 | A transcript of Edward Taylor's Metrical History of Christianity by Donald E. Stanford |  |
Superstitions.
I might here brand the Errours that do ly
Luld in false Doctrines lap for Heresy
And as I stem the Currant in the Seas
Of Superstitions, I may plump (if't please)
Therein such dross as I upon the same
May Chance to strike upon: but now I aime
In Superstitions Glass and Foppish Crimes
To eye how patience's Glory higher climbs.
Romes bishops chiefly do the Scullions stand
That scoure her very bright with durty sand:
Luld in false Doctrines lap for Heresy
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Of Superstitions, I may plump (if't please)
Therein such dross as I upon the same
May Chance to strike upon: but now I aime
In Superstitions Glass and Foppish Crimes
To eye how patience's Glory higher climbs.
Romes bishops chiefly do the Scullions stand
That scoure her very bright with durty sand:
Sabinian last Patriarch of Rome
Who tore at Gregory now in his tomb
Decrees Canonish Hours; and ringing bells:
And Lights to burne ere in the Temples-tells
It must all wayes be in the Vatican
And Boniface the third nine months did fan.
Romes Universal Headship he obtaind
Of Phocas who by blood the Empire gaind.
Then Boniface the fourth comes in and takes
Sir Phocas with your leave, and Consecrates
The Pagan temple Pantheon which hiv'de
All Pagan Gods in't, and is by him shriv'de
Of all its Idoll Gods, on Martyres stowd
And Divells now which scourgd such as there flowd
That Christians were, abate their stripes do there.
Good reason why, they friendship make He here
Doth annually upon his All Saints day
Novembers Calends, fixt then mass to say.
He did Decree that Altar Cloths shall bee
Of Linen clean: and white spred on them. He
States Monks a Sort of priests, and on them sent
A Power to preach, and give the Sacram[en]t.
Who tore at Gregory now in his tomb
Decrees Canonish Hours; and ringing bells:
And Lights to burne ere in the Temples-tells
It must all wayes be in the Vatican
And Boniface the third nine months did fan.
Romes Universal Headship he obtaind
Of Phocas who by blood the Empire gaind.
Then Boniface the fourth comes in and takes
Sir Phocas with your leave, and Consecrates
The Pagan temple Pantheon which hiv'de
All Pagan Gods in't, and is by him shriv'de
Of all its Idoll Gods, on Martyres stowd
And Divells now which scourgd such as there flowd
That Christians were, abate their stripes do there.
Good reason why, they friendship make He here
Doth annually upon his All Saints day
Novembers Calends, fixt then mass to say.
He did Decree that Altar Cloths shall bee
Of Linen clean: and white spred on them. He
States Monks a Sort of priests, and on them sent
A Power to preach, and give the Sacram[en]t.
The Seat nigh Six months void, then Theodate
Is shuffled in't, who heald now Consecrate
A Leper by a Kiss (such smacks are rare)
Decrees that Parents shall no longer pair
And be divorc'd, if for their babes they go
As Sureties when baptismall waters flow.
Is shuffled in't, who heald now Consecrate
A Leper by a Kiss (such smacks are rare)
Decrees that Parents shall no longer pair
And be divorc'd, if for their babes they go
As Sureties when baptismall waters flow.
Honorius then comes, who builds a new
The ruind Idol temples in chang'd hew,
Invents the Exaltation day of th'Cross
The Invocation of the Dead. Such dross.
The ruind Idol temples in chang'd hew,
Invents the Exaltation day of th'Cross
The Invocation of the Dead. Such dross.
Then John the fourth who did the boddies bring
Of Anastase and Vincent: and them in
Saint John Evangelist his Chapel hide
From th'Saracens by th'Lateran fountain side.
Of Anastase and Vincent: and them in
Saint John Evangelist his Chapel hide
From th'Saracens by th'Lateran fountain side.
Another Theodore is pop'de did see
Wax Candles blesst on Easter Sunday bee.
Wax Candles blesst on Easter Sunday bee.
214
Martin next Pope doth Constance now up risen
To th'Empire Check for Monothelitism,
Constance commands Olympius Exarch then
Of Italy to kill or send with men
Him Prisoner to him: who could not do't.
Then Calliop is sent, he binds the Pope
And brings him to Byzantium, they there fleece
His tongue, and hand off, forcd thence t'Chersonese
In Thrace an Exile is to's dying day.
He orderest the Clergy should not ha'e
Long hair. That bride and bridesgroom may not ly
Together, 'fore the Priest them wisht much joy.
The Clergy to say grace before meat and
Oyle sacred yearly made by bishops hand.
To th'Empire Check for Monothelitism,
Constance commands Olympius Exarch then
Of Italy to kill or send with men
Him Prisoner to him: who could not do't.
Then Calliop is sent, he binds the Pope
And brings him to Byzantium, they there fleece
His tongue, and hand off, forcd thence t'Chersonese
In Thrace an Exile is to's dying day.
He orderest the Clergy should not ha'e
Long hair. That bride and bridesgroom may not ly
Together, 'fore the Priest them wisht much joy.
The Clergy to say grace before meat and
Oyle sacred yearly made by bishops hand.
Martin in Exile Empty stands the Chair
Full fourteen months, after his death's day were
Eugenius then pears in't who first decreed
That Bishops prisons get for such as need
That Priests, Deans and Archdeacon shall not wed
After two years the body lost this head.
Full fourteen months, after his death's day were
Eugenius then pears in't who first decreed
That Bishops prisons get for such as need
That Priests, Deans and Archdeacon shall not wed
After two years the body lost this head.
Vitalian gets thereon, and soon doth send
To Constance Emperor who him Confirmd.
He did Ecc[l]esiastick Rules Decree
Church Musick too, The Organs as they bee
Makes all things in the Churches out to come
Prattling and canting in the Latine tongue.
To Constance Emperor who him Confirmd.
He did Ecc[l]esiastick Rules Decree
Church Musick too, The Organs as they bee
Makes all things in the Churches out to come
Prattling and canting in the Latine tongue.
Adeodate comes in: and after him
Donus another of the selfe same tin.
Then Agatho hath thirty months the Chair,
Belies Chrysostom making th'Mass his heir.
Damns Mari'd priests and John Archcantor sent
To England t'sing. The Church of Rome (his tent)
Can't Erre, and all that would be sav'd must ly
In Snug Communion with all her fry.
He gave another Leprose Curing Kiss
If Martins Chronicle don't speake amiss.
Donus another of the selfe same tin.
Then Agatho hath thirty months the Chair,
Belies Chrysostom making th'Mass his heir.
Damns Mari'd priests and John Archcantor sent
To England t'sing. The Church of Rome (his tent)
Can't Erre, and all that would be sav'd must ly
In Snug Communion with all her fry.
He gave another Leprose Curing Kiss
If Martins Chronicle don't speake amiss.
Benit the second ten months more, who is
Confirmd by Constantine for him, and his.
John Quintus follows him another yeare
Then Conon hath eleven months the Chair
Then Sergius skipt in't from off mens backs
While Theodore and Paschall go to thwacks
To win the throne but lose it for it lights
In Sergiu's mouth while for the bone they fight.
He's said to finde in Peters Chest a piece
Of Christ Cross Wood which he bids men like geese,
Kiss and adore. Makes Agnus Dei sung
While Sacramentall bread doth broken run.
Sergy good night. I'le back again return
And lick mine Orts o're, 'fore I them hence Spurn.
Temples are now adord, and stufft to th' skin,
With Chests, and dead mens bones: Calld Relicks: Sin.
Wax Candles, Images, Fonts, Altars Nay
Redwall King of East Angles, Bede doth say,
Had in his Chappell set Christs Altar, and
The Divells Altar too; therein did stand.
Masses and other Romish trash: from which
Many departed from the Temples rich
When preaching were with prayre all over, lest
They should with Mass idolatry be pest.
The English Nobles, potentates, and King
To heare the Word, and Prayre their presence bring:
Which being over, then they did depart.
And so it were else where, this vext this art.
They pray to'r'ds Temples, Altars, Pictures gay,
To'ards th'Holy Land, Monastries, nay pray
By Graves, and Monuments. And now are found
Mattins, and Even-Songs greatly abound.
Constantinople's Synod Sixt decreed
(As Polydore relates it for their deed)
That Images in Churches be in store
And worshipt too; as lay mens Battledores
(To which the Romish she, lights Candles and
Burns frank Insence and so doth give Command)
This Counsill also order'd that the saints
Intreated bee to treat God on our 'plaints
Whom they ordain'd as Ministers shall have
A staffe put in his hand (the rod they gave)
Thens made a Chair man, While they Cant and sing
But Exorcist, when made, a booke wherein
Are writ their Exorcisms now receive.
He must be Palld that to Ordain hath leave.
Confirmd by Constantine for him, and his.
John Quintus follows him another yeare
Then Conon hath eleven months the Chair
Then Sergius skipt in't from off mens backs
While Theodore and Paschall go to thwacks
To win the throne but lose it for it lights
In Sergiu's mouth while for the bone they fight.
He's said to finde in Peters Chest a piece
Of Christ Cross Wood which he bids men like geese,
Kiss and adore. Makes Agnus Dei sung
While Sacramentall bread doth broken run.
215
And lick mine Orts o're, 'fore I them hence Spurn.
Temples are now adord, and stufft to th' skin,
With Chests, and dead mens bones: Calld Relicks: Sin.
Wax Candles, Images, Fonts, Altars Nay
Redwall King of East Angles, Bede doth say,
Had in his Chappell set Christs Altar, and
The Divells Altar too; therein did stand.
Masses and other Romish trash: from which
Many departed from the Temples rich
When preaching were with prayre all over, lest
They should with Mass idolatry be pest.
The English Nobles, potentates, and King
To heare the Word, and Prayre their presence bring:
Which being over, then they did depart.
And so it were else where, this vext this art.
They pray to'r'ds Temples, Altars, Pictures gay,
To'ards th'Holy Land, Monastries, nay pray
By Graves, and Monuments. And now are found
Mattins, and Even-Songs greatly abound.
Constantinople's Synod Sixt decreed
(As Polydore relates it for their deed)
That Images in Churches be in store
And worshipt too; as lay mens Battledores
(To which the Romish she, lights Candles and
Burns frank Insence and so doth give Command)
This Counsill also order'd that the saints
Intreated bee to treat God on our 'plaints
Whom they ordain'd as Ministers shall have
A staffe put in his hand (the rod they gave)
Thens made a Chair man, While they Cant and sing
But Exorcist, when made, a booke wherein
Are writ their Exorcisms now receive.
He must be Palld that to Ordain hath leave.
Toleto's Coūcill eighth this Charge displayes,
That none eat flesh in Quadragisimaes.
Nunries now Spring. In Tanet isle arose
Mildred with seventy shes, young Nuns, suppose.
At Witby in another Ile, there sprang
An other built by Oswin King, whose gang
Congelda was the Mother Nun, beside
His daughter Edelf red had her her guide
I'le go no fur, My Pen its patience quite
Will faint away if on I should delight
To draw the thrid and make her shuttle run
Ore all the Web unto the very thr[u]m.
But by what here is done we cleare may see
Patience by Superstition bright made bee.
That none eat flesh in Quadragisimaes.
Nunries now Spring. In Tanet isle arose
Mildred with seventy shes, young Nuns, suppose.
At Witby in another Ile, there sprang
An other built by Oswin King, whose gang
Congelda was the Mother Nun, beside
His daughter Edelf red had her her guide
I'le go no fur, My Pen its patience quite
Will faint away if on I should delight
To draw the thrid and make her shuttle run
Ore all the Web unto the very thr[u]m.
But by what here is done we cleare may see
Patience by Superstition bright made bee.
| A transcript of Edward Taylor's Metrical History of Christianity by Donald E. Stanford | |