worde, whiche is there vsed, signifieth, a fitte place where the bodies of men sleepe, and are bu∣ri〈1 line〉〈1 line〉, attending the tyme of their rising vp agayne in the iaste and generall daye of iudgement, then these Churcheyardes were in the tyme of the Lawe, and in the primitiue Churche in all times, when there was any outwarde pollicie of the Churche, and especially when the Churche had quietnesse and peace; that it mighte without daunger (*) bury their dead in some certayne con∣uenient place therevnto appoynted, whiche was, for feare of the infection commonly, as it maye be gathered, in the fielde out of the Towne, vnto the whiche vse and custome (if it mighte be done cōuemently) it were wel that we were restored, both because it is more safe for the preseruation of the Townes and Cities in their health, as also for that through the superstition, which hath beene of beeing buried rather in the Churche, than in the Churcheyarde, in the Chauncell rather than in the Churche, nearer the highe altar, than further of the remnauntes whereof are in a greate number of mens heartes yet, whiche mighte muche be helped by the bringing in of that custome agayne, of burying the dead in some honest place out of the towne thereto appoynted.
Io. Whitgifte.
I haue tolde you my Author, and if you will not credite one witnesse, you shall haue moe. Denis himselfe dothe testifie it in an Epistle that he writte to Seuerus a Bishop. Damasus sayth the same, so dothe Marianus Scotus, Platina, and o∣thers. Polidor Uirgill dothe something playnely open the matter in these wordes: Circiter annum Domini. 267. Dionisius tam presbyteris vrbis Romae, quàm aliarum gentium tem∣pla, coemiteria & parochias quas dicunt, diuisit: Praeterea Episcopis dioecaeses distribuit, manda∣uit{que}, vt vnusquis{que} suis finibus ac limitibus contentus esset: Parochias (vt hoc demonstremus) nostri appellant singula templa Dioecesis, & eorum territorium certis terminis distinctum. &c. About the. 267. yere of our Lorde, Dionisius deuyded Churches, Churcheyardes, and Parishes (as they call them) aswell to the Priestes of Rome, as of other nations: further∣more he distributed Diocesse vnto Bishops, and commaunded that euery one should con∣tent himselfe with his owne boūdes and limites: our men call Parishes (that we may make this playne) the seuerall Churches of a Diocesse, and their territorie limitted within cer∣tayne boūdes. &c. Wherefore take héede least you cast dust in your owne eyes, & blind your selfe: for this of Denis is not denied of any that I can reade.
Where hath the Lord deuided nationall Churches into parishes and congregations? Why doe you not note the place? or where hath S. Paule the thing, thoughe not the worde or name? or what stories saye, that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was taken to be the same that we call nowe a parishe? Héere is muche spoken, but nothing proued.
This Denis was Bishop of Rome about the yere of our Lorde. 263. whiche per∣aduenture you haue not considered. But to put all this matter out of doubte, and to open that (the ignoraunce whereof maketh you so hotte in this matter) there was di∣uerse congregations and Churches in the Apostles time, but yet was there not any limitation of place, or certayne compasse of grounde certaynely appoynted: for that was lefte to the discretion of man to enlarge, or to contracte, as it should be thought from time to time moste conuenient: and who can once imagine or suppose that Christ, or his Apostles did appoynt the limittes of Diocesse or Parishes? or who knoweth it not, that it is in the power of suche as haue authoritie, to enlarge or di∣minishe Dioces or Parishes, as they shall sée it expedient. I knowe nothing to the contrarie, but that the Parishe, whose bondes and limits be but one myle compasse, maye be made ten myle compasse, and contrarywise. It is well sayde of one, that distributio gregis nunc extenditur, nunc coarctatur pro hominis arbitrio: The distribution of a flocke is sometime enlarged, and sometyme made lesse, according to the iudgement of man. And this matter néedeth not to séeme so straunge vnto you, for if you had bin so diligent a reader of the booke of Actes and Monumentes, as you boast your selfe to be, then mighte you haue read there, that the Councell of Nice dyd appoynt to cer∣tayne Bishops the limittes and boundes of their Prouinces and Dioces. But what should I labour in a matter so manyfest?
If by Coemiteria or Churcheyardes those places be ment that be about the churches, where we vse to burie the dead (as it is moste lyke they be) then heare I no reason at all