The interpretacyon, and sygnyfycacyon of the Masse Here begynneth a good deuoute boke to the honoure of god, of our lady his mother, [and] of all sayntes, and ryght profytable to all good Catholyke persones, to knowe howe they shall deuoutly here masse. And how salutaryly they shal confesse them. And how reuerently and honourably they shall go to the holy sacrament or table of our sauyour Ihesu chryste, with dyuerse other profytable documents and oraysons or prayers here conteyned, composed and ordeyned by frere Gararde, frere mynoure, of the ordre of the Obseruauntes.

¶ The fyrste Chapytre: wherfore the Masse in all languages is called Missa / and none otherwyse.

IN all languages (as La∣ten / Hebreu / Greke / in Englysshe / Frenche / and in all other lāguages) the blyssed Sacryfyce of the Masse: is named and cal∣led a Masse. And that is as the Doctours do wytnesse for thre causes.

¶ Fyrst Missus in laten doth sygnyfie and is as moche to saye as sent / for the Catholy¦ke people do sende to the father of heuen by the handes of a Preest / whiche is a medyta¦toure betwene the father of heuen and the synner: a sacryfyce and oblacyon prayenge to obtayne by the same grace in the soule / & pardone of all synnes.

¶ Secondaryly Missio is to saye: an offe∣rynge sent vnto vs from heuen / from the father almyghty / by the wordes of the con∣secracyon of the preest: in the whiche conse∣cracyon the sone of god descendeth in body / vnyed with the dyuynyte / the whiche the preest receyueth to the helth of all catholyke people / as well lyuynge as deed: beynge in the state of grace.

¶ Thyrdly Missio is also as moche to saye as sent without / For at the begynnynge of the holy churche / all those whiche were not baptysed in contynent after that the gospell was songe of the deacon: they were sent out of the churche / the whiche be named Cate cumini / that is to saye: people blys∣sed of the preest / but not yet bap¦tysed / wherfore they were not worthy to beholde the holy sacrament in the Masse.