The theater of the Popes monarchie wherein is described as well the vncleane liues of that wicked generation, as also their Antichristian gouernment, and vsurped kingdome : togeather with their horrible superstition, and blasphemous religion, as it is now vsed at this present, where Antichrist the Pope & his members do beare rule / by Phillip Stubbes.

Of popish Bishops their office, super∣stition and pride.

Philemon.

VVHat manner of Bishops hath the Pope, for I am sure they are not the leaste pillers of this his whoorish and Adulterous Church?

Stupe.

Such as his Cardinals are, such are his Bishoppes, sauing that they carry not such a great port, and statelye sway as the other doe: els they are like them in all kynd of wickednesse. Fyrste of all, they take vpon them names, and tytles proper to kings, princes & Lords. They be stowt, proud and disdainefull, looking not onely for capp and knee of euerye man, but euen for kneeling and

crowchyng downe to the ground. They haue great Bishoprickes worth by esty∣mation two or three thousand pounds by yeere, wherto belong both castles & tow¦ers, wy••h cities, countries, and townes. They haue also the rule & gouernment of Abbies, granges, nunneries, priories, personages, vicarages, & all other kynd of Ecclesiasticall benefices & spirituall promotions wherof they feed thēselues (for chāge of pasture is good for thē) w^t the daintiest morsels. Being thus furni∣shed with abundance of all things, com∣monly they lye in some strōg castle, sy∣tuat in a solitary place, wher they preach as strawberies vse to grow, that is once a yere, nay happily not once in 7. yeres. And to say truth, as they say, it needeth not, for they haue their blincking Syr Iohns, their begging Friers, Monks, & cloysterers that do it for thē. These blind buzzards, and Assye peisants being sent forth by their Bishops, set abroach with all their might, the popes decrees, cere∣monies, & orders: in the meane time not forgetting to declaim against heretikes, that is against such as put their confi∣dence

and trust in Christ Iesus alone, & his sacred trueth. But aboue all things, they take greate care least anye of them might at vnawares preach any truth out of the woord of God, for that were He∣resie to God, and treason to the Popes person. For if they shoulde preache the trueth (beeing sworne to maintaine the pope against Christ Iesus, & his woord) then might they be attainted of periury, and besides accused of heresie. Thus nei∣ther Bishoppe, nor prelate sworne to the pope, dares preach Christ Iesus aright: for that were too destroye theyr proude Antichristian kingdom, which consisteth only of lies, falshood, murther, treason, vsurpatiō, & rebellion. Insomuch that a good bishop of Coleyne seing what wic∣kednes vnder the visard and pretence of of godlines was daily cōmitted: begā to discouer & lay opē their impieties, blas∣phemies & trecheries: but he was resisted of al, euery barking frier whetted his pē against him, & like serpētine vipers stūg him euē to the death. Wel, report hereof cōming to Rome, y^e pope assēbled a coū∣cel, & cited this good old father to appere

before him. Who seeyng their wycked intentions against him, gaue ouer his bi∣shopricke, rather choosing wythout it, to preach Christ Iesus truly, then wyth it to dishonour him euery waye, as they did. These blockheaded popish byshops, as blinde as blynd bayardes, thinke, yea and shame not say that preaching is not necessary, and that the people doe learne more by their dumb ceremonies, image∣ries, and other bableries, then they do by hearing the word of God preached. And indeede I think no lesse, for whereas by the worde of God preached they learne the way to saluation, and life eternal, by imageries and other popish ceremonies, they learn the pathway to hell, and euer∣lasting damnation. And therefore they learn more by the one, than by the other. But more what? more wickednesse and sin. But notwithstanding their seldome preaching, yet when they doe preache, it shalbe commonly vpon some popish holiday, or festiual day of their own inuention, which is alwayes of greater estimation amōgst them, then the Lords day, to wit, the Sabboth day is. In this

their Pope holy day, what Idolatrye is committed, what superstition is practy∣sed, and what grosse blasphemies, & fil∣thy absurdities are permitted, and exer∣cised of them, it is almost vnspeakeable. Then, euen then, is there such censing, and singing, such masking and rynging, such chaunting, and roaryng, in the quyre, wyth Orgayns playing, and mu∣sicke soundyng, that thou wouldest ra∣ther thynke it a Satyricall stage playe of fooles consecrated to the Diuel, than a sober seruice of wisemen instituted to G••d.

Phile

How be the bishops attired in these solemn holy daies, & how do they behaue themselues amōgest the rest in this goodly stately Pageant of theyrs?

Stupe.

The Bishoppes are attyred with 14. sundry fortes of garments vpō their backes at once, without the which, they cānot sacrifice, nor (maske) I shuld say masse well. And some haue fifteene seueral kinds of garments, besides their pall, which maketh sixteene. First of al, he puts on his sandalles eythes of silke

or veluet, his amias & his albe as white as snow, hanging down to his shoe. A∣bout his loynes he gyrdeth himself with a gyrdle of silke. About his neck is there a stoale, wrought for the greatest part of very good silk: which hauing a crosse o∣uerlaid vppon it, is ou••vnderneath hys gyrdle, & so buckled to him. Thē he put∣teth on his tunicle of purple colour, and▪ ouer that, his Dalmatike, a short sleeued garment: next ••e pulles on his sweete gloues vpon his delicate hands, his fin∣gers being thwacke with rings, preci∣ous stones. The ouer al these, he puts ••n his cope, with crosses thereon both be∣hind and before: he hath also his braue wrought napkins & hādkerchers, bedec∣ked with gold & siluer roūd about. Thē hath he his pall of a wonderful price, cō∣passing in his porkishe necke. His hood with a strange deuised knotte, hangeth behynd his necke in the middest of hys backe. Next after this comes in his for∣ked myter, with 2. labels (I had almost said babels) hanging downe beset round about w^t gold, siluer & pretious stones. Last of al, he takes his crosiare staffe in

his hand, bedecke with golde, siluer, and castly i••wels. And in this playerly man∣ner doth this hystrionical bishop play his part amongst the rest, making the tēple of the Lord a stage or theater, thēselues players, and the people starke fooles in beholding their fooleries.

Phil.

What doth the bishop, when he is thus apparrelled?

Stupe.

He marcheth towardes the altar as fast as hee can trudge: which is but very softly, for the burthen of cloths, not only almost waigh him to the groūd but also welneere take away his breath. And being come to the high (halter) al∣tar I should say, marke his straunge ••••∣stures, & thou wilt wōder. For first of al, (besides the shuffling of priestes, and clearks, to & fro like swarmes of bees) y^e his•••••• as••ing vp the which of his eyes towards heauen▪ as though hee would•• sain•• straight waye, mumbleth to him∣self, certaine charmes or exorcisnies (I think) which neither hee nor anye of the rest▪ vnderstande. This done, hee putteth off his myter from hys head, where one is 〈◊〉〈◊〉 at hande to receyue it, to keepe

it, and to putte it on and off, as occasion shall serue. One whyle he standes, an¦other whyle he sittes, sometyme he trip∣peth, on thys side of the Altare, some∣times vppon that. Nowe he kysseth the Altare here, now there, nowe the Cha∣lice, nowe the Paxe, nowe the Booke, nowe one thing, then an other. Then hauing fisked in thys sort about the al∣tare ynough, at the last he comes to the myddest or Centre of the same, and there hee maketh an ende of hys playe. Sometime he standeth hanging downe the head, as though he were in a browne study, mumbling to him selfe no manne knoweth what.

Sometime he ioyneth both his hands together vpon the Altar, somtime he lif∣teth them vp towards heauen, sometime he spreaddeth them towards the North, sometime towards the South, somtime towards the east, & somtime towards the west. One while he pattereth & blesseth, an other while he crosseth and censeth, fearing belike lest any saucy spirit, shuld come neere to deface his doings. Uppon the otherside his ministers are readye to

lay cushiōs of silk, or cloth of gold vnder his elbowes to lean vpon, vnder his but∣toc as to sit vppon, & vnder his feete too stand vpon. After these things thus set in order, the bishop calleth for frankencēse, censors, sweet odours, candles, crosses, banners, & the like trumpery, which be∣ing brought, then falleth he to kissing & smearing the altar, & altar stone, as a so∣ueraigne thing. Besides one standeth be∣hind the bishop to see y^e nothing be wan∣ting, holding vppe the patin inclosed in silke. Thus al thinges ended, the bishop eateth, and drynketh vppe all himselfe, not giuing anye parte to anye present. Which done the Satyre or Pageant, is perfected and ended. Now seest thou with what gewgawes, these beetle hea∣ded papistes, doe delude the worlde, and dazle the eyes of the simple.

Besides this, there are some of these bishoppes, that will not blushe too haue a swoorde carryed before them, and placed vppon the holye Altare, too the ende that menne maye knowe theyr magnyficall power, and so both feare, and reuerence them the more. Thus

they will bee both kinges, and priestes themselues alone, whether God wyll or not. Othersome there are, that will not take this paines vppon them, but couet rather too bee conuersaunt in Kynges Courtes, hoping thereby to attaine too greater promotion, then by poring vpon a booke, and preaching of Christ Iesus. Where, by that time, that they haue bin a while, they fead humours so excellent∣ly, & are so skilfull in the eyght lyberall science (to wit, the noble art of flattery, and assentation) that in short space, they are admitted to be of the priuy councel, without whose knowledge, consent, & agreement, nothing can be set forth, or established. In parliamentes they gyue theyr Councels, and rule all the rowte, euen at their pleasures. Some others a∣gayne are victuallers of camps, and cap∣taines in the warres nowe and then. These Popishe Byshoppes also are iu∣stices of peace, iustices of Quorum, of heire determiner, and assyses, yea and Iudges of lyfe and death, for the most parte. All whiche callynges as they bee contrarye to the woorde of GOD▪

in them, so doe they withdrawe them from the discharge of their duties other∣wise.

Philemon.

That is verye true, it must needes bee so, for if there were neuer anye, that coulde dyscharge the one offyce suffycientlye, muche lesse shall there euer bee anie founde able too discharge them both. But I pray you what officers hath euerie Archbishop vnder him?

Stuperius.

Euerye Archbishoppe amongest the Papistes hath almoste as many officers vnder hym as you hearde before, the Cardynall hadde, and there∣fore I wyll speake but of one of them, which is a Byshoppe, but called by the name of a Suffragane.

Notes

• The maner of the Popes By∣shops.
• The proude humors of the Bishoppes of Rome.
• The fat mor∣sels of Romish Bishops.
• VVhere the romish bishops lye.
• Blynking Syr Iohns,
• Friers &c. the popes spa∣nyels.
• The papystes take •• greate heed least they preach anye truth.
• Oh damnable othe.
• None of the papistes dare preach Christ Iesus aryght.
• The example of the bishopp of Coleyn, who rather forsooke hys Bishoprick thē to dyshonour Christ Iesus, as the papistes did.
• The Papistes say preaching is not necessa∣ry.
• By hearinge the worde of God preached men learn the pathwaye too heauen, by pa∣pistry the path way to hell.
• Idolatry com∣mitted vppon popish holy∣dayes.
• The ridiculous attyre of Po∣pish bishops v∣pon holidayes.
• This is dogin.
• That is pat.
• That is worth the wearyng then
• The popyshe byshops like so players.
• The Byshops gestures at the high altar.
• The byshop coniures.
• Variety is plea∣sant.
• Insteed of hys lemman.
• The bishop in a brown study
• The lifting vp of the byshop•• hands.
• For flesh vpon his backe hee hath none and therefore hath need of cushy∣ons.
• The papistes delude the world wyth gewgawes.
• A sword carri∣ed before po∣pish bishops to the high altar, and why.
• Byshops con∣uersant in kin∣ges courts.
• Popish bishops skilful in the art of flattery.
• Byshops victu∣alers of camp••.
• A byshop suf∣fragane.