A13932:52
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.
Here we have thought it very expedient and necessary to declare and make plain / according to the truth of histories / when and by what beginners images began to come up among christen men: & who again on the other side did their endeavour to put them down and with how much busyness / and how great jeopardy / good & well disposed men have attempted this thing / until the church was brought into this present condition and state of things falling incessantly to worse & worse.1 Undoubtedly the laws / aswell of the christen emperors / as of the christen counsels / made against images / came than first forth / wham through the slothfulness & negligence of bishops / & their vain curious ⟨image 37⟩desires to win the favour of god / not only images & pictures crept into the churches / but also (which is wont commonly to chance) they began to be worshipped of the people. We read that Serenus / the bishop of Massilia2 / a very holy man / was so displeased / & toke it so grievously (as reason was) that images were set up in churches: that he did cast down all the images atones which were in his church: did break them / and at the last did also burn them. We do not deny / but that this deed of Serenus was sore rebuked of Gregory which was called Gregorius magnus3 / and that the said Serenus was admonished & counselled of the said Gregory4 / that he should not forbid or let images to be had but that he should teach the honouring of them in any wise to be avoided. ⟨image 38⟩But what other thing should the standardbearer of religion and virtue falling in decay / do in this matter / as well as in many other?5 For about that time the church of Rome began to threaten / prognosticate & give likelihood of great ruin of the faith afterwards to follow.
Here we haue thought it verye expedient and necessary to declare and make playne / according to the truthe of hystories / whan and by what begynners images began to come vp amonge christen men: & who againe on the other syde did their endeuoure to put thē downe and with howe moche busynesse / and howe great ieoperdy / good & well dysposed mē haue attempted this thinge / vntyl the church was brought into this present cōdition and state of thynges fallynge incessantly to worse & worse.