The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes: faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and nowe newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singuler profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.

Of Fryers, and of the diuersitie of that secte.

Of the Crosse bearers, of Crossed Fyers order.

POpe Innocent the third being bishop of Rome, the order of the Crossed

Fryers which in the yeare of our lord. 1215, was denyed by a certayne mā cal∣led Quiricus a byshop and Martyr, in the time of Helena the Mother of Constan∣tine the great Emperour, & afterward fell to such decaye, that it was almoste gone to nought, was raysed agayne by the aforesayd Innocent in the .xviii. yere of hys papacye. The beginning of this secte was on thys manner. Among thē of Albonia rose a pestilente heresye, which caused a great dissentiō among them of Rome. Wherefore the byshop of Rome sent many agaynst thē mar∣ked with the Crosse, whiche were all s••aine. These laudable and prayse wor∣thye souldioures dyd he halowe there∣fore and make saintes, and raysed the or••er agayn with geuing of many fre∣d••mes and priuileges. Unto thys or∣der did Pope Innocent the fourth geue a rule, commaundyng y^t the spiritual∣tie of this order, should alway weare a crosse in their handes. There clothyng is a blacke cope with a crosse theron, y^e highnesse of an hand. Chron. Lib. Germ.

Of the Carmelites, or white Fryers order.

POpe Honorius the thyrde fauou∣red greatly the order of y^e white Fryers. Some say, that this sect began in mount Carmelus after the ex∣ample of Helias the Prophet, which li∣ued there long solitarye, and that they wer fyrst assembled together by Alme∣ricus Byshop of Antioche, In the yeare of oure Lord. 1170, in the tyme of pope Alexander the thyrd, and they were cal∣led oure Ladye Fryers by the reason of a chappel of our lady, that was in the hil Carmelus. Neuerthelesse vpō foure hū∣dred yeres after in the time of Innocent the thyrde they were reformed by Al∣bertus Byshop of Ierusalem according to the rule of Basilius, and the colour of their cope was turned into white by y^e Pope Honorius the thyrde, where afore it was russet. Some write, that this or¦der of the Carmelites in his first clothing (which they said was of Helias or Heli∣seus y^e prophet) was greatly acceptable to the Soldane,☞ and endued with ma∣ny almesses of him: but after thei chaū∣ged their rayment, he droue them oute of hys kyngdome, so that of necessitye they came into Europa. This order,

sayth the Dutche Chronicle, is to beg, to take of euery mā, and to do nothing agayne for it. Thys order is to lye, to dissemble, to enuye, and to begile the people with flatteryng wordes vnder the pretence of long prayer. Lib. Germ. Polydor.

Of Dominikes order, called, blacke Fryers or the Fryers Preachers.

POpe Innocent y^e thyrde reygning Dominike Calaguritane a Spani∣arde, began this order of Friers preachers. This Dominike was fyrst a regular chanon, & bicause he could not suffer to haue a superiour, and was al∣so wearye of the Cloyster, he inuented a new fraternitye, named of hys owne name, Dominicanes. Their order is w^t out all shame to begge, as the Carme∣lites, and forsake litle by wilful pouer∣tye, that they may obtayne muche & to waxe rych of other mens labours, they themselues beeing idle lasye loytryng lubbers, & vnprofitable cloddes of the earth. Our Lady s. Mary (as they fain)

euen of loue that she bare to thys holy order of swete S. Dominicke, deuised the habite, which the fryers of that order vse at thys daye and deliuered it to S. Dominicke with her owne hands, com∣maundyng hym and all hys brethren for euer after to weare the lyke. Their cote is white their cope & coule is black The newe guise of their vestu••e made Innocent Innocentius to wonder. But pope Honorius the thyrd by his bull ho∣nourably admitted the blacke order of the blacke fryers, In the yeare of oure Lorde. 1220. And Gregorye the nynthe put the matter al out of doubt, canno∣nised Dominicke, and by hys bull vnder lead allowed hym for a saint. Of thys Dominickes mother they tel that when she was with childe and had Dominicke in her wombe, shee dreamed y^t shee had a wolfe in her belly: which as I think, signifyeth, that both he & al cloysterers by their professiō are none other thing than wolues, deuouryng not only the substance of mē, but also y^e soules of mē by their hipocrisy & false doctrine accor¦dyng to this saying of Christ, a wolfe teareth on peces & scatereth the shepe

abroad. This black order began in the yere of our Lord. 1220. Phi. Bergom. Mat Palm. Lib. Ger. Ioan. Laziardus. Poly. &c.

Of the barefooted Friers o∣therwise called Minorites or Graye Friers.

POpe Honorius the third bearyng rule Fraūces an Italian deuised the order of the barefoted friers. He was first a merchaūt and a world∣ly man. Afterwarde he determined to forsake all worldly thinges and to fo∣low Christ, in so much, y^t when he was wel shod, and girded with a double gir¦dle, he remembring these woordes of Christ (possesse neither two coates, no shoes, nor yet staffe, &c. and who so for∣saketh not all thinges, cannot be my disciple) cast all thyng away from him, shoes, gyrdle, &c. so that he went bare∣footed, and girded himselfe with a cord and continētly began this order in the Mounte Appoeninus, in a place named cōmonly Lauerna, gathering vnto him many men, whiche tooke on them the same religion and are called of barefo∣ted Fraunces, barefooted Franciscanes.

They are named also Minores, of the hu¦mility and lowlynes of hart that they should haue. They write, y^t this Fraun∣ces was so streight to hymselfe, that to chastice his fleshe in winter season, he would couer his body with yse & snow. He called pouertie alwayes his Lady, and loued rather to heare himself reui∣led, than praysed. He kept nothynge ouer night, His heart desyred martir∣dome, wherupon he went into Siria to the Soldane, which receaued him hono¦rablye: whereby it is to bee thought, that surely he tolde him not the truth. For truthe is seldome welcome in courtes and noble mens houses. I will here passe ouer the fable, howe Christ and his Saintes did marke hym with the fyue woundes. After that he had thus chastised his fleshe by the space of eyghtene yeares, he dyed at Asia, and was afterwarde canonised and ad∣mitted for a Sainct by Pope Grego∣ry the nynth. Lib. Germ. Polidor. Chro.

Thys order of Frier Fraunces is di∣uided into many sectes, rules and or∣ders. Some go on treen shoes or Pat∣tyns some barefooted: some are Regu∣lare

Fraunciscanes or Obseruauntes, some Minores or Minorites: Agayne, some are called Minimi, eyther of the Gospel, or els of the littlenesse of theyr coule. They all differ in many things, but in superstition and hypocrisy they all accorde.

Of the Friers obseruantes.

BArnardine the Gray fryer per¦ceauing the great enormities and wicked synnes, whiche Fraunces Fryers without all shame committed agaynst the rule and order of theyr profession, began a new reformation of the order in many pla∣ces, in somuche that they whiche were reformed, be called Friers obseruantes, and are counted of a greater perfecti∣on and more holynesse, than the com∣mon sorte of Grayefryers are, whiche are called Minorites. The obseruaunt Friers were brought into Englād by kyng Edward the fourth, & were great¦ly inhaunced by y^e famous Prince king Henry the seuenth, but they withall o∣ther Monastical sectes were most wor∣thelye

and iustlye expelled and extir∣ped with their Babilonicall houses, by that most victorious and triumphante Prince King Henry the eight.

Here follow the seuen pri∣uileges, which the Frauncis∣canes faine to be geuen of god to S. Fraunces for the aduauncemēt of his order.

THe first priuilege is, that the more numbre of the Fraunciscanes or Graye∣friers be encreased: the better and the more a∣bundantly shall they be prouided for.

The second priuilege is, that no mā can dye euil, that departeth in a Gray∣friers habite.

The thirde priuilege is, that in the feast of Sainct Fraunces all the soules of the brethren▪ frendes and benefac∣tours of the same order, shall be deli∣uered out of the bitter paines of purga¦tory.

The fourth priuilege, is that the or∣der

of saint Fraunces shall endure and continue vnto the day of iudgement.

The fifte priuilege is, that none that liueth euil in that order can abide long in it.

The sixt priuilege is, that the ene∣mies of saint Fraunces order shal neuer liue long, but they shall die out of hād▪ a most shamefull death.

The seuenth priuilege is, that the frendes and louers of saint Fraunces or∣der▪ be they neuer so wicked and vngod¦ly, shall notwithstandyng at the last obtayne mercy, and dye a most blessed death.

Of the Frierly order of Ma∣ries seruantes.

POpe Benet bearing y^t swinge, Philip deuised the order of Friers whiche are called the seruaūts of our Lady. He rai¦sed this order vnder the rule of Saint Austen, with euen like wordes and fa∣shion, making difference of it with cer¦tayne ordinances of the Friers of our Lady which order afterward was con∣firmed by three byshoppes of Rome,

namely, Benet the xi. Boniface the eyght and Urban the sixte, and is reck∣ned among the beggyng orders, At the the last it was wholy sanctified and halowed of Pope Innocentius the eighte and deliuered of the euell will, that some cloysterers did owe them. Theyr garmentes are lyke oure Ladyes bre∣thren. This order began in the yeare of our Lord .1304. Chron. Lib. Germ.

Of the new order of the Friers of our Lady.

THys order is founded vnder the preachers order whiche al∣so cal thēselues Maries brethrē They weare a white cote, and a blacke cloke thereon, with a blacke Friers coule. Chro. Lib. Germ.

Of the Austen Friers.

POpe Innocent the thyrde bearyng rule, one Guilihelme a Duke of Aquitania, and county of Lictauia, inuented or rather repared and renued the order of the Austen Friers, whiche had bene longe decayed and al∣moste

made desolate before. Thys Guilihelme fyrst dwelt in y^e wildernesse with his brethren, chastyeing his fleshe and subduyng it with a coate of males on hys bare body, alwaye watchyng▪ praying and fasting, so that he was cal∣led a father and restorer of that order. Afterwarde by the consent of Anasta∣sius and Adrian Byshoppes of Rome he left the wildernesse, and built about (or as some saye) within Paris, a cloy∣ster for that beggyng order of the Au∣sten Friers, whiche was confirmed by Pope Anastasius the fourth. After that his apes and counterfayters with beg∣gynge built manye other cloysters so that now this beggyng broode is spred ouer a greate parte of the worlde vnto the greate hindrance both of mennes purses, and also of theyr saluation: and by this meanes is beggyng which once was forbidden, become a Goddes ser∣uice. In the yeare of oure Lorde .1195. Lib. Germ. Chron. Angl.

Rules concerning all orders of Friers.

POpe Eusebius ordayned, that a yong mā or a young womā although being assured toge∣ther in the waye of mariage, may notwithstanding their promises made, departe one from an other, and become Cloysterers. In the yeare. &c. 309. Quest. 27. Cap. 2. Desponsatam. Phil. Bergom.

Pope Gregory the ninth reygnyng, a certayne blacke Fryer called Iordanes, cōmaunded, that silence should be kept of all his brethrē at the table. This cu∣stome was shortly after receaued and practised of all other cloysterers gene∣rally. In the yeare. &c. 1221. Vola. Sabell. Carranza. &c.

Pope Gregory the tenthe approued some states of the orders of beggyng Fryers, as the blacke and Grayfriers: and some he suffered, as the white and Austen Fryers: and some he vtterly re¦proued, as Sacke Fryers, which were called Fratres de panitentia, and Fratres de valla viridi, and such like. In the yere of our Lord .1271. Ranulphus. Cestrensis.

Pope Sixtus the fourthe, when the foure orders of beggyng Fryers did cō¦tende

and stryue among themselues, which of their order were moste holy, most acceptable to god, and of greatest perfection, to auoyde the contention & debate of these bragging, boasting, braulyng, begging Fryers, affyrmed all their orders to be of lyke holinesse & perfection, & graunted to them al like priuileges, graces and liberties. In the yeare of oure Lorde .1471. Ioannes. La∣ziardus. Chron.

Pope Alexander the fourth defended and approued y^e vnshamefaced begging of the rauenyng fryers: and whereas afore they dwelt in solitarye places, he gaue them licence to dwell where they woulde, euen in the middes of cities & townes: and there to preache, to heare cōfessions, to enioyne penaūce, to geue absolutiō, to serue cures, &c, garnishing and confyrming their orders with ma∣ny immunities, priuileges, libertyes, exemptions, indulgences, pardons, &c. In the yeare of oure Lorde .1254. Ioannes. Stella.

Notes

• ☞

  The wic∣kednesse of ••hite Fry∣ers.
• Math. 23.
• A noble, no∣table lye.
• A tale of a tubbe.
• Iohn. x.
• Math. x.
• A grosse vnderstan∣ding of the Scripture.
• Minores.
• Note of Fraunces.
• Truth.
• The plan∣ting & ex••i••¦pyng of the obseruaunt Friers in Englande.
• The Pri∣uileges of the Gray∣fryers.
• Silence at the table.
• Contentiō among Fri¦ers▪ which of their or∣ders is most holy.
• Priuileges graūted to the foure or¦ders of beg¦gers Fry∣ers.