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964 [964]

K. Henry. 8. Dissension among the Friers for the Conception of the Virgin Mary.

MarginaliaA new Aue Maria of the Popes making.Aue Maria, grauntyng great indulgence and release of sinnes to all such as would inuocate the blessed Virgin, with the same addition, saying thus: Aue Maria gratia plena, Dominus tecum, benedicta tu in mulieribus, & benedictus fructus ventris tui Iesus Christus, & benedicta sit Anna Mater tua, de qua sine macula, tua processit caro virginea, Amen. MarginaliaThe Pope addeth to the words of the scripture.That is, Hayl Mary full of grace, The Lord is with thee, blessed art thou among wemē, and blessed is the frute of thy wombe, Iesus Christ: and blessed is Anna thy mother, of whom thy virgines flesh hath proceded without blotte of originall sinne. Amen.

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Marginalia3. absurdities to be noted in this decree of the pope.¶ Wherin thou mayst note (gētle reader) for thy learnyng iij. things: First, how the Pope turneth that vnproperly into a prayer, whiche properly was sent of God for a message or tydynges. Secondly, how the Pope addeth to the woordes of the Scripture, contrary to the expresse precepte of the Lorde. Thirdlye, howe the Pope exempteth Mary the blessed virgine, not onely from the seede of Abraham and Adam, but also frō the condition of a mortall creature. For if there be in her no originall sinne, thē she beareth not the Image of Adam, neither doth she descēde of that seede, of whose seede euill procedeth vpon all men & wemen to condemnation, as S. Paul doth teache MarginaliaRom. 5.Rom. 5. Wherfore if she descende of that seede, then the infection of Originall euill must necessarely procede vnto her. If she descend not therof, then cōmeth she not of þe seede of Abraham, nor of the seede of Dauid. &c. Agayne, seyng that death is the effect and stipende of sinne, by the doctrine of S. Paule MarginaliaRom. 6.Rom. 6. then had her flesh iniurie by the lawe (as Christe him selfe had) to suffer the malediction and punishment of deathe, and so shoulde neuer haue dyed, if originall sinne had no place in her. &c. But to returne vnto our storye: This constitution of the Pope beyng set forth for þe Conception of the blessed Virgine, whiche was the yeare of our Lord. 1476. it was not lōg after, but the sayd pope Sixtus perceauyng that þe Dominicke friers with their complices, would not cōforme them selues hereunto, directed forthe by the authoritie Apostolical, a Bull, in effect as foloweth.

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MarginaliaThe tenor of the popes bull for the conception of the virgine to be without originall sinne.  

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Sixtus IV's bull comes from Jodocus Clichtoveus, De puritateconceptionis beatae Mariae virginis (Paris, 1513), fo. 24r-v. As Foxe indicates, he is printing a paraphrase of the bull. It is also a somewhat misleading paraphrase; in actual fact, Sixtus IV mandated excommunication for anyone who denounced eitherthe maculist or immaculist positions as heretical.

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Sane cum sancta Romana ecclesia de intemeratæ semperq̀ virginis. &c. In Englishe: Whereas the holy Churche of Rome hath ordeined a speciall and proper seruice for the publike solemnising of the feast of the Conception of the bleßed Virgine Mary: certein orders of the Blacke Friers in their publike sermons to the people in diuers places, haue not ceased hetherto to preach, and yet dayly do, that all they which hold or affirme the sayd glorious Virgine to haue ben conceaued without Originall sinne, be heretickes: and they whiche celebrate the seruice of the sayd her Conception, or do heare the sermons of them whiche do so affirme, do sinne greuouslye: also not contented herewith, doo write and set forth bookes moreouer, mainteinyng their assertions, to the great offense and ruine of godly mindes: We therfore to preuente and withstand such presumptuous and peruers assertions, whiche haue rysen, and more hereafter may arise by such opinions and preachynges aforesayd, in the mindes of the faythfull: by the authoritie Apostolicall, do condemne and reproue the same, and by the motion, knowledge, and authoritie aforesayd, decree and ordeine, that the preachers of Gods woorde, and all other persons of what state, degree, order, or condition so euer they be, whiche shall presume to dare affirme or preach to the people these foresayd opinions and assertions to be true, or shall read, hold, or mainteyne any such bookes for true, hauing before intelligence hereof, shal incurre therby the sentence of excommunication: from whiche they shall not be absolued other wise then by the Bishop of Rome, except onely in the tyme of death. This Bull beyng dated the yeare of our Lorde. 1483. gaue no litle harte and encouragement to the gray Friers Franciscans, whiche defended the pure Conception of the holy Virgine, agaynst the Black Dominicke Friers, with their confederates holding the cōtrary side. By the vigour of whiche Bull, the gray order had got such a conquest of the Blacke garde of the Dominickes, that the sayd Dominicks were compelled at length for a perpetuall memoriall of the triumphe, bothe to geue to glorious Virgine euery nyght an Antheme in prayse of her Conception, and also to subscribe vnto their doctrine. In which doctrine these with diuers other poynts be conteyned.  
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These propositions were gleaned from a list of admittedly debatablepropositions about the Immaculate Conception which Jodocus Clichtoveus sought todefend (De puritate conceptionis beatae Mariae virginis [Paris, 1513], fos. 27v-35v).These propositions do not represent points of consensus among even immaculist theologians, much less, as Foxe states, required articles of faith for Catholics.

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Marginalia1.
Ex Iod. Clieoueo de puritate conceptionis. lib. 2.
1 That blessed Mary the Virgine suffered the greeffes and aduersities of this life, not for anye necessitie inflicted for punishment of Originall sinne: but onely because she would conforme her selfe to the imitation of Christ.

Marginalia2.
Filthy absurdities in the popes doctrine
2 That the sayd Virgine, as she was not obliged to any punishement due for sinne, as neither was Christ her sonne: so she had no nede of remission of sinnes, but in stede thereof had the diuine preseruation of Gods helpe, keping her from all sinne: whiche grace onely she neded, and also had it.

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Marginalia3.3 Item, That where the body of the Virgin Mary was subiect to death, and dyed: this is to be vnderstād to come not for any penaltie due for sinne, but either for imitatiō and conformitie vnto Christ, or els for the naturall constitution of her body, beyng elemental, as were the bodyes of our first parentes: Who if they had not tasted of þe forbidden frute, should haue bene preserued from death, not by nature, but by grace, and strength of other fruites and meates in Paradise. MarginaliaHow the virgine Marye was subiect to death after the Friers opinions.Whiche meates because Mary had not, but did eate our common meates, therfore she dyed, & not for any necessity of Original sinne. Clitouæus. lib. 2. cap. 2.

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Marginalia4.4 The vniuersall proposition of S. Paul whiche sayth that the Scripture hath concluded all men vnder sinne, is to be vnderstand thus, as speakyng of all them whiche be not exempted by the special priuilege of God, as is the blessed Virgine Mary.

Marginalia5.5 If iustification be taken for reconciliation of him that was vnrightuous before, & now is made rightuous: then the blessed Virgine is to bee taken, not for iustified by Christ, but iust from her begynnyng by preseruation.

Marginalia6.6 If a Sauiour be taken for hym, whiche saueth men fallen into perdition and condemnation, so is not Christ Sauiour of Marye, but is her Sauiour onely in this respect, for susteinyng her from not fallyng into condemnation. &c.

Marginalia7.7 Neither did the Virgin Mary geue thankes to God, nor ought so to do, for expiation of her sinnes: but for her conseruation from case of sinnyng.

Marginalia8.
Good stuffe.
8 Neither did she pray to God at any tyme for remissiō of her sinnes: but onely for remission of other mē sinnes she prayed many tymes, and coūted their sinnes for hers.

Marginalia9.9 If the blessed Virgine had deceased before the Passion of her sonne, God would haue reposed her soule not in the place among the patriarckes or among the iust: but in þe same most pleasant place of Paradise, where Adam and Eue was, before they transgressed.

These were the doting dreames and phantasies of the Franciscans & other Papistes, commonly then holden in þe scholes, writen in their bookes, preached in their sermōs, taught in churches, Marginalia* The gray friers had made a picture of Ioachim and Anna kissing, by the which kisse Anna was conceiued with Mary.
Ex Rob. Lycio Minorite.
* & set forth in pictures. So that þe people was taught nothing els almost in the pulpites at this while, but how the Virgin Mary was conceaued immaculate and holy without originall sinne, and how they ought to call to her for helpe, whom they with speciall termes do call the way of mercie: the mother of grace: the louer of pietie: the conforter of mankinde: the continuall intercessor for the saluation of the faithfull: and an aduocate to the king her sonne, whiche neuer ceaseth. &c.  

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Jodocus Clichtoveus, De puritate conceptionis beatae virginis (Paris, 1513), fo. 23v.

MarginaliaIdolatry to the blessed Virgin.Verba Papæ Sixti in Decret. And althoughe the greatest number of þe schole doctours were of the contrary faction, as Petr. Lōbardus. Thom. Aquine, Bernardus, Bonauentura and other: yet these newe Papistes shifted of their obiections with friuolous distinctions, and blynd euasions, as thus: Petrus Lombardus, they sayd, is not receaued nor holden in the schooles, as touchyng this Article, but is reiected.  
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Jodocus Clichtoveus, De puritate conceptionis beatae virginis (Paris, 1513), fo. 51r.

Clitou. lib. 2. cap. 15.

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MarginaliaObiections popishly soluted.Bernardus  

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Jodocus Clichtoveus, De puritate conceptionis beatae virginis (Paris, 1513), fos. 47v-49v.

in Epist. ad Lugdunens. althoughe hee semeth to denye the Conception of the blessed Virgine to be voyde of Originall sinne, saying that she could not be holy when she was not, & liued not: to this they answer, that albeit she was not yet in essence, yet she was holy in

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her
AAa.ij.