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 .viii. Chapiter. ¶The deuidyng of Priestes into sūdry degrees, a maner of swe∣ryng, and excomunicacion.

GREGORY surnamed the greate, where afore tyme, Priestes and chiefe Priestes were onely vsed in the congregacion, first deuided theim into Patriarches and Archebishoppes. Patriarches at the firste were of Roome, Antioche,* 1.1 Ale∣xandrie, Hierusalem, and Constanti∣nople: Archbishoppes had their title to bee called Metropolitaines,* 1.2 by∣cause their sea was in the mother ci∣tee of the prouence. Clement the first ordaigned that all Patriarches, and Archbishoppes should weare a paule whiche dooth signifie mekenesse and iustice,* 1.3 wherwith thei should special∣ly bee garnished. Then also the infe∣rior orders begonne too bee deuided,* 1.4 as that the Archedeacon should bee

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aboue Deacon, and Arche-prieste a∣boue the prieste, and ouer theim the Deanes, and then wer ordained can∣nons, that syng in cathedrall chur∣ches Antherius permitted that a bi∣shoppe might chaunge his bishoppe∣ricke,* 1.5 for another vpon an honeste cause, if he wer thought sufficient to discharge a greater, for his learnyng and Godlinesse. Caius firste made a statute, that a prieste might not bee conuented afore a temporall iudge:* 1.6 but least any manne should bee circū¦uēted by fraude or gyle, Entichianus instituted that the accusacion should bee putte in writyng afore the iudge. Likewise Cornelius decreed that a manne should not take or require an othe of a priest: but onely in matters concernyng our religion and faithe.* 1.7

THE maner of swearyng was in old time of this sorte: He that should sweare, tooke a stone in his hande, & saied, if I deceiue you to my know∣ledge,* 1.8 Iupiter banishe me out of all good mēnes compaignie, preseruyng the reste of the citee, as I cast awaie this stone from me. And (as Plinie dooeth write) it was not lawfull for

any manne too beare an office fiue daies onlesse he wer sworne. In like maner our bishoppes, kynges, Prie∣stes, and other officers sweare afore the•• bee admitted to the office.

Iustinianus emperour appoyneted firste that menne should sweare by the Gospell,* 1.9 and now a daies al that sweare laie their hande on the booke and kisse it saiyng, so helpe me God and the holy Gospell, bycause as the Gospell of our religion and faithe maie for no cause bee violated, so an othe in no case maie bee broken.

THE fashion of excomunicatyng menne that bee obstinate and dissobe¦diente too the officers:* 1.10 Or common transgressours came, as some thinke out of the rites of the Iewes, whiche banished out of their Sinagoge all those that ranne in obstinacy against their tradicions.

AND some suppose it sprong of the religiouse folcke in Fraunce na∣med Druides,* 1.11 whiche (as Caesar re∣cordeth) If ether a priuate mā or offi¦cer wer not cōformably ordered after their ceremonies, excluded hym out

of their compaignie.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Patriarches
• * 1.2

  Archebishop∣pes.
• * 1.3

  The paule is decreed to the patriarches.
• * 1.4

  Archdeacons.
• * 1.5

  Chaungyng of bishoppri∣ckes.
• * 1.6

  A priest might not bee con∣uented.
• * 1.7

  An oth might not bee requi¦red of a priest
• * 1.8

  The maner of swearyng.
• * 1.9

  Sweryng by the Gospell.
• * 1.10

  Excomunica¦cion.
• * 1.11

  Druides.