Abridgment of the Book of Acts and Monuments by Timothy Bright, Volume 1 · Book 5
The fifth Booke.
THe firſt perſecution of the primitiue Church, beginning at the 30. yéeres of Chriſt, was prophecied to continew two and fortie moneths, that is 294. yéeres.
The ceaſing of the laſt perſecution of the primitiue Church, by the death of Licinius the laſt perſecutor began, Anno 324. begun from the Natiuitie of Chriſt, which was from the 30. yéere of his age 299.
The binding vp of Sathan after peace giuen to the Church, counting from the thirtie yéere of Chriſt, began anno 294.
And laſted a 1000. yéeres, that is counting from the 30. yéeres of Chriſt, to the yéere 1294.
About which yéere pope Boniface ſat in the ſea of Rome, and made the ſixt booke of the Decretals, confirmed the order of Friers, and priuiledged them with great fréedomes, Anno 1294.
VntoUnto the which count of yéeres doth not much diſagrée, that which Maiſter Fox ſaith,A prophecie. hée found in a certaine old Chronicle prophecied, and written in the latter end of a booke: which booke was written as it ſéemeth by a Monke of Douer, and remayneth yet in the cuſtody of William Cary, citizen of London, alledging the Prophecie of one Haynchardus Haynchardus.a Grayfrier, grounded vponupon the authoritie of Ioachim the Abbot, prophecying that Antichriſt ſhould bée borne, the yéere from the Natiuitie of Chriſt 1260. which is coūting after the Lords paſſion, the very ſame yéere when the orders of Friers both Dominickes and Franciſcans began firſt to be ſet vp by Honorius the third, and Gregorius the 9. which was the yéere of our Lord counting from his paſſion, one thouſand, two hundred, and twentie ſix: and counting after the Natiuitie of the Lord, one thouſand, two hundred, and thrée ſcore, whereof the verſes in the author are written, anno 1283.
A prophecie of Antichriſt.Cum fuerint anni completi mille ducenti,
Et Decies ſeni post partum virginis almae:
Tunc Antichristus naſcetur Daemone plenus.
As diuerſe other before times oppoſed themſelues againſt the Pope, ſo now about the yéere one thouſand, thrée hundred, thrée ſcore, agaynſt the Pope and his Clergie was ſet out a Prayer,A complaint of the Ploughmā againſt the clergy. & complaint of the Ploughman, faithfully ſet foorth by William Tindall, againſt auricular confeſſion, ſhrift, penaunce, long praier, maſſe, ſingleneſſe of prieſts, Images, &c.
Not much before this Iohannes de Rupe Sciſſa, vttered a propheticall parable againſt the clergie of Rome, complaining it to be a byrde decked with the feathers of other foules,The church Rome a bird decked with other birds fethers. whereof becauſe ſhe was prowd, and did not acknowledge the benefit, nor from whom ſhe had it, the foules pulled eueryevery one their fethers, and left her naked: and ſo (ſaid he) it will befall to the church of Rome.
About the ſame time, alſo God rayſed vp Armachanus agaynſt Antichriſt, which Armachanus was Primate and Archbiſhop of Ireland,Armachanus Archb. of Ireland. who in the time that hée liued had no man that excéeded him eyther in life or learning: his name was Richard Fitzrafe: Richard Fitzrafe.he was brought vp in the vniuerſitie of Oxford vnderunder Iohn Badenthorp, Iohn Badenthorp.who was a great enemy to begging Friers: whoſe ſteps alſo the ſcholer following, began to doo the like: and being called vp to London, made ſeuen or eight Sermons, wherein hée propounded nine Concluſions againſt the Friers,9. Concluſions againſt the Friers. for the which hée was by the Friers cited vp before Pope Innocent the ſixt: before whom he valiantly defended himſelfe, and continued conſtant therein vntill his dying day: his ſufferings and deliuerances were maruellous great.
The controuerſie for the Friers helde very long in the church, & they had of popes, ſome mainteiners,A long controuerſie of the Friers. Their fauourers. & ſome aduerſaries, Mainteiners, Honorius 3. Gregory 9, Alexander 4. Clemens 4. Boniface 8. Clemens 5. Againſt them, Innocē tius 3. Innocentius 4. Martinus 4, Benedictus 11.
The learned men that diſputed againſt the Friers,Their aſſiſtants. were theſe, which either were condemned by the Popes or cauſed to recant: Guilielmus de ſancto amore, Bernardus ſuper capitulum, Omnis vtriuſque ſexus. Godfridus de fontibus, Henricus de Gandauo, Guilielmus de Landuno, Iohannes Monachus Cardini, Iohannes de Poliaco, who was cauſed by the Pope to recant at Paris. Armachanus, who wrote a Booke Defenſorium Curatotorum, Defenſorium Curatorum.and for his defenſe of Curates againſt the Fryers, hée was baniſhed, beſides other vexations, ſeuen or eight yéeres, and died in the ſame, baniſhed at Auinion: of whoſe death, a certaine Cardinall hearing, openly proteſted, that the ſame day a mighty piller of Chriſtes Church was fallen. Againſt this Armachanus, Armachanus a mighty pillar of Gods churchwrote diuers Friers,
After the death of Pope Innocent, was Pope Vrban 5. who by the fathers ſide, was an Engliſhman: he mainteyned and kindled greate warres in Italie, ſending Egidius his Cardinall, and Legate: and after him, Ardiminus a Burgundian, his Legate and Abbot, with a great puiſance, and much money againſt ſundry cities in Italie: by whoſe meanes, Cities and townes, which before had broken from the pope, were oppreſſed. Alſo Bernabes & Galeaceus princes of Millaine vanquiſhed, by whoſe example others béeing feared, ſubmitted themſelues to the church of Rome,How Rome commeth by her patrimony. and thus came that wicked Church by her great poſſeſſions, which her patrones would néedes father vponupon Conſtantine the godly Emperour,
In the time of this Pope, and in the ſecond yéere of his raigne, about the beginning of the yéere, 1364. vppon the euen of the natiuitie of the Lord, the fourth Sunday of Aduent, one Nicholaus Orem Nicholaus Orem.preached a Sermon before the Pope and his Cardinalles: in which he rebuked the Prelats & prieſtes of his time: and threatneth their deſtruction not to be far off, by certain ſignes taken from their corrupt life, &c. His Text was out of the ſixe and fifty of Eſaie: My ſauing health is neere at hand to come, and my righteouſnes to be reuealed.
Ieſuits begin.In the fift yéere of Pope Vrban, began firſt the order of Ieſuites.
VntoUnto this time, which was about the yeare 1367. the offices here in England, as the L. Chancelour, L. Treaſurer, and of the priuy ſeale, were wont to be in the handes of the Cleargy:Offices remoued from the Cleargie to the Laity. but about this yéere, through the motion of the Lordes in the Parlement, and partly, for hatred of the Cleargie: all thoſe offices were remooued to the Lords temporall.
The P. remoueth from France to Rome againe.After the death of Vrban ſuccéeded Gregorie the eleuēth: who among his other actes, firſt reduced agayne the papacie out of Fraunce vntounto Rome, which had nowe beene from thence, the ſpace of ſeuentie yeres: being therto mooued (as Sabellicus recordeth) by a Biſhoppe, who being blamed by the Pope, for long abſence from his charge, anſwered: and why are you ſo long abſent from the place where your Church doth lye? Wherevpon the pope ſought all meanes after that, to remoue his Court out of Fraunce into Rome.
This Pope Gregorie 9, in a certaine Bull of his ſent to the Archb. of Prage, maketh mention of one named Melitzing, a Bohemian,Melitzing a Bohemian. and ſaith in the ſame, that he ſhould teach, Anno 1366. that Antichriſt was alreadie come, and that the ſame Melitzing had certayne congregations following him: and in the ſame congregations, certaine harlots, who being conuerted frō their wickednes, were brought to a godly life: which harlots hee vſed to prefer before al ye holie religious virgins, wherefore he commaunded the Archb. to excommunicate and perſecute the ſaid Melitzing: which hée did, and alſo impriſoned him.
King Edward the third holding a Parlement in the third yéere of this Pope, ſent his Embaſſadours to him: deſiring him that hée from thencefoorth would abſtaine from his reſeruations of benefices vſed in the court of England: and that ſpirituall men within this Realme promoted vntounto Biſhoprickes, might fréely enioy their elections within the Realme, and be confirmed by their Metropolitane, according to the auncient cuſtome of the land: whereto the Pope ſent an anſwere (but when) it is not recorded) ſauing that the yeare following, Anno 1374. there was a tractation at Bruges vppon certaine of the ſaid articles betwixt the King and the Pope, which did hang two yéeres in ſuſpence: ſo at the length it was thus agréed betwixt them, that the Pope ſhould no more vſe theſe reſeruations of Benefices in Englande:The P. ſhould no more vſe reſeruations of benefices in England. and likewiſe the King ſhoulde no more giuegive Benefices vppon the Writte Quare impedit, &c. But nothing was touched concerning the fréedomes of elections confirmed by the Metropolitanes.
As touching theſe reſeruations, prouiſions and collations, with the elections of Archbiſhops, Biſhops, beneficed men, &c. wherewith the Pope vexed the lande, the king in the fiue and twentie yere of his reigne, enacted (according to the Statute made in the thirtie yeare of the reigne of his Grandfather king Edward the firſt) againſt the like pillage and rauening, (but not put in practiſe) reuiued it, and inlarged the ſame: adding (moreouer) thereunto, other ſtraight and ſharpe penalties, againſt ſuch as offended in any parte of the ſame.
And in the Parlements holden the 27. and 28. yeares of his reigne, it was decreed, that whoſoeuer (for any cauſe of controuerſie in law) either Spirituall or Temporall, whether they were perſonall or reall,Premunire to make appeale to Rome for any cauſe. ſhould appeale or conſent to any appeale to be made to the ſea of Rome, ſhould incur the daunger of a Premunire.
About this time, beyng the yéere of our Lord, 1370. liued holy Brigit, whom the Church of Rome hath not onelyonly canonized for a Saint,Holy Brigit a great rebuker of the popiſh clergy. but alſo for a propheteſſe: yet in her bookes of Reuelations, ſhe was a great rebuker of the pope, and of his filthie clergie, calling him a murtherer of ſoules, a ſpiller,The Pope compared. and a piler of the flocke of Chriſt, more abhominable then the Iewes, more cruell then Iudas, more vniuſt then Pilate, worſe then Lucifer himſelfe: ſhe prophecieth that the ſea of Rome ſhall be throwne downe into the déepe like a milſtone, &c. And that the Cleargy hauehave turned the ten commandements into two words. Da pecuniam: The x commā demēts turned into 2. words. da pecuniam.that is, giuegive money.
About the ſame time alſo, 1379. liued Catherina Senenſis, Katherina Senenſis.which hauing the ſpirite of prophecie much cōplained of the church of Rome, & prophecied before of the great ſchiſme which then followed in the Church of Rome, and endured al the councel of Conſtance, the ſpace of 39, of yeres, and declared alſo before of the reformation of religion, that nowe is.
Mathias Pariſienſis of Antichriſt.Alſo, about the yéere 1370. liued Mathias Pariſienſis a Bohemian, who wrote a large booke of Antichriſt, and prooueth him alreadie come, and noteth the Pope to be the ſame: beſides other abuſes in the Romiſh Church, againſt which he doeth inueigh.
Shortly after, anno 1384. liued Iohannes Mountziger, I. Mountziger.Rector of the Vniuerſitie of Vlme, who preached againſt the worſhipping of the Sacrament, and was reſiſted by the Friers, till the Senate, and Councel of the Citie was faine to take vp the matter betwixt them.
About this time liued Nilus, Archbiſhop of Theſſalonica,Nilus Archb. of Theſſ. and wrote a large worke againſt the Roman Church, and layeth the fault of the Schiſme betwixt the Eaſt and Weſt Church vponupon the Pope: and very copiouſlie reprooueth manie pointes of Poperie: as, his Supremacie, &c.
About the yere 1371. liued Henricus de Iota, H de Iota.whome Gerſon doth much commend, and alſo his companion Henricus de Haſsia, H. de Haſsia.who in a certaine Epiſtle which he writeth to the Biſhoppe of Normacia, Iacobus Cartuſienſis, doth greatly accuſe the Spirituall men of eueryevery order: yea and the moſt holieſt of all, the Pope himſelfe, of many and great vices.
He citeth alſo out of the prophecie of Hildegardis, The deuils bellie full of the Popes voluptuouſnestheſe wordes. Therefore doeth the deuill himſelfe ſpeake vntounto you, Prieſtes: daintie bankets, and feaſtes, wherein is all voluptuouſneſſe, doe I finde among theſe men. In ſo much, that mine Eyes, mine Eares, my bellie, and my veynes, are euen filled with the froath of them, and ſo foorth.
About the yere 1390. there were buried at Bringa 36. Citizens of Maguntia, for the doctrine of Waldenſes, as Bruſhius affirmeth, and Maſſeus recordeth of diuers,36. burned for the trueth. 140. ſuffered for refuſing the decretals. to the number of an hundred and fourtie, which in the Prouince of Narbone, choſe rather to ſuffer whatſoeuer gréeuous puniſhment by fire, then to receue the decretals of the Romiſh Church, contrarie to the vpright trueth of the Goſpell.
Alſo foure and twentie ſuffered at Paris,24 ſuffer at Paris. in the yere of our Lord, 1210. And in the ſame author is teſtified, that in the yere, there were 400. vnderunder the name of heretikes, and foureſcore beheaded, Prince Armericus hanged, and the ladie of Caſtile ſtoned to death.
In the ſeuentéene yere of Edw. the third, the Commons found great fault at prouiſiōs comming from Rome, wherby Strangers were diſhabled within this land, to enioy eccleſiaſticall dignities: and ſhewed how the Pope had graunted in moſt couert wiſe, to two new Cardinals (and namely to Cardinall Peragoth,) aboue one thouſande markes of yearelie taxes.
They (therefore) required the king, and Nobles, to finde ſome remedie, for that they neuer coulde, nor woulde, leaue thoſe oppreſſions, &c. or els, to helpe them to expel the popes authoritie by force.
Whereupon, the king, Lords, and commons, ſent for the acte made at Carlil, an. 35. of the reigne of king Edward the firſt, vponupon like complaint, thereby forbidding, that any thing ſhould be attempted, or brought into the realme, that ſhould tend to the blemiſhing of the kinges prerogatiue, or preiudice of the Lords,The Act of prouiſion made or Commons. And ſo at this time, the ſtatute, called The act of Prouiſion, was made, by common cō ſent: which generally forbiddeth the bringing in of bulles, or any ſuch trinkets from the Court of Rome: or vſing, allowing, or enioying, of any ſuch bill, proceſſe, inſtrument, &c.
The penaltie of which ſtatute, was, as folowed in ye next Parlement, anno regni, 18.) the tranſgreſſors thereof, to lie in perpetuall priſon, or to be forbidden the land: and that all Iuſtices of Aſſiſe, Gaole deliuerie, or Oier and determiner, may determine the ſame: required withall, that the ſame act and prouiſion, ſhould continue for euer. And notwithſtanding the biſhops were neither named, nor expreſſed with the other Lords of the Parlement, yet it ſtood in full force, notwithſtanding.
In which Parlement were alſo diuers points enacted, touching preſentments of Eccleſiaſticall dignities,An act to continue for euer Decrees againſt the oppreſſion of the Pope. and Benefices. Alſo, in the Parlements, the 20. 25. 38. 40. 50. & 51. of the kings reigne, were enacted decrées againſt the oppreſſion of the Pope, and his filthie, and rauenous Cleargie: beſides diuers other againſt them.
Moreouer, in the booke of the actes and rolles of the king, it appeareth, that he ſent Iohn VVickliffe, (Reader at that time of the Diuinitie Lecture in Oxforde) with certaine other Lordes, and Ambaſſadors, to treate a marriage betwéene his Daughter, and Leonell, Sonne vntounto king Edward: whereby is to be noted, the good will which the King bare to Wickliffe, and what ſmall regard he had of the ſea of Rome.
This Wickliffe liued in the raigne of King Edward the third, in the yéere of our Lord, one thouſand, thrée hundred, thée ſcore and eleuen: and then withſtood greatly the popes procéedings, and the Popiſh clergy. Hée was a man very well learned, as teſtifieth of him Walden his moſt bitter and cruell enemy: who in a certaine Epiſtle written to Pope Martin the fifth, ſaith that hée was wonderfully aſtoniſhed at this his moſt ſtrong arguments, with the places of authoritie that hée had gathered, and the vehemencie and force of his reaſons, &c.
In Wickliffes time,In VVickliffes time ye worlde was in worſt caſe. was the worlde in moſt deſperate ſtate, and in greateſt blindneſſe, and ignoraunce, both of the power of the Goſpell, and all other good learning: and the Churche of Rome moſt cruell, and voyde of all good gift and grace of GOD: and religion turned to ſuperſtition.
Wickliffe firſt (of matters of religion) began with the Idolatrie, committed in the Sacrament:VVickliffe againſt images. which he did not ſo ſoone attempt, but the whole glut of monkes, and begging Friers made againſt him: and after them Simon Sudburie, Archbiſhop of Canterbury, tooke the matter in hand, and for the ſame cauſe depriued Wickliffe of his benefice at Oxford: notwithſtanding, he well ſupported,Iohn of Gaunt Lord H. Percie fauourers of VVic. and friended of the King, and other: as, Iohn of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaſter, and the Lord Henrie Percie, by whom he bare out the malice of the friers, till the yere of our Lord, one thouſand, thrée hundred, ſeuentie ſeuen.
The opinions for which he was depriued in Oxforde,The opinions of VVic. were theſe: That the Pope had no more power to excommunicate any man, than an other: and that to abſolue, is as much in any Prieſtes power, as in his. That when Eccleſiaſticall perſons doe ſinne habitualiter, continuing in the ſame ſtill, the Temporall powers may, and likewiſe ought to take away from them that which hath béene before beſtowed vponupon them, &c. He touched alſo the matter of the ſacrament, prouing, that in the ſame the accidents did not remaine without the ſubſtaunce, both by the Scriptures and ancient Doctours.
About the yéere 1376. the Biſhops ſtill vrging and ſtirring vp their Archbiſhop Simon Sudbury (which before had depriued him, and afterward prohibited him not to ſtirre any more in thoſe kind of matters) had obtained by proceſſe and order of citation, to hauehave him brought before them, wherevpon both place and time for him to appeare, after their vſuall forme was to him aſſigned. The Duke hauing intelligence, that Wickliffe his Client ſhould come before the biſhops, fearing that he being but one, ſhould be too weak againſt ſuch a multitude, calleth vntounto him out of the orders of Friers, foure Batchelers of diuinity, out of eueryevery order one, to ioyne them with Wickliffe, for the more ſurety. Whē the day was come for Wickliffe to appeare, which was Thurſday, the 19. of February, Iohn Wickliffe accompanied with the Friers,Wickliffe brought before the Biſhops. and with them alſo the Duke of Lancaſter, and Lord Henry Piercey, Lord marſhall of England: the ſaid Lord Piercey going before him to make roome and way where Wickliffe ſhoulde come: ſuch was the throng of the multitude in Paules Church (which was the place appointed) that the Lordes, for all the puiſſaunce of the high Marſhall, ſcarce could with great difficultie gette way thorough. In ſo much, that the Biſhop of London, Wil. Courtney, ſonne to the Earle of Deuonſhire, ſéeing the ſtirre that the Lord Marſhall kept in the Church, among the people, ſpeaking to the Lorde Piercie, ſaid, that if hee had knowen what maſteries he would hauehave kept in the church, he would hauehave ſtopped him for comming in there. Whereupon grewe words. At laſt, after much wraſtling, they preaſed thorow, and came to our Ladies Chappell, where the Duke, and barons were ſitting together, with the Archbiſhops, and other Biſhops, before whom ſtood Iohn Wickliffe to know what ſhould be laid againſt him. To whom firſt ſpake the Lord Percie, bidding him ſit downe, ſaying:Wickliffe bid ſit downe. hée had many things to anſwere vntounto, and therefore had need of ſome ſoft ſeate. But the Biſhop of Lincolne caſt into a fumiſh heat, ſayd he ſhould not ſit there, neither (ſaid he) was it according to law, &c. wherevpon grewe great heat of ſpeach among them. The Duke alſo taking part with the Lord Percie, From braule to threates.rebuked the Biſhop, who went ſo farre beyond the Duke in rayling, that the Duke (as the Author ſaith) was aſhamed becauſe hée could not ouerpaſſe the Biſhop in brawling, and therefore fell to plaine threatning: wherevpon the contention grew ſo great, that the councell broken vp with ſcolding and brauling for that day, was diſſolued before nine of the clocke.
About this time a proude biſhop of Norwich was wounded and ſore hurt,A prowde B. wounded. with his traine diſperſed at the towne of Lennam, for that he preſumed to take vponupon him to cōmaund a mace, or tipſtaffe, belonging to the chiefe gouernour of the towne, to be carried before him.
Anno 1377. In the monethmonth of Iune 21. day, died Edward 3. that after he had raigned 51. yéeres, who of all the kings of the realme vntounto king Henry the 8. K. Edward dieth, the greateſt brideler of the pope.was the greateſt brideler of the Popes vſurped power, whereby Iohn Wickliffe was maintained with ayd ſufficient.
Richard the ſecond ſuccéeded his father, beyng but eleuen yéeres of age: and in the ſame yéere of his Fathers deceaſe, was crowned at Weſtminſter, anno 1371.
Wickliffe, notwithſtanding he were forbidden by the biſhops, continued yet with his fellowes, going barefoot, and in long friers gownes,Wickliffe goeth barefoote preaching. Articles out of Wickliffes preachings. (as their manner was) preaching diligently to the people: out of whoſe Sermons, chiefly theſe articles were collected: That ye Euchariſt is the body of Chriſt, but figurately. That Rome is not the head of churches: and that Peter had no more giuen vntounto him then other apoſtles. That the pope had no more the keies, then any other within the order of prieſthood: that the Lords temporall may take away the temporalities of the clergy, offending habitualiter, & are bound vnderunder paine of damnation, to take them away frō any Church ſo offending: That the goſpell is the onelyonly ſufficient rule of life. That neither the Pope nor any other prelate of the church, ought to hauehave priſons, wherein to puniſh tranſgreſſors, &c. Which were collected with diuerſe more by the Biſhops, and ſent to Pope Gregory at Rome, where the Articles beyng peruſed and read,Wickliffes articles condēned for hereticall. were condemned by 23. Cardinals, to be hereticall.
An. 1378. pope Gregory ſendeth his Bull by the hands of one M. Edmund Stafford directed vntounto the vniuerſitie of Oxford rebuking them ſharply, imperiouſly, & like a pope, for ſuffering ſo long the doctrine of Wickleffe to take roote: which Bull when it came to be exhibited to their hands,The Popes bull againſt Wickliffe. the Proctors and Maiſters of the vniuerſitie, ioyning together in conſultation, ſtood long in doubt, deliberating with themſelues whether to receiue the Popes Bull with honour, or to reiect it with ſhame.
Beſide this Bull ſent to the Vniuerſitie of Oxford, pope Gregory directed moreouer his letters the ſame time to the Archbiſhop of Canterbury Simon Sudbury, and to the Biſhop of London William Courtney, with the concluſions of Iohn Wickliffe therein encloſed: commaunding them by vertue of thoſe his letters apoſtolicall, and ſtraightly inioyning them, to cauſe the ſayd Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended and caſt into priſon: and that the King and the Nobles ſhould be admoniſhed,The Pope diligent againſt Wickliffe. not to geue any credit to the doctrine of Wickliffe, &c. Beſides this Bull to the Archbiſhop of Canterburie, and the Biſhop of London, he wrote two other letters concerning the ſame matter, to the ſame Biſhops, dearing the ſame date of day, and yéere, in the ſeuēth yéere of his papacie. 11. Kalend. Iunij.
Moreouer beſides all theſe buls, & letters, he directeth an other Epiſtle bearing the ſame date vntounto king Richard the 2. touching the ſame matter.
The articles included in the Popes letters,18. hereticall opinions againſt Wickliffe. that were held for erroneous, were about 18. as firſt, none hath power but Chriſt to ordaine, that Peter, and all his ofſpring, ſhould politikely rule ouer the world for euer. 2. God cannot giuegive to any man for him and his heires any ciuill dominion for euer. All writings of men as touching perpetuall inheritance, are impoſſible. 4. EueryEvery man being in grace, iuſtifying, hath right ouer all the good thinges of God. 5. A man cannot but onelyonly miniſtratoriouſly, giuegive any temporall or continuall gift either to his naturall ſonne, or to his ſonne by adoption. 6. The temporall Lordes may lawfully take away the riches from the church when they do offend habitualiter. 7. The Pope cannot any way make able, or diſable any man. 8. A man cannot take hurt by excommunication, except he be principally excommunicate by him ſelfe. 6 No man ought but in Gods cauſe, to procéed to any eccleſiaſtical cenſure. 10. An excommunication doth onelyonly binde, when it is againſt the aduerſary of Gods law. 11. Ther is no power giuen to excommunicate any ſubiect for denying any temporalites. 12. The Diſciples of Chriſt hauehave no power to exact by any ciuill authoritie, temporalities by cenſures. 13. It is not poſſible by reaſon of the abſolute power of God, that any can bind or loſe the people, or whatſoeuer chriſtian he be. 14. The vicar of Chriſt doth onelyonly binde and looſe, when he worketh conformably by the ordinaunce of Chriſt. 15. any prieſt duly ordained, hath power to miniſter the ſacramentes, and conſequently abſolue any man confeſſing his faultes being penitent for the ſame. 16. Agréeth with the 6. 17. Whoſoeuer hauehave endued any church with temporalities, it is lawful for them to take them away by way of medicine, for to auoide ſinne: notwithſtanding any excommunication &c. For as much as they are not giuen but vnderunder a condition 18. The Biſhoppe of Rome, or any Eccleſiaſticall miniſter may lawfully bée rebuked of his ſubiects, and for the profite of the Church, bée accuſed eyther of the Cleargy, or of the Laitie. Theſe letters made the Biſhops maruellous bolde, and bragge: but God by a ſmall occaſion, did lightly ouerthrow their deuiſes, for the day of examination being come, a certaine perſonage of the Princes Court of no great noble byrth, named Lewis Clifford, entring in among the Biſhoppes, commanded them that they ſhould not procéede in any definitiue ſentence againſt Iohn Wickliffe. By which wordes, they were amazed, and durſt not procéede: and thus eſcaped Wickliffe the ſecond time:Wickliffe eſcapeth the ſecond time. and was by them cléerely diſmiſſed with a certaine declaration made of his articles, and proteſtation, that hée woulde, while hée liued, mainteyne the lawe of Chriſt: and if through ignoraunce, &c. Iohn Wickliffe was greately ſupported by the Londoners:Wickliffe greatly ſupported by the Londoners. by whoſe meanes hée eſcaped the handes of the Biſhoppes the ſecond time: and procéeded, publiſhing, and preaching the trueth: whom alſo it greatly helped, becauſe in the ſame yéere, or the next following, Gregorie the Pope dyed.Pope Gregory dieth. After whom enſued ſuch ſchiſme betwixt two Popes, that it continued in the Church nine and thirty yéeres, till the time of the councell of Conſtance: A ſchiſme betwixt 2. Popes 39. yeere.the occaſion of which ſchiſme, was through the pride of Vrban the ſixt. From whome (about the ſame cauſe) of his Cardinalles, the moſt part, and other Princes ſhronke, and ſet vp another French Pope againſt him, named Clement, Clement.who raigned eleuen yéeres: and after him, Benedictus 13. Benedict. 13that raigned ſixe and twentie yéeres. Again, of the contrary ſide, after Vrbanus 6. ſuccéeded Boniface 9. Innocentius 8. Gregorius 12. Boniface 9. Innocent 8. Gregory 12.Alexander 5. Iohn 13. in this order: Vrban 6. eleuen yéeres, and eight moneths. Boniface 9.14. yéeres & 9. moneths.Popes and Antipopes. Antipopes, Clement 11. yéers. Benedictus the 13. 26. yéeres. Pope, Innocentius the 8. two yéeres. Gregorius the 12. two yéeres, 7. moneths. Alexander 5. 11. moneths. Iohannes, 13. fiue yeres, tenne moneths.
In which miſerable ſchiſme fell out many horrible tragedies: as, ſheding of bloud; impriſonment of prieſts;Crueltie among the clergie during the Schiſme. murthering of Otho, Duke of Brunſwike, Prince of Tarentū; Ioan, Quéene of Ieruſalem, and Sicilia, his wife, ſtrangled in priſon; racking of Cardinals on gibets to death; the beheading of fiue Cardinals together, after long torments; the ſlaughter of fiftie thouſand, ſlaine in battaile on both ſides: with a number of other cruelties, practiſed among them, which Theodorick Niem, who was preſent at P. Vrbanus death, doeth moſt largely diſcourſe.
About thrée yeres after, there fell a diſſention betwéene the nobilitie and commons of the land: in which tumult, the rude people tooke, and beheaded Simon Sudburie, S. Sudburie beheaded by the rude people.Archb. of Canterburie. In whoſe place ſuccéeded William Courtney, who was very diligent in rooting out Heretikes: notwithſtanding, in the meane ſeaſon, Wickliffes parte increaſed priuilie, and dayly grew to great force, vntill the time that William Barton, Vicechancellor of the Vniuerſitie of Oxford, about the yere, 1380. had the whole rule of that Vniuerſitie: who calling together eight Monaſtical Doctors, with foure other, and the reſt of his affinitie,W. Barton. Vicechanceler of Oxford, enemie to Wickliff putting the common ſeale of the Vniuerſitie, to a certaine writing, ſet foorth an Edict, declaring vntounto eueryevery man, and threatning them vnderunder gréeuous penalty, that no man ſhould be ſo hardie hereafter, as to aſſociate themſelues with any of Wickliffes ſauourers: and vntounto Wickliffe himſelfe he threateneth the greateſt excommunication, and further impriſonment, and to all his fautors, vnleſſe that they (after thrée dayes canonicall admonition) did repent, and amend. Which thing when Wickliffe vnderſtoode, forſaking the Pope, and all his Cleargie, he thought to appeale vntounto the Kinges Maieſtie. But the Duke of Lancaſter forbad him that, and counſelled him to ſubmitte himſelf to the cenſure, and iudgement of his Ordinarie: whereto he granted, and made ſuch qualifying of his aſſertions, that he did mitigate the rigour of his enemies.Wickliffe mittigateth his enemies.
The next yeare after 1382. by the commaundement of William Archb. of Canterbury there was a cōuocation holden at London, where Iohn Wickliffe was commaunded to be preſent: but whether he appeared perſonally or not, it is not in ſtories certainly recorded. In which councell Wickliffes articles were ſome of them condemned for heretical, and other for erronious. The articles condemned for hereticall are theſe.
Articles of Wickl. condemned.1 There is no tranſubſtantiation after the wordes of conconſecration. 2. The accidentes remaine not without the ſubſtaunce after the wordes. 3. Chriſt is not corporally preſent in the Sacrament. 4. If a B. or Prieſt be in deadly ſinne, he can not order, conſecrate or baptize: (which article ſeemeth to be falſly taken.) 5 A man truly penitent needeth not outwardly to be confeſſed. 6. Chriſt did not ordeine the Maſſe. 7. If the Pope be an euil man, hee hath no power ouer faithfull Chriſtians, except it be giuen him from the Emperour. 8 Since the time of Vrban 6. there is none to be receiued for Pope, but to liue after the manner of the Greeks. 9. That church goods may be taken from the Clergie, if they ſo deſerue. The erronius opinions were theſe. 10 That no prelate ought to excōmunicate any man except he knew him firſt to be excmōunicated of God. 11 That he which doth ſo excommunicate, is therby himſelf excommunicated, or an heretick. 12 That any perſon excōmunicating him that hath appealed to the king, or counſel, is thereby himſelfe a traitor. 13 That they that for feare leaue the hearing or preaching of the word of God, are therefore already excommunicated: and in the day of iudgement ſhall be counted as traitors to God.
14 That it is lawfull for any Deacon or Prieſte to Preache without licence of the, Pope, or Popiſhe Clergie.
15. That ſo long as a man is in deadly ſinne, he is neither Biſhop or prelate in the church of God: (which article ſéemeth to be hardly gathered of them.) 16. That all the temporall Lordes may take away temporall goods from the churchmen if they ſo deſerue. 17. That tenths are pure almeſſe.Tenths are pure almeſſe. 18. That all ſpeciall prayers applied to any priuate or particular perſon, by any religious man or Prelate, doth no more profite the ſame perſon, then generall or vniuerſall prayers doo profite others, which be in like ſtate with them. 19. That whoſoeuer entereth into any priuate religion, is thereby made the more vnapt to kéepe the commaundements of God. 20. That holy men which hauehave inſtituted priuate religions, hauehave grieuouſly offended. 21. That religious men in their pryuate religions are not of the Chriſtian religion. 22. That Friers ought to liue by their labour. 23. That whoſoeuer giueth almeſſe fo Friers, is in daunger of curſſe.
Now when the Archbiſhop, Suffraganes, and Prelates, &c. were aſſembled at the Grayfriers in London, vponupon ſaint Dunſtons day after dinner, about two of the clocke, and ſhould go about their buſines, a terrible earthquakeA terrible earthquake. fell thorough all England.
The Archbiſhop endeuored by all means to aboliſh Wickliffe and his doctrine, and to that effect wrote both to the Biſhop of London, to the commiſſary of Oxford, and alſo ſollicited the king againſt the ſame.
VponUpon Wickliffes concluſions were examined, Nicholas Herford, Phillip Repington, and Iohn Aſhton bachelers of diuinitie, who at length with ſomwhat adoo, confeſſed Wickliffes articles to be heretical or erronious, after a ſort ſome of them being taken, & in ſome ſenſe conſtrued: which kind of anſwere, becauſe it pleaſed not the prelats, they were appointed to be examined againe of certaine ſpeciall points, where their anſwere was not direct and full before.
In the examination of Iohn Aſhton the archb. required, that he would anſwere in the Latine tongue, becauſe of the Lay people that ſtood about him, but Aſhton refuſed ſo to do: and anſwered in his mother tongue: and ſo behaued himſelfe that the Archbiſhop called him hereticke and erronious:Perſecution. and at the ſame time the archbiſhop being deſirous (as he pretē ded) to be informed by Thomas Hilman bacheler of diuinitie (there being preſent & ſomewhat fauouring Iohn Aſhton) what his iudgement was touching the ſaid concluſions, aſſigned vntounto him alſo a deliberation, to appeare with Nicholas Herford, & Phillip Repingdon: at which time Thomas appeared, and pronounced the articles all hereticall or erronious: Nicholas, and Phillip, for not appéering were excommunicated for contumacie. Againſt which excommunication ye parties excōmunicated, exhibited an appeale vntounto ye B. of Rome, which appeale the archb. vtterly reiected, & ſent a letter to M. Rigge cōmiſſary of Oxford, to make diligent ſearch for Nicholas Herford, & Phillip Repington, to apprehend them, & to ſend them vp perſonally to appéere at a certaine day preſcribed for the ſame: and ſollicited the King to ioyne his ſword to aſſiſt him, whereto he alſo yéelded, and directeth his letters to that effect, both to the Archb. and to the Vicechancellor of Oxford, which was anno 1382.
The vicechancellor the ſame time was Robert Rigges, the proctors Iohn Huntman, and Walter Diſh, who then (as far as they durſt) fauoured ye cauſe of Iohn Wickliffe, & that ſide: in ſo much that the ſame time & yéere 1382. when certaine ſermons publike ſhould be cuſtomably appointed, at the feaſt of the Aſcenſion, and of Corpus Chriſti, to be preached in ye cloiſter of S. Friſewide, now called Chriſt church, before the people, by the Vicechancellor, & the Proctors: the doing thereof was committed to Phillip Repington, The fauourers of Wickliffe appointed to preach.& Nicholas Herford, ſo that Nicholas ſhould preach on the Aſcē ſion day, & Repington on the Corpus Chriſti day. In which ſermon on Corpus Chriſti day, Phillip preached, (among other matters) that the Pope and Biſhops ought not to be recommended aboue temporall Lords, and that in all moral matters, he would defende Wickliffe, as a true Catholike Doctor. And finally, his ſermon concluded, hee diſmiſſed the people with this ſentence, ſaying: I will in the ſpeculatiue doctrine, as pertaining to the matter of the Sacrament of the altar, kéepe ſilence till ſuch time as GOD otherwiſe ſhall inſtruct and illuminate the heartes of the Cleargy. Againſt this Philip, Peter Stokes a Carmelite,Stokes an enimy to Wickliff. was a great aduerſarie. And a while after, the Vicechauncelor and Brightwell went vp to London, to purge themſelues, and their adherentes of the accuſations of this Frier, and béeing examined vppon the articles of Iohn Wickliffe, they did conſent, that they were woorthely condemned: and ſo were with ſomewhat adoe, diſcharged, and commaunded ſéeke out the fauourers of Iohn Wickliffe: whereof Nicholas Herford and Philip Repington, hauing priuy warning by the Vicechauncellour, conueyed themſelues away, and fledde to the Duke of Lancaſter,Duke of Lancaſter forſaked the ſcholers of Wickliffe. who yet forſooke them for feare, or ſomewhat elſe, not expreſſed. So ſoone as they were fledde, the Archbiſhoppe directeth letters to the Vicechancellour, and to the Biſhop of London, named Robert Braisbrocke, to excommunicate them, and to lay for them both in Oxford, and in London, that they might bée apprehended. This was the fourtéenth of Iuly, Anno 1382 after which Repington in the ſame yéere, the thrée and twē tieth of October, was reconciled to the Archb. and ſo was Iohn Aſhton.
About the 23. of September the ſame yéere,Repington reconciled, and ſo Aiſhton. the king called a parlement for a ſubſidy: and the Archbiſhops and Prelats a Conuocation, in the monaſtery of Saint Friſwide in Oxford, where in the third day of the aſſembly, in the preſence of the prelates, Philip Repington Repington abiureth.(otherwiſe called of the brethren afterward Rampington) abiured his former concluſions, and the doctrine of Wickliffe: & immediatly after was brought in Iohn Aiſhton, who refuſed to anſwere, and afterward, was cited and condemned by Thomas Arundell Archbiſhop of Canterbury; but what became afterward of him, it is not certaine. It is plaine by the Chronicle of S. Albons, that the Londoners did hinder the Archb. himſelfe ſitting in the citie of London, when he would hauehave made proceſſe againſt Iohn Aiſhton, The Londoners fauorers of trueth.anno 1382. Nicholas Herford, during the time of this Conuocation did not appeare: and therefore had the ſentence of excommunication againſt him: againſt which he put in his appeale to the King, and his Councell: the Archbiſhoppe woulde not admitte it, but cauſed him to bee apprehended, and incloſed in priſon: yet hee eſcaped, and returned to his former preaching in ſecrete manner. Wherevpon the Archbiſhop thundered out excommunication againſt him, and wrote letters to the king, requiring his ſword to chop of his necke.
In this meane time, it is not certainly knowne, what became of Wickliffe but as it may bee gathered out of Walden, Wickliffe baniſhed.it appeareth that he was baniſhed: but wherſoeuer he were, at that time hée wrote a letter to Pope Vrban the ſixt, purging himſelfe therein: and alſo in the ſame declareth a briefe confeſſion of his faith. But this Pope Vrban otherwiſe called Turban, was ſo hotte in his warres againſt Clement the French Pope, his aduerſarie; that he had neither leyſure, nor liſt to attend vppon Wickliffes matters,By reaſon of the ſchiſme Wickliffe is more quiet. by reaſon of which ſchiſme, Wickliffe was in more quiet.
Anno 1383. Pope Vrban employed Henry Spencer B. of Norwich (who was hardly intreated at Lennam, for ſtriuing for the mayors mace) in ſuppreſſing of the Antipope, at Auinion in Fraunce: and ſent Bulles to the ſame Henry about this time to Croyſſer, whoſoeuer would go wt him into France, to deſtroy the Antipope, that named himſelf Clement, & to make wars with al thoſe ye tooke his part: which was takē in hād accordingly, & to ye end was giuē to the Biſhop the fiftinth, which was graunted to the king the Parlement before, and about the monethmonth of Maie, being come to Canterbury, & there tarying for a wind, in the Monaſtery of S. Auguſtine, receiued a writ from the king that he ſhould returne to him, and know further his pleaſure. The B. fearing he ſhould be ſtaied: notwithſtāding the writ, entred the ſeas, and arriued at Calis, and afterward beſieged Grauendie, that held with the Antipope, and tooke it, and there ſlue man, woman, and child.A cruell Biſhop. Ex Chron. Mon. D. Albons. And after that he had ſlaine at Dunkirke in the chaſe, twelue thouſand of the Frēch, (of his men only ſeuen miſſing,) and had in vaine beſieged Ipres, and could not kéepe Graueling, returned againe into England.
In this meane time Iohn Wickliffe, eyther béeyng baniſhed, or kept in ſome ſecrete place,Lutterworth VVickliffes pariſh Church. returned agayne within ſhort ſpace: and repayred to his pariſhe Churche at Lutterworth, whereof hée was parſon: and there dyed, in the beginning of the yeere one thouſand, thrée hundred, eightie and foure, vponupon Silueſters day, and died olde: of whom Thomas Walden his aduerſary teſtifieth,VVickliffes conſtancie. that the ſame pleaſed him in his olde age, which pleaſed him beyng young.
This Wickliffe had written diuers and ſundry workes, which, anno 1410. were burnt at Oxforde, the Abbot of Shreweſburie being the Commiſſarie, and ſent to ouerſée that matter: and not onelyonly in England, but in Boheme alſo, the bookes of Wickliffe were ſet on fire, by one Subincus, Archbiſhop of Prage. The number of the volumes which he is ſaid to hauehave burned, being moſt excellently written,W. bookes burned. & richlie adorned with boſſes of gold, and rich couerings, (as Aeneas Siluius writeth) were aboue 200.
Iohannes Cocleus in his Hiſt. Huſ. recordeth, that there was a certaine Biſhop in England, which wrote vntounto him, that he had yet remaining in his cuſtody, two mighty volumes of Wickliffes workes, which for the quantitie, might ſéeme to be equall to the workes of S. Auguſtine. He wrote alſo certaine anſwers to king Richard the ſecond, touching the Title of the King and the Pope: and whether the king may for his defence in time of neceſſitie withhold his treaſure from the Pope. In which he declareth the Popes vſurpation, and that Lordly dignitie which by the inſtitution of the Apoſtles is forbidden him, &c.
Wickliffe had many fauourers, euen of the Nobilitie, as well as of the lower ſort. His ſpeciall fauourers were theſe: Iohn Clenbone, Wickliffes fauourers.Lewes Clifford, Richard Sturmes, Thomas Latimer, William Neuell, Iohn Mountague, which plucked downe all the Images in his Church. Beſide all theſe, was the Earle of Saliſbury, who for contempt in him noted toward the Sacrament, in carrying it home to his houſe, was enioyned by Badulph Ergon, Biſhop of Saliſbury,Penance. to make in Saliſbury a croſſe of ſtone: in the which all the ſtory of the matter ſhould be written: and hee eue- Fridaye, during his life, to come to the Croſſe barefoote, and bareheaded in his ſhirt: and there knéeling on his knées, to doe penance for his fact. Ex Chro. Mon. de albon. In vita Rich. 2
The Londoners at this time, truſting in the mayors authoritie (the cleargy & ſpirituall men being choked with bribes,The Londoners take vponupon them, &c. and winking at vice) tooke vppon them the office of the B. in puniſhing vices belonging to the ciuil law: as, fornication, adulterie, &c. Ex eod.
Wickliffe had diuers teſtimonies of his great learning, and godlineſſe: as, of the Vniuerſitie of Oxford, ſealed with the Vniuerſitie Seale. But ſo farre did his doctrine take place, that the Councell of Conſtance, (to deſtroy it,) did decrée, that fourty fiue of his articles were hereticall, and 41. yeres after his death,VVic. bones burned after his death. Perſecution. commanded his bones to be taken vp, and burned
Thomas Walden, in his booke de ſacramentis, & ſacramentalibus, ſaith, that after Wickliffe, many ſuffered moſt cruell death, and many alſo did forſake the Realme. In the number of whom was William Swinderbie, Walter Brut, Iohn Puruey, Richard White, VVilliam Thorpe, Raynolde Peacock, Biſhop of Aſaph, and afterwardes of Chicheſter: Iohn Scotte, and Philip Norris, which being excommunicate by Pope Eugenius the fourth, anno 1446. appealed to a general, or oecumenical Councel. Peter Paine, who flying from Oxford into Boheme, did ſtoutly withſtande the Sophiſters, as touching both kindes in the Sacrament of the ſupper: and afterward, (among the reſt of the Orators) was one of the fourtéene that were ſent to the Councell at Baſil: where, by the ſpace of thrée dayes, he diſputed vponupon the article touching the ciuill dominion of the Cleargie: in the yere 1438.
Alſo, the Lord Cobham fauoured, and followed VVickliffes doctrine, as did the Bohemians, who (by the meanes of a Bohemian, Student in Oxford, of a noble ſtocke, that carried with him into Bohemia certaine of VVickliffs booke De realibus vniuerſalibus, de ciuili iure & diuino, de Eccleſia, de quaeſtionibus variis contra Clerū, &c.) had knowledge of the doctrine of VVickliffe.
A certaine noble man in the Vniuerſity of Boheme, had founded, and buylded a great Church of S. Matthias, & Matheus: which Church was called Bethelem, geuing vntounto it great lands, and finding in it two preachers, eueryevery day to preach (both holy day, and working day) to the people. Of the which Preachers, Iohn Huſſe I. Huſſe.was one: who hauing familiaritie with the young noble man, that had béene ſtudent in Oxford, tooke ſuch pleaſure in reading the bookes of Wickliffe, and ſuch profite, that hee began to defende the author, both in Schooles, and Sermons.
Anno 1389. VVilliam Swinderbie, VV. Swinderb. 1389Prieſt, was accuſed of certaine falſe poyntes, vntruely obiected againſt him. The denouncers were, Frier Frisbie, obſeruant, Fryer Hinclie, Auguſtine, and Thomas Baxton, Dominican.
Now, although he neuer preached, or mainteyned the articles obiected againſt him: yet the Friers, with their witneſſes, ſtanding forth, declared him to be conuicte, bringing alſo drie wood with them to the towne, to burne him: and would not leaue him, before he had made them promiſe, and ſworne vntounto them, (for feare) neuer to holde them: and that he ſhould goe to certaine Churches and reuoke the opinions which he neuer affirmed: as, that men may aſke their debtes by charitie, but it is not lawfull to impriſon any mā for the ſame. That a childe is not truely baptized, if ye prieſt ye baptizeth him, or his Godfather or godmother, be in deadlie ſinne, &c. Which penance he did, according to their iniunctions.
After this was done in the dioces of Lincolne, W. Swinderbie remoued into Hertfordſhire,Articles againſt S. where hee was much more vexed by the Friers, and by Iohn Treſuant, Biſhop of Hereford. The articles which before were obiected, anno 1391. at the church of Bodenham, in the ſame Dioces, were theſe. 1 There is no Tranſubſtantiation. 2 That the accidents cannot be without the ſubiect: and that there remayneth materiall bread. 3 That all Prieſtes are of like power in all things. 4 That auricular confeſſion is ſuperfluous. 5 That inferiour prieſtes hauehave power of binding, and loſing, onelyonly, and immediatly from Chriſt. 6 That the Pope cannot graunt yerelie pardons, &c. Whereof, diuers were falſlie laide to his charge, as he in his anſwere did declare.
In which anſwere he denied thoſe that were abſurd: and the other he proteſted he would mainteine, till ſuch time as he were by the word of God other wiſe infourmed. This anſwere he ſhould ſéeme to hauehave ſent in writing, himſelf not daring to appeare, being cited foure ſundrie times. Where upon, he was condemned for an heretike, and his articles, & anſweres for heretical. From which ſentence, he appealed to the K and his Councel, alleadging reaſons for the ſame.
Bycauſe the Kings court is aboue the Biſhops, becauſe the matter is of death and the Biſhoppes (ſayd hée) will ſay, Nobis non licet interficere quemquam. It is not lawfull for vsus to kill any man, &c. what after became of him it can not certainely bée affirmed, whether hée eſcaped their handes or died in pryſon, or was burned: but it remaineth out of doubt, that during the time of king Richard 2. no hurt was doone him, which was in the yeere 1401. At what time the king being wrōgfully depoſed, Henry the 4. inuaded the kingdome. In the beginning of whoſe raigne was holden a parlement at London, wherein Wickliffes bookes, doctrine, & maintainers were condemned, & his fauourers iudged to be apprehended, and except they recanted, to bee deliuered to the ſecular power:Henry the 4. the firſt perſecuting king in England. whervpon a certaine prieſt is ſaid to hauehave bin burned in Smithfield for the teſtimonie of the trueth, which might be William Swinderby aforeſaid.
Next vntounto William Swinderby, his companion Walter Brute Walter Brute.was apprehended for the teſtimony of the trueth. Hée was a Laye man, and a Graduate of Oxforde: the chiefe cauſe that ſtirred vp the zeale of this man, ſeemeth to hauehave bin the impudent pardons & indulgences of P. Vrban graunted to Henry Spencer B. of Norwich to fight againſt pope Clement: and the wrongfull condemnation of the articles and concluſions of W. Swinderby.
The articles laide out againſt him, were, yt he had taught againſt the reall preſence of the Sacrament. That he inueighed againſt the croyſing, to fight againſt Clement, and yt he aduouched the P. to be antichriſt, & a ſeducer of the people. That he aduouched VV. Swinderbies articles,Articles againſt Brute. and anſweres to be good. Which articles alſo, they miniſtred, and laid to his charge, in the chamber of the Biſhop of Hereford, at his Mannour of Whitborne, then being preſent, M. Rainold, of wolſtan, chanon of Hertford, ſir Philip Dileſter, perſon of the church of Blanniorim, &c. To the obiections, and articles Brute did cauſe an anſwere to be deliuered to the Biſhop, which becauſe it ſéemed to him too obſcure, & ſhort, required him to write vponupon the ſame matters againe more at large: wherevpon M. Walter declareth his minde more amply of the ſame matters: and confuteth the Popes vſurpation,Pope Antichriſt. and proueth him very copiouſly to be Antichriſt. Diſputeth againſt the neceſſitie of tithes: againſt auricular confeſſion, and the Popes abſolution and pardons, againſt iuſtification by workes, and the reall preſence: that Chriſtes body is not left for a ſacrifice, but a Sacrament: againſt exerciſing of Prieſts ſelling of prayers, holy water, purgatorie, ſelling of pardons, of orders, of hallowings, diſcipline, and fraternitie, &c. that the citie of Rome was Babilon: & againſt Images. Againſt all theſe things, he moſt pithily, & learnedly treated: and in the ende of his declaration, he prophecieth that the temporalties ſhold be taken from the cleargie,The temporalty taken from the Cleargy. for the multitude of their ſinnes.
After that this declaration was exhibited by Walter Brute vntounto the Biſhoppe of Hereford, he further appointed him the third day of October, at Hereford, with the continuaunce of the daies following, to heare his opinion. Which third day, being Friday, anno 1393. Walter Brute appeareth before him, ſitting in commiſſion in the Cathedrall Church of Hereford at ſixe of the clocke, or thereabouts hauing aſſiſtance in the ſame place, diuers Prelates, abbots, &c. Among whom was N. Herford.
In which aſſemblie VValter ſubmitted himſelfe vntounto them, after they had continued Friday, Saterday, and Sunday, in their informations, and examinations, againſt him: ſo as for that time it is like he eſcaped: what afterwards befel vntounto him, it is not certaine.
Out of the declarations, and writings of VV. Brute, the B. with the monkes, and doctors, did draw out certaine articles, to the number of ſeuen and thirtie: which they ſent to the Vniuerſity of Cambridge, to be confuted, vntounto two learned men, Maſter Colwel, and Maſter Newton, bachelers of diuinitie, which they to their ſkill did take in hand.
Certaine writings are found in the ſame regiſter, adioined to the hiſtory of Walter Brute, & one,A turnecote perſecutor. a letter which hath no name, written to M. Nicholas Herford, who beyng at the firſt a great folower of Wickliffe, was now in the number of thoſe that ſat vpō Walter Brute. The effect of ye letter was to warne him, & put him in mind of his fal: & beſide that epiſtle, there is found annexed with the ſame,A letter of Lucifer prince of darkenes to the clergy. a certaine other letter counterfayted, vnderunder the name of Lucifer Prince of darkneſſe, to the perſecuting Church of the popiſh clergy. Which letter ſéemeth to ſome to be aſcribed to Occham aboue mentioned, wherein Popiſh Church is noted to be Antichriſtian, and the abuſes of the ſame laid open, Ex Registro Herfordienſi: and diuerſe other writings of like argument, both before and ſince hauehave béene deuiſed: as, one bearing the Title Luciferi ad malos principes eccleſiasticos, imprinted firſt at Paris in Latine, and vnderunder the writing thereof bearing this date, Anno à palatij nostri fractione, conſortiumque nostrorum ſubtractione 1351. Which if yée count from the paſſion of Chriſt, reacheth to the time of Wickliffe 1385. that was aboue ſix yéeres afore the examination of this Walter Brute. There is alſo another epiſtle of Lucifer ad Praelatos, mentioned in the Epiſtle of the ſchoole of Prage, to the Vniuerſitie of Oxford, ſet foorth by Huldricus Huttenus, Anno 1370.
Alſo Vincentius in his Speculo historiae, lib. 25. cap. 89. maketh mention of a letter of the féends of hell to the clergy, as in a viſion repreſented before 400. yéeres.The feends glad of want of preaching. In which the féends giuegive thanks to the clergy, in that by their not preaching, they ſent infinite number of ſoules to hel, &c. Alſo Iacobus Cartuſienſis writing to ye B. of Wormace declareth the enormities of the church: beſides an. 1228. at Paris, in a ſinode of the clergy,The Diuell teacheth what ſhould be preached. there was one appointed to make a Sermon, & beyng carefull what to ſay to the people, the Diuell appéered to him, and bid him preach, and ſay to them, the princes of Hell ſalute you, yée Princes of the Church, becauſe thorough your negligence all ſoules go downe to hell, adding moreouer that hée was enforced by the commaundement of God to declare the ſame: yea and that a certaine token was alſo giuen the Clergie, whereby the Synod might euidently ſée, that hée did not lie. Ex catalog. Illyric. fol. 546.
King Richard the ſecond, was by Boniface the 9. ſtirred vp againſt the profeſſors of the truth: which Boniface directed his Bull, both to the Biſhop of Hereford agaynſt the profeſſors, and alſo another vntounto the King, the ſixt yéere of his dignitie Epiſcopall: wherevppon the King gaue out ſtraight commiſſion againſt them that helde of the ſide of Wickliffe, and ſpecially agaynſt Walter Brute hée wrote a letter the two and twentith day of September, the ſeuententh yéere of his raigne. Albeit during the life of the King none are expreſly found by name that ſuffered burning: notwithſtanding ſome there were which by the Archb. William Courtney, and other Biſhops had béene condemned, and diuers alſo abiured,Abiurers. and did penaunce, chiefly about the towne of Leyceſter: the names of which perſons detected are theſe:Well affected about Leyceſter. Roger Dexter, Roger Dexter.Nicholas Taylor, Nich. Taylor.Nicholas Wagſtaffe, Michaell Scriuener, William Smith, Iohn Henry, William Parchmenar, and Roger Goldſmith, inhabitants of the towne of Leyceſter, who for holding againſt the Reall preſence, againſt worſhipping of Images, and worſhipping of the Croſſe, againſt the chaunting of Maſſe, and mattins, againſt pardons, Friers, oblations for the dead, auricular confeſſion to the prieſt, &c. were of the Romane church condemned for Heretikes: and becauſe Roger and Nicholas appéered not, being cited, on Alhallow day, being the firſt of Nouember, the archb. celebrating high maſſe, curſed thē & their adherents,The towne of Leyceſter interdicted. with hell, booke, & candell, and did interdict the whole towne of Leiceſter, and all the Churches in the ſame, ſo long as any of the foreſayd excommunicate perſons ſhould be there, and till all the Lollards of the towne ſhould turne from their hereſie, obtaining at the Archb. hande, the benefite of abſolution: at length it was declared, that there was a certaine Anchores,An Anchores of Wickliffes doctrine. within the Churchyard of S. Peters of Leiceſter, infected with Wickliffes hereſie, named Matild, which Matild Matild.being examined by him, & he not finding her anſwere directly, aſſigned her a day peremptory, to appeare before him at the monaſtery of S. Iames at Northamptō, there more fully to anſwere vntounto the articles of that hereſie, which was the 6. day of the ſame monethmonth of Nouember: which Matild was ſo ſtraitly examined,Recant. that ſhe recanted, and did 40. daies penance.
About that time, there was one Margaret Cailie a Nunne,Margaret Cailie a Nun, forſaketh her order. which forſaking her order, was againſt her will inforced by the Archb. to enter into the ſame againe. Moreouer, of the number of the 8. perſons before mentioned, 2. recanted, William Smith, Roger Dexter, & Alice his wife, and had inioyned penance, to heare maſſe, & go on proceſſion 3. times before the croſſe in their ſhirts, with Tapers and crucifixes in their hands, and in the open market to do likewiſe: William ſinging the antheme, with the Collect, Sancta Katherina, Penance.& Roger and Alice a Pater noſter, and an Aue Marie: and ſo alſo ſhould againe ſtand the Sunday next, as before in the Church, &c. 1389.
About this time, one Peter Pateſhull Peter Pateſhulan Auſten frier, obtaining by the Popes priuiledge, (through the meanes of Walter Dys, Confeſſor to the Duke of Lancaſter) liberty to chaunge his coate and religion, and hearing of the doctrine of Iohn Wickliffe, and other of that ſort, began at length to detect the vices of his order, in ſuch manner, as all men woondred to heare the horrible reciting thereof. which being brought to the eares of his order, twelue of them, while hee was preaching at the Churche of Saint Chriſtopher in London, ſtoode vp openly in his preaching: and one of them contraried that which he ſaide: which, when the Londoners did ſée, they thruſt him with his brethren out of the Churche, and wounded them, ſore beate them, and followed them home: purpoſing to deſtroy their manſion with fire alſo, had not the Sheriffe of London, with two Friers of good report,The Londoners zealous. of the ſame houſe with gentle and mylde woordes mittigated their rage. This Peter Patſhull was afterwarde deſired to put in writing, that he did know, touching their wickedneſſe: which hée did, accuſing them of murder, naming time, place, and perſons: ſodomitrie, treaſons to king and realme, &c. Which writing, the Londoners cauſed to bée ſet vp on Paules Church doore at London: and was read, and copied out of many. This was Anno 1387. the tenth yeere of the raigne of King Richarde the ſecond. Ex Chron. Monaſt. Albon.
At the ſame time, Anne the kings wife, had the Goſpels in Engliſh,The K. wife hath the Goſpel in Engliſh. with the foure Doctors vponupon the ſame. She was a Bohemian borne, Siſter of Vincelaus, king of Boheme: which care of knowledge in her, Thomas Arundell Archbiſhoppe of Yorke, preaching at her funerall, the 18. yéere of the Kinges raigne, greatly commended: and praiſed for hauing them in the mother tongue, and blamed ſharply the negligence of the Cleargy. Notwithſtanding this Tho. Arū del, Tho. Arundell.after this ſermon, became ye moſt cruell eniury that could be againſt Engliſh bookes, and the authors therof: for ſhortly after the death of the Quéene, he with the B. of London, Robert Braybrock, croſſed the ſeas into Ireland, & there deſired the kings aide againſt the hereſie of Wickliffe.
Anno 1393. at Weſtminſter was called a Parlement, by the Kinges commaundement, to that purpoſe: in which parlement, certaine articles were put out in the behalfe of the goſpel, to the number of twelue; & were faſtned vponupon the Churchdoore of Paules at London,Articles in the be halfe of the Goſpel. and alſo at Weſtminſter. 1. The firſt was againſt the appropriations, and pride of the Cleargie. 2. Againſt Papiſticall prieſthoode. 3 Againſt ſinglenes of Prieſtes. 4 Againſt Tranſubſtantiation. Againſt exorciſmes, and bleſſings of prieſts. 6 Againſt ciuill iuriſdiction of Eccleſiaſticall perſons, 7 Againſt maſſes for the dead, 8 Againſt pilgrimages, and oblations. 9 Againſt auricular confeſſion. 10 Againſt the purchaſing of indulgences, and pardons a poena, & culpa, by Lords, vntounto ſuch as doe helpe their armies to kil Chriſtians in forraine Countreyes, for temporall gaine. 11 Againſt Nunnes, and widowes which vow a ſingle life. 12 Againſt multitude of artes not neceſſarie,Multitude of artes not neceſſarie. vſed in the Church.
To theſe articles were adioyned reaſons in reproofe of the practiſe of the Church of Rome therein. And vntounto the articles theſe verſes were thus adioyned.
The Engliſh Nation doth lament
of Sodomites their ſinne:
Which Paul doeth plainly ſignifie,
by Idols to begin.
But Gerſitis full ingrate,
from ſinfull Simon ſprong:
This to defend, (though prieſtes in name)
make Bulwarkes great and ſtrong.Rime againſt popiſh prieſts.
After theſe articles were thus ſet foorth, the King, not long after returned out of Ireland: and at his returne called certaine Nobles vntounto him, Richard Sturie, Lewes Clifford, Fauourers of the goſpel.Thomas Latimer, Iohn Montacute, &c. Whō he did ſharplie rebuke, and terriblie threaten, for that he heard them to be fauourers of that ſide: and tooke an oath of Richard Sturrie, that he ſhould neuer fauour any ſuch opinions: ſwearing that he ſhould die a ſhamefull death if he brake his oath, Ex Chron. D. Alb.
Now Pope Vrban was dead ſixe yeares before:P. Boniface 9. whom ſuccéeded Boniface the ninth, that laboured by all meanes againſt the Goſpell, and had written ſundrie times to King Richard, as wel for the repealing of actes of Parlement, againſt his prouiſions, Quare impedit, and premunire facias, as for the perſecuting of the profeſſors of the truth: which letter he wrote to the king, anno 1396. which was the yere before the death of William Courtney, Archbiſhop of Canterburie, after whom ſuccéeded Th. Arundel, brother to the Earle of Arundel firſt B. of Elie, then archb. of Yorke, and Lord Chancellor of England, and laſtly, archb. of Canterb. about the yere 1397.
Anno 1398. the ninth yere of the Pope, K. Richard 2. wrote a certaine letter to the Pope, full of vertuous inſtruction, to the quieting of the ſchiſme: and a godlie admonition, very pithilie,The K. writeth a chriſtian admonition to the P. and copiouſlie: in the ende whereof (the reſt being of like ſort) he beſéecheth him to receiue his councel effectuallie, that in doing thus, the waters may returne to the places from whēce they came: and ſo the waters may begin to be made ſweete with ſalt, leaſt the axe ſwimme on that water, and the wood ſinke, and leaſt the fruitfull Oliue degender into a wilde Oliue, and the leproſie of Naaman, the Nobleman, cleaue continuallie to the houſe of Gehezie, and leaſt the Pope, and the Phariſies crucifie Chriſt againe. Chriſt, the ſpouſe of the Church, which was wont to bring the chiefe biſhop into the holieſt place, increaſe your Holineſſe, or rather, reſtore it, being loſt, &c. Ex lib. cuiuſdam Dunelmen. But the Popes being little moued with good councell, neither of them would geue ouer, to the quiet of the Church, but proſecuted their titles to the vttermoſt.