therof, then commeth she not of the seede of Abraham, nor of the seede of Dauid. &c. Agayne, seyng that death is the effect & stipend of sinne, by the doctrine of S. Paul.MarginaliaRom. 6. Rom. 6 then had her flesh iniurie by the lawe (as Christe hym selfe had) to suffer the malediction and punishment of death, and so should neuer haue dyed, if originall sinne had no place in her. &c. But to returne vnto our storie: This constitution of the Pope beyng set forth for the conception of the blessed virgin, which was the yeare of our Lord. 1476. it was not long after, but the sayd Pope Sixtus perceiuyng that the Dominike fryers with their complices would not cōforme them selues hereunto, directed forth by the authoritie Apostolical, a Bul, in effect as foloweth.

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MarginaliaThe tenor of the Popes Bull for the conception of the virgin to be without originall sinne.  

Sane cum sancta Romana ecclesia de intemeratæ semperq; virginis. &c. In English: Whereas the holy church of Rome hath ordeyned a speciall and proper seruice for the publique solemnising of the feast of the conception of the blessed virgin Mary: certaine orders of the Blacke fryers in their publique sermons to the people in diuers places, haue not ceased hytherto to preach, and yet dayly do, that al they which hold or affirme the sayd glorious virgin to haue bene conceyued without originall sinne, be hereticques: and they whiche celebrate the seruice of the sayde her conception, or do heare the sermons of them which do so affirme, do sinne greeuously: also not contented herewith, do write and set forth bookes moreouer, mainteinyng their assertions, to the great offence & ruine of godly minds: We therefore to preuent and withstand such presumptuous and peruerse assertions, which haue risen, and more hereafter may arise by such opinions and preachinges aforesaid, in the myndes of the faythful: by the authoritie Apostolical, do condemne, and reproue the same, and by the motion, knowledge and authoritie aforesayd, decree and ordeyne, that the preachers of Gods word, and all other persons of what state, degree, order, or condition soeuer they be, which shal presume to dare affirme or preach to the people these foresayde opinions and assertions to be true, or shall reade, holde, or mainteyne any such bookes for true, hauing before intelligence hereof, shal incurre thereby the sentence of excōmunication: from which thei shal not be absolued otherwise then by the bishop of Rome, except onely in the tyme of death. This Bull being dated the yere of our Lorde. 1483 gaue no litle harte and encouragement to the Graye Fryers Franciscans, which defended the pure conception of the holy virgin, against the Blacke Dominike frrers, with their confederates, holdyng the contrary side. By the vigour of which Bull, the Gray order had got such a conquest of the Blacke garde of the Dominikes, that the sayd Dominikes were compelled at length for a perpetuall memoriall of the triumph, both to geue to glorious virgin euery night an Antheme in prayse of her conception, and also to subscribe vnto their doctrine: In which doctrine these, with diuers other poyntes be conteyned.  

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MarginaliaEx Iod. Clitoueo de puritate conceptionis. Lib. 2. 1 That blessed Mary the virgin suffered the greifes and aduersities of this life, not for any necessity inflicted for punishment of Originall sinne: but onely because shee woulde conforme her selfe to the imitation of Christ.

MarginaliaFilthy absurdities in the Popes doctrine. 2 That the sayd virgin, as shee was not obliged to any punishmente due for sinne, as neyther was Christe her sonne: so she had no neede of remission of sinnes, but in steed thereof had the diuine preseruation of Gods helpe, keepyng her from all sinne: whiche grace onely she needed, and also had it.

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3 Item, That where the body of the virgin Mary was subiect to death, and dyed: this is to be vnderstand to come not for any penaltie due for sinne, but either for imitation & conformitie vnto Christ, or els for the natural constitution of her body being elemental, as were the bodyes of our first parents: Who if they had not tasted of the forbydden fruite, should haue bene preserued from death, not by nature, but by grace,and strength of other fruites and meates in Paradise.MarginaliaHow the virgin Marye was subiect to death after the Friers opinions. Which meates because Mary had not, but dyd eate our common meates, therfore shee dyed, and not for any necessitie of Original sinne. Clitouæus lib. 2. cap. 2.

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

5 If iustification be taken for reconciliation of him that was vnrighteous before, and now is made righteous: then the blessed virgin is to be taken, not for iustified by Christ, but iust from her begynnyng by preseruation.

6 If a Sauiour be taken for hym, which saueth men fallen into perdition and condemnation, so is not Christ sauiour of Mary, but is her sauiour only in this respect, for susteynyng her from not fallyng into condemnation. &c.

7 Neyther dyd the virgin Mary geue thanks to God, nor ought so to do, for expiation of her sinnes, but for her conseruation from case of sinnyng.

MarginaliaGood stuffe. 8 Neither did she pray to God at any tyme for remission of her sinnes, but only for remission of other mens sinnes she prayed many tymes, and counted their sinnes for hers.

9 If the blessed virgin had deceased before the Passion of her sonne, God would haue reposed her soule not in the place among the Patriarkes, or among the iust, but in the same most pleasaunt place of Paradise, where Adam and Eue was, before they transgressed.

These were the doting dreames & phantasies of þ^e Frāciscans & of other papistes, cōmonly then holden in the scholes, writtē 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 Marye.
Ex Rob Lycio Minorite. * & set forth in pictures. So that the people was taught nothyng els almost in the pulpits at this while, but how the virgin Mary was conceyued immaculate & holy without Original sinne, & how they ought to cal to her for helpe, whō they with special termes do cal the way of mercy: the mother of grace: the louer of pietie: the comforter of mankind: the continual intercessor for the saluation of the faythfull: and an aduocate to the king her sonne, which neuer ceaseth. &c.  

MarginaliaIdolatry to the blessed virgin. Verba Papæ Sixti in Decret. And although the greatest number of the schole doctors were of the cōtrarye faction as Peter Lōbardus. Thom. Aquine, Bernardus, Bonauentura, and other: yet these newe papistes shifted of their obiections with friuolous distinctions, and blind euasions, as thus: Petrus Lombardus, they sayd, is not receiued nor holden in the scholes, as touchyng this article, but is reiected.   Clitou. lib. 2. cap. 15.

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MarginaliaObiections popishly soluted. Bernardus  

in Epist. ad Lugdunens. although he semeth to denye the conception of the blessed virgin to be voyde of Originall sinne, saying that shee coulde not be holy when she was not, and lyued not: to this they answeare, that albeit she was not yet in essence, not yet she was holy in her cēception, and before her conception in the diuine prescience of God, whiche had chosen & preelected her before the worldes, to be the mother of the Lord.

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Againe where Bernard doth argue, that shee was not without original sinne conceiued, because she was not conceyued by the holy Ghost, to this they answeare: That the holy Ghost maye worke two wayes in conception: eyther without company of man, and so was Christ onely conceyued: or els with company and helpe of man, and thus was the blessed virgin conceyued. Clit. lib. 2. cap. 14.

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MarginaliaPopish beliefe and doctrine goeth by time. Bonauentura (say they) was an holy father, but he spake then after the custome and maner of his time, when as the solemnitie and puritie of this conception was not yet decreed nor receyued by the publique consent and authoritie of the church.  

now seyng the authoritie of the church of Rome hath established the same, it ought not to be contraryed, nor can, without daungerous disobedience. In al mens actions, diligent respect of tyme must be had. That whiche byndeth not at one tyme, afterward the same by lawe beyng ratified, may bynde at an other. Ibid.

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MarginaliaViritie consisteth not in number of voyces. Nor victorye in multitude of souldiers. Finally for the number and multitude on the contrary side, thus they answere for them selues, as we now in these our dayes likewise in defence of the truth may wel answere against the Pope and al his popishe fryers, turnyng their owne weapons agaynst them selues: Multitude, say they, ought not to moue vs. Victorie consisteth not in number and heapes, but in fortitude and hartes of souldiers: yea rather fortitude and stomacke commeth from heauen, and not of man. Iudas Machabeus with a litle handfull, ouerthrewe the great army of Antiochus. Strong Sampson with a poore asses bone slue a thousand Philistines. Dauid had no more but a sely sling, and a few stones, and with these stroke downe terrible Goliath the Gyaunt.  

&c. Lib. eod. cap. 13.

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With these and such other like reasons, the Gray Franciscans voyded their aduersaries, defendyng the conception of the virgine Marye to be vnblemished, and pure from all contagion of Originall sinne. Contrarywise the Blacke gard of the Dominike fryers, for their partes were not all mute, but layde lustyly from them agayne, hauyng great authorities, and also the Scripture on their side. But yet the other hauyng the sea Apostolical with thē, had the better hande, and in fine gate the victorie triumphantly ouer the other, to the hygh exaltation of their order.MarginaliaThe Popes side stronger then the scripture. For Pope Sixtus (as I sayd) by the authoritie Apostolical, after he had decreed the conception day of the virgin perpetually to be sanctified, and also with his terrible Bul had condemned for heretiques al them which withstoode the same: the Dominike fryers with authoritie oppressed, were dryuen to two. inconueniences, the one was, to keepe silence, the other was, to geue place to their aduersaries the Franciscanes. Albeit where þ^e mouth durst not speake, yet þ^e hart would worke: and though the tongue were tyed, yet their good

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