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From The Annals of Roger de Hoveden, Comprising the History of England and of Other Countries of Europe from A.D. 732 to A.D. 1201, Translated from the Latin with Notes and Illustrations by Henry T. Riley, Esq., Volume I, London: H.G. Bohn, 1853; pp. 428-433.
“On the fourth head, we do convict and adjudge them to be heretics, upon the authority of the New Testament. For the body of our Lord is consecrated by the priest only, whether he is good or whether bad. For by the holy words, which the Saviour pronounced at the supper, namely, ‘This is my body, and this is my blood,’ the body of our Lord is consecrated and made. For just as the messenger of the emperor, or of the king of France, or of any other powerful person, does not by his low estate or ragged condition, corrupt or render vile the words of his master, so in like manner, the words of our Lord are neither changed nor blemished. And, just as a ray of the sun, when it passes through the common sewer, contracts neither stain nor fetid smell, or as water passes clear and transparent into the cisterns through pipes that are dirty, foul, or muddy, so are the words of the Lord not polluted, nor are they uttered with better or more pure effect by a good man than by a bad one, ‘For with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.’1 But, that the body of the Lord ought to be consecrated
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nowhere but in the Church; Saint Paul says, ‘Despise ye the Church of God? Have ye not houses to eat in?’2 So also Saint Paul says to Titus,3 ‘That thou mayst know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.’ And it is the duty of all the faithful to receive their instruction in the Church. Wherefore it is that Saint Paul says, ‘Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted unto them to speak.’4 For this, which man eats, is the bread of angels, which has descended from heaven; and as the manna which had been rained from heaven, and the rod of Aaron which had blossomed, were kept in the ark, as also the tables which had been written by the finger of God, so is the body of our Lord not consecrated, or kept except in the Church, as being the most pleasing sanctuary of the Lord. And in the same manner as the ark was carried on their shoulders by the Levites only, and was under their care, and as the Levites only ministered in the tabernacle of the Lord, so, to the priests alone, and to their servants, has been delivered and entrusted the care of the Church. Of this ark the Lord speaks in the Revelation; ‘the heaven was opened, and there was seen in His temple the ark of His testament.’5 Moreover, to the priests alone has been given the power of binding and loosing; wherefore the Lord says unto Peter, ‘Whatever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven.’6 Saint Paul says also to Timothy,7 ‘For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldst set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city.’ Also, with regard to orders, the Apostle says, ‘Let the elders that rule well be accounted worthy of double honor.’8 Likewise: ‘Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.’9 Again: ‘Deacons must be grave;’10 and, ‘To all at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons, grace be unto you, and peace.’11 Behold then to whom it is that the Lord commits the words of warning and of correction! Also, Saint Paul says, ‘Reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering
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and doctrine.’12 Also, the Lord says to his disciples, ‘Teach them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.’13 These elders, therefore, bishops, and deacons, it is the duty of both clergy and laity to obey, for the sake of God, whether they are good or whether bad. For this reason it is that the Lord says, ‘The Scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat; all, therefore, whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works; for they say, and do not.’14 And Saint Paul,15 speaking of authorities, says, ‘Be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward:’ and, ‘Let a bishop be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.’16 And again, ‘Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves; for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account; that they may do it with joy and not with grief.’17 Also, ‘Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God, whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.’18 Also, ‘He that waiteth at the altar is a partaker with the altar.’19 And, ‘If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap you carnal things?’20 Saint Paul says also to Timothy: ‘But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of — for, from a child, thou hast known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise to salvation.’21
“On the fifth head, we do convict and adjudge them to be heretics, on the authority of the New Testament. For they refuse to admit that a man and woman can be saved if they are carnally united; inasmuch as they are in the habit of openly preaching the doctrine that a man and woman cannot obtain salvation after carnal connexion. Consequently, they commend and approve of the multiplication of cattle, and yet disapprove of the multiplication of mankind. They admire sterility in woman, according to the words of Scripture, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare.’22 This doctrine they preach, in order that but few owners may be found for objects innumerable, and that the creatures which have been made for the use and service of men may be without possessor, inhabitant,
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or ruler, wishing all to be like themselves, as Saint Paul says, ‘I would that all were —— such as I am.’23 And then they would appear to preach up the merits of virginity, as being the state of Christ and of the Virgin Mary, although it was He who said: ‘Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth.’24 Indeed, they seem thereby to detract from the character of marriage, and to condemn it, while our Lord Jesus Christ graced a marriage with his own presence, and that of his mother Mary and of his disciples, and honored it with the miracle of turning water into wine. Besides, it is said in the Gospel, ‘What God hath joined together, let not man put asunder;’25 and, ‘Let it not be lawful for a man to put away his wife, except for fornication.’26 Also, Saint Paul says: ‘He who giveth his virgin in marriage, doeth well.’27 And, again, ‘The woman is bound by law to her husband so long as he liveth.’28 ‘The wife hath not power of her own body, but her husband;’29 and similarly with regard to the husband. Likewise, he says: ‘Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to prayer; and come together again that Satan tempt you not.’30 And, ‘I will that the younger women marry, bear children, keep house.’31 And further, ‘I say it not, but the Lord; a woman shall be saved in childbearing.’32 If it were a sin to beget children, why should the Lord say, why should the Apostle say, that it is good? And why should he tell them to come together again, and use the expression, ‘I will that’? Does God will, does the Apostle will, that a sin should be committed? We are of the belief, then, that a man and woman may be saved, even if they are carnally united.
“On the sixth head we do convict and adjudge them to be heretics, and cut off from the unity of the Church, on the authority of the New Testament. For we say that the Lord delivered unto Saint Peter the ministry and the power of binding and loosing, saying, ‘Whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth, shall be bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth, shall be loosed in heaven;’33 and, ‘I sent unto you prophets, and wise men and scribes.’34 But, as the Lord says, ‘Not all men can receive this saying.’35 And further, we say,
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that they ought to make answer respecting the Gospel, and to dispute thereon, standing, inasmuch as all Christians stand when the Gospel is read; and if they stand when it is read, much more ought they when it is both read and expounded: nor, indeed, ought they to adopt the mode of sitting after they have once made choice of standing. We have also many authorities, from which it is manifestly gathered that a person ought to stand when the Gospel is preached; as, for instance: ‘Jesus stood on the shore;’36 and, again, ‘Jesus stood still and called them;’37 and, again, ‘He stood in the midst of you whom ye know not.’38 And, again, after his resurrection, confirming the Apostles, and preaching, ‘Jesus stood,’ it is said, ‘in the midst of the disciples, and said, peace be unto you.’39 These people too hold not the position of one giving judgment, but of one making answer; and it is the Lord that ought to sit, to whom all judgment has been given by the Father. As for these people, they do not judge, but are judged. Nor has there been granted to them the mystery of preaching in the churches. Indeed, these are heretics, such as Saint Paul foretells that there shall be, saying, ‘Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived;’40 as also, “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but —— shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables;’41 and, ‘From which some having swerved, have turned aside unto vain jangling; desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm.’42 Indeed, it is the duty of the prelates of the Church to punish the disobedience of these persons, and to correct it before all men. Wherefore, the Apostle says, ‘Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.’43 Saint Paul says, also, to the prelates [of the Church]: ‘Having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience.’44 And, ‘That ye may be able to convince the gainsayers.’45 And, ‘These things speak, and exhort and rebuke with all authority.’46 Also, I have ‘delivered such an one unto Satan, for the destruction
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of the flesh.’47 And, ‘Absent I have judged as though present, concerning him that hath so done this deed.’48 And again, ‘If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.’49
1 James i, 17.
2 1 Cor. xi. 22.
3 He commits an error: it is from 1 Timothy, iii. 15.
4 1 Cor. xiv. 34, 35.
5 Rev. xi. 19.
6 St. Matt. xvi. 19.
7 This is an error: the words (with a slight variation) are in Titus i. 5.
8 1 Tim. v. 17.
9 1 Tim. v. 19.
10 1 Tim. iii. 8.
11 Phil. i. 1.
12 2 Tim. iv. 2. Also, Tit. ii. 15.
13 St. Matt. xxviii. 20.
14 St. Matt. xxiii. 2, 3.
15 He is in error: the words are found in 1 Peter ii. 18.
16 Titus i. 7, 9.
17 Heb. xiii. 17.
18 Heb. xiii. 7.
19 1 Cor. ix. 13, and x. 18.
20 1 Cor. ix. 11.
21 2 Tim. iii.14, 15.
22 Luke xxiii. 29.
23 Acts xxvi. 29.
24 Gen. i. 28.
25 Matt. xix. 6.
26 Matt. xix. 9.
27 1 Cor. vii. 37.
28 Rom. vii. 2.
29 1 Cor. vii. 4.
30 1 Cor. vii. 5.
31 1 Tim. v. 14.
32 Partly from 1 Tim. ii. 15.
33 St. Matt. xvi. 19.
34 St. Matt. xxiii. 34.
35 St. Matt. xix. 11.
36 St. John xxi. 4. This must be the passage alluded to, though the words in the text are “Stetit Jesus in loco campestri.”
37 St. Matt. xix. 32.
38 Probably in reference to St. John xx. 14, and xxi. 4.
39 St. John xx. 19, 26.
40 2 Tim. iii. 13.
41 2 Tim. iv. 3.
42 1 Tim. i. 6, 7.
43 1 Tim. v. 20.
44 2 Cor. x. 6.
45 Tit. i. 9.
46 Tit. ii. 15.
47 1 Cor. v. 5.
48 1 Cor. v. 3.
49 Gal. i. 9.