The B. of Sarisburie.
Here was a shorte victorie. Peter, and Paule coulde neuer so easely conquere Kingdomes. But this mater stoode not so muche in winninge the vnfaithful, as in killinge the Godly. After that was once donne, streight waies Augustine had the conqueste, and was out of hande made Archebishop, and wrote to Rome bothe thereof, and also for resolution of certaine questions, méete, as he saithe, for that rude people of Englande:* 1.1 As, whether a woman might be Baptized, while she were great with Childe, or after her deliuerie: and how longe after she shoulde for∣beare the Church: with certaine other secrete questions toutchinge bothe man, and wife, so Childishe, and so rude, that a man may wel doubte, whether Augustine were ruder, or the people. Amonge other thinges, he demaunded Counsel toutchinge the Masse, for that in diuerse Countries he had seene diuers orders of Masses: and yet, good Reader, of them al he had seene no Priuate Masse. For the Masse in Rome at that time, was a Communion, as I haue already shewed, and as it appeareth by these woordes, whiche the Deacon pronounced at euery Masse alowde vnto the people: He that receiueth not the Communion, let him geue place. The difference stoode in addition of certaine Ceremonies. For the Countries abroade, as we may iudge, keapte stil that simple order, that they had first receiued: But the Churche of Rome was euer alteringe. For Gregorie him selfe, vnto whome this Augustine writeth,* 1.2 added the Introite, and the Antemes, and Alleluia, and willed the Introite to be doubled twise, and the Kyrie eleeson nientimes, and added also a certaine portion to the Canon.* 1.3 Of these and other like differences Augustine de∣maundeth: and of the same, Gregorie maketh answeare. Hereof M. Hardinge gheasseth thus: It appeareth not by Beda, The Seruice vvas in Englishe. Ergo, the Seruice vvas in Latine. What kinde of Logique haue we here? Or howe may this reason holde? It concludeth ab authoritate negatiuè. I beleue M. Harding him selfe wil not allow it. By the like forme of reasoninge a man might as wel say: It appeareth not by Beda, that the preachers instructed or exhorted the Englishe people in Englishe: Ergo, they instructed, and exhorted the Englishe people in Latine. Yet againe he gheasseth fur∣ther: There is no Booke to be founde of the Englishe Seruice in that time: Ergo, the Seruice vvas in Latine. O what folie is this? Who is hable to shewe any Booke written in En∣glishe a thousande yeeres agoe? Or if it coulde be shewed, yet who were hable to vnderstande it? There is no booke to be founde of the praiers, that the Druydes made in France, or the Gymnosophistae in India: and wil M. Hardinge thereof conclude, that therefore the Druydes, or the Gymnosophistae praied in Latine? Suche regarde he hath to his Conclusions.