¶ Against the detestable mass, and more then abominable popish heresy. Translated out of French into Englishe. Articles most certain and true. 1566.  

¶ Perused and allowed, according unto the queens Maieiesties injunctions.   
¶ Imprinted at London, by john Kingston.  
 Woodcut printer's device (not in McKerrow).   

True Articles of the horrible, great and importable abuse of the popish mass: invented directly against the holy Supper of the lord, our onely mediator and saviour Iesus christ.  
I Call the heaven and earth for a truth to witness, against this pompous, and proud papistical mass, by the which the world( if GOD very soon do not remeadie) how it is, and shalbee wholly desolate, ruinated, lost, and cast into the deep dungeon of hell, for in the same our lord is so outrageously blasphemed, and the people seduced, and blinded, so that no man can suffer or abide it, but to the end, that more easily the matter may be of every one vnderstanded, it is meet and convenient to procede by Articles.  
first of all, to every faithful christian, it is and ought to be most certain, that our lord and onely saviour Iesus Christ as the great Bishop, 
●. Peter. 〈◇〉.  and eternal shepherd ordained of GOD, 
●. Timo. ii.  hath given his body, his soul, his life and his blood, for a full, 
Hebre. viii. Roma. viii.  and perfect Sacrifice for our sanctification: the which sacrifice may not, nor ought never to be made again, by any sacrifice visible: who would not fully and wholly renounce, and forsake the same, as it were without efficacy, insufficient, unperfect, and that Iesus Christ not satisfied to the Iustice of God his father for vs. And that he was not the true christ; saviour, priest, Bishop, and mediator. The which thing not onely to say, but also to think is horrible, and execrable blasphemy. And always the earth hath been, and is yet at this present, in many places charged, and filled with this miserable sacrificing Priestes: the which as if they were our redemers, they put themselves in the place of Iesus christ, or else they make themselves his compaignions, saying, that they offer to God a Sacrifice, pleasant and agreeable, as the same of Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, for the health as well of the living as of the dead: and this they make openly against al truth of the holy scripture, making liars all the Apostles, and evangelists: and so lie vpon themselves: seeing that with david they sing, 
Psalm. Cx.  and confess al the sundays in their Euensonges, that Iesus Christ is the eternal sacrificer, after the order of Melchizedeche. Now they can by no understanding, make the people to understand, that Iesus Christ and his Apostles& Prophetes( which give witness of him) be made liars: but must spite of their teeth, that the pope,& all his vermin of Cardinalles, Bishops, Priestes, monks, and other Hypocrites, saiers of Masses, and all those that consent to the same, be such, that is to say, false Prophetes, damnable deceivers, false Apostles, wolves clothed in Shepeskinnes false feeders, Idolaters, seducers, liars, and cursed blasphemers, dronckardes, gluttons, devourers of widows houses, under the colour of religion, murtherers of souls, forsakers of Iesus christ of his Death, and Passion, false witness bearers, traitors, thieves, and ravishers and robbers of Gods honour, and to bee brieffe, more detestable then the devill. For by the great and wonderful Sacrifice of Iesus christ, all outward and visible Sacrifice, is abholished and made void: And for ever none other abideth. This that I say is most ample set forth in the hebrews. 
Heb. vii. ix.x.  vij. ix. and tenth chapter, the which I pray and beseech al the world, diligently to consider. Yet always a little to touch, and help the spirit of the young ones. 
Hebre. vii.  In the seventh chapter it is thus written. It was meet and convenient, that we should haue a Bishop, holy, innocent, and without spot: the which hath no need to offer every day Sacrifices, first for his own sins, and then for the people: for he hath doen this in offering up of himself ones. notably it is said, in offering up of himself ones. For never was this oblation before, nor shal be reiterated or doen again, nor any like. 
Hebre. ix. x. Eze. xviii.  Also in the ninth chapter, Christ the high bishop of good things to come, by his own blood, is entered ones into the holy place. lo, here ones again he saieth, that by himself to bee entered ones, eternal redenption is made. wherefore it is evident, that in our redemption wee haue no need of such sacrificing priestes, if we will not renounce and forsake the death of Iesus Christ. In the .x. 
Hebre. x.  chapter to the hebrews. lo I come to the end, to do thy will, by the which will we bee sanctified by the oblation of the body of Iesus christ, ones for all. And also the holy ghost doth testify, saying: 
Eze. xviii.  I will no more remember their iniquities: And where remission of the same is, there remaineth no more oblation for sin. This that by argument to bee vnauoided of the Apostle, 
Hebre. v. vii.viii. and .x.  I show thus to the hebrews. v. vj.vij. and. viij. and tenth, the holy Apostle saieth, that for the imperfection of the Sacrifices of the old lawe, we must every day begin again, until that one be offered up, that is all perfect. This that hath been doen ones by Iesus christ. Whereby I demand of all Sacrificers: whether their Sacrifice bee perfect, or unperfect. If it be unperfect, wherefore do they then so abuse the whole world: If it be perfect, wherefore then must it be doen again? Come on, stand forth here you Sacrificers: and if you haue power to answer, then answer.  
Secondlie, in this most wicked mass, they haue not onely provoked, but also plunged, and all wholly drowned( as it were) the whole world in open and public idolatry: when falsely they haue given to understand, that under the kind of bread and wine, Iesus christ is contained, and hid corporally, really, and in deed wholly and personally in flesh and bones, so great and perfect, as though presently he were living. This the holy scripture and our faith doth not teach us: 
Math. xxviii. mark. xvi. acts. i. Hebre. i.  but is all to the contrary. For Iesus Christ after his resurrection, ascended up into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the father almighty, and from thence shall come to judge the quick and the dead. Also S. 
acts. viii. Collos. iii.  paul to the colossians the .iij. writeth thus. If ye be risen again with Christ, seek those things that are above, where christ sitteth on the right hand of GOD. He doth not sai●, search christ that is in the mass, or in the holy place, or in the box, or in the Aulmerie: but in heaven. Wherefore it must needs follow, that if the body be in heaven, at this present, then it is not on the earth, and if it bee on the earth, then it is not in heaven. For most certain, never a true body is but in one place at ones, occupying a place certain, in quality and bigness certain. Wherefore he can not make, that a man of twenty or thirty yeres, bee hid in a piece of paste, such as is the wafer cake. Now to reply, that as he is almighty, so is he invisible, infinite, and in all places: that can not haue place, considering that as he is almighty, so is he most true, and the truth itself, certifiyng us by the same truth of his body, by this that he answered to his disciples, 
Luke. xxiiii.  that it was he ( speaking of his corporal presence) making them to understand, that he was no santasse, nor invisible: and that a spirit hath neither flesh nor bones, as he hath. And in the Enangelist saint john it is recited in the twenty chapter, that he came and stood in the midst of his disciples, the doors being shut, this is not to sate( as these abusers falsely make men to understand) that they were not opened by the divine power of Iesus christ, for the passage of his true body. For if he had the power to make thē open by his angel, to deliver saint Peter out of prison, it was also as easy for him to make open to entre to his Disciples, by means marvelous, as his godly pleasure was, without changyng the nature of his body into a spirit, or into any other that was not a true body. Also the Enangelist doth not say, that Iesus went through the gates, but that he came to his disciples, and that he was there in unddest of them, the gates being shut. wherein he giveth to understand, in what fear his Disciples were, being assembled together, and that he would declare and show in that, a privy manifestacion of his divine power, by the which the gates did open before him, enteryng unraculously, to make his Disciples more attentiffe to his divinity. In conclusion, the body of Iesus christ, is not like a spirit. Also that it be infinite and every where: may not be a true body, nor true man, if he were as well infinite, by reason of his humane nature, as he is by reason of his divine nature. He is then contained in a certain place, and there being, is in none other. This saint Augustine well knew, when he speaking of the lord Iesus Christ, he spake thus. Donec finiatur saeculum sursum dominus est: 
Augustinus ad Dardan.  said tamen hic nobiscum est veritas domine. Corpus enimī quo resurrexit in uno loco esse oportet, voritas autem eius vbique diffusa est. The lord is on high in heaven, until the end of the world,& yet notwithstanding, the truth of the lord is with us, for the body wherein he rose, 
Fulgentius ad thrasimum dum. Lib. 2.  must be in one place, but the truth of the lord is dispersed in all places. Fulgentius he writeth thus.  
absence erat coelo secundum humanam substanciam, quum esset in terra:& derelinquens terram, quum ascendiscet in coelum: secundum vero divinam,& immensam substantiam nec coelum dimittens, quum de coelo descendit, nec terram deserens quum ad coelum ascendit. He was absent from heaven, as touching his humane body, when he was in earth, and leaving the earth, when he ascended into heaven: but according to his divine and infinite substance, he left not heaven, when he descended from heaven nor he left not the earth, when he ascended up into heaven. Further, we haue a most certain assurance by the holy scripture, that the coming of the son of man, when he shall come from heaven, shalbe visible and open. And if any ma shall say unto you, here is Christ, or there is Christ: believe it not. Yea, Iesus himself sateth, believe it not: And the sacrificing priestes say, ye must believe it. they sing well lift up your hartes: thereby exhorting the people, to search Iesus christ in heaven: but they do the contrary: In this that they do areste, and stay themselves, vpon the searching of him in their hands, and in their Boxes and Aulmeries.  
thirdly, these blind Sacrificers, to add error, vpon error,& haue in their frenzy, said and taught, that after to haue blown and spoken vpon the bread, the which they take betwne their fingers, and likewise vpon the wine, that they put into the Chalice, that there remaineth no more bread, nor Wine: but( as they speak by great, and prodigious words) by Transsubstantiacion, Iesus Christ to bee under the accidents of bread and wine, hid and wrapped up: the which is the doctrine of devils, against all truth, and the hol●e scripture. And therfore, I do demand of these great hearted men, where they haue invented, and found, this gross word, Transsubstanciation. saint Matthewe, saint mark, S. Luke, saint john, saint paul, and the old ancient fathers never haue so spoken: 
i. Cor. xi. Math. xxvi. mark. xiiii. Luke. xxii.  but when they haue made mention of the holy Supper of Iesus Christ, they haue openly, and simply name the bread and the wine, bread and wine. behold saint paul how he writeth: Let a man prove, and examine himself, he doth not say, to one shauelyng that he be proved, but he saieth, that every man prove himself, and then it followeth. And so eat of the bread, he saieth not. eat the body of Christ that is enclosed therein, or that is under the likeness, or under the kind or show of bread, but openly and purely be saieth, eat of this bread. Now it is certain, that the scripture doth not use any such deceipcion or subtlety, and that in the same there is no fantaste: whereupon it followeth well, that it is bread. Also in an other place, 
acts. xx.  it is thus written. And vpon a certain sabbath day, the Disciples being gathered together to break bread, &c. All which evident places, the holfe scripture pronounceth and safeth expressly, that it is bread, and not a kind appearance, or likeness of bread. Who then may uphold, bear, or endure such mockers, such pestilent and perverse Antechristes. The which as presumptuous and arrogant, according to their ordinary custom, haue been so foolish and hardy to conclude, and determine to the contrary. Wherefore as the enemies of GOD, and of his holy word, of right therefore, men ought to cast them of, and utterly detest them. For they having no shane to enclose the body of Iesus in their wafer cake: also( brainles heretics as they be) they haue had no shane to say, that if the rats, Spiders, or any other vermin, as it is written of red letters in their Missaulles, in the .xxii. cautel, 
Item si corpus domini à Muribus vel Araneis. &c. Cautela. 22.  which beginneth thus. If the body of the lord were comsumed by Mise, or Spiders, and come to nothing, or else much mangeled and chewed, or if the worm be found whole within, that then it must be burned, and put in among the relics. O earth how is it that thou dost not open, to swallow up these horrible blasphemers? O vilaines and most detestable, this body is it the lord Iesus, the true son of God? will he suffer himself to be eaten of Mise and Spiders? He that is the true food of angels, and of all the children of God, is he not given to be made meate for beasts? He that is incorruptible, and sitteth on the right hand of God, will you make him subfecte to worms, 
psalm. vi.  and to putrifaccion, against this that david hath said, prophestyng of his resurrection? O most miserable, and if there were none other evil in all your bellishe theology, but onely in this that you speak so vnreuerently, against the precious body of Iesus. Oh how much do you deserve to haue the fire and faggot, blasphemers and heretics. Yea, truly the most greatest, and most hurtful that ever were in all the world. Lighten then your own fagottes to burn, and to roast yourselves and not us, because wee will not believe struceion. Further, also to haue remembrance of the great charity and love, wherewith he hath so much loved us, that he hath given his life for us, and hath purged us by his own blood. Also, wee tastyng all of one bread, and of one cup, wee are warned of the love, and great unity, in the which we ought al in one spirit, to live and die in Iesus Christ. And this well vnderstanded, doth much rejoice the soul of the faithful, replenishyng and fillyng the same with divine consolation, in all humility, growing in faith from day to day, exercising himself in all goodness, and most sweet and loving charity. But the fruit of the mass is far otherwise, as experience doth show vs. For by the same all knowledge of Iesus Christ, is clean put out and defaced, the preaching of the gospel is cast forth, and hindered, the rhyme occupied in ringyng, hurlyng and singing, vain Ceremonies, light, censynges, disguisynges, and such like maner of sorceries, by the which the poor world( is as sheep or Muttons) miserable deceived, holden, kept, and led, and by these raueshyng wolves eaten, gnawed, and devoured. And who might not say and think of the thefts of these filthy whoremongers? By this mass the● haue laid hand of all, destroyed all, and all swallowed up. Yea, they haue disherited kings, and Princes, lords, Marthauntes, and all what else a man may sale, bee it dead, or quick. By the same they live careless, they haue need of nothing to do withall, to study nothing less: what will you more? It is not then to be marveled at, if they do so strongly uphold it, if they kill, if they burn, if they destroy, if they murder as cut throats, all them that sate against them: for other thing haue they not more to defend themselves against the scripture, then their power and sagotes, truth faileth thē, truth threateneth them, truth overtaketh them, truth estonisheth them, by the which shortly their kingdom shalbe destroyed for ever.  
The lord show to us all so the fanour and grace, so to profit in his school that we may aclowledge and confess one onely God, by Iesus christ, without staiyng and abiding on any mennes traditions, by the which the light of truth hath been hitherto clene put out, the knowledge of God stopped up, the law turned upside down: and the fear of his holy name trodden down under feet. And that the scrpture of his holy word, he set up amongst us, and the badges of christ displayed in such sort, that wee may bee under his saffe conduct. And that we do nothing, but that may turn to his glory: and to the edifiyng of our brethren. So bee it.  
b. iij.   

¶ Here followeth certain damnable abuses that bee in the mass, contrary to the holy Supper of our lord Iesus christ.  
FOrasmoche as the mass is the institution of man, and contrary to the word of God: yet it is always commanded against this that is said. Deut. xij. a. Math. xv. b. Roma. xiiij.  
In such disguisynges, pomps, and proud garments of diuers sorts, in colours and fire, fashion to the following of the Iewes and Pagans: it is against that is said in Luke. xx. g.i. Peter. iij. ij. Timoth. ij.  
It is forbidden to be said without the holy altar ston, Tapers, Ryngynges, against sain●t Math. xxuj. c.j. Cor. xj. e.  
The value thereof is esteemed, according to the opinion that they haue of the worthiness of him that saith it, against the. ij. Paral. xviij. c. Roma. ij. b.  
they make oblation and Sacrifice, as yet sacrificing Iesus Christ, against the ●. Cor. xj. e.f. Hebre. ix. g.x.c.d.  
they promise that men may obtain by the same, the satiffaccion and remission of sins, against Esaie. xliij. d. Heb. ix. c acts. xxiiij. b.  
And therefore that they haue it in so great reputation, they haue ravished and taken away the honour of the creature, to transport it unjustly to the mass their creature: for this cause God hath given them up into a lewd mind, giving strong the of error to satan, to make them bring for the horrible blasphemies the which they haue put in their Canon according as it is written. Roma. j. d. Apoca. xuj. b.c.   

¶ Blasphemies of the Canon.  
The Canon is more esteemed of the pope, and of his adherents, then the holy gospel: yea, likewise it is forbidden to read it, against the. j. Gala. j.b.  
It is commanded unto them, to say it in their mass, under the pain of deadly sin. Against duty. v.d. Pro. iij. a.  
they make oblacid of bread and wine against Hebr. ix. c.d.j. Peter. j.d.  
they offer the son to the Father, the which offered up himself: against j. Timo. ij. d. Heb. j.a.  
they pra●e that their Sacrifice ma●e be as acceptable, as the same of Abell,& Abraham: against Heb. xij. f.  
they esteem( against the opinion of the Capernites) to eat Iesus christ in flesh and bone within the bread: against john. vj. g.  
In the same they gainsaie to the Article of the Ascension of christ, against Luke. xxiiij. g. acts. xj. b.  
The priest breaketh, and eateth the bread himself alone, against Luke. xxj. b j. Cor. xj. e.  
Of this that they make superstitiously three partes of their host, against fainct Math. xxuj. c.j. Cor. xj. f.  
Of this that the same is said onely in the morning, and fasting, and not other wise, against S. Math. xxuj. c. Jhō. riij. a.  
Of this that they defend to touch the bread, or the cup that the priest toucheth, against saint Luke. xxij. b.  
The death of Iesus Christ is not shewed forth in the same, against. j. Cor. xj. e  
they say and sing their mass in ●ommemoracion of Sainctes, against Luke xxij. j. Cor. xj.  
It is said for the dead, contrary to the holy supper, instituted for the living against saint Math. xxuj. c.  
they lift up the bread and the chalice, to make the people worship it, against Exod. xx. a.  
The gestes and fine tricks that they make, full of hypocrisy, and worthy to bee laughed at as Mommers, and Iuggelars, which is against Ephe. v.a.  
Although it be defended of the Pope, no man to hear mass of a Priest, that is a whoremonger and fornicator, yet always men do not leave of to hear it,& to hold it for good, against. j. Cor. v.e.  
Although that GOD doth forbid straightly, to communicate with these fornicators, and likewise to eat with thē, they do yet constrain there to communicate, when the people do hear the mass of a filthy whoremonger, against the. j. Cor. v.c.  
Of this that they do confirm, and favour to other purgatory, then the blood of Iesus Christ, that onely maketh clene j. john. j.c. Heb. iij. a.  
Of this that they do celebrate as by simony for money, and other temporal things, against their own institucions themselves,& as they do transgress ordinarily those of God( which is yet much worse) against S. Math. x. acts. viij. c.  
For because it is said, and applied as well for the beasts, and things lost, as for the people, as willing with the self same emplaisture, to heal all diseases, that doth repugn to this that is said, j. Corin. xj.  
Of this that the one is solemn, and hath diuers Ceremonies, and fashion to make more then the other: Against this that is said. Math. xxuj. c.j. Cor. rj.  
Of this that the singer of mass saith that he is more worthy,& to haue more authority, then all the angels, the virgin mary, the sainctes, against. Ro. ij. g Ephe. vi. c.  
Of this that they do esteem, that by the power and strength of the words of Iesus christ, corporally he doth descend, and all the company of heaven with him into their hosts, against saint Luke. xriij. g. acts. j.d. and the third.  
Of this that in so great superstition, they do reserve in boxes, and aulmeries their hostes subject to rottenness, and corruption, carrying themby the streets, at certain times, and vpon certain daies: against saint Math. xxuj. c.j. Cor. xj. e.  
Of this that after to haue heard it, one may recourne as ignorant away, as he came thither. Against .j. Cor. j. iiij.c.d. Collos. iij. c.  
Of this that the sacrificing Priestes of the Pope, say words in secret vpon the bread, and vpon the wine, counterfaityng manifestly the institution of our lord Iesus Christ, for it is very evident that the lord spake not to the bread, nor to the wine, when he said: Take, eat, this is my body, and so forth: but he did speak openly, and clearly to the people assistant, according to S. Math. xxuj.  
Of this that they say the mass in the commemoracion of angels, and of he sainctes, and she sainctes, directly against the meaning of Iesus Christ, that saith: do this in the remembrance of me, according to saint Math. xxuj.  
Of this that of to much boldness, or rather execrable sacrilege, they give not to the people, but the half of the Sacrament, as though they were but half christians, or otherwise that Iesus Christ had not been wise enough, or as wise as they, when he said: drink ye all of this. As saint Luke. xxij. And of this matter S. paul writing to the Corinthians, did not writ for the sacrificynges, for there was no such as they se this day, to reign in the papacy: but to al the people of the believing, and faithful in general, according to the .j. Cor. xj.  
Of many other execrable abuses, and infinite supersticions of the mass, is treated more at large in their book of Cautelles of the mass, yea most excellent subtleties, and also in the book that they do call, The divine rational of offices,( or hellike) in somme Angelical( or diabolical) to the shepherd( the souls féedyng, and nourishing of hote coals) and to the pontifical( not all evil) with the which they be all wholly filled.   

¶ Some fruits more common, and notable of the mass.  
The multitude of oblacions, prebends, of the rascall Priestlinesse of Temples, of chapels, and Aultares.  
idleness, truandes of kind, forbiddyng of marriage, and in place whereof great whoredom doth reign, most wicked hypocrisy, gnawyng of widows fatherless and poor. Renouncyng and abholishyng of the death and Passion of christ. And to be brief, the error of the mass is more pernicious and hurtful, as well to the goods, as to the persons, forasmoche as the same seemeth to haue a more greater kind of holinesse, and of goodness, and yet the same is most execrable.  
FINIS.