That in the Bookes set foorth by Monkes, are many ridiculous and vaine apparitions.

W E made mention a litle before, of Chronicles written by Monkes. Now as touching their legendes of Saintes (as they terme their storehouses of examples, and liues of auncient Fathers, in the which are many apparitions of diuels & spirits,) verily there is no cause at all why we should ascribe much vnto them, for the most part of such stuffe as is set forth in them, haue no shewe nor likelihood of truth: perchaunce their minde was to bring men to great feare and Religion by those their counterfeited and imagined histories. But concerning these, this place now serueth not to intreate.

The like may be sayd, of many superstitious Popish writers, who following these mens steppes, haue written many vpon other mens credit and reports, which least any man thinke I write, being moued with enuie or hatred of the persons, I will shewe you one onely historie or fable amongst so many, that you may thereby haue as it were a taste of that which I sayd euen now.

Petrus Damanus, who first was a Monke after the order of S. Benedict, and afterward Bishop of Hostia, a man of great estimation among Papists, as well for the opinion they had of his learning, as for the shewe of his vpright liuing, telleth a storie of a certaine Monke of Colein, who on a time passing ouer a Riuer on horsebacke, espied Saint Seuerinus sometime Bishop of Colein on the Riuer, who not long before was departed this life, and being buried at that time, was much renowmed for doing sundrie miracles. The Bishop catcheth holde on the Monkes bridle, and would not let him passe any further: wherewith the Monke was sore afraide, and diligently enquired of him, why he being so notable a man, was there withholden in that place. The Bishop then required him to lende him his hand, that hÉe might vnderstand by fÉeling how it was with him, which when he had done, and that the Bishoppe had dipped the Monkes hande downe into the water, sodeinly in one moment all the flesh of his hand, by reason of the extreame heate, was scalded off, so that the bones only remained al bare. Vnto whom then the Monke, sith (quote hÉe) thou art so famous a man in the Church, how commeth it to passe that thou art so grÉeuously tormented? The Bishop aunswered: only sayd hÉe for this cause, for that I haue not sayd ouer my Canonicall houres in due time distinctly as I should haue done: for I was in the Emperours Court busied and occupied with matters of his priuie Counsell, in the morning hudling vp all my prayers at once, all the rest of the day I was troubled with other businesse: and for that cause do I now suffer this punishment of miserable heat. But let vs both togither call vnto Almightie God, that it may please him to restore thy hand againe, which came presently to passe assoone as they had thus saide. And then spake he to the Monke saying: Go my sonne and desire the brethren of our Church, as also al other of the Clergie there, to poure out their praiers for mÉe, to giue almes to the poore and nÉedie, and to perseuere incessantly in offring vp continuall sacrifice for me, for so soone as these things shal be fulfilled, I shal be deliuered out of these my torments, and shal be ioyfully translated to the fellowship of those blessed Citizens of heauen, which do earnestly desire my company. Out of this historie, this argument or reason they make: If that good and godly Bishop, who being ouercharged with affaires of the Emperour leading to publike wealth, could not dispatch his taske of prayers in due time, and therefore is so miserably vexed and tormented, what punishment may they looke for, which hauing no necessarie businesse, say ouer the Canonicall houres very coldly, or else leaue them cleane vnsayd, that they may the better followe their owne lustes and vaine deuises? And hÉere note by the way, they make no mention at all of omitting those things which God hath expresly commanded vs. But in case the Popish Bishoppes doo verily belÉeue this story to be true, let them thinke with themselues, howe they can be able to excuse themselues before the iudgement seate of Almightie God, for that they are content to be created Bishops of those Churches, whereof notwithstanding they haue no care or regarde, but either wholly intangle themselues with worldly matters, or if they do deale in matters of the Church, their whole study is directed to this end, to stop the sincere preaching of Gods word, and to tread those vnderfoote whose mindes are occupied day and night, to the aduancing and setting forth of Gods glory. Of this stampe and sort, are most of those thinges wherewith the Monkes inferred and stuffed their bookes.