An abridgement of the notable woorke of Polidore Vergile conteignyng the deuisers and firste finders out as well of artes, ministeries, feactes & ciuill ordinaunces, as of rites, and ceremonies, commo[n]ly vsed in the churche: and the originall beginnyng of the same. Co[m]pendiously gathered by Thomas Langley

The .iiii. Chapiter. ¶Of our priesthod, howe it is double, what laiyng on of handes meaneth.

* 1.1CHRIST Iesus our sauiour, whiche was kyng & priest after the order of Melchise∣deche, in the newe te∣stament hath institu∣ted among vs a priest∣hod to offre and do the functions of this newe law: And it is of two kyn∣des or sortes. The one is a spirituall priesthod to offre spiritual sacrifices,* 1.2 in this kynde Christ offered and gaue vp him selfe a consummate oblacion for the sinnes of the whole world as Peter saieth, Christ died ones for our synnes, he beyng righteouse for vs

vnrighteous, that he might gyue vs vp to God mortified as touchyng the fleshe but liuyng in the spirite.

OF this priesthode bee all christen menne,* 1.3 whiche after the example of Christe muste offer our praiers, than∣kes gyuyng, and oure bodies morti∣fied: wee bee all of the degree of this kyngly presthode as Peter and also Ihon in the Apocalipse dooe beare witnesse.

THE seconde priesthode is a mi∣nistery,* 1.4 that Christe did ordain folo∣yng the ordre of the lawe, that wee might haue our teachers to enstructe vs in the Gospell, as the Iewes had their scholemasters in the lawe. He did elect twelue bishoppes, whom he called by a newe name Apostelles bi∣cause thei wer appoincted to bee em∣bassadoures into all partes of the worlde,* 1.5 with the mightie woorde of his power the glad tidynges of his Gospell. He assigned also .lxx. disci∣ples,* 1.6 to whō he gaue the charge and office of preachyng & teachyng, whi∣che in steade of Aarōs sonnes, should be emong vs as inferior priestes,* 1.7 and s••••oures of congregacions: and of

these beganne the ordre of our Prie∣stes,* 1.8 as our bishoppes had their ori∣ginall of the Apostelles. As for the Apostelles and disciples, whiche wer ministers and disposers of the miste∣ries of GOD, had no other maner of consecratyng, but onely the vocacion and eleccion of Christe into the office And so was Mathias chosen in the Actes into y^e roume of Iudas,* 1.9 so wer the seuen deacons chosen to minister too the poore people of the congrega∣cion. And Titus did chose in euery toune and citee of Crete priestes by the laiyng on of handes, whiche was a maner of admission withoute any further ceremonies,* 1.10 wherby authori∣tie was gyuen them ouer the congre∣gacion, and boldnes to execute erne∣stely his office with the assistence of the holy ghoste. And therefore in the beginnyng of the churche when a bi∣shoppe was consecrated there was vsed no other rites or amabges,* 1.11 but onely the people, to whō the eleccion of the bishop belonged, should praie: and after the senioures or priestes by laiyng on their hādes admitted hym too that degree. Of these Peter was

called chief and first bicause bothe of his auncientie, and also for somuche as he was firste elected.* 1.12 A bishoppes roume is not somuche an honour, as it is an heuye burden, not so muche a laude, as a lode. For his deutie is not onely to weare a mitre and crosear, but also to watche ouer the flocke of the Lorde vigilantly, to teache with the woorde diligently, with example honestly, and in all thynges too go a∣fore theim vprightly, and leade them in the waie of trueth, that thei maie folowe the patron of his Godly ly∣uyng, and there as it were in a myr∣roure beholde howe thei oughte too refourme and confourme their ly∣uyng.* 1.13 And this office of the bishop∣ricke & deacons wer instituted by the scripture onely, for priestes in y^e pri∣matiue churche & bishops wer al one

BVT the bishoppes of Rome fo∣lowyng the shaddowes of the olde abrogate lawe of the Hebrues haue ordained a swarme of diuerse other orders, as porters, or sextens,* 1.14 reders exorcistes, accollites, subdeacōs, dea∣cons, pristes, bishoppes, archebishop∣pes, as a certain degree one aboue a∣nother,

wherby thei should assend to the highest dignitie. Caius bishoppe Rome did begyn the orders firste, yet some saie: Iginius did ordayne those degrees long afore Caius tyme. And I graunte well that Iginius mighte bee the first diuiser of theim,* 1.15 & after∣warde Caius accōplished the worke, & brought it to a finall consūmacion.

* 1.16THE office of a priest (as Christe ordained it) was too teache, baptise, and minister the Sacramente of the alter, and thankes gyuyng, bynd and lose, and iudge of doctrynes. There∣fore, lette theim take hede that admit suche too bee priestes, as cannot per∣fourme the deutie of the ministery. For many suppose if thei can mum∣ble vp a paire of Matyns and saye Masse thei bee perfecte priestes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Christ auctor of our priest∣hod.
• * 1.2

  Spiritual priesthod.
• * 1.3

  All christen menne are priestes.
• * 1.4

  Second prie∣stehode is a ministery.
• * 1.5

  Apostles.
• * 1.6

  Discip••••s.
• * 1.7

  Priestes.
• * 1.8

  Bishoppes.
• * 1.9

  The maner of consecra¦tyng in the apostles time
• * 1.10

  Laiyng on of handes.
• * 1.11

  The fashion of the prima∣tyue churche.
• * 1.12

  A bishoppes office.
• * 1.13

  Scripture ••e∣reth these.
• * 1.14

  Rome made mo orders.
• * 1.15

  Iginius did diuise firste orders.
• * 1.16

  The office of a prieste.