¶ King Henry the fift.
* 1.1AFter thys Henry the 4. reigned Henry the 5. hys sonne, which was borne at Munmorth in Wales, of whose other vertues and great vic∣tories gotten in Fraunce, I haue not greatly to intermeddle: Especially, seeing the memory of hys worthy prowesse, being sufficiently described in o∣ther writers in this our time, may both content the reader and vnburden my labor herein. Especially, seing these lat∣ter troubles and perturbatious of the Churche offer me so much, that vnneth any vacant laisure shalbe left, to inter∣meddle wyth matters prophane,
After the coronatiō then of this new king,* 1.2 which was the 9. day of April, called then passion Sonday, which was an exceding stormy day, and so tēpestuous, that many did wonder at the portent thereof: not long after the same, a parliament began to be called & to be holden after the feast of Easter, at Westminster An. 1413. At whych time, Tho∣mas Arundel the Archbishop of Canterburie, collected in Paules church at London,* 1.3 an vniuersal Synode of all the bishops and clergie of England. In that Synode among other weighty matters and ponderous, was determined: that the day of S. George, and also of S. Dunstane should be double feast, called Duplex Festum in holy kitching, in ho∣ly Church I would say.
And because the order and maner of those Pope holy feastes, either yet is not sufficiently knowen to some rude and grosse capacities, or may peraduenture growe out of vse, and to be straunge & vnknowen to our posteritie here∣after: Therfore to geue a litle memorandum therof (by the way for eruditiō of times hereafter to come) touching this misticall science of the Popes deepe and secreate diuinitie: here is to be noted, that the feastes of the Popes holy mo∣ther Catholique churche,* 1.4 be deuided in sondry members: Like as a plentifull roote in a fruitfull fielde riseth vp and burgeneth into manifold armes, and the armes againe do multiply into diuers and sondry brāches, out of the which moreouer although no frute do come, yet both leaues and flowers doe bud and blossome in most copious wise, right beautifull to beholde:* 1.5 Euen so thys Festum, conteinyng a large matter of great variety of dayes and feasts, groweth to it selfe and multiplieth, being thus deuided: first into Fe∣stum duplex, and into Festum simplex, that is into feast double, and to feast simple. Againe, thys Festum duplex brauncheth foure folde wise, to wit, into Festum principale duplex: into Maius duplex: into Minus duplex, and infernis duplex, that is, in principal double, in greater double, in lesser double, and inferior or lower double. Unto these seneual sorts of feasts what daies were peculiarly assigned, it were to long to re∣cite. For this present purpose it shall suffice to vnderstand: that as vnto the principall double feast onely belonged 8. daies in the yere:* 1.6 so the Maius duplex festum, had geuen vn∣to him by thys conuocation, the day of S. George, and of S. Dunstane, as is afore remembred: albeit by constituti∣on it was so decreed, yet by custome it was not so vsed. I∣tem, to be noted, that these two feastes, to witte, Principale duplex, and Maius duplex, did differ and were knowen from all other by foure notes, by seruice in the kitching, and by seruice in the Church, which was both double: by ringing in the steple, which was with double peale: by copes in the quier, and by thurifyeng or censing the aultares. For in these two principall and greater double feasts, the vii, viii, and ix. lesson must be read wyth silken copes. Also at the said feasts in the time of the lessons, the altars in the church must be thurified, that is, smoked with incēse. &c. And like∣wise the Minus duplex, and Inferius duplex had also their pe∣culiar seruice to them belonging.
Secondly the Simplex festum,* 1.7 whych is the seconde arme springing of this diuision, is thus diuided: Eyther hauing a triple inuitorie, or a double, or els a single inuitorie. Of the which moreouer, some haue 3. lessons, some haue 9. &c.
And thus much by occasion for Popish feasts, not that I doe so much deride them, as I lament, that so much and manifest idolatry in them is committed to the great disho∣nor of our Lord our God, whych is onely to be honoured.