A discourse of the religion anciently professed by the Irish and Brittish. By Iames Vssher Archbishop of Armagh, and Primate of Ireland

CHAP. V. (Book 5)

Of Chrisme, Sacramentall Confession, Penance, Absolu∣tion, Marriage, Divorces, and single life in the Clergie.

THat the Irisha 1.1 did baptize their infants without any consecrated Chrisme, Lanfranc maketh com∣plaint in his letters to Terdeluacus (or Tirlagh) the chiefe King of that country. And Bernard reporteth, that Malachias in his time (which was after the daies of Lanfranc and Pope Hildebrand) didb 1.2 of the new institute the most wholesome use of Confession, the sacra∣ment of Confirmation, and the contract of marriages: all which he saith the Irish before were either ignorant of, or did neglect. Which, for the matter of Confessi∣on, may receive some further confirmation from the testimonie of Alcuinus: who writing unto the Scot∣tish (or, as other copies read, the Gothish) and com∣mending the religious conversation of their laity, whoc 1.3 in the midst of their worldly imployments were said to leade a most chaste life; condemneth notwith∣standing another custome, which was said to have continued in that country. Ford 1.4 it is said (quot he) that no man of the laity will make his confession to the Priests; whom we beleeve to have received from the Lord Christ, the power of binding and loosing, together with the holy Apostles.

They had no reason indeed to hold (as Alcuinus did) that they ought to confesse unto a Priest all the sinnes they could remember: but upon speciall oc∣casions, they did (no doubt) both publikely and privately make confession of their faults, aswell that they might receive counsaile and direction for their recovery, as that they might bee made partakers of the benefit of the keyes, for the quieting of their troubled consciences. Whatsoever the Gothish did herein (by whom wee are to understand the inhabi∣tants of Languedok in France, where Alcuinus lived) sure wee are, that this was the practice of the ancient Scottish and Irish. So wee reade of one Fiachna or Fechnaus, that being touched with remorse for some offence committed by him, he fell at St. Colmes feet, lamented bitterly, ande 1.5 confessed his sinnes before all that were there present. Whereupon the holy man, weeping together with him, is said to have returned this answer:f 1.6 Rise up, Sonne, and bee comforted, thy sinnes which thou hast committed are forgiven; because (as it is written) a contrite and an humbled heart God doth not despise. We reade also of Adamanus, that being very much terrified with the remembrance of a grievous sinne committed by him in his youth; he g 1.7 resorted unto a Priest, by whom hee hoped the way of salvation might bee shewed unto him, hee confessed his guilt, and intreated that hee would give him counsell, whereby hee might flee from the wrath of God that was to come.

Now the counsell commonly given unto the Pe∣nitent after Confession, was; that hee shouldh 1.8 wipe away his sinnes by meet fruits of repentance: which course Bede observeth to have beene usually prescri∣bed by our Cuthbert. For penances were then exacted, as testimonies of the sincerity of that inward repen∣tance which was necessarily required for obtaining remission of the sinne: and so had reference to the taking away of the guilt, and not of the temporall punishment remaining after the forgivenesse of the guilt; which is the new found use of penances, inven∣ted by our later Romanists. One old Penitentiall Ca∣non wee finde laid downe in a Synod held in this country about the yeere our Lord CCCCL. by S. Pa∣trick, Auxilius, and Isserninus: which is as followeth. i 1.9 A Christian who hath kild a man, or committed forni∣cation, or gone unto a Southsayer after the manner of the Gentiles, for every of those crimes shall doe a yeere of Pe∣nance: when his yeere of penance is accomplished, he shall come with witnesses, and afterward hee shall be absol∣ved by the Priest. These Bishops did take order (we see) according to the discipline generally used in those times, that the penance should first be perfor∣med; and when long & good proofe had bin given by that means of the truth of the parties repentance, they wished the Priest to impart unto him the benefit of Absolution. wheras by the new device of sacramen∣tall penance the matter is now far more easily trans∣acted: by vertue of the keyes the sinner is instantly of attrite made contrite, and thereupon as soon as hee hath made his Confession hee presently receiveth his Absolution: after this, some sorry penance is imposed,

which upon better consideration may bee converted into pence; and so a quicke end is made of many a foule businesse.

But for the right use of the keyes, we fully accord with Claudius: thatk 1.10 the office of remitting and re∣taining sinnes which was given unto the Apostles, is now in the Bishops and Priests committed unto every Church. namely, that having taken knowledge of the causes of such as have sinned, as many as they shall be∣hold humble and truly penitent, those they may now with compassion absolve from the feare of everlasting death; but such as they shall discerne to persist in the sins which they have committed, those they may declare to be bound over unto never ending punishments. And in thus ab∣solving such as be truly penitent, we willingly yeeld, that the Pastors of Gods Church doe remit sinnes af∣ter their manner, that is to say, ministerially and im∣properly: so that the priviledge of forgiving sinnes properly and absolutely, bee still reserved unto God alone. Which is at large set out by the same Claudi∣us; where hee expoundeth the historie of the man sicke of the palsey, that was cured by our Saviour in the ninth of S. Matthew. For, following Bede upon that place, he writeth thus.l 1.11 The Scribes say true, that none can forgive sinnes but God alone; also forgi∣veth by them, to whom hee hath given the power of for∣giving. And therefore is Christ proved to bee truely God because he forgiveth sinnes as God. They render a true testimony unto God: but in denying the person of

Christ, they are deceived. and againe:m 1.12 If it bee God that, according to the Psalmist, removeth our sins as far from us, as the East is distant from the West; and the Sonne of man hath power upon earth to forgive sinnès: therefore hee himselfe is both God and the Sonne of man. that both the man Christ might by the power of his divi∣nitie forgive sinnes; and the same Christ being God, might by the frailtie of his humanitie dye for sinners. and out of S. Hierome:n 1.13 Christ sheweth himselfe to bee God, who can know the hidden things of the heart; and after a sort holding his peace he speaketh. By the same ma∣jestie and power, whereby I behold your thoughts, I can also forgive sinnes unto men. In like manner doth the author of the booke of the wonderfull things of the Scripture observe theseo 1.14 divine workes in the same historie: the forgiving of sinnes, the present cure of the disease, & the answering of the thoughts by the mouth of God who searcheth all things. With whom, for the propertie of beholding the secret thoughts, Sedulius also doth concurre, in those sentences.p 1.15 God alone can know the hidden things of men.q 1.16 To know the hearts of men, and to discerne the secrets of their minde, is the pri∣viledge of God alone.

That the contract of Marriages, was either unknown or neglected by the Irish, before Malachias did insti∣tute the same anew among them (as Bernard doth seeme to intimate) is a thing almost incredible. al∣thoughr 1.17

Giraldus Cambrensis doth complaine, that the case was little better with them after the time of Malachias also. The licentiousnesse of those ruder times, I know, was such, as may easily induce us to beleeve, that a great both neglect and abuse of Gods ordinance did get footing among this people. Which enormities Malachias, no doubt, did labour to reforme: and withall peradventure brought in some new matters, not knowne here before; as hee was very desirous his country men should generally conforme themselves unto the traditions and cu∣stomes of the Church of Rome. But our purpose is here only to deale with the doctrine and practice of the elder times: in which, first, that Marriage was not held to bee a sacrament, may bee collected from s 1.18 Sedulius, who reckoneth it among those things, which are gifts indeed, but not spirituall.

Secondly, for the degrees of Consanguinitie hinde∣ring marriage, the Synod attributed unto St. Patricke seemeth to referre us wholly unto the Levitical law; prescribing thereint 1.19 neyther lesse nor more than the Law speaketh: and particularly, against matching with the wife of the deceased brother (which was the point so much questioned in the case of King Henrie the eighth) thisu 1.20 Synodicall decree is there urged. The brother may not ascend into the bed of his deceased brother: the Lord having said, They two shall be one flesh. Therefore the wife of thy brother, is thy sister. Whereupon we finde also, that our Kilianus did suf∣fer

martyrdome forx 1.21 dissolving such an incestuous marriage in Gozbertus Duke of Franconia: and that Clemens Scotus for maintaining the contrary was both byy 1.22 Boniface Archbishop of Mentz, and the z 1.23 Councell held at Rome by Pope Zacharie in the yeare DCCXLV. condemned as a bringer in of Iu∣daisme amongst Christians. Yet how farre this con∣demned opinion of his prevailed afterward in this countrey, and how foule a crime it was esteemed to be by others abroad (notwithstanding the Pope doth now by his Buls of dispensation take upon him to make a faire matter of it) may easily be perceived by this censure of Giraldus:a 1.24 Moreover, saith hee, which is very detestable, and most contrary not only to the faith, but also unto common honesty; brethren in many places throughout Ireland do, I say not marry, but marre rather and seduce the wives of their deceased brothers, while in this sort they filthily and incestuously have knowledge of them: cleaving herein not to the marrow but to the barke of the Old Testament, and desiring to imitate the ancient in vices more willingly than in vertues.

Thirdly, touching divorces, wee reade in Sedulius; thatb 1.25 it is not lawfull, according to the precept of our Lord, that the wife should be put away, but for the cause of fornication, and in the Synod ascribed to St. Pa∣trick.c 1.26

It is not lawfull for a man to put away his wife, but for the cause of fornication. as if he should say; for this cause, he may. Whence if hee marry another, as it were after the death of the former, they forbid it not. Who they were, that did not forbid this second marriage, is not there expressed: that Saint Patrick himselfe was of another minde, would appeare by this constitution following; which in another anci∣ent Canon-booke I found cited under his name.d 1.27 If any mans wife have committed adulterie with another man: he shall not marry another wife, as long as the first wife shall be alive. If per adventure she be converted, and doe penance: he shall receive her; and she shall serve him in the place of a maid-servant. Let her for a whole yeare doe penance in bread and water, and that by measure: neyther let them remaine in the same bed together. Fourthly, concerning single life, I doe not finde in any of our records, that it was generally imposed upon the Clergie; but the contrary rather. For in the Synod held by St. Patrick, Auxilius, and Isserninus; there is a speciall order taken,e 1.28 that their wives shall not walke abroad, with their heads uncovered. And St. Patrick himselfe confesseth (at leastwise the Con∣fession which goeth under his name saith so; and Pro∣bus, Iocelinus, and others that write his life, agree therewith) that heef 1.29 had to his father Calphurnius a Deacon, and to his grandfather Potitus a Priest. For that was no new thing then among the Britons:

whose Bishops therefore Gildas doth reprehend (as for the same cause he did the chiefe of the Laity) that they were not content to be the husbands of one, but of many wives, and that they corrupted their chil∣dren by their evill example: whereasg 1.30 the chastitie of the fathers was to be esteemed imperfect, if the chastitie of their sonnes were not added thereunto.

Nennius, the eldest Historiographer of the Britons which wee have after him (who in many copies also beareth his owne name) wrote that booke which we have extant of his, toh 1.31 Samuel the childe of Benlanus the Priest, his master: counting it a grace, rather than any kinde of disparagement unto him, to bee estee∣med the sonne of a learned Priest. Which maketh him in thei 1.32 verses prefixed before the worke to say:

Christe, tribuisti patri Samuelem,* 1.33

But about 60. or 70. yeares after, I finde some par∣tiall eclipse here (and the first, I thinke, of this kinde, that can bee shewed among the Britons) in the lawes of Howel Dha: where it is ordered, thatk 1.34 if a Clerk of a lower degree should match with a woman, and have a sonne by her, and that Clerke afterward ha∣ving received the order of Priest-hood, should have another sonne by the same woman; the former son should enjoy his fathers whole estate, without being bound to divide the same with his other brother. Yet these marriages for all that were so held out, that the fathers not content their sonnes should succeed them in their temporall estate alone, prevailed so

far that they continued them in the succession of their spirituall promotions also. Which abuse Giraldus Cambrensisl 1.35 complaineth to have been continuedin Wales unto his time; & out ofm 1.36 Hil••ebertus Cenoma∣nensis sheweth to have prevailed in little Brittaine al∣so: whence he inferreth,n 1.37 that this vice was of old com∣mon to the whole Brittish nation aswell on this side as on the other side of the sea. Whereunto for Ireland also wee may adde the letters written by Pope Innocent the third unto Iohannes Salernitanus the Cardinall, his legate,o 1.38 for abolishing the custome there, where∣by sonnes and grand-children did use to succeede their fathers and grand-fathers in their Ecclesiastical benefices.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Quod infan∣tes baptismo sine Chrismate consecrato baptizantur. Lanfranc. epist. MS. in Biblio∣thecâ Cottonia∣n••: & apud Baron. an. 1089. num. 16. ubi tamen sive malè habetur prosine.
• b 1.2

  Vsum salu∣berrimum Confessionis, sacramentum Confirmatio∣nis, contractum conjugiorum (quae omnia aut ignorabant aut neglige∣bant) Mala∣chias de novo instituit. Ber∣nard. in vitâ Malachiae.
• c 1.3

  Inter mun∣danas occupa∣tiones castissi∣mam vitam ra∣tionabili consi∣deratione degere dicuntur. Alcuin. epist. 26. edit. H. Canisti, 71. Andreae Quercetan••.
• d 1.4

  Dici∣tur verò neminem ex Laicis suam velle Confessionem sacerdotibus dare: quos à Deo Christo cum sanctis Apostolis ligandi solvendi{que} potestatem accepisse credimus, Ibid.
• e 1.5

  Coram om∣nibus qui ibi∣dem erant peccata sua confessus est. Adamnan. vit. Columb. lib. 1. cap. 16. (vel 20. in MS.)
• f 1.6

  Surge fili, & consolare: di∣mi••••a sunt tua, quae commi∣••isti, peccami∣na. quia sicut scriptum est; Cor contritum & humiliatum Deus non spernit. Ibid.
• g 1.7

  Accedens ad sacerdotem, à quo sibi spera∣••at iter salutis posse demonstrari; confessus est reatum suum, petiique 〈◊〉〈◊〉 consilium sibi daret, quo posset fugere à venturâ Dei irâ. Bed. lib. 4. histor. cap. 25.
• h 1.8

  Confessa dignis (ut im∣perabat) poe∣nitentiae fructi∣bus absterge∣rent. Id. ibid. cap. 27.
• i 1.9

  Christianu•• qui occiderit, aut fornicatio∣nem fecerit, aut more Gentili∣um ad aruspi∣cem meaverit; per singula cri∣mina annum poenitentiae agar, impleto cum testibus veniat anno Poenitentiae, & posteà resolve∣tur à sacerdote. Synod. Patricij, Auxilij & Is∣sernini MS. in Bibliothecâ Col∣legii Benedict. Cantabrig.
• k 1.10

  Necnon e∣tiam nunc in Episcopis ac Presbyteris omni Ecclesiae officium idem committitur: Ut videlicèt ag∣nitis peccanti∣um caussis, quoscunq, hu∣miles ac verè poe••••••entes a∣spexerint, hos iam à timore perpetuae mor∣tis miserantes absolvant, quos ver in pecca∣tis quae egerint persistere cog∣nove••int illos perennibus suppliciis obli gandos ••••••sinu∣ent. Claud in Matth. lib. 2.
• l 1.11

  Verum di∣cunt Scribae, quia nemo di∣m••••tere peccata nisi sulus Deus potest; qui per eos quoque di∣mi•• ut, quibus dimitiendi tri∣buit p••testatem. Et ideò Christus verè Deus esse probatur; quia dimittere peccata qua∣si Deus potest. Verum Deo testimonium reddunt; sed personam Christi negando fal∣luntur. Id. in Matth. lib. 1.
• m 1.12

  Si & Deus est, iuxta Psal∣mistam, qui quantum distat Oriens ab oc∣casu clongavit à nobis iniqui∣tates nostras; & filius homi∣nis potestatem habet in terrâ dimittendi pec∣cata: ergò i∣dem ipse & De∣us & filius ho∣minis est. ut & homo Chri∣stus per divini∣tatis suae poten∣tiam peccata dimittere pos∣sit; & idem Deus Christus per humanita∣tis suae fragili∣tatem pro pec∣catoribus mori. Ibid.
• n 1.13

  Ostendit se Deum, qui po∣test cordis oc∣culta cognosce∣re; & quodam modo tacens loquitur. Eâ∣dem maiestate & potentiâ quà cogitationes vestras intueor, possum & hominibus delicta dimittere. Ibid.
• o 1.14

  In paralytico à quatuor viris portato, qua∣tuor divina opera cernuntur. Dum dimittuntur ei peccata, & praesentis aegritudinis plaga verbo tunc solvitur, & cogitationibus in ore Dei omnia scrutantis respondetur. Auth. lib. de Mirabilib. S. Scriptur. lib. 3. cap. 7.
• p 1.15

  Deus solus potest occulta hominum scire, Sedul. in Rom. 2.
• q 1.16

  Corda hominum nôffe solius Dei est, & mentis secreta ag∣noscere. Id. ibid.
• r 1.17

  Nondum de∣eimas vel pri∣mitias solvunt: nondum matri∣••••nia con∣trahunt; non incestus vitant. Girald. Cambr. Topograph. Hi∣bera. distinct. 3. cap. 19. Vide etiam Lan∣franci epist. ad Gothricum & Terdeluacum reges Hibern. apud Baronium, an. 1089. num. 13. & 16.
• s 1.18

  Videtur in∣dicare, esse ali∣quid quod do∣num quidem fit, non tamen spirituale: ut Nuptiae. Sedul. in Rom. 1.
• t 1.19

  De consan∣guinitate in conjugio. In∣telligite quid Lex loquitur, non minùs nec plus. Quod autem observa∣tur apud nos, ut quatuor genera dividantur; nec vidisse di∣••unt nec le∣gisse. Synod. Pa∣tric. cap. 19. MS.
• u 1.20

  Audi decreta Synodi super istis. Frater thorum defuncti fratris non ascandat: Domino di∣cente, Erunt duo in carne unâ. Ergo uxor fratris tui soror tua est, Ibid. cap. 25. & in Excerptis è Inre Sacerdota••i Egborti archiepisc. per Hucarium Levitam. MS.
• x 1.21

  Vit ••ilia••••, tom. 4. antiqu. lect. Henr. Ca••••∣sti, pag. 633. & 644.
• y 1.22

  Iudaismum inducens, ju∣dicat justum esse Christiano, ut si voluerit, viduam fratris defuncti accipi∣at uxorem. Boni∣fac. epist. ad Za∣char. tomo 3. Concil. part. 1. pag. 382. edit. Colon. An. 1618.
• z 1.23

  Inferens Christianis Iu∣daismum, dum praedicat fratris defuncti acci∣pere uxorem. Concil. Roman. II. sub. Zachar. ibid. pag. 383. e.
• a 1.24

  Quinimo (quod valde detestabile est, & non tantùm fidei, sed & cui∣libet honestati valde contra∣rium) fratres pluribus per Hiberniam lo∣cis fratrum defunctorum uxores, non dico ducunt, sed traducunt, imo verius se∣ducunt; dum trupiter eas, & tam incestuosè cognoscunt: veteris in hoc testa∣menti non medullae sed cortici adhaerentes, veteresque libentiùs in vitiis quàm vir∣tutibus imitari volentes. Girald. Cambr. Topograph. Hibern. distinct. 3. cap. 19.
• b 1.25

  Non licet secundùm praeceptum Domini ut dimittatur conjunx, nisi caussâ fornicationis. Sedul. in 1 Cor. 7.
• c 1.26

  Non licet vi∣ro dimittere uxorem nisi ob caussam forni∣cationis. ac fi dicat, ob hanc caussam. Vnde si ducat alte∣rum, velut post mortem prioris, non ve••ant. Synod. Patrie. cap. 36 MS.
• d 1.27

  Si alicujus uxor fornicata fuerit cum alio viro: non ad∣ducet aliam uxorem, quan∣diù viva fuerit uxor prima. Si fortè conversa fuerit, & agat poenitentiam, suscipiet eam; & serviet ei in vicem ancillae: & anuum inte∣grum in pan•• & aquâ per mensuram poe∣niteat; nec in uno lecto per∣maneant. Ex li∣bro 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cott••••an••, titu∣l••••m 66.
• e 1.28

  Quicunque Clericis, ab Ostiario usque ad Sacerdotem, fine 〈◊〉〈◊〉 visus fuerit, &c. & uxor ejus si non velato capite ambulaverit: pa∣riter à laicis contemnenurtur, & ab Ecclesiâ separentur. Synod. Patric. Auxil Issernin.
• f 1.29

  Patrem habui Calporn•••••••• Diaconum, filium quondam Potiti presbyteri. S. Patricii Confessio. MS.
• g 1.30

  Imperfecta est patrum ca∣stitas, si eidem non & 〈◊〉〈◊〉 accumul••••••. Sed quid crir, ubi nec pater, nec filius mali genitoris ex∣emplo prava∣tus, conspicitu•• castus? Gildas.
• h 1.31

  Sic inveni, ut tibi Samuel (infans magi∣stri mei Benla∣ni presbyteri) in istâ pagina scripsi. Nennius in MS^o. Dunel∣mensi.
• i 1.32

  Versus Nen∣nii ad Samue∣lem filium ma∣gistri sui Benla∣ni, viri religiosi, ad quem histo∣riam istam scripserat. Nenn. MS. in publicâ Cantae∣brigiensis acade∣miae Bibliothecâ
• * 1.33

  Hinc apud Balaeum, Centur. 1 cap. 77. Ben∣lani presbyteri 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Laeta est nominata.
• k 1.34

  Si clericus haberet foeminam datam à suo genere, & sic habee filium ex eâ; & posteà ille cleritus presbyteratus ordinem accipiens, si post votum conse∣crationis filium haberet de eâdem foeminâ; prior filius non debet partiri cum filio post na∣to. Ex legib. Howel Dha, MS. in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Cottonia••â.
• l 1.35

  Successivè & post patres filii ecclesias obti∣nent, non ele∣ctivè sed haere∣ditate possiden∣tes & polluen∣tes Sanctuari∣um Dei. quia si praelatus alium eligere & insti∣tuere fortè prae∣sumpserit; in instituentem procùl dubiò, vel institutum, genus injuriam vindicabit. Girald, Cambrensis Descript. Cambri••, libro 2^•. MS. Successio••is quippe vitium non solùm in sedibus cathedralibus, verùm etiam adeò per totam in clero sicut & in populo Walliam per∣••inaciter inyaiuit; quòd & post patres filii passim ecclesias & consequenter obtineant, tanquam haereditate possidentes & polluentes Sanctuarium Dei, &c. Id. in Dialogo de Ec∣clesiâ Menevensi, distinct. 1. MS.
• m 1.36

  Hildebert. epist. 65. ad Honorium II. (tomo 12. Bibloth. Patr. part. 1. pag. 338. 339. edit. Colon.)
• n 1.37

  Ex quibus constare potest, utrumque vitium toti huic genti Britanniae tam cismarinae quàm transmarinae ab antiquo commune fuisse. Girald. Cambr. in utroque.
• o 1.38

  Alphons. Ciacon. in Vitis Pontificum & Cardinalium, pag. 515.