11. Proceedings against JOHN WICKLIFFE, for Heresy, 51 Edw. III. A. D. 1377. 6 Rd. II. A. D. 1383, [Fox's Acts and Monum. 562.] Wickliffe in the presence of the duke of Lancaster, and lord Percie; who, vpon the declaration of the pope's letters made, bound him to silence, forbidding him not to entreate any more of those matters. But then through the disturbance of the bishop of London and the duke, and lord Percy, that matter was soone dispatched, as hath beene aboue recorded. And all this was done in the daies and last yeere of king Edward the third and pope Gregory the eleuenth. TIIE bishops now seeing the aged king to be taken away, during the time of whose old age all the gouernment of the realme depended vpon the duke of Lancaster; and now the said bishops againe seeing the said duke, with the lord Percy, the lord marshall, to giue ouer their offices, and to remaine in their priuate houses without intermedling, thought now the time to serue them, to haue some vantage against John Wickliffe; who hitherto, vnder the protection of the foresaid duke and lord marshall, had some rest and quiet. Concerning the story of which Wickliffe, I trust (gentle reader) it is not out of thy memory what went before, how he being brought before the bishops, by the meanes of the duke and lord Henry Percy, the counsell was interrupted, and brake before nine of the clocke. By reason whereof, Wickliffe at that time escaped without any further trouble. Who notwithstanding, being by the bishops forbid to deale in that doctrine any more, continued yet with his fellowes going barefoote, and in long frise gownes, preaching diligently vnto the people. Out of whose sermons these articles most chiefly at that time were collected. That the holy Eucharist, after the conseeration, is not the very body of Christ, but figuratiuely. That the church of Rome, is not the head of all churches more than any other church is: Nor that Peter hath any more power giuen of Christ, than any other Apostle hath.-Item, that the pope of Rome hath no more in the keies of the church, then hath any other within the order of priesthood.-Item, if God be, the lords temporall may lawfully and meritoriously take away their temporalities from the churchmen offending habitualiter. -Item, if any temporal lord doe know the church so offending, he is bound, vnder paine of damnation, to take the temporalitics from the same.-Item, that the Gospel is a rule sufficient of it selfe to rule the life of euery christian man heere, without any other rule.-Item, that all other rules, vnder whose obseruances diuers religious persons be gouerned, doe adde no inore perfection to the Gospell, than doth the white colour to the wall.-Item, that neither the pope, nor any other prelate of the church, ought to haue prisons wherein to punish transgressors. The next yeere following, which was the yeere of our Lord 1378, being the first yeere of king Richard the second, the said pope Gregory taking his time, after the death of king Edward, sendeth his bull by the hands and meanes (peraduenture) of one master Edmund Stafford, directed vnto the vniuersity of Oxford, rebuking them sharpely, imperiously and like a pope, for suffering so long the doctrine of John Wickliffe to take roote, and not plucking it vp with the crooked sickle of their catholike doctrine. Which Bull when it came to be exhibited vnto their hands, by the pope's messenger aforesaid; the proctors and masters of the Vniuersity, ioyning together in consultation, stood long in doubt, deliberating with themselucs whether to receiue the pope's Bull with honour, or to refuse and reiect it with shame. The copy of this wilde Bull, sent to them from the pope, was this: "Gregory the bishop, the seruant of Gods seruants, to his well beloued sonnes, the Chancellor and Vniuersity of Oxford, in the diocesse of Lincolne, greeting, and apostolicall bencdiction. We are compelled not onely to maruell, but also to lament, that you, considering the apostolicall seate hath giuen vnto your Vniuersity of Oxford so great fauour and priuiledge, and also for that you flow as in a large sea in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, and ought to be champions and defenders of the ancient and catholike faith (without the which there is no saluation,) by your great negligence and sloth will suffer wild cockle, not onely to grow vp among the pure wheate of the flourishing field of your Vniuersity, but also to waxe strong and choke the corne. Neither haue ye any care (as we are enformed) to extirpe and plucke the same vp by the rootes, to the great blemishing of your renoumed name, the perill of your soules, the contempt of the church of Rome, and to the great decay of the antient faith. And further (which grieueth vs) Beside these Articles, diuers other Conclusions afterward were gathered out of his writings and preachings by the bishops of England, which they sent diligently to pope Gregory at Rome; Where the said articles being read and perused, were condemned for hereticall and erroneous by three and twenty car-sharpely rebuked and iudged of, in Rome than dinals. In the meane time, the archbishop of Canturbury, sending forth his citations, as is aforesaid, called before him the said John the encrease of that filthie weed was more in England where it sprang. Wherefore let there bee means sought by the helpe of the faithfull, to roote out the same. Grieuously it is come to our eares, that one Iohn Wickliffe, parson of Lutterworth in Lincolne diocesse, a professour of diuinitie (would God he were not rather a master of errours) is runne into a kind of detestable wickednesse, not onely and open ly publishing, but also vomiting out of the filthy dungeon of his breast, diuers professions, false and erroneous conclusions, and most wicked and damnable heresies. Whereby he might defile the faithfull sort, and bring them from the right path headlong into the way of perdition, ouerthrow the state of the church, and vtterly subuert the secular policie. Of which bis mischiefuous heresies some seeme to agree (only certaine names and termes changed) with the peruerse opinions, and vnlearned doctrine of Marsilius of Padua, and of Iohn Gandune, of vnworthie memory, whose bookes were vtterly abolished in the realine of England, by our predecessour of happy memory Iohn 22. which kingdome doth not onely flourish in power, and abundance of faculties, but is much more glorious and shining in purenesse of faith; Accustomed alwaies to bring forth men excellently learned in the true knowledge of the holy scriptures, ripe in grauity of maners, men notable in deuotion, and defenders of the catholike faith. Wherefore we will and command you by our writing apostolicall in the name of your obedience, and vpon paine of priuation of our fauour, indulgences and priuiledges granted vnto your and your vniuersity from the said see apostolicall; that hereafter ye suffer not those pestilent heresies, and those subtill and false conclusions and propositions, misconstruing the right sense of faith and good workes (howsoeuer they tearme it, or what curious implication of words soeuer they vse) any longer to be disputed of, or brought in question: Lest if it bee not withstood at the first, and plucked vp by the roots, it might perhaps be too late hereafter to prepare medicines when a greater number is infected with the contagion. And further that ye apprehend immediatly or cause to be apprehended the said Iohn Wickliffe, and deliuer him to be detained in the safe custody of our well-beloued brethren, the archbishop of Canturbury, and the bishop of London, or either of them. And if you shall find any gainesayers, corrupted with the said doctrine (which God forbid) in your said vniuersity within your iurisdiction, that shall obstinately stand in the said errours; that then in like maner ye apprehend them, and commit them to safe custody, and otherwise to doe in this case as it shall appertaine vnto you: So as by your carefull proceedings herein, your negligence past concerning the premisses may now fully be supplied and recompensed with present diligence. Whereby you shall not onely purchase vnto you the fauour and beneuolence of the seate apostolicall, but also great reward and merit of almighty God. Yeuen at Rome at S. Maries the greater, xj. Kalend. of Iune, and in the 7 yeere of our consecration." Besides this bull sent to the vniuersity of Oxford, the said pope Gregory directed moreouer his letters the same time to the archbishop of Canturbury Simon Sudbury, to the bishop of London named William Courtney, with the Conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe therein inclosed, commanding them, by vertue of those his letters apostolicall, and straitly enioyning them to cause the said Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended, and cast into prison; and that the king and the nobles of England should be admonished by them, not to give any credit to the said Iohn Wickliffe, or to his doctrine in any wise.-Beside this bill or Bull of the Pope, sent vnto the archbishop of Canturbury and to the bishop of London, bearing the date, 11 calend. Iun, and the 7th yere of the reigne of the pope; I find, moreouer, in the said story two other Letters of the pope concerning the same inatter, but differing in forme, sent vnto the same bishops and all bearing the same date both of the day, yeere, and moneth of the reigne of the said pope Gregory. Whereby it is to be supposed, that the pope either was very exquisite and solicitous about the matter, to haue Wickliffe to be apprehended, which wrote three diuers letters to one person, and al in one day, about one businesse; or else that he did suspect the bearers thereof; the scruple whereof I leaue to the judgment of the reader.-Furthermore, besides these Letters written to the vniuersity, and to the bishops, he directeth also another Epistle bearing the same date vnto king Edward; as one of my stories saith, but as another saith, to king Richard, which soundeth more neere to the truth, forasmuch as in the 7th yeere of pope Gregory the xi, which was the yeere of our Lord 1378, king Edward was not aliue. The copy of his Letters to the king here followeth : The copy of the Epistle sent by the bishop of Rome to Richard king of England, to persecute Iohn Wicklitle. "Vnto his well-beloued sonne in Christ, Richard the most noble king of England, health, &c.-The kingdome of England, which the most highest hath put vnder your power and gouernance, being so famous and renoumed in valiancy and strength, so abundant and flowing in all kind of wealth and riches, but much more glorious, resplendent and shining through the brightnesse and cleerenesse of all godlinesse and faith, hath accustomed alwaies to bring forth men endued with the true knowledge and vnderstanding of the holy scriptures, graue in yeeres, feruent in deuotion, and defenders of the catholike faith: the which haue not only directed and instructed their owne people through their wholesome doctrine and precepts into the true path of God's commandements; but also we haue heard by the report and information of many credible persons (to our great grief and heart sorrow) that Iohn Wickliffe parson of Lutterworth, in the diocesse of Lincolne, professor of diuinitie (I would to God he were no author of heresie) to be fallen into such a detestable and abominable madnesse, that he hath propounded and set forth diuers and sundry conclusions full of errours, and containing most mainfest heresie, the which doe tend vtterly to subuert and ouerthrow the state of the whole church. Of the which, some of them (albeit vnder coloured phrase and speech) seeme to smell and sauor of peruerse opinions, and the foolish doctrine of condemned memory of Marsilius of Padua, and Iohn of Ganduno, whose bookes were by pope Iohn the 22, our predecessor, a man of a most happy memory, reproued and condemned, &c." Hitherto gentle reader, thou hast heard how Now Wickliffe was accused by the bishop. you shall also heare the pope's mighty reasons and arguments, by the which he did confute him, to the king. It followeth : 12. and consent, neither by the consent of his colledge, either to make able or disable any man. 8. A man cannot be excommunicated to his hurt or vndoing, except he be first and princi9. No man pally excommunicate by himselfe. ought, but in Gods cause alone, to excommunicate, suspend, or forbid, or otherwise to proceede to reuenge by any ecclesiasticall censure. 10. A curse or excommunication doth not simply binde, but in case it be pronounced and giuen out against the aduersary of Gods law. 11. There is no power giuen by any example, either by Christ or by his apostle, to excommunicate any subiect, specially for denying of any temporalties, but rather contrariwise. The disciples of Christ haue no power to exact, "Therefore, forsomuch as our reuerend bre- by any ciuill authority, temporalties by cen13. It is not possible by the absolute thren the archbishop of Canturbury, and the sures. bishop of London haue receiued a speciall power of God, that if the pope or any other commandement from vs, by our authority to christian doe pretend by any meanes to bind or apprehend and commit the forenamed Iohn to loose, that thereby hee doth so bind and Wickliffe vnto prison, and to transport his con- loose. 14. We ought to beleeue that the vicar fession vnto vs: if they shall seeme in the pro- of Christ doth at such times onely binde and secution of this their businesse to lacke your loose, when as he worketh conformably by the 15. This ought law and ordinance of Christ. fauour or helpe, we require and most earnestly desire your maiesty, euen as your most noble vniuersally to bee beleeued, that euery priest predecessors haue alwayes beene most earnest rightly and duly ordered, according vnto the law louers of the catholike faith (whose case or of grace, hath power according to his vocation, quarrell in this matter is chiefly handled) that whereby he may minister the sacraments, and you would vouchsafe (euen for the reuer- consequently absolue any man confessing his ence of God, and the faith aforesaid, and also fault, being contrite and penitent for the same. of the apostolike seate, and of our person) with 16. It is lawfull for kings (in causes licensed by your helpe and fauour to assist the said arch- the law to take away the temporalties from the bishop and all other that shal goe about to exe- spiritualty, sinning habitualiter, that is, which cute the said businesse. Whereby besides the continue in the custome of sinne, and will not amend. 17. Whether they be temporall lords, praise of men, you shal obtaine a heauenly reward and great fauor and good will at our hand, or any other men whatsoeuer they be, which and of the see aforesaid. Dated at Rome at hauc endowed any church with temporalties; S. Mary the greater, the 11 cal. of Iune, in the it is lawfull for them to take away the same temporalties, as it were by way of medicine, to 7th yeere of our bishoprike, an. 1378." auoid sinne notwithstanding any excommunication or other ecclesiasticall censure; forsomuch as they are not giuen but vnder a condition. 18. An ecclesiasticall minister, and also the bishop of Rome, may lawfully bee rebuked of his subiects, and for the profit of the church be accused either of the clergie or of the laitie." The Articles included in the pope's letters, which he sent to the bishops, and to the king against Wickliffe, were these which in order doe follow. The Conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe, exhibited "1. All the whole race of mankinde here on earth, besides Christ, hath no power simply to ordaine that Peter and all his offspring should politickly rule ouer the world for euer. 2. God cannot give to any man for him and his heires any ciuill dominion for cuer. 3. All writings inuented by men, as touching perpetuall heritage, are impossible. 4. Euery man, being in grace iustifying, hath not only right vnto the thing, but also for his time hath right indeede aboue all the good things of God. 5. A man cannot onely ministratoriously giue any temporall or continuall gift; either as well to his naturall sonne, as to his sonne by imitation. 6. If God be, the temporall lords may lawfully and meritoriously take away the riches from the church when they doe offend habitualiter. 7. We know that Christs vicar cannot, neither is able by his bulls, neither by his owne will These Letters with the Articles inclosed being thus received from the pope, the bishops tooke no little heart, thinking and fully determining with themselues, and that in open profession before their prouinciall councell, that all manner respects of feare or fauour set apart, no person neither high nor low should let them, neither would they bee seduced by the intreaty of any man, nor by any threatenings or rewards, but that in this cause they would execute most surely vpright iustice and equitie: yea albeit present danger of life should follow thereupon. But these so fierce bragges, and stout promises, with the subtill practices of these bishops, which thought them so sure before: the Lord (against whom no determination of man's counsell can preuaile) by a small occasion did lightly confound and ouerthrow. For the day of the examination being come; a certaine personage of the princes court, and yet of no great noble birth, named Lewes Clifford, entering in among the bishops, commanded them that they should not proceede with any definitiue sentence against Iohn Wickliffe. With which words all they were so Kanazed and their combes so cut, that (as in the story is mentioned) they became so mute and speechlesse, as men hauing not one word in their mouthes to answere. And thus by the wonderous worke of God his prouidence, escaped John Wickliffe the second time out of the bishops hands; and was by them clearely dismissed vpon his declaration made of his articles, as anon shall follow.-Moreouer, here is not to be passed ouer, how at the same time, and in the said chappell of the archbishop at Lambeth, where the bishops were sitting vpon John Wickliffe, the story writing of the doing thereof, addeth these words, saying: "Non dico ciues tantùm Londinenses, sed viles ipsius ciuitatis se impudenter ingerere præsumpserunt in eandem capellam & verba facere pro eodem, & istud negotium impedire, confisi, vt reor, de ipsorum præmissa negligentia prælatorum, &c." That is, I say not onely, that the citizens of London, but also the vile abiects of the citie presumed to bee so bold in the same chappell at Lambeth, where the bishops were sitting vpon John Wickliffe, both to intreat for him, and also to let and stop the same matter; trusting, as I suppose, vpon the negligence which they saw before in the bishops, &c.-Ouer and beside, here is not to be forgotten, how the said Iohn Wickliffe, the same time of his examination, offered and exhibited vnto the bishops in writing a protestation, with a declaration or exposition of his owne minde, vpon the said his articles, the effect hereof followeth: An Exposition vpon the conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe, exhibited by him to the bishop. "All the race of mankinde here in earth beside Christ, hath no power simply to ordaine, that Peter, &c.-This conclusion of it selfe is euident, forasmuch as it is not in mans power to stoppe the comming of Christ to his finall judgement, but he must needs come, according to the article of our Creed, to iudge both the quicke and the dead. And then (as the Scripture teacheth) shall surcease all ciuill and politike rule here; I vnderstand the temporall and secular dominion pertaining to men here dwelling in this mortall life. For so doth the philosophers speake of ciuill dominion. And although the thing which is terminable, and hath an end, is called sometimes perpetuall: yet because in holy Scripture, and in vse of the Church, and in the bookes of philosophers most commonly that is taken to bee perpetuall, which hath no end of time hereafter to come : according to the which sense the Church singeth Gloria patri, &c. Nunc, & in perpetuum; I also after the same signification do take here this word (perpetually) and so is this conclusion consonant to the principles of the Scripture, that it is not in mans power to ordaine the course and voyage of the Church, here perpetually to last. 2. God cannot giue to any man, &c.-To the second conclusion I answere, vnderstanding ciuill dominion, as in the conclusion before. And so I hold, that God first by his ordinate power cannot giue to any person ciuill dominion here for euer Secondly, by his absolute power it is not probable that he will so doe: forsomuch as hee cannot euer detain his spouse in perpetuall prison of this life, nor alwaies deferre the finall beatitude of his Church. : 3. To the third conclusion. Many writings or charts inuented by men, as touching perpetuall heritage ciuill, be vnpossible.-The verity of this conclusion is incident. For we must not canonize all manner of charts whatsoeuer, as catholike, or vniuersall: for then it were not lawful! by any meanes to take away or sequester things giuen by chart or charter, when any doth vniustly occupy the same. And so if that The Protestation of Iohn Wickliffe. "1. I protest (as I haue often before done) that I doe minde and intend with my whole heart (by the grace of God) to be a true Christian, and as long as breath shall remaine in me, to professe and defend the law of Christ. And if it shall happen that through ignorance or other wise I shall faile therein: I desire my Lord God of pardon and forgiuenesse. And now againe as before also, I doe reuoke and make retracta-stand confirmed and ratified by the faith of the tion; most humbly submitting my selfe vnder the correction of our holy mother the Church. And forsomuch as the sentence of my faith, which I have holden in the schooles and elsewhere, is reported euen by children, and moreouer is carried by children euen vnto Rome : therefore lest my deare beloued brethren should take any offence by me, I will set forth in writing the sentence and articles, for the which I ain now accused and impeached: the which also euen vuto the death I will defend: As I beleeue all Christians ought to doe, and specially the bishop of Rome and all other priests and ministers of the Church. For I doe vnderstand the conclusions after the sense and manner of speaking of the Scriptures and holy doctors, the which I am ready to expound': And if they shall be found contrary vnto the faith, I am ready to reuoke, and speedily to call them backe againe." Church, great occasion thereby should be ministred to men so chartered, to trust to their temporall charts; and so might grow thereby much liberty and licence to sinne. For like as by some supposition euery truth is necessary: so by the same supposition euery false thing is possible, as it is plaine by the testimony of the Scripture, and of holy doctors speaking of necessity of things to come. 4. Euery man being in grace iustifying finallie, hath not onelie right vnto the thing, but also for his time hath right indeede ouer all the good things of God.-The veritie hereof is euident, by holy Scripture, Mat. 24. Where verity promiseth to euery man entering into his ioy: verily (saith he) I tell you, he shall set and place him ouer all the goods he hath. For the right and title belonging to the communion of saints in their country (hee meaneth in the king dome of heauen). Fundatur obiectiuè super | vicar of Christ, commeth to him another way niversitatem bonorum Dei: that is, hath his from aboue. relation, as vnto his obiect, to al the goods and possession of God. 5. A man can but onely ministratoriously giue any temporall dominion or gift perpetuall, as well to his owne naturall sonne, as to his sonne by imitation.-It is euident. For euery man ought to recognise himselfe in all his workes and doings, as an humble seruant and minister of God. As the words of Scripture doe teach vs. Let a man so esteeme of vs as the ministers of Christ. Yea, so Christ himselfe did teach his chiefe apostles to minister; but in their country the saints shall giue vnto their fellow bretheren the dominion of their goods, " Vt patet de suis corporibus & bonis eis inferioribus in natura," according to the words of Luke 6. They shall giue you, and put into your bosomes a good measure and perfect, well filled and heaped vp, and running ouer. 3. A man cannot be excommunicate to his hurt or vndoing, except he be excommunicate first and principally of himselfe,—It is euident, forasmuch as all such excommunication ought to proceede and begin originally of his owne sin which is damnified: whereupon Augustin saith, De verbis Domini Sermone 51. Doe not thou conculcate thy selfe, and man ouercommeth thee not. And moreover the faith of the Church doth teach, quòd nulla ei nocebit aduersitas, si nulla dominetur iniquitas: that is to say; No aduersitie shall hurt, if no iniquitie hath the vpperhand. And yet notwithstanding, euery excommunication for many causes is also to be feared, although that the excommunication of the Church, to the humble man being excommunicated, be not damnable but wholsome. excommunicate, ought to surmount the zeale of reuengement, and the desire of all temporall goods whatsoeuer; for otherwise he that doth excommunicate, doth damnifie himselfe. To this 9. conclusion notwithstanding it is congruent, that a prelate may excommunicate in the cause also of man, so that his principall respect in so doing bee had to the iniury done to his God, as appeareth 13. quæst. 4. Înter querelus. 9. No man ought but in God's cause alone to excommunicate, suspend, &c.-It is cleare, 6. If God bee, temporall lords may lawfully forasmuch as euery iust cause is the cause of and meritoriously take away the goods of for- God, whose respect ought chiefly to bee weightune from the Church when they doe offended and pondred. Yea, the loue of the person habitualiter. This conclusion is correlatiue with the first article of our faith: I beleeue in God the Father Almighty, &c. Where I vnderstand this word (may) in this conclusion after the manner of autentike Scripture, which saith and granteth, that God is able of these stones to raise vp children to Abraham; for otherwise all Christian princes were heretikes. For this conclusion thus standeth the reason: If God be, hee is omnipotent: and if hee be Almighty, hee is able to command the lords temporal so to doe: and if he may so command, then may they lawfully so take away such goods, &c. And so by the vertue of the same principle, Christian princes haue practised the said sentence upon the churchmen heeretofore, as did William Rufus, &c. But God forbid that any should beleeue heereby my intention to haue beene, that secular lords may lawfully take away what goods soeuer, and by what meanes soeuer, by their owne naked authority at their pleasure: but onely by the authority of the Church they may so doe, in cases and forme limited by the law. 7. We know that it is not possible that the vicar of Christ is able by his pure bulls, &c.This is manifest by the catholike faith; forasmuch as the Church doth fully beleeue that the enabling of any man ought first to proceede and come of God; wherefore no man being Christ his vicar, hath any power in this matter, but onely as vicar in the name of the Lord, so farre forth as hee is enabled of the Lord, to notifie vnto the Church whom God hath enabled. Wherefore if any man doe any thing, not as vicar in the name of the Lord, whom he ought to forethinke to be his author and head; it is a presumption of Lucifer, forsomuch as Christ by his Apostle saith, 1 Cor. 3. All our abilitie or sufficiencie commeth of God. And so consequently, it commeth not purely by the ministery of his vicarship, that he is enabled; but the ablenesse or vnablenesse of him, being the Where 10. No curse or excommunication can bind simply, but in case it be giuen out against the aduersarie of Christ's law. And it appeareth thus, because that God doth binde simply euery one that is bound, who cannot excommunicate but onely for transgression of his law. unto it is consonant notwithstanding, that the censure of the Church doth not binde simply, but secondarily in that case and respect, as it is denounced against the aduersary of the members of the Church. 11. There is no example of Christ, which giueth power to his disciples to excommunicat any subiect (especially for denying of any temporalties) but contrary.-Which is thus declared by the faith, whereby wee beleeue that God is to be beloued aboue all things, and our neighbour and enemy are to bee beloued aboue all temporall goods of this world necessarily; for the law of God cannot be contrary vnto it selfe. 12. The disciples of Christ haue no power by any ciuil coaction to exact temporal things by their censures.-This appeareth by the faith of the Scripture, Luke 23. Where Christ did forbid his Apostles ciuilly to raigne or to beare any lordship. The kings (saith hee) of the Gentiles beare rule ouer them; but you not so. And after this sense it is expounded of S. Bernard, of S. Chrysostome, and other holy men which conclusion notwithstanding, yet may they exact temporall things by ecclesiastical censures incidently, if case be that it appertaine to the reuengement of their God. |