Against the Begging Friars, Complaint
A COMPLAINT OF IOHN VVickliffe, exhibited to the King and Parliament.
PLease it to our most Noble and most Worthy King Richard, king both of England and of France, and to the Noble Duke of Lancastre, and to other great men of the Realme, both to Seculars and men of Holy-church, that bene gadered in the Parliament, to heare, assent and maintaine the few articles, or points that ben seet within this writing, and proued both by auctoritie and reason, that Christen faith, and Christē religion ben encreased, maintained, and made stable; sith our Lord Jesu Christ, very God and very man, is Head and Prelat of this religion, and shed his pretious heart blood, and water out of his side on the crosse, to make this religion perfit and stable, & cleane without errour.
The first Article.
The first Article is this: that al persons of what kin, privat sects, or singuler religion made of sinful men, may freely withoutē eny letting, or bodily peine leaue that private rule, or new religion founden of sinful mē, and stably hold the rule of Jesu Christ taken & youen by Christ to his Apostles, & for more profit than anie such new religion foūden of sinful men. The reason of this axing is shewed this, thus. The rule of Jesu Christ yoven to Apostles, and kept of them after Christs Ascention, is most perfit to be kept for state of living in this wordle, and ech rule of what kinne, privat sect, or singular … of sinful men, is lesse perfit thā the rule … of Christ of his endles wisdome, & his endles … kinde; therefore it is leueful to ech … of this singular religion and profession, to leaue it clea…e fast to the rule of Iesu Christ, as more …. This rule is plaine to ech man of wit and discretion, & namely to Clerkes: sith men of the Popes law witnesse…h plainly, that a man may lawfully, yea against his Soverains wil go fro the lesse perfit religion, to the more perfit. Why than may not a man of privat religion, forsake that, and take Christs cleane religion without errour of anie sinful foole, as most perfit; and that Christs rule in his owne cleannes and freedome is most perfit, is shewed by this skil. For in as much as a Patrō or a Foūder, is more perfit, more mightie, more wittie, and more holy, and in more charitie than is an other Patron or Foūdour; in so much is the first Patrōs rule better and more perfit than is the second patrons rule. But Jesu Christ Patron of Christen religion youē to Apostles, passeth withouten measure in might, wit and good wil or charitie, the perfection of everie Patron of anie priuate sect or singular; therefore his rule is more perfit. Also, that Christs cleane religiō without clow…ng of sinful mens errours is most perfit of al, is shewed by this stil. For other Christ might yeue such a rule most perfit for this life to be kept, and wold not, and than he was envious, as Af Austin proueth in other matters, or els Christ wold ordaine such a rule, & might not, and than Christ was vnmighty; but it is heresie to affirme that on Christ; or els Christ might, and couth, and wold not, & than he was vnwittie; but that is heresie, an no man should suffer to heare. That there fore Christ both might, & could, & wold ordaine such a rule most perfit, that ought to be kept for state of this life, and so Christ of his endles wisdome & charitie ordained such a rule, and so on ech side men bene needid vp peine of heresie and blasphemie, and of damning in hel to beleeue and knowledge that there religion of Iesu Christ to Apostles, and kept of them in his own freedome, without clowting of sinful mens errour, is most perfit of al, and so to let no man to forsake priuate religion, and keepe Christs cleane religion, without new wrong traditions of sinful men, that oft erreden in ther own life and teaching. Also Christ in making the rule and order of Apostles, was in this time, & ever before, Almightie, alwittie, al ful of good wil and charitie, to make perfit rule: therefore he made not only a perfit rule, but most perfit of al▪ but ech Patron of privat rule was vnmightie; and letted both in yiftes of kinde and grace, and not alwittie; but in comparison of Christ an ydiot or fool, and not so wel willing, to make so good & perfit as Christ: therefore he made a rule lesse good, & lesse perfit, and hereof it sueth plainly that Christ clean religion is most perfit of al.
Also Apostles & there followers, keeping the rule youen to them of Christ, wonne most merit & thankes of God in this keeping before al other times; therefore if al Christen men both in old time, and new hadden kept the same rule of Christ, in his owne cleannesse & freedome, should hauehave deserued most thanks of God in degree possible to them? Therefore no new sect of religion striving fro Christs sect, should hauehave begun: but that that was first should hauehave be kept in his cleanes, of such new founder; vp, of novelries & Patrons. Also hit were now as good, and of as much merit to keep the rule of Jesu Christ, as it was at the beginning; sith Christs rule is enough, and able for al men on liue of what euer complexion or age they ben of; but this rule was kept of Jesu Christ and his Apostles, & there best sewers, by fiue hundred yeere after his Ascension, withouten anie finding of any such new planting, or religion, in which time holy Church encreased & profited most; for than almost al men disposed thē to martyrdome, at ensample of Christ▪ therefore it were now not only meritory or medeful, but most medeful to the Church, to liue so in al things, and by al things.
Also both Monks and Chanons, forsaken the rules of Benet & Austin, and taken withouten anie dispensation the rule of Friars, as most perfect; but the rule of Apostles is vtterlie & algates most perfect, therfore men maie forsake priuate rules in religion, made of sin ful men, and taken the clean religion of Apostles, that is preached with freedome of the Gospel, without dispensation of wordly Clarks, that in caasqueke deueles as Christ Iudas Scariot.
Also the Pope may dispence with the rule of ech priuat sect or religion, and hath dispenced & yet doth but he maie not dispence with Christs rule youen to Apostles; therfore the rule of Christ ordained to Apostles, is more perfit, than any rule of of priuat religion, and most perfect of al, and hereof it sueth openly, that men maie lawfullie forsake priuate religion, and keep Christs religion in his cleannes, sith it is most perfect, most easie, and light for to kepe, & most siker to bring men to heauen, and to highest degree of blisse.
And if our adversaries of this priuate religion striuē algats, that the rules ben more perfect, than the rule of Apostles whie than so manie persons, as who so saith without nomber of eche suche priuate sect, by licence of the Pope bene made; some Chaplaines of Households, some Chaplaines of honour, some Byshopps dowid with secular Lordships, some Byshops amonge heathen men, and dare not come to their children; but what professiō a Frere be of anō, if he be chosē therto, he accepteth ye office of the Pope or Cardinal, of Patriarks, of Archebyshop, of Eyshop, and forsaketh his owne state, sith Christ saieth in the Gospel, that noe man puting his hād to the plowgh, and looking backward is worthie to hauehave the Kingdome of God; that is no man taking perfect state of pouertie, meeknes. and penāce, is able to be saued, if he turned again to wordly life, pompe, and pride, and couetousnes and ease of bodie and sloth, and riot and gay clothing and costly. Therfore they changen not the more perfect for the lesse perfit, for▪ than they were Apostates; but they purchasen the more perfit, for the lesse perfit, therfore the cleane religion and rule of Priesthood by forme of the Go…pell, is more perfit▪ than anie rule or religion made of sinful mē. Also, nothing that is abhominable and reproued of Saints, showld be browght in of other, by anie colour or cauteel; but those newe sectes ben such, that bene of flesh, as St. Paul saith, in his Pistells: therfore such sects should not be browght in to Charging of the Church; but al Christen men showld cast away, and hold fast the vnitie, freedome, and cleā nes of the rule of Iesu Christ. Parauenture these Ypocrits sayen to exclud al these reasons, & many mo, that the rule to which they make profession, is not strāge, ne diuerse fro the rule of Apostles, that Christ ordained, but it is vtterly the same, and none other: but the contrarie of this excusing is openly shewed by foure the last reasons before said. For if these new rules werē al one with Christes rule youen to Apostles, Christ showld hauehave taught them both, and ensampled both in his life and speaking▪ and writing with Cermonies and rits, and customes therof; but did not this neuer in his death, ne after his resurrection, ne to his ascentiō. And if this excusing were soth, the sects of Friers showlde not hauehave begonnen about a thousand and tweyn hundred yeere of Christ. But the contrarie is opē in Chronicles; hit▪sueth also of the same, that Christs Apostles hadden both Monks, Chanons and Freers, if men taken Monks Chanons and Freers, for men that professen such priuate sects, but thi… is openly false. Also Christes rule yo…ē to Apostles is like & of o forme to al mē that maken profession therto, to speake of substance of the rule; but rule… of these priuate sectes beeth ful diuerse and contrarie, as to substance of these rules, sith some of them receauen dymes, and dotations, as don these Possessioners; but some for saken al such tythes and possessions, as Fr…ers mendicaunts. But to descend downe in specialtie, ful many articles of rules of such sects, be openly contrarie to the Apostles rule; sith it is lawful to eche trewe man of Christen religion, to conuert a man of wrong faith to Christen; but this is forboden in the rule of Friers Minours, sith only to Ministers, & none other is licence graunted to restraine Friers, to heare private sects notwithstanding that evermore Friers, don the contrary, and Christ receiued penies, but they shoulden not by there owne rule, receiue penies, nether by themselues, ne by mene person. Also Christ preaching the Gospel, entred into places both of women and men, as the Gospel of Luke telleth; but is forboden to Friers to entren into Abbeyes of womē, but Friers glosen these rules to the contrary: but Fraū cis there founder commaunded them in article of his death, that they should not receiue glosses vponupon his rule. Also if Christs rule youen to Apostles & the rule of private sects weren al one withouten reason, men leaven the first & professeden the tother': but if it were to show there hypocrisie. Also if this faining be soth, it seemeth that it is as perfit & meedful to keepē Christs rule of Frauncis, or Dominike, or anie such other man. Also if these rules bene al one, and in nothing diverse, than such a rule should not be cleaped rule of Fraūcis, ni Dominiks ne any such other, but rule of Christ; for so it should be of more auctoritie, and more commended. And so the Gospel ought to be kept withouten ony fouling of al Christen men, withouten such novelries, and put nothing thereto, and draw nothing therefro, & if this thing were done such privat sects should be super flue and wast, as flies living in the aire: and it was none need of Frauncis, Dominik, or any such other new man beside him, about making of this rule of Apostles that Friers faynen to be thern. For that rule was made of Christ, God and man, and kept of Apostles, and confermed by the holie Ghost, and at the ful declared by a thowsand yeere & two hondred, before Frauncis, Dominik, or anie Frier of such priuate sect were into this wordle.
The second Article.
The second point or Article is this, that tho mē that vnreasonablie and wrongfully han damned▪ and al this counsail be amended of so great errour; and that their error may be published to mē dwelling in the Realme: the reasō of this axing is shewed thus. Nothing owght to be damned as errour and false, but if it sauor errour or vnrightewisenes against Gods law: but neither the King, ne his Counsaile, dud vnrightfully, for as much as he tooke away the possessions of some Prelates, that trespaceden, whose contrary Friers han determined openly; therefore reasonably men shoulde assent▪ to this axing. For some Friers writen thus in Coventre, amōg articles that they damneden as heresie and errour, that Secular Lords may lawfully and medefully takē away temporal goods youen to men of the Church, but sith our king hath done so, & other kings his predecessours han done so, many times by lawful cause, as pertaining to there regalie, and of common Law by counsaile of Peeres of the Realme it sueth that not only our king, now present, hath erred; but also his predecessours, & generally al his Counsellers, as Lords, and Prelats and al men of the Parliament counsailing therto.
Also if this bee errour touching the health of mans soule, than it is against holy writ, and than if a man sustaine or maintaine this errour, he is an heretick; but ful manie Kings Lords, and Prelats, and other wise mē han sustained this, and maintained, and yet done as per taining to the Kings Regalie, and of common law; thā bene these Friers, al Kings Lords and Prelats, & al wise men of our Realme bene hereticks, Also sith this is an old custome, the which our King, Lords, and Prelats, bene sworn to sustaine and maintaine, if this be errour (as Friers sayen openly) it sueth by Friers, that al these bene forsworne & hereticks. Also if this bee errour, as Friers faynē, that thowgh an Abbot and al his Couent ben open traytours conspiring into death of the King and Queene, and of other Lords, and enforce them to destroy al the Realme, the King may not take fro them an half-peny ne farthing worth, sith al these bene temporal goods. Also thowgh other Clarks senden vntounto our enimies al the rents that they han in our Land, & what euer they may robbe or steal of the Kings Liege men, yet may not our King punish by o farthinge ne farthing worth. Also by this ground of Friers thowgh Monks or Friers, or other Clarks what euer they bene slayne Lords tenants, the Kings Liege men, & defoulē Lords wyues, yea the Queene (that God forbede) or the Empiresse; yet the King maie not punish them by o farthing. Also it sueth plainly, that men cleped mē of holy Church, may dwel in this land at ther liking, & doe what kinne sinne, what kinne treason liketh them, and natheles the King may not punish ne in temporal goods, ne in their body: sith if he may not punish them in the lesse, he maie not…in the more: and also they maken one of them selfe King, and so no secular Lord maie let him to conquer al Secular Lordship in this earth, and so they maie slea al Lord; & Ladies, & there blowd and affinitie with anie paine in this life, or in bodie or in cattel. Yee Lords seeth and vnderstondeth with what punishing they deserue to be chastised, that thus vnwarly & wrongfully, han damned you for hereticks, for as much as you don execution & rightwilnesses by Gods law and mans, and namelie of the Kings regalie. For the chief Lordshippe in this lond of al Temporalties both of secular men & Religious pertaine to the King of his general gouerning; for els hee were not King of al England, but of a littel part therof. Therfore the men that bysien them to take awaie this Lordship fro the King, as don Friers & there fautours in this point bene sharper enemies and traitours, than French men and al other nations. Also it pertaineth to the King the while a Bishop or ani Abbots see is void, to hauehave in his hand al Temporalties, and at his owne wil to yeue them to Prelats; therfore the King maie take a waie these Temporalties from Prelats, whan law ful cause excitith. Also the king owght graunt no man freedome to doo sinne or trespasse, but to take awaie the fredome; but men of the Church had free licence to trespasse if the king might not bereue ther Temporalties, when they sinneden▪ greevously. And so Saint Paul teacheth that eche man be subiect to their Potestates, for there is noe power but of God, and tho things that bene of God bene ordained, & so they that withstondeth power withstondeth Gods ordinance. For whie? Princes bene not a dredd of good works, but of euil. But wilt thow not dread a power, d…e good, & thow shalt hauehave preysing therof that is of him that is ordained in the high estate, for he is Gods minister or seruant to the in good; but if thou hauehave done euil, than dread, for he beareth the sword not without cause, for he is Gods seruant vengere in wrath to him that doth euil, and therefore by need or of need, be yee subiect or vnderlout not onlie for wrath, but also of cōscience. Al this saith St. Paul of which auctoritie it is, to knowē to al men, that Clarks owen to be subiect of nede to the kings power. For St. Paul that putteth al men in subiection to kings, out taketh neuer ene, and so Secular power oweth and is bound to punish by iust paine of his sword, that is wordly power, tyrants rebelling against God, and trespassing against man, by what kind trespasse, and that is more to chastise his subiectes by paine and torment of there body; and no drede, much more he maie punish thē by taking awaie of ther temporalties, that is lasse than bodily paine: therfor Secular Lords done this rightfully, sith this is done by commandement of the Apostle, and by ordinance of God and therfore it is plaine of these reasons & auctorities, and Secular Lords maie leuefullie and medefully, in manie cases taken awaie Temporall goods youen to men of the Church.
The third Article.
The third Article is this; that both Tythes and Offring; bene youen and paied, and receiued by that entent, to which entent both Gods law & the Popes law ordained them to be paied and receiued; and that the betake away by the same entent and reson, that both Gods law, & the Popes law ordainen that they shoulden be with drawen. This axing is reasonable, for many skils: for the entēt of the maker in euerie law should be kept, and most the entent of God that may not erre. Sothely thus saith Gods law in the 1. booke of Kings that the sin of Helies childrē was ful great before God, for they withdrawen men fro sacrifice of God, taking by strength or violence that part of the sacrifice, that pertained to the Priest & God saith afterwarde I speaking hauehave spoken, that thine house & thy Faders house should minister, and serue in my sight euermore, but now God saith; be that thing far fro me, but who euer shal worship me, I shal glorifie them, but they that despisen me, saith God, shal ben vnnable, or without honor; of which authoritie it is plaine and open, that the things that be due to Priests, should not bee axed by strength, by violence or cursing, but be youen freelie withouten exaction or constraining, and if the Priest be reproued of God for his sinnes, hee should be put out of his office, and the sacrifices shoulden not be yoven to him but taken fro him, as God commandeth frō the high Priest Hely, and an other trew man walking in Gods waies, as did Samuel, shoulden be ordained to receiue such sacrifices. Also in beginning of Tobie men finden thus, whan Priests of the Temple wenten to calveren of gold, to honor thē for Gods of Ieroboam King of Jsrael made, Tobie offride truly al his first fruits and tithes. So that in the third yeere Tobie ministred al his tithes to proselytis, and comelings or guests, and withdroweth them wholie fro the wicked Priests, and the booke saith that the Litle Child kept these things and other such after the law of God. Therefore if our Prelats or other Priests what euer they bene, openly blecked by sacrifice of maumetry, as with coveitise, that is, openlie sacrifice of false Gods, and other great sinnes, as Pride, Symonie, and Manquelling, Glotanie, drunkennes, and Lecherie, by the same skil tithes and off…ings should be withdrawen from them by Gods law, and bee youen to poore needie men, at ensample of rightfull Tobie.
Also S. Paul speaking to Timothe Bishop, saith thus: Be we pay with these things, if we han lifelode, and to be hiled with. And S. Barnard speaketh thus in this matter: what euer thou takest to thee of thine entrage, that is Dymes and offrings beside simple lifelode and streit clothing, it is not thine, it is theft, ravine, and sacrilege. Whereof it sueth plainely, that not onlie simple Priests and Curats, but also Soveraine Curats, as Bishops should not axe there subiects by constraining more than lifelode and heling, whan they done awaie al manner wast both of monie, and worldlie array. Also Christ with his Apostles liued most poore life, as it is knowne by al the processe of the Gospel, nothing chalenging by exaction, ne constraining but liued simplie and scarcelie enough of almes freelie, and wilfullie youē: therefore they that pretenden them to ben principal followers of Christs steps, should liue and walke as Christ did, and so lead ful poore life taking of things freely youen as much as neede is, for there ghostly office and no more, and therewith bee apaied. Also the Popes law commandeth in the best part thereof, that Priests open Lechours, takē no part of portiō of goods of the Church, therefore it is lawfully to parisheners to withhold there tithes for open fornication, of there Curat, and turne them into better vse, & much more they may and owen to withdraw there tithes for great sinnes and open, as for Symonie, that is heresie, as the Popes law saith, and for couetousnes, that is worshipping of Gods, as holie writ saith, and for pride, envie, gluttonie, and dronkennes sith both by Gods law and mans law God curseth such mens blessing, & prayings as S. Austen & S. Gregorie teachen this in many books by holie writ and reason.
Also commonlie whan parrish Churches bene appropred to men of singular religiō, sith appropriation is made by false suggestion that such religious men hā not enough for lifelode and healing; but in truth they han overmuch. Also commonlie such Churches bene appropred by Simonie, as they wittē better them selfe paying a great summe of mony for such appropriatiō, if the benefice be fat. But what man led by reason & good conscience shoulde paie to such religious men tithes and offrings gotten by falsenes, leasings, and Simonie. But suppose that such parrish Churches weren lawfullie gotten, yet sith they bene superflue …o such men, the tithes & offrings shoulden ben youē to poore needie men, as S. Ierom and the Popes law teachen, & therefore the true great Clarke Robert Grosted Bishop of Lincolne, writeth to the Pope, that when appropriation of parish Churches is made to men of Religion, of fourteene great sinnes and defauts that commen of evil Curats, is made a perpetuation, that is endles confirmation; also by God and his law, Curats ben michel more bounden to teachē there subiects charitablie the Gospel and Gods hests, both by open preaching & ensample of good life for to saue there soules, than there subiects bene holden to payen them tithes & offrings, and of this suen twey things. The first if Curats do not there office in word and in ensample, that God cōmā deth than there subiects be not bounden to pay them tithes and offrings, sith the principall cause for which tithes and offrings should be paied is away, the paying of tithes should cease. Also Curats bene more cursed in withdrawing this teaching, in word & ensample, thā bene Parisheners withdrawing tithes and offrings, though Curats dudden wel there office.
A Lord God, where this be reason to constraine the poore people to finde a worldlie Priest, sometime vnable both of life and cunning in pompe and pride, covetise and envie, glottonie, drunkennes and leacherie, in Simonie and heresie, with fat horse, and iolie & gaie saddels, and bridles ringing by the waie, and himselfe in costlie cloathes and pelure, and to suffer their wiues & children, and there poore neighbors perish for hunger thirst and cold, and other mischiefes of the worlde. A Lorde Jesu Christ sith with in few yeares men paied there tithes & offerings at there owen wil free to good men, and able to great worship of God, to profit and fairenes of holie church fighting in earth. Where it were lawful and needful that a wordlie Priest, should destroie this holie and approved custome constraining men to leaue this freedome, turning tithes & offrings into wicked vses, or not so good as they weren don before times.
The fourth Article.
The fourth Article is this that Christs teaching & beleaue of the Sacrament of his owne bodie that is plainlie tawght by Christ and his Apostles, in Gospels and Pistles maie be tawght openlie in Churches of Christen people, and the contrarie teaching and false beleue is brought vp by cursed Hypocrits, & hereticks and wordlie Priests vnkunning in Gods law which seeme that they are Apostles of Christ, but are fools. Also Christ would not take the kingdome whan the people would hauehave made him king, as Ihons Gospell …elleth, but if it had be a Priests office, to deale about thus bodyly almes, Christ that coude best hauehave doe this office, wold hauehave take these temporal goods to deale them among poore men, but hee wolde not doe thus, but flie and tooke noe man of the Apostles with him, so fast hee hiede Lorde. where than wordlie Priests kunnē better don this parting of wordly goods of Iesu Christ, & if they sayn that Christ fed the people in desart with bodily alms many thousād, as the gospel saith, that did Christ by miracle, to shew his God head, & to teach Priests how they feed ghostly Christen mē by Gods word, for so did Christs Apostles, and had not wherof to doe bodely almes whan they mighten hauehave treasure and meales enowgh, of Kings and Lords. Also Peter saith in deeds of Apostles, to a poore man; that to him neither was gold, ne siluer and yet he performed wel the office of a trewe Priest. But our Priests ben so busie about wordlie occupation, that they seemen better Baylifs or …eues, than ghostlie Priests of Jesu Christ. For what man is so busie about marchandise, & other wordly doings, as bene Preists that showld bee light of heauenlie life to al men about them, but certes they should be as busie about studying of Gods law & holy praier not of Famulororum but of holy desiers, & clea…e meditation of God, and trewe teaching of the Gospel as bene laborers, about wordly labour, for ther sustenance; and much more busie if they mighten. For they bene more holden for to liue wel and ensample of holie life to the people, and trew teaching of holy writt, than the people is holden to giuegive the dymes or offerings, or anie bodily almes: and therfore Priestes showld not leaue ensample of good life and studying of holy writ, & newe teaching thereof ne for bodily alms ne for wordly goods, ne for sauing of ther bodely life. And as Christ saued the wordle by writing and teaching of foure Evangelists, so the fiend casteth to damme the wordle & Priests; for letting to preach the Gospell, by these foure; by fayned contemplation, by songs, by Salisburie vse, and by wordly buysines of Priests.
God for his mercy stirre these Priests to preach the Gospel in word in life, and beware of Sathanas deceyts.
Amen.