English literature -- Middle English, 1100-1500; Great Britain -- Social life and customs -- 1066-1485 -- Sources
+William.+ And I said, "Sir, there is no such virtue in any imagery,
that any images should herefore be worshipped; wherefore I am certain
that there is no miracle done of GOD in any place in earth, because that
any images made with man's hand, should be worshipped. And herefore,
Sir, as I preached openly at Shrewsbury and other places, I say now here
before you: that nobody should trust that there were any virtue in
imagery made with man's hand, and herefore nobody should vow to them,
nor seek them, nor kneel to them, nor bow to them, nor pray to them, nor
offer anything to them, nor kiss them, nor incense them. For, lo, the
most worthy of such images, the Brazen Serpent, by MOSES made, at GOD's
bidding! the good King HEZEKIAH destroyed worthily and thankfully; for
because it was incensed. Therefore, Sir, if men take good heed to the
writing and to the learning of Saint AUGUSTINE, of Saint GREGORY, and of
Saint John CHRYSOSTOM, and of other Saints and Doctors, how they speak
and write of miracles that shall be done now in the last end of the
world; it is to dread that, for the unfaithfulness of men and women, the
Fiend hath great power for to work many of the miracles that now are
done in such places. For both men and women delight now, more for to
hear and know miracles, than they do to know GOD's Word or to hear it
effectuously. Wherefore, to the great confusion of all them that thus
do, Christ saith, _The generation of adulterers requireth tokens,
miracles, and wonders._ Nevertheless, as divers Saints say, now, when
the faith of GOD is published in Christendom, the Word of God sufficeth
to man's salvation, without such miracles; and thus also the Word of GOD
sufficeth to all faithful men and women, without any such images.
"But, good Sir, since the Father of heaven, that is GOD in His Godhead,
is the most unknown thing that may be, and the most wonderful Spirit,
having in it no shape or likeness of any members of any dedely [_deadly,
i.e., liable to death_] creature: in what likeness, or what image, may
GOD the Father be shewed or painted?"
+Archbishop.+ And the Archbishop said, "As Holy Church hath suffered,
and yet suffereth the images of all the Trinity, and other images to be
painted and shewed, sufficeth to them that are members of Holy Church.
But since thou art a rotten member cut away from Holy Church, thou
favourest not the ordinance thereof! But since the day passeth, leave we
this matter!"
* * * * *
=THE 3RD CHARGE OF THE SHREWSBURY MEN.=
+Archbishop.+ And then he said to me, "What sayest thou, to the third
point that is certified against thee, preaching openly in Shrewsbury
that _Pilgrimage is not lawful_? And, over this, thou saidest that
_those men and women that go on pilgrimages to Canterbury, to Beverley,
to Carlington, to Walsingham, and to any such other places, are
accursed; and made foolish, spending their goods in waste_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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