A13932:3
A treatise declaring [and] showing divers causes take[n] out of the holy scripture[es] of…A treatise declaryng [and] shewig dyuers causes take[n] out of the holy scriptur[es] of…
A treatise declaring [and] showing divers causes take[n] out of the holy scripture[es] of the sent[n]ces of holy fathers [and] of the decrees of devout emperors, that pictures [and] other images which were wont to be worshipped, are i[n] no wise to be suffered in the temples or churches of Christen men. By the which treatise the reader that is indifferent, shall see and perceive, how good and godly a deed it was of the senators of Arge[n]tine, that of late days they caused all the images with their altars to be clean take[n] out of their churches. The authors of this little treatise are the ope[n] preachers of Argte[n]yne.A treatise declaryng [and] shewig dyuers causes take[n] out of the holy scriptur[es] of the sente[n]ces of holy faders [and] of the decrees of deuout emperours, that pyctures [and] other ymages which were wont to be worshypped, ar i[n] no wise to be suffred in the temples or churches of Christen men. By the whiche treatise the reder that is indifferent, shall se and perceyue, how good and godly a dede it was of the senatoures of Arge[n]tine, that of late daies they caused all the ymages with their auters to be cleane take[n] out of their churches. The authours of this litle treatise ar the ope[n] preachers of Argte[n]yne.
London: printed for W. Marshall, 1535
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.
The preface.
¶ All the whole company of them which at Argentine do preach & teach Christ / unto the good and godly readers do wish grace.
¶ All the whole cōpany of them which at Argentyne do preache & teache Christe / vnto the good and godly reders do wysshe grace.
Because our most noble & also most godly Senators did right well perceive & see / that the slanderous occasions & manifold evils / which hitherto have ben ministered by the reason of pictures & images / are not sufficiently taken away by the only exhortations of preachers. And again did consider / that it was not possible for any man to decree or command any thing concerning them more wisely / than god had prescribed & commanded in his law and prophets: They decreed / ordained / and gave forth a commandment / that whatsoever picture or images had ben wont ⟨image 3⟩to be worshipped in holy places should both they and their altars be clean taken away / & avoided out of sight.1 Because .iiii. years ago they had abrogated & taken away private masses: And a year ago four common and open masses / for first consolation and deliberation of more pure ceremonies to be brought in to their places.
BYcause our moste noble & also most godlye Senatours dyd right well perceyue & se / yt the sclaunderouse occasyōs & manyfold euyls / which hytherto haue bē ministred by ye reason of pictures & ymages / ar nat suffyciently taken away by the only exhortacions of prechers. And agayne dyd consyder / that it was nat possyble for any man to decree or cōmaunde any thing concernynge them more wysely / than god had prescrybed & cōmaunded in his lawe and prophetes: They decreed / ordeined / and gaue forth a cōmaundemēt / that whatsoeuer pycture or ymages had ben wont