Whyte dyed black. Or A discouery of many most foule blemishes, impostures, and deceiptes, which D. Whyte haith practysed in his book entituled The way to the true Church Deuyded into 3 sortes Corruptions, or deprauations. Lyes. Impertinencies, or absurd reasoninges. Writen by T.W. p. And dedicated to the Vniuersity of Cambridge. Cum priuilegio.

The 1 Paragraph. S. Ierome corrupted for the reading of the scrip∣tures by the vulgare people: where also vpon occasion geuen by M. Whyte, it is examined whether S. Ierome was a papiste.

IT being a certaine truth that from Scriptures euill vnderstoode procede most heresies, M. Whyte (a faithfull frend thereof) well knowing by dayly experi∣ence that no one thing in truth is more auaileable either for the first beginninge or propagation of heresy then generall libertie graunted to the vulgar people of reading, and expounding the sacred Scriptures, doth thereupon much labour in sundry places in profe of his supposed commodity and necessitie thereof: a∣mongst which he grosly abuseth the authority & per∣son of that great and most Catholick Doctor S. Hie∣rome in these wordes. pag. 22. Hierome writes of Pau∣la a gentlewoman how shee set her maides to learne the Scrip∣ture, and many of his wrytinges (saith Whyte) are directed to women, commending theire labour in the Scripture, & en¦couraging them thereunto &c. which he would not haue done if he had bene a papist.

Heare Christian reader I must confesse I reste verie doubtfull whether the malice of this minister is more to be detested, or his greate folly to be admyred & pi∣tyed: for not contenting him self to corrupt S. Hie∣romes wordes and meaning, he will needes inferre

hereof that S. Hierome was noe papiste, which how true it is, I will onely for this present appeale vnto this Epitaph of S. Paula writen by this holy Doctor to the Virgin Eustochium and here cyted by our protestant mi∣nister: whereby if it do not plainely appeare by sundry pointes of religion there mentioned and practised that S. Hierome, S. Paula, and the Bishops, Preistes, and people of those tymes were of the same Religion or beleefe which Catholickes now professe, and protes∣tantes impugne: that then let me be enrolled in the black bill of lying ministers, or coopled in brother∣hood with Whyte, as a legitimate sonne of the father of lyes.

First then S. Hierome vndertaking to set downe the blessed lyfe and death of the holy woman S. Paula, in proofe of his sincere proceding therein, maketh this protestation. I call Iesus to witnes and his Sainctes, yea that very Angell who was keeper and companion of this ad∣mirable woman, that I will speake nothing in her fauour, or after the maner of flaterers, but for a testimony, and that which is lesse then her merites, whom the whole worlde doth praise, preistes admyre, quiers of virgins desyre, and troupes of Monkes and poore people bewayle. Is the inuocation of Sainctes and Angells which of necessity supposeth their knowledg? is the beleefe of euery mannes proper An∣gell to guard him? and quiers or companies of Vir∣gins and Monkes, plaine proofes of Catholick or pro∣testant religiou?

To procede, S. Hierome describing in perticuler her pilgrimage to the holy lande whereunto he affir∣meth that men of all Nations did come; sheweth how that prostrating her selfe before the Crosse, she adored at though she had seene our Lord harging thereupon. Entring the Sepulchre, she kissed the stone of the Resurrection &c. & at one thirsting desyreth waters, she licked with her faithfull

mouth the very place of the body wheare our Lord had laid. Then hauing visited the pillour at the which our Lorde was bound and whipped, and the place where the holy Ghost did descend vpon the faithfull: she went to Bethelem, where en∣tring our Sauiours caue, and looking at the holy Iune of the Virgin, and the stable, after many other deuout speaches she vttered these wordes. And I wretch and sinner am thought worthy to kisse the manger in which our Lord a litle babe cryed, and to pray in the caue in which the Virgin brought forth our Lord an infant. After this amongst sun∣dry other holy places, she went vnto the Sepulchres of the 12 Patriarches where she trembled beinge affrighted with many wonders, for she saw the diuells roare being dy∣uersly tormented: and before the sepulchres of the Sainctes she saw men howling lyke wolues, barking lyke dogs, roaringe lyke lyons, hissing lyke serpentes, and belowing lyke buls &c. And is not all this with a protestant papisticall super∣stition? Will our Whyte allow of pilgrimage to holy places? or will he with S. Paula prostrate him selfe be∣fore the Crosse and worshipe? will he kisse sacred Re∣liques? or will he attribute such sanctity to the Sepul∣chres of Sainctes that in presence thereof diuells are tormented? I perswade my self he will not. And yet S. Hierome (with him noe papist) relateth the promisses to the commendation of Paula.

But to come nearer the maner of lyfe which S. Pau∣la led, her daily practise being best witnes of her be∣leefe, hauing visited with greate deuotion all the pla∣ces of the holy land, intending to spend her lyfe in holy Bethelem she stayed there in a straite lodging for the space of three yeres vntill she had built Cells, and Monasteries, & Mansions for diuers pilgrimes: where she liued in such humility as, being attended with many virgins, in her ap∣parell, speach, habit, and going, she was the least or basest•• of all. After her husbands death, vntill her owne, slene∣ver

with any man though she knew him to be holy and a Bishope. Bathes she went not to but in daunger. In her greatest a∣gues she vsed not soft beds, but reposed on the hard grounde couered with hayre clothes &c. Thou wouldest haue thought fountaines of teares to haue proceded from her: yea she so bewayled litle sinnes as that thou wouldest haue iudged her guilty of greatest crimes &c. Soft linnens & pretious silkes she changed with a sharpe hayre cloth &c. Her loue of po∣uerty was such, as that she desyred she might dye a beg∣ger, and not to leaue one peny to her daughter, yea her selfe at her death to be wrapped in an others sheete. And as for her dyet, her abstinence was such, as that (festiuall dayes excepted) she scarce tooke oyle in her meate, by which may be iudged (saith S. Ierome) what she thought of wyne, of any thinges molted, of fish, milke, hony, egs, and the rest which are pleasant to tast. If I should now aske Maister Whyte whether his wyfe for example being no doubt an Euangelicall sister of highest perfection, him self be∣ing often absent about preaching of the worde, whe∣ther, I say, in his conscience he thinketh her modesty such, as that at such tymes (to speake sparingly) shee doth not often both eate and drinke with his Clarcke and other neighboures: as also whether for the mor∣tifying of the flesh and the quickning of the spirit, she changeth a soft bed into the hard ground, or fyne lin∣nens into hayre-cloth: and in breife whether without all exceptions of dayes, not fish, milke, or egs, but the daintiest flesh and most delicate wyne, be meates most welcome to him and her? I doubt not but he will answeare me that none of these agreeth with the fashi∣on of these tymes. But thereto then must I needes re∣ply, that therefore neither must he be much greued if his foresaid yokefelow grow wanton in the lord, hard bed, hayre cloth, and fasting (the best externall pre∣seruatiues against such impurities) being vtterly aban∣doned.

And yet if the lyke question should be pro∣posed vnto me in regard of Catholickes, all Christian Countries would answeare with me, that the said aus∣terities of B. Paula are not onely imitated & practised by Religious persons, but euen by wiues, widowes, & Virgins which liue in the world.

But to touch yet one point further, wherein I sup∣pose all protestantes will disclaime as being incompa∣tible with theire new gospels libertie, which was S. Paula her Monasticall lyfe, whereof S. Hierome saith, I will speake of the order of her Monastery &c. Besydes the Monastery of men which she had geuen to men to be gouer∣ned, she deuyded the Virgins &c. aswell noble, as of the mea∣nest and lowest degree, into three companies and Monas∣teries &c. After Alleluia song or sounded, (by which signe they were called to Collect or prayer) it was not lawfull for any of them to stay &c. In the morning, at the Third houre, at the Sixt, the Ninth, Euen song, and Midnight, they song the Psalter by order or course.

And now foloweth Whytes proofe of theire protes∣tancy, neither was it lawfull for any of the Sisters to be ig∣norant of the Psalmes, or not to learne somthing daily out of the sacred Scriptures. But what is this against vs, who allow not onely Religious women such as these weare, (Whom M. Whyte most fraudulently calleth Paules maydes) but euen the laity to reade the Scriptures, sup∣posing they be knowne to be humble, discreete, and vertuous. And yet in what maner S. Paula her self, & her daughter Eustochium being both well learned, did it, S. Hierome a litle after expresseth in these wordes. She forced me that together with her Daughter, she might read the old and new Testament, I declaring it: (me disserente) which in modesty denying, yet through her importunities and often intreaties, I performed, that so I might teach what I had learned, not of my self, that is presumption the worste

maister, but of the famous men of the Church. And when in any poynt I doubted and ingeniously confessed my self to be ignorant, yet she would not rest but with dayly intreaty enfor∣ced me out of many and diuers sences, to shew that which to me semed most probable.

Would not any man think this minister distracted, thus producing against vs that which confoundeth him self? Do not these Religious women in reading of the Scriptures requyre S. Hierome a Preist for their mai∣ster? Doth not he professe to teach them, not what he had learned himself, or from many imaginary spirit, but from the famous men or Doctors of the Church? Yea doth not he plainely and humbly acknowledg his doubting and ignorance in his explication thereof; none of which I am sure is orthodoxall with protestants.

But to returne to S. Paula and her Virgins in the mo∣nastery. They had all one habite alyke; Lynnens they vsed onely for wyping of their handes. Their seperation from men was such, as she seuered them euen from Eunuches. Besides sustenance and apparel, she suffered them not to possesse any thing. Such as were talkatyue & vnquiet, she caused (in penance) to pray at the doare of the refectory & to eate alone.

I might recyte many other lyke, but these abundant∣ly proue that M. Whytes maides were indeede Nonnes or Religious womē, whereof good store to gods grea∣ter glory euen our Counrtie doth as yet daily afforde.

Now for a conclusion I will breefely note what S. Hierome relateth of her death. As first hauing offered vp many deuout prayers vnto god almighty, beinge almost speachlesse, she signed her lippes with the signe of the Crosse, a deuotion also vsed in her lyfe tyme, as impu∣ting much vertue thereunto, which S. Hierome be∣fore, mentioned in these wordes. When she had signed her mouth and her stomake, endeuoring by the impression of

of the Crosse to mitigate her greife. &c. At her deathe were present the Bishopes of Hierusalem, and of other Cities, and an innumerable multitude of Preistes & Leuits, yea all the Monastery was filled with Virgins and Monks, Some of the Bishops caried the Coffin, and the rest goinge before caried Lampes and CANDLES, and Led the Singers. &c. In the Hebrew, Greeke, Latin, and Syrian Language Psalmes were songe, not onely for three dayes, but euen for a whole weeke. And in the end of all, this blessed Doctor as supposing her in heauen, inuocateth saying. a Farewel o Paula, and help with thy prayers the old age of him who worshippeth thee: thy faith and workes doe ioyne thee with Christ, being present thou shalt obtaine more easely what thou askest.

Out of these premisses I may easely inferre that not onely S. Ierome, but euen th Bishopes, Preistes, & people of his tyme, did wholly agree with vs Catho∣lickes in the pointes folowing. viz, (1) Worshipping and Inuocation of Sainctes. (2) That euery one haith an Angell guardian or keeper. (3) Pilgrimage to holy places. (4) Adoration of the Crosse: (5) and signing the body with the signe there∣of. (6) Kissing and reuerencing of Relickes. (7) Tor∣menting of deuils at the Sepulchres of Sainctes (8) Building of Monasteries and profession of Monasticall lyfe. (9) Voluntary pouerty. (10) Wearing of hair∣cloth and no linnens at all: and lying vpon the ground in steed of a bed. (11) Abstinence from flesh, wyne, & other dainty meates vpon deuotion. (12) Keping set houres of prayer, as in the morning, at the Third, the Sixt, the Ninth, Evensong, and a Midnight. (13) The difference of litle and greate sinnes. (14) The vnlearned reading the Scriptures hauing a learned mā for their Maister. (15) The learnedst confessing their doubtinge and ignorance in their explication of the

Scriptures. (16) Bishopes and Preist•• a singing & ca∣rying of Candles in the day tyme at the burials of the dead. (17) Church seruice song & vsed in the He∣brew, Greeke, Latin, and Syrian language••. And for the Conclusion as including many thinges in one, re∣member S. Ieromes prayer made to S. Paula after her death. Vale o Paula, & Cultoris tui vlt••••am senectu•••••• orationibus iuua: fides & opera tua Christo te sociant, prae∣sens facilius quod postulas imp••trabis.

And now let any man iudge whether S. Ierome was a papist; as also what wisdome, learning, or honesty M. Whyte sheweth in objecting that which but truly seene and considered, doth manifestly confound and condemne himselfe.

Notes

• Vale o Paula & Cultoris tui vltimā se nectutem ora tionibus iuua fides & opera •• ••ate Chris∣to sociant: praesens faci∣lius quod pos tulas impe∣••rabis.