A Testimony of antiquity, showing the ancient faith in the Church of England touching the sacrament of the body and blood of the Lord here publicly preached, and also received in the Saxons time, above 600. years ago.  jeremy. 6. 
Go into the streets, and inquire for the old way: and if it be the good and right way, then go therein, that ye may find rest for your souls. But they say: we will not walk therein.  
Imprinted at London by john Day, dwelling over Aldersgate beneath S. martyn's.  
¶ Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis   

The Preface to the Christian Reader.  
GReat contention hath now been of long time about the most comfortable sacrament of the body & blood of Christ our Saviour: in the inquisition and determination whereof many be charged and condemned of heresy, and reproved as bringers up of new doctrine, not known of old in the church before Berengarius time, who taught in France, in the days when William the Norman was by conquest king of England, and Hildebrande otherwise called Gregorius the seventh, was pope of Rome: But that thou mayest know (good christian reader) how this is advouched more boldly then truly, in especial of some certain men which be more ready to maintain their old judgement, them of humility to submit themselves unto a truth: here is set forth unto thee a testimony of very ancient time, wherein is plainly showed what was the judgement of the learned men in this matter, in the days of the Saxons before the conquest. first thou hast here a Sermon or homely, for the holy day of Easter, written in the old English or Saxon speech, which doth of set purpose and at large, entreat of this doctrine, and is found among many other Sermons in the same old speech, made for other festival days and sundays of the year, and used to be spoken orderly according to those days unto the people, as by the books themselves it doth well appear. And of such Sermons be yet many books to be seen, partly remaining in private men's hands, and taken out from monasteries at their dissolution: partly yet reserved in the libraries of Cathedral churches, as of Worceter, Hereford, and Exeter. From which places diverse of these books have been delivered into the hands of the most reverend father, Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury, by whose diligent search for such writings of history, and other monuments of antiquity, as might reveal unto us what hath been the state of our church in England from time to time, these things that be here made known unto thee, do come to light. How be it the Sermons were not first written in the old Saxon tongue: but were translated into it, as it should appear, from the Lattyne. For about the end of a Saxon book of lx. Sermons, (which hath about the midst of it this Sermon against the bodily presence) be added these words of the translator. Fela faegere godspell ƿe forlaetaþ on þisum dihte. ða maeg aƿendan se ðe ƿile; Ne durre ƿe ðas boc na micle sƿiþor gelaengan. ðyles ðe heo ungemetegod sy. & mannum aeþraet ðurh hire micelny'sse astirige; We let pass many good gospels, which he that list may translate. For we dare not enlarge this book much further, lest it be over great, & so cause to men loathsomeness through his bigness. And in an other book containing some of these Saxon Sermons it is also thus written in Lattyne. In hoc codicillo continentur duodecim sermones anglice quos accepimus de libris quos Aelfricus abbas Anglice transtulit. In this book be comprised xii. Sermons which we have taken out of the books that Aelfricke abbot translated into English. In which words truly here is also declared who was the translator, to wit, one Aelfricke. And so he doth confess of himself in the preface of his Saxon grammar, where he doth moreover give us to understand the number of the Sermons that he translated thus. Ic AElfric ƿolde ðas litlan boc apendan to engliscum gereorde of ðam staef craefte ðe is gehaten gsammatica. syþþan ic tƿa bec aƿende on hund eahtatigum spellum. I Aelfricke was desirous to turn into our English tongue from the art of letters called grammar this little book, after that I had translated the two books in fourscore Sermons. But how soever it be now manifest enough by this above declared, how that these Sermons were translated: I think notwithstanding, that there will hardly be found of them any Lattyne books being (I fear me) utterly perished & made out of the way since the conquest by some which could not well broke this doctrine. And that such hath been the dealing of some partial readers, may partly hereof appear. There is yet a very ancient book of Cannons of Worceter library, and is for the most part all in Latin, but yet intermingled in certain places, even three or four leaves together with the old Saxon tongue: and one place of this book handleth this matter of the sacrament: but a few lines, wherein did consist the chief point of the controversy, be razed out by some reader: yet consider how the corruption of him, whosoever he was, is bewrayed. This part of the Lattyne book was taken out of ij. epistles of Aelfrike before named, & were written of him aswell in the Saxon tongue, as the Lattyne. The Saxon epistles be yet wholly to be had in the library of the same church, in a book written all in Saxon, and is entitled, a book of Camnons', & shrift book. But in the Church of Exeter, these epistles be seen both in the Saxon tongue, and also in the Lattyne. By the which it shall be easy for any to restore again, not only the sense of the place razed in Worceter book, but also the very same Lattyn words. And the words of these two epistles, so much as concern the sacramental bread & wine, we here set immediately after the Sermon: first in Saxon, than the words of the second epistle we set also in Lattyne: delivering them most faithfully as they are to be seen in the books from whence they are taken. And as touching the Saxon writings, they be set out in such form of letters, and dark speech, as was used, when they were written: translated also for our better understanding, into our common, and usual English speech. But now it remaineth we do make known who this Aelfricke was, whom we here speak of, in what age he lived, and in what estimation. He was truly brought up in the schools of Aethelwolde bishop of Winchester, Aethelwolde I mean the elder, and great saint of Winchester church: So canonized because in the days of Edgar king of England, he conspired with Dunstane Archbishop of Canterbury, & Oswalde bishop of Worceter, to expel out of the Cathedral churches, through out all England the married priests, which then were in those churches the old dwellers, as writeth Ranulphus Cestrencis in his pollicronicon and to set up of new the religion or rather superstition & hypocrisy of monks, after that the same had been a long time, by the just judgement of God, utterly abolished, the Danes spoiling them, & cruelly burning them up in there houses, as is at large, and plentifully confessed in the histories of their own churches. For this new rearing up of monkery is Aethelwolde called in most old histories, pater monachorum, the father of monks. Under this Aethelwolde was Aelfrike traded up in learning, as he witnesseth of himself in the Lattyne preface of his Saxon grammar, where speaking of his interpretation of Lattyne words he writeth thus. Scio multis modis verba posse interpret●ri, sed ego simplicem interpretationem sequor, fastidium vitandi causa. Si alicui tamen displicuerit nostra interpretatio, dicat quomodo vult. Nos con tenti sumus sicut didicimus in scholis venerabilis praesulis Aethelwoldi qui multos ad bonum imbuit. I know that words may be expounded divers ways, but for to avoid loathsomeness I do follow the plain interpretation. Which if any shall mislike he may do as he thinketh best: but we are content to speak, as we have learned in the schools of the most worthy bishop Aethelwolde, who hath been a good instructor to many, or who hath brought up many to good. This he writeth of himself. So upon this his education in the schools of Aethelwolde he became afterward to be an earnest lover and a great setter forward of monkery, and therefore no less busy writer and speaker against the matrimony of priests in his tyme. For which respect he was afterward so regarded, that he was made by Oswalde bishop of Worceter (as reporteth John Capgraue) the first abbot of S. Albon's newly restored, & replenished with monks, and was also made abbot of malmsbury by king Edgar, (as reporteth William of malmsbury) in the life of Aldelmus. And truly he calleth himself abbot in divers of his epistles, although he never named of what place, as in that he writeth Egnesh amensibus fratribus de consuetudine monachorum. To the monks of Egnesham, of the order and manner of monks, and in this he writeth here to Wulfstane Archbishop of York, and in an other against priests matrimony sent to one Sygeferth, with whom was an anchor abiding, which defended the marriage of priests, affirming it to be lawful. The epistle beginneth thus in the Saxon tongue. Aelfric abb. great Sigeferþ freondlice; Me is gesaed ꝧ ðu saedest beo me ꝧ ic oþer taehte on Engliscen geƿriten. oþer eoƿer anchor aet ham mid eoƿ taehþ. forþan ðe he sƿutelice saegþ ꝧ hit sie alefd. ꝧ maesse preostas ƿel motan ƿifigen. and min geƿriten ƿiþcƿeþeþ ðysen. That is, Elfricke abbot doth send friendly salutation to Sigeferth. It is told me that I teach otherwise in my English writings, them doth thy anchor teach, which is at home with thee. For he saith plainly that it is a lawful thing for a priest to mary, and my writings doth speak against this. etc. Thus aswell in his own epistles, as in all other books of Sermons in the Saxon tongue, that I have seen, I find him always called abbot, and only so called. Howbeit, John Capgraue who gathered together into one volume, the lives of English saints, writeth in the life of Oswalde, that Aelfricke was last of all advanced to the Archbishops see of Canterbury. In alijs inquit Angliae partibus insignes ecclesias ob praefixam causam clericis evacuavit, et eas viris monasticae institutionis sublimavit: quorum haec nomina sunt. Ecclesia S. Albani, S. Aetheldredae virgins in Eli et ea quae apud Beamfledam constituta honorabilis habebatur. Instituit enim in ecclesia S. Albani Aelfricum abbaten, qui ad Archiepiscopatum Cantuariensem postea sublimatus fuit. In other parts of England Oswald avoided out of the most notable churches the clerks, & advanced the same places with men of the order of monks, whose names be these S. Albon, the church of the virgin S. Aetheldrede in Ely, and that which is at Beamfleot reputed very famous. He did appoint abbot in S. Albon Aelfricke, who was afterward promoted to the archbishopric of Canterbury. Truly this Aelfricke we here speak of, was equal in time to 
* Who did put out secular priests out of the church of Canterbury, as the story of that house showeth.  Elfricke Archbishop of Canterbury, as may certainly appear to him that will well consider, when Wulfstane Archbishop of York, and Wulfsine bishop of Scyrburne lived, unto whom Aelfricke writeth the Saxon epistles, from which the words concerning the Sacrament hereafter following be taken. And the certainty of this consideration, may well be had out of William malmsbury De Pontificibus, & out of the subscription of bishops, to the grants, letters patents, and charters of Aethelrede, 
These charters are to be seen.  who reigned king of England at this time. Howbeit whether this Aelfricke, & Aelfricke Archb. of Canterbury was but one, & the same man, I leave it to other men's judgement further to consider: for that writing here to Wulfstane, he nameth himself but abbot, & yet Aelfricke Archb. of Canterbury, was promoted to that his archb. stole vj. years before that Wulfstane was made Archbishop of York, as is declared most manifestly in the histories of simeon of Durham, Roger Hoveden, the history of Rochester, Flores Hystoriarum, Thomas Stubbes in his history of the Archbishops of York, and in all other most ancient histories, aswell written in the old Saxon tongue, as in Lattyne: Moreover in many deeds and writings of gifts, made by king Aethelrede, when Aelfricke subscribeth as Archbishop of Canterbury, then in them is one Aldulphus, Wulfstanes predecessor, named Archbishop of York, and Wulfstane himself subscribeth but as an inferior bishop. But be it, that this Aelfricke was only abbot, and not Archbishop of Canterbury, yet this is also most true, that beside the praise of great learning, & of being a most eloquent interpreter (for which William of malmsbury doth greatly commend him) he was also of such credit and estimation to the liking of that age in which he lived, that all his writings, and chief these his epistles, were then thought to contain sound doctrine: and the bishops themselves did judge them full of right good counsel, precepts, and rules to govern thereby their clergy: and therefore did most earnestly request to have these epistles sent unto them, as do well appear by ij. short Lattyne epistles, set before the Saxon epistles, whereof the one is sent to Wulfsine bishop of Scyrburne, the other to Wulfstane Archbishop of York. And after this also bishops of other churches among other camnons that they collected out of general & particular councils, out of the books of Gildas, out of the poenitentialls of Theodorus Archbishop of Canterbury, out of the extractes of Egberhtus the iiij. Archbishop of York from Paulinus: out of the epistles of Alcuinus teacher to Charles the great, and to conclude, out of the writings of the fathers of the primative church: among other Cannons I say, they collected together for the better ordering of their churches, they do place among them also these two epistles of Aelfricke, as is to be seen in ij. books of Camnons' of Worceter library: whereof the one is all in the old Saxon tongue, and there these epistles of Aelfricke be in the same tongue: the other is for the most part all in Lattyne, and is entitled Admonitio spiritualis doctrinae, where these epistles be in the Lattyne tongue, and be joined together for an exhortation to be made of the bishop to his clergy. There is also a like book of Cannons of Exeter church, where these two epistles in Lattyne be appointed in stead of two sermons to be preached, Ad clericos et presbyteros, to the clerks and priests, and the epistles be also in the same book in the Saxon tongue. And this book was given to Saint Peter's church in Exeter by Leofricke the first and most famous bishop of that church, as in his own record and grant of all such lands, books, and other things he gave unto the church, it is thus expressed in the Saxon tongue. Here sƿutelaþ on ðissere bec hƿaet Leofric b. haefþ gedon into sancti Petres minstre on Exanceastre ðaer his bisceop stol is. ꝧ is ꝧ he haefþ geinnod ꝧ aer geutod ƿaes ðurh Gods fultume. etc. ðonne is seo oncnaƿennis ðe he haefþ god mid gecnaƿen & sanctum Petrun into ðam halgan minster on cyrclicum madmū ꝧ is ꝧ he haefþ þider inngedon. 11. full maesse bec. & one colectaneum. & .11. pistle bec. & .11. fulsang bec. & .1. nihtsang. & .1. ad te levaui. & .11. psalteras. &. se ðriddan sƿa man singþ on rome. & .11. ymneras. & 1. deorƿurþ bletsung boc. & .111. oþer. & þeos englisc Cristes boc. & .11. sumer raeding bec. & 1. ƿinter raeding boc. & regula canonicorum. & martyrologium. & .1. canon on leden & scrift boc on englisc. etc. Here is showed in this book or charter, what Leofrike bishop hath given into Saint Peter's minster at Exeter, where his bishop's seat is, that is, that he hath got in again through God's help, what soever was taken out: & so forth, first showing what lands of such as was taken from the church he recovered again, partly by his earnest complaint, and suit made for the same, partly by his giving of rewards. next making also report what lands with other treasure of his own he gave of new to the place: he cometh at last to the rehearsal of his books, whereof the last here named a Cannon on Leden & scrift boc on Englisc. that is, a Cannon book in Lattyne and shrift book in English, is the book we speak of, and hath in it the Lattyne and Saxon epistles of Aelfricke. Thus as this book of Exeter church hath this good evidence by which it is showed, that Leofrike was the giver thereof: even so the book of Camnons' of Worceter church, written all in Saxon, hath in it most certain testimony that the writer thereof was the public scribe of the church whose name was Wulfgeat. For thus have. And let bishops take heed that they presume not to ordain priests or deacons unless they do first profess to have no wives. Now albeit this and many other councils held from time to time by the space more than of an hundredth years after this did little avail, but that the priests did both marry, and still keep their wives, because as writeth Gerardus Archbishop of York to Anselme. Cum ad ordines aliquos invito, dura ceruice renituntur ne in ordinando castitatem profiteantur. When I call any to orders they resist with a stiff neck, that they do not in taking order profess chastity. Or as is reported in the Saxon story of Peterborowe church, speaking of the councils of Anselme, of john of Cremona, & of William Archbishop of Canterbury. Ne forstod noht ealle þa bodlaces. All these decrees availed nothing. Ealle heoldon here ƿifes be ðes cinges leaf sƿa sƿa high ear didon. They all kept their wives still by the kings leave as they did before: Yet it came to pass upon this decree of Lanfranke, that the form of words wherein the priests should vow chastity, was now first put into some bishops 
* No such demand of this profession in any english pontifical before this tyme.  pontifical. Ego frater N. promitto deo, omnibusque Sanctis eius castitatem corporis mei secundum cannonum decreta, & secundum ordinem mihi imponendum servare domino praesule N. present. And as the words were thus put into some pontifical in a general speaking as the manner is. this controversy, but also, that more is, what was the common received doctrine herein of the whole church of England, as well when Aelfricke himself lived, as before his time, and also after his time, even from him to the conquest. But what was the condition and state of the church, when Aelfricke himself lived? In deed to confess the truth, it was in divers points of Religion full of blindness and ignorance: full of childish servitude to ceremonies, as it was long before and after: and to much given to the love of monketye, which now at this time unmeasurably took root, and grew excessively. But yet to speak what the adversaries of the truth have judged of this time, it is most certain, that there is no age of the church of England, which they have more reverenced, and thought more holy than this. For of what age have they canonised unto us more saints and to their liking more notable? first Odo Archbishop of Canteaburye, who died in the beginning of king Edgar's reign. Then king Edgar himself, by whom Aelfricke was made abbot of malmsbury. Then Edward called the Martyr king Edgar's bastard son. Then Editha king Edgar's bastard daughter. Also Dunstane archbishop of Canterbury, of whom Aelfricke was greatly esteemed. Aethelwold bishop of Winchester, under whom Aelfricke had his first bringing up. Oswalde bishop of Worceter, and after Archbishop of York, who made Aelfricke abbot of S. Albon. Wulfsine bishop of Scyrburne unto whom Aelfricke writeth the first of the epistles we here speak of. Elfleda a Nun of Romesey, and Wulhilda Abbess of Barking, lived in the days of king Edgar. And last of all Wlfritha K. Edgar's concubine. All these I say with some other more, be canonised for saints of this age in which Aelfricke himself lived in great fame & credit. Also Leofricke and Wulfsine, whom we have showed to have been the givers of those Cannon books wherein be seen Aelfrickes' epistles be reverenced for most holy men and saints of their churches. And these ij. lived bishops in the coming in of the Conqueror. Thus do some men now a days not only dissent in doctrine from their own church, but also from that age of their church which they have thought most holy, and judged a most excellent pattern to be followed. Wherefore what may we now think of that great consent, whereof the romanists have long made vaunt, to wit, their doctrine to have continued many hundred years as it were linked together with a continual chain, whereof hath been no breach at any time. Truly this their so great affirmation hath uttered unto us no truth, as good christian reader thou mayest well judge by duly weighing of this which hath been spoken, and by the reading also of that which here followeth, whereunto I now leave thee.  
Trusting that after thou hast well weighed this matter of such manner of the being of Christ's body in the sacrament, as showeth this testimony, no untruth or dishonour shall need to be attributed to Christ's loving words pronounced at his last supper among his apostles: no derogation to his most sacred institution: no diminishing of any comfort to christian men's souls in the use of his reverend sacrament: but all thing to stand right up most agreeably both to the verity of Christ's infallible words, and to the right nature, congruence, and efficacy of so holy a sacrament, and finally most comfortable to the conscience of man, for his spiritual uniting and incorporation with Christ's blessed body and blood to immortality, and for the sure gadge of his resurrection.  
AMEN.   

A SERMON OF the paschal Lamb, and of the sacramental body and blood of Christ our Saviour, written in the old Saxon tongue before the Conquest, and appointed in the reign of the Saxons to be spoken unto the people at Easter before they should receive the Communion, and now first translated into our common English speech.  

MEn ða leofostan. gelome eoƿ is gesaed ymbe ures haelendes aeriste. hu he on ðisum andƿeardan daege aeften his ðroƿunge mihtiglice of deaþe arras; Nu ƿille ƿe eoƿ geopenian ðurh Gods gife be ðam halgan husle ðe ge nu togan sceolon. & geƿissian eoƿer andgyt ymbe ðaere gerynu. aegþer ge after þaere ealdan gecyþnysse. ge after þaere nipan. ðylaes ðe aenig tƿeonunge eoƿ derian maege be þam liflicum gereorde; See aelmihtiga God bebead Moses' ðam heretogan on egypta land. ꝧ he sceolde bebeodan Israhela folce. ꝧ high namon aet aelcum heorþe anes geares lamb on ðaere nihte ðe high ferdon of þam land to þam behatenan earde. & sceoldon ꝧ lamb Good geoffrian. and syþþan sniþan. and pyrcan road tacn on heora gedyrum. & oferslegum mid þaes lambs blood. etan syþþan ðaes lambs flaesc gebraed. & ðeorfe hlafas mid feldlicre lactucan; God cƿaeþ to Moysen. ne eat ge of ðam lamb nan þing hreap. ne on paetere gesoþen. ac gebraed to fire; Etaþ ꝧ heafod. and þa faet. & ꝧ inneƿearde. ne his nan þing ne belife oþ mergen. give þaer hƿaet tolafe sy. forbaerneþ ꝧ. ðicgaþ hit on ðas ƿisan; Begyrdaþ eoƿere lendenu. & beoþ gesceode. habbaþ eoƿ staff on hand. & etaþ heardlice. ðeos tid is Gods faereld; & ƿearþ ða on ðaere nihte ofslegen on aelcum huse geond eal Pharaoes' rice, ꝧ frumcennede cild. & paes ꝧ Gods folc Israhel ahred fram ðam ferlican deaþe. ðurh ðaes lambs offrunge. & his bloods mearcunge; þa cƿaeþ God to Moysen. healdaþ ðisne daeg on eoƿrum gemind. & freolsiaþ hine maerlice on eoƿrum cynrenum mid ecum bigenage. & etaþ ðeorfne hlaf symle seofan dagas aet þisre freols tide; Aeften þissere daede laedde God ꝧ Israhela folc ofer ða readan sae. mid drium fotum. & adraencte ðaer on Pharaoh. & ealne his here samod ðe heora ehton. and afedde syð ðan ꝧ Israhela folc feoƿertig geara mid heofonlicum bigleofan. & him forgeaf ƿaeter of heardum stan clude. oþ ꝧ high common to þam behatenū eþele; Sume ðas race ƿe habbaþ getrahtnod on oþre stoƿe. sum ƿe ƿyllaþ nu geopenian. ꝧ ðe belimpþ to ðam halgan husle; Cristene menn nemoton healdan nu ða ealdan ae lichamlice. ac him gedafenaþ ꝧ high cunnon hƿaet heo gastlice tacnie; ꝧ unscaeþþie lamb ðe see ealde Israhela ða ofsnaþ. haefde getacnunge after gastlicum andgyte Cristes ðroƿunge se ðe unscaeþþig for ure alysednysse his halige blood ageat; Be ðam singaþ Gods ðeoƿas aet aelcere maessan. agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis; ꝧ is on urum gereorde. ðu Gods lamb ðe aetbretst middan eardes synna gemiltsa us; ꝧ Israhela folc ƿearþ ahred fram ðam faerlicum deaþe. & fram Pharaoes' þeoƿte ðurh ðaes lambs offrunge. ðe haefde getacnunge Cristes' ðroƿunge. ðurh ða ƿe sinned alysede fram ðam ecum deaþe, & þaes reþan deofles anƿealde. give ƿe rihtlice gelyfaþ on ðone soþan alysend ealles middan eandes haelend Crist; ꝧ lamb ƿaes geoffrode on aefnunge. and ure haelend ðroƿode on ðaere sixtan ylde ðissere ƿorulde; Seo yld is geteald to aefnunge ðises ateorigenlican middan eardes; Hi mearcodan mid ðaes lambs blood on heora gedyrum. and overslegum tau. ꝧ is road tacen. & ƿurdon sƿa gescilde fram ðam eagle. ðe acƿealde þaera egiptiscra frumcennedan cild; And ƿe sceolon mearcian ure forepearde heafod. & urn lichaman mid Cristes road tacne. ꝧ ƿe beon ahredde fran forƿyrde. ðonne ƿe beoþ ge mearcode aegþer ge on foran heafde ge on heortan mid blood ðaere drihtenlican ðroƿunge; ꝧ Israhela folc aet ðaes lambs flaesc on heora easter tide ða ða high ahredde ƿurdon. & ƿe þicgaþ nu gastlice cristes lichaman. & his blood drincaþ. ðonne ƿe mid soþum geleafan ꝧ halige husel ðicgaþ; Ðone timan high heoldon him to easter tide seofan dagas mid micclum ƿurþmynte ðe high ahredde ƿurdon ƿiþ Pharaoh. & of ðam earde ferdon. sƿa eac cristene menn healdaþ Cristes' aerist us to easter tide ðaes seofan dagas. forþan ðe ƿe sint ðurh his ðroƿunge. and aerist alysede. & ƿe beoþ geclaensode ðurh ðaes halgan husel ganges. sƿa sƿa Crist sylf cƿaeþ on his godƿelle; Soþ soþ ic eoƿ secge. naebbe ge life on eoƿ. buton ge eaten min flaesc. and drincon min blood; Se ðe et min flaesc. & min blood drincþ. he ƿunaþ on me. and ic on him. and he haefþ ꝧ ece life. and ic hine araere on ðam endenextan daege; Ic eom se liflica hlaf ðe of heofonum astah. na sƿa sƿa eoƿere forth faederas aeton ðone heofonlican hlaf on ƿestene. and syþþan sƿulton; Se ðe et ðisne. hlaf. he leofaþ on ecnysse; He halgode hlaf aer his þroƿunge. and to daelde his discipulum ðus cƿþeende; Etaþ ðisne hlaf hit is min lichama. and doþ þis on mynum gemind; Eft he bletsode ƿin on anum chalice. and cƿaeþ; Drincaþ ealle of ðisum. ðis is min blood ꝧ ðe biþ for manegum agoten on synna forgyfenysse; Ða apostoli dydon sƿa sƿa Crist het. ꝧ high halgodon hlaf. and ƿin to husle eft syþþan on his gemind; Eac sƿylce heora after genegan. and ealle sacerdas be Cristes' haese halgiaþ hlaf & ƿin to husle on his naman mid þaere apostolican bletsunge; Nu smeadon gehƿilce men oft. and get gelome smeagaþ. hu se hlaf ðe biþ of corn gegearcod. and ðurh fires haetan abacen mage beon aƿend to Cristes' lichaman. oƿƿe ꝧ ƿin þebiþ of manegum berium aƿrungen ƿeorþe aƿend ðurh anigre bletsunge to drihtnes blood; Nu recge ƿe gehƿilcum mannum ꝧ sum ðing sinned gecƿedene be Criste ðurh getacnunge. sum ðurh geƿissum ðinge; Soþ ðing isand geƿis ꝧ Crist ƿaes of maedene acenned. & sylf ƿilles ðroƿode deaþ. and paes bebyriged. & on ðisum daege of deaþ arras; He is gecƿeden hlaf ðurh getacnunge. and lamb. & lo. and gehu else; He is hlaf gehaten. forþan ðe he is ure life & engla; He is lamb gecƿeden for his unscaeþþinysse; Leo for ðaere strencþe. ðe he ofer sƿiþde ðone strangan deofol; Ac sƿa ðeah after soþum gecind nis Crist naþor ne hlaf. ne lamb. ne lo; Hƿi is ðonne ꝧ halige husell gecƿeden Cristes lichama. oþþe his bold. give hit nis soþlice ꝧ ꝧ hit gehaten is; Soþlice se hlaf. and ꝧ ƿin ðe beoþ ðurh sacerda maessan gehalgode oþer ðing high aeteoƿiaþ menniscum andgitum ƿiþ utan. and oþer ðing high clypiaþ ƿiþ innan geleaffullum modeum; ƿiþ utan high beoþ geseƿene hlaf & ƿin aegþer geon hiƿe ge on sƿaecce. ac high beoþ soþlice after þaere halgunge Cristes lichama. and his blood ðurh gastlice ge rynu; Haeþen cild biþ gefullod. ac hit ne braet na his hiƿ ƿiþ utan ðeah ðe hit beo ƿiþ innan aƿend; Hit biþ gebroht sinful ðurh Adam's forgaegednysse to ðam fant fate; Ac hit biþ aþƿogen fram eallum synnum ƿiþ innan. ðeah ðe hit ƿiþ utan his hiƿ ne aƿende; Eac sƿylce ꝧ halige fant ƿaeter ðe is gehaten life's ƿylspring. is gelic on hiƿe oþrum ƿaeterum. and is under ðeod brosnunge. ac ðaes halgan gastes miht genealaecþ þam brosnigendlicum ƿaetere. ðurh sacerda bletsunge. and hit maeg syþþan lichaman. and saƿle aþƿean fram eallum synnum þurh gastlice mihte; Efne nu ƿe geseoþ tƿa ðing on ðisum anum gesceafte; AEfter soþum gecind. ꝧ ƿaefter is brosniendlic ƿaete. & aeter gastlicre gerynu haefþ halƿende mihte; Sƿa eac give ƿe sceaƿiaþ ꝧ halige husel after lichamlicum andgite. ðonne geseo ƿe ꝧ hit is gesceaft brosniendlic. & aƿendedlic; Give ƿe ða gastlican mihte ðaer on tocnaƿaþ ðonne undergite ƿe ꝧ ðaer is life on. and forgifþ undeadlicnysse. ðam ðe hit mid geleafan þicgaþ; Micel is betƿux ðaere ungeseƿenlican mihte ðaes halgan husles. and ðam geseƿenlican hiƿe agenes gecyndes; Hit is on gecind brosniendlic hlaf. and brosniendlic ƿin. & is after mihte Godcundes ƿordes. soþlice Cristes lichama and his blood. na sƿaþeah lichamalice. ac gastlice; Micel is betƿux ðam lichaman ðe Crist on ðroƿode. and ðam lichaman ðe to husle biþ gehalgod; Se lichama soþlice ðe Crist on ðroƿode ƿaes geboren of Manian flaesce. mid blood & mid banum, mid fell & mid sinum. on menniscum limum. mid gesceadƿisre saƿle gelifaest. & his gastlica lichama ðe ƿe husel hataþ is of manegum cornum gegaderod. buton blood. & bane. limleas. & saƿulleas. and nis forþi nan ðing ðaer on to understandenne lichamlice. as is eal gastlice to understandene. Sƿa hƿaet sƿa on ðam husle is ðe us lives edƿist forgifþ. ꝧ is of ðaere gastlican mihte. and ungeseƿenlicre fremmincge; Forþi is ꝧ halige husel gehaten gerynu. forþan ðe oþer ðing is ðaeron geseƿen. and oþer ðing undergiten; ꝧ ꝧ ðaer geseƿen is haefþ lichamlic hiƿ. & ꝧ ꝧ ƿe ðaer on understandaþ haefþ gastlice mihte; ƿitodlice Cristes' lichama ðe deaþ ðroƿode. and of deaþe arras. ne sƿylt naefre heonon forþ. ac is ece and unþroƿiendlic; ꝧ husel is hƿilƿendlic. na ece; Brosniendlic. and biþ sticc maelum todaeled; Betƿux toþum tocoƿen. and into ðam buce asend. ac hit biþ ðeah hƿaeþere after gastlicre mihte on aelcum daele eal; Manega underfoþ ðone halgan lichaman. and he biþ sƿa ðeah on aelcum daele eal after gastlicre gerynu; þeah sum man gesceote laesse dael ne biþ sƿa ðeah na mare miht on ðam maran daele ðonne on ðam laessan. for ðan ðe hit bit on aelcum menn ansund after ðaere ungeseƿenlican mihte; þeos gerynu is ƿedd. and hiƿ; Cristes' lichama is soþfaestnyss; Ðis ƿedd ƿe healdaþ gerynelice. oþ ꝧ ƿe becumon to ðaere soþfaestnysse. and þonne biþ þis ƿedd geendod; Soþlice hit is sƿa sƿa ƿe aer cƿaedon Cristes lichama. and his blood. na lichamlice. ac gastlice; Ne sceole ge fmeagan hu hit gedon sy. ac healdan on eoƿrum geleafan ꝧ hit sƿa gedon sy; ƿe raedaþ on oþaere. bec. ðe is gehaten vitas patrum. ꝧ tƿegen munecas abaedon aet Good sum sƿutelunge be þam halgan husle. and after þaere been gestodon him maessan; Ða gesaƿon high licgan an cild on þam ƿeofode ðe se maesse freost aet maessode. and Gods engel stood mid handsexe andbidiende oð ꝧ se preost ꝧ husel tobraec; þa tolyþode se engel ꝧ cild on ðam disce. and his blood into ðam chalice ageat; Eft ða ða high to ðam husle eodon. ða ƿearþ hit aƿend to hlafe. and to ƿine. and high hit ðygedon. Good ðancigende ðaere sƿutelunge; Eac se halga Gregorius abaed aet Criste. ꝧ he ateoƿede anun tƿynigendum ƿife embe his ger ynu micele seþunge; Heo eode to husle mid tƿynigendum mode. and Gregorius begeat aet Good ðaerrihte. ꝧ him bam ƿearþ aeteoƿed seo snaed ðaes husles. ðe heo ðicgan sceolde. sƿylce þaer laege on þam disce anes fingers liþ eal geblodgod. & ðaes ƿifes tƿeonung ƿearþ ða gerihtlaeced; Vton nu gehyran ðaes apostles ƿord embe ðas gerynu; Paulus see apostol eƿaeþ be ðam ealdan folce Israhel. ðus ƿritende on his pistol to geleasfullū mannum; Ealle ure forþ faederas ƿeron gefullude on ƿolcne. and on sae. and ealle high aeton ðone ylcan gastlican mete. and ealle high druncon ðone ylcan gastlican drenc; Hi druncon soþlice of aefter filigendan stane. & see stan ƿaes Crist; Naes se stan ðe ꝧ ƿaeter þa of fleoƿ lichamlice christ ac he getacnode Crist. ðe clypode þus to eallum geleaffullum mannum. sƿa hƿam sƿa ðyrste come to me & drince; And of his innoþe fleoƿþ liflic ƿaeter; þis he saede be ðam halgan gast ðe ða under fengon. ðe on hine gelyfdon; See apostol Paulus cƿaeþ ꝧ ꝧ Israhela folc aete ðone ylcan gastlican mete. and drunce ðone ilcan gastlican drenc. forþan þe se ylca heofonlica meet ðe high afedde. xl. geara. & ꝧ ƿaeter ðe of ðam stane fleoƿ. haefde getacnunge Cristes' lichaman. and his boldes. ðe nu beoþ geoffrede daeghƿōlice on gods cyrcan; Hit ƿaeron þa ylcan ðe ƿe nu offriaþ. na lichamlice ac gastlice; ƿe saedon eoƿ hƿene aer ꝧ Crist halgode hlaf & ƿin aer his þroƿunge to husle. and cƿaeþ. ðis is min lichama. and min blood; Ne ðroƿode he ða gyt. ac sƿa ðeah he aƿende ðurh ungeseƿenlice mihte ðone hlaf to his agenum lichaman. and ꝧ ƿin to his blood. sƿa sƿa he aer died. on ðam ƿestene aer ðan ðe he to men geboren ƿurde. ða ða he aƿende ðone heofonlican meet to hiƿ falaesce. and ꝧ floƿende ƿaeter of ðam stane to his agenum blood; Fela manna aeton of ðam heofonlican meet on ðam ƿestene. and druncon ðone gastlican drenc. and ƿurdon sƿa ðeah dead. sƿa sƿa Crist saede; Ne maende Crist ðone ðeah ðe nan man forbugan ne maeg. ac he maende ðone ecan deaþ ðe sum of ðam folce for heora geleafleaste geearnodon; Moses and Aaron. and manega oþre of ðam folce ðe Good gelicodon. aeton ðone heofonlican hlaf. ac high naeron dead ðam ecum deaþ. ðeah ðe high gemaenū deaþ. forþ ferdon; Hi gesaƿon ꝧ se heofonlica meet ƿaes geseƿenlic. & brosniendlic. ac high understodon gastlice be ðam geseƿenlicum ðinge. and hit gastlice ðigdon; See haelend cƿaeþ. se ðe et min flaesc. and drincþ min blood. he haefþ ece life; Ne het he na etan ðone lichaman. ðe he mid befangen ƿaes. ne ꝧ blood orincan. ðe he for us ageat. ac he maende mid þam ƿorde ꝧ halige husel. ðe gastlic is his lichama and his blood. and se þe þaes onbyrigþ mid geleaffulre heortan. he haefþ ꝧ ece life, On ðaere ealdan ae geleaffulle men offrodon Good mistlice lac. ðe haefdon to ƿearde getacnunge Cristes' lichama. ðe sylffon urum synnum syþþan geoffrode his heofonlican faeder to onsaegednysse; ƿitodlice ðis husel þe nu biþ gehalgod aet Gods ƿeofode. is gemynd Cristes' lichaman ðe he for us geoffrode. and his bloods ðe he for us ageat. sƿa sƿa he sylf het. doþ ðis on minum gemind; Aene þroƿode Crist ðurh hine sylfne. ac' sƿa ðeah daeghƿomlice biþ his ðroƿung geedniƿod ðurh gerynu ðaes halgan husles aet ðaere halgan maessan; For ði fremaþ seo halige maesse micclum ge ðam libbendum. ge ðam forþ farenum. sƿa sƿa hit for oft gesƿutelod is; Us is eac tosmeagenne. ꝧ ꝧ halige husel is aegþer ge cristes lichama. ge ealles geleafulles folces. after gastlicre gerynu; Sƿa sƿa se ƿise Agustinus be ðam cpaeþ; Give ge ƿillaþ understandan be cristes lichaman. gehyraþ ðone apostol Paulum þus cƿeþende; Goe soƿlice sindon Cristes lichama. & leomu; Nu is eoƿer gerynui geled on Gods myran. and goe underfoþ eoƿer gerynu toþam ðe ge gesylfe sinned; Beoþ ꝧ ꝧ ge geseoþ on þam ƿeofode. and underfoþ ꝧ ꝧ gesylfe sinned; Eft cƿaeþ see apostol Paulus be ðisum. ƿe manega syndon an hlaf. & an lichama; Vnderstandaþ nu. and blissiaþ. feala sinned an hlaf. & an lichoma on Criste; He is ure heafod. & ƿe sinned his lima; Ne biþ se hlaf of anum corn. ac of manegum; Ne ꝧ ƿin of anre berian. ac of manegum; Sƿa ƿe sceolon eac habban annysse on urum drihtne. sƿa sƿa hit aƿrisen is be þam geleaffullan ƿeorode. ꝧ high ƿaeron on sƿa micelre annysse. sƿilce him eallum ƿaere an saƿul. and an heorte; Crist gehal good on his beode ða gerynu ure rib. & ure annisse. se þe underfehþ ðaere annysse gerynu. and ne hilt ðene bend ðaere soþan sibbe. ne underfehþ he na gerynu for him sylfum. ac gecyonysse togeanes him sylfum; Micel god biƿ cristenum mannum. ꝧ high gelome to husle 'gan. give high unscaeþþignysse on heora heortan beraþ to ðam ƿeofode. give high ne beoþ mid leahtrum ofrette; þam yfelan men ne becymþ to nanum good. ac to forƿyrde. gifhe ðaes halgan husles unƿurþe onbyrigþ; Halige bec beodaþ ꝧ man ge maenege ƿaeten to ðam ƿine ðe to husle sceal. forþan þe ꝧ ƿaeter haefþ þaes folces getacnunge. sƿa sƿa ꝧ ƿin Crister bloods; & forði ne sceal naþor buton oþrum beon geoffrode aet ðaere halgan maessan. ꝧ Crist beo mid us. and ƿe mid Criste. ꝧ heafod mid ðam leomum. & þa leomu mid þam heafode; ƿe ƿoldon gefyrn trahtnian beiþā lamb þe see ealde Israhel aet heora easter tyde geoffrodon. ac ƿe ƿoldon aerest eoƿ genaeccan ymbe ðas gerynu. and syþþan hu hit man ðicgan sceal; ꝧ getacniendlice lamb ƿaes geoffrnod aet heora easter tide. & see apostol Paulus cƿaeþ on ðisum daegþerlicum pistol. ꝧ Crist is ure easter tide. se ðe for ur ƿaes geoffrod. & on ðisum daege of deaþe arras; Israhel ðigde ðaes lamber flaesc. sƿa sƿa God bebead. mid ðeorfum hlafum. & feldlicum lactucum. & ƿe sceolon ðicgan ꝧ halige husel Crites lichaman. & his blood buton beorman yfeln icy and manfulnysse; Sƿa sƿa se beorma aƿent þa gesceafta of heora gecind. sƿa aƿendaþ eac leahtras ðaes man's gecynde fran unscaeþþignysse to geƿemmednysse; See apostol taehte ꝧ ƿe sceoldon geƿistfullian na on yselnysse beorman. ac on ðeorfnyssum sifernysse. & soþfaestnysse; Lactuca hat seo ƿyrt ðe high etan sceoldan mid ðam þeorfum blafum. heo is biter on ðigene; And ƿe sceolon mid biiternysse soþre behreoƿrunge ure mod geclaensian. give ƿe ƿillaþ Cristes' lichaman ðicgan; Naes ꝧ Israhela folc geƿunod. to hreaƿum flaesce. ðeah ðe God him bebude. ꝧ high hit hreaƿ ne aeton. ne on ƿaetere gesoden, ac gebraed to fire; See ƿile ðicgan Gods lichaman hreaƿne. se ðe buton gesceade ƿenþ ꝧ he ƿaere anfeald man us gelice. & naere God; & see ðe after menniscum ƿisdome ƿyile smeagan ymbe ða gerynu Cristes flaesclicnysse. he deþ sƿylce he seoþe ðaes lambs flaesc on ƿaetere. for ðan ðe ƿaeter getacnaþ on ðissere stoƿe mennisc ingehid; Ac ƿe sceolon ƿitan ꝧ ealle ða gerynu Cristes menniscnysse ƿaeron gefadode ðurh mihte ðaes halgan gastes. donne ðicge ƿe his lichaman gebraedne to fire. forþan ðe se halga gast come on fires hiƿe to ðam apostolum on mistlicum gereordum; Israhel sceold etan þaer lambs heafod. & ða fet. and ꝧ inneƿearde. & ðaer nan ðing belifan ne most ofer niht; Give ðaer hƿaet belief. forbaernan ꝧ on fire. & ne tobraecan ða baan; AEfter gaslicum & gite ƿe etaþ ðaes lambs heafod. ðonne ƿe underfoþ Cristes' godcundnysse on urum geleakan; Eft ðonne ƿe his menniscnysse mid lufe underfoþ. þonne eat ƿe þaes lambs fet. forþan ðe Crist is angin & end. God aer ealle ƿorulda. and man on ðissere ƿorulde geendunge; Hƿaet is ðaes lambs inneƿearde buton Cristes' digelan bebodu. ða ƿe etaþ ðonne ƿe life's ƿord mid graedignysse underfoþ; Nan ðingne most ðaes lambs belifan oþ merigen. forþan ðe Gods cƿydas sinned to smeagenne mid sƿa micelre carfulnysse. sƿa ꝧ ealle his beboda mid & gite and ƿeorce beon asmeade on nihte þises andƿeardan lives. aerþan þe se endenexta daeg ðaes gemaenelican aeristes aeteoƿige; Gifƿe þonne ealle þa genynu Cristes slaesclicnysse þurh smeagan ne magon. ðonne sceole ƿe ðia lafe betaecan ðaes halgan gastes mihte mid soþre eadmodnysse. and nam to dyrstelice ymbe ða deopan digelnysse ofer ures and gytes maeþe smeagan; Hi aeton ꝧ lamb mid begysdum lendenum; On lendenum is seo galnysse ðaes lichoman. and see þe ƿyle ꝧ husel ðicgan he sceal geƿryiþan ða galnysse. & mid claennysse ða halgan þigene onfon; Hi ƿaeron eac gesceode; Hƿaet sinned gescy buton deadra nytena hyda; ƿe beoþ soþlice gesceode. give ƿe efenlaecaþ mid urum faerelde and ƿeorce forþfarenra manna lif. ðaena ðe Good geþugon ðurh gehealdsumnysse his beboda; Hi haefdon him staef on handa aet þaere þigene; See staef getacnaþ gymene. & hyrdnysse; þa ðe bet cunnon & magon. sceolon gyman oþra manna. & mid heora fultume underƿriþian; þam gemettum ƿaer beboden ꝧ high sceoldon caflice etan. forðam ðe God onscunaþ ða sleacnysse on his ðegnum. and ða he lufaþ ðe mid modes cafnesse ðaes ecan lives mirþe secaþe; Hit is aƿriten. Ne elca ðu to gecyrranne to Good. ðylaes þe se tima losie þurh ða sleacan elcunge; þa gemettan ne moston ðaes lambs ban scaenan. ne ða cempan ðe Crist ahengon ne moston tobraecan his halgan sceancan. sƿa sƿa high dydon. þaera tƿegra sceaþena ðe him on tƿa healfa hangodon. ac driht arras of deaþe gesund buton aelcere forrotodnysse; And high sceolon geseon aet ðam micclan doom hƿaene high geƿundodon ƿaelhreoƿlice on road; þeos tid is gehaten on ebreiscum geneorde Pasca. ꝧ is on leden Transitus. & on englis Faereld. forþan ðe on ðisum daege feared Gods folc fram egipta land ofer ða readan sae. fram ðeoƿte to ðam behaitenan earde; Vre driht feared eac on þisne timan. sƿa sƿa se Godspellere john's cƿaeþ. fram ðisum middan earde to his heofonlican faeder; ƿe sceolon fylian urum heafde. & faran fran deofle to criste. fran þissere unscaeþþigan ƿorulde to his staþelfaetan rice. ac ƿe sceolon aerest on urum and-ƿeardan life faran fran leahtrum to halgum maegnum. fram unþeaƿum to godum þeaƿum. give ƿe ƿillaþ after ðisum laenan life faran toþam ecan; & after urum aeriste to haelende Criste; He us geli●de to his lifigendan faed●r. ðe hine sealed for usum synnum to deaþe; Simo him ƿuldor and lof. ðaere ƿ●ldaeda. on ealr● ƿorulda ƿorulo. AMEN.   

MEn beloved, it hath been often said unto you about our saviours resurrection, how he on this present day after his suffering, mightily rose from death. Now will we open unto you through God's grace, of the holy housell, which ye should now go unto, and instruct your understanding about this mystery, both after the old covenant, and also after the new, that no doubting may trouble you about this lively food. The almighty God bad Moses his captain in the land of Egypt, to command the people of Israel to take for every family a lamb of one year old, the night they departed out of the country to the land of promise, & to offer that lamb to God, & after to kill it, & to make the sign of the cross, with the lambs blood upon the side posts, & the upper post of their door, & afterward to eat the lambs flesh roasted, & unleavened bread with wild lettisse. God saith unto Moses. Eat of the lamb nothing raw, nor sodden in water, but roasted with fire. Eat the head, the feet, and the inwards, & let nothing of it be left until the morning: if any thing thereof remain, that shall you burn with fire. Eat it in this wise. Gird your loins, & do your shoes on your feet, have you staves in your hands, & eat it in haste. This time is the lords passover. And there was slain on that night in every house through out pharao's reign, the first borne child: and God's people of Israel were delivered from that sudden death through the lambs offering, & his bloods marking. Then said God unto Moses. Keep this day in your remembrance, and hold it a great feast in your kindreds with a perpetual observation, and eat unleavened bread always seven days at this feast. After this deed God led the people of Israel over the red sea, with dry foot, 
Exod. 14.  and drowned therein Pharaoh, & all his army together with their possessions, & fed afterward the israelites forty years with heavenly food, & gave them water out of the hard rock, 
Exod. 17.  until they came to the promised land. Part of this story we have treated of in an other place, part we shall now declare, to wit, that which belongeth to the holy housell. Christian men may not now keep that old law bodily, but it behoveth them to know, what it ghostly signifieth. That innocent lamb which the old Israelites did then kill, had signification after ghostly understanding of Christ's suffering, who vngiltie shed his holy blood for our redemption. Hereof sing Gods servants at every mass. Agnus dei qui tollis peccata mundi miserere nobis. That is in our speech, Thou lamb of God that takest away the sins of the world have mercy upon us. Those Israelites were delivered from that sudden death, & from pharao's bondage by the lambs offering which signified Christ's suffering: 
Math. 27.  through which we be delivered from everlasting death, 
Marc. 15.  & from the devils cruel reign, 
Luke. 24.  if we rightly believe in the true redeemer of the whole world Christ the Saviour. That lamb was offered in the evening and our saviour suffered in the sixth age of this world, This age of this corruptible world is reckoned unto the evening They marked with the lambs blood upon the doors, and the upper posts 
* No such sign commanded by God in that place of scripture, but it was the blood that God did look upon. Exod 12.  Tau, that is the sign of the cross, and were so defended from the angel that killed the Egyptians first borne child. And we 
* Understand this as that of S. Paul. Ephe. 2. Christ reconciled both to God in one body through his cross.  ought to mark our foreheads, and our bodies with the taken of Christ's rood, that we may be also delivered from destruction, when we shall be marked both on forehead, and also in heart with the blood of our Lords suffering. Those Israelites eat the lambs flesh at their Easter time, when they were delivered, and we receive ghostly, Christ body, and drink his blood, when we receive with true belief that holy housell. That time they kept with them at Easter seven days with great worship, when they were delivered from Pharaoh, and went from that land. So also Christian men keep Christ's resurrection at the time of Easter these seven. days, because through his suffering and risiing we be delivered, and be made clean by going to this holy housell, as Christ saith in his gospel. Verily, verily, I say unto you, ye have no life in you except ye eat my flesh, & drink my blood. He that eateth my flesh & drinketh my blood, abideth in me, & I in him, and hath that everlasting life: & I shall raise him up in the last day. 
john. 6.  I am the lively bread, that came down from heaven, not so as your forefathers eat that heavenly bread in the wilderness, and afterward died. He that eateth this bread, he liveth for ever. He blessed bread before his suffering, and divided it to his disciples, thus saying. Eat this bread, 
Math. 26.  it is my body, & do this in my remembrance. 
Luke. 22.  Also he blessed wine in one cup, 
Mark. 14  and said. Drink ye all of this. This is my blood that is shed for many, in forgiveness of sins. The Apostles did as Christ commanded, that is, they blessed bread & wine to housell again afterward in his remembrance. 
1. Cor. 11.  Even so also since their departure all priests by Christ's commandment do bless bread & wine to housell in his name with the Apostolic blessing. Now men have often 
* This was now in question, and so before Beringarius tyme.  searched & do yet often search, how bread that is gathered of corn, and through fierce heat baked, may be turned to Christ's body, or how wine that is pressed out of many grapes is turned through one blessing to the lords blood. Now say we to such men, that some things be spoken of Christ by 
* A necessary distinction.  signification, some thing by thing certain. True thing is and certain that Christ was borne of a maid, & suffered death of his own accord, & was buried, & on this day rose from death. He is said bread by signification, & a lamb, & a lion, & a mountain. He is called bread, because he is our life & angels life. He is said to be a lamb for his innocency. A lion for strength wherewith he over came the strong devil. But Christ is not so notwithstanding after true nature neither bread, nor a lamb, nor a lion. Why is then that holy housel, called Christ's body, or his blood if it be not truly that it is called. Truly the bread and the wine which by the mass of the priest is balowed, show one thing without to human understanding & an other thing they call within to believing minds. Without they be seen bread & wine both in figure & in taste: and they be truly after their hallowing, Christ's body & his blood through ghostly mystery. An heathen child is christened, yet he altereth not his shape without though he be changed within. He is brought to the fontstone sinful through Adam's disobedience. Howbeit he is washed from all sin within, though he hath not changed his shape without. 
* The water in baptism, and bread and wine in the Lord's supper, compared.  Even so the holy font water that is called the wellspring of life is like in shape to other waters, and is subject to corruption, but the holy ghosts might cometh to the corruptible water, through the priests blessing, and it may after wash the body & soul from all sin, through ghostly might. Behold now we see two things in this one creature. After true nature that water is corruptible moisture, & after ghostly mystery, hath hollowing might. So also if we behold that holy housell after bodily understanding, then see we that it is a creature corruptible and mutable: if we acknowledge therein ghostly might, than understand we that life is therein, and that it giveth immortality to them that eat it with belief. Much is betwixt the invisible might of the holy housell, and the visible shape of his proper nature, It is 
* No transubstantiation.  neturally corruptible bread, & corruptible wine: and is by might of Gods word truly Christ's body, and his blood: not so notwithstanding bodily, but ghostly. Much is betwixt the 
* Differences betwixt Christ's natural body, and the Sacrament thereof.  body Christ suffered in, and the body that is hallowed to housell. The body truly that Christ suffered in was borne of the 
* 1. Difference.  flesh of Marie, with blood, 
* Not the body that suffered is in the housell.  and with bone, with skin, and with sinews, in human limbs, with a reasonable soul living: and his ghostly body, which we call the housell, is gathered of many corns: without blood, and bone, without limb, without soul: and therefore nothing is to be understand therein bodily, but all is ghostly to be understand. What soever is in that housell, which giveth substance of life, that is of the ghostly might, and invisible doing. Therefore is that holy housel called a mystery, because there is one thing in it seen, & an other thing understanded. That which is there 
* 2. Difference.  seen, hath bodily shape: and that we do there understand, hath ghostly might. Certainly Christ's body which suffered death and rose from death, never 
* 3. Difference.  dieth henceforth: but is eternal, & vnpassible. That housell is temporal, not eternal. 
* 4. Difference.  Corruptible, and dealt into sundry parts. Chewed between teeth, and sent into the belly: 
Math. 15.  howbeit nevertheless after ghostly might, it is all in every part. Many receive that holy body: and yet notwithstanding, it is so all in every part after ghostly mystery. Though some chew less deal, yet is there no more might notwithstanding in the more part, then in the less: because it is all in all men after the invisible might. This mystery is a 
* 5. Difference.  pledge and a figure: Christ's body is truth itself, This pledge we do keep mystically, until that we be come to the truth itself: and then is this pledge ended. truly it is so as we before have said Christ's body, and his blood: not bodily, but ghostly. And ye should not search how it is done, but hold it in your belief that it is so done. We read in an other book called vita patrum, that two Monks desired of God some demonstration toucbing the holy housell, 
These tales seem to be enfarced placed here upon no occasion.  and after as they stood to hear mass, they saw a child lying on the altar, where the priest said mass, and God's Angel stood with a sword, and abode looking until the priest broke the housell. Then the angel divided that child upon the dish, and shed his blood into the chalice. But when they did go to the housell, them was it turned to bread & wine, & they did eat it giving god thanks for that showing. Also S. Gregory desired of Christ, that he would show to a certain woman doubting about his mystery some great affirmation. She went to housell with doubting mind, and Gregory forthwith obtained of God, that to them both was showed that part of the housell which the woman should receive, as if there lay in a dish a joint of a finger all be bloded: and so the woman's doubting was then forthwith healed. But now hear the apostles words about this mystery. Paul the apostle speaketh of the old Israelites thus writing in his epistle to faithful men. 
1. Cor. 10.  All our forefathers were baptized in the cloud, and in the sea: and all they ate the same ghostly meat, and drank the same ghostly drink. They drank truly of the stone that followed them, and that stone was Christ. Neither was that 
* Note this exposition which is now a days thought new.  stone then from which the water ran bodily Christ, but it signified Christ, that calleth thus to all believing & faithful men: whosoever thirsteth let him come to me, 
john. 4.  & drink. And from his bowels floweth lively water. This he said of the holy ghost, whom he receiveth which believeth on him. 
1. Cor. 10.  The apostle Paul saith that the Israelites did eat the same ghostly meat, 
Exod. 17.  and drink the same ghostly drink: because that heavenly meat that fed them xl. years, and that water which from the stone did flow, had signification of Christ's body, and his blood, that now be offered daily in Gods church, It was the same which we now offer: not bodily, but ghostly. We said unto you ere while, 
Math. 26.  that Christ hallowed bread and wine to housell before his suffering, 
Luke. 22.  and said: 
Mark. 14  this is my body, & my blood. Yet he had not then suffered but so notwithstanding he 
* Now we eat that body which was eaten before he was borne by the faithful.  turned through invisible might that bread to his own body, & that wine to his blood, as he before did in the wilderness before that he was borne to men, when he 
* See a transubstantiation.  turned that heavenly meat to his flesh, and the flowing water from that stone to his own blood. Very many ate of that 
* Manna.  heavenly meat in the wilderness, and drank that ghostly drink and were nevertheless dead, 
john. 6.  as Christ said. And christ meant not that death which none can escape: but that everlasting death, which some of that folk deserved for their unbelief. Moses and Aaron, and many other of that people which pleased God eat that heavenly bread, and they died not that everlasting death, though they died the common death. They saw that the heavenly meat was visible, and corruptible, and they ghostly understood by that visible thing, and ghostly received it. The Saviour sayeth: 
john. 6.  He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath everlasting life. And he bade them not eat that body which he was going about with, nor that blood to drink which he shed for us: 
* What body do the faithful now eat.  but he meant with those words that holy housell, which ghostly is his body, & his blood, & he that tasteth it with believing heart, hath that eternal life. In the old law faithful men offered to god divers sacrifices, that had 
* A signification before Christ  fore signification of Christ's body, which for our sins he himself to his heavenly father hath since 
* A sacrifice in Christ's tyme.  offered to sacrifice. certainly this housell which we do now hallow at gods altar is a 
* A remembrance after Christ.  remembrance of Christ's body which he offered for us, and of his blood which he shed for us: 
Math. 26.  So he himself commanded, do this in my remembrance. 
Ebreu. 10.  Once suffered Christ by himself, but yet nevertheless his suffering is daily renewed at the mass through mystery of the holy housell. Therefore that holy mass is profitable both to the living, and to the 
* This doctrine with praying to images & to the dead bodies of men at their tombs took his beginning of the avarice of monks unto whom it was gain full.  dead: as it hath been often declared. We ought also to consider diligently how that this holy housell is both Christ's body, and the body of all 
* The housell is also the body of all faithful men.  faithful men, after ghostly mystery. As the wise Augustine saith of it. If ye will understand of Christ's body hear the apostle Paul thus speaking. Ye truly be Christ's body and his members. Now is your mystery set on Gods table, and ye receive your mystery, which mystery ye yourselves be. Be that which ye see on the altar, & receive that which ye yourselves be. Again the apostle Paul saith by it: We many be one bread, and one body. Understand now and rejoice, many be one bread, and one body in Christ. He is our head, and we be his limbs. And the bread is not of one corn, but of many. Nor the wine of one grape, but of many. So also we all should have one unity in our Lord, as it is written of the faithful army, how that they were in so great an unity, as though all of them were one soul, and one heart. Christ hallowed on his table the mystery of our peace, and of our unity: he which receiveth that mystery of unity, and keepeth not the bond of true peace, he receiveth no mystery for himself, but a witness against himself. It is very good for Christian men, that they go often to housell, if they bring with them to the altar vngyltynes and innocency of heart. To an evil man it turneth to no good, but to destruction, if he receive unworthily that holy housell. Holy 
* No scripture enforceth the mixture of water with the wine.  books command that water be mingled to that wine which shallbe for housell: because the water signifieth the people, and the 
* The wine signifieth Christ's blood.  wine Christ's blood. And therefore shall neither the one without the other be offered at the holy mass: that Christ may be with us, & we with Christ: the head with the limbs, and the limbs with the head. We would before have entreated of the lamb which the old Israelites offered at their Easter time, but that we desired first to declare unto you of this mystery, and after how we should receive it. That signifying lamb was offered at the Easter. And the apostle Paul sayeth in the epistle of this present day, that Christ is our Easter, who was offered for us, and on this day rose from death. The Israelites did eat the lambs flesh as God commanded with unleavened bread; and wild lettisse: 
* How we should come to the holy communion.  so we should receive that holy housell of Christ's body and blood without the leaven of sin, and iniquity. As leaven turneth the creatures from their nature: so doth sin also change the nature of man from innocency to fowls spots of guiltiness. The apostle hath taught how we should feast not in the leaven of euelnesse but in the sweet dough of purity and truth. The her be which they should eat with the unleavened bread is called Lettisse, and is bitter in taste. So we should with bitterness of unfeigned weeping purify our mind, if we will eat Christ's body. Those Israelites were not wont to eat raw flesh although god forbade them to eat it raw, and sodden in water, but roasted with fire. He shall receive the body of God raw that shall think without reason that Christ was only man like unto us and was not God. And ●e that will after man's wisdom search of the mystery of Christ's incarnation, doth like unto him that doth seethe lambs flesh in water: because that water in this same place signifieth man's understanding: but we should understand that all the mystery of Christ's humanity was ordered by the power of the holy ghost. And then eat we his body roasted with fire: because the holy ghost came in fiery likeness to the apostles in diverse tongues. The Israelites should eat the lambs head, & the feet, and the appurtenance: and nothing thereof must be left over night, If any thing thereof were left, they did burn that in the fire: and they broke not the bones. After ghostly understanding we do then eat the lambs head, when we take hold of Christ's divinity in our belief. Again when we take hold of his humanity, with love then eat we the lambs feet: because that Christ is the beginning and end, god before all world and man in the end of this world. What be the lambs appurtenance, but Christ's secret precepts, and these we eat, when we receive with greediness the word of life. There must nothing of the lamb be left unto the morning, because that all gods sayings are to be searched with great carefulness: so that all his precepts may be known in understanding & deed in the night of this present life, before that the last day of the universal resurrection do appear. If we can not search out thoroughly all the mystery of Christ's incarnation, then ought we to betake the rest unto the might of the holy ghost with true humility: & not to search rashly of that deep secretness above the measure of our understanding. They did eat the lambs flesh with their loins girt. In the loins is the lust of the body. And he which will receive that housell, shall restrain that concupiscence: and take with chastity that holy receipt. They were also shod. What be shoes but of the hides of dead beasts. We be truly shod if we follow in our steps & deeds the life of those pilgrims, which please god with keeping of his commandments. They had staves in their hands when they ate. This n1 signifieth a carefulness and a diligent overseeing. And all they, that best know and can, should take care of other men, and stay them up with their help. It was enjoined to the eaters that they should eat the lamb in haste. For god abhorreth slothfulness in his servants. And those he loveth that seek the joy of everlasting life with quickness, & hast of mind. It is written: Prolong not to turn unto god, lest the time pass away through thy slow tarrying. The eaters mought not break the lambs bones. no more mought the soldiers, that did hang Christ break his holy legs, as they did of the two thieves that hanged on either side of him. And the Lord rose from death sound without all corruption: & at the last judgement they shall see him, whom they did most cruelly hang on the cross. This time is called in the Ebrue tongue Pasca, and in latin Transitus, & in English a Passover: because that on this day the people of Israel passed from the land of Egypt over the read sea: from bondage to the land of promise. So also did our Lord at this time depart as sayeth john the evangelist from this world to his heavenvly father. Even so we ought to follow our head, and to go from the devil to christ: from this unstable world to his stable kingdom. Howbeit we should first in this present life departed from vice to holy virtue: from evil manners to good manners, if we will after this lente life go to that eternal life, & after our resurrection to Christ. He bring us to his everliving father, who gave him to death for our sins. To him be honour, & praise of well doing, world without end. Amen.  
¶ This sermon is found in diverse books of sermons written in the old English or Saxon tongue: whereof two books be now in the hands of the most reverend father the Archbishop of Caunterburye.    

Here followeth the words of Aelfrike abbot of S. Alban's, & also of Malmesberye, taken out of his epistle written to Wulfsine bishop of Scyrburne.  
It is found in a book of the old Saxon tongue, wherein be xliij. chapters, of Canons and ecclesiastical constitutions, and also Liber poenitentialis, that is a penitential book or shrift book, divided into iiij. other books, the epistle is set for the 30. chapter of the fourth book entitled be preost sinoþe, that is, a Synod concerning priests: and this epistle is also in a canonn book of the church of Exeter.  

SVme preostas healdaþ þaet husel ðe biþ on easter daeg gehalgod ofer gear to sceocum mannum. ac high misdoþ sƿyþe deope. ꝧ ðaet halige husel sceole fynegian. & nellaþ understandan hu mycele daedbote seo poenitentialis taecþ be ðam. give ðaet husel biþ fynig. oþþe haeƿen. oþþe give hit forloren biþ. oþþe give mus. oþþe nytenu ðurh gymeleaste hit etaþ; Man sceal healden þaet halige husel mid mycelre gymene & ne forhealdan hit. ac halgian oþer edniƿe to sceocum mannum. a embe seven. niht. oð ðe embe xiiii. niht ꝧ hit huru fynig ne sy. forþon ðe eal sƿa halig biþ ꝧ husel. þe nu to daeg ƿaes gehalgod sƿa ꝧ ðe on easter daeg ƿaes gehalgod; Ðaet husel is Crister lichama na lichamh ce ac gastlice; Na se lichama ðe he on ðroƿode. ac se lichama ðe he embe spraec. ða ða he bletsode hlaf and ƿin to husle anre nihte aer his ðroƿunge. and cƿaeþ be ðam gebletsode hlafe. ðis is min lichama. and eft be ðam halgan ƿine. ðis is min blood þe biþ for manegum agoten on synna forgyfennesse; Vnderstandaþ nu ꝧ se drihten ðe mihte aƿendon ðone hlaf aer his ðroƿunge to his lichaman. and ꝧ ƿin to his blood gastlice. ðaet se ylca daeghƿamlice bletsaþ ðurh sacerda handa hlaf & ƿin to his gastlican lichaman. and to his gastlican blood.  
Here thou seest good reader how Aelfrike upon finding fault with an abuse of his time which was that priests on Easter day filled their housell box, and so kept the bread a whole year for sickmen, took an occasion to speak against the bodily presence of Christ in the sacrament. So also in an other epistle sent to Wulfstane Archbishop of York, he reprehending again this overlong reserving of the housell addeth also words more at large against the same bodily presence. His words be these.  
SVme preostas gefyllaþ heora husel box on eaftron. and healdaþ ofer tƿelf monaþ to untrumum mannum. sƿylce ðaet husel sy haligre ðonne oþer. Ac high doþ unƿislice. for þam ðe hit ƿannaþ. oþþe mid ealle forrotaþ on sƿa langum first. and he biþ ðonne scyldig sƿa sƿa us saegþ seo boc; See ðe husel forhylt. oþþe hit forlyst. oþþe miss eton. oþþe oþre nytenu. sceaƿa ða poenitentialem. hƿaet he saegþ be þisum; Eall sƿa halig is ðaet husel ðe biþ gehalgod to daeg. sƿa ðaet ðe biþ gehalgod on ðam halgan easter daege; Healdaþ forþig ic bid ðone halgan Crister lichaman mid maran ƿisdome to scocum mannum fram sunnan daege to sunnan daege on sƿiþe claenum box. oþþe be þam maestan feoƿertyne niht. and ðicgaþ hit ðonne. & lecgaþ ðaer oþer; ƿe habbaþ bysene be þam on Moses' bocum. sƿa sƿa God sylf bebead on Moses ae. ðaet se sacerd sceolde on aelcum saeternes daege settan tƿelf hlafas on þam tabernaculo ealle niƿe bacene. ða ƿaeron gehatene panes propositionis. and hig sceoldon ðaer standan on ðam Gods getaelde oþ oþerne saeternes daeg▪ & etan high ðonne ða sacerdas sylfe. & settan ðaer oþre; Sume preostar nellaþ ðicgan þaet husel þe high halgiaþ; Nu ƿille ƿe eoƿ secgan. hu seo boc segþ be ðam; Presbyten missam celebrans. et non audens sumere sacrificium accusante conscientia sua anathema eft; See maesse preost ðe maessaþ. and ne dear ðaet husel ðicgan. ƿat hine scyldigne. se is amansumod; Laesse pleoh is to ðicgenne ðaet husel. ðonne to halgienne; Se ðe tuƿa halgaþ one ofletan to husle. se biþ þam gedƿolan gelice. ðe an cild fullaþ tuƿa; Crist syif gehalgode husel aer his ðroƿunge. he bletsode þone hlaf. & tobraec ðus cƿeþende to his halgum apostolum. etaþ ðisne hlaf. hit is min lichama. & he eft bletsode aenne calic mid ƿine. and cƿaeþ heom ðus to. drincaþ ealle of ðisum. hit is min again blood ðaere niƿan gecyþnysse. ðe biþfor manegum agoten on synna forgyfenysse; Se drihten þe halgode husel aer his ðroƿunge. and eƿaeþ ꝧ se hlaf ƿaere his again lichama. & ðaet ƿin ƿaere ƿitodlice his blood. se halgaþ daeghƿamlice ðurh his sacerda handa hlaf to his lichaman. & ƿin to his blood on gastlicere geryne. sƿa sƿa ƿe raedaþ on bocum. Nebiþ se liflica hlaf lichamlice sƿa þeah se ylca lichama. ðe Crist on ðroƿode; Ne þaet halige ƿin nis þaes haelendes blood þe for us agoten ƿaes on lichamlican ðinge. ac on gastlicum andgyte; AEgþer biþ soþlice se hlaf his lichama. & ꝧ ƿin eac his blood sƿa sƿa se heofonlica hlaf ƿaes. ðe ƿe hataþ manna. ðe feoƿertig geara afedde Gods folce. & ðaet hlutre ƿaeter ƿaes ƿitodlice his blood. ðe are of ðam stane on ðam sestene ða; Sƿa sƿa Paulus aƿrat on ƿumon his pistol Omnes patres nostri eandem escam spiritualem manducaverunt: et omnes eundem potes spiritualem biberunt. etc. Ealle ure faederas aeton on þam ƿestene þone ylcan gastlican mete. & þone gastlican drenc druncon; Hi druncon of þam gastlicum stane. & see stan ƿaes Crist; See apostol saede sƿa sƿa genu gehyrdon ðaet hi ealle aeton ðone ylcan gastlican mete. & high ealle druncon ðone gastlican drenc; Ne cƿaeþ he na lichamlice. ac gastlice; Naes Crist ða gyt geboren. ne his blood naes agoten. þa þaet Israhela folc geaet ðone mete. & of ðam stane dranc. & see stan naes lichamlice Crist þeah he sƿa cƿaede; Hit ƿaeron þa ylcan gerynu on þaere ealdan ae. & high gastlice getacnodon ðaet gastlice husel ures haelendes lichaman. ðe ƿe halgiaþ nu.   

SOme priests keep the housell that is hallowed on Easter day all the year for sick men. But they do greatly amiss, because it waxeth hoary. And these will not understand how grievous penance the penitential book teacheth by this, if the housell become hoary and rotten: or if it be lost: or be eaten of mice or of beasts by negligence. Men shall reserve more carefully that holy housell, and not reserve it to long, but hallow other of new for syckemen always within a week or a fortnight that it be not somuch as hoary. For so holy is the housell which to day is hallowed as that which on Easter day was hallowed. That housell is Christ's body not bodily, but ghostly. Not the body which he suffered in, but the body of which he spoke, when he blessed bread and wine to housel a night before his suffering, & said by the blessed bread this is my body, & again by the holy wine this is my blood, which is shed for many in forgiveness of sins. understand now that the lord, who could turn that bread before his suffering to his body, and that wine to his blood ghostly: that the self same lord blesseth daily through the priests hands bread and wine to his ghostly body, and to his ghostly blood.  
Here thou seest good reader how Aelfrike upon finding fault with an abuse of his time which was that priests on Easter day filled their housell box, and so kept the bread a whole year for sickmen, took an occasion to speak against the bodily presence of Christ in the s; acrament. So also in an other epistle sent to Wulfstane Archbishop of York, he reprehending again this overlong reserving of the housell addeth also words more at large against the same bodily presence. His words be these.  
SOme priests fill their box for housel on Easter day, & so reserve it a whole year for sick men, as though that housel were more holy than any other. But they do unadvisedly, because it waxeth black: or all together rotlen by keeping it so long space. And thus is he become guilty as the book witnesseth to us. If any do keep the housell to long, or lose it, or mice or other beasts do eat it, see what the paenitential book sayeth by this. So holy is altogether that housell, which is hallowed to day, as that which is hallowed on Easter day. Wherefore I beseech you to keep that holy body of Christ with more advisement for sick men from sunday to sunday in a very clean box: or at the most not to keep it above a fortnight, and then eat it laying other in the place. We have an example hereof in Moses' books, as god himself hath commanded in Moses' law. How the priests should set on every saturnday twelve loaves all new baked upon the tabernacle: the which were called panes prepositionis: and those should stand there on god's tabernacle, till the next saturnday, & the did the pristes themselves eat them, & set other in the place. Sun priests will not eat the housell, which they do hollow. But we will now declare unto you how the book speaketh by them. Presbyter missam celebrans, et non audens sumere sacrificium, accusante conscientia sua, anathema est. The priest that doth say mass and dare not eat them housell, his conscience accusing him, is accursed. It is less danger to receive the housell, than to hallow it. He that doth twice hallow one host to housell, is like unto those heretics, who do christian twice one child. Christ himself blessed housel before his suffering: he blessed the bread and broke thus speaking to hisa postels. Eat this bread it is my body. And again he blessed one chalice with wine and thus also speaketh unto them. Drink ye all of this it is mine own blood of the new testament which is shed for many in forgiveness of sins. The lord which hallowed housel before his suffering & sayeth that the bread was his own body & that the wine was truly his blood, he halloweth daily by the hands of the priest bread to his body, & wine to his blood in ghostly mystery, as we read in books. And yet that lively bread is not bodily so notwithstanding: not the self same body that Christ suffered in. Nor that holy wine is the saviours blood which was shed for us in bodily thing: but in ghostly understanding. Both be truly that bread his body, and that wine also his blood, as was the heavenly bread, which we call Manna, that fed forty years gods people. And the clear water which did then run from the stone in the wilderness, was truly his blood, as Paul wrote one sum of his epistles. Omnes patres nostri eandem escam spiritualem manducaverunt, et omnes eundem potum spiritualem biberunt, etc. All our fathers ate in the wilderness the same ghostly meat, and drank the same ghostly drink. They drank of that ghostly stone, and that stone was christ. The apostle hath said as you now have heard, that they all did eat the same ghostly meat, and they all did drink the same ghostly drink. And he saith not bodily but ghostly. And Christ was not yet borne, nor his blood shed, when that the people of Israel ate that meat, and drank of that stone. And the stone was not bodily Christ though he so said. It was the same mystery in the old law, and they did ghostly signify that ghostly housell of our saviours body which we consecrate now.   

This Epistle to Wulfstane Elfrike wrote first in the Latin tongue, as in a short Latin Epistle set before this, and one other of his Saxon Epistles he confesseth thus. Aelfricus abbas Wulfstano venerabili archiepiscopo salutem in Christo. Ecce paruimus vestrae almitatis iussionibus transferentes Anglice duas epistolas quas Latino eloquio descriptas ante annum vobis destinavimus, non tamen semper ordinem sequentes, nec verbum ex verbo: sed sensum ex sensu proferentes. Behold we have obeyed the commandment of thy excellency in translating into English the two Epistles which we sent unto thee written in Latin more then a year ago. Howbeit we keep not here always the same order: nor yet translate word for word, but sense for sense: Now because very few there be that do understand the old English or Saxon (so much is our speech changed from the use of that time, wherein Elfrike lived) and for that also it may be that some will doubt how skilfully, and also faithfully these words of Elfrike be translated from the Saxon tongue: we have thought good to set down here last of all the very words also of his latin epistle, which is recorded in books fair written of old in the Cathedral Churches of Worcester and Excester (* ⁎ *)  
QVidam vero presbyteri implent alabastrum suum de sacrificio, quod in Pasca Domini santificant: & conseruant per totum annum ad infirmos, quasi sanctior sit caeteris sacrificijs, Sed nimium insipienter faciunt. Quia nigrescit, & putrescit tandiu conseruatum. Et liber poenitentialis pro tali negligentia poenitentiam magnam docet: aut si a muribus commestum sit: aut ab avibus raptum. Tam sanctum est sacrificum, quod hody sanctificatur quam illud quod in die Pascae consecratum est. Et ideo debetis a dominica in dominicam, autper duos, vel maxim tres heddomadas tenere sacrificium in alabastro mundo ad infirmos: ne nigrescat, aut putrescat, si diutius servetur. Name in lege Moisi pone bant sacerdoted semper omni sabbato panes propositionis calidos in tabernaculo coram Domino: & in sequenti sabbato sumebant illos soli sacerdotes, & edebant: & alios novos pro eye ponebant. Facite & vos sacerdotes similiter. Custodite cauté sacrificium Christi ad infirmos, & edite illud, ne diutius teneatur, quam oportet. Et reponite aliud noviter sanctificatum propter necessitatem infirmorum, ne sine uiatico exeant de hoc seculo. Christus jesus in die suae sanctae caenae accepit panem: benedixit, ac fregit: de dit discipulis suis dicens. Accipite, & commedite. Hoc est enim corpus meum. Similiter & calicem accipiens gratias egit, & dedit illis dicens. Bibite ex hoc omnes. Hic est sanguis meus novi testamenti, qui pro multis effundetur in remissionem peccatorum. Intelligite modo sacerdotes, quod ille dominus qui ante passionem suam potuit convertere illum panem, & illud vinum ad suum corpus & sanguinem: quod ipse quotidie sanctificat per manus sacerdotum suorum panem ad suum corpus spiritualiter, 
The words enclosed between the ij. half circles, some had razed out of Worceter book, but they are restored again out of a book of Exeter church.  & vinum ad suum sanguinem (Non sit tamen hoc sacrificium corpus eius in quo passus est pro nobis: neque sanguis eius, quem pro nobis effudit: sed spiritualiter corpus eius efficiter & sanguis: sicut manna quod de caelo pluit, & aqua quae de petra fluxit. Sicut) Paulus Apostolus ait: Nolo enim vos ignorare fratres, quoniam patres nostri omnes sub nube fuerunt: & omnes mare transieruut: & omnes in Moysi baptizati sunt in nube & in mari. Et omnes eandem escam spiritualem man ducaverunt: & omnes eunden potum spiritualem biberunt. Bibebant autem de spirituali consequenti eos petra. Petra autem erat Christus. unde dicit Psalmista. Panem coeli dedit eyes. Panem angelorum manducavit homo. Nos quoque proculdubio manducamus panem angelorum: & bibimus de illa petra, quae Christum significabat: quotiens fideliter accedimus ad sacrificium corporis & sanguinis Christi. (* ⁎ *)    

AS the writings of the fathers even of the first age of the Church be not thought on all parts so perfect, that whatsoever thing hath been of them spoken aught to be received without all exception (which honour truly themselves both knew and also have confessed to be only due to the most holy and tried word of God:) So in this Sermon here published some things be spoken not consonant to sound doctrine: but rather to such corruption of great ignorance & superstition, as hath taken root in the church of long time, being overmuch cumbered with monkery. As where it speaketh of the mass to be profitable to the quick and dead: of the mixture of water with wine: and whereas here is also made report of two. vain miracles, which notwithstanding seem to have been infarced for that they stand in their place unaptly, and without purpose, and the matter without them, both before & after, doth hang in itself together most orderly: with some other suspicious words sounding to superstition. But all these things that be thus of some reprehension be as it were but by the way touched: the full and whole discourse of all the former part of the Sermon, & almost of the whole Sermon is about the understanding of the Sacramental bread & wine how it is the body and blood of Christ our Saviour, by which is revealed & made known, what hath been the common taught doctrine of the church of England on this behalf many hundredth years ago, contrary unto the unadvised writing of some now a days. Now that this foresaid Saxon Homely with the other testimonies before alleged, do fully agree to the old ancient books (whereof some be written in the old Saxon, and some in the Lattyne) from whence they are taken: these here under written upon diligent perusing, & comparing the same have found by conference, that they are truly put forth in Print without any adding, or withdrawing any thing for the more faithful reporting of the same, and therefore for the better credit hereof have subscribed their names.  


Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury.  
Thomas Archbishop of York.  
Edmund Bishop of London.  
james Bishop of Durham.  
Robert Bishop of Winchester.  
William Bishop of Chichester.  
john Bishop of Hereford.  
Richard bishop of Elye.  
Edwine Bishop of Worceter.  
Nicholas Bishop of Lincoln.  
Richard Bishop of S. davis.  
Thomas Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.  
john Bishop of Norwiche.  
john Bishop of Carlyll.  
Nicholas Bishop of Bangor.   With divers other personages of honour and credit subscribing their names, the record whereof remains in the hands of the most reverend father Matthew Archbishop of Canterbury.   

THE lords prayer, the Creed and the x. Commandments in the Saxon and English tongue.  

THat it is no new thing to teach the people of God the lords prayer, and the articles of their belief in the English tongue whereby they mought the better serve their God, and hold fast their profession of Christianity: may well be proved by many godly decrees of bishops, and laws of kings made from time to time in the reign of the Saxons, before the Conquest. In a council holden by Cuthbert Archbishop of Canterbury, in the year of our Lord. 747. and in the 33. year of Aethelbalde king of Mercia (who was present at this same Council with his princes & dukes) it was decreed, 
William of Malmes. 1. lib. de pontificibus.  ut ipsi presbyteri dominicam orationem et simbolum anglice discant et doceant: That the priests do both learn themselves and also teach to others the lords prayer and the Creed in English. In old Cannon books of churches, & in the epistles of Aelfricke we read it thus enjoined to priests. Se maesse preost sceal secgan on sunnan dagun and maesse dagum ðaes godspelles andgyt on englisc ðam folce. and be ðam Pater noster & be ðam Credan eac. sƿa he oftost maege þam mannum to onbryrdnysse. ꝧ high cunnon geleafan. & heora cristendome gehalden; The priest shall say unto the people on sundays, and holidays the sense of the Gospel in English: and so also touching the lords prayer and the Creed, so oft as he may to men's contrition, that they may know their belief, and keep sure their Christianity. Cnut a king of England worthy of memory, amongst many other good laws he made in the time of his princely government hath also this law. And ealle cristene men ƿe laeraþ sƿiþe georne. þaet hig inƿeardne heortan aefre God lufian. and rihtne cristendon geornlic healdan. and god cundan lareoƿan geornlice hyran. & Gods lara & laga smeagan oft & gelome him sylfum to þearke; And ƿe laeraþ ꝧ aelc christian man geleornige ꝧ he huru cunne rihtne geleafan. and ariht understandan. and Pater noster & Credan geleornian. for ðam mid oþrum sceal aelc christian man hine to Good gebiddan. & mid þam oþrum gesƿutelan rihtne geleafan: We admonish diligently all Christian men, that they do always love God with an inward heart, and be diligently obedient to divine teachers and do subtly search God's learning and laws often and daily to the profit of themselves. And we warn that all Christian men do learn to know at the least wise the right belief, and aright to understand: and learn the Pater noster, and the Creed. For that with the one every Christian man shall pray unto God, and with the other show forth right belief. Thus is it reserved in memory, & put in writing, as touching the diligent care that the former age of the church of God bad to have the people of God well instructed in that prayer, whereof Christ himself is the author, and in the articles of their belief. Which prayer of the Lord, and Creed with the ten lawlyke words, that God himself taught Moses, and wrote with his finger in two tables of stone on the Mount Sinai for all men's chastisement, as well for that old people that was in times passed, as also for us that be now: be here set out as they are yet seen in old books of the Saxon tongue. But for the better understanding of any word that may seem hard unto the reader, we have thought good to place over the Saxon the familiar words of our own speech. (⸪)   

Math. 6.  
Verily when ye pray 
Soþlice ðonne ge gebiddan  nill ye speak much 
nellon ge spraecan faela  as the heathen. They think 
sƿa sƿa haeþene; Hig ƿenaþ  that they be hard in 
ðaet hig sin gehyrede on  their manifold speaking. 
heorna maenigfealdan spraece  Nill ye therefore them 
Nellon ge eornoslice him  do like unto. Verily your 
geefenlaecan: Soþlice eoaer  father wot what your need 
faeden ƿat hƿaet eoƿ ðearf  is, before that ye to him pray▪ 
is▪ aer þam ðe ge hine biddaþ;  Wherefore pray ye 
Eornostlice gebiddaþ eoƿ  thus. 
ðus;   

The lords prayer in English. 
 Pater noster on englisc.  THou our father 
Ðu ure faeder  which art in heaven, 
ðe eart on heofenum.  be thy name hallowed. 
si þin nama gehalgod.  Come thy kingdom. Be thy 
Cume þin rice; Si ðin  will in earth, as in 
ƿilla on eorþan. sƿa sƿa on  heaven. give us to day 
heofonum; Syle us to daeg  our daily bread. And 
urn daeghƿālican hlaf; And  forgive us our trespasses, 
forgif us ure gyltas.  as we forgive them that 
sƿa sƿa ƿe forgifaþ ðam ðe  against us trespass. And ne 
ƿiþ us agyltaþ; And ne  led thou not us into temptation. 
laed ðu na us on costnunge;  But deliver us from evil. 
Ac allies us fram yfele;  Be it so. 
Si hit sƿa.    

The belief in English. 
 Credo in deum on Englisc.  
I Believe in God 
Ic gelyfe on God  the father almighty, maker 
faeder aelmihtigne. scyppend  of heaven & earth. And 
heofenan & eorþan; &  I believe in the saviour Christ 
ic gelyfe on haelend Crist  his only begotten son our 
his ancennedan sunu urn  Lord, who was conceived of 
drihten. se ƿaes geeacnod of  the holy ghost, & borne 
ðam halgan gast. & acenned  of mary the virgin, suffered 
of Marian ðam maedene. geþroƿod  under Pontius 
under þam Pontiscan  Pilate, on the cross hanged, he 
Pilate. on road ahangen. he  was dead, & buried, & he 
ƿaes dead. & bebyrged. & he  down descended to hell. And he 
nigh ƿer astah to hell; & he  arose from death on the third 
arras of deaþe on þam þriddan  day. And he went up to 
daege; And he astah up to  heaven, and sitteth now at 
heofonum. and sit nu aet  the right-hand of God almighttie 
sƿiðran Gods aelmihtiges  the father. From thence he 
faeder; Ðanon he  will come to judge 
ƿile cuman to demenne  both the quick, & the 
aegþer ge ðam cucum. ge þam  dead. And I believe on the 
deadun; & ic gelyfe on þone  holy ghost. And the holy 
halgan gast; And ða halgan  congregation. And of the saints the 
gelaþunge; & halgena  society. And sins forgiveness. 
gemaennysse; & synna forgifenysse;  And of the flesh the rising. 
& flaesces aerist;  And that everlasting life. 
& ꝧ ece life.    

The ten commandments 
 þa tin beboda  
which also God himself 
ðe eac God sylf  proclaimed from the mount 
geclypode of þam munte  with loud voice to 
mid micelre stemne to  all the men which with 
eallum ðam mannum ðe mid  Moses were in the 
Moyse ƿaeron on ðam  wilderness then. 
ƿaestene ða;  THe lord was 
Dryhten ƿaes  speaking these 
sprecende ðas  words to Moses, and thus 
ƿord to Moyse. and ðus  saith: I am the Lord thy 
cƿaeþ. Ic eom ðryhten ðin  God, I thee out led of 
God. Ic ðe ut gelaedde of  Egypt land, and of their 
egipta land. and of hiora  bondage. Ne love thou other 
ðeoƿdome; Ne lufa ðu oþre  strange Gods besides me. Ne 
fremde Godas' ofer me; Ne  my name name thou in 
minne noman ne cig ðu on  vain: for that thou ne 
idleness. forþon ðe ðu ne  arte guiltless with me, if 
bist unscyldig ƿiþ me. give  thou in vain namest my 
ðu on idleness cigst minne  name. Remember that thou 
noman; Gemyne ꝧ ðu  hallow thy rest day. 
gehalgige ðone raeste daeg;  Work ye vj. days, & on 
ƿyrceaþ eoƿ. vi. dagas. & on  the seventh rest ye: because 
þam siofoþan restaþ eoƿ. forðam  in vj. days Christ 
on vi. dagun Crist geƿorhte  made heaven and earth, 
heofonas. & eorþan.  the sea, & all creatures, that 
saes. and ealle gesceafta. ðe  in them be. And he rested 
on him sint; & hine gereste  on the seventh day. & therefore 
on þone siofoþan daeg. & forþon  the Lord it hallowed. 
dryhten hine gehalgod;  Honour thy father & thy 
Ara ðynū faeder. & þinrae  mother, that the Lord 
medder ða ðe dryhten  gave thee, that thou be long 
sealed ðe. ꝧ ðu sie ðylenge  living in the earth. Ne kill 
libbende on eorþan; Ne sleah  thou. Ne 
* That is, commit no adultery.  lig ne thou privily. 
ðu; Ne 
* That is, commit no adultery.  lige þu dearnenga;  Ne steal thou. Ne say thou 
Ne stala ðu; Ne saege ðu  false witness. Ne desire 
lease geƿitnesse; Ne ƿilna  thou of thy neighbours 
ðu ðynes nehstan  heritage with unright. 
ierfes mid unryhte;   
These commandments we have taken from the laws of alfred the king, before which they are always placed: but here the manner of speaking in the scripture is somewhat changed, and that more is, here is left out these words. (Non facies sculptile neque omnem similitudinem quae est in coelo desuper, & quae est in terra deorsum, nec eorum quae sunt in aquis sub terra: non adorabis neque coals, etc. 2. Thou shalt not make to thyself any graven Image, nor the likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, or in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down to them nor worship them. For I thy Lord. etc.) Which thing is done in all copies of Alfredes laws written in the Saxon tongue: and not only in them but in many other books as hath been seen either Saxon, or Lattyne entreating of the commandments, which were written before the Conquest, and since the second Nicene council, wherein was decreed the worshipping of Images. See what followed of taking away from the word of God contrary to the express commandment of the same upon the ungodly decree of that council. When this thing was espied by them that translated these laws into the Lattyne tongue soon after the conquest, these words were restored again by the translators to their due place, as by the Lattyne books of the laws it is to be seen. But because we have made mention of that second Nicene council which decreed both of the having and worshipping of Images, we shall here briefly show what our stories report, was thought of the same council by the learned of England, and chiefly by that great learned english man, and of most fame in that age Alcuine, schoolmaster to Charles the great. Anno ab incarnatione Domini. 792. Carolus rex Francorum misit Synodalem librum ad Britanniam sibi a Constantinopoli directum, in quo libro heu proh dolour multa inconuenientia & verae fidei contraria. reperta sunt: maxime quod pene omnium orientalium doctorum, non minus quam trecentorum, vel eo amplius episcoporum unanima assertione confirmatum imagines adorari debere: quod omnino ecclesia dei execratur. Contra quod scripsit Alcuinus epistolam ex autoritate divinarum scripturarum mirabiliter affirmatam, illamque cum codem libro & persona episcoporum & principum nostrorum regi Francorum attulit. That is, In the year from the incarnation of our Lord. 792. Charles king of France sent to Britain a Synod book, which was directed unto him from Constantinople: in the which book alas many things unconvenient, and contrary to the true faith were found: in especial that it was established with a whole consent almost of all the learned of the East, no less then of three hundredth bishops or more, that men ought to worship Images, the which the Church of God doth utterly abharre. Against the which Alcuine wrote an epistle wondrously proved by the authority of holy Scripture, and brought that epistle with the same book, and names of our bishops and princes to the king of Frawce This story hath Simeon of Durham, Roger Hoveden, Flores Historiarum, and the history of Rochester (⁂)    

¶ The Saxon Characters or letters, that be most strange, be here known by other common Characters set over them.  
¶ d. d. ð. th'. þ. th'. f. f. g. g. i. i. r. r. s. s. t. t. ƿ. w. y. y. z. z. &. and ꝧ. that.  
¶ ¶ Æ. A Æ. A Ð. Th. Þ. Th. E. E. H. H. M. M. S. S. Ƿ. W. &. And.  
¶ One prick signifieth an unperfect point, this figure; (which is like the Greek interrogative) a full paint, which in some other old Sai●●● books, is expressed with three pricks, set in triangle wise thus:·   

Imprinted at London by john Day dwelling over Aldersgate beneath S. martyn's. ⸫  
¶ Cum privilegio Regiae Maiestatis.