Furthermore, we have yet to note in the other point, which is of the pronunciation of the words of the Mass, that albeit that whatsoever should be there said in a language that should be understood of all men, yet for all that, Note. it could be in no wise sufferable, that any thing should be there recited with a whispering voice, & namely the principal words, which do properly belong to the institution of the supper, and chiefly those which they do call sacramental: the which they do pronounce with so soft a voice, as they can not be heard of any man, no not of those which are nearest the priest which pronounceth them: so far of are they from being understood ⟨image 13⟩by all the assembly. Wherein they fall again into the first inconvenience that I have already touched. For be it that they speak with a loud voice in an unknown tongue, or with a soft voice, in a known tongue, in sort that he is not heard at all, or else that men can not understand the words, the one sort is even as good as the other. This notwithstanding, they do commit both the faults in all their masses, chiefly in their cannon and in many other pieces, and namely in those, the which because of the same they do call the secrets. For beside that, that the language of them is unknown, at the least to the greatest part, they add thereunto also the pronunciation so soft, & so secret, that hardly there is any man that may understand one only word thereof, as I have already said. This thing is common to all Masses, as well high as low. For they have these two sorts, the which they do so distinguish according to the pronunciation which they use in the same. They call high masses,1 those which they say with song, because that they speak and cry more loud in them. Yet are they greatly to be blamed in the very same, that they sing, in so much as they do use such songs as doth greatly hinder the understā ding of it, even to those which could otherwise understand the words and the language. For how many notes do they put oftentimes to one ⟨image 13⟩syllable, from whence it cometh to pass that they make the words and the pronunciation of them so long, and do make so great distance from one syllable to an other, that men forget the first before they be come to the last, & namely when they do sing in set Music?
FUrthermore, we haue yet to note in the other point, which is of the pronunciation of the wordes of the Masse, that albeit that whatsoeuer should be there said in a lāguage that should be vnderstoode of al men, yet for all that, Note. it could be in no wise sufferable, that any thing should be there recited with a whispering voyce, & namely the principall wordes, which do properly belong to the institution of the supper, and chiefly those which they do cal sacramentall: the which they do pronounce with so soft a voice, as they can not be heard of any man, no not of those which are neerest the priest which pronounceth them: so farre of are they from being vnderstoode ⟨image 13⟩by all the assemblie. Wherein they fall againe into the first inconuenience that I haue already touched. For be it that they speake with a loude voice in an vnknowen tongue, or with a softe voice, in a knowen tongue, in sort that he is not heard at all, or els that mē can not vnderstande the wordes, the one sort is euen as good as the other. This notwithstanding, they do cō mit both the faultes in all their masses, chiefly in their cannon and in many other pieces, and namely in those, the which because of the same they do call the secrets. For beside that, that the language of them is vnknowē, at the least to the greatest part, they adde thereunto also the pronunciation so soft, & so secret, that hardly there is any man that may vnderstand one only word thereof, as I haue already said. This thing is common to all Masses, as well high as lowe. For they haue these two sortes, the which they do so distinguishe according to the pronunciation which they vse in the same. They call high masses,1 those which they say with song, because that they speake and crie more loude in them. Yet are they greatly to be blamed in the very same, that they sing, in so much as they doe vse such songs as doth greatly hinder the vnderstā ding of it, euen to those which could otherwise vnderstand the wordes and the language. For how many notes do they put oftentimes to one ⟨image 13⟩sillable, from whence it commeth to passe that they make the woordes and the pronunciation of them so long, and doe make so great distance from one sillable to an other, that men forget the first before they be come to the last, & namely whē they do sing in set Musick?
- 1High mas••s.
