Dr. Wiclif's Letter of Excuse to Pope Urban VI.
I HAVE joyfully to telle alle trew men the bileve that I hold, and always. algatis to the Pope. For I suppose, 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 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 greatness. worldly moreness, bot by this, that this vicar sues more Christ by ver- follows. tuous 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 haveing; d possesfor Christ says that he had noht for to rest his hede on. And over this sions.
I take as bileve, that no mon schulde sue the Pope, ne no saint that now
is in hevene, bot in alsmyche as he sued Christ: for James and John as much. 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 f called. 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 Sex & sixth. 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 especially his family. homelyen meinth, and this is isoth of men and fendis.
ALBIGENSES, origin of the name, i. 147.
Their sufferings, 150-159. But very
imperfectly known to our ancient
bistorians, 189.
Amour, St. his controversy with the
mendicant orders, ii. 144-146.
Anglican Church, authority of the Eng-
lish monarchs in relation to it, sub-
sequent to the conquest, i. 166–108.
How impoverished by the pontiff's,
169-172. Its corrupt state at the
commencement of the fourteenth
century, 198-203.
Anselm, St. notice of him, i. 193-195.
Appellant Jurisdiction, unknown in the
primitive church, i. 12, 13. Its pro-
gress in connexion with the papacy,
82, 83.
Armachanus, his dispute with the men-
dicants, i. 265.
Arnold of Brescia, sketch of his history,
i. 138-143.
Becket, bis controversy with Henry II.
i. 180-184.
Bernard, St. his disputes with the sec-
taries of his time, i. 131.
Bohemia, sketch of its early religious
history, ii. 159-163.
Bradwardine, notice of him, i. 195, 196.
Bruges, character of that city in the
fourteenth century, i. 339, 340. Wy-
cliffe and the Duke of Lancaster
meet there, 341.
Celibacy of the Clergy, how esta-
blished, i. 38-42. Enforced by
Hildebrand, 88.
Census, effect of the demand made re-
specting it by Urban V. i. 278-280.
Chivalry, its defects and vices, i. 299,
302.
Christianity, doctrines peculiar to it,
i. 103-105. Its favourable influence
on the states of the western empire,
98-103. Defects and evil tenden-
cies of that, prevalent during the
middle ages, 105-112.
Christian dispensation, its peculiari-
ties, i. 2, 3.
Church, ancient import of that word, i.5.
Claude of Turin, notice of him, i. 129.
His doctrines survive him, 131.
Cologne, character and doctrine of the
martyrs who suffered there in the
twelfth century, i. 131–138.
Commerce, its state in England, and
its influence on the constitution, and
society, to the accession of Edward
III. i. 206-213.
Councils, ecclesiastical, their origin
and injurious effects, i. 13, 14.
Edmund, St. notice of him, i. 194.
Edward III. his character and that of
his court, i. 297–302.
English Constitution, effect of com-
merce upon it, i. 208-210, and of
the wars with France, 296, 297.
English people, their degraded state
with respect to christianity, at the
commencement of the fourteenth
century, i. 198-202.
Feudal system, i. 204, 205.
Geoffrey Chaucer embraced many of
the doctrines of Wycliffe, ii. 137-
151. Character of his poetry, 139,
140.
Gerard, account of him and his fol-
lowers, i. 190-192.
Gregory the Great, his character, i.
74-79.
Grossteste, notice of him, i. 177-
179.
Henry II., his controversy with Becket,
ii. 179-184.
Henry the founder of the Henricians,
i. 136-138.
Hierarchy, its state previous to the
age of Constantine, i. 15, 16, and in
the fourth century, 16.
Images, the worship of them, how in-
troduced, i. 58, 59.
Investitures, the controversy respect-
ing them, i. 91-94.
Insurrection of the Commons in 1381,
a narrative of its causes and effects.
-Similar convulsions in other states
at this period, 397–411.
John of Gaunt, his early history, and
his connexion with Wycliffe, i. 302
-305. He forsakes the reformer,
ii. 108. His probable motives in
patronizing Wycliffe, 126-128.
Jurisdiction, ecclesiastical, its secular
character, and how assumed, i. 17—
24.
La Nobla Leyczon, contents of that in-
teresting document, i. 135, 136.
Lanfranc, notice of him, i. 193.
Learning, its state in England before
the conquest, i. 210, 211. Its re-
vival, 212, 213. Its state during the
fourteenth century, 214–222.
Longland, notice of his poetry, ii. 148,
149.
Mendicants, their rise and character,
i. 50-52. Importance of Wycliffe's
controversy with them, 261-265.
Monachism, its origin, causes which
favoured its diffusion, and the evils
attending it, i. 42—50.
Paganism of Greece and Rome, i. 97,
98, and of the Northern Nations,
98.
Pagan customs incorporated with the
papal ritual, i. 53–56.
Papacy, its early advances and pro-
gress to the year 600, i. 65-74.
Sketch of its history from the death
of Gregory the First, to the pontifi-
cate of Hildebrand, 80-92.
despotic tendencies, 162, 163. Its
influence on the Anglo-Saxon church,
161. Its avarice, 168-173. Its
encroachments variously resisted by
the English monarchs, the laity, and
the clergy, before the reign of Ed-
ward the Third, 173-177. Limits
of that resistance, 186-189. Its
influence in England impaired by the
residence of the popes at Avignon,
296, 297. Its policy borrowed from
paganism, 56, 57.
Parliament, novel measure of that con-
vened in 1371, i. 305, 306. Pro-
ceedings of the good parliament,
346-352. Wycliffe's reply to the
question proposed by the first par-
liament convened under Richard the
second, 361-365. Success of Wy-
cliffe's appeal to the parliament as-
sembled in 1382, ii. 106.
Patronage, its origin, progress, and
abuses, i. 8, 9. It rights invaded
by the pontiff's, 9-12.
Paulicians, their character and his-
tory, i. 116-123. Their dispersion,
and connexions with the Waldenses,
123-126.
Paulinus, bis primitive doctrine and
zeal, i. 129.
Persecution, its inefficacy during the
middle ages, i, 113, 114. Its his-
tory, ii. 91-94.
Pestilence, melancholy effects of that
in 1348, i. 250-253.
Peter Lombard, character of his theo-
logy, i. 197.
Poetry, its influence on the reforma-
tion of the church, ii. 140-142.
Preaching, its history, ii. 20, 21. Wy.
cliffe's sentiments concerning it, 9—
20.
Purgatory, history of that doctrine, i.
58. Wycliffe's sentiments respect-
ing it, ii. 287-290.
Religion necessary to political security,
i. 96, 97.
Roman de la Rose, character of that
poem, ii. 142-144.
Sacred Scriptures, history of attempts
towards translating them into the
language 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. 217-222.
Statutes of provisors and premunire,
i. 334.
Studies of youth in the fourteenth cen-
tury, i. 239-240.
Transubstantiation, history of that doc-
trine, i. 59-62. Opposed by the
Waldenses, ii. 33. Not recognized
by the Anglo Saxon church, 55-57.
Opposed by Berengarius, and de-
fended by Lanfranc, 52, 57, 58. As-
sailed by Wycliffe, 58, 59. Doctrine
of the reformer on the eucharist,
309-311.
Waldenses, origin of the name, i. 146.
The character of the Waldenses,
and Albigenses, but little known to
our ancient writers, 190, 191.
Waldo, Peter, his history, his transla-
tion of the Scriptures, its important
effects, i. 144-147.
Wycliffe, his birth, i. 229. Enquiry
respecting its place and his family
connexion, 231-237. 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, 236-249.
His tract on "The Last Age of the
Church," 253-260. His contro-
versy with the mendicants, its pecu-
liarities and importance, 265--272.
He obtains the living of Fillingham,
and is chosen Master of Baliol, 272—
274. Accepts the wardenship of Can-
terbury Hall, 273. Disputes re-
specting it, his appeal to the pope,
his firmness and integrity at this
crisis, 274-278. His defence of
the English parliament in abolishing
the papal census, 283-289. Pro-
bably known to the English court at
this period, 291, 292. His views in
attempting the reformation of the
church, 307, 316. Issue of the dis-
pute respecting his wardenship, 317,
318. Obtains his degree as doctor
in divinity, 318. His theological
doctrine at this period, 320-331.
His commission to treat with the
papal delegates, 338. His meeting
with the duke of Lancaster at Bruges,
441, 442. Effect of this embassy on
his sentiments, 345. He is promoted
on his return to the prebend of Aust,
and the rectory of Lutterworth, 345.
He is accused of holding erroneous
opinions, 354. His appearance be-
fore Courtney at St. Paul's, 355-
357. His reply to the question pro-
posed by Richard the Second's first
parliament, 361-365. His doctrine
as stated by the pontiff at this time,
367, 370, 373, 377. His adherents
in Oxford, numerous, 376-379. His
appearance before the papal dele-
gates at Lambeth, 377. Substance
of the paper said to have been deli-
vered to them stating his doctrine,
on the limits of the papal authority:
on the power of the crown with re-
spect to the revenues of the clergy:
on the hierarchy: and on the autho-
rity of the priesthood in binding, and
loosing, 378-380. He is assailed
by an anonymous divine, 402. His
indignant reply, 404, 405. His tract
on the schism of the popes, and other
references to that event, ii. 4-6.
His sickness and recovery, 8, 9.
His sentiments on preaching, 9-20.
His laborious attention to that office,
12, 13.
Character of his sermons,
21-23.
Extracts, 23-36. His
translation of the Scriptures, and
defence of that undertaking, 42-51.
He assails the doctrine of transub-
stantiation, 57, 58. His opinions
condemned by the chancellor of the
University, 60, 61. His appeal to
the civil power, 63. Publishes his
"Wicket," 64-68. His devotional
allusions to the evils of his day, 96.
His petition to the parliament, 97-
106. He is forsaken by Lancaster,
108. His purposes unaltered by that
event, 109. His enlightened views
of the controversy respecting the
eucharist, and his confidence of ul-
timate success, 110, 111. His ap-
pearance before the convocations at
Oxford, and the substance of his
confessions, 112-114. His letter
to the pontiff, 121-123. His disci-
ples, numerous in the higher classes,
129-131, 163-169. Number and
character of his followers, 150-163.
Character of his "Poor Priests,"
163-173. Notices of his writings
from the period of his exclusion from
Oxford, to his decease, 174 — 222.
His sickness and death, 224, 225.
For his opinions, see chap. viii. Ob-
servations on his character, see
chap. ix.
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