,
were in the habit of committing atrocious crimes, for which, if not in
orders, they would have been promptly executed; and the laity were
scandalised to see such persons not only not degraded, but escaping with
complete impunity. Clement something altered the law of degradation in
consequence of this representation, but quite inadequately.--RYMER, vol.
vi. part 2, p. 96.

[199] Thomas Cowper et ejus uxor Margarita pronubae horribiles, et
instigant mulieres ad fornicandum cum quibuscunque laicis, religiosis,
fratribus minoribus, et nisi fornicant in domo sua ipsi diffamabunt nisi
voluerint dare eis ad voluntatem eorum; et vir est pronuba uxori, et vult
relinquere eam apud fratres minores pro peccatis habendis.--HALE,
_Criminal Causes,_ p. 9.

Joanna Cutting communis pronuba at praesertim inter presbyteros fratres
monachos et canonicos et etiam inter Thomam Peise et quandam Agnetam,
etc.--HALE, _Criminal Causes,_ p. 28.

See also Ibid. pp. 15, 22, 23, 39, etc.

In the first instance the parties accused "made their purgation" and were
dismissed. The exquisite corruption of the courts, instead of inviting
evidence and sifting accusations, allowed accused persons to support their
own pleas of not guilty by producing four witnesses, not to disprove the
charges, but to swear that they believed the charges untrue. This was
called "purgation."

Clergy, it seems, were sometimes allowed to purge themselves simply on
their own word.--HALE, p. 22; and see the Preamble of the 1st of the 23rd
of Henry VIII.

[200] Complaints of iniquities arising from confession were laid before
Parliament as early as 1394.

"Auricularis confessio quae dicitur tam necessaria ad salvationem hominis,
cum ficta potestate absolutionis exaltat superbiam sacerdotum, et dat illis
opportunitatem secretarum sermocinationum quas nos nolumus dicere, quia
domini et dominae attestantur quod pro timore confessorum suorum non audent
dicere veritatem; et in tempore confessionis est opportunum tempus
procationis id est of wowing et aliarum secretarum conventionum ad
peccata mortalia. Ipsi dicunt quod sunt commissarii Dei ad judicandum de
omni peccato perdonandum et mundandum quemcunque eis placuerint. Dicunt
quod habent claves coeli et inferni et possunt excommunicare et benedicere
ligare et solvere in voluntatem eorum; in tantum quod pro bussello vel 12
denariis volunt vendere benedictionem coeli per chartam et clausulam de
warrantia sigillita sigillo comm