In those daies there was a certeine matrone in London, which had one
onelie daughter, whome manie daies she instructed and trained vp to
celebrat the masse, and she set vp an altar in hir priuie or secret
chamber with all the ornaments therevnto belonging, and so she made
hir daughter manie daies to attire hir selfe like a priest, and to
come to the altar, and after hir maner to celebrate the masse. Now
when she came to the words of the sacrament, she cast hir selfe flat
on hir face before the altar, & † made not the sacrament; but rising
vp, dispatched the rest of the masse euen to the verie end, hir mother
helping hir therein, and dooing hir deuotion. This errour a long time
lasted, till at last by a certeine neighbour that was secretlie called
to such a masse, it was told abroad, and came to the bishops eares, who
causing them to appeare before him, talked with them about that |829|
errour, and compelled the yoong woman openlie to shew the priestlie
shauing of hir haire, whose head was found to be all bare and bald. The
bishop sighing and sorrieng that such an errour should happen in the
church in his time, made manie lamentations, and hauing inioined them
penance, dispatched and sent them away. Thus far Henrie Knighton. [It
is not to be doubted, but that in these daies manie of the female sex
be medling in matters impertinent to their degrée, and inconuenient
for their knowledge; debating & scanning in their priuat conuenticles
of such things as wherabout if they kept silence, it were for their
greater commendation; presuming, though not to celebrat a masse, or
to make a sacrament; yet to vndertake some publike peece of seruice
incident to the ministerie: whose ouer-sawcie rashnesse being bolstered
and borne vp with abbettors not a few, whether it be by ecclesiasticall
discipline corrected, I wot not; but of the vniformed presbiterie I am
sure it is lamented.]
[Sidenote: A fierie apparition of diuerse likenesses.
A head of wax wrought by necromancie speaketh.
A fierie dragon séene in diuers places.
_Abr. Fl._ out of _Thom. Walsin._ in _Rich. 2._ pag. 341.