of Portugale haue namely written againste Pigghius. And for as mutche, as
yee are desirous to haue the pointe noted, wherein Pigghius so mutche misliketh
S. Augustines iudgemente, Petrus à Soto your owne Doctoure noteth it thus,
Pigghius de hoc malè audit, quasi Peccata in nobis Originalia omnin ò inficie∣tur:
Pigghius is il reported of, as a man, that vtterly denieth Original Sinne. Thus
your Doctoures weigh S. Augustines Authoritie, lighter, or heauier, as thei liste.
The mater of Marriage after a Vovve is blowen awaie with a séely Distinc∣tion
of a Vovve Simple, and a Vovve Double, whiche yée commonly cal a So∣lemne
Vovve: and al the same is substantially, & clearely proued by the promise,
and deliuerie of a Horse. Surely, M. Hardinge, a very simple Creature, and somme∣what
inferioure to a Horse, would hardely be tied to sutche Distinctions. For the
better cleeringe hereof, that ye cal a Simple Vovve, y• is made before God alone:
that Double, or Solemne, that is made in the presence of the Bishop, or Abbate.
Nowe, it is plainely confessed by your owne Doctours, that your Simple Vovve,
be it neuer so Simple, yet bindeth you as streitely before God, as the Double.
For Pope Coelestinus saithe, Votum Simplex apud Deum non minùs ligat,
quàm solenne: The Simple Vovve before God bindeth no lesse, then the Solemne.
And touching the Promisse, and Deliuerie of your Horse, Iohannes Scotus saith,
Alia ratio est, quòd Vouens Solenniter mittit in possessionem illum, cuì Vouet So∣lenniter:
Vouens autem Priuatè, non: sed quasi promittit. Sed haec ratio valet minùs,
quàm secunda. Quia omnia, quae intrinseca sunt Voto, vt Votum respicit actum volunta∣tis,
per quem obligat se vouendo, & transfert Dominium suum in alterum, omnia, in∣quam,
ista sunt aequalia hinc inde. Igitur non magis datio hîc, quàm ibi: nec
promissio ibi, quàm hîc: An other reason, that they vse, is this: That he, that maketh
a Solemne Vovve, putteth him, to whom he so voweth, in possession. But so doothe
not he, that maketh a Simple Vovve: but onely geueth his promisse. This Reason is
woorse, and weaker, then the Seconde. For al thinges, that be of the Substance of the
Vovve, (as a Vowe concerneth the Acte of the Minde, whereby the Minde bindeth it selfe
by Vowinge, and transposeth the ownership of it selfe vnto an other) al these thinges, I
saie, are of like vveight, and equal of either side. Therefore there is no more
perfourmāce of promisse in the solemne Vovve, then in the Simple: nor more
promise in the Simple Vovve, then in the Solemne. Thus you sée, M. Har∣dinge,
with greate trauaile, and mutche a doo, ye haue founde a difference without
difference. Cardinal Caietan saithe, Eiusdem speciei est Transgressio Voti Solen∣nis,
& simplicis: Et differunt solùm secundum magis graue, & minùs graue: The
breakinge of a Vovve Simple, and a Vovve Solemne, is of one kinde, or Nature: And
the difference is onely in more greeuous, and lesse greeuous. Therefore Thomas
of Aquine him selfe, the firste Father, as it appeareth, of this Distinction, saithe
thus: Videtur, quòd Ecclesia possit dispensare in Voto Continentiae Solemni∣zato
per susceptionem Sacri Ordinis: It seemeth, that the Churche maie dispense with
a Vowe of Chastitie Solemnized by the receiuinge of Holy Orders.
And this is it, that S. Augustine saithe, Qui dicunt, talium Nuptias, non esse
Nuptias, sed potiùs Adulteria, mihi non videntur satis acutè, ac diligenter considerare,
quid dicant: They that saie, the Marriage of sutche Menne, or Weemen (as haue Vowed
Chastitie) is no Marriage at al, but rather Aduouterie, seeme vnto me not to consider dis∣creetely,
or aduisedly, what they saie. Thus therefore, M. Hardinge, notwithstan∣dinge
your Simple, or Double Vovve, S. Augustine saithe vnto you, yee speake
Vnaduisedly, and Vndiscretely, and vnderstande not, what you saie. But of this
whole mater, wée haue entreated before more at large.