The B. of Sarisburie.
Wée may wel suffer M. Hardinge to wander at large in maters that relieue him nothinge. If it were lawful for others so to doo, it were no greate Maisterie to write Bookes. Many maters be here heapte togeather, touchinge order of Seruice, distinction of Psalmes, Lessons, Houres, Daies, Feastes, the geuinge of Peace, the forme of Communion, Singinge in the Churche, when it beganne in Grecia, when in Rome, when in Millane, when in Aphrica, when in Fraūce, and when in other places. These be none of the maters, that lie in Question.
And therefore, as they nothinge further M. Hardinge to this purpose, so in other respectes they hinder him sundrie waies.* 1.1 For in the same Councel of Laodicea it is decréed, like as also in the Councel of Carthàge, That nothing be redde in the Church vnto the people, sauinge onely the Canonical Scriptures.* 1.2 Therefore the Lessons there mentioned, were not taken out of the Festiual, or Legenda aurea, as hath béene vsed in the Churche of Rome: but out of the Chapters of the Holy Bible, as it is now vsed in the Churche of Englande. The Peace geuen to the Bishop, was not a litle Table of Siluer, or somewhat els, as hath beene vsed in the Churche of Rome: but a very Cosse in déede, in token of perfit peace, and vnitie in Faithe, and Religion.* 1.3 So Iustinus Martyr saith, speakinge of the time of the Holy Mi∣nistration, Wee salute eche one an other with a Cosse.* 1.4 So likewise Chrysostome and others.
Where he saithe, that the Churche of Rome beinge as then plaine and simple, learned the Psalmodie, and other Ecclesiastical Musique, and the singing of Glo∣ria patri at the ende of euery Psalme, of S. Hierome, and the Bishoppes of the East, he dooth vs wel to vnderstande, that then Rome is not the Mother of al these thinges, neither is so to be taken.
But where he further saithe, Damasus ordeined, that the Psalmes should be Songe Interchangeably, and in sides, and euen so, as they be now Songe in the Quiere, meaninge as it séemeth, that onely the Priestes, and Clerkes Songue, and the people sate stil, it is an open, and a manifest vntruthe. For it is certaine many waies, that the whole people then Songue the Psalmes altogeather.
S. Augustine saithe,a 1.5 That S. Ambrose tooke that order in Millane in time of per∣secution and greate danger, for the solace of the people.b 1.6 Nazianzenus expresseth the terrible sounde of the people so singinge togeather in this wise:* 1.7 When the Em∣perour Valens was entred into the Churche, where S. Basil Preached, and was striken with the Psalmodie, as if it had beene with a Thunder &c.c 1.8 The like hath S. Hilarie wri∣tinge vpon the Psalmes:d 1.9 The like hath Theodoretus of one Flauianus, and Theodorus, that first diuised this order of Singinge in the Citie of Antioche.