MarginaliaBlasphemy. word and dede to contemne the preceptes of lawes and Canons, rightly made and procedyng from the keybearer and porter of eternal lyfe and death, bearyng the rowme and person, not of pure man, but of true God here in earth: whiche also haue beene obserued hytherto, of the holy fathers our predecessours, vnto the glorious effusion of their bloud, and voluntary sprinklyng out of their braynes: MarginaliaHe meaneth here of Tho. Becket his predecessour, who had his braynes bet out in the time of K. Hen. 2. Are woorthy of greater punishment, deseruyng quickly to be cut of, as rotten members, from the body of the Church militant. MarginaliaScripture clarkly applyed. For such ought to consider, what is in the old Testament written: Moses and Aaron amongest his priestes, that is, were chiefe heades amongest them. And in the newe Testament among the Apostles there was a certayne difference: And though they were all Apostles, yet it was graunted of the Lorde to Peter, that he should beare preeminence aboue the other Apostles: and also the Apostles them selues woulde the same, that he shoulde be the chiefetayne ouer all the rest. MarginaliaThis geare hangeth together lyke germanes lyppes. And beyng called Cephas, that is, head: should be as prince ouer the Apostles. Vnto whom it was sayde: Marginalia xxx, marke this you Grammarians. Thou beyng once cōuerted, cōfirme thy brethren: as though he would say. If there happen any doubt among them, or if any of them chaunce to erre and straye out of the way of fayth, of iust lyuyng, or ryght conuersation: Doo thou confirme and reduce hym in the ryght waie agayne.MarginaliaMarke well the popes diuinitie Which thyng no doubt the Lorde would neuer haue sayd vnto hym, if he had so mynded, that the rest should be obedient to hym. MarginaliaAn argument far set, that true doctrine consisteth in making one head of the Church. And yet all this notwithstandyng we knowe and dayly proue, that we are sory to speake, howe the olde Sophister, the enemie of mankynde (foreseeyng & fearyng least the sounde doctrine of the church determined from aūcient tymes by þ^e holy forefathers, shoulde withstande his malices, if it myght keepe the people of God in vnitie of fayth vnder one head of þ^e churche) doth therefore endeuour by all meanes possible, to extirpe the sayde doctrine, feynyng vices to be vertues. And so vnder false pretenses of veritie dissimuled, soweth discord in Catholique people, to the intent, that some goyng one way, some an other: He in the meane time may gather to him selfe a church of the malignant, differyng wickedly from the vniuersall mother holy church. MarginaliaHow aptly he painteth the proceedinges of his owne popish Church. In the which, Satan transformyng him selfe into an angel of lyght, bearyng a lying and deceytful balaunce in his hand, pretendeth great righteousnesse, in contrarying the auncient doctrine of þ^e holy mother church, & refusing the traditions of the same determined & appoynted by holy fathers: perswadyng mē (by feined forgeries) the same to be nought: and so inducing other new kindes of doctrine, leadyng to more goodnes, as he by his lying persuasions pretendeth, although he in very truth neither willeth nor myndeth any goodnesse, but rather that he may sowe schismes, wherby diuers opinions and contrary to themselues beyng raysed in the Church: fayth therby may be diminished, and also the reuerend holy mysteries through the same contention of wordes may be prophaned with Paganes, Iewes, and other infidels, and wicked miscreantes. MarginaliaApoc. 6. And so that figure in the Apoc. 6. is well verified, speakyng of him that sate on the blacke horse bearing a payre of balaunce in his hand, by the which heretikes are vnderstand. Who at the first appearaunce lyke to weightes or balaunce, make as though they would set forth right and iust thinges, to allure the hartes of the hearers. MarginaliaThe figure of the blacke horse in the Apoc doctorly expounded. But afterward, appeareth the blacke horse, that is to say, their intention, full of cursed speakyng. For they vnder a diuers shew and colour of a iust balance, wyth the tayle of a blacke horse sprincklyng abroade heresies and erroures, do strike. And beyng poysoned themselues, vnder colour of good, rayse vp infinite slaunders, and by certayne persons fitte to do mischiefe, do publish abroad as it were, the sugred taste of hony mixt with poyson, therby the sooner to be taken: working & causing through their sleight subtleties, that errour should be taken for veruy, wickednesse for holines, and for the true will of Christ. Yea and moreouer the foresayd persons thus picked out, do preach before they be sent, and presume to sow the sede, before the sede discretly be separate from the chaffe. Who not pondering the constitutions and decrees of the Canons, prouided for the same purpose against such pestilent sowers, do preferre sacrifice Diabolicall (so to terme it) before obedience geuen to the holy Church militant.

MarginaliaBehold the true image of Wolues vnder sheepes clothing. We therefore consideryng and weying, that errour which is not resisted, seemeth to be allowed, and that he openeth hys bosome to wyde, which resisteth not the viper thinkyng there to thrust out her venome: And willyng moreouer to shake of the dust from our feete, and to see to the honour of our holy mother Church, whereby one vniforme holy doctrine may be sowen and planted in the Church of GOD, (namely in this our Prouince of Caunterbury) so much as in vs doth lye, to the encrease of fayth and seruice of GOD, first rootyng out the euill weedes and offendicles which by the meanes of peruerse preachyng, and madde doctrine, haue sprong vp hitherto, and are lyke more hereafter to growe: purposing by some conuenient way with all diligence possible to withstand in tyme, and to prouide for the perill of soules, which we see to ryse vnder pretence of the premisses: also to remoue all such obstacles, by which the said our purpose may be stopped, by the aduise and assent of all our Suffraganes and other prelates, beyng present in this our conuocation of the Cleargy, as also of the procurators of them that be absent: and at the instaunt petition of the procuraters of the whole clergy within this our prouince of Canterbury, for the more fortification of the common law in this part, addyng therunto punishment and penalties condigne as be here vnder written, we will and commaund, ordayne and decree.

MarginaliaThe first constitution. That no maner of person secular or regular, beyng authorised to preach by the lawes now prescribed, or licenced by special priuiledge: shal take vpō hym the office of preachyng the word of God, or by any meanes preach vnto the clergy or Laitie, eyther in the Churche or without, in Latine or in English, except he first present hymselfe, and be examined of the Ordinary of the place where he preacheth. And so beyng found a fitte person, as well in maners as knowledge: he shall be sent by the sayd Ordinary, to some one Church or more, as shall be thought expedient by the said Ordinary, accordyng to þ^e qualitie of the person. MarginaliaNo priestes to preach, but by limitation of the prelates. Nor any person aforesayd shall presume to preach, except first he geue faythfull signification in due forme of his sendyng and autoritie, that is: That he that is authorised, do come in forme appoynted hym in that behalfe: and those that affirme they come by speciall priuiledge, do shew theyr priuiledge vnto the Parson or Vicare of the place where they preach. And those that pretend themselues to be sent by the Ordinary of the place, shall likewyse shew the Ordinaries letters made vnto hym for that purpose, vnder hys great seale. Let vs alwayes vnderstand, the Curate (hauyng the perpetuitie) to be sent of right vnto the people of hys owne cure. But if any person aforesayd, shall be bidden by the Ordinary of the place, or any other Superiour to preach, by reason of hys errours and heresies which before peraduenture he hath preached and taught: that then and from thenceforth, he abstayne from preachyng within our prouince: vntill he haue purged hymselfe, and be lawfully admitted agayne to preach, by the iust arbitremēt of hym that suspended and forbad hym. And shall alwayes after that, cary with hym to all places where so euer he shall preach, the letters testimoniall of hym that restored hym.

Moreouer, the parish Priests or Vicars temporall, not hauyng perpetuities, not beyng sent in forme aforesayd, shall simply preach in the Churches where they haue charge, only those thynges which are expressely contayned in the prouinciall constitution set forth by Iohn our predecessour of good memory, to helpe the ignoraunce of the Priests, which beginneth: Ignorantia Sacerdotum. Which booke of constitutions, we would should be had in euery parish Church in our prouince of Caunterbury, within thre monethes next after publication of these presentes, and (as therin is required) that it be effectually declared by the Priestes themselues yearely, and at the tymes appoynted. And least thys wholesome statute myght be thought hurtfull of some, by reason of paymēt of mony, or some other difficultie: we therfore wyll and ordayne, that the examination of the persons aforesayd, and the makyng of theyr letters by the Ordinary be done gratis and frely without any exaction of mony at all, by those to whom it shall appertayne. And if any man shall willingly presume to violate this our Statute grounded vpon the old law, after the publication of the same: he shall incurre the sentence of greater excommunication ipso facto: whose absolution we specially reserue by tenour of these presentes, to vs and our successours. But if any such Preacher despising this wholesome Statute, and not waying the sentence of greater excommunication doe the second tyme take vppon hym to preach: saying and alledgyng, and stoutly affirmyng, that the sentence of greater excommunication aforesayd, can not be appoynted by the Church in the persons of the Prelates of the same: That then, the Superiours of the place, do worthely rebuke hym, and forbidde hym from the Communion of all faythfull Christians. And that the sayd person hereupon lawfully conuicted (except he recant and abiure after the manner of the Churche) be pronounced an hereticke by the Ordinary of the place. And that from thenceforth he be reputed and taken for an hereticke and schismaticke, and that he incurre (ipso facto)