This Antony hath had, and yet hath in divers countries where the sects of ⟨image 77⟩Antichrist reign, many Apes, which have laboured to counterfeit him, but notwithstanding so far from the faith,1 life, and manners of Antony, as darkness is contrary to light▪ and Belial to Christ. For where as Antony sled into wilderness, that he might serve God with the more free conscience, and be the less led away with worldly vanities, and carnal concupiscences: his Apes and counterfeiters run peaking into corners, and dwell in some out corner or hole, only to eschew labour, and to live idly, not being content with herbs and roots, as Antony was, but faring deliciously, not of their own travail and getting, but of the labour of other mens hands. and of the sweat of other mens brows, contrary to this commandment of GOD given by the Psalmographe:2 Thou shalt eat the labours of thine own hands: Again, In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, till you return unto the earth. For earth thou art, and unto earth thou shalt again be turned. And whereas Antony and his company ⟨p. 48⟩fled the company of all men, because they would not be corrupted with their lewd manners, Antonies Apes frequent nothing more than the fellowship of men and women, easy to be found in field, in village, in town in city, in noble mens houses, in poor mens cottages. They leave no place unsought, where any thing is to be gotten. Again, whereas Antony and his brethren went in homely grey clothing they now wear a black garment with a blew cross thereon. In this apparel, in their long hear and beard in their hat and staff, in their scrip or wallet, in their midnight rising and few orisons pattering, doth all their whole religion consist.3 They have a Fraternity, wherein they menace and threat folk with saint Antonies fire: yea they have brought the matter so far, that in some parties they have pigs fatted for them, and given for fear of Saint Antonies fire, and that their swine and cattle may the better prosper, and become the more fruitful, with the which pigs these Antichristian Antonians ⟨image 78⟩fat their own paunches, and make the common people their laughing stocks. Histor. tripart. 2. cap. 21.503. 1 cap. 13. Hier. Polid. de inuent. rerum. 7. cap. 1. Pantal. Lib. germ
This Antony hath had, and yet hath in diuers countreys where the sects of ⟨image 77⟩Antichrist raigne, many Apes, whiche haue laboured to counterfait hym, but notwithstanding so far from the faith,1 lyfe, and manners of Antony, as darknesse is contrarye to lyghte▪ and Beliall to Christe. For where as Antonye sledde into wildernesse, that he mighte serue God with the more free conscience, and be the lesse ledde awaye with worldly vanities, and carnal concupiscences: his Apes and coūterfaiters run peakyng into corners, and dwell in some oute corner or hole, onelye to eschewe labour, and to liue ydlely, not being content with herbes and rootes, as Antonye was, but faryng deliciouslye, not of their owne trauayl and gettyng, but of the labour of other mennes handes. and of the sweat of other mennes browes, contrary to this commaundement of GOD geuen by the Psalmographe:2 Thou shalte eate the labours of thyne owne handes: Agayne, In the sweate of thy face shalte yu eate thy bread, tyll you returne vnto the earth. For earth thou art, and vnto earth thou shalt agayne be turned. And whereas Antony and his company ⟨p. 48⟩fledde the companye of all men, bicause they woulde not bee corrupted with theyr lewde manners, Antonies Apes frequent nothyng more than the fellowship of men and women, easy to be founde in fielde, in village, in towne in citie, in noble mens houses, in poore mēs cotages. They leaue no place vnsought, where any thing is to be gotten. Agayne, whereas Antony and his brethren wēt in homely gray clothing they nowe weare a blacke garmente wyth a blew crosse thereon. In thys apparel, in theyr long heare and beard in their hatte and staffe, in theyr scrip or wallet, in theyr midnighte rysing and fewe orisons patteryng, dothe all theyr whole religion consiste.3 They haue a Fraternitie, wherein they manace and threate folke with sainct Antonies fyre: yea they haue brought the matter so farre, that in some parties they haue pygges fatted for them, and geuen for feare of Saincte Antonies fyre, and that theyr swyne and cattaile may the better prosper, and beecome the more fruitefull, wyth the which pigges these Antichristiā Antonians ⟨image 78⟩fatte their owne paunches, and make the common people their laughing stockes. Histor. tripart. 2. cap. 21.503. 1 cap. 13. Hier. Polid. de inuent. rerum. 7. cap. 1. Pantal. Lib. germ
- 1Antonies Apes. The diversity of Antony and of our Hermits.Antonies Apes. The diuersitie of Antony and of our Heremites.
- 2Psalm. 128. Gene. iii.
- 3S. Antonies fire.S. Antonies fyre.
