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. ¶Who sacrificed first after Christes tradicion, and encreased the partes of Masse.

EVERY thyng at the first in the miste∣ry of the lordes sup∣per was plain sincer and without any mi∣sture of ceremonies,* 1.1 conteinyng more ver¦tue then solemnite. For it is manifest that Peter, whiche either first of all, or els with the rest of Apostelles did consecrate often tymes after the rite

that he had receiued of Christ by and by after the consecraciō ioyned to the Lordes praier or Pater noster: And I suppose it was not muche differyng from the Masse that is vsed in the churche on good Frydaie. Celestinus ordaigned the praiers that the priest saieth when he reuesteth hymself to Masse or at puttyng on his clothes, that begynneth Iudica me deus. &c.* 1.2 Albeeit it semeth by the woordes of Chrisostome in y^e .xi. homely on Ma∣thewe that it was taken of the chur∣ches of Grece and Asia, whiche vsed to syng psalmes while the people as∣sembled together. Damasus institu∣ted the confession at the beginnyng of Masse,* 1.3 and some referre it to Pon∣tianus. Kyrië eleëson was frequēted in Grece first,* 1.4 and Gregorius caused it to bee saied nyne tymes in the la∣tine churche.* 1.5 Gloria in excelsis is a∣scribed of some too Telesphorus, of some to Hylarius, of some to Symma¦chus, and the counsaill of Toletane thynketh that the doctoures of the churche made it:* 1.6 Collectes Gelasius & Gregory gathered.* 1.7 And the grayle was appoyncted by theim also.* 1.8 Alle∣luya

was trāslated from Hierusalē to the latyne churche in the tyme of Damasus. The tract Durandus saith was diuised by Telesphorus, and se∣quences were inuented firste by one Nothgerus an Abbot.* 1.9 The Epistles and Gospell were (as Hierom wry∣teth) vsed in the East churches of ve∣rie auncient tyme, wherefore I sup∣pose wee had the maner to reade the Epistle & Gospell of those churches: albeit some saie Telesphorus ordai∣gned theim,* 1.10 & some suppose that Hie∣rom at the request of Damasus did di¦uide theim, as we reade them now at this daie. Anastasius commaunded y^t we should stand at the Gospell in to∣kenyng that menne should be in a re∣dinesse to defend the doctryne of the Gospell.* 1.11 The first part of the Crede Marcus ordaigned to bee red, after it was made by the coūsaill of Nicene: And the second part Et spiritum san∣ctum, that the counsaill of Constan∣tinople composed Damasus caused to be read in y^e churche. Entichianus instituted the offertory to bee songen whilest the people offred suche thyn∣ges, as wēt to the relief and comfort

of the poore:* 1.12 The offertory remai∣gneth, but the pouertie is forgotten as though thei had no part in Christ and were vile abiectes of the worlde.

Gelasius made the prefaces,* 1.13 how∣beeit in the beginnyng thei vsed but one preface. And Sextus putte to the sanctus out of the Prophete Esaias. Washyng of handes beganne either of the olde testament,* 1.14 where thei did nothyng with vnwashed handes, or els of the Gētiles, whiche afore their sacrifices vsed too washe their han∣des, as Hesiodus witnesseth.

BVRNYNG of encense,* 1.15 y^t was occupied in the old testament by Aa∣ron and of the Panimes in their su∣persticiouse rites, Leo y^e third ordai∣gned to be had in the latyne churche. The priuitie of the Masse called the Canon was made by diuerse perso∣nes, as Gelasius made Te igitur.* 1.16 Si∣tirius added Communicātes, and A∣lexander the firste, that was long be∣fore them, made Qui pridie,* 1.17 and that was the beginnyng of the Canon be∣fore that tyme. For Alexander was three hundred .lx. yeres & more before Gelasius. Hanc igitur Leo ioyned,* 1.18

and Gregory annexed three peticiōs in thesame Dies{que} nostros, and so furth. Innocentius the first institu∣ted that priestest in the vpper part of the churche, called the Chansell or quire should kisse one another, and that Pax bourne should be bourne to the people.* 1.19 * 1.20 Blessyng with hādes and Chalices came oute of the Hebrues ceremonies: For Aaron after he had sacrificed, blessed the people. And Christ at his assencion blessed his di∣sciples.* 1.21 Sergius ordained the Agnus dei seuen hundred yeres after Christe to bee song of the Clergy at the tyme of the cōmunion. The often turnyng of the prieste at the alter,* 1.22 when he saieth Dominus nobiscum or Orate fratres, came of the Hebrues rites, wherein sacrifice tyme the priest tur∣neth hym to caste the bloudde of the sacrifice on the people, and the Eth∣nikes vsed thesame fashion in their supersticions, and therfore doubtles we had these ceremonies of theim.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The olde rite of consecra∣tyng.
• * 1.2

  Iudicame deus.
• * 1.3

  Confi••eor.
• * 1.4

  Kyrie eleeson.
• * 1.5

  Gloria ī excelsis
• * 1.6

  Collectes.
• * 1.7

  Grayle.
• * 1.8

  Alleluya▪
• * 1.9

  Sequences. Epistle. Gospell.
• * 1.10

  Saincte Hie∣rome did de∣uide the Epi∣stles and Go∣spelles.

  Standing at the Gospell.
• * 1.11

  Credo.
• * 1.12

  Offertory.
• * 1.13

  Prefaces.
• * 1.14

  Washyng of the handes.
• * 1.15

  Ensence.
• * 1.16

  Canon.
• * 1.17

  Qui pridie.
• * 1.18

  Hanc igitu••
• * 1.19

  Pax.
• * 1.20

  Blessyng with chalices
• * 1.21

  Agnus dei.
• * 1.22

  Turnyng a∣boute of the prieste.