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 .iii. Chapiter. ¶The maner of annoyntyng priestes, kynges,, them that be christened, confirmed or sore sicke.

WHAT TYME Moses had buylded the tabernable, he was cōmaunded to make a confection of holy oyntmēt, wher∣with bothe y^e worke, the vessels, priestes, and also kynges whiche be called to that office or dig∣nitie,* 1.1 ought to be enoyled: So that it came to passe that the annoyntyng was the very token & difference wher¦by kynges were knowen among the Hebrues,* 1.2 as y^e Emperours in Rome were knowen by their purple robes. Aaron and his sonnes were the fyrst annoynted priestes, and Samuel e∣noyled Saul fyrst kyng ouer Israel, and so consequentely it grewe into a custome that priestes & kynges were annoynted. By whiche thyng is sig∣nified that they be specially fauored of God, and like as oyle lyeth a lofte on the water,* 1.3 or other liquore, so the offyce of a Priest and dignitie of a Prince surmoūteth all other degrees of ministers, both y^• in actiue and also contemplatiue lyfe.

Siluester bishoppe of Rome orday∣ned fyrst that al that were christened, churches, and chalices should be an∣noynted with oyle. Our oyle,* 1.4 that is nowe vsed is made of oyle Oliue, and natural Balme, Fabianus com∣maunded that it should be renewed euery Maundy thurseday.

Clemente the fyrste ordayned that all children and other that were chri∣stened should be annoynted agayne with Crisme, and he instituted also the sacrament of Confirmacion,* 1.5 sup∣posyng that no manne were a perfect christen manne, yf that rite and cere∣monye were by negligence omitted. For this cause, that the holy Ghost might more plentyfully be geuen to them by the handes of the bishop.

This thyng beganne of the exam∣ple of the Apostles, whiche sent Pe∣ter & Iohn into Samarie to lay their handes on them, that they might re∣ceyue the holy Ghost. It is onely mi∣nistered by a byshoppe in this wyse,* 1.6 fyrst he asketh the name of the child & then maketh the signe of the crosse in his forehed with the C••isme: saiyng, I signe the with the token of y^e crosse

and confirme the with the crisme of saluacion. In the name of the father the sonne and the holye ghost, y^t thou maye be replenished with the holye spirite and haue euerlastyng life, so∣beit. And then he smiteth the cheke of the child softely, but if it be of a great age, he geueh a sharpe stroke, that he may remembre that misterie, saiyng, peace be with the.* 1.7 Felix the fourth did institute that suche aswere in ex∣tremes should be enoyled, folowyng the example of the Apostles,* 1.8 whiche, as Marke witnesseth, cured manye diseases by annoyntyng them, and saint Iames speaketh of a like thing in his Epistle.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Kynges and priestes were anoynted.
• * 1.2

  Anointyng is the token of kynges.

  Purple robe is the diffe∣rence of the Emperoure. Aaron and Saul fyrst anoynted.
• * 1.3

  The nature of oyle.
• * 1.4

  Anoyntyng of children christened, Churches, Chalices. The cōfecti∣on of our oile
• * 1.5

  Chrisme. Cōfirmacion
• * 1.6

  The maner of confir∣myng.
• * 1.7

  Felix.
• * 1.8

  Exteme vnction.