An Epitaph , or rather a short discourse made vpon the life & death of D. Boner sometimes vnworthy Bisshop of London , whiche dyed the v. of September in the Marshallie .

¶ Imprinted at London at the long Shop adioyning vnto S Mildreds Church in the Pultrie by Iohn Alide

An. do . 1569. Sep. 14.

MAtters beyng yet in doubt , maie with questions and reasons , bee brought out of doubt : but thinges beyng without doubt , ought not with the subteltie of wordes , bee broughte into doubte . As without all doubte Edmonde Boner late vsurped bishop of London , was a bastarde , and also the soonne of a Bastarde : that is a Bastarde in grosse , and a Bastarde can not , neither maie not bee a bisshop . Boner was a Bastarde , ergo no bishop ; and this is a true conclusion . This is not true said an old Dunsticall felowe , sittyng at the table with a graue learned Lawier of the common Lawe , and an eloquente Ciuilian , that were all three together : the one frouned , the seconde did bite his lippe , the third in a greate rage saied : men maie saie what thei will now a daies , & belye the truthe as you haue doen , he was a blessed confessor , although a bastard , and a true bishop , bothe by Gods Lawes , the Canonicall lawes & the lawes of this realme of Englande . To this thei saied all Amen . Proue you the contrary saied thei , and we wil yelde vnto you : will you : he , then will I proue hym no bishop , when he liued , whiche you graunt to 〈◊〉 bastarde by these thrée Lawes . Make proffe saied these three , I will by Gods grace quod he , proue that neither Tunstall , nor Boner , were any bishoppes of London , but vsurped , bicause thei twoo were bastardes : and all bastardes bee vnder the same predicament . For the booke of Wisedome in the. iiij . Chapit . makyng a difference betwene twoo generations of the lawfull , and vnlawfull . Of the lawfull it is saied : O quam pulcra , & casta generatio . &c. O how faire is a chaste generation with vertue : the memoriall therof is immortall , for it is knowen with God , and with men : when it is presente , men take example thereat , and if it goe awaie , yet thei desire it : it is alwaies crouned , and holden in honor , and winneth the rewarde of the vndefiled 〈◊〉 . But the other generation , that is vnknowen emong men , that are called the children of the people : thus muche is spoken of in the same booke . Multigena autem impiorum multitudo non erit vtilis , & spuria vitulamina non dabunt radices altas , nec stabile fundamentum constituit . That is . The multitude of the vngodly children , are vnprofitable children , and the thynges that are planted with whoredome , shall take no depe roote , nor laie any fast foundation , though grene for a tyme in the braunches , yet thei shal be shaken with the winde , for thei stande not fast , and through the vehemencie of the windes , that is Gods vengance thei shal be rooted out , for the vnperfite braunches shal be broken , the fruicte shal be vnprofitable and sower , mete for nothyng . For why beyng demaunded of their parentes , that is , who were their fathers , or mothers , doe witnesse against them , and declare their abhomination , and dooe disclose their synnes , as did that wicked Cham , the sonne of Noe , whiche 〈◊〉 his fathers secretes , for whiche cause , Noe asked vengeaunce vpon the offenders sonne , that therby the offender might bee more greued , then with his owne mishappe . Therfore the lawe that punisheth th offenders issue , dooeth more prohibite synne , then that whiche plageth the offender 〈◊〉 : by this it maie be considered , with what zeale the law of Englande abhorreth vnlawfull coniunctions , depriuyng them not onely of lawfull parentes , but also of Ecclesiasticall dignitie , and temporall inheritaunce . The Ciuill Lawe , speakyng of the birth of children , saieth : Quod non potest arbor mala fructus bonos facere . &c. An euil tree , saie thei , can not bring forth good fruite : nor a good free beare euill fruites , and by the consente of the lawes it is agreed , that euery plante yeldeth to the nature of the grounde , wherein it is planted . The childe also hath Leges 〈◊〉 dicunt 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tuum 〈◊〉 filium 〈◊〉 . muche more certaine , and sure knowledge of the mother , then of the father . Therfore saith the Ciuill Lawe , your naturall or bastarde soonne , is the soonne of the people : and when suche a bastarde is , hauing no certain , or knowen assured father at the birthe , 〈◊〉 it is daily seen , and so iudged by lawe . Now can he come by a father after : as example . If one woman should beare twoo children , of twoo fornicatours , and one of these fornicatours , after doe marie with this woman , whiche of these children should this mariage make legitimate : This would partly help 〈◊〉 by the Ciuil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bastarde . lawe , bicause his father reconsiled his mother into mariage but long after his birth : this is not Boners case ( whose father was neuer maried to his mother ) fantasy would som what perswade : but reason can not finde , seyng the tyme was ones , when bothe these children were bastardes , and the 〈◊〉 of the people , and did not knowe their fathers : it wer therfore against all reason , that a child after ward Genes. 16. borne in the same Matrimonie , being lawfully 〈◊〉 . 4. borne , should lose the inheritaunce , and place the bastardie in the same , as lawfull heire . The lawes of Englande agreeth with the scriptures . Ismael did not inherit with 〈◊〉 : So no bastardes doe inherite lawfully , by the lawes of Englande , neither is equall to the lawfull begotten in the inheritaunce , whiche by the Ciuill lawes can be deuided , but onely emong the male children . Saincte Augustine in lib. xvi . de Ciuitate dei , saieth , Abraham gaue all his substaunce vnto Isaac his soonne ; but vnto the soonnes of the Concubines , he gaue giftes , and sente them awaie from Isaac his soonne . Wherevpon he ment that to bastardes , there is no inheritaunce due , but onely necessary liuyng , and vnder the name of a bastarde . Sainct Augustine vnderstande all vnlawfull issues , and so doeth holie scripture also , and 〈◊〉 no small difference betwene Et eccle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacris repellit ordi nibus . &c Et si tale 〈◊〉 rit non 〈◊〉 tum permittit 〈◊〉 bere in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dei the succession of the lawfull begotten , and the bastarde in temporall thynges , or worldly inheritance , muche lesse in the churche of Christ , in that , that it admitteth them not into holie Orders : and that is proued in the Popes Lawes , againste 〈◊〉 bastardly Papistes : and if the Pope 〈◊〉 with suche a one , yet he permitted not hym to haue a dignitie , or preheminence in the Churche , as to bee a bishoppe . Therefore it is conuenient , that mannes lawes should cutte them shorte , in the benefite of worldly succession . When the Churche doe iudge them vnworthy of orders , of ministerie , of 〈◊〉 dignitie : 〈◊〉 , whom the holie scripture do thrust doune , and greatly embace for though some , that is , one , emong a thousande is good , yet most are not onely giuen to wickednesse , and persecution . &c. Example of Ismael , some to murder . Example of Abimelech , 〈◊〉 . ix . the bastarde soonne of Gedion , whiche Gedion had lawfull begotten sonnes . lxx . and but one bastarde , whiche bastarde Abimelech with one stone , traiterously killed al his brethren , one excepted . So there is more abomination in one bastard , then in . lxix . lawfull sonnes . Many examples I can bryng for the of histories , repugnant to bastards , of their filthinesse of life , whoredome , idolatrie , extortion , treason , murder , glottonie . &c. For it is thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . that theidoe drawe a certain staine from the volupteous lust , mutuall of bothe their filthie parentes , whiche in lawfull chaste mariage taketh no place : and then knowing them selues to be bastardes , hateth all them that are lawfully borne , inuentyng mischief against them as traitors would haue all men traitors : this 〈◊〉 borne Bocher Boner , like Abimeleche , hath 〈◊〉 a great nomber of the legitimate chil 〈◊〉 of God : whose blood asketh the same crewell vengeaunce , that holie Abels doe still in the 〈◊〉 of God , against his brother Cain . So you shall not doubte , but by Gods lawes , the lawes of Englande , and also the Canonicall lawes , that bastardes are all depriued of lawfull parentes , therefore of inheritaunce Temporall : also not lawfull to take Orders , therefore no ministers of Spiritnall dignitie , Ergo. therfore no bishops . Iudge of this your selues , Ergo. and then make answere , when it shall please you . Sir , we will depart , quod thei , referryng this matter till an other tyme . Here is one , quod he , with plaine Musicke Dirge like , in the next chamber , singeth to a dull base Lute I praie you let vs heare him , it will not hurt 〈◊〉 , my thinke he singeth of D. Boner , some merie vanitie , of that vain man , whiche spent his daies in vain Papistrie : we are content said thei , to heare this matter , and then to depart hence , when he hath doen : we praie God it be mery , for we haue talked of sad matters , peace a little , silence my maisters , quod he , agreed saied thei . Then the fellowe on the other side of the walle , reade in the Bible to hymself alone , and that beyng dooen , he songe in rude rime , against rude Boner , the Papist bastard .

The fellowe doe read .

¶ Boner speaketh .

Boner ende .