none wyse be

trowes and telles that this Sacrament may on
Goddus body. For I dare surly say that yf this were soth
Cryst and his seynts dyede heretykus, and the more partye
of holye Kirke belevyth nowe heresye, and before devout men
supposen that this counsayle of Freres in London, was with
the herydene. For they put an heresie upon Crist and seynts
in hevyne, wherefore the erth tremblide. Fay land maynnus
voice answeryde for God als it did in tyme of his passione,
whan he was dampnyde to bodely deth. Crist and his modur
that in gronde had destroyde all heresies kep his Kyrke in
right belefe of this Sacrament, and move the King and his
rewme to aske sharply of his Clerkus this offis that all his
possessioneres on pain of lesyng all her temporaltes telle the
King and his rewme with sufficient grownding what is this
Sacrament; and all the Orders of Freres on payne of lesing
her legians telle the King and his rewme with gode ground-
ing what is the Sacrament: for I am certaine of the thridde part
of Clergie that defendus thise doutes that is here said, that
they will defende it on paine of her lyfe."

No. VIII.

Dr. Wiclif's Letter of Excuse to Pope Urban VI.

I HAVE joyfully to telle alle trew men the bileve that I hold,
and a algatis to the Pope. For I suppose, that if
that if any faith
be rightful and geven of God, the Pope will gladly conserve
it and if my faith be error, the Pope will wisely amend it.
I suppose over this, that the Gospel of Christ be part of
the corps of God's lawe. For I beleve that Jesu Christ
that gaf in his own persoun this Gospel is very God and
very mon, and be this it passes all other lawes. I suppose
over this, that the Pope be most oblishid to the keping of

2

Ipse Wycliff in 4. libro Trialogi sui ter dampnati capitulo 36. prædictum concilium contra eum celebratum A. D. 1380. Londoniis vocat

Bibl Bod.
MS.

a always.

Concilium Terræmotus. Gascoigne Dict. Theo. MS.

b great

ness.

the Gospel among all men that liven here. For the Pope is highest vicar that Christ has here in erth. For b moreness of Christ's vicars is not measured by worldly moreness, bot

c follows. by this, that this vicar sues more Christ by vertuous living : for thus teches the Gospel, That this is the sentence of Christ and of his Gospel I take as bileve; that Christ for time that he walked here was most poore mon of alle both in spirit and in d haveing; for Christ says that he had noht for to rest his hede on. And over this I take as bileve, that

d

possessions.

no mon schulde sue the

Pope, ne no saint that now is in

e as much. hevene, bot in e alsmyche as he sued Christ for James and John errid, and Peter and Powl sinned. Of this I take as holesome counseile, that the Pope leeve his worldly lordschip to worldly lords, as Christ gaf him, and move speedily all his Clerks to do so: for thus did Christ, and taught thus his disciplis, till the fende had blynded this world. And if I erre in this sentence I will mekely be amendid, hif by the death, hif it be skilful, for that I hope were gode to me. And if I might traveile in my own persoun, I wolde with God's will go to the Pope. Bot [Christ] has nedid me to the contrary, and taught me more obeishe to God than to mon. And I suppose of our Pope that he will not be Antichrist, and reverse Christ in this wirking to the contrary of Christ's wille. For if he summons ageyns resoun by him or any of his, and pursue this unskilful summoning, he is an open Antichrist. And merciful entent excusid not Petir that ne Christ clepid him Sathanas: so blynd entent and wicked conseil excuses not the Pope here, bot if he aske of trewe Prestis that they traveile more than they may, 'tis not excused by resoun of God that ne he is Antichrist. For our bileve techis us that our blessid God suffrys us not to be temptyd more than we may; how schuld a mon aske such service? And therefore pray we to God for our Pope Urban the h Sex that his old holy entent be not quenchid by his enemys. And Christ that may not lye seis that the enemyes of a mon be i family. especially his homelye i meinth, and this is k soth of men and fendis.

g called.

h sixth.

k truth.

INDEX.

ALBIGENSES, origin of the name, i. 142. Their sufferings, 144-152. But very
imperfectly known to our ancient historians, 181.

Amour, St. his controversy with the mendicant orders, ii. 176-179.

Anglican Church, authority of the english monarchs in relation to it, subsequent
to the conquest, i. 159–161. How impoverished by the pontiffs, 161–165.
Its corrupt state at the commencement of the fourteenth century, 188–193.
Anselm, St. notice of him, i. 184, 185.

Appellant Jurisdiction, unknown in the primitive church, i. 11, 12. Its progress
in connexion with the papacy, 79, 80.

Armachanus, his dispute with the mendicants, i. 251.
Arnold of Brecia, sketch of his history, i. 132–137.

Becket, his controversy with Henry II. i. 171-176.

Bernard, St. his disputes with the sectaries of his time, i. 127.

Bohemia, sketch of its early religious history, ii. 159–163.

Bradwardine, notice of him, i. 186, 187.

Bruges, character of that city in the fourteenth century, i. 322, 323. Wycliffe
and the Duke of Lancaster meet there, 324.

Celibacy of the Clergy, how established, i. 37–41. Enforced by Hildebrand, 88.
Census, effect of the demand made respecting it by Urban V. i. 264-266.
Chivalry, its defects and vices, 284-287.

Christianity, doctrines peculiar to it, i. 99–101. Its favorable influence on the
states of the western empire, 94-99. Defects and evil tendencies of that,
prevalent during the middle ages, 101-108.

Christian dispensation, its peculiarities, i. 2, 3.

Church, ancient import of that word, i. 5.

Claude of Turin, notice of him, i. 125. His doctrines survive him, 126.

Cologne, character and doctrine of the martyrs who suffered there in the twelfth
century, i. 126-128.

Commerce, its state in England, and its influence on the constitution and society,
to the accession of Edward III. i. 195-203.

Councils, ecclesiastical, their origin and injurious effects, i. 12-14.

Edmund, St. notice of him, i. 185.

Edward III. his character and that of his court, i, 282–287.

English Constitution, effect of commerce upon it, i. 198-200, and of the wars
with France, 281, 282.

English people, their degraded state with respect to christianity, at the com-
mencement of the fourteenth century, i. 188–193.

Feudal system, i. 194, 195.

Geoffry Chaucer embraced many of the doctrines of Wycliffe, ii. 169–191.
Character of his poetry, 171, 172.

Gerard, account of him and his followers, i. 181-183.

Gregory the Great, his character, i. 71-77.

Grossteste, notice of him, i. 169–171.

Henry II., his controversy with Becket, ii. 171–176.

Henry the founder of the Henricians, i. 131, 132.

Hierarchy, its state previous to the age of Constantine, i. 14, 15, and in the
fourth century, 15, 16.

Images, the worship of them, how introduced, i. 56, 57.

Investitures, the controversy respecting them, i. 88–90.

Insurrection of the commons in 1381. A narrative of its causes and effects,
51-61. Similar convulsions in other states at this period, 61-66.

John of Gaunt, his early history, and his connexion with Wycliffe, i. 287-289.
He forsakes the reformer, ii. 128. His probable motives in patronizing
Wycliffe, 153-156.

Jurisdiction, ecclesiastical, its secular character, and how assumed, i. 16–23.

La Nobla Leyczon, contents of that interesting document, i. 129–131.
Lanfranc, notice of him, i. 184.

Learning, its state in England before the conquest, i. 200, 201. Its revival, 201
-203. Its state during the fourteenth century, 203-211.

Longland, notice of his poetry, ii. 181, 182.

Mendicants, their rise and character, i. 49–51. Importance of Wycliffe's con-
troversy with them, 248-251.

Monachism, its origin, causes which favored its diffusion and the evils attending
it, i. 41-49.

Paganism of Greece and Rome, i. 93, 94, and of the Northern Nations, 94.
Pagan customs incorporated with the papal ritual, 51–55.、

Papacy, its early advances and progress to the year 600, i. 63–71. Sketch of
its history from the death of Gregory the first, to the pontificate of Hildebrand,
77-88. Its despotic tendencies, 155, 156. Its influence on the Anglo-Saxon
church, 157. Its avarice, 161-165. Its encroachments variously resisted by
the english monarchs, the laity, and the clergy, before the reign of Edward
the third, 161-169. Limits of that resistance, 178-180. Its influence in
England impaired by the residence of the popes at Avignon, 281, 282. Its
policy borrowed from paganism, 55, 56.

Parliament, novel measure of that convened in 1371, i. 290–292. Proceedings
of the good parliament, 329-335. Wycliffe's reply to the question proposed
by the first parliament convened under Richard the second, 344-347. Suc-
cess of Wycliffe's appeal to the parliament assembled in 1382, ii. 126.
Patronage, its origin, progress, and abuses, i. 7, 8. Its rights invaded by the
pontiffs, 9-11.

Paulicians, their character and history, i. 111-118. Their dispersion, and con-
nexions with the Waldenses, 118-122.

Paulinus, his primitive doctrine and zeal, i. 124.

Persecution, its inefficacy during the middle ages, i. 109, 110. Its history, ii.
111-114.

Pestilence, melancholy effects of that in 1348, i. 238–240.

Peter Lombard, character of his theology, i. 188.

Poetry, its influence on the reformation of the church, ii. 172-174.

Preaching, its history, ii. 20, 21. Wycliffe's sentiments concerning it, 10-20.
Purgatory, history of that doctrine, i. 57. Wycliffe's sentiments respecting it,
ii. 321-325.

Religion necessary to political security, i. 92, 93.

Roman de la Rose, character of that poem, ii, 174–176.

Sacred Scriptures, history of attempts towards translating them into the Ian-
guage of this country before the age of Wycliffe, ii. 37-42. The whole bible
translated by him, the novelty of that achievement, the anger of the clergy,
and his mode of defending his conduct, 42--51.

Scholastic Philosophy, its good and evil influence, i. 206–211.
Statutes of provisors and premunire, i. 317.

Studies of youth in the fourteenth century, i. 226, 227.

• Transubstantiation, history of that doctrine, i. 58-60. Opposed by the Wal-
denses, ii. 74. Not recognised by the Anglo-saxon church, 75-77. Opposed
by Berengarius, and defended by Lanfranc, 73. 77. 78. Assailed by
Wycliffe, 78-89. Doctrine of the reformer on the eucharist, 343-345.

Waldenses, origin of the name, i. 141. The character of the Waldenses,
· and Albigenses, but little known to our ancient writers, 180, 181.
Waldo, Peter; his history, his translation of the scriptures, its important effects,
i. 138-141.

Wycliffe, his birth, i. 217. Enquiry respecting its place and his family con-
nexion, 218-225. His early history, his appearance in Oxford, his removal
from Queen's College to Merton, his studies at this period, and proficiency, and
veneration of the sacred scriptures, 218-236. His tract on "The Last Age
of the Church," 241-247. His controversy with the mendicants, its pecu-
liarities and importance, 252-258. He obtains the living of Fillingham,
and is chosen Master of Baliol, 258, 259. Accepts the wardenship of Canter-
bury Hall, 260. Disputes respecting it, his appeal to the pope, his firmness
and integrity at this crisis, 260-264. His defence of the english parliament
in abolishing the papal census, 269–274. Probably known to the english court
at this period, 276, 277. His views in attempting the reformation of the
church, 292–300. Issue of the dispute respecting his wardenship, 301, 302.
Obtains his degree as doctor in divinity, 302. His theological doctrine
at this period, 304–314. His commission to treat with the papal delegates,