[The principal points which are at this day in controversy, concerning the holly supper…[The principal points which are at this daye in controuersie, concerning the holly supper…

Of the merchandise of Masses, and of the sacrifices of the same, and of the abuses that therein are.

Of the marchandise of Masses, and of the sacrifices of the same, and of the abuses that therein are.

¹And by the same men may judge, what injury the Romaine priests do to the Catholics of the Romaine Church, in selling to them their masses for sacrifices, not only commemoratives and Eucharistiques, but also propiciatories, being notwithstanding either the one or the other. And thereby men may know what merchants they are, & what is their merchandises in that behalf. And albeit that it were so, that they were sacrifices in both those sorts,² yet the markets and fairs which they make of them, should be a very villain traffic. For do they not sell them for prices agreed upon, as they do all their other sacraments and ceremonies, even against their own councils and canons, and their own very decrees:³ And do they not call the merchandises of holy things Simony: O how many priests have they, which have neither cure nor benefice, nor charge of soul, which were made priests only to say masses, and which do live of the merchandises which ⟨image 59⟩they daily make thereof? And how many be there among them which do live from the day to his days labour, as the proverb is, & which have their teeth very sharp that day that they find no merchants to buy their merchandises: If I should speak of these merchants, that which one of their books,⁴ called Stella clericorum, doth, they would think them selves marvellously outraged by me. And therefore I will cause it to be spoken unto them by the doctor which was the author of that book. And to the end that they do not think that I do allege him falsely, I will cause him first to speak in his own proper language, and then I will expound both the words and the sense. Behold now his words. The priest which doth celebrate mass for money, seemeth to say with Judas, What will you give me, and I will deliver him unto you. Therefore it is wrong to sell his Lord. Think thou that the first servant which said, did hang him self, Judas did cast down the money in the Temple. The priests which do bestow the money that they have of them, for whom they do sing, at the stews, and upon their belly, are worse. Judas sold Christ once, & repented him thereof. And thou perchance hast sold him oftentimes, and doest not repent thereof. Take heed lest despairing thou do hang thy self.