Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

¹Sects & feigned religions were neither the forty part so many among the Jews, nor more superstitiously and ungodly abused, then of late days they have been among us. Which sects and religions, had so many Hypocritical works in their state of religion (as they arrogantly named it) that their lamps (as they said) ran always over, able to satisfy, not only for their own since, but also for all other their benefactors, brothers, & sisters of their religion, as most ungodly and craftily they had persuaded the multitude of ignorant people: keeping in diverse places (as it were) marts or markets of merits, being full of their holy relics, Images, shrines, and works of supererogation, ready to be sold. And all things which they had, were called holy, holy Cowls, holy Girdles, holy Pardoned Beads, holy Shoes, holy Rules, and all full of holiness. And what thing can be more foolish, more Superstitious, or ungodly, then that men, women and children, should wear a Friars coot, to deliver them from agues or pestilence, or when they dye, or when they be buried, cause it to be caste upon them in hope thereby to be saved. Which superstition, although (thanks be to God) it hath ⟨image 36⟩been little used in this realm: yet in diverse other realms, it hath been, and yet is used, both among many, both learned and unlearned. But to pass over the innumerable superstitiousness, that hath been in strange apparel, in silence, in dormitory, in cloister, in chapter, in choice of meats & in drinks, and in such like things: let us consider, what enormities and abuses have been, in the three chief principal points, which they called the three essentials of religion, that is to say, obedience, chastity, and wilful poverty.

¹Sectes & feined religions were neither the forty parte so many emonge the Iewes, nor more supersticiously and vngodly abused, then of late dayes they haue been emonge vs. Whiche sectes and religions, had so many Hypocriticall woorkes in their state of religion (as they arrogantly named it) that their lampes (as they sayd) rāne alwayes ouer, able to satisfye, not onely for their awne synnes, but also for all other their benefactors, brothers, & sisters of their religion, as moste vngodly and craftelye they had perswaded the multitude of ignoraunt people: keping in diuerse places (as it were) martes or markettes of merites, beyng ful of their holy reliques, Images, shrines, and workes of supererogaciō, redy to be solde. And all thinges which they had, were called holy, holy Coules, holy Girdels, holy Pardoned Beades, holy Shooes, holy Rules, and all full of holynesse. And what thyng can be more foolishe, more Supersticious, or vngodly, then that men, women and chyldren, shoulde weare a Friers coote, to deliuer theim from agues or pestilence, or when they dye, or when they be buried, cause it to be caste vpon them in hope therby to be saued. Which supersticion, although (thankes be to God) it hath