The bee hiue of the Romishe Church a com[m]entarie vpon the sixe principall pointes of Master Gentian Heruet, a Romish Catholike his booke, which is deuided into sixe partes, as in the argument doth appeare. And an epistle made by the authour of this booke vnto Franciscus Sonnius, late Bishop of Antwerpe. Translated out of Dutch into English, by George Gylpen the elder.

The xii. Chapter. VVhich proueth by Scripture, that Priestes, and all Spiri∣tuall men, ought to be rich.

NOwe, that the Priestes and all Spi∣ritualtie,* 1.1 together with our holie fa∣ther the Pope, ought to be rich and weal∣thie, that is to be found set foorth by the Scripture likewise. For the noble and ex∣cellent Cardinal Poole, of late the Popes Liefetenant in the Councell of Trent,* 1.2 did cause the text of Luke (before allead∣ged) to serue for that purpose, where Christ saith: You doe nowe catche fishe, but you shall from hence foorth catch men.* 1.3 For that (said hee) was a prophesie which was not yet accomplished in the time of the Apostles, when as Paule said: That there were but a fewe rich men in the Congregation of Christ: but the same (said he) was first fulfilled & accomplished

about three hundred yeeres after, to wit, at such time (men say) as the Emperour Constantine did courteouslie giue vnto Pope Syluester,* 1.4 a great portion of the Empire of Rome, or rather (as hee tear∣meth it) did giue againe and restore: as is apparant by the copie of the writing, which standeth entred in the booke of De∣crees verbatim.

True it is, that Laurentius Valla, and manie other learned men, did mocke and ieast at this writing, & likewise do plain∣lie proue, as well by diuerse histories, as by the same writing it selfe, that it is but a counterfeited writing, and that so grosselie done, that a Calfe with one eye may per∣ceiue it. But I will leaue that to the Doc∣tours of Louen, to dispute vpon, when they are set vnder the roofe, with a Gallon of good Rennish wine, for they can not away with Pittaw: as for vs, whether it be a lie or a true tale, it is all one: but thus much there is of the matter, that our holie father the Pope is in possession, and doth enioy the landes which S. Peter left vnto him by testament: by the same token it is cal∣led, Patrimonium S. Petri, that is, Saint Peters patrimonie▪ He is likewise in pos∣session

of the rich iewels and bagges of the holie Sea of Rome, and of the precious triple crowne, and other rich and costlie peeces: for all the Bishops must sweare,* 1.5 that they shall (to the vttermost of their power) helpe to keepe and augment the said iewelles, and that Patrimonie. But what needeth all this? Paule him selfe saith, That Bishops must keepe hospita∣litie, and bee harborous. And then is it great reason▪ that their purses should bee well filled, for to enterteine Kings and Princes, and to make them great cheere.* 1.6 For how should they els bake good cakes, if they haue neither fire nor fatte? I assure you, if they had not that preeminence and aduantage, they would not buy Bishop∣rikes so deare, neither would they pay thir∣tie thousand Ducates for a Pallium, if they must afterwardes say with Peter, Aurum & argentum non est mihi: I haue nei∣ther siluer nor golde. But that is nowe all cleane turned, and the chaunce is chaun∣ged: therefore must the Priestes and Pre∣lates nowe a dayes bee riche, and possesse the goods of the worlde, considering that their father and master the Pope, is Lord of the whole worlde: as we haue sufficient∣lie

proued in the 11. and 12. Chapters be∣fore.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Spirituall per∣sons ought to be rich.
• * 1.2

  In the booke that he made of the councel of Trent.
• * 1.3

  Luke. 15.10.
• * 1.4

  Ca. Constantin.
• * 1.5

  In the othe which they take before they be admit∣ted B••shops.
• * 1.6

  This is the ar∣gument of Ec∣kius in his Enchei••id.