An apology, or answer in defence of the Church of England concerning the state…An apologie, or aunswer in defence of the Church of England concerninge the state…

These men in one Church do say sometimes ten, sometimes twenty, sometime thirty Masses, and oft times moe in one day, in so much that the unhappy man that standeth by, and is the looker on, can scantly tell, which way it is best to turn himself. Pope Gelasius saith, that if any man divide the Sacrament, so that when he taketh the one part he leaveth the other, he doth lewdly and committeth sacrilege. These men both contrary to gods word and contrary to Pope Gelasius, command that the one part of the Sacrament only be given to the people: and in so doing, they make all their Priests guilty of sacrilege. But in case they will say, that all these matters are now worn out of ure, & become utterly dead, so that unto these days they appertain nothing at all: yet to the intent that all men may understand, what credit is to be given unto these manner of men, and what good is to be looked for of those Councils which they assemble together: let us see a little, what regard they have to those things, which now in these latter years, whilst they be yet in fresh remembrance they have decreed, & in open Council lawfully called to be inviolably observed. In the last Council, of Trent, yet scantly fourteen years paste, it was decreed with the general consent of all degrees, that no one man should have two benefices ⟨image 45⟩at one time. Where is this decree now become▪ Is this also so soon worn out of ure, & become stark dead. For, as for these men they give not only two benefices, but also many times divers Abbeys & Bishoprics, sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes four unto one man, & such a one as is not only unlearned, but also ofttimes a man of war. It was decreed in the same Council, that all Bishops should teach the Gospel: These men neither teach, nor never come in pulpit: nor think that this matter pertaineth any thing to their office. Then I pray you what a wonderful ostentation of Antiquity is this? Why do they brag of the old fathers? Why do they glory in the names of the new and old Coū cels? Why will they seem to ground themselves upon the authority of those, which when they list, they contemn at their pleasure? But it doth me good to deal rather with the Pope himself, & to talk of these matters presently to his face.¹

These men in one Churche doe saye sometymes ten, sometimes twenty, sometime thirtye Masses, and ofte times moe in one day, in so much that the vnhappy man that standeth by, and is the looker on, can scantly tell, which way it is best to turne himselfe. Pope Gelasius saith, that if anye man deuide the Sacrament, so that when he taketh the one parte he leaueth the other, he doth lewdely and committeth sacrilege. These men both contrarye to gods worde and contrary to Pope Gelasius, commaunde that the one parte of the Sacrament onely be gyuen to the people: and in so doyng, they make al their Priestes gilty of sacrilege. But in case they will say, that all these matters are nowe worne out of vre, & become vtterly deade, so that vnto these daies they appertaine nothing at al: yet to the intent that all men may vnderstand, what credit is to be gyuen vnto these manner of men, and what good is to be looked for of those Councels which they assemble together: let vs see a little, what regarde they haue to those things, which now in these latter yeares, whils thei be yet in fresh remēberāce thei haue decreed, & in opē Coūcel lawfully called to be inuiolably obserued. In the last Councel, of Trente, yet scantly fortene yeares paste, it was decreed with the generall consent of all degrees, that no one man shoulde haue two benefices