Against the possessions of the clergy.  
HArkyn what great authorities shall now follow/ For proof thereof.  
Under reformation of holy and devout clerks it seemeth that all the reasons which any of the clergy be able to make for the keeping of their temporal possessions be but weak & of small authority/ considering that the contrary thereof is commanded and approved by the old testament by the new testament/ & in many of their canon laws/ and by the seyenges of the apostles and many holy doctors. And also that the reformation and correction of all enormities in the clergy belongeth to princes and here in England unto the Kings grace our most dread sovereign lord.  

¶ first by the authority of the old testament it appeareth that the clerge ought not to have possessions. Cap. i  
¶ It is written numeri xviii god said to Aaron. (Pactum pacis est sempiternum tibi). & c  
The pact & covenant of peace is ever lasting before god to the and to thy sons in a perpetual right/ In their land ye shall possede nothing/ nor ye shall have no part among them/ I am thy part and heritage among the children of Issraell/ To the children of Levi I have given all the tithes of Issraell in possession for the mynstration that they serve me in the tabernacle. & c  
¶ They shall possed nothing else but be content with the offering of tithes And as it is said Esai xliiij there shall be no heritage to them, I am their heritage/ ye shall give them no possession in Issraell/ I am their possession.  
¶ Also it is said. higher xlviii Cursed be he that doth the work of god fraudylently or negligently.  
¶ Also exodi xxiii thou shalt not take rewards which blindeth wise men & subvertyth the words of just men.   

¶ secondarily it appeareth by the new testament that the clergy ought not to have possessions. Ea. two  
¶ Also in the holy gospel Chryst said Io xii he that mynistryth to me let him follow me/ and primo Io xii he that saith he will dwell in Chryst must walk as he walked but Chryst walked all his life in poverty without having any temporal possessions and alway refused them/ th● it must needs follow that they that have possessions follow not Chryst ¶ Also i pe. ii Chryst suffered for us/ leaving yo● example that ye might follow his steps ¶ Also hebre xii let us behold the auctor of the faith and fulfiller thereof Ihu which did put a weigh all joy/ & suffered 〈◊〉 cross content with confusion.  
¶ Also Matthew xvi he that will come after me let him forsake his will & take his cross and follow me.  
¶ And Luc xiiij unless that a man renounce to all men that, that he possedeth he can not be my dyssyple.  
¶ Also Luc twelve sell your possessions and give alms Also Math xix Low have forsake all and have followed the  
¶ Also Actu two The apostles sold their possessions and substance and divided it to them that had need.  
¶ Also it appeareth that Christ willed his apostles and dyssyples to have pain in this world and no pleasure when he said Matthew ten Lo I send you into the world to be like to sheep in the mids of the company of wolves and Math vij Entre you by the painful gate it is A strait and painful weigh which leadyth to life and there is but few that find it.  
¶ And Matthew ten Be ye not willing ●o have possessions of gold nor silver nor money nor two coats/ Also Colo iii saver ye those things that be a 'bove and not those that be upon the earth/ and many other places of scripture affirm the same that the clergy which call themselves the successors of Christ'S apostles to whom Chryst said that they were the light and salt of the earth should have no possessions.   

¶ Thirdly it appeareth by many o● their own laws in the decres that the clergy ought not to have possessions.  
¶ Also it appeareth by the canons of their own law that they ought not to have possessions/ for there it is said thu● Dyst xlvii omnes.  
The lovers of the world be strong in wordly things and weyk in heavenly things/ Also in the council of toletane it is commanded by many authorities as it appeareth xii ●. i. that clerks ought to have no possessions. Ca clicos nich●●/ and there twelve ● i clericus ●●i/ and there/ Ca duo sunt genera cristianorum/ And in every of the said places it appeareth & is/ prohibit to them/ to have any possessions.  
¶ Also they that be constituted in holy orders ought not to take secular cures/ dyst. lxxxviij. E●us/ aut sacerdos.  
¶ Also a bishop may not take the tuition of testaments nor the charge of worldly things/ but aught to give him self only to reading prayer/ and preaching the word of god/ dyst lxxxviij E●us nullam.   

¶ Fourthly it appeareth that temporal possessions been forbedyn to the clergy by the saying of the apostles and of many other holy doctors. Cap four  
¶ first saint Austen de contemptu mund saith/ he that possedeth any thing in earth is removed from the discyplyn of Chryst/ Fron whence do they arrogauntly take to them the power of losing & binding which in the earth presume to possede any faculty/ & why be not they ashamed to say/ that the lord is the part of mine heritage/ the which will not forsake earthly possessions/ Why do they eat the sins of the people/ if they take tithes with the chlidyrne of Levi/ how shall they take part among other trybus/ Augustinus de contemptu mundi.  
¶ And yet he saith there farther/ where god is the auctor of all good things/ if the wordly things were verily good things/ he would never have despised them/ nor would never have commanded them to be despised of his followers.  
¶ Also saint Austen in his xxxvi & xxxvij sermon ad fratres in Heremo/ saith he that serveth the alter must live of the alter/ let him not be proud/ nor let 〈◊〉 not be made rich by his clerkchip/ & i Tion vi Keep ye justice be not willing to make wynnygꝭ but ye having food & cloth/ be ye content therewith/ for he that doth celebrate or prechyth or baptizeth for that/ that he should ge●uere there by. with out doubt doth put a weigh himself from the heavenly goods of thou let to give the sacrament/ what ●ouerte so ever thou be in, thou art no ●heperde/ nor minister of Chryst but a Merchant/ for he that for the munystraciō●f the sacrament taketh money or reward or maketh any covenant is a geaysite & sellyth the sacrament and betrayeth ●is saviour with judas.  
¶ Also saint austin wrytyth in thee, ix. ●oke of his confession, ye seek a blessed ●yfe in the region of death/ & there it is not ¶ Also against such temporal possessions of the clergy ye may read another little ●reatyse called spec●m episcoporum seu preatorun, wherein it is sufficiently showed that the clergy ought to have no possessions ¶ Also saint austin in his xxxvii ser●on (ad fratres in heremo) saith let us ●ut forth ourself in all our minds in ●ych tribulation/ in knowledge in charity ●at feigned/ in watchings in presoninenes/ in plagues/ in the word of truth/ and so having no thing/ posseding Chryst let us possede all things/ This is the light of blessed men/ This is the health of priests/ This is the rest of the servants of god/ This is the will of the friends of god/ and this is our sanctification/ That we may put forth ourselves in all things as the ministers of god in much ꝑacience/ in tribulation in necessity giving to no man any offence/ that our service/ or mynestery should not be reproved nor rebuked.  
¶ And here to agreeth saint Peter i pe. ii saying This is grace when any man for the consenting to god doth suffer patiently injury/ what grace or thank is it if ye being sinners/ suffer wrong as who saith none/ but if ye doing well do suffer patiently/ That is thankful to god/ in to that thing ye becalled.  
¶ Also ii Thy iii All they that will live makely in christ shall suffer/ persecution patiently. ¶ And saint Bernard saith in his declamations/ A clerk having his part in earth shall not have his part in heaven/ And Io. xu I have chosen you from the world/ and Math xxiiii and Luc xxi see that none beguile you/ Many one shall come in my name saying that I am Chryst, and they shall beguile many folks/ And Ro viii if ye live after the flesh ye shall die. Also read more of this Matter. Col. iii jac iii & iiii. & i corinth vi and ii Coryn, iiii. And saint Bernard, in his declamations and in the lxvi. sermon super cant sayeth, The worst heresy/ of all is to make lies upon the true doctrine, not with tongue only but in living And add Philypenses iii. clerks living pleasantly be called enemies of the cross of Chryst, and glory shallbe to there confusion/ which savour earthly things.  
And saint Bonaventure (in stimulo din●amoris super exposicione oracionis dn̄ice) saith/ that it is more shame to a clerk to desire honour riches or possession in this world than it should be to the soon of an Emꝑrour, to desire the office of A gonge farmere.   

How the clergy have their goods by a wrong weigh and keep from the poor folks the goods of the church. Cap .v.  
¶ Also saint barnard in his declamations saith/ the goods of the church be the patrimony or inheritance of poor men and they be kept from them by cruel sacrelege/ And how the Clergy hath long time woluptuously devoured the possessions and goods of Christ'S church ye may read well figured in the old law Danielis. xiiii by the priests of an Idol/ called/ Bell/ the story whereof now followeth.  
¶ There was sometime, an idol called Bell the which the King with his people and priests worshipped every day for a god/ to whom was given every day as the master of the histories saith iii bushels of flower xl sheep vi mesurs of wine/ The King and the people believed that Bell/ had been a living god/ and that he had eaten all/ but of troth The priests with their wifes and children devoured all in their voluptousnes whereupon the King said to Daniel. thinkest not thou that Bell is a living god Seest thou not/ how much he eateth and drinketh/ and daniel said/ king see that thou Err not/ This Idol Bell is Day withinforth/ and brass withoutforth/ he never eateth ne drinketh/ and the king being displeased and angry therewith called his priests and said to them/ on less ye tell me who eateth this daily food ye shall die/ But if ye can show and prove to me that Bell eateth it/ this Daniel shall die/ because he hath blasphemed Bell/ and Daniel said let it be as ye have said/ and the king and Daniel went to the temple of Bell & the priests said/ loo we shall go forth & now thou king put here the meet and the wine and set them together and shut the door and seal it with thy Ring & when thou shalt enter this temple again to morrow/ but if thou find all eten we shall die/ or else Daniel that hath lied against us/ These priests had made craftily under the board a secret door or enter/ and thereby, they came in always/ & devoured that victual It was so/ that after that those priests were gone forth/ the King set that accustomed victual before Bell and Daniel commanded his Chyldryn to bring him ashes/ and sifted it in the flore of the temple before the King and so the King/ and Daniel went out and shytt the door/ and sealed it with the Kings ring and so departed/ The priests after their old custom/ Entered therein that night with their wife's and children/ and did eat and drink all that the King had there set over night/ The King ●ose early on the next morning and Daniel with him/ & they came to the door that was sealed over night/ & the King said to Daniel Daniel is this Seal hole and he said all is hole and safe/ and as soon as the door was opened/ the king looked on the table & cried out with a loud voice, Bell/ thou art great/ & in the is no craft, neither/ guile/ and Danyell laughed/ And held the King, that he should enter no farther/ and said be hold the pavement or flore/ And wisely/ think whose steps be these/ And the king said/ I see steps of men, women, & of childryn, & therewith the king was angry/ & took those priests, there wives, and their chyldryll, & then they showed their secret doors/ by the which they were wont to enter/ & to consume all the said sacrifice/ then the King kyllyde those priests/ and gave to Daniel, the power over Bell, and he subverted and over threw Bell and his temple (Morally) Now/ In this manner it standyth with many of the clergy at these Days/ specially with symonyte Clerks/ craftylye and unjustly entering In to their Cures/ to the voluptuous Dyspending of the goods of the church/ for where it is written johan ten  
Qui non intrat) & c he that entereth not by the door in to the fold of sheep but elsewhere/ he is a thief & a lurker/ he that entryth by the door/ he is the shepherd of the sheep/ but such symonyte clerkens enter not by the door that is/ christ/ but by a back door or by the window/ Soentring with a very purpose to consume the offerings & goods of the Church, In their vanities/ and voluptous life/ And they procure to themself many things/ both temporal and spiritual, under the pretence that god in his poor members shall eat & spend it/ And no doubt/ many things be given to them on this hope, and trust/ that they may the more quietly Attend to the study of contemplation, and to the preaching of the word of god/ and because that of the temporal goods/ gevyn them for that purpose/ they should have but a straight and a bare/ living/ according to the saying of saint Paul i ●ion vi Habentes. etc. we having food and covering/ let us be with these things content and of the remnant Chryst in his poor people should be fed according to the saying of Chryil. Math xu (Quod v●i) That which ye have done to one of mine ye have done to me/ But yet I mean not that every pressed should have a like living For a bishop etc. or other put in office and romys of charge ought to have sufficient to maintain their necessary charge without superfluite/ And that men of the church should give the goods of the church to poor men that remaineth over and a 'bove their necessary food and clothing/ Iohn abbot de villa) witnesseth in a sermon that beginneth thus/ Tulerunt lapides ut iacerent in eum.   

How the goods and possessions be misspended and misused by many of the clergy. Ca. vi  
¶ Under the authority of saint ambrose and saint/ Hierom, they wry●e thus They be thieves & raveners & extorcinors that misuse the goods of the church/ They ravin and pluck trome the poor men/ the great plenty that they have/ for all should be the poor men's syving that is left a 'bove their necessary feeding and clothing/ and thereto agreeth saint Bernard as it is before said & an other holy doctore called Flore saith that all that thou keepest or reteynyst to thyself/ above necessary food & simple clothing of the goods of the altar it is not thyns but it is Theft Raven exposition/ an● sacrelege/ & so now saith an holy doctor called/ (Filius fabrilingnarii in distructorium viconrum part vi Cap. xxi  
¶ Volde god that the King/ and other noblemen. & c Founders of the gret● almys given to the church/ would d● like as the king before written with Dani●● did as to seat their seals so that the● would set there seals of right consideration and of discretion and then the should well. find on the one side 〈◊〉 ●he great wasteful spending of the oblations of the church in much vain apparel and wordly pomp/ and so they should well see and perceive the steps & paths of such voluptuous And symonyte clerks/ which is their manifest affections, In the Dust of the vanity of this world/ ●hat is to say/ In the vanity of superfluous apparel of themselves/ their servants/ And their horses, and therewithal the ●yng and his Noble men on the other ●yde might well see And consider ma●y good pour men and women compel ●yd and forced for neediness, hunger, and thrust/ by lameness & blindness/ to beg ●om Dore, to Door, and no doubt but 〈◊〉 doing the Kings grace & his noble ●en, founders and givers of the great temporal possessions to the church, should ●y their dyscretions soon see and perceive ●hat christ in/ his poor people hath had ●till or none of their superfluous/ and ●perabundant possessions/ but that the voluptuous ministers of the temple, not entering by the Dore that is Chryst/ bu● by privy poster●e gates/ and wyndous and by secret ways thevyshly have climbed thereto and have stolen and deuo●ryd the sacrifies and goods of the church that hath been offered to god/ And doctors as saint Austen/ saint Bernard and other say that such priests be not only thieves/ And the worst sacreleges but also symonytes Herytyks/ And traitors to god/ And how god thretenyth such ill cura●ꝭ/ ye may read Heir xxiii  
¶ And it must now be remembered and considered that when Constantyne the Emperor gave his temporal possessions and Empire to the church/ and when pope Sylvester them received/ yet after ward at that time there was a great doubt contravercy/ and altercation/ among the Clergy/ wether that gift & the receiving thereof if any such were/ were lawful or no as it appeareth in fasciculo temporum/ And than those that were of the covetous clergy concluded that it was both lawfully given/ And lawfully received/ against the mind of those which were good/ And for the continuance and maintenance thereof/ They then put and left in writing their opinions/ and week aucrorites to remain ꝑpetuallye/ The effect whereof is set in the said book called/ Fasciculus temporum & therefore/ It seemeth that if these foresaid writings with their opynyoes & week authorities were Dyscretelye red and newly looked on/ And so were laid In one side, of the balance of any devout clerks conscience/ not corrupted with Avarice (That is rote of all ills and the service & bondage of Idols) Nether with arrogancy and pride of this world/ And on the otherside of the said balance were laid the manifold authorities before written/ to the contrary thereof then it would appear/ that there is none even weight between them/ And that the furst written opinions and week authorities, of that clergy allowing both the giving and receiving of theseyd temporal possessions to be lawful/ be over week/ & natable to counterpoise the other side of the balance/ which settyth and taketh authority of four most strong and most sufficient grounds of god's laws/ That is to say/ Of the old testament and the new testament/ the gospels of Chyrst some decrees of the law canon/ And of writings of divers of the apostelies/ And of many other holy doctors now seyntis in heaven/ as is before written/ where the other do not so/ nor have no such authority/ and in confirmation hereof/ The reverend father in god Iohn now bishop of Rochester in a sermon, which he made for the confuting of the heresies which he said were of Martin luter saith among other of his good seyenges there that saint Ambrose saith of saint Peter that he is called Petra/ because that he furst among the gentylies did establish the ground of our faith/ and as a stone unmovable or no● asye to be removed he containeth in him/ ●nd stayeth all the frame and greatness of the work of Chryst.  
¶ Now saint Peter so containing & saying all the frame of Christ'S work i pe. ii Bydyth the clergy to be subjects ●o every humany creature for god/ and not to be lords of Castles & Towns ●nd of other temporal possessions/ and ●aynt Paul/ saint/ james/ saint/ Ma●hewe/ and many other holy doctors/ ●onferme the same/ that poverty/ Misery and subjection ought to be in the clergy/ as before is said.  
Wherefore it is to be thought that no clerk should usurp to speak/ ne to wry●e/ in maintenance of the foresaid week opinions which those of the clergy did ●olde at that time, which seemeth to bear ●o strength/ For they be now by manifold and great authorities utterly cō●owndyd.  
¶ And here it is to be considered that ●myghty god/ in the old law and in the new law hath by his word and ordinance provided for priests and clerks a living in poverty and in tribulation forbeding to them the having of temporal possessions. as is before written And Chryst so lived himself here in this world xxxiii years/ and after his ascension his apostles and disciples/ and other clerks which that suceeded them did so live & did so teach by the space of iii C. years & god saith that his ordinance & word shall stand & be permanent for ever. Num. xviii. pactum & c the pact and covenant of peace is ever lasting before god (& lordship's. C. C. xviiii. thy wor● good lord shall a bide for ever, and lordship's. C. x. he hath commanded for ever his testament/ and the evangelists/ Math. Mark and Luke say (Verba mea non preteribunt. & c my word shall not pass A way/ and saint Paul sayeth. Ro. xiii they that resist the ordinance of god getteth damnation to themselves and saint Iohn evangelist saith that god-den word is god himself (et deus erat ver●um) And he saith also (Sermo tuus ve●itas est) Thy sermon is verity/ And Saint/ Austen in his meditations saith Principium. & c The beginning of ●hy word is truth/ that is the beginning of thy word which was thy word in the beginning, Wherefore it seemeth to forow that who so ever denieth the word of god he denieth god himself, that is ●ery truth and so he is made strange ●nd alienated from the sprit of truth, that ●s god the holy ghost/ and Chryst hath promised/ Math. x. to deny all such persons before god his father that is in hewyn, That deny him in this world/ wherefore every good man should pray and say with the psalmyste/ Ps. cc. xviij. Good lord take not from my may the/ ●he word of truth/ and all the apopstels ●nd holy Doctors before rehearsed did ●uer preach/ and have left behind them In writing the said word & ordinance of god/ & have made thereof constitutions and holy canonns affirming poverty/ and for bedding alwes temporal possessions to be in the clergy, and have set them In the book/ of holy decres to be perpetually observed and kept by the clergy/ affirming the books & violators thereof to be blasphemers/ in the holy ghost, which as saint/ Matthew, witnesseth/ Math. xi. Is Irremyssilbe in this world and In the world to come/ All this not withstanding sithen the time of the emperor constantyne and of pope Sylvester which was iii C. years after Christ's, birth, The covetous sort of the clergy do writ that temporal possessions and temporal authorities hath come to th● by miracles, whereupon the pope hath commanded that no man shallbe so hardy to speak there against/ yet, a general council hath affirmed this proposition/ Luc. xiiii. (Nisi ●s renunciaunit omnibus que possidet non potest meuus est discipls) which seemeth to be heretical in his literal sens as it appeareth in a book of Aeneas silvius of the council of Basel/ in the condemnation of the xii article of Iohn, wykelyff. In thes matters seemeth to be a great schism & contrariete & where ii such contraries be/ both of them can not be true/ and it may well be said, that the holy ghost was not present at the making of them both/ whereby the kings lay subjects be brought into a marvelous perplexite & danger of heresy/ for not knowing whether/ of those ii contraries is to be best believed/ For we have but one god/ one faith/ and one king to whom of necessity all we his lay subjects must pray and humbyll make intercession to be eased of the said ꝑplexyte schism & contraryte/ for it may be well said to the clergy in this case as Christ said to the pharasyes & falls Ipocrytis/ Math/ xv. ye have not ratified nor allowed neither regarded the commandment of god/ but your own traditions/ wherefore it may please the Kings highness to say to the clergy with Christ all plantings or graffings that my heavenly/ father hath not planted/ or graffed/ shallbe plucked up be the rote.   

That the correction of all such and other enormities in the clergy belongeth to the King and to his secular power. Cap. vii  
xxiii. q̄. iii. (Qui potest obuiare) there it is said that he that may punish malefactors and doth it not/ is the very favourer of their wickedness.  
xxiii. q̄. v. (Sunt quidam enormia)  
There it is said that all outrageous offensies shall be punyshyde by secular judges.  
xxiii. q̄. v. (de Liguribus et venetecis) There it is said that the secular power shall constrain and correct all schismatics and heretics  
xxiii. q̄. v. (Regum officium) there it is said the kings office is to punish all ill folks and to relieve good folks xxiii. q̄. i. (Simo apud carnales dominos) There it is said that he that refucyth or despiseth to bear or to give reverence to the powers of rulers, shall lack his reward in heaven.  
xxiii. q̄. v. (Qui malos ꝑcutit) there it is said that he is the very minister of god that punisheth and strykyth ill folks for their offences.  
xxiii. q̄. v. (Simo propterea) there it is said that the wrongs of the sacraments of Chryst/ must be avenged by king's. saint Paul/ ad tit. i bideth/ upon cause gevy to punish offenders straightly and hardly to make them hole & sound in the faith. And there he sayeth farther Take no heed to their Iwysshe fables neither to the commandments of men that turneth themself from the troth for as well their minds as the consciences been fowl spotted.  
They knowledge themself to know Chryst and yet in their deeds they deny him for they be abominable And unfaithful & frowardly disposed to every good work Et ps. xviii. it is spoken of them thus (Narr/ averunt michi) & c wicked men have told me fables but not as the law/ & saint Paul. Ro. xiii. saith. (Omnis anima). & c  
Every soul is subject to the superior powers/ There is no power but of god they that be/ be ordained of god/ so that he which resistyth power resistyth the ordinance of god/ they that resist get to themselves damnation/ for princes be not ordained to the fere of good works but of evil/ if thou wilt not dread power do good/ and thou shalt have laud thereof He is minister of god to the in good things/ if thou do evil dread/ he beareth not the sword without cause/ he is the mynester of god, vengeance in wrath to him that doth evil/ therefore of necessity be ye subject not only for wrath/ but also for conscience.  
¶ And saint Peter saith. i Pet. two. (Subiecti igitur) & c  
Therefore be ye subject to every human ●reature for god to the vengeance of evil doers & laud of good men.  
¶ Now for the love of god. That clerk that lustyth to reprove or impugn the foresaid auctorytese or the applying of the same let him do it lovingly and charitably ye & ●t the lest by like auctorties & by no less. which if they can not do/ let them forsake their abusies & conform themselves to the word of god/ and to live thereafter God grant the same/ Amen.    

¶ Tabula.  
¶ first by the authority of the old testament it appeareth that the clergy ought not to have possessions. Cap. i.  
¶ secondarily it appeareth by the new testament that the clergy outh not to have possessions. Ca ij.  
¶ Thirdly it appeareth by many of their own laws in the decres that the clergy ought not to have possessions. Cap. iij.  
¶ Fourthly it appeareth that tempora possessions been forbedyn to the clergy by the saying of the apostles an of many other holy doctors. Ca iiij.  
¶ How the clergy have their goods, by a wrong weigh and keep from the poor folks the goods of the church. Cap. v.  
¶ How the goods and possessions be misspended and misused by many of the clergy. Ca vi.  
¶ That the correction of all such and other enormities in the clergy belongeth to the King, and to his secular power. Cap. seven.   

¶ Geddered and compiled by jasper Fyloll.  
¶ Impressum/ Cum privilegio regali.