Henry

VIII.

archbishops, bishops, abbots, and other prelates were together assembled, the greater number (saith the story)' did hold that the bread and wine were turned substantially into the body and blood of Christ. A.D. Notwithstanding (saith he), divers there were in the said council who 1539. held the contrary with Berengarius, but at last were driven to give over. Berengarius, among the rest, after he had long stood in the constant defence of the truth, at last relented to their wills, confessing his error (where none was), and desired pardon of the council. And this was (as seemeth by William of Malmesbury) his first giving over; who afterwards, returning to himself again after the death of pope Leo, and pricked with the sting of conscience, was driven again to recognise the truth, which he before had denied.

and re

garius

by Mal

mesbury.

See

Appendix.

The pope (saith Malmesbury),2 perceiving this, would not leave The story him so, but sent into France Hildebrand, his cardinal chaplain, (as cantation meet a mate for such a feat, as was in all Satan's court), and made him of Berenwith a wanyand to come again 'coram nobis ;' who so handled Beren- declared garius, bringing him before the face of the council holden at Tours, that he made him to say, 'erravi,' once again: against whom stood up in that council Lanfranc, and Guimund aforesaid, impugning his assertion. And thus standeth the narration of Malmesbury. But, by the acts of council of Rome, appeareth another declaration, which is, that this latter recantation of Berengarius should be at Rome under Hildebrand being then pope, in the year of our Lord 1079, and in the month of February; and that in the same council, holden in the church of Our Saviour, this recantation of "Ego Berengarius," The was made, and he enjoined by the said pope Hildebrand, upon his order of oath, never hereafter to teach or dispute contrary to that faith of the tation. sacrament there holden,3 &c.

his recan

of Ver

celli.

Again, Henry Bullinger in his book, De Origine Erroris, following belike some other author, expresseth the order of the aforesaid recantation after this sort, and saith, that in the time of pope Leo IX., A. D. 1050, there was a Roman council, holden at Vercelli; in the Council which council Lanfranc being then present, the book of John Scotus was openly read, and there condemned. Also Berengarius was sent for, who, seeing the prejudicial proceeding of that council, refused himself to come,' but sent two clerks, who openly there defended his cause and quarrel, and were for the same committed unto prison. Such is the freedom of the pope's general councils, with prisons and violence to defend their verities. Against the doings of this council notwithstanding, the Frenchmen stood stiff, both at Angers and Tours, joining and consenting with Berengarius.

Not long after this died pope Leo; and after him succeeded pope Council of Victor, by whom another synod was kept at Florence, where the Florence, acts and doings of the aforesaid council of Vercelli were confirmed, and a legate also appointed to be sent to Tours in France. This Council legate was Hildebrand above mentioned, who, calling the clergy of of Tours. France together in a synod, fell there in hand with the cause of the sacrament. Berengarius, not being ignorant of these Roman coun

(1) Malmesbury, De Gestis Anglorum, lib. iii. (2) Ibid.

(3) Ex Actis Romani concilii.

(4) Hen. Bulling. De Origine Erroris, cap. x. [libri duo, 8vo. Basil, 1529; Tiguri, 1579. ED.] (5) Malmesbury, De Gestis Anglorum, lib. iii. 'Sine retractione, a quibusdam habeatur sanctus,' &c.-ED.

6) The councils of Florence and Tours were held A. D. 1055.-ED.

VIII.

Henry cils, so kept himself, that in all his actions he would give none other answer, but that he believed and consented with the faith of the A. D. catholic church; and so for that time did frustrate the purpose of 1539. the council, rather deluding the pretences of his enemies, than freely confessing the simple truth.

Council

of Rome.

Might,

beareth

down

right.

Another recanta

tion of

rius.

Again, after Victor, came pope Nicholas II., who, congregating another council at Rome, A. D. 1059, sent for Berengarius there to appear, who, being present, argued what he could for the justness of his cause, but all would not serve in the pope's general councils such a stroke and mastership beareth authority above verity. Berengarius being thus borne down on every side by might and superiority, when no remedy would serve, but he must needs recant again (for the law of relapse was not yet in season), he desired to know what other confession of the sacrament the pope would require of him, besides that which he had there confessed. Then pope Nicholas committed that charge to Humbert, a monk of Lorraine, and, afterwards, a cardinal, that he should draw out in formable words the order of his recantation, after the prescription of Rome, which he should read, and publicly profess before the people; the form of which words is registered in the Decrees.2 The effect thereof is this:

'That he pretendeth with heart and mouth to profess, that he, acknowledging the true, catholic, and apostolical faith, doth execrate all heresy, namely that Berenga where with he hath lately been infamed, as holding that the bread and wine upon the altar, after the consecration of the priest, remain only a sacrament, and are not the very self body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, neither can be handled or broken with the priest's hands, or chewed with the teeth of the faithful, otherwise than only by manner of a sacrament: consenting now to the holy and apostolical church of Rome, he professeth with mouth and heart to hold the same faith touching the sacrament of the Lord's mass, which the lord pope Nicholas, with his synod here present, doth hold, and commandeth to be holden by his evangelical and apostolical authority; that is, that the bread and wine upon the altar after consecration, are not only a sacrament, but also are the very true and self body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ; and are sensibly felt and broken with hands, and chewed with teeth: swearing by the holy evangelists, that whosoever shall hold or say unto the contrary, he shall hold them perpetually accursed; and if he himself shall hereafter presume to preach or teach against the same, he shall be content to abide the severity and rigour of the canons,' &c.

This cowardly recantation of Berengarius, as it offended a great number of the godly sort, so it gave to the contrary part no little triumph, whereby, ever since, they have taken the greater courage to tread down the truth.

It happened shortly after this, that Hildebrand, the pope's grand captain in the behalf of his master, pope Nicholas, went in warfare against the Normans. This war being finished, shortly after he set upon a new voyage to fight for pope Alexander, against Cadolus ; which victory being also achieved, it was not long but he put the new pope Alexander beside the cushion, and was made pope himself: so that during the busy stir of these wars, the pope's holiness had no leisure to attend the debating of this controversy of the sacrament.

(1) All the councils here mentioned are included in Labbe's collection (Lutet. Paris. 1671), tem ix., col. 1055, 1079, &c. Also in Hardouin's Royal Collection (Ex. Typogr. reia, Paris, 1714% tom. vi. col. 1013 to 1584.-ED.

(2) [Decreti, Pars II] De Consecrat. dist. 2. cap. [42.] Ego Berengarius.'

(3) Sce Appendix. - ED.

VIII.

A.D.

1539.

At length, when all was quieted, and pope Hildebrand now was Henry where he would be, his restless brain could not be unoccupied, but eftsoons summoneth a new council at Rome, in the church of Lateran, to revive again the old disceptation of Berengarius about the year, as some hold, 1079. Thus Berengarius, being tossed by these monks and Pharisees, was so confounded, and baited on every side, that partly for worldly fear straining him on the one side, partly for shame and grief of conscience, that he had now twice denied the truth, on the other side, the man (as is of him reported), after these such turbulent tragedies, forsaking his goods, his studies, learning, and former state of life, became a labourer, and wrought with his hands for his living, all the residue of his life.'

The opinion which Berengarius sustained touching the sacrament (as by his own words, in Lanfranc's book, may appear) was this:"

judgment

inent.

The sacrifice of the church consisteth of two things: the one visible, the True opiother invisible, that is, of the sacrament, and of the thing or matter of the nion and sacrament. Which thing (which is to mean, the body of Christ), if it were of Berenhere present before our eyes, it were a thing visible and to be seen: but being garius of lifted up into heaven, and sitting on the right hand of his Father, to the time of the sacrarestoring all things (as St. Peter saith), it cannot be called down from thence. For the person of Christ consisteth of God and man: the sacrament of the Lord's table consisteth of bread and wine; which, being consecrated, are not changed, but remain in their substances, having a certain resemblance or similitude of those things, whereof they be sacraments,' &c.

By these words of Berengarius's doctrine, all indifferent readers may see and judge, that he affirmed nothing but what was agreeable to the holy Scripture, believing with St. Augustine, and all other ancient elders of the church, that in the holy supper all faithful believers be refreshed spiritually with the body and blood of the Lord, unto everlasting life. Wherefore most impudently they do misreport him His doc(as they do many others besides), who falsely lay to his charge, as isely though his teaching should be, that in the sacred supper of the Lord slandernothing else were received of the faithful, besides only the bare signs, which are the bread and the wine.

And now that you have seen the doctrine of Berengarius, let us also take a view of the contrary teaching of Lanfranc and his fellows, conferring and comparing together the institution on the one side, with the institution of the other, to mark and consider which of them soundeth nearer to the truth of the Scriptures. The words of Lanfranc be these:3

trine

falsely

ed.

nion of

'I believe the earthly substances, which, upon the Lord's table, are divinely Gross opi sanctified, through the ministration of the priest, to be converted unspeakably, Lanfrane incomprehensibly, and miraculously, by the operation of God's mighty power, and the into the essence of the Lord's body, the outward forms only of the things them- papists, selves, and certain qualities reserved, and that for two respects: the one, lest on the the sight of the raw and bloody flesh might otherwise make men to abhor from ment.

(1) The doctrines of Berengarius engaged the attention of as many as ten, and, according to some accounts, twelve different councils. In the Acta Conciliorum,' (fol. Paris, 1714) it is stated that he abjured at Tours in 1055, and at Rome in 1059 and 1079. The same work represents him as recanting in 1059, for the third time. So that some doubt may exist, whether he did not recant earlier than 1055, and in consequence of the council of Vercelli (1050): though Malmesbury's words, 'sine retractatione,' in reference to that period, go far to establish the contrary. Berengarius died 'n 1088.-ED.

(2) Ex lib. Lanfranci Archiepis. contra Bereng.

(3) In De la Bigne's Bibliotheca Patrum, tom. iv. col. 232, 233. Edition 1576.-ED.

sacra

A. D. 1539.

Henry eating thereof; the other, for that they who believe the thing they see not, VIII might have the greater merit for their belief. The conversion of which earthly substances into the essence of the Lord's body notwithstanding, yet is the selfsame body of the Lord in heaven, and there hath its essential being at the right hand of his Father, immortal, inviolate, perfect, undiminished, and uncorrupted; so that truly it may be affirmed, the selfsame body both to be received of us, and yet not the selfsame. The selfsame, I mean, as touching the essence, property, and virtue of his true nature and yet not the selfsame, as touching the forms of bread and wine, and other outward qualities incurring to our outward senses,' &c.

The impious and

Guimund.

And thus have ye the confession of Lanfranc, archbishop of Cantergross opi- bury. From this confession of Lanfranc, the opinion and assertion also nion of of Guimund,' archbishop of Aversa, doth nothing differ in grossness and impiety, but rather passeth the same, thus affirming and defending: that the body of Christ is pressed, and torn with teeth, even like as it was felt and touched with the hands of Thomas."

The great

confirmation of

trine of

stantia

tion was

66

And moreover, the said Guimund (if his book be not rather counterfeited at Louvain), in the same place, answering to an objection put out, that it is not lawful for Christ to be torn in pieces with teeth, doubteth not to pronounce, that whether we take tearing for hard biting, or soft biting, it is not repugnant nor disagreeing, but that (by the will of God agreeing thereunto) the body of Christ may be touched with hands, bitten with mouth, crushed, yea and divided in pieces, with hard or soft pressing of the teeth: and that as he was bruised upon the cross, according to the prophet, saying," He was bruised for our iniquities," &c.; so the same body, for the health of the faithful, may devoutly be torn and rent with their teeth, any thing to the contrary notwithstanding, &c. Judge now, all good studious readers, what is to be thought of this kind of doctrine, and how this opinion cohereth with the infallible voice of God's Word, saying, in Exodus, " And of him ye shall not break a bone," &c.

66

This rude and misshapen doctrine of these monks concerning transubstantiation, as ye have heard when and by whom it began this doe- first to be broached, so, if you would now know by what learning and transub Scriptures they did confirm and establish the same, ye must here think and understand, how their chiefest grounds and substance to by mira- persuade the people were at this time certain miracles by them forged, and published both in their writings and preachings; whereof one was the same above recited of Odo, which Osberne or some other monkish legend invented of him, how he should show unto certain the host, turned into the likeness of flesh and blood, dropping into the chalice, for the conversion of those clerks, who before would not believe it. Another like miracle is also told by the said Osberne of Dunstan,* in this order: how the said Dunstan appeared to a certain lame cripple in the night, willing him to resort unto his tomb, to have his limbs again restored; which cripple, according as he was willed, after he had there continued praying for health a long time, and could not obtain, began to return home again after long tarrying, without all hope of recovery. To whom the said Dunstan, appearing again by the way,

(1) Guimund, or Guitmund: his treatise is included in Bibliotheca Patrum; and in a collection of writers 'De corpore et sanguine Christi,' published at Louvain in 1561, to which Foxe refers soon afterwards.-ED. (2) Isa. liii.

(3) Guimund. lib. Sacrament. fol. 30.

(4) Ex Osberno, lib. ii. De Vita Dunstan.

VIII.

" 1539.

asked from whence he came, and whither he would. The cripple, Henry answering, declared how he came thither upon hope of health, where he had long tarried; and because he could find no recovery, therefore A.D. he now was returning home. To whom then said Dunstan: "I am," saith he, "Dunstan, the fellow-servant of all God's servants, and have been occupied with certain necessary business, for which I could not be present there with my children: for Elfric," said he, "otherwise surnamed Bata, hath attempted to disherit my church; but I have so stopped him, that he could not prevail."

miracle

to prove

stantia

Many other fabulous miracles of the like stamp are rife in popish a lying stories, counterfeited and forged under divers and sundry names, of Pas some referred to Gregory, some to Paschasius, and to others more, chasius which, to recite all, would fill a whole sea full of lies and fables. transubAmong many, one is thus invented of Paschasius. There was a tint priest of Almain (saith he), named Plegildus, who did see and handle with his hands visibly the shape of a child upon the altar; and so, after he had embraced and kissed it, it returned again to the likeness of bread, as he should come to the receiving thereof. This miracle when it was objected against Berengarius, he, merrily deriding the blind fable, answered in these words: "A godly peace," quoth he, "of a false varlet; that whom he kissed before with his mouth, by and by he goeth about to tear him with his teeth.""

monkish

Another miracle is reported of a Jew boy, who, upon a time, enter- Another ing into the church with another, a Christian lad, who was his play- miracle. fellow, saw upon the altar a little child broken and torn in pieces, and afterwards, by portions, to be distributed among the people: which sight when the young Jew, coming home, had told unto his father to be true and certain, he was for the same condemned to be burned. Thus he, being enclosed in a house, and the door made fast where he should be burned, he was found and taken out from thence by the Christians, not only alive, but also having not one hair of his head blemished with the flames about him. Who then being of the Christians demanded, how he was so preserved from the burning fire, "There appeared," said he, "to me, a beautiful woman sitting on a chair, whose son the child was, which was before divided and distributed in the church among the people; who reached to me her hand in the burning flame, and with her gown-skirts kept the flame from me, so that I was preserved thereby from perishing," &c. Belike these monks lacked miracles among the Christians, when they were fain to borrow such figments of the Jews, to prove their feigned transubstantiation. And these commonly were then the arguments of these monks, wherewith they persuaded the people to believe their transubstantiation. But to leave these monks' fictions, and to return again to Berengarius, thus Malmesbury of him reporteth, that after he had once or twice recanted, as is aforesaid, yet, notwithstanding, this doctrine of the sacrament still remained in the mind of his hearers. And howsoever the tyranny of the pope did drive him, through fear, to deny his opinion, and wrought him much trouble, yet, notwithstanding, after his death he lacked not his well willers; in the num(1) By this it appeareth that Elfric, the translator of the Saxon sermon, was archbishop of Canterbury.

(2) Speciosa, inquit, pax nebulonis, ut cai oris præberet basium, ei dentium inferret exitium. (3) This and the succeeding story, are in Malmesbury.-ED.