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MOSES the minister of God amonst the Israe∣lites, whiche were desi¦rouse to augmente and amplifie their issue, or∣dayned that all menne indifferently, as well priestes as laie
people should take wifes, least the de¦barryng theim from Matrimonie, might bee occasion of greater enor∣mitie and inconueniencie emong thē. Albeeit bycause of the dignitie of the order of priesthode he made restraint that thei should mari none, that was taken prisoner, bonde woman, or de∣uorsed from their former houseban∣des, and the bishoppes might not bee maried but too maydes. As concer∣nyng our priesthod, Siluester the first after the texte of sainct Paule, com∣maunded that a prieste should mary but one wife, and after to liue sole a∣lone: As Paule had a wife, as maie appeare in his Epistles too the Phi∣lippians and Corinthians. And Cle∣ment bishoppe of Alexandria and I∣gnatius whiche was in Paules time witnesse thesame.
PETER and Philip had wifues and doughters, whom thei bestowed honestly in mariage to housebandes. And sainct Peter seyng his wife led to death for the profession of Christe, with greate reioyce of her constancie saied, wife remembre the lorde. This ordre the Grekes, and all the Easte
partes of Christendome vse, whiche would not consent to the counsail of Nice, wherein it was propounded that the priestes should forsake their wifes: And namely Panutius the ho∣ly and chaste bishoppe that came out of the borders of Egipte withstoode that decre very earnesty. Siricius the first forbade the priestes of the West parties and deacōs to mary, the yere of our Lorde thre hundred thirty and seuen. He instituted also that he that either wedded a widdowe, or tooke a second wife, could not be made priest. Pelagius the second enforsed the sub¦deacons, to forsake their wifes. And Gregorius, bicause he thought it vi∣olent to deuorce theim ordained that from his tyme none should bee sub∣deacon on lesse he vowed chastitee be∣fore. Notwithstandyng the lawes a∣fore made toke no effect emōg ye prie∣stes of the Weste parties vntill the tyme of Gregory the seueth whiche was the yere of our lorde .M.lxxiiii.
AND here Polydore protesteth that the syngle life of priestes dooeth more harme to the religion, shame to the ordre, and griefe to honest menne,
then their constrained chastite profi∣teth: if thei wer restored to the liber∣tie, and chose it were no preiudice to the christen common wealth, and ho∣nesty for the ordre. In the beginnyng menne maried their sisters and kins∣women, but Moses restrained theim of the Hebrues from the first and se∣conde degrees, and Fabianus forbad the third and fourth whiche custome stādeth now in effect. Theodorus did inhibite first that a manne might not mary that mayde, to whō his father was a godfather. It was confirmed firste by Gregory and after by Ale∣xander the third, that no man should mary his brothers wife lest it should bee thought to be a counterfet of the Hebrues. Lamech was the first that euer had two wiues, whose example many other ensued afterwarde. The custome of purifiyng was taken of ye Hebrues, but there is no daie or time appoincted for it. Neuerthelesse for an honest order, thei vse cōmonly not to be purified afore the moneth daie, & then with a few honest matrōs she cōmeth accompained to the church, & offereth a waxe taper & the chrisome.
Whē a priest mighte not mary.
Paule.
Peter & Phi∣lip had wifes
Panu••ius withstode the counsaill of Nice.
Subdeacons forsake their wifes.
Gregory sta∣blished the sin¦gle life of pri∣stes.
Degrees of kindred in∣hibited.
God brother & God sister.
Lamech had twoo wifes.
Purificacion of women at child beryng.