What hath followed this doctrine of the Papists, concerning
the appearing of mens soules.

B Y these means it came to passe, that the common sort were of opinio, that those spirits which wer sÉen and heard, were the soules of the dead, and y? whatsoeuer they did say, was without gainsaying to be belÉeued. And so the true, simple, and sincere doctrine of y? calling vpo God in the name of Christ Iesus only: of the confidence in Christs merits, and redemption from sin and damnation: of y? true dÉeds of Christian charitie, was daily more and more impugned and oppressed. So that when men by litle and litle, forsooke holy scripture, and cast it aside, mens traditions and precepts began straightway to be had in great price and estimation, yea, they were more regarded than Gods owne word. A great offence was it taken to be, if any would presume once to breake mens traditions. On those apparitions of spirits, as on a sure foundatio of their Purgatory is chiefly builded. For by talke had with them, Popish writers taught that men atteined vnto saluation, by their owne, and by other mens merits: which opinion so blinded them, that they became retchlesse, secure, and sluggish. For if any dyd so perswade himselfe, that he coulde hyre one for mony, which could worke one feate or other to deliuer the deade from torments, then woulde he either delay the amendment of his life, or vtterly neglect it. Wherfore vnto suche fellowes, that happened, whiche chaunced vnto the fiue foolish virgins, of whom mention is made in the .25. of Matthew. By these apparitions of spirits, masses, images, satisfaction, pilgrimages for religion sake, relikes of saints, monasticall vowes, holidaies, auricular confession, and other kinds of worshippings and rites, and to be short, all things whiche haue no grounde in holy scripture, by little and little grewe into authoritie and estimation. So that the matter came at the last to that extremitie and excesse, that many deuoute, and simple soules, pinched and nipped their owne bellies, that they might y? better haue by these meanes, wherewithall to finde and mainteine idle monks and priests, and to offer vnto images. They founded chappels, alters, monasteries, perpetuall lights, anniuersaries, frieries, and such like, to release their friends out of the torments of Purgatorie. And this did the walking spirits will them to do. And sometime also by their councell, mens Monkes by their doctrine of spirits haue heaped infinit riches. last willes & testaments were altered. Hereby priests and monks increased daily, their parishes, colleges & monasteries with yerely reuenewes, & got into their hands y? best farmes, vineyards, lands, medowes, pondes, parkes, bond men, iurisdictions, great lordships, and the authoritie of the sword. For after y? this opinio once tooke firme roote in mes harts, y? mens soules did walke after their death, & appeare on y? earth, the greatest part did whatsoeuer they commanded the. And y? it may more plainly be perceiued how much me estÉemed those visions & such like pelf, & how in memorial of the they deuised & framed to theselues new kinds of worshippings, I will recite vnto you one or two histories.

Martinus Polonus Archebishop Of Consentine, and the Popes Penitetiarie, writeth in his Chronicles, that Pope Clement the fourth did canonize for a Saint at Viterbe, one Eduergia, Duchesse of Polonia, a widdow of great holinesse, who (among many notable things that are written of her) when her canonization had bene many yeares delaied, at length appeared her selfe in a Vision to her Proctor in the Court of Rome, being heauie and pensiue about this matter, and certified him, both of the spÉedie dispatching of this businesse, and also of the day wherin it should be dispatched. Canonization amongst the Ethnicks, from whence it tooke his originall, is named ?p????s??, that is, deification, or making of a God.

Ioannes Tritenhemius Abbotte of Spanheim, a man of great authoritie, in his booke of Chronicles teacheth, that the memorie of all faithfull soules, termed All soules day, had his originall obseruation by this meanes: that when a certaine Monke returned from Ierusalem, and lodged in a certaine Hermits house in Sicill, about the mount Aetna, which flasheth foorth fire, hÉe learned of the saide Hermit, that many soules of the dead were tormented there by fire, out of which again through the praiers of the faithful, they were released, as it was taught him by the testimony euen Polydore. of the spirites themselues. Hereof also writeth Polydore Virgil, in his sixt booke, and 9. Chapter, De inuentione rerum, that the feast of All hallowes had the very same originall, whiche they shall finde in Petrus de natalibus his tenth booke, and first Chapter. Wherby thou maist gather, that Feastes were first ordeyned by the tales of spirites appearing vnto men. The like fable is founde in Damascene, who writeth of Macharius thus: When according to his maner he prayed for the dead, and was desirous to vnderstande whether his prayers did profitte them ought, and whether they receiued any comfort thereby, God willing to reueale so muche to his seruaunt, inspired a drie scull with the word of truth, so that the dead scull brake forth into these words: When thou praiest for the dead, we receiue comfort by thy praiers.

Of the like roote sprung the order of the Carthusian Monkes, which of the common sort is iudged to be the most holiest and straightest order of the which the Monks themselues of this broode haue put foorth a booke. For as Polydore Virgil recordeth, they began vpon this occasion in the Vniuersitie of Paris, in the yeare of our Lord 1080. A certaine Doctor which for his learning and integritie of life was very famous, chaunced to die, when he should haue bene buried in a certaine Church, he cried out with an horrible voyce: I am by the iust iudgement of God accused. Wherupon they left the Coffin in the Church by the space of thrÉe dayes, during which time the people flocked togither out of sundry places, to behold this straunge sight. The second day he cried againe: By the iust iudgement of God I am iudged. The third day likewise he cried: I am by the iust iudgement of God condemned. And as Vincentius Bellonacensis saith, some adde hereunto, that he rose vp thrice vpon the bÉere, which perchaunce they faine of their owne heads. Now because no man suspected that so notable and famous a man was vtterly condemned for euer, euery man was sore astonished thereat.

Wherfore Bruno, a Doctor of diuinitie borne in Coleine, foorthwith forsooke all that he had, and taking to him sixe other godly companions, gat him into a desart called Carthusia, in the diocesse of Grationopolis: where he erected the first monasterie of that order, which drawing his name of the place, was called the Carthusian order. For this cause also, or for the like, many other monasteries at the first beginning, were both founded and endowed with great liuelihood.