A07146:1040
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times past been brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherents: faithfully gathered out of the most faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and now newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singular profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times past bene brought into the Church by the Pope and his adherentes: faithfully gathered out of the moste faithful writers of chronicles and histories, and nowe newly both diligently corrected & greatly augmented, to the singuler profit of the readers, by Thomas Becon. 1563.
London: printed by John Day, 1563London: printed by Iohn Day, 1563
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Pope Innocent the eight hath granted to every man & woman that beareth the length upon him of Christs nails wherewith he was fastened to the cross,1 (the just length of every one of them was nine inches) and worshippeth them daily with five Pater nosters and five Aves,2 and a Creed, that he shall have granted him these seven great gifts that follow. The first is, he shall never dye sudden death, nor evil death. The second is, he shall never be slain with sword, nor other weapon. The third is, his enemies shall never overcome him. The fourth ⟨image 215⟩is, poison nor false witness shall never grieve him. The fifth is, he shall have sufficient goods and honest living. The sixth is▪ he shall not dye without the sacraments of the Church. The seventh is, he shall be delivered and defended from all wicked spirits, pestilence, fevers, and all other maladies.
POpe Innocent the eyght hath graunted to euery man & woman that beareth the length vpon him of Christes nayles wherwith he was fastned to the crosse,1 (the iuste length of euery one of them was nyne inches) and worshyppeth them daylye with fiue Pater nosters and fiue Aues,2 and a Crede, that he shall haue graunted hym these seuen greate giftes that folowe. The firste is, he shall neuer dye sodayne death, nor euyll death. The second is, he shall neuer be slaine with sweard, nor other weapon. The thirde is, hys ennemies shal neuer ouercome hym. The fourth ⟨image 215⟩is, poyson nor false witnesse shal neuer greue hym. The fifte is, he shall haue sufficient goods and honest liuing. The sixte is▪ he shal not dye without the sacramentes of the Church. The seuenth is, he shall be deliuered and defended from all wicked spirites, pestilence, feuers, and all other maladies.
1To all good christen people disposed to say our Ladies psalter within this Church or churchyard on any of these beads, the which been pardoned at the holy place of Shene, shall have ten thousand years of pardon.2 Also for every word in the Pater noster, Ave and Credo xxiii. days of pardon Totiens quotiens. Also they are pardoned at Sion, and by that ye shall have for every Pater noster Ave, 3and Credo said on them, three hundred days of pardon. Also unto all those that the beads do string, or cause to be stringed in time of necessity: there is granted by .ii. Bishops .lxxx. days of pardon, and gods blessing and theirs. Also ye must say first on the five beads, five Pater nosters, five Ave Maries, and a Creed in the worship of the five wounds of our Saviour Christ. And ⟨p. 187⟩then after every Creed, say on the first white bead of the five (Jesus for thy holy name) and then on the red bead (and for thy bitter passion) then on the first black bead (save us from sin and shame) then on the second black bead (and endless damnation) and then on the last white bead (bring us to the bliss, that never shall miss, sweet Jesus Amen. The pardon whereof, remembering the wounds great and small of our Saviour Christ, is five .M.iiii.C.lxxv. years of these five beads. The whole sum of pardon granted of both monasteries for every saulter saying on these beads, is xxvi.M.vi.C. years and fifty days, totiens quotiens. 4Therefore let no man nor woman presume to carry away or to convey the aforesaid beads, but hang them again, where ye find them. For if they do, they are accursed four times in the year in the general sentence. And at every saulters and pray• for all Christen souls.
1To all good christen people disposed to say our Ladyes psaulter within this Churche or churchyard on any of these beades, the whiche bene pardoned at ye holy place of Shene, shal haue ten thousand yeares of pardon.2
Pope Clement the seventh […] other holy fathers popes of Rome his predecessors of their paternal ⟨image 216⟩holiness and abundant graces, have granted to all the brethren & sisterne of the said gild,1 that now be, and to all other ye will be, full power and authority to choose them any able priest to their confessor, secular or religious,2 which may hear their confessions, and give unto them once in their life and in the article of death, plenary and full remission of all their since, excesses, offences, and trespasses, how grievous and enorm so ever they be, A paena & culpa, &c. Also every Priest chosen by the said brother or sister to be his confessor,3 may release all man ner of oaths so that it be not prejudicial to any other mans right, may change all manner vows in to other good & virtuous deeds of mercy totiens quotiens, 4the visiting of Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the Church of Rome, S. James in Compostell, the vow of religion and chastity only except. He may also dispense with all spiritual men and women being brethren and sisterne of the said gild, totiens quotiens, for the forgetting of divine services, as hours canonicals or penance enjoined ⟨p. 188⟩whether it happen by debility or feebleness of body, negligence or oblivion, or for default of books.5 Again, the brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid gild, may say, or cause to be said, masses and all other divine services before day light incontinent after three of the clock after midnight, not only in hallowed places, but also in unhallowed places though they be suspensed or interdicted by ordinary authority. Also every brother and sister that will say any Wednesday, Friday, or Saterday• one Pater Noster one Ave Maria and a Credo in any church or chapel where they do dwell, and put to their helping hand to the sustentation and maintenance of the charges of the said gild as oft as they shall so do, shall have clean remission A paena & culpa, and the same remission,
The aforesaid brethren and sisterne also causing mass to be said either on the Wednesday,1 Friday, or Saturday in church or chapel for the dead, shall deliver what souls they ⟨image 217⟩will, and as oft as they will out of purgatory, provided alway, so that they give somewhat to the aforesaid gild. Again, they saying devoutlye one Pater Noster and one Ave Maria at these feasts following, that is to say, Easter day, Whitsuntide, Corpus Christi, day, Mihelmas day, the first sunday in clean lent, and eight days following every of the said feasts, as oft as they shall so do, shall have clean remission of all their sins.2 They may also lawfully in time of Lent and other times of the year in the which white meats be prohibit and forbidden, eat Eggs, Cheese, Milk, Butter, & all other white meats freely and without scrupulosity or grudge of conscience: and if they be sick they also may eat flesh with counsel of their ghostly father and their Physician.3 And whosoever shall procure any man or woman to be brother or sister of the aforesaid gild, shall have for his Godly travail .v.C. years of pardon. Also every brother and sister with their fathers and mothers departed shall be made partakers of all Masses, Mattenses, Prayers, Suffrages, alms deed, ⟨p. 189⟩holy livings, pilgrims, and all other good deeds and works, of pity & charity, that which be done, and shall be done throughout the whole universal church Militant, and all the members of the same for ever.
The aforesaid brethrē and sisterne also causing masse to be sayd either on the Wednisday,1 Friday, or Saterday in church or chappell for ye dead, shal deliuer what soules thei ⟨image 217⟩wil, and as ofte as they wil out of purgatorye, prouided alway, so yt thei geue somwhat to the aforesaid gilde. Again, they saying deuoutlye one Pater Noster and one Aue Maria at these feastes following, yt is to saye, Easterday, Witsontyde, Corpus Christi, day, Mihelmas day, the fyrst sonday in cleane lent, and eyght dayes folowing euery of ye sayde feastes, as oft as they shall so doe, shall haue cleane remissiō of al their sinnes.
Again, they may be buried in time of interdiction in Christen burial,1 of whatsoever death it shall happen them to dye, yea in places interdicted by ordinary authority also. And furthermore our said holy father hath granted to all Christen people being truly penitent & confessed or having purposed to be confessed at such times as the law hath determined, & there devoutly do visit the chapel of our lady in Boston,2 & also do visit three times .vii. altars there assigned in the parish church at the feasts of the glorious assumption, Nativity, & all other feasts of the same our blessed lady, or with in, viii. days following after every of the same feasts, or any day of the said Utas, putting to their helping hands to the maintenance of the charges of the same gild, shall have and enjoy all and singular indulgences & remissions of their sins, ⟨image 218⟩as if they had personally visited the church of the holy Apostles Peter and Paul at Rome and other the, vii principal churches there in the year of Jubilee and Grace and also shall have all the same indulgences and remissions of their sins, as they should have if they had personally visited the Church of S. James in Compos•el in Spain,3 and had done or caused to be done •here any other thing for the obtaining of the indulgences of the said year of Jubilee at Rome and Compostell. Also our holy father hath declared and decreed, that these said remissions, faculties, indulgences, and dispensations, shall never be revoked, suspended, nor denulled, but ever to stand in full strength and virtue from henceforth notwithstanding the year of grace or Jubilee at Rome or any other manner of cause, whatsoever shall happen in time to come. And every man or woman may be made a brother and sister of Boston gild, and enjoy all remissions, privileges, liberties, &c, if they will pay every one of them at their entering, vi. shillings, viii •ens, and every year after during his ⟨p. 190⟩or her life .viii. pens. or else .xiii. shillings,
Pope Clement the fifth granted to so many as give ought to the sustentation of the order of Saint Trinity of Hounslow,1 his blessing for ever, & twelve years, clx. days of pardon, with relaxations of the third part of their penance, and of the pain due for their sins. Pope Alexander the fourth to all the brethren & sisterne of the aforesaid order, that giveth some good portion of their goods yearly to the brethren or Messengers of the said order, or in their will and testament do give and bequeath some honest portion of substance for the relief of the said brethren, hath licensed and granted, to choose unto them any apt and meet priest to be their Confessor or ghostly Father, and to absolve them from all their since toties quoties, and also be buried in Christen burial, of what so ever death he deceased, ⟨image 219⟩if he were not excommunicate by name. Pope Innocent the third dispenseth with the Brethren and Sisterne of the aforesaid order concerning all vows of abstinence and of pilgrimage going, except only the vow of pilgrimage unto Peter and Paul at Rome and S. James at Compostell, so that it shall be lawful for them to change those vows of abstinence and pilgrimage unto other works of mercy & charity: and this hath he done of his special grace and mere motion to all them that give somewhat to the said order of S. Trinity. 2Pope Gregory the ninth hath granted to all brethren and sisterne of the aforesaid order, and to all their parents and friends, whether they be alive or dead, all those Indulgences and pardons (which are innumerable and may justly be compared with the Stars of the Sky and the sands of the Sea) that they have, which go on pilgrimage either unto Rome, or unto the holy land. Pope Pius the second hath granted and given to the aforesaid brethren and sisterne, once in their life ⟨p. 191⟩plenary remission, and full forgiveness of all their sins, yea, and that in all such cases as are reserved to the Apostolic Sea.
Pope Clement the fifte graunted to so many as geue ought to the sustentation of the order of Saint Trinitie of Houndeslowe,1
Pope Innocent the eight hath confirmed all the aforesaid privileges,1 indulgences, pardons, &c. and of his special grace hath doubled them all for the salvation of the brethren and sisterne of the order of Saint Trinity.
Pope Innocent the eight hath confirmed all thaforesayd priuileges,1 indulgences, pardons, &c. and of his speciall grace hath doubled them al for the saluacion of the brethren and sisterne of the order of Saint Trinitie.
AVtoritate dei patris omnipotentis, & beatorum Petri & Pauli Apostolorum eius, ac auctoritate apostolica mihi in hac part commissa: Ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere confessis & contritis, & de quibus confiteri velles, si tuae occurrerent memoriae. Plenariam absolutionem omnium peccatorum tuorum, in quantum claves ecclesiae see extendunt in hac part, auctoritate istarum literarum Apostolicarum tibi do & concedo, ita ut sis absolutus ante tribunal domini ⟨image 220⟩nostri Jesu Christi, habeasque vitam aeternam, & vivas in secula seculorum. Amen. Which is thus in English.
AVtoritate dei patris omnipotentis, & beatorum Petri & Pauli Apostolorum eius, ac auctoritate apostolica mihi in hac parte cōmissa: Ego absoluo te ab omnibus peccatis tuis mihi per te vere confessis & cōtritis, & de quibus confiteri velles, si tuae occurrerent memoriae. Plenariam absolutionem omnium peccatorum tuorum, in quantum claues ecclesiae se extendunt in hac parte, auctoritate istarum literarum Apostolicarum tibi do & concedo, ita vt sis absolutus ante tribunal domini ⟨image 220⟩nostri Iesu Christi, habeasque vitam aeternam, & viuas in secula seculorum. Amen. Whiche is thus in English.
By the authority of God the father almighty, and of his blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by the Apostolic authority committed unto me in this behalf: I absolve thee from all thy sins, by thee to me truly confessed and contrite, and of which thou wouldest have been confessed, if they had come unto thy remembrance. Moreover I give and grant unto thee full absolution and remission of all thy sins, so far as the keys of the Church do extend in this behalf by the authority of these Apostolic letters, so that thou •e absolved before the judging seat of our Lord Jesus Christ, and have everlasting life worlds without end. Amen.
By the auctoritye of God the father almightye, and of hys blessed Apostles Peter and Paule, and by the Apostolike authoritye committed vnto me in this behalfe: I absolue thee from all thy sinnes, by thee to me truely confessed and contrite, and of whiche thou wouldest haue bene cōfessed, if thei had come vnto thy remembraunce. Moreouer I geue and graunt vnto thee full absolution and remission of all thy sinnes, so farre as the keyes of the Churche doe extende in thys behalfe by the authoritye of these Apostolike letters, so that thou •e absolued before the iudgyng seate of our Lorde Iesus Christe, and haue euerlastynge lyfe worldes without ende. Amen.
1Pope John the xxiii. granted to so many as be brothers and sisters and benefactors of the friars hermits of Saint Austen, that they shall be partakers of all the Prayers, Sacrifices, Preachings, Contemplations, Fastings, Watchings, Pilgrimages, ⟨p. 192⟩Vows, Obedience, Chastity, Poverty, Patience, Mercy, Alms, and of all other spiritual Labours, Travails, Pains, Exercises, &c, that be done either of the friars of the aforesaid order, or of any other devout and religious people through out the world, with remission & forgiveness of all their sins A paena & culpa toties quoties.
1Pope Iohn the xxiii. graunted to so manye as be brothers and sisters and benefactoures of the friers heremites of Saint Austen, that they shall be partakers of all the Prayers, Sacrifices, Preachynges, Contemplacions, Fastyngs, Watchynges, Pilgrimages, ⟨p. 192⟩Uowes, Obedience, Chastity, Pouertye, Patience, Mercye, Almosse, and of all other spirituall Laboures, Trauailes, Paines, Excercises, &c, that be done eyther of the friers of the aforesayd order, or of any other deuoute and religious people thorowe out the worlde, with remissiō & forgeuenesse of al their sinnes A paena & culpa toties quoties.
The like pardon was granted of divers Popes to the fraternity of Burton Lazar,1 with dispensation of vows, and relaxation of some part of penance, with plenary remission of all their sins
The like pardon was graunted of diuers Popes to the fraternitye of Burton Lazare,1 with dispēsatiō of vowes, and relaxation of some part of penāce, with plenary remissiō of al their sinnes
Pope Clement the seuenth 〈…〉 other holy fathers popes of Rome hys predecessoures of theyr paternall ⟨image 216⟩holynesse and abundaunt graces, haue graunted to all the brethren & sisterne of the sayde gylde,1 that nowe bee, and to all other ye will bee, ful power and authoritie to chuse thē any able prieste to theyr confessoure, seculare or religious,2 whiche maye heare theyr confessions, and geue vnto them once in their life and in the article of death, plenary and full remission of al their synnes, excesses, offences, and trespasses, howe greuous and enorme so euer they bee, A paena & culpa, &c. Also euery Prieste chosen by the sayde brother or sister to be hys confessoure,3 may release al mā ner of othes so yt it be not preiudiciall to any other mans ryght, may change all manner vowes in to other good & vertuous deedes of mercy totiens quotiens, 4the visiting of Sainte Peter and Saint Paule in the Church of Rome, S. Iames in Compostell, the vowe of religion and chastitye only excepte. He maye also dispense with all spirituall men and women being brethren and sisterne of the sayde gylde, totiens quotiens, for ye forgetting of deuine seruices, as houres canonicalls or penaunce enioyned ⟨p. 188⟩whether it happen by debilitye or feblenesse of body, negligence or obliuion, or for defaute of bokes.5 Agayn, the brethren and sisterne of the aforesayd gylde, may say, or cause to be sayd, masses and al other diuine seruices before daye light incontinent after three of the clocke after mydnight, not only in halowed places, but also in vnhalowed places though thei be suspensed or interdited by ordinarye authoritye. Also euery brother and sister yt wil say any Wednisday, Friday, or Saterday• one Pater Noster one Aue Maria and a Credo in any church or chappell where they do dwell, and put to their helping hande to the sustentation and maintenaunce of the charges of the said gilde▪ as ofte as they shall so doe, shall haue cleane remission A paena & culpa, and the same remission,6 as if they had visited the chappell of Scala caeli of Rome, and ye church of S. Iohn Lateranense, when the stations there be celebrated for qu•ck and dead.
Agayne, they may be buryed in time of interdiction in Christen buryall,1 of whatsoeuer death it shal happen them to dye, yea in places interdited by ordinarye authoritye also. And furthermore our sayd holy father hath graunted to all Christen people being truly• penitent & confessed or hauing purposed to be confessed at such tymes as the lawe hath determined, & there deuoutly do visite the chappel of our ladye in Boston,2 & also do visite thre tymes .vii. altares there assigned in the paryshe church at the feastes of the glorious assumption, Natiuitye, & al other feastes of ye same our blessed lady, or wt in, viii. dayes following after euery of ye same feastes, or any day of the said Vtas, putting to their helping hands to ye maintenaunce of ye charges of the same gild, shal haue and enioy al and singular indulgences & remissions of their sinnes, ⟨image 218⟩as if thei had personallye visited the churche of the holy Apost•es Peter and Paul at Rome and other the, vii principall churches there in the yeare of Iubile and Grace and also shall haue all the same indulgences and remissions of their sinnes, as thei shoulde haue if thei had personally visited the Church of S. Iames in Compos•el in Spaine,3 and had done or caused to be done •here any other thing for the obtayning of the indulgences of the said yeare of Iubile at Rome and Compostell. Also our holy father hath declared and decreed, yt these said remissions, faculties, indulgences, and dispensations, shall neuer be reuoked, suspended, nor denulled, but euer to stande in full strength and vertue from henceforth notwithstanding ye yeare of grace or Iubile at Rome or any other manner of cause, whatsoeuer shal happen in tyme to come. And euery man or woman may be made a brother and sister of Boston gilde, and enioye all remissions, priuileges, liberties, &c, if thei will paye euerye one of them at their entring, vi. shillings, viii •ens, and euery yeare after during his ⟨p. 190⟩or her life .viii. pens. or elles .xiii. shillinges,4 iiii, pens for the whole for euery singulare person towardes ye mainteining & sustentation of priests, clerks & poore beadmen, which daily be foūd with the charges of the same gilde.
