Page:The Acts and Monuments of John Foxe Volume 3.djvu/140



The second conclusion, that false friers and lecherous priests putten vpon me was this: That if the parochiens know her curate to bene a lechour, incontinent, and an euill man, they owen to withdraw from him tithe; and else they bene fautours of his sinnes.

Thus I said not, but on this wise, and yet I say with protestation put before: That if it be knowne openlie to the people, that parsons or curates come to their benefice by simonie, and liuen in notorie fornication, and done not their office and her duties to her parochiens by good ensample of holie life, in true preaching, liuing and residence, wending awaie from his cure, occupied in secular office, he owes nought to haue of the parochiens, tithes, ne offringes, ne hem owes not to holde him for their curate, ny hem owes not to geuen him tithes, lest they bin guiltie to God of consent and maintaining of her open sinne. 'Nemo militans deo, implicat se negotiis secularibus.' 1. quest. 1. ca. Quisquis per pecuniam,' and dist. 80. cap. 'Si quis.'

The third conclusion was this, that friers and priestes putten upon me: That tithes purely bene almesses: and in case that curates bene euill men, they mowen leefullie be giuen to other men, by temporall lords, and other temporalties been done away from men of the church actuallie and openlie trespassing.

This I said not in these termes, but thus I saie with protestation made before: That it were modefull and leefull to secular lords by waie of charitie, and power geuen to hem of God, in default of prelates that amend not by Gods lawe, cursed curates that openlie misusen the goods of holy church, that ben poore mens goods and customablie against the law of God: the which poore men, lordes ben holden to maintaine and defend, to take away and withdrawe from such curates, poore mens goods, the which they wrongfullie holden in helpe of the poore, and their owne wilful offeringes, and their bodily almes deeds, and geue them to such that dulie serue God in y$e$ church, and beene needy in vpbearing of the charge that prelats shoulden doe, and done it not. 'Alter alterius onera portate, et sic adimplebitis legem Christi.' And as anenste taking awaie of temporalities I say thus with protestation made before: That it is leefull to kings, princes, dukes, and lordes of the worlde, to take awaie fro popes, cardinals, fro bishops and prelates, possessions in the church, their temporalties, and their almes that they haue giuen them vpon condition they shoulden serue God the better, vhen they verelie sene that their giuing and their taking bene contrarie to the lawe of God, to Christes liuing and his apostles: and namelie in that, that they taken vppon them (that shoulden be next followers of Christ and his apostles in poorenesse and meeknesse) to be secular lords: against the teaching of Christ and saint Peter. Luc. xxii. 'Reges gentium.' Et 1 Pet. v. 'Neque, dominantes in clero.' And namelie when such temporalties maken them the more proud, both in heart and in araie, then they shoulden bene else, more in strife and debate against peace and charitie, and in euill ensample to the world more to be occupied in worldly businesse; 'Omnem solicitudinem proiicientes in eum;' and drawes them from the seruice of God, from edifying of Christes church, in empouerishing and making lesse the state and the power of kinges, princes, dukes, and lords that God hath set them in; in wrongfull oppression of commons for vnmightftilnesse of realmes. For Paul saith to men of the church (vhose lore, prelates shoulden soueraigulie followen), 'Habentes victum et vestitum, hiis contenti simus.'

The fourth conclusion is this, that friers and priests putten vpon me falselie: That an euill curate cursing his soget for withholding of tithes, is naught else, but to take with extortion wickedlie and vndulie money from them.

Thus said I not, but thus I saide, and yet doe with protestation made before: That an euill curate cursing his parochiens, vnmightie to pay their tithing, with vengeance without pitie, for his singular worldlie winning against charitie, and not for heed of their soules, there he is hold by his power reasonablie to helpe his needy parochiens, and dooth nought of the goods of the church: wickedlie and vndulie he withholds from them, that vhich is due to them by the law of God: 'Dimittite et dimittetur vobis: date, et dabitur vobis: verùm mihi vindictam, et ego retribuam dicit Dominus.'

The fift conclusion is this, that friers and priests falsly putten vpon me: That no man may curse any man, but if he wote him cursed of God, ne the commers with him rennen not into sentence of cursing in any maner."