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 .ix. Chapiter. ¶Why wee saie Ite missa est, whereof the worde masse and ceremony came, the first maner of takyng the Sacramente.

WHEN Masse is ended the Deacon turnyng to the people saieth, Ite missa est,* 1.1 whiche wor∣des are borowed of the rytes of the Paganes, & signifyeth that then the cōpany may be dimissed. It was vsed in the sacri∣fices of Isis, that when the obseruaū¦ces wer duely and fully perfourmed and accōplished, then a screl or mini∣ster of the religion should geue war∣nyng or a watche worde what tyme they might lawfully departe: And of this sprong oure custome of syngyng Ite missa est, for a certayne significa∣ciō that the ful seruice was finished.

Masse is an Hebrue word (as Reu∣cline saieth) and signifyeth an obla∣cion or sacrifice with all circumstan∣ces concernyng the same.* 1.2

¶The Romaynes called all suche seruyce, as appertained to their god∣des,* 1.3 in one general name ceremonies bycause a certaine people named Ce∣rites, whiche receyued deuoutely the reliques, and other obseruaunces of the Romaynes religious, and preser∣ued them, for when the Frenchemen

by the valiauntnes of their captaine (Brennius that was an Englishe-man) had wonne the Cytie, for whi∣che benifyte al the rites of their god∣des vniuersally were named ceremo∣nies.

Alexander inhibited priestes, that they should not sacrifice, but once on the day,* 1.4 and Telesphorus permitted them to saye thre Masses on Chryst∣masse day: Fyrst at mydnight what tyme Chryst was borne, the seconde in the mornyng, when the shepherdes visited him, the thyrde at further of the day, where afore tyme it was not lawfull to celebrate afore the thyrde houre of the day.

Felix the fyrst decreed y^t no Masse myghte be sayde but in places conse∣crated,* 1.5 sauyng in the tyme of necessi∣tie, and that none but priestes admit∣ted should intermeddle with the mi∣steries of consecracion, bycause that auctoritie was onely geuen to the A∣postles at the beginnyng, by whom priestes be ment and vnderstand.

* 1.6Anacletus ordained that no Masse should be done, but in the presence of two at the least, lest the priest should

saye in vayne to the walles Domi∣nus vobiscum, when none were pre∣sent, and therfore they do euyl that consecrate in corners alone. Albeit, Gratianus referreth that to Soterus whiche perchaunce dyd renewe that constitucion.

The Sacrament was vsed of oure predecessours in the primatiue chur∣che euerye daye as Luke wytnesseth in the Actes of the Apostles,* 1.7 and A∣nacletus caused it to be renewed by a decree vpon payne of excomynica∣cion: And Victor denounced that those should be interdited from al ser¦uices,* 1.8 that when they should receiue the Sacrament wolde not be reconci∣led to their neighbours of all grud∣ges hatreddes, and displeasures.

Zepherinus an hundreth yeare af∣ter Anacletus commaunded that all that {pro}fessed Chryst or bare the name of Christians, beyng of the age of .xii. or .xiiii. yeres should at the least once in the yere at Easter receyue the bles∣sed Sacrament.* 1.9 Fabianus decreed that they should receyue it thryse in the yere.

Innocentius the thyrde decreed that the Sacrament should be kept in the Churches,* 1.10 to the intent to be in a redynesse at all tymes, lest they that were sycke should want that spiri∣tual comfort in that troublesome tyme of death, and Honorius the third confirmed the same.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Ite missa est.
• * 1.2

  Masse.
• * 1.3

  Ceremonies.
• * 1.4

  One Masse on a day.

  Thre Masses on Christmas day.
• * 1.5

  Masse must be sayd in pla¦ces cōsecrated
• * 1.6

  Corner mas∣ses be forbod¦den.
• * 1.7

  Dayly com∣munion.
• * 1.8

  Vncharita∣ble persons were interdi∣ted from seruice.
• * 1.9

  Takyng of the housel at Easter.
• * 1.10

  Kepyng the Sacrament in Churches.