpel. I place alſo in this ranke the crucifixes, that hauehave ſpoken, wherof the multitude is great but let vsus be content with one for an example. To witte, with that of ſainct Denis in Fraunce. It ſpake ſaye they, for to beare witneſſe that the church was dedicated I leaue it to be cōſidered whether y^e thing were worthe ſo much. But yet I aſke them, howe is it that the crucifix could be then in the Church, ſeing that when men wil dedicate them they remoue all the Images howe ſtale it then away or hide it ſelfe to the ende it myght not be caried awaye with the others we muſt neades ſaye y^t they thoughte to deceaue the world at their pleaſure, ſeing that they hauehave not cared manifeſtly to contrarye them ſelues but that it hathe ſuffyſed them: to lye with open mouth not regardinge what men mygth reply agaynſt them. There remaineth laſt of all the teares: wherof one is at Vandoſme, one at Trier one at ſaynct Maxymyn, one at ſainct peters in Orleans, beſydes them that I knowe not. Some, as they ſay, are naturall, as that of ſainct Maximin, which according to their Chronicles, fell from our Lord Ieſus whileſt he waſhed his Apoſtles fete: the reſidue are miraculous. As thoughe it were to be beleued, that the woden crucifixes were ſo greued or ſorowful that they ſhoulde weape. But we muſt pardē them this faught. For they were aſhamed that theyr Idolles, ſhoulde not doe aſmuch as thoſe of the heathen. Nowe the heathen hauehave fained that theyr Idolles did wepe certain times.

Wherfore we maye right well put them together. As concerning the viergen Mary, forſomuch as they holde that her bodye is no more in yearthe, the meane for to boſt themſelues to hauehave her bones is taken awaye. From them. Otherwiſe I thynke, they woulde hauehave made the world beleue, that ſhe had had a body ſufficent to fell a great poudryng fatte. Moreouer they hauehave venged them ſelues vponupon her heare, and on her milke for to hauehave ſome parte of her bodye. There is of her heare at Rome at ſainct Maries Churche vponupon miuerne, at ſainct Sauiour ī Spaine at Maſcon, at Cluny, at Noers, at ſainct Flour, at S Iaqueries, and in many others places: touching the mylke is not nowe nead full to number the places where ther is of it neither ſhuld we come to any ende therof for their is not ſo littell a towne, nor ſo wicked a conuent be it of monckes or be it of Nones, wher ſome percell therof is not ſhowed ſome more, ſome leſſe not that they were not aſhamed to boſt thēſelues to hauehave had holle potte fulls, but for aſmuche as thei thought that their lie ſhuld be the more couered. They hauehave therfore Inuented to ſhewe onelyonly aſmuch therof as might be kept in a glaſſe to the ende men might examen it no nearer. So that if the holye virgyne hadde bene a cowe, or that ſhe had bene a norſe al her life time, yet could ſhe not ſcarſely hauehave geuen ſuche quantetye of milke: on the other part, I would gladly aſke them, how this milke whych at this preſent daye is ſhewed almoſt throughout the world was geathered, for to be preſerued vntyll our tyme. For we doe not reade that euer anye had thys curioſitye. It is well ſayde that the ſhepherdes dyde worſhype Ieſus Chriſte, and that the wiſe men did offer to him their preſentes: but it is not ſaide that thei did carie back mylke for a recompence? Saynct luke recitethe that which Simeon did foreſhewe the virgine, but he ſayeth not that he aſked of her milke. If one ſhoulde conſider but onelyonly this point, it ſhoulde not be nedefull to argue any further for to declare how greatly thys folly is againſt al reaſon, and without all kind of coniecture and cloke. And it is meruell (ſeing thei could hauehave no other part of her body) y^t they hauehave not bene auyſed of the paring of her nayles, and of ſuche other like thinges: But it is to be thought that they hauehave not had al in their remembraunce. The reſidue of y^e reliques which thei hauehave of our Lady, is of her baggage or clothes. There is one of her ſmockes at Chartres, of the which one doth make an Idoll ſufficiently renomed. And there is another at Aix in Dutchland. I leaue them there, to wit, how thei could hauehave gotten them. For it is a thynge moſte certaine, that the Apoſtles and the trewe Chriſtians of their time, hauehave not bene ſo doltiſhe as for to occupy their mindes vponupon ſuche vayne trifles. But let one beholde onelyonly the fourme and faſhion thereof, and I wyll quite the play, if in beholdyng it one do not playnly ſee their impudencie. When one doth ſhewe the ſmoke, (which we hauehave ſayde to be at Aix in Dutchlande:) one doth ſhew at y^e ende of a pole, as it were a long white ſurplice of a prieſt. Nowe if the virgine Mary had bene a gyaunt yet coulde ſhe ſcarcely hauehave worne ſo great a ſmok. And for to make a better ſhew therof, one doth cary ſtraight wayes after the litle hoſe of Sainct Ioſeph, which are lytle ynough for a lytle childe or for a darfe. The prouerbe ſayth that a lyer ought to hauehave a good memory, for feare of tripping him ſelf by forgetfulnes. Thei hauehave al obſerued this rule, when thei hauehave not thought or inuented to make better proporcion of the huſbands hoſe & the wiues ſmoke. Let men now goe and kiſſe deuoutly theſe reliques, the which hauehave no other appearance of truth. As touching her kerchers I know but two: one at Trier in Maximins abbey: another at Liſio in Italie. But I woulde that one ſhoulde marke of what linnen they are, and whether they did weare that kynde of faſhion at that time in the countrey of Iuda. I woulde alſo that men ſhoulde make compariſon of them, for to ſee howe like they be the one to the other. At Reuline they hauehave as it were a browe. Some peraduenture wil aſke me, if I think that this brow be a coū terfaite thing. I anſwere that I eſteme it as muche as her gyrdle, which is at Prat, and as that which is at oure Ladyes of Montſerret. Item of her ſlypper, which is at Sainct Iaqueries, and one of her ſhowes, which is at Saincte Flour. If there were no other but this thing yet all men of meane wiſedome may knowe right well that it was not y^e maner or vſe of the faithfull to gather in ſuch maner and ſorte hoſe and ſhowes for to make reliques: and moreouer there was neuer mencion hereof made, aboue the ſpace of fyue hundred yeres after the death of the virgin Mary. What nede we then argue herevpon any longer, as yf the thynge were doutfull? Yea, thei woulde make the holy virgin beleue, that ſhe was very curious to decke & trim her ſelfe. For they ſhewe two of her comes. One at Rome, in ſaint Martyns churche: and another in the church of ſaint Iohn the great of Beſanſon, beſydes them which myghte be ſhewed other where. If thys be not to mocke the holy virgyn Mary, I know not what mockedge is. Thei hauehave not alſo forgotten her weddyng ryng: for they hauehave it at Peruſe. Becauſe now the cuſtome is, that the huſbande ſhould gyue his wyfe a weddynge rynge: they hauehave imagyned that it was the vſe at that time. And without makyng further inquiſition, they hauehave ordeyned and made a riche and coſtly ryng to thys vſe, not cō ſidering in what pouertie the holy virgyne lyued. There is of her gounes at Rome at S. Iohn of Latran. Item at S. Barbares churche. Item at ſainct Maries vponupon Mineru e. Item, at ſainct Blaſe churche. At ſainct Sauiours in Spaine. At the leaſt they ſay they hauehave certaine pieces. I hauehave hard of many other places: But they are not in my memorie. To declare and ſhowe the falſhede hereof it is onlye requiſite to marke well the matter, for they hauehave thought it as eaſie to them for to attribute ſuch kinde of veſtments at their pleaſure to the virgin Mary, as for to clothe the images in ſuch ſort as they clothe them.

It reſteth to entreate of images not of the common ſort, but of thē that are in eſtimation aboue the others, by a certaine ſingularitie. Now they woulde make S. Luke beleue that he paynted foure of thoſe they call inuiolata at Rome in the place where nowe Sainct Maries churche ſtandeth, one of them is ſhewed in an oratory: the which as they ſay he made in his deuotion, with the ring wherwith Ioſeph wedded her. There is another ſhewed likewiſe at Rome at the new ſainct Maries, the which thei ſay was alſo made by Sainct Luke in Troades, and that ſince that time it was brought to them by an angell. Item another at S. Maries Araceli, in ſuche likenes as ſhe was when ſhe ſtode by the croſſe. But they of ſainct Auguſtines boſte them ſelues to hauehave the chiefe and principall: for it is it (if one beleue them) that ſainct Luke caryed alwayes w^t him, euen vntil he made it to be buried ī his graue I praye you, what blaſphemye is this to make a holy euāgeliſt a manifeſt & perfect idolater? & likewiſe what colour or cloke hauehave thei for to perſuade men y^t S. Luke was a painter. S. Paul wel calleth him a Phiſition, but of paynters craft I know not where they hauehave dreamed it. And though it were he had bene ſkilde in the occupation: yet not wythſtandynge it is as lykely to be thought, y^t he woulde hauehave had paynted the virgin Marye as Iupiter or Venus, or any other Idol. It was not the maner of Chriſtians to hauehave images? neither hath it bene of longe tyme after, vntill ſuch tyme as the church was corrupted with ſuperſtitiōs. On the other part al the quarters almoſt of the worlde are full of Images of the virgin Mary, which ſome do ſay he made, as at Cambery, and here and there. But after what ſorte and forme are they paynted? There is aſmuch honeſtie and comlynes as if one would picture a diſſolute womā. Behold how god hath blinded them, that they hauehave had no more conſideration then brute beaſtes. But I am not greatly aſtoniſhed in that thei hauehave imputed to S. Luke for to hauehave made Images of the virgine ſeyng they hauehave bene ſo bolde to impute the lyke vntounto the prophet Ieremy. I can witnes the ſame in Auuergnie. It ſhoulde be time (as I thinke) that the worlde woulde once open her eyes, for to ſee that which is ſo manifeſt. I leaue to ſpeake of S. Ioſeph, of whom ſom hauehave his ſlippers, as in S. Simōs abbey of Trier. Other ſome (as we hauehave already ſaid) his hoſe: others alſo his bones. The example which I hauehave already alledged ſuffiſeth me for the diſcouering of the foliſhnes that is therein. I wil place S. Mihell here, to the ende he may accompany the virgin Mary. Some will thinke that I do as it were ieſt or mock, in rehearſing the reliques of an Angell. Yea the abuſers them ſelues hauehave mocked them: but they hauehave not therfore letted to abuſe in good earneſt the poore people: For at Carcaſſone they boſt to hauehave certain reliques of him, & likewiſe at S. Iulians of Tours. They do ſhow at great S. Mihels (which is ſo well haunted of pilgrimes) his ſworde which is like a childs dagger, and his buckler likewiſe which is as it were the boſſe of an horſe bitte.

There is neither man nor woman ſo ſimple, who may not iudge what mockerye this is. But becauſe ſuche lyes are conuered vnderunder ſhadowe of deuotion, it ſemeth that it is not ill done for to mocke God, and his Angelles. Thei wil alledge y^t the ſcripture witneſeth y^t ſainct Mihell dide fyght againſt the Diuell but if it hade bene requiſite that he ſhoulde hauehave ouercome the diuell with the ſworde it was neadfull that he ſhould hauehave had one more ſtronger, better pointed and of a better blade, then that is. Are they ſuch beaſtes to imagine that it was a carnall combat which is foughtē with y^e material ſword which aſwell the Angelles as the faythfull hauehave agaynſt the diuells? But it is as I hauehave ſayde in the begeninge: that the worlde worthelie dede deſerue to be deceaued in ſuch beſtlineſſe: forſomuch as it was ſo peruerſſe for to couet to worſhip vaine Idolles & maumettes in ſtead of worſhiping the liuing God for keapeng of order It is now requiſit y^t we ſhould intreat of S. Iohn Baptiſt: who (according to y^e Euangelicall hiſtori) after he was beheded, was buried by his diſciples. Theodorit an auncient cronicler of y^e church mencioneth y^t his ſepulchre being in Sebaſte, a towne of Siria was opened (a certain time after) by y^e paiens & y^t his bones were burned by them & y^e aſhes eſparſſed in y^e aire. Albeit that Euſebe addeth, y^t certeyn men of Ieruſalem chaūſed to come thither, & ſecrettly toke ſome litel part, which was caried to Antioche & ther buried. As cōcerning his head, Sozomenus an other cronicler ſaith, y^t it was caried away by Theodoſe y^e emperor, neare to y^e citie of cōſtantinoble. Wherefore according to y^e ancient hiſtories al y^e whole body was burned except y^e head: & al y^e bones & the aſhes loſt, except ſom certen litel portiō which y^e hermites of Ieruſalē ſtale frō thenſe let vsus ſe what is now foūd. They of Amiens boſte themſelues to hauehave the viſage and in the maſke which they ſhewe, there is the ſigne of the cut of a knife ouer whart the eye, which they ſay Herodias gaue him. But they of S. Iohn of Angel ſay there agaynſt, and doe ſhowe the like parte. As concerning y^e reſt of the head from the crowne to the forehead was at Rhodes: and is nowe at Malte as I thinke. At the leaſt they hauehave made men beleue that the Turke did render it them. The hinder parte is at S. Iohn of Nemours: the braine is at Noyon. Beſides all this, they of S. Iohn of Morien doe not wante ſome certayne parte of the head: his chawes are ſene at Beſanſon at ſainct Iohn y^e great: there is another part at S. Iohn of Latrans at Paris, and at S. Flour in Auuergne. Thei kepe his heare at ſainct Sauiours in Spaine, the brow and ſome of the heare: There is alſo ſome lytle iote thereof at Noyon, which is ſhowen very autentikly. There is alſo ſome part (I knowe not of what place) at ſainct Lukes. Is al this done? Let one goe to Rome, and to the moneſtary of ſaint Silueſter, and one ſhall heare beſides ſayde: beholde here is ſainct Iohn Baptiſtes head. The Poetes fain that there was in tyme paſſed a king in Spaine, named Gereon, who had three heades. If our relique forgers coulde ſaye as much of ſainct Iohn Baptiſt, this wold ſerue well for their purpoſe, to helpe them to lye. But ſeing thys fable hath no place, how wyl they excuſe them ſelues? I wyll not preſſe them ſo neare, as for to aſke them howe the head was ſo hacked, for to be parted in ſo manye places, and ſo diuerſlye: neyther howe they hauehave gotten the ſame from Conſtantinople: but I onelyonly ſaye, that ſainct Iohn muſt nedes be a monſter, or that they be vnſhame faſt abuſers, for to ſhewe ſo many peeces of his head. And which is more they of Sene boſte to hauehave his arme y^e which is repugnant to all the auncient hiſtories. And yet neuertheleſſe this abuſe is not only ſuffered but alſo approued as in dede nothinge is founde euel to y^e kingdome of Antichriſte prouiding that it intertaine y^e people in ſuperſtition. Nowe they hauehave inuented an other fable that is, when al the body was burned that the finger wherewith he dyd pointe and ſhewe our Lord Ieſus dide remayne hole not beyng conſumed. This, not only, is not conformable to the auncient hiſtories but it may alſo eaſely be reproued by them for Euſebe, & Theodorite plainly ſay that the body (when y^e payens reueſhed it) was alreadye cōſemed to bones. And they would in no wiſe hauehave forgotten ſuche a miracle if their had bene any thīg at all for they are but ouermuche curiouſſe in mencioninge of vaine and trifeling thinges.

Not withſtandinge althoughe it hade bene ſo, yet let vsus heare in howe manye places thys fynger is. There is one at Beſanſon in the church of ſaint Iohn the great another at Lions, another at Burges, at Florence another, another at Saincte Iohn of Aduentures neare to Maſcon.

I ſaye nothyng herevpon except y^t I praye the gentle readers not to harden theyr hartes agaynſt ſuch a cleare and certayne aduertiſement, and that they woulde not ſhutte theyr eyes, to ſuche a clearneſſe, for to lette them ſelues always to be deceiued as in darknes

Yf that Iugglers ſhoulde hauehave had ſo blynded our eyes that we ſhoulde thynke y^t there was ſyxe, yet ſhoulde we bee thus mynded for to feare to be abuſed and deceyued.

But herein is no ſubteltie, for queſtion is onelyonly made wheather we wyl beleue that Sainct Iohns fynger is at Flourence, and that thei be alſo other where ī fiue places, as at Lyons at Burges and other places.

For to ſpeake more brieflye, whether we will beleue y^t ſixe fingers are but one, and y^t one finger only is ſixe. I ſpeake but onelyonly of that which is come to my knowledge. I dout not but if that one ſhoulde enquire more diligentlye, there ſhoulde be at the leaſt founde one half douſen more in other places. And that their ſhuld not be found yet other peeces, which woulde amounte to the bignes of a bulles head, yea beſides thoſe which I hauehave named. But for feare of leauing any thyng behind, thei hauehave likewiſe boſted to hauehave the aſhes: wherof one part is at Gines, the other part at Rome in S. Iohn of Latrans church: Nowe we hauehave ſene that the moſt part was caſte into the aire: yet neuertheleſſe they let not to hauehave (as they ſaye) a great part and chiefely they of Genes.

There remayneth nowe after the bodye the other appertenances, as one of his ſhowes, which is at the charter houſe of Paris: the whiche was ſtolne aboute twelue or thyrtyne yeres ago: but there was a newe one founde incontinently. And in dede vntyll ſhowmakers ſcience fayle, they wyll neuer wante ſuche reliques. At Rome at ſainct Iohn of Latrans, they boſte to hauehave his iacketh: whereof no mencion is made in the goſpell, except becauſe it is there ſpoken, that he was clothed with camelles heare, they woulde chaunge a gowne into a iacket.

There lykewiſe they ſaye they hauehave the Aultar whereon he praied in the Deſarte: as yf in thoſe dayes they dyd vſe to make Aultars for eueryevery purpoſe and in eueryevery place.

It is meruayll they make them not beleue that he ſonge Maſſe. In Auignon is the ſworde wherwith he was beheaded. And at Aix in Dutchlande is the lynnen clothe that was ſpreadde vnderunder hym. I woulde gladly know how the hangman was ſo gracious and fauourable, as for to tapiſtrie the pauement of the priſon, when he would put him to death. Is not this a foliſh inuencion? But yet, how is either the one or the other com to their hands? do you thinke it to be likely, that he which put him to death, whether he were a ſouldiour or a hangman, woulde hauehave geuen away the linnen cloth and his ſworde for to make reliques of them? Seing they woulde make ſuche a furniture of all peeces, they hauehave fayled in leauing & forgettyng Herodias knife, wherwith ſhe ſtrake him vponupon the eye lidde. Likewiſe all the bloud that was ſpylt, and alſo his ſepulchre. But I maye well erre herein: for I know not if all thoſe baggages be other where els. It is nowe requiſite that the Apoſtles ſhoulde hauehave their courſe: but becauſe the multitude myghte engender confuſion, if I ſhoulde place them all together: we wyll firſt ſpeake of ſainct Peter and ſainct Paule, then after we wyll ſpeake of the others.

Theyr bodyes are at Rome, one halfe in ſainct Peters Churche, and the other halfe at ſainct Paules Church: And they ſaye, that ſainct Silueſter did parte them, for to diſtribute them in ſuch equall porcions.

Their two heades are at Rome at Sainct Iohn of Latrans: although in the ſame churche there is one of ſayncte Peters teeth alone by it ſelfe. Beſydes al thys, they doe not lette to hauehave euerye where theyr bones. As at Poiters they hauehave the chawe bone with the beard. At Trier diuers bones bothe of the one and of the other: At Argenton in Bery one of ſaint Paules ſhoulders.

But when ſhoulde this be ended? For in euerye place wheare there is a Churche that dothe beare theyr names, there are alſo of their reliques. If one doe aſke what relikes? Let them remember the brayne of ſainct Peter, whereof I hauehave ſpoken, whyche was on the greate Aultar of thys towne. For euen as that was founde to be a marble ſtone, ſo ſhall men finde many horſe bones or dogge bones, that they do attribute to theſe two apoſtles. With the body there foloweth the other appertenaunce. At ſainct Sauiours in Spaine they hauehave one of ſainct Peters ſlippers but of the faſhion, and the thing whereof it is made, I can make no mencion, but it is to be ſuppoſed that it is ſuch like marchandiſe as that which is at Poiters: The whiche are made of Satynne brodered wyth golde. Beholde howe braue they do make him after his death, for to recompenſe him of the pouertie wherein he liued durynge his lyfe tyme. Becauſe y^e biſhops in theſe dayes are ſo trim, when thei decke them with their pontifical robes. It ſemeth to them that one ſhuld abrogate the apoſtles dignitie, yf he did not make them as trim, for painters maye well counterfaite them at their pleaſure, gyldyng and adorning them from the head to the fete, and afterward put vponupon them the names of Peter and Paule: but we knowe what their eſtate was whileſt thei lyued in this world, and that they had no other then poore mennes clothing.

There is alſo at Rome the pōtificall chere of ſainct Peter with his coope. As if in thoſe dayes the biſhops had had thrones for to ſytte in: their office was to teache councell, and exhorte bothe publiklye and peculierly, and to ſhewe good example of true humilitie to their flocke: and not to make ydolles, as thoſe that are now a dayes do. As cōcerning his cope, it was not yet in thoſe dayes the faſhion or maner ſo to diſguyſe them ſelues: for they did not playe the kynde of Maſkers in the Churche as they do at this preſent.

So that for to proue that ſaynct Peter had a cope, it is fyrſt requiſite that they ſhoulde declare S. Peter to be a Iugler, as our prieſtes nowe a dayes doe, ſemyng to ſerue God. It is trewe that they maye well hauehave geuen him a cope when thei aſſigned him an aulter. But as lykelye is the one as the other. Men do knowe what Maſſes were ſonge at that tyme.

The Apoſtles dyd celebrate ſimplye in their tyme the ſupper of our Lorde: to the which, it is not nedefull to hauehave an aulter.

They did not knowe yet at that tyme what beaſt this Maſſe was: Neyther was it knowen longe tyme after.

One maye euidentlye ſee then that when they inuented their reliques they neuer douted that euer they ſhould hauehave any ſpeakers there againſt, ſeyng they hauehave ben bolde to lye ſo impudently & wantonly. Moreouer as touching this aulter they agre not among them ſelues: For they of Rome affirme that they hauehave it, and thei of Piſe likewiſe ſay thei hauehave it, ſhewing it alſo in theyr ſubburbes, that ſtande towardes the ſea. For to make theyr profit of all, they hauehave not forgotten the ſworde wherewith Maulchus eare was cut of: as if it had bene a Iewell worthy to be made a relique. I had forgotten his Croiſier the which is ſhewen at ſainct Steuen of Grees at Paris: of the which is to be eſtemed as much as of the aulter, or of the cope: for it ſtandeth wyth lyke reaſon.

There is a lytell more apperraunce of his weapon. For it may well be preſuppoſſed or thought y^t he myght (goynge by the fyeldes) be armed with ſuche a ſtaffe.

But thei marre all, in that they can not agree: For they of Cologne fermeli maintaine that they hauehave it, & likewiſe they of Tryer: ſo in beliyng the one the other, thei geue good occaſion that one ſhuld beleue neither of thē both. I leaue to ſpeake of ſainct paulles chaine, wherwith he was bound, y^e which is ſhewen at Rome in his church. Item, of the peller, wheron ſainct peter was marterede, the which is at ſainct Anaſtaſe. I leaue only to the readers to Iudge. Frō whence this chaine was gotten, for to be made a relique: Item, to wit if in thoſe daies the maner were to put men to death vponupon pillers.

We will Ioyntly intreate of all the other Apoſtles for to make an ende the ſonner. And firſt of al we will rehearſe where there is holle bodyes, to the ende that in conferring the one to the other, one may iudge what ſure holde may be taken of their ſayinges. EueryEvery one dothe knowe that the towne of Thoulouſe thinketh to hauehave the ſyxt: to wit, ſainct Iames the greater, ſainct Andrew, ſainct Iames leſſer, ſainct Philippe, ſainct Simon and ſainct Iude. At padue is ſainct mathias body, at Salerne ſainct Matthewes bodi at Ortone ſainct Thomas body, in the kingdom of Naples, S. Barthelmews bodye. Let vsus nowe marke whiche of them hauehave two, or thre, bodyes Sainct Andrewe hath a ſecond body at Melphe: ſainct Philipe, and ſainct Iames the leſſer, eache of them alſo an other body at Rome in ſainct Peters Churche: ſaincte Barthelmew alſo another at Rōe in hys Churche. And yet aboue all this, the ſkinne of ſainct Barthelmew is at Piſe. Notwithſtandinge ſainct Mathias is aboue all the others: For he hath a ſeconde bodye at Rome, in the Churche of ſainct Marye the greater, and a thirde bodye at Trier. Beſydes this, he hath a head and an arme, aparte likewiſe at Rome. It is trew that the lightell peices of S. Andrewe, which are heare, and there, If they were put together behalfe as muche: for at Rome in ſainct peters Churche, there is a head, in ſainct Griſogone a ſhoulder, at ſainct Euſtacea ſide, at the holy ghoſts church an arme, I can not tel what other part at Blaiſe at Aix in prouince a fote. Whoſoeuer ſhoulde ioyne theſe together it woulde be inough for to make two whole quarters, prouidynge that one could wel proportion thē Now as S. Bartelmewes ſkinne is at Piſe, ſo is one of his handes there: At Trier there is I knowe not what membre, at Freius a finger, at Rome in ſainct Barbares church, other reliques. So yet he is not one of the pooreſt, for the others hauehave not ſo muche: Albeit that euerye one hath yet ſome lytle parte.

As Sayncte Phylyppe hathe a foote at Rome, at the holye Apoſtles, and at Saynct Barbares I can not name what reliques. Item more at Trier. In theſe two laſt Churches he hath Sainct Iames for his companiō. Who hath likewyſe in ſainct Peters church his head, and an arme at Sainct Griſogone, another at the holye Apoſtles. Sainct Mathewe and Saynct Thomas hauehave remayned the moſte pooreſt.

For the fyrſte wyth his bodye hath but onelyonly certayne bones at Trier, an arme at Rome, at ſainct Marcell, and at ſaynct Nicolas a head. Vnleſſe peraduenture ſome thynge hauehave eſcaped me, whych maye well be done, for in ſuche a darkeneſſe who ſhall not be confuſed? Becauſe they fynde in their Chronicles that the body of ſainct Iohn the Euangeliſt dyd vaniſhe away incontinently after it was putte in the Graue: They coulde not brynge forthe anye of hys bones. But for the ſupplyinge of thys want, they caſt themſelues vponupon his baggage.

And fyrſte of all, they hauehave bene aduiſed of the Chalice, in whiche he drancke the Poyſon, beynge condempned by Domician. But for aſmuche as two wyll hauehave it, either we muſt beleue that which the alchumiſtes ſaye of their multiplicatiō: or that theſe with their chalice, hauehave mocked the worlde. The one is at Bullin, and the other at Rome at ſainct Iohn of Latran. They hauehave afterwardes inuented to hauehave founde his Iacket, and the chaine wherewith he was bound when thei led him priſoner from Epheſus: with the oratorye wherein he accuſtomed to praye being in priſon. I woulde gladlye know if there were at that tyme, hired Ioiners for to make him oratories. Item what familiaritie or acquaintance the chriſtians had w^t his kepers for to withdrawe the chaine for to make it a relique. Theſe mockeries are ouer muche foliſhe, yea if thei were to deceyue litle children with. But the moſte eſtemed iewell is y^e twelue comes of the apoſtles, which thei do ſhew at our lady of the yle neare Lions I thinke thei were placed there at the beginning, for to make men beleue that they were the comes of the .xii. fathers of Fraunce: but ſince their dignitie hath increaſed and they are become apoſtolicke. We muſt from henceforth haſten or otherwiſe we ſhoulde neuer go out of this foreſt.

We wyll then brieflye recite the reliques that they hauehave of the ſainctes, which were in the time that Ieſus Chriſt liued: then conſequentlye of the auncient martirs, and of other ſainctes. Herevpon the reader ſhal hauehave occaſion to iudge what eſtimacion they oughte to hauehave. Sainct Anne mother of the virgin Mary hath one of her bodies at Apte in Prouince the other at our lady of the yle at Lions. Beſides this ſhe hath one head at Trier: the other at Turen, another at Turinge in a towne named after her name. I leaue the pieces which ar in more then a hundred places: and amongeſt all others I remembre that I hauehave kiſt one part in the abbey of Orcaps neare Noyon where they make great feaſtyng. Finally ſhe hath one of her armes at Rome in ſainct Paules churche. Let them proue the foūdacion therof if they can. There foloweth after Lazarus and Magdeline his ſiſter. As touching him, he hath as farre as I know but thre bodies, one is at Merſels, the other at Authum, the thyrd at Aualon. It is true that they of Authum hauehave had great proces againſt them of Aualon. But after that bothe parties had ſpent much money, thei hauehave both of them won their cauſe: at y^e leaſt they remaine in poſſeſſion of the title. For aſmuch as Magdeline was a woman, it behoued that ſhe ſhould be inferiour to her brother: therfore ſhe hath had but two bodies, whereof the one is at Veſele nere Auſerre: and the other which is of greater renome, at S. Maximins in Prouince: There where the head is a part, with her noli me tangere, whiche is a piece of waxe, which ſome doe thynke to be the marke that Ieſus Chriſt gaue her in deſpit becauſe he was ſory that ſhe woulde touch him. I make no mencion of the reliques that are diſparſed throughout y^e worlde, aſwel of her bones as of her here: he that wil hauehave the truth of this, he ſhould fyrſt of all enquire, to wit, if that Lazarus & his two ſiſters, Martha, and Magdeline, were euer comme into Fraunce for to preache.

For in readynge the auncient hiſtories, and in iudgynge of the whole matter wyth reaſon, one maye euidentlye ſee that it is the moſte folyſhe fable of the worlde: and the which hath as muche appearaunce, as yf one dyd ſaye the cloudes are Calue ſkynnes: And neuertheles theſe are y^e moſte certayneſt Reliques that they hauehave.

But yet yf it hadde bene ſo, it myght hauehave ſuffiſed to abuſe a bodye to Idolatrye, wythout makynge of one Deuyll two or thre. Thei hauehave alſo canoniſed hin who peraſed the ſide of oure lorde Ieſus on the croſſe, and they hauehave called him ſainct Longes after hauīg ſo baptiſed him they hauehave geuen him two bodyes, whereof the one is at Mantone, and the other at our lady of the ile nere lions. Thei hauehave done the like of y^e wyſmen which came to worſhipe our lord Ieſus after his natiuitie. And firſt they hauehave determined of the number, ſayng, y^t they were but thre. The Goſpell maketh no mention how many they were: and certain auncient doctours hauehave ſaid, that they were fourtene: as he which wrote the imperfect commentarie vponupon ſainct Matthewe, which ſome doth Intitle of Chryſoſtome moreouer in ſtead wher as y^e Goſpel nameth thē philoſophers, they hauehave made them. Kinges in haſte with ought Countrye and ſubiectes. Finally they hauehave baptiſede them naming the one Balthaſor, the other Melchior, and the other Gaſpar. Now although we did graunt all their fables, ſo friuolous and fonde as they are, it is certain that the wiſe men retournede into the eaſte coū trye. For the holye ſcripture ſo ſayeth, and one can not ſaye anye other wiſe, but y^t thei died there.

Who is it that hathe caried them awaye ſinſe? And who is it y^t knew them, for to marke them to the ende to make reliques in ſuch ſort of their bodyes? but I leaue it to Iudge forſomuch as it ſhoulde be but foliſhelye done of me for to redargue ſo euident mockeries. I only ſay, that they of Colongne, & they of Milline, muſt fight which of the two ſhal hauehave them for they both pretende to hauehave them: The which cā not be, whā their proces ſhall be void, & finiſhed, then will we auiſe, what ſhall be beaſt to be done. Amongeſt the auncient Marters, ſainct denis is the moſt eſtemed for ſome do take him for one of the Apoſtles diſciples, and the firſt Euangeliſte of fraunce. Becauſe of this his dignity they hauehave of his reliques in diuerſſe places.

Neuertheles, as thei ſay, the body remaineth hole but onli in two places: at ſainct Denis in fraunce and at Regeſbourge in douchelād.

Becauſe the French men maintained to hauehave him they of Regeſbourge dyde make their proces at Rome. It is neare an hundrethe years a goe, & the body was graunted them by diffinitiall ſentence, the frenche Embaſſadour beyng preſent, whereof they hauehave a fayned Bulle. Who ſo ſhall ſaye at ſainct denys nere Paris, that the body is not there, he ſhall be ſtonned, whoſoeuer contrariwiſe ſhall ſay that it is not at Regeſbourge, ſhall be helde for an Heritike for aſmuch as he ſhould be rebellious to the holy ſea Apoſtolike. So, it ſhall be moſt expedient, to make nor medell w^t theyr quereles. Let them put out y^e one y^e others eies if thei wil & in ſo doing thei ſhal win nothing at all, except to diſcouer y^t their whole matter conſiſteth in liyng. They hauehave in ſuch ſort parted y^e bodi of S Steuen y^t it is hole at Rome ī his church. His head in Arles, & of his bones in more thence. places. But for to ſhew thēſelues to be y^e adherēts & ſucceſſors of them y^t murdred thē, thei hauehave canoniſed y^e ſtones wherew^t he was ſtoned: one might aſke where thei foūd thē, & out of whoſe hāds & by what meanes thei hauehave gottē thē I briefly anſwere y^t this queſtiō is foliſh for mē do wel know y^t ſtones may be foūd eueryevery where, ſo y^t the cariage of thē ſhal coſt litle or nothīg: thei do ſhew thē at Florēce, ī Arles at y^e Auguſtins, at Vigā in Lāgedoc. He y^t wil ſhut his eies & his vnderſtāding wil beleue y^t thei ar y^e ſelf ſame ſtones wherw^t ſ. Steuen was ſtoned. He cōtrariwiſe y^t wil a litle cōſider, wil mock at thē: & in dede y^e carmes of poiters hauehave foūd one w^tin this .xiiii. yeres to y^e which thei hauehave aſſignd y^e office to deliuer womē of childbed: y^e Iacobins from whom they had ſtolne one of ſainct Margarites ſides ſeruing to this vſe, hauehave made great bruite, criyng agaynſt their abuſe, but in the ende thei wan in keping good holde. I had almoſt determined to ſpeake nothing of the Innocents, becauſe y^t whē I ſhuld hauehave gathered an army, thei would ſtyll allege that this dothe not diſagre to the hiſtorie, becauſe that the numbre is not preſcribed, I leaue therfore to ſpeake of the multitude. It ſuffiſeth that one note y^t there is of them in al the regions of the worlde. I now aſke how it is that they hauehave foūd their ſepulchres ſo long time after, ſeing that they were not counted for ſaincts whē Herode put them to death: Moreouer when it was that they were caried away. Thei can anſwer me no other thing vnleſſe that it was fiue or ſixe hundred yeares after their death. I importe me to the moſte ſimpleſt idiots what a man may fynde, yf one ſhould beleue ſo abſurde things, put the caſe yet yf perchaunce there had certain bene founde, yet howe coulde it be that thei could cary diuers bodies into Fraunce, Dutchland, and Italy, for to diſtribut them in townes ſo farre of the one from the other? I leaue them this falſhead as altother cōuicted. For aſmuch as ſainct Laurence is of the number of the auncient Martyrs, we wyll here geue him his place. I knowe not whether his body be in any more then one place, to wit, at Rome in the church named after his name. It is true that there is beſide a veſſel of his fleſh broyled. Item two viols ful, the one of his blood, and the other of his greſe. Item there is in the church ſurnamed Paliſperne his arme and certain of his bones: & at ſainct Silueſter other reliques. But if one would gather all the bones together which are onelyonly in Fraunce: there would be ſufficient for to make whole large bodies. There foloweth after the Griderne I could well let it paſſe: but they hauehave other more notable thynges, of the whiche it is not lawfull for me to holde my peace. As coles whiche they do ſhewe at ſainct Euſtace. Item a napkyn, wherewith the angell wyped hys bodye. Seing they hauehave taken the leaſure to dreame ſuch inuencions to deceyue the world, let them alſo that ſhall ſee this aduertiſment take the leaſure to thinke & iudge of them, for to kepe them ſelues from being anye more diſceyued, and mocked. Out of the like forge is come his coope, which they do ſhow at Rome in ſainct Barbares church: becauſe thei hauehave hard ſay that S. Laurēce was a decon, thei thought it mete y^t he ſhuld hauehave y^e like garments as their decons hauehave, diſguiſing their bodies in playing at the maſſe. But it was another maner of office in thoſe daies in the chriſtiā church, then is now at this preſent in the Papiſtrie. Thei were thoſe that wer appointed or choſen to diſtribute the almes, and not to playe Iugglers feats. So thei had no nede nether of ſirplices caps, tippets nor other foliſhe clothes for to diſguiſe them ſelues with. We wyll adde to S. Laurence S. Geruais and S. Protais: whoſe ſepulchres wer found at Milan in S. Ambroſe time, as he himſelf teſtifieth. Likwiſe alſo S. Hierom, S. Auguſtine & many others. And ſo y^e towne of Millan maintaineth y^t ſhe hath yet y^e bodies beſides this not w^tſtanding thei ar at Briſac in Duchlād, & at Beſanſō in S. Peters church: beſides other infinite pieces which are diſperſed in diuers churchs: ſo that it muſt nedes be y^t eueri one of them had .iiii. bodies at y^e leaſt, or els y^e one do caſt al y^e bones y^t ar ſhewed by falſe ſignes & tokēs into y^e fieldes. Forſomuch as thei hauehave geuē S. Sebaſtian y^e office of healing y^e plague this hath bene y^e cauſe y^t he hath ben more required, & that mē hauehave ben more deſiroꝰ to hauehave him This credit and office hath made hym to be multiplied into foure whole bodies: whereof one is at Rome at S. Laurence church, the other at Soiſon, the third at Pillignie neare Nantes, the fourthe neare Narboune, in y^e place where he was borne. Beſides he hath two heades: the one at ſainct Peters in Rome, & the other at the Iacobines of Thoulouſe. It is true, they are but emptye ſculles, if one hauehave regarde to the Graye freres of Angiers who ſaye they hauehave the braine. Item the Iacobines of Angiers hauehave an arme, and thei of ſainct Seruin of Thoulouſe another, another likewiſe at the caſe god of Auergne, and another at Mombriſon in the foreſt, beſides the ſmale litle pieces that are in many other churches. But when one ſhall hauehave well weyed the matter, then let one iudge where ſainct Sebaſtians body is. But they hauehave not bene ſatiſfied with all this, but they muſte alſo make reliques of the arrowes wherwith he was ſhotten: whereof they ſhew one at Lambeſt in prouince an other at Poiters at the Auguſtins, and the others here & there. By this men mai euidently ſe y^t thei thought neuer to make account of their deceites. A like reaſon hath auailed to S. Anthony for the multipliyng of his reliques: for becauſe that he is a colerick and dangerous ſainct, as thei fain him, who doth burne whom ſoeuer he is angrie with: by this opinion he makes him ſelf to be feared and douted. The fear hath engēdred deuotion, the which hath ſharpened the appetite, for to make his body to be more deſired becauſe of the profit. Wherfore the towne of Arles hath had great & long combat againſt the Antoniens of Venis: but the iſſue & ende therof was no other then hath bene accuſtomed to be in ſuch a matter. To wit, al remaineth ſtil in confuſion. For if a man would hauehave tried out the truth, neither of the parties ſhoulde hauehave any good cauſe. Wyth theſe two bodyes there is a kne at the Auguſtines of Albi: there is at Burge at Maſcon, at Dion, at Chalous, at Ourour, at Beſanſon, reliques of diuers membres: beſides that which the abuſers cary frō coū trey to countrey, which is no ſmall quantitie. Behold what a thīg it is to hauehave an ill name: for w^t out thys, the good S. ſhuld hauehave remayned in his graue, or in ſome certain corner without any ſpeaking of him at all. I had forgotten S. Petronel y^e doughter of ſainct Peter, who hath her body whole at Rome in her fathers church: Item more reliques beſides at ſainct Barbares. But yet neuertheles ſhe wanteth not therefore to hauehave another bodye at Maus, in the Iacobines couent: the which is ther had in greate ſolemnitie, becauſe it doth heale agues. For ſo muche as there hath bene diuers ſayncts named Suſan, I cannot wel tel if their intentiō hauehave bene to attribute two bodies to one. But yet is it that S. Suſan hath one bodye at Rome in the church called after her name, and another at Thoulouſe. Sainct Helene hath not bene ſo happy: for beſides her body that is at Veniſe, ſhe hath wonne no more, then one head only, the which is at ſainct Gerion of Colongne. Sainct Vrſulye hath ſurmonted her herein: for firſt her bodye is at ſainct Iohn of Angell: ſhe hath moreouer a heade at Cologne, one portion at y^e Iacobins of Maus, another at the Iacobines of Tours the other at Bergerate. As concerning the companye, which men doe call the eleuen thouſande virgins, they maye well hauehave of them eueryevery where. And in dede, they hauehave bene much boldned herby, for to lye more largely and liberaly. For beſides an an hundred cartesful of bones, y^t are at Cologne, ther is ſcarſly no towne ī al Europa, which ar not furniſhed therw^t, either ī one church or many. If I ſhuld begin to ētreat of y^e comō ſort of ſaincts, I ſhuld enter into a foreſt, wheras I ſhuld neuer find way to go out: wherefore I wyll alledge certain examples in bypaſſing wherby one may eaſly iudge of al the reſt. At Poiters there are two churches which ar at varience for S. Hilaries bodye: to wit, the Chanons of hys church, and the monkes of Selle. The debate or proces remaineth, vntill viſitation be made. In the mean time the Idolaters ſhalbe conſtrayned to worſhippe two bodyes of one man: the faithfull ſhall leaue the body at reſt, where as it is, not caring for it. As concerning ſainct Honorat his body is at Arles, and alſo likewiſe at the yle of Lyrens, near Antibon. Sainct Giles hath one of hys bodies at Thoulouſe, & another at a towne of Langedoc, which beareth his name. Sainct William is in an abbey of Langedoc, named S. William of the wildernes, and alſo in a towne of Auſſoy, named Ecrichen, with the head apart: albeit y^t he hath another head in the ſuburbe of Turen in Iulle, in the abbey of the Guiliernites. What ſhal I ſai of S. Saphorin or Simphorien, who is in ſo many places, both ī whole bodies & in bones? likwiſe of ſ. Woulfe, who is at Aſſerre at Senes, at Lion, and alſo ſome did make men beleue that he was at Geneue. Aſmuch of ſainct Ferreoll, who is altogether whole at Vze in Langedoc, and at Brinde in Auergne. At the leaſte it is nedeful they ſhoulde conſult together for ſome good remedye, that their lyes maye not be ſo much diſcouered: as the Chanons of Trier hauehave done w^t them of Lieg, touchyng the head of ſainct Lambert: for they hauehave geuen a certaine ſumme of money, for the intereſt of the offerings, to the ende they ſhould not publikly ſhew them for feare leaſt men ſhould be aſtoniſhed to ſee them in two townes ſo neare together. But it is as I hauehave ſaid in y^e beginning thei hauehave neuer thoght or loked for to hauehave any that ſhould controle them, who durſte be ſo bolde as to open his mouth for to declare and ſhew their impudencie. One might aſke how theſe relique Iugglers, ſeyng that they hauehave ſo vainlye & curiouſly imagined al that hath come in their braines, and in blowyng hauehave forged what ſoeuer hath pleaſed them) hauehave left behind them and forgotten y^e notable thinges of the olde teſtament. To this I know not what to anſwer, but that thei hauehave deſpiſed them, becauſe that thei hoped for no great profit of thē. But yet they hauehave not all together forgotten them: for at Rome at S. Maries aboue Minerue, they ſaye they hauehave the bones of Abraham, Iſac, and Iacob. At ſainct Iohn of Latrans thei boſte to hauehave the arcke of y^e couenant, with Aarons rodde: and yet neuertheleſſe, this rod is alſo at the holy chappell of Paris, and they of Sayncte Sauiours in Spayne hauehave a certaine piece.

Moreouer beſides this thei of Burdeaur affirme that the rod of ſainct Mertial, which is ſhewed ther in S. Seuerins church, is the ſelf ſame of Aaron. It ſemeth that thei woulde hauehave made a new miracle, to enuye god w^t: for as this rod was turned in to a ſerpent by his vertue, euen ſo nowe thei hauehave cōuerted it into thre rods. It may wel be y^t thei hauehave many other monakles of the olde teſtament: but this wherof we hauehave ſpoken ſuffiſeth to declare y^t they hauehave as largely delt w^t this parte as w^t al y^e reſt. I now pray thee reader to be mindfull of that which I hauehave ſaide in the beginninge. That is, that I hauehave not had commiſſioners for to viſit the reliques of al the countreys whiche I hauehave here before mencioned.

Wherefore, that whiche I hauehave ſaid muſt not be taken or counted, as a ful and perfect regeſter or inuentory, of all that may be founde.

For I hauehave named but onelye aboute halfe a douſen Townes of Doutchelande. I hauehave named but thre of Spaine, as farre as I know. Of Italye, aboute the numbre of fyftene. Of Fraunce from thyrtye to fourtye: And yet of thoſe hauehave I not ſpoken, all that is to be ſayde in that behalfe. Let euerye one then coniecture in himſelf what a heape & nūbre it ſhuld be if one ſhuld orderly place y^e multitude of reliques y^t are through out al chriſtendom. I mean only the countreys that we know, & where as we vſe to trauail. For the principal is to note that all the reliques that they do ſhew in theſe countreys of Ieſus Chriſt, and of the prophetes, men ſhal find them aſwel in Grecia and in Aſia, and in other regions where as there are Chriſtian churches. But I nowe aſke, that ſeing the orientall chriſtian churches ſay that all that we thinke we hauehave here with vsus, is with them, what reſolution or aſſurance one may hauehave thereof? If one ſhuld contrary them alledging that ſuch a ſainctes bodie was brought away by marchantes, another by monks, another by a biſhop: one part of the crown of thornes was ſent to a king of Fraunce, by the emperour of Conſtantinoble the other part conquered by war, & ſo of al the other pieces: thei would nodde and lifte their heades in mockage. Howe ſhall one auoyde theſe quarelles? For in a doutfull matter it is requiſite to Iudge by coniectures. Nowe in ſo doyng they ſhoulde alwayes wynne the vpper hand: for that which thei hauehave to ſai for theyr part, is more lyke to be trewe, then all that one can pretende of the partie on this ſide. It is a troubleſome and angry matter to intermedel for them that woulde defende reliques. For to make an ende, I pray and exhort all readers in the name of God to employ them ſelues to vnderſtād y^e trueth, whileſt y^t it is ſo manifeſt and openly ſhewed them, & acknowledge that this is done by a ſinguler prouidence of God, that they who woulde hauehave in ſuche ſorte deceyued the poore worlde, hauehave bene ſo blynde that they hauehave not conſidred or thoughte howe they myght hauehave had better hid and couered their lies but as the Madianites who hauyng their eyes pulled out, were at ſtrife and varience the one agaynſt the other. So we ſee that they make war againſt them ſelues, and mutuallye belye the one y^e others. Whoſoeuer wil not harden th…r heartes, to repugne againſt al reaſon, and truth. Albeit that he be not fullye inſtructed or perſuaded in him ſelf, that it is execrable Idolatrie, to worſhippe any kinde of relique what ſo euer it be: yet neuertheleſſe he ſeing ſo euident falſheade, ſhall neuer hauehave the heart ſo much as to kiſſe any one of them: and what deuotion ſo euer he hath had to them before, it ſhall be fullye and altogether extinguiſhed. The principall ſhould be as I hauehave ſayd in the beginning to aboliſhe amongeſt vsus chriſtians this heathenly ſuperſtition, of canoniſing the reliques, aſwell of Ieſus Chriſte as of his ſaincts, for to make idols. This kind of doinge is a filthy polution y^e which ought in no wiſe to be ſuffered in the church. We hauehave already ſhowed by what reaſons, and witneſſes of the ſcripture it ſhuld be ſo. If any be not cōtent or ſatiſfied therwith, let him conſider the vſe of the auncient fathers, to the end to confirme him ſelf after their examples. There hath bene many holy patriarches, many prophetes, many godly kings, & other faithfull in the old teſtament: God had ordeyned more ceremonies in that tyme, then we ought to hauehave in our tyme: Yea, it was requiſite that the buriyng places ſhoulde be more gorgeouſlye and fairer made, then now, for to repreſent by figure and ſhadowe the glorious reſurrection, for ſo much as it was not ſo clerely reueiled by word as we hauehave it: doe we read that they hauehave plucked the bodies of ſainctes out of their ſepulchres for to make puppies of them? Abraham the father of al the faithfull, was he euer taken vp? Sara alſo Princeſſe in the Churche of GOD, hath ſhe bene taken oute of her graue? HaueHave not they lefte them at reſt with all the other ſaynctes?

Moreouer Moyſes bodye, was not it hydde by the wyll of God, ſo that men could neuer finde it?

Hath not the deuil foughten againſt the angels as ſainct Iude ſaieth? Wherefore is it that the lorde hath hyd it from mans ſight, and the deuil would there again place it? It is as eueryevery one doth confeſſe that God would take from his people of Iſraell the occaſion of Idolatrie: The deuil on the contrary part would eſtabliſhe it. But ſome will ſay the people of Iſrael were inclined to ſuperſtition. I aſke what we are: is there not without compariſon more peruerſitie amongeſt the chriſtians concerning this matter, then euer was amongeſt the Iewes? Let vsus conſyder what was done in the auncient churche: I graunt you the faithfull, hauehave alwayes taken paines to withdraw the bodies of Martyrs, for that they ſhould not be eaten of dogges, or beaſts, or byrdes, & hauehave honeſtly buried them: as we reade both of S. Iohn Baptiſt and of ſainct Steuen. But this was done for to bury them in the earth, for to leaue them there vntyll the daye of the reſurrection: and not for to place them in mans ſyght, for men to knele before them. This wycked pompe of canoniſyng them was neuer broughte into the church, vntyll ſuch tyme as all was peruerted, and as it were prophaned: partly by the beaſtlineſſe of the prieſtes and paſtors, partly by their couetouſnes, partly alſo becauſe thei could not reſiſt the cuſtome, after y^t it was receyued: And partly in that the people did ſeeke to be abuſed in ſetting their mindes rather on childiſhe playes, then on the true worſhippynge of God. Therefore, that which hath bene ill begon and eſtabliſhed againſt all reaſon, oughte to be clean aboliſhed, who ſo wil rightly correcte the abuſe. But if one can not come at the firſt to thys vnderſtanding, at the leſt let him come by litle and litle: and let him open his eyes for to diſcerne what the reliques are that they do ſhewe. Nowe this is not harde to be ſene, to them that wyll vnderſtand. For amonge ſo manye euident lyes, as I hauehave mencioned where ſhall a man choſe one true relique, of y^e which he may be certainly aſſured? Moreouer, this is in a maner nothing which I hauehave touched, in value of that which remaineth. Yea in the meane time as this boke was a printing, one dyd ſhew me of the third foreſkyn of our lord Ieſus, which is ſhewed at Heldeſhem, whereof I had made no mencion. There is an infinite number of ſuch like. Finally the viſitation of them would diſcloſe and vncouer yet an hundred times more then al that one could ſay or ſpeake therof. So then let eueryevery one particulerly take hede that he ſuffer not hymſelf as a beaſt to be drawen or led after his own braine, not perceyuing neither way nor meanes for to hauehave any grounde. I remembre that which I hauehave ſene done to the idols of our countrey, being at that time a litle child. When ſainct Steuens day drew nere, one did aſwell trym the hattes and images of the tirauntes that ſtoned him (for ſo thei are called in cōmō language) as his image The poore ſimple women, ſeing y^e tyrantes ſo decked and ſet in order, toke them for Sainct Steuens felowes, and ſo eueryevery one of them had their candell. And moreouer this was done to the diuell Sainct Mibell. So is it of the relique: for all is ſo mingled and confuſed, that one can not worſhyp the bone of a Marter, but he ſhall be in danger to worſhip the bones of ſome certaine Murtherer or thefe, or els of an aſſe, or of a dog, or of a horſſe, neither can one worſhyp our ladyes ringes, or her comme, or girdell, but one ſhall be in danger of worſhipping the ringes of ſome certaine hoore. Wherefore, take hede of the danger who ſo will for none from henſe forth can pretende any excuſe of ignoraunce.

FINIS.

End of the text · John Calvin, Of Relics (1561)

Of Relics, Treatise

A very neceſſary TREATISE OF THE BOdyes and reliques of Sainctes and martyrs.