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IT pleaseth his discretion to mar∣shall my Epistle as he lists, and then to complayne of disorder, and my leaping ouer hundreds of yeeres from the Nicen Councell to Gratian the Canonist; My Readers eyes can confute him, which cannot but witnesse, that I name diuers in all Ages recorded for married Bi∣shops, and Presbyters. This Bead∣role (hee saith) is idle, because I shew not that they then vsed their Wines
when they were Bishops. An hard condition; That I must bring wit∣nesses from their Bed-sides. Is it not enough that wee shew they had wiues, that they had children? No (saith my Refuter) It must be proued that they had these children by these wiues after Ordination. Wee were neither their Midwiues nor their Gossips, to keep so strict an account. But what meanes, Cum vxoribus dormiunt? and, Tempore Episcopa∣tus filios gignunt ex proprijs vxori∣bus? This wee haue shewed out of Socrates. What was that which Dio∣nysius, the ancient B. of Corinth, (be∣fore euer Paphnutius was) wrote to Pinytus, charging him, x Ne graue seruandae castitatis onus necessariò fra∣tribus imponat.
What was that, for which Eusta∣thius, B. of Sebastia, the vnworthy sonne of Eulanius B. of Caesarea was censured? was not this one of the Articles, y Benedictionem, &c? That he taught men to decline the blessing and communion of married Priests?
Away then with this either igno∣rant, or impudent facing of so eui∣dent a falshood.
The testimonie of Hierome, the example of Vrbicus B. of Claramont, and of Genebaldus B. of Laudune, shew what was the conceit and pra∣ctice of those particular places wher∣in they liued; And yet Hierome in the same Booke can say; z Quasi non hodie quoque plurimi sacerdotes ha∣beant matrimonia. In that storie of Vrbicus, related by Gregor. Turonen∣sis, I can but wonder how far men may be transported by superstition; so as to make the Apostles charge giue way to an humane opinion. The Wife of a Vrbicus comes to his doore, and alledges S. Pauls charge; (Meet together againe, lest Satan tempt you, &c.) Cur coniugem sper∣nis, &c? he yeelds to doe the dutie of an Husband, and now in remorse, inioynes himselfe a perpetuall pe∣nance. What penance do we thinke Saint Paul was worthy of, for giuing this charge which shee alledged?
Let my Reader iudge, whether of the two was the better Diuine. How insolent is Tradition, thus to trample vpon Scripture? But since it pleased my Refuter to lend mee this one example of Gregor. Turo∣nensis, I am readie to giue him vse for it. In the second Booke of Turo∣nensis he shall find b Sidonius a mar∣ried Bishop, and his Wife, a Noble Matrone, in all likelihood liuing with him, for (nesciente coniuge) without his wiues knowledge hee gaue siluer plate to the Poore. c In the fourth Booke hee shall find A∣nastasius a married Presbyter, feoffed in some Temporalties which hee would rather die then not leaue to his issue. d In the eight Booke hee shall find Badegisitus, the cruell Bi∣shop of the Cenomans, matched with ••n ill wife; who yet liued with him (as it seemes) all his time, and had altercations with Bertram, Arch∣deacon of Paris, for his goods, de∣ceased. In these there is strength of ••egall presumption, though no ne∣cessitie
of inference. But what doe I instance in these, or any other, when Balsamon tells vs cleerly, that before the sixt Synode e it was lawfull for Bishops to haue wiues, Etiam post dignitatem Episcopalem? And his owne Canon Law can tell him, that in the East Church, their Priests, Matrimonio copulantur; which his wariest Masters expounding, would interpret by copulato vtuntur. Iudge then, Reader, what to thinke of the mettle of this mans forehead, who would beare vs downe, that no one Bishop or Priest was allowed, after Orders, to haue any Wife. Yea, euen for the very contraction of Mar∣riage it selfe, after Orders, f honest Espencaeus can cite one g Ioannes Ma∣rius, a Dutch-man by birth, but a French Historian, to whom hee al∣lowes the title of (non indiligeris) who writes, that hee knowes that in the times of Pope Formosus, and Ludouicus Balbus, Priests were mar∣ried, Et ijs lieuisse sponsam legitimam ducere modo Virginem, non verò Vi∣duam;
and that it was lawfull for them to marrie a Wife, so shee were a Virgine, not a Widdow.
As for that base slander where∣with this venomous Pen besprinkles the now-glorious face of our re∣nowned Archbishop and Martyr Doctor Cranmer, whom hee most lewdly charges with lasciuiousnesse and incontinent liuing with I know not what Dutch Fraw, it is worthy of no other answere then, Increpet te Dominus. It is true that the holy man wisely declining the danger & malignitie of the times, made not at the first any publike profession of his Marriage; as, what needed to in∣uite mischiefe? But that he euer had any dishonest conuersation with her or any other, it is no other then the accent of the mouth of Blasphemy.
And if any one of our Clergie, af∣ter a legall and iust Diuorce long since, haue taken to himselfe that li∣berty which other Reformed Chur∣ches publikely allow (as granting in some case a full release, both à thoro
and à vinculo) what ground is this for an impure wretch to cast dirt in the eyes of our Clergie, and in the teeth of our Church? Malicious Masse-priest, cast backe those emis∣sitious eyes to your owne infamous Chaire of Rome; and if euen in that thou canst discerne no spectacles of abominable vncleannesse, spend thy spightfull censures vpon ours.
I reckoned diuers Examples of marryed Bishops and Priests out of Eusebius, Ruffinus, others; amongst the rest Domnus Bishop of Antioch, which succeeded Samosatenus, for which my margent cited Eusebius, in his seuenth Booke and nine and twentieth Chapter. My Detector taxes mee for citing Authours at randome; as Eusebius lib. 7. cap. 29. when as there are (he saith) but sixe and twenty Chapters; and for things which are not found in him; As if the man had desperately sworne to write nothing but false. Trust not me, Reader; Trust thine owne eyes; Thou shalt not finde that Booke of
h Eusebius, to haue one and thirtie Chapters; and in the cited place thou shalt duly finde the Historie of Domnus. Whose patience would not this impudencie moue?
If I reckoned not Examples e∣now, or such as he likes not, (as vn∣iustly seeming litigious, there is choice enough of more; Tertullian, Prosper, Hilarie, Eupsychus, Polycra∣tes, and his seuen Ancestors; To which let him adde foure and twen∣tie Diocesses at once in Germanie, France, Spaine, Anno 1057. of mar∣ried Clergie-men, recorded by their owne i Gebuilerus, and make vp his mouth, with that honest confession of Auentine, k Sacerdotes illa tem∣pestate publicè vxores, sicut caeteri Christiani habebant, filios procrea∣bant; Priests in those dayes publikely had Wiues, as other Christians had, and begat children; which the olde Verse (if hee had rather) expresses in almost the same termes.
Quondam praesbyteri poterant vxo∣ribus vti:
which his Mantuan hath yet spun in a finer thred, as we shall shew in this Section.
What l danger is there now there∣fore either of the breach of my pro∣mise to my worthy Friend Master Doctor Whiting, or of my diuorce, or of his victorie? If the man and his modestie had not beene long since parted, these idle crackes had neuer beene.
But whereas this mightie Cham∣pion challenges me with great insul∣tation in many passages of his bra∣uing Discourse, to name but one Bi∣shop or Priest of note, which after holy Orders conuersed coniugally with his Wife; without the scandall of the Church, branding such (if any were) for infamous; and daring to pawne his cause vpon this triall; I doe heere accept his offer, and am readie to produce him such an Ex∣ample, as if all the Iesuites heads in the world stood vpon his shoulders, they could not tell how to wrangle against. I doe not vrge to him that
Prosper of Aquitaine, a Bishop and a Saint, whose Verses to his Wife are famous, and imply their insepa∣rable conuersation.
Age iam precor mearum, Comes irremotarerum, &c.
Nor yet the fore-named Hilarie, Bishop of Poitiers, who in his olde age (if that Epistle be worthy of any credit) writing to his Daughter, confesses her yeeres so few, that through the incapacitie of her age, shee might perhaps not vnderstand the Hymne or Epistle; of whom the honest Carmelite MANTVANVS could ingenuously confesse:
Non nocuit tibi progenies, non ob∣stitit vxor Legitimo coniuncta thoro. Non horruit illa Tempestate Deus thalamos, cuna∣bula, taedas.
Nor Bishop Simplicius, of whom m Sidonius giues this prayse, that his Parents were eminent either in Ca∣thedris, or Tribunalibus, and that his Pedigree was famous either Epis∣copis,
or Praefectis: and for his Wife, that shee was of the Stocke of the PALLVDII, qui aut litera∣rum, aut altarium cathedras cum sui ordinis laude tenuerunt; of whom also Sidonius can say, she did respon∣dere Sacerdotijs vtrius{que} familiae, an∣swere the Priesthoods of eyther Fa∣mily.
Nor Alcimus n Auitus the French Archbishop, who writing to his Si∣ster, of her Parentage, hath thus,
—Stemma Parentum, Quos licet antiquo mundus donâ∣rit honore, Et titulis à primaeuo insigniuerit ortu, Plus tamen ornantur sacris insig∣nibus illi, &c. Nec iam atauos soror alma tibi proauos{que} retexam, Vita Sacerdotum quos reddidit in∣clyta claros.
Nor Paulinus Bishop of Nola in Campania: to whome Ausonius writes, Tanaquil tua nesciat istud; And Formidatam{que} iugatam obijcis, &c.
These and such like might suf∣fice reasonable men; but since wee haue to doe with those Aduersaries, whom Saint Paul calls 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉; who, if we vrge hundreds of such euident examples, turne vs off with bold shifts; and will needes put vs to proue those acts which seeke secre∣sie; Let him and all his complices whet their wits vpon that cleare and irrefragable place of Gregorie Na∣zianzen, a man beyond all excepti∣on; who brings in his Father Gre∣gorie, whom the world knowes to haue beene Bishop of the same See, speaking thus of him,
〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. &c.
Nondum tot annisunt tui, quot iam in sacris mihi sunt peracti victimis, &c. That is, The yeeres of thy age are not so many as of my Priesthood.
Words that will conuince the most importunate gain-sayer, that GRE∣GORIE NAZIANZEN was
borne to his worthy father, after the time of his holy Orders. And lest any man should suspect that this (〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 nondum) may reach onely to the birth, not to the begetting of Gregorie Nazianzen; so as perhaps he might be borne after his fathers Orders, begotten before them: Let him know (to make all sure and playne) that Gorgonia and Caesarius the sister and brother of this Grego∣rie, were by the same father begot∣ten afterwards; as is euident both by that Verse of Nazianzen; who speaking of his mother, as then childlesse when shee begged him of God, sayes,
Cupiebat illa masculum foetum domi Spectare, magna vt pars cupit mortalium.
And the cleare Testimonie of E∣LIAS CRETENSIS, Quamuis enim si natiuitatem spectes, &c. Al∣though (saith hee) if you regard his birth, he was not the onely child of his
Parents, forasmuch as after him both GORGONIA and CaeSARIVS were borne. Thus he.
O infamous Gregories, the scum of the Clergie! O irregular Father, that durst defile his sacred function with so carnall an act! O shamelesse sonne, that blushes not to proclaime his owne sinfull generation! Goe now petulant Refuter, and see whe∣ther you can eyther yeeld, or an∣swer.
As for that glorious shew of An∣tiquitie wherewith C. E. hopes to bleare his Readers eyes, gracing himselfe herein with the astipulati∣on of our Reuerend Iewell; I neede not returne any other answer then of his Beatus Rhenanus: Quanquam veteres omnes, &c. Although all the Ancient, and HIEROME him∣selfe were no whit equal or indifferent to Marriage; esteeming virginitie and chastity very high; both because they thought the Last-day was neere at hand, as remembring that sentence of S. PAVL, Tempus in collecto est;
and because they saw many impedi∣ments grow from marriage, which marred the puritie of Christianitie, in those dayes, especially, when Chri∣stians liued amongst Heathens, and matched in marriage with them: Surely it is euident, that for this cause HIEROME was in an ill name at Rome, &c. Thus he. We durst not haue said so much, for our selues. The highest Antiquitie is ours, the later had bin ours, if it had not bin vpon these grounds which were then their owne, proper to the time, place, occasion.
Refut. 154.
They sleepe with their wiues, and in the time of being Bishops, beget children of their owne wiues, Socr. vbi supr.
That hee doe not necessarily impose the heauy burden of conti∣nency vpon his Brethren, Eu∣seb. l. 4. hist. c. 22.
Socrat. l. 2. c. 33.
Refut. p. 155.
Hier l. 1. ad∣uers••ouin. As if now a-dayes many Priests also were not married.
Greg. Tur. l. 1. c 44. Cur coniugem spernis, cur ob∣turatis auribus Pauli praecepta non audis? Scri∣psit enim Reuer∣timini ad alter∣utrum, &c. Ecce ego ad ••e reuer••or, ••e•• ad extraneum, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ad proprium vas recu••ro, &c. Why desp••sest thou thy Wife? why dost thou shut thine eares against the Pre∣cept of S. Paul? For hee hath written, Meet together againe, lest, &c.
Gregor. Tu∣ron. l. 2. c 21. Nat. Theodos. Iun. & Valent. 3. Imperat. vxor Papi••illa, cum qua concerditer vixit, liberos{que} ex ea suscepit vtrius{que} sexus, Ad Apoll••n. epist. 16. l 5.
Turon. 4. c. 12.
Tur. l. 8. c. 39.
After their Episcopall dignitie, Bal∣sam. in Can. Apost. 5.
Espenc. l. 1. c. 11.
Io. Maior. & comptuar. Concil.
Refut. p. 159.
Refut. p. 160.
Vid. Euseb. Edit. Basil. Anno 1587.
Fox Act & Mon. in hac quest.
Auent. hist. Eoior. l. 5. Their Wiues called, presby∣terisse, ibid. &c. honesto vocabu∣lo, as hee there speakes.
Hodie apud Graecos Sacer∣dotes post sus∣ceptum ordinem ducere vxorem, sed vnicam ac virginem, à Graecis didici. Proposit. Eras∣micorum. censur. cum declaratio∣ne. c. de caelibatu.
T•• vero siquid minus per ata∣tem in hymno, & Epistola in∣telligis.
His children hurt him not, nor his Wife lawfully con∣ioyned in Wedlocke. In those dayes God misliked not the Mar∣riage-bed, nor the cradle, &c.
Sidon. Apol. Conc adiunct. Ep. 9. l. 7.
Alcim. Auit. Vien. Gal. Arch. l. ad sororem, cir∣ca An. 492.
I wil not, deare Sister, make report of the Pedigree of thy great Grandfathers, &c. whom the renowned life of Priests made famous to the World.
Greg. Naz. Car. de vita sua, E∣dit. Morel. Paris. To. 2. p. 9.
Ibid. de vita sua, &c. Iamb.
Elias Cretens. In Orat. Greg. Naz. 19.
Arg. lib. Tert. Exhort. cast. matrimonio parum aequi fuerint, &c.
The time is short.