book could stir of any science, either of divinity, law, or physic, but they were

Books both able and ready to buy it u]). So that every covent having a great library
not to he f^,]l stuffed and furnished" with all sorts of books, and there being so many
the'friafs! covcnts within the realm, and in every covent so many friars increasing daily
more and more ; by reason whereof it came to pass, that verj' few books, or
Example none at all, remain for other students. This, by his own experience be thus
vfhat lack testifieth, saying ; that he himself sent forth to the imiversity four of his own
come'th*' priests or chaplains, who, sending him word again, that they could neither find
ijy tlie the Bible, nor any other good profitable book of divinity meet for their study,
friars. therefore were minded to return home to their country ; and one of them, he
was sure, was returned by this time. Friars Furthermore, as he hath proved hitherto the friars to be hurtful both to the
gu'lty in laity, and to the clergy ; so proceeding farther, he proveth them to be hurtful faiX ■ "^**° ^" themselves : and that in three points, as incurring the vice of disobe- 1. Diso- dience against God, and against their own nde; the vice of avarice; and the bedience. y[^Q ^f pnde. The probation of all which points he prosecuted in a long li'ce. discourse.
3. Pride, ' First, saith he, they are disobedient to the law of God, " Thou shalt not HiTiui's ^^^■'•'^ '^^y iH'ighbour's house, ox, nor ass, nor any thing that is his;" in that charpeth thcy procure the pope's letters to preach in churches, and to take burials from **'•'' h"i'"* churches, with license annexed withal to receive the avails which rise of the obedi- ' same, which properly belongeth to the right of parish priests. ence. Item, Thcy are disobedient to this rule of the gospel : " So do to other, as
dieiu'^o ^^'°" wouldest have done to thee."
the rule. Item, They be disobedient against their own rule, which being founded upon of Scrip- strict poverty and beggary, this license obUiined for them, to require necessaries ture. ^j. jj^^ people for their labours, is repugning against the same foundation.
Item, They be disobedient to the iiile of the Scripture, which saith, " Let no
OUATION OF AR^rACHAXUS AGAINST BEGGING FEIARS. 761
man take honour unto him, except he be called, as Aaron." Also St. Paul saitli, Edward " How shall they preach, unless they be sent?" And how observe they this m- nde of obedience!^ who professing to keep the perfection of the gospel, yet con- f^ q_ trary to the gospel procure to tlicmselves privileges to run before tliey be sent .' 1360.
Item, To their own ride they are disobedient; for where their chapter saitli, 1-
that if any will take upon them this order, and will come to ovu- brethren ; let our brethren first send them to the provincials, to be examined of the catholic fjiith and sacraments of the church, &c. ; contrary hereunto tlie friars have procured a privilege, that not only the provincials, but other inferiors, also, may take unto them indifferently whom they can catch ; so far, without all exami- nation, that almost at this day there is no notable house of friars, wherein is not either a whole, or half a covent of lads and boys under ten years old, being circumvented, who neither can skill of the creed nor sacraments.
Again, the nde of Francis saith, that his brethren Observants must observe Disobe- not to preacli in the diocese of any bishop, without the consent of the bishop; f,'g"r ^^n and, moreover, the said Francis in his testament saitli, tliat if he had as much profes- wisdom as Solomon, and found poor secular priests in the parishes where they sion. dwell, yet he would not presume to preach without their will, and also would fear, love, and honour them, and all other as his masters, and so they be.
Against which nile how the friars do disobey, how little they reverence bishops or secidar priests, what privileges, exemptions, and immunities they procure against them, the world may see and judge.
Item, When none may be admitted to preach, or to hear confessions, unless they be entered into orders ; and, seeing by the common law of tlie church, none must be admitted into holy orders, except lie have sufficient title of living and clothing ; the friars, therefore, having no such title, being wilful beggars, do disobey in both respects, that is, both in entering into sucli orders witliout convenient title, and in exercising the office of preaching without such lawfid orders.
Moreover, the aforesaid Francis in his testament commandeth thus : " I command," saith he, " firmly by virtue of obedience, to all and singular my brethren wheresoever they be, that none of them presume to obtain in the court of Rome any letter or writing, either by himself, or by any other means, neither for the church, nor for any other place, nor under any colour of preach- ing, nor yet for the persecuting of their own bodies," &c. Against which testament" of Francis, the Franciscans, in procuring their privileges from the bishop of Rome, have incurred manifest disobedience as all the world may see. Neither will this objection serve them, because the pope hath dispensed with Francis' rule. For if the testament of Francis, as he saith, came from God (and so should God have three testaments), how then can the pope repeal his precept, or dispense with his rule, when by the nde of the law, " Par in parem non habet imperium?"
Secondly, concerning the vice of avarice, manifestly it may be proved upon them, saith Armachanus; for else, seeing so many charges belong to the office of a secular parish priest, as to minister the sacrament at Easter, to visit the sick with extreme unction, to baptize children, to wed, with such others, wherein Arma- standeth as great devotion ; how then happeneth it that these friars, making no ^{j^J'^y/,,, labour for these, only procure to themselves privileges to preach in churches, to the friars hear confessions, and to receive license to bury from parish churches, but ^vitii ava- because there is lucre and gain, in these, to be looked for, in the other is none ? "'^'^'
Which also may appear'by this, for, otherwise, if it were for mere devotion Another only that they procure license to bury from parish churches and to preach ; why l""""*"- then have they procured withal, license to take offerings, oblations, and legacies for their funerals ? And, for their preaching, why have they annexed also license to require and take, of the people, necessaries for their labour, but only that avarice is the cause thereof?
Likewise, for hearing of confessions, when all good men have enough to Another know their own faults, and nothing list to hear the faults of other ; it is probably P^of. to be supposed, by this their privilege of hearing all men's confessions, that they would never have been so desirous of procuring that privdege, were it not that these friars did feel some sweetness and gain to hang upon the same.
Item, where the nde of friar Francis forbiddetli them to keep company with any woman, to enter into monasteries, to be godfathers and gossips to men and
762
OUATIOX OF AKMACIIANL'S AGAINST liKGClXG rUlAKS.
£itirnrd Jll.
A.D. 13G0.
Arma-
chanus
chargeth
the friars
with
l>riile>.
The third conclu- sion or article.
His
fourth conclu- sion against the friars.
women; liow coincth it tliat tlicy, contrary to tlicir rule, enter into tlie secret chanibt rs of (|ui'ens and other women, and are made to know the most secret counsels of their doin-js, but that avarice and commodity have so bUnded tlieir eyes, and stirred tlieir hearts?
' Thirdly, that the friare fall into the vice of pride and ambition, the said Armaehanus jnoved thus :
To seek or to ])rocure any high jdace in the chnreh, is a point of pride and ambition.' " Nunquam sine ambitione desideratur primatus in ecclesia."
The friars seek and procure a high ))lace in the church.
Krgo, the friars arc ])roud and ambitious.
The minor he proveth, to have the state of iireaching and hearing confessions is, in the church, a state of honour.
The friars seek, and have procured, the state of preaching and hearing con- fessions.
Ergo, the friars seek and procure a high jjlace in the cluuch, &-c.