was not long after that Conradus the Archbishop himselfe became a Hussite also as the Authour calleth him Vnder this Conradus as President of the assembly these Hussites held a Councell at Prage in the yeare 1421 and there they compiled a Confession of their faith This cause did the said Archbishop and many Barons of Bohemia afterward stiffely maintaine complained against the Emperor Sigismund for offring wrong to those of their Religion Alexander also the Duke of Lituania did giue these Hussites ayd which moued Pope Martin the fifth to write vnto him in this sort Know that thou couldest not giue thy faith to Heretikes which are the violaters of the holy faith and that thou doest sinne deadly if thou shalt keepe it because there cannot be any fellowship of a Beleeuer with an Infidell Thus did the vertuous Pope write In processe of time there grew a parley betweene Sigismund the Emperour and the Bohemians There among the Compacts this was one That the Bishop should promote to holy Orders the Bohemians euen the Hussites which were of the Vniuersitie of Prage And they might well deserue to be reputed Vniuersity men for Cochleus himselfe witnesseth that the Priests of the Thaborites were skilled in arguing and exercised in the holy Scripture Kakizana one of them did vndertake to dispute with Capistranus a great and learned Papist By that time that the yeare 1453. was come Aeneas Syluius doth complaine that the kingdom of Bohemia was wholly gouerned by Heretikes Now all the Nobilitie all the Comminaltie is subiect to an Heretike That was one George of Gyrziko Gouernour of the kingdome of Bohemia vnder King Ladislaus But when Ladislaus was dead this George himselfe was by the Nobles and people chosen King of that Countrey And continuing the ancient profession of his Religion about the yeare 1458. those of Vratislauia and Silesia doe refuse to obey him as being an Heretike Notwithstanding Pope Pius the second then intending warres against the Turke did by all meanes perswade them that they should yeeld obedience vnto him This George saith the Authour was borne and brought vp in the heresie of the Hussites Now when Pope Pius did interpose himselfe as a Mediator betweene the King and his subiects George did require of the Pope that hee might keepe the Compacts agreed vpon at Basil in behalfe of the Bohemians And when Pius would not yeeld thereunto the King calleth together the Estates of his kingdome and protesteth that hee would liue die in those Compacts and so did also the nobles which were Hussites This was done at Prage in the yeare 1462. This resolutenesse of his caused that Pope to tolerate many things in him But Paul 2 who succeeded in that See of Rome did excommunicate that King set vp a Croisado against him Also he gaue to Matthias the King of Hungary the title of King of Bohemia Onuphrius in the life of Paul the 2. saith that the Pope did excommunicate him and depriue him of his kingdome Indeed for seuen yeares this George Matthias did war for it and Matthias got from him Morauia and Silesia a good part of the kingdom of Bohemia Vratislauia also and some other Prouinces and Cities did put themselues in subiection to Mathias Yet did not George deale hardly with the Papistes which were in Prage but in his greatest extremity did vse both the aduise and aid of many Nobles of the popish belief At length after the continuance of warre for seuen yeares Mathias concludeth a peace with king George both against the wil of the Pope and the Emperour And then this King was content to aske of the Pope an absolution from the Excommunication some Princes being mediators for him in that respect But before the Agents could returne from Rome the King died in the yeare of our Lord 1471. By this Story it is manifest that both noble and learned of high account were of that Christian Beliefe which Iohn Hus taught and were contented to aduenture al things which they had in the world for the maintenance of the same Perhaps here it may bee asked but how shal we know that Iohn Hus and his followers did imbrace that Religion which is now professed in England We find in Aeneas Syluius some opinions of theirs which peraduenture will scant be reputed currant among all English Protestants Hee rehearseth these foure of theirs That they would receiue the Sacraments in both kinds that ciuill dominion is inhibited to Clergie men that Preaching of the Word was permitted to al men that publik crimes are in no sort to be tolerated I answer that truth it is that hee there mentioneth onely those and whether he relateth them truly or no it may be doubted as anon I shall shew by laying open the custom of the enemies of the Gospell in misreporting their doctrine But elsewhere he deliuereth other opinions of theirs as against the Supremacy of the Pope against Purgatory against Inuocation of Saints and such like matters If we returne to Cochleus who was best acquainted with their matters we shal find much more As thus Hus translated all the Books of Canonicall Scripture into the Bohemian tongue and the people did most diligently read them They would haue the holy Scriptures to be the onely Iudge in Controuersies They held that all Bishops and Priestes are the Successors of the Apostles that not the Pope but Christ is the head of the Church neither are the Cardinals the body but all that beleeue in Christ that that the Pope is not a member of the Church but of the Deuill and his Synagogue that one Pope was a woman yea Hus did preach that the Pope is an abomination and Antichrist Also he calleth the generall Councell at Constance The Synagogue of Sathan Another of his articles was The Pope is the Beast in the Apocalyps His Schollers after his death brake downe the Images in Churches and Monasteries yea Zisca did cast down all the churches which were dedicated to the virgin Mary or to any Saint as if it were lawfull onely to build a Church to Almighty God In his time the professors began to be distinguished in two companies the one of thē did not so much dissent from the Pope as the other Those which in fewer matters diffred from the Bishop of Rome retained still the name of Hussites they which disagreed in more were called Thaborites of Thabor the citie which Zisca built for them And these were the greater number and the stronger There is in Cochleus a confession of faith made by one Iohann Pezibram a Bohemian who was but a Hussite and not wel affected to the Thaborites because he accounted them as a kinde of Precisians or Puritans in comparison of himselfe yet this more mild man doth wish and beg of God to see a reformation of the Church that there might be redressed Symonies throughout all
of LoÌ„don and in a Monition directed to Oxford where it is said that certain Conclusions hereticall and erronious were generally and commonly preached and published in diuers places of the Prouince of Canterbury There be extant also Letters of king Richard 2. directly signifying so much But there is nothing which may more amply testifie the spreading of his doctrine then an Act of Parliament in the beginning almost of that young Kings dayes where it is related that there were diuers Preaching dayly not onely in Churches and Church-yardes but also in markets faires other open places where as great congregation of people is diuers Sermons containing heresies and notorious errours This putteth me in minde of a written book which once I saw being a Chronicle compiled by a Monk of Leicester Abby who writing of the time of the said King reporteth at large that the people in faires and markets and riding by the way and almost euery where would talke of the Scripture and reprooue the customes of that time as also the Priests to the exceeding great trouble and offence of the Clergie This they might the rather do out of the Word of God because the Scriptures were then translated into English as may bee seene by diuerse Copies written and remaining vnto this day supposed to be so turned by Wicklef And it is very probable that in Leicester shire there were many of those of whom the Monk Leicestrensis spake since at Lutterworth a Towne in that County Iohn Wicklef was beneficed But the greatest part of this learned mans abode was at the first in the Vniuersitie of Oxford where hee was both a Doctor and Reader in Diuinity and therefore is to bee conceiued to haue many learned men partaking with him in his opinions Master Fox saith out of the Chronicle of S. Albanes that hee had a Benefice in Oxford of which he was depriued by Simon Sudbury Arch-Bishop of Canterbury It may bee this was nothing else but the Mastership or chiefe Gouernors place in Bailioll Colledge which I am perswaded that hee had since there are yet two antient Writings in the treasury of that Colledge which I haue seene which were made in the name of Iohn Wicklef Master of that house and that in the daies of King Richard the Second But while he liued he had so many fauourers in that Vniuersity as that Master Robert Rigges Vice-Chancelor and the two Proctors took part with him as also Nicholas Herford Philip Repington and Iohn Ashton Preachers and Batchelors of Diuinity and grew into great question for his cause where Repington in the end beeing Doctor did slippe from him Yea so farre was his doctrine there spred that Pope Gregorie the Eleuenth in the yeere 1378 did direct his Bâ—ll to the Vniuersity of Oxford against the Doctrine and Articles of that learned man euen Rome it selfe ringing of his opinions in that Vniuersity Neither did his Followers dye when he himselfe died But long after that Pope Gregory the twelfth did direct downe another Bull to Oxford against Wicklef in which he vsed the same words which his Predecessors had that is to say that Wicklef did follow the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua and of Iohn of Gandune of vnworthy memory Which speech is worth the marking to shew that this man also had his Predecessors The Copie of this latter Bull is to bee seene in the Booke which that worthy louer of Antiquities Master Hare gaue to our Vniuersity where also is to bee seene in the Constitution of a Prouinciall Councell celebrated at Oxford a sharp Inquisition decreed by Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury against all euen the heads of Colledges and Halles and others suspected of Lollardy and Wicleuisme They might well suppose that the Students of that place were entertainers of such doctrine since about that very time a testimoniall was giuen in their Congregation house vnder seale in fauour of Iohn Wicklef where these words are among other God forbid that our Prelates should haue condemned a man of such honesty for an Heretick And yet in the Councell of Constance hee was condemned for such a one forty yeeres after that he was dead and buried But all would not serue to extirpate his Bookes or memory out of our Vniuersity but euen in the daies of King Edward the Fourth there were new letters directed to the Gouernors of that place by the King himselfe to make search for his Bookes and to burne them I haue in my custody a faire antient Record of that Vniuersity which by meanes of a good friend I haue gained back to this place And therein is a solemne Letter directed from the Conuocation of Doctors and Masters to the King teâ—tifying that according to their Soueraigns Commandement they had with accurate diligence searched out the Bookes and Tracts of Wicklef himselfe and of Reginald Pecock and had burnt them So much adoe was it and that in so long a space to suppresse the head whereunto Wicklefs doctrine was growne in the famous Vniuersity of Oxford How elsewhere in this Kingdome his positions were spred may be easily collected out of Geffry Chaucer who dying about the yeere 1400 may rightly be supposed to haue liued while Ioh. Wicklef liued This Chaucer who wanted neither wit nor learning did at large paint-out the pride lasciuious vicious and intolerable behauior of the Pope Cardinals and Clergy euen applying the name of Antichrist diuers times vnto the Romane Bishop and saying that There were many in those daies of the speakers minde yea finding fault with their faith aswell as with their manners The whole tale is wel worth the reading but I will cite onely a few verses Peter was neuer so great a foole To leaue his Key with such a lorell Or take such cursed such a toole He was aduised nothing well I trow they haue the key of hell Their master is of that place Marshall For there they dressen hem to dwell And with false Lucifer there to fall They beene as proud as Lucifer As angry and as enuious From good faith they beene full farre In couetize they beene curious To catch cattaile as couetous As hound that for hunger will yall Vngodly and vngracious And needily such falshod shall fool fall This and a hundred times as much he expresseth in a simple plough mans person as euidently inferring that the husbandman meanest country body of that time by the reading and hearing of the Word of God could tell what was right and religious and what otherwise yea and complaine of the blindnesse and impiety of the Romanists in that age But if wee would be aduertised what euen Lay-men in those times could doe let vs looke into the Declarations of Walter Bruite who was in question for his opinion before the Bishop of Hereford in the yeere 1393 and gaue vp a a little booke containing those tâ—â—ngs which he maintained The true
copy of that treatise is yet extant and deserueth to bee read There wee may finde these and the like positions that Bread remaineth in the Sacraments after Consecration that The Pope is Antichrist that Nothing is to be beleeued but what may bee confirmed out of the Scriptures that The Pope is the Idoll of desolation sitting in the Temple of God that Antichrist is not to come of the Tribe of Dan neither onely to raigne three yeeres and a halfe that The Citie Apoc. 17 is Rome that Our Iustification is freely by faith alone that The doctrine of the Pope differeth from that of Christ that Miracles are no assurance of truth that Men are not rashly to bee reputed Saints that The Pope hath not power beyond other Bishops neither is the Head of the Church that Papists mistake the keys of binding loosing that Infants dying before Baptisme are not therefore damned that Auricular Confession is not prescribed in the Scripture that The Canon Lawe is ill grounded that The Pope deceiueth men in his pardons that Absolution is to be sought at the hands of God onely that The Priests vse vaine prayers in the Masses that Exorcismes and holy water are vnlawfull that Priests doe sinne who bargaine to sing for the soules of men departed that Religious men and women are deuourers of widowes houses that Selling of orders and dirges is naught that The Pope is the beast with the two hornes like the Lamb while he challengeth the double sword that He seeketh to bee worshipped as God that Dux Cleri doth make vp the number 666 that Worshipping of Images is idolatry that Temporall goods may be taken from the Clergie offending There was a great Papist one William Wideford whom before I mentioned who giueth testimony to this Treatise of Bruite whom hee calleth Waltherus Britta in Latine and writing against Wicklef maketh twise mention of a booke of his owne sent to the Bishop of Hereford Dominum Erfordensem he calleth him in confutation of the book of Walter Bruite While I write these things I cannot but think vpon the audacious absurdnes of an ignoraÌ„t popish Doctor who blusheth not to vtter that it is most manifest that All in England were Papists without exception from the first christening thereof vntill this age of King Henry the Eight He is doubtless an honest man and worthie to bee trusted on his word It is not onely manifest but most manifest not that the greatest part but all yea and because it shall not be scanted all without exception were Papists c. Were Iohn Wicklefs bones burnt because he was a Papist And were the Bulls of the pope denounced against him for that cause And were the Arch-bishop Arundels constitutions against his Followers so seuere because they were Papists The man is to be pitied for his simplicity A man may know by the Lawes Proclamations Letters and Proceedings by the State against some as against Hereticks as also by the records of Bishops yet extant and by the manifold executions and burnings afterward that euen in that deepe time of ignorance England did giue most noble testimony of Christs truth against Popery euen so farre as to the fiery triall If the Christian Reader peruse the Ecclesiasticall History of Master Fox hee shall finde how before the Councel William Sawtree a Priest was burnt after him Iohn Badby that because they were Wickleuists or Lollards as they then called them and not because they were Papists There are the reasons also and asseuerations of Puruey and Thorpe against Poperie with diuers other matters And is it not to be thought that the Hereticks increased when a Synod was assembled in S. Paul's Church at London into the which came twelue Inquisitors who in a former Synod were appointed to sift and scan the writings of Wicklef wherein they found 246. Conclusions all which they supposed to be heresie But it is plaine that in the first yeere of King Henry the Fift diuers were put to death as Lollards Afterward the Lord Cobham was hanged for a shew as if hee had beene a kinde of Traytor but hee was then also burnt as a reputed Heretick So was one Iohn Claydon for his Conscience consumed to ashes Not long after the comming of Henry the Sixt to the Kingdome besides diuers which were questioned and much troubled about religion Taylor and White two Priests and Houeden a Citizen of London were burnt and some other followed afterward Neither did the daies of King Edward the Fourth and of King Henry the Seuenth escape without the Martyrdome of sundry English yeelding vp their liues for Iesus Christ his sake and for the profession of the truth The particular Stories of whom may bee found in the Author aboue-named The Clergy of those times did beare much sway with their Princes and left no meanes vnsought no stone vnturned to keepe vp the dignity and preeminence of their romish Hierarchy and the superstitious Idolatry which then was in vse Now if in the Raigne of all these Princes so many were slaughtered for the testimony of a good conscience how many weake brethren were there who made not open profession of their faith how many did there lie hid diuers of them in probability hauing confederates and some of them beeing Priests and therfore not vnlikely to haue learning both to confirme themselues in the truth and such others as heard them Thus haue I both in England and else-where brought vp the doctrine of the Gospell vntill the time of Iohn Wicklef who flourished in the yeere 1371. Heer it may please the Reader to remember that the iudgement before cited of two Popes was that Wicklef taught the doctrine of Marsilius of Padua of Iohn of Gâ—â—dune Of the later of these there yet appeareth no monument written but he ioined in opinion with the former But as for Marsilius Patauinus our Aduersaries cannot but acknowledge him to be a very learned man after the measure of the age wherein he liued which was in the yeere 1324. He wrote a Book against the vsurped power of the Bishop of Rome which argument he entred into in behalfe of the Emperour Lewes of Bauiere who was mightily layd-at by three Popes successiuely There the Authour auoweth as right and iust the supreme authoritie of the Emperour displaying the iniquity of the Popes vsurpation ouer Christian Princes and generall Councels The book is worth the reading to see Whether all in times past did allow of the Popes doctrine and proceedings or not his opinions are these I that The Pope is not superiour to other Bishops and much lesse to the Emperour and ciuill Magistrates 2 that Things are to be decided by the Scripture 3 that Learned men of the Laity haue voices in Councels 4 that The Clergie and Pope himself are to be subiect to Magistrates 5 that The Church is the whole company of the faithfull 6 that Christ is the foundation