A07146:941
The relics of Rome containing all such matters of religion, as have in times…The reliques of Rome contayning all such matters of religion, as haue in times…
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.
The Relics of Rome. › Of Fasting.The Reliques of Rome. › Of Fasting.
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.
Notwithstanding Guilihelmus Durandus, 1saith, that Pope Innocent, made a constitution, that the saturday in Lent should not be fasted, because the Lord rested in the sepulchre on the saturday, •or a token of the quietness and rest, that we shall hereafter have: wherein •• ⟨image 199⟩in the Festival on this manner.2 Good friends, this week ye shall have Ember days, that is, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday: the which days Calixtus the Pope ordained four times in the year, to all that be of convenable age to fast for certain causes, as ye shall hear. Our old fathers fasted four times in the year, against four high and solemn feasts: and if we will show us good children, we must fast, and follow the same rule that they used. And therefore we fast four times. First in march The second at Whitsuntide. The third between harvest & seedtime. And the fourth before Christmas. March is a time that drieth up the moisture that is in the earth. Wherefore we fast that time to dry the earth of our body of the humours that be noyous to the body and to the soul. For that time the humours of lechery tempteth a man most of any time of the year. Also we do fast at Whitsuntide, to get grace of the holy Ghost, that we may be in love and charity to God, and to all the world▪ Charitas cooperit multitudinem peccatorum Charity covereth the multitude of ⟨p. 171⟩sins. Also we must fast for to have meekness in our hearts, and to put away all pride that reneweth within us.3 Also we fast between harvest and seed time for to have grace to gather fruits of good works into the house of our conscience, and so by ensample of good living among the people, that we be common with both rich and poor. Also we fast in winter for to slay all stinking weeds of sin and of foul earth and fleshly lusts, that maketh good Angels & good people to withdraw them from us. For right as a nettle burneth roses and other flowers that grow nigh him. In the same wise a vicious man or woman stirreth and setteth on fire them that been in his company. And for these causes we fast four times in the year, & every time three days, ye betokeneth three special virtues that helpeth a man to grace, that is fasting, devout praying, and alms deed doing.