worthye their vocation to laye downe their olde conuersation to gyue theyr members seruauntes of ryghteousnes to offer their bodyes vppe to God a liuelye Sacrifice c. The like example of whose teachyng if the Churches nowe reformed doe not folowe let their Sermons their Preachynges wrytinges exhortynges and lyues also beare recorde who although they can not say with Christ. Which of you can blame me of sinne yet they may say to the aduersaryes whosoeuer of you is wythout fault cast the fyrst stone of reproch agaynst vs. Wherefore Hosius Pighius wyth their fellowes doe them open wrong and slaunderously belye them in comparing them in this behalfe to Aetius Eunominus and other heretikes called Anomaei who taking the good sentences of S. Paule did abuse the same to filthy licence of the flesh and corruption of wicked life c. But to let these slaunders passe nowe what the errours be of the Church of Rome touching this part of doctryne remayneth to be declared Whose errour first standeth in this that they mysunderstanding the definition of good workes doe call good workes not such as properly are commaunded by the lawe of God but such as are agreable to the Popes law As buylding of Abbayes and churches gyuing to the high altar founding of trentales fynding of chauntries gylding of Images hearing of Masses going on pilgrimage fyghting for the holye crosse keeping of vowes entryng to orders fastyng of vigiles creepyng to the Crosse praying to Saintes c. All which are not onely reputed for good workes but so preferred also before all other workes that to these is gyuen pardon from the Pope double and triplefolde more then to any other good worke of charitie commaunded in the law of almightie God An other errour also may be noted in the Papists touching the efficient or formall cause of good workes For albeit they all confesse in their bookes that Gratia dei gratis data is the chiefe principall cause thereof and worketh in vs iustitiam primam as they call it yet the good workes after regeneration they refer to other subordinate causes vnder God as to fre wil or to habitum virtutis or ad integra naturalia nothing at all to faith when as faith onelye next vnder God is the roote and fountaine of all well dooyng as in the fruites of a good tree albeit the planter or the husbandman be the principall agent thereof and some cause also may be in the good ground yet the next and immediate cause is the roote that maketh the tree fruitefull In like maner the grace of God in a soft repentaunt mollified hart planteth the gift of fayth Fayth as a good roote can not lye dead or vnoccupied but springeth foorth and maketh both the tree fruitefull and also the tree thereof to be good which otherwise had no acceptatiō nor goodnes in them were it not for the goodnes of the roote from whence they spring So Paule although he had certeine workes in him such as they were before his conuersion yet had he no good workes before the grace of Christ had rooted fayth in him So Mary Magdelene the sinner and Zacheus the Publicane So all the nations of the Gentiles began to bryng foorth frute and especially good fruit when they began to bee ingrafted in Christ and to receaue the roote of hys fayth whose fruites before that were all damnable and vnsauery As touchyng the cause therefore of good workes there is no other in man but fayth whose office as it is to iustifie vs in heauen so the nature of it is here in earth to worke by loue as the roote worketh by the sappe For as a man seeth and feeleth by fayth the loue and grace of God toward him in Christ his sonne so begynneth he to loue agayne both God and man and to doe for his neyghbour as God hath done to him And hereof properly springeth the runyng fountaine of al good works and deedes of charitie Thirdly as they erre in the cause of good works so do they erre much more in the ende of the lawe and of good workes for where Saint Paule teacheth the lawe to be gyuen to thys vse and ende to conuict our transgressions to prooue vs sinners to shewe and condemne our infirmitye and to dryue vs to Christ they take and applye no other ende to the lawe but to make vs perfect to keepe vs from wrath and to make vs iust before God And likewise where Saint Paule prooueth al our good works to be vnperfect and vtterly secludeth them from the ende of Iustifying they contrariwise doe teache as though the ende of good workes were to merite remission of synnes to satisfye vnto God to deserue grace to redeeme soules from Purgatory and that by them the person of the regenerate man doth please God and is made iust before God For so they teach most wickedly and horribly saying That christ suffered for originall sinne or sinnes going before Baptisme but the actuall sinnes which followe after Baptisme must be done away by mens meryts And so they assigne to Christ the begynning of saluation or obteyning of the fyrst grace as they call it but the perfection or cōsūmation of grace they giue to works our own strēgth Neither can they in any case abide that we be iustified frely by the mercy of God through fayth onely apprehending the merites of Christ. Howbeit neyther doe all Papistes in this their erroue agree in one For some make distinction and say that we are iustified by Christ principaliter .i. principally minus principaliter .i. lesse principally by the dignitie of our owne deedes contrary to the eight principle before mentioned page 24. Other holde that we are made ryghteous before God not by works that go before fayth but by our vertues that follow after Some againe do thus expound the saying of Saint Paule We are iustified by faith that is say they by fayth preparing vs or setting vs in a good way to be iustified Other expoūde by it the figure Sinecdoche that is by faith conioyned together with other vertues Other thus by faith that is being formed with charytie c. Thus all these doe derogate from the benefite of Christ and attribute vnto works a great or the greatest part of our iustification directly against the true veine of Saint Paules doctryne and first institucion of the auncient Church of Rome and against all the principles of holy Scripture Furthermore as touching the sayde doctryne of the lawe and good workes they erre in misunderstanding the nature of the lawe and workes For where Saint Paule disputeth that the lawe is spirituall and requireth of vs perfect obedience of the whole power of man which wee beyng carnall are neuer able to accomplish they affirme otherwise that the lawe doth require but onely outward obedience of man and therewith is contented And this obedience they say man is not onely able
be replenished with all kinde of filth dong and hogs and vile beasts therin to be sayd as wel in the chambers as other houses of office And in theyr owne chamber where they did lye there was a Sow laid with her yong pigs And when she knew that this palace was thus deformed being a certain space out of the town she besought the king to visite the said pallace And when she had brought him therunto she said to him I pray you my Lord behold now this house where are now the rich tappets and clothes of gold silke and other rich apparel that we left here this other day And where be the delicacies pleasant seruitors and costly dishes that you and I lately were serued with Be not all these passed gone My Lord saith she in like maner shall we vanish away as sodainly as you see these worldly things bene passed And our bodies which now be delicately kept shal fal and turne into the filth of the earth Wherefore haue in mynde my wordes that before tyme to you I haue often shewed told and busie you to purchase that palace that euer shal endure in ioy without transmutation By meane of these wordes and other the Queene turned so the kings mynd that shortly after he resigned the gouernance of his kingdom vnto Ethelardus his nephew for the loue of Christ tooke vpon him the habite of a poore man And setting apart all the pompe pride of this wicked world associated himself in the felowship of poore men and traualled to Rome with great deuotion when he had bene king of Westsaxons as before is sayd 37. yeares After whose departing the foresaid Ethelburga his wife went vnto Barking 7. miles from London where in the Nunry of Barking before of Erkenwald founded she continued ended the rest of her life when she had bene Abbes of the place a certaine time The said Malmesbery in his story also testifieth that this Iue was the first king that granted a peny of euery fire house through his dominion to be paid vnto the Court of Rome which afterward was called Romescot or Peter pence long after was paid in many places of England This Iue like as for his time he was worthy and valiaunt in his actes so was he the first of the Saxon kings that I read of which set forth any lawes to his country the rehersall of which lawes to the number of 80. odde were not vnprofitable here to be inserted together with other lawes of the Westsaxon kings after him before the tyme of William Conquerour in case it were not for the length prolixitie of this present volume And thus much concerning the raigne of king Iue king of Westsaxons by the way Now to repaire againe to the course of NorthuÌ„berland kings something intermitted Next vnto the foresaid Osricus folowed Celulfus whom he had adopted brother to KeÌ„red aboue specified This Celulfus as he was himselfe learned so were in his tyme diuers learned meÌ„ then florishing in England among whoÌ„ was Beda who vnto the same king Celulfus offred his story intituled Anglorum Historia not onely to be ratified by his authoritie but also to be amended as Malmesburiensis writeth by his knowledge and learnyng And for as much as I haue here entred into the mention of Bede a man of worthy and venerable memory because of the certifiyng of the truth of that man and for that I see all writers as touching his life do not agree some saying that he was no Englishman borne I thought so much to report of him as I finde by his owne words testified of himselfe in the latter end of his ecclesiastical history of England offred to the said Celulfus aboue mentioned the wordes of whom be these Thus much by the helpe of God I Bede the seruant of Christ and Priest of the Monastery of Peter and Paule at wire haue compiled and digested concerning the Britain history And so the same Bede proceding further in his narration declareth that he being borne in the territorie of the sayd Monastery beyng of the age of vij yeares was committed of his parents and friends to the tuition and education of Benedict of whom aboue relation is made and of Celfride Abbots of the foresaid Monastery In the which place or Monastery he continuyng from that tyme forth all his lyfe long gaue hymselfe and all his whole study to the meditating of holy scripture Whatsoeuer tyme or laisure he had froÌ„ his daily seruice in the church that he spent either in learning or in teaching or writing somthing About xix yeares of his age he was made Deacon the xxx yeare of his age he was made priest From the which time to the age of 59. yeares he occupied himself in interpreting the workes of the auncient fathers for his owne vse and the necessitie of others and in writing of treatises which came in all to the number of 37. volumes which he digested into 78. bookes Some say that he went to Rome either there to defend his bookes to be consonant to catholike doctrine either els if they should be found faulty to amend correct the same as he should thereto be commaunded Albeit the reporter of this his life dare not certainly affirme that euer he was at Rome but that he was inuited and called thether to come both it is manifest in stories and also this Epistle of Pope Sergius doth sufficiently prooue declarnig moreouer in what price and estimation Bede was accepted as wel in the court of Rome as in other places besides The Epistle of Sergius sent to Celfride thus proceedeth in tenor and forme as followeth in Latin The Epistle of Pope Sergius sent to Celfride Abbot of Wire Abbey requiring Bede to be sent vp to him to Rome for the same of his worthy learning SErgius Episcopus seruus seruorsi Dei Celfrido religioso Abbati Sal. Quibus modis ac verbis clementiam Dei nostri atque inenarrabilem prouidentiam possumus 〈◊〉 dignas gratiarum actiones pro immensis eius circa nos beneficijs persoluere qui in tenebris in vmbra mortis positos ad lumen scientia perducit Et infra Benedictionis gratlam quam nobis per praesentem portatorem tua deuota misir religio libâ—i hilari animo ficuti ab ea directa est nos suscepisse cognosce Oportunis igitur ac dignis amplectandae tuae sollicitudinis petitionibus arctissima deuotione satisfacientes hortamur Deo dilectam religiositatis tuae bonitatem vt quia exortis quibusdam Ecclesiasticarum causarum capitulis non sine examinatione longius innotescendis opus nobis sunt ad conferendum artes literaturae sicut decet Deo deuotum auxiliatorem sanctae matris vniuersalis Ecclesiae obedientem deuotionem huic nostrae exhortationi non desistas accommodare sed absque vlla immoratione religiosum Dei famulum Bedam venerabilem Monasterij
thunder If a man geue eare to the noise and cracke it semeth a terrible thing but if ye consider the causes and effect therof it is a most vaine ridicle In the reigne of this Nicolas An. 1060. Aldredus Byshop of Worcester after the decease of Kinsius his predecessor shuld be made Archbishop of Yorke who comming to Rome with Tostius erle of NorthumberlaÌ„d for his palle as the maner was could not obtein it but was depriued of all his dignitie for some default I can not tell what in his aunswer And furthermore after his reuersion home was spoyled also of all that he brought with him Whereupon he returning againe to Rome with Tostius the foresayde Erle there made his complaint but could not be heard til Tostius a man of stout courage taking the matter in hand tolde the Pope to his face that his curse was not to be feared in farre countreâ—s which his owne neighbours yea most vile vacabonds derided and despised at home Wherfore he required the Pope either to restore Aldredus again to his goods lost or els it should be known that they were lost through his meanes and subtlery And furthermore it would come to passe that the king of England hearing this would debar him of s. Peters tribute taking it for a great shame to him his realme if Aldredus should come from Rome both depriued of dignity spoiled also of his goods c. In fine the Pope thus perswaded by the argument of his purse was content to sende home Aldredus with his palle according to his request After the death of Nicholas the Lombardes being oppressed before by pope Nicholas and brought vnder fear were the more desirous and thought it good to haue a Bishop of their company and so elected the bishop of ParnieÌ„ called Cadolus to be Pope sending to the emperour and desiring his fauour and supportation therein For the election of the Pope sayd they most properly apperteined vnto him The emperor wel pleased and content geueth his good leaue and voice wtal Hildebrandus no lesse a wicked Necromancer then a stoute mainteiner of popish liberties against good emperors hearing this setteth vp by a coÌ„trary faction an other bishop Anselmus after called Alexander the 2. Cadolus thus elected by the emperor the Cardinals setteth forwarde to Rome with a sufficient army strength of meÌ„ Alexander also no les prepared there receiueth him with an other army where they had a great conflict many slaine on both sides But Cadolus as he had the better cause so had he the worse fortune who being repelled yet repaired himself and came again with a greater power Albeit he preuailed not The Emperor seeing this hurly burly to take vp the matter sent thither his embassador Otho Archbishop of Colen who coÌ„ming to Rome beginneth sharply to chide the pope for taking so vpoÌ„ him without the leaue or knowledge of the emperor declaring how the election of that sea ought chiefly to appertein to the right of the emperor as it hath done for the most part in the time of his predecessors tofore But Hildebrande all set on wickednes and ambition and also puft vp not a litle with his late victories not suffering the embassador to tel to the end interrupted him in the middle of his tale affirming that if they should stand to law and custome the libertie of that election shuld rather belong to the clergy then to the Emperor To make short Otho the embassador bearing belike more with the Clergie then with the emperour was content to be perswaded onely required this in the emperors name a couÌ„cell to be had to decide the matter wherat the emperor should be present himselfe And so he was In the which councel being kept at Mantua Alexander was declared pope the other had his pardon graunted In this councell amongst many other coÌ„siderations was concluded concerning priests to haue no wiues such as haue coÌ„cubines to say no masse priests children not to be secluded from holy orders no benefices to be bought for mony Alleluya to be suspended in time of Lent out of the church c. This also was decreed which made most for Hildebrandus purpose that no spirituall man whatsoeuer he be shoulde enter in any Church by a secular persone that the Pope should be elected onely by the Cardinals c. Benno Cardinalis wryteth thus of Alexander that after he perceiued the frauds of Hildebrande and of other the Emperours enemies and vnderstanding that he was set vp and inthronised but onely for a purpose being at his Masse as he was preaching to the people told them he wold not sit in the place vnlesse he had the licence of the Emperour Which when Hildebrandus heard he was stroken in suche a furie that scarsly he could keepe his handes of him while Masse was done After the Masse being finished by force of soldiours strength of men he had him into a chamber and there all to be pomild Pope Alexander with his fistes rating and rebuking him for that he would seeke for fauoure of the Emperor Thus Alexander being kept vp in custody and being stinted to a certaine allowance as about v. groates a day Hildebrand incrocheth all the whole reuenues of the Church to him selfe procuring thereby muche treasure At length Alexander vnder the miserable endurance of Hildebrand died at euentide after 11. yeares half of his popedome And thus much of Romish matters These things thus discoursed concerning the matters of Rome now returning againe to our owne country story the order therof would require to enter againe into the reigne of William Conqueror the next king following in England But as a certain oration of K. Edgarus which should haue bene placed before chanced in the meane time to come to my hands not vnworthy to be read I thought by the way in the ende of this booke to insert the same although out of order yet better I iudge it out of order then out of the booke The oration of king Edgar to the Clergie BEcause God hath shewed his great mercy to worke with vs it is meete most reuerend Fathers that with worthy works we should answer his innumerable benefites For we possesse not the land by our owne sworde and our owne arme hath not saued vs but his right hande and his holy arme because he hath bene delighted in vs. Therfore it is meete that we should submit both our selues and our soules to him that hath subiected all these thinges vnder our gouernement and that we ought stoutly to laboure that they whome he hath made subiect to vs might be subiect to his lawes It belongs to me to rule the lay people with the lawe of equitie to doe iust iudgement betwene man and his neighbour to punish Church robbers to holde vnder rebelles to deliuer the helplesse from the hande of the stronger the needye also and the poore from
declareth to extoll himselfe aboue measure and to oppresse yâ— few that be godly and to haue many falâ—e prophets about him which neglecting the word and the name of Christ do preach extoll him only obscuring the name of Christ. The church of Rome and the Pope he describeth in these words I was praying sayd he on my knees looking vpward to heauen nere to the aulter of S. Iames in Paris on the right side of the aultar saw in the ayre before me the body of a certain high bishop all clothed in white silke who turning his backe on the East lift vp his hand toward the west as the Priestes are wont in theyr Masse turning to the people but his head was not seene And as I was considering aduisedly whether he had any head or no I perceiued a certayne head in him all dry leane withered as though it had bene a head of wood And the spirit of the Lord sayd to me This signifieth the state of the Church of Rome Moreouer the same author in his visions well describing the maner of the schole sophisters and Sorbonists addeth in this wise An other day as I was in like conteÌ„plation as before I beheld in spirit and beholde I saw a man apparelled like to the other before which weÌ„t about hauing fine bread and excellent wine that hanged about him on both sides And the same hauing in his hand a loÌ„g and an hard flint stone was gnawing hungerly vpon the same as one being hungry is wont to bite vpon a loafe of bread Out of the which stone came two heads of two serpentes the spirit of the Lord instructing me and saying This stone purporteth the friuilous intricate curious questions wherein the hungry do trauaile and labor leauing the substauntiall foode of their soules And I asked what these two heads did meane And he sayd The name of the one is vaine glory the name of the other is the marring and dissipation of religion Also concerning reformation of the church this vision he declareth It happened as I was sayth he in the same City in the house of a certaine noble man a Britaine and was there speaking with certayne I saw a crosse of siluer very bright much like to the Crosse of the Earle of Tholouse But the 12. apples which did hang beside in the armes of the crosse were very vile like the apples which the sea is wont to cast vp And I sayd what is this Lord Iesu and the spirit answered me This crosse which thou seest is the church which shal be cleare and bright in purenes of life and shall be heard and known all ouer through the shrill voice of the preaching of sincere verity Then being troubled with the apples I asked what these apples so vile did signify and he said it is the humiliation of the Church c. This godly man did forewarne as in a certain chroâ—ticle is declared how God would punish the simony and auarice of the clergy with such a plague that riuers should runne with bloud c. It is sayd that there is remayning a great volume of his visions whiche are not yet abroad for these that be abroad are but a briefe extract out of hys visions and reuelations After yâ— we haue thus loÌ„g straid in these forrein stories of Fredericke and in the tractation of other matters pertayning to other countreys Now after this sufficient disgression it is time that we returne to our own country agayne where in folowing the continuatioÌ„ of time course of the Church we will now adioyne to these good fathers and writers the history of the learned Bishop of Lincolne named Robert Grosted a man famously learned as that time serued in the three toungs both Latin Greeke and Hebrue also in all liberall sciences whose works Sermons yet this day are extant which I haue seene in the Queenes Maiestyes Library at Westminster wherin is one speciall Sermon writteÌ„ and exhibited in foure sundry skrolles to the pope and to other foure Cardinals beginning Dominus noster Iesus Christus c. Nicolas Triuet in his chronicle writing of this bishop affirmeth that he was borne in Suffolke in the Dioces of Northfolke who geuing him the prayse to be a man of excellent wisedome of profound doctrine an example of all vertue witnesseth that he being maister of Arte wrote first a Commentary in librum posteriorum of Aristotle Also that he wrote Tractations de sphera de arte comput And that he set forth diuers books concerning Philosophy Afterward being Doctor in Diuinity and expertly seene in all the 3. tongues drew out sundry Treatises out of the Hebrue gloses also translated diuers works out of the Greeke as namely the Testamentes of the xij Patriarches the bookes of Dionisius commenting vpon the new translation with hys owne glose Haec ille Many other workes and volumes besides were written by the said Grosted as De oculo morali de Dotibus De cessatione legalium paruus Cato Annotationes in Suidam in Boetium De potestate pastorali expositiones in Genes in Lucam with a number moâ— besides diuers Epistles Sermons and Inuections sent to the Pope for his vnmeasurable exactions wherwith he ouercharged oppressed the Church of England This godly and learned Bishop after diuers conflicts and agonies sustayned agaynst the Bishop of Rome after the example of Fredericke of Guiliel de sancto amore of Nico Gallus and other after minded at length after great labors and trauells of life finished his course departed at Buckdone in the moneth of Octob. an 1253. Of his decease thus writeth Mat. Parisiens pag. 278. Out of the prison and banishmeÌ„t of this world which he neuer loued was takeÌ„ the holy bishop of Lincolne Robert at his manor of Buckâ—one in the euen of S. Dionise who was an open reprouer of the Pope and of the King a rebuker of the prelats a corrector of the Monkes director of the Priestes instructor of the clerkes fauâ—or of scholers a preacher to the people persecutor to the incontinent a diligent searcher of the Scriptures A malle to the Romaines and a contemner of theyr doings c. Haec Mat. what a malle hee was to the Romaines in the sequele hereof Christ willing shall better appeare The story is this It so befell among other dayly and intollerable exactions wherein Pope InnoceÌ„t was greuous and iniurious manifold wayes to the Realme of England he had a certaine cosin or nephew so Popes were wont to call theyr sonnes named Fredericke being yet youÌ„g vnder yeres whom the said Innocent the Pope would needs preferre to be a Canon or Prebendary in the church of Lincolne in this time of Robert Bishop of the sayd Church And vpoÌ„ the same directed down letters to certayn his factors here in England for the execution thereof The copy of which letter by chaunce yet not by chaunce
Iohn Wickliffe wrote certayne bookes which he called a Dialogue a Trialogue besides many other treatises and works the which he both wrot and taught in the which he wrot the aforesayd and many other damnable execrable articles The which his books for the publication and aduauncement of his peruers doctrine he did set forth opeÌ„ly for euery man to read Wherby beside many offeÌ„ces great hurt damages of soules hath ensued in diuers regions countryes but specially in the kingdomes of England and Boheme Against whom the maisters and Doctors of the Vniuersities of Oxforde and Prage rising vp in the truth and verity of God according to the order of schooles within a while after did reprooue and condemne the sayd Arcicles Moreouer the most reuerent fathers the archbishops and bishops for that time present of CaÌ„terbury Yorke and Prage Legats of the Apostolick sea in the kingdome of England and Boheme did condemne the bookes of the sayd Wickliffe to be burnt And the sayd Archbishoppe of Prage commissarye of the Apostolicke sea did likewise in this behalf determin iudge And moreouer he did forbid that any of those bookes whiche did remayne vnburned should not be hereafter any more reade And agayne these things being brought to the knowledge vnderstanding of the Apostolicke sea aud the generall councell The Bishop of Rome in his last Councell condemned the sayde bookes treatises and volumes commaunding them to be openly burned Most straightly forbidding that any men which should beare the name of Christ should be so hardy either to keep read or expound any of the sayde bookes or treatises volumes or workes or by any meanes to vse or occupy them either els to alledge theÌ„ opeÌ„ly or priuely but to their reproofe infamy And to the intent that this most dauÌ„gerous and filthy doctrine should be vtterly wiped away out of the Church he gaue commaundemeÌ„t through out al places that the Ordinaries should diligeÌ„tly enquire and seeke out by the Apostolick authority and Ecclesiasticall censure for all such bookes treatises volumes workes And the same so being found to burne consume theÌ„ with fire prouiding withall that if there be any such fouÌ„d which will not obey the same processe to be made agaynst them as agaynst the fauourers and mayntayners of heresies And this most holy Synode hath caused the sayd 45. Articles to be examined and oft times perused by manye most reuerend fathers of the Church of Rome Cardinals Bishops Abbots maisters of diuinitye and Doctours of both lawes besides a great number of other learned men the which Articles being so examined it was found as in truth it was no lesse that many yea a great number of theÌ„ to be notoriously for heretical reproued and condemned by the holy fathers other some not to be Catholick but erroneous some full of offence and blasphemy Certayn of theÌ„ offensiue vnto godlye eares and many of theÌ„ to be rashfull and seditious It is found also that his bookes do contain many Articles of like effect and quality and that they doe induce and bring into the Church vnâ—ouÌ„d and vnwholesome doctrine contrary vnto the fayth and ordinance of the Church Wherefore in the name of our Lorde Iesu Christ this sacred Synode ratefying and approuing the senteÌ„ces and iudgements of the Archbishops counsell of Rome do by this theyr decree and ordinance perpetually for euer more condemne and reproue the sayd Articles and euery one of them his bookes which he intituled his Dialogue and Trialogue all other bookes of the same author volumes treatises workes by what name so euer they bee entituled or called the which we wil here to be sufficiently expressed and named Also we forbid the reading learning exposition or alledging of any of the sayd bookes vnto all faythfull Christians but so farreforth as shall tend to the reproofe of the same forbidding all and singular Catholick persons vnder the payn of curse that from henceforth they be not so hardy openly to preach teach or holde or by any meanes to alledge the sayd Articles or any of them except as is aforesayd that it do tend vnto the reproofe of them commaunding all those bookes treatises works and volumes aforesayd to be openly burned as it was decreed in the Synode at Rome as is afore expressed For the execution wherof duely to be obserued and done the sayd sacred Synode doth straitly charge commaund the ordinaries of the places diligently to attend looke vnto the matter according as it appertayneth vnto euery maÌ„s duty by the Canonicall lawes and ordinaunces What were these articles here condemned by this couÌ„cell collected out of all his workes and exhibited to yâ— sayd CouÌ„cell to the number of 45. The copy of them foloweth vnder written * Certaine other Articles gathered out of Wickeliffes bookes by his aduersaries to the number of 45. exhibited vp to the Councell of Constance after his death and in the same councell condemned BEsides the 24. Articles aboue mentioned there were other also gathered out of his books to the number of 45. in all which his malicious aduersaryes peruersly collecting and maliciously expounding did exhibite vp to the CouÌ„cel of Constance which to repeat all though it be not here needfull yet to recite certayn of them as they stand in that Councell it shall not be superfluous 25. All such as be hyred for temporall liuing to pray for other offend and sinne of simony 26. The prayer of the reprobate preuayleth for no man 27. Halowing of Churches confirmation of children the Sacrament of orders be reserued to the Pope Bishops onely for the respect of temporall lucre 28. Graduations and Doctorships in Vniuersities and Colledges as they be vsed coÌ„duce nothing to the church 29. The excommunication of the Pope and his Prelates is not to be feared because it is the censure of Antechrist 30. Such as fouÌ„d build Monasteries do offend sinne and all such as enter into the same be meÌ„bers of the deuil 31. To enrich the Clergy is agaynst the rule of Christ. 32. Siluester the Pope Constantine the Emperor were deceiued in geuing taking possessions into the Church 33. A Deacon or Priest my preach the word of God with out the authority of the Apostolick sea 34. Such as enter into order or religion monasticall are therby vnable to keep Gods commaundements and also to atteine to the kingdome of heauen except they reurne from the same 35. The Pope with all his Clergye hauing those great possessions as they haue be heretiques in so hauing the secular powers in so suffering them do not well 36. The Church of Rome is the sinagoge of Sathan neither is the Pope immediately the vicare of Christ nor of yâ— Apostles 37. The Decretals of the Pope be Apochripha and seduce from the sayth of Christ and the Clergy that study them be fooles 38. The Emperor and secular Lordes be seduced which so enrich
declared as it hath bene in times past the which also is done by a maruelous dispensation that through one onely thing both Gods loue iustice should be fulfilled For a while the power of miracles being taken away the holy church appereth the more abiect and forsaken and the reward of good men doth cease which reuerēced the same for the hope of heauēly riches not for any present signes And that the minds of euill men agaynst the same might that sooner be knowne which neglect to folow the inuisible thinges which the church doth promise whiles they be led with visible signes Forsomuch then as the humility of the faithfull is as it were destitute of the multitude and appering of signes by the terrible working of Gods secret dispensation wherby mercy is geuē vnto the good and iust wrath heaped vpō the euill For so much then it is truely said that before this Liuiathan shall playnely and manifestly come pouerty shall go before his face for before that time the riches of miracles shal be taken away from the faythfull Then shall that auncient enemy shew himselfe agaynst them by open wonders That as he is extolled through signes wonders so shall he the more manly be vanquished of the faythfull without any signes or miracles Also in his 16. booke vpon this word which the blessed man Iob sayde who shall reprehend his way before him or who shall cast in his teeth what he hath done whilest he did speake of the body of all euill he sodenly connected his speach vnto the head of all the wicked for he did see that toward the end of the world Sathan should enter into man whom the scripture calleth Antechrist he shal be extolled with such pride he shall rule with such power he shal be exalted with such signes wonders vnder the pretence of holmes that his doing can not be cōtrolled of mē for somuch as his signes tokens are ioined with power terror with a certain shew of holynes Wherfore he saith who shall controll his wayes before him what man is he that dare once rebuke or check him whose looke or countenaunce is he afeard of But notwithstanding not onely Enoc Elias the which are brought as ample for his exprobation but also all the elect do argue reproue his way whiles that they do contemne and by the force and power of their minde resist his malice But for somuch as this thing is not done by their owne power or strength but by Gods helpe and grace therfore is it very well sayd who shall argue or reproue his waies before him who but onely God By whose help the elect are ayded and made able to resist And a little after vpon the same booke of Iob Gregory saith in so much as holy men do withstād his iniquity It is not they thēselues which do so rebuke his wayes but it is he thorowe whose helpe they are strengthened Also in his second booke he sayth now the holy Church doth not regarde but despise the signes and miracles of the heretikes if they do any for so much as the Church doth sufficiently vnderstand that it is no kind of holynes for why the prose of holines is not to make signes or wōders but to loue euery man as him selfe to thinke truely of the very true God to thinke better of thy neighbor then of thy selfe for trew vertue holynes cōsisteth in loue and not in shewing of miracles This the veretie declareth saying hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye loue one an other but he saith not that hereby mē shal know that ye are my disciples because ye worke miracles but contrary wise if ye loue one an other declaring plainly therby that it is not miracles but the mere charitie loue of God which maketh vs the seruants of God Wherefore the chiefe testimony of being Gods disciple is to haue the gift of brotherly loue This thorow out doth S. Gregory write and often times in other places he speaketh verye much of miracles howe that they shall cease amongst the iust and abound amongst the wicked Also Chrisostome in his lv Homily sayth thus it is a common an indifferent woorke betwene the ministers of God the ministers of the deuil to cast out deuils but to confesse the trueth and to worke righteousnes is the onely worke of the saints and holy men therefore whomsoeuer thou doest see casting out of deuils if he haue not the confessiō of the trueth in his mouth neyther righteousnes in his hands he is not a man of God but if thou doest see a man openly confessing declaring the truthe and doing iustice although he do not cast out no deuils yet he is the man of God And it followeth let vs know that like as at the cōming of Christ before him the Prophets and with him thapostles wrought miracles thorow the holy ghost for such as the thing is which is sturred such sent sauor wil proceede frō the same He writeth also vpon the beginning of Mathew The whole world did maruel wōder at three things that Christ rose againe after his deth that flesh ascendeth into heauē that he did conuert the whole world by his xi apostles There is iiii causes which wrought the same That is to say the contempt of riches or money The dispising of pomp and glory The seperation of thēselues from all worldly occupation and busines and the pacient suffering of tormentes Thus much writeth Chisostome also saint Isydore in his first booke and xxv cha De summo bono writeth thus like as in the apostles the maruelous effect power of works was much more cōmendable then the vertue of their signes euen so now in the Church is it much more better to liue wel thē to worke any signes or miracles And the cause why that the church of God doth not at this present worke miracles as it did in the time of the Apostles is this That it was necessary at that time that the worlde should beleue miracles and nowe at this present euery faithful beleuer ought to shine with good workes for to this end were signes miracles then outwardly wrought that their sayth thereby might be inwardly strengthned and stablished for what soeuer faithfull man he be that seketh to worke miracles he seeketh vaine glory to be praysed of mē for it is written miracles are signes and tokens vnto the infidels misbeleuers and not vnto the faythfull Thus muche wryteth Isidore Item Saint Augustine in his Booke of cōfession sayth thus there is no greater miracle amongst mē thē to loue our enemies By these wordes of these holy men a man may easely gather that both in our dayes and in the time to come the disciples of Antichrist both do shall more florish and shewe thēselues by strannge signes miracles thē the disciples of Christ according to
hereafter following do testify And here ceasing with the story of Fredericke we will now procede to the raigne of Maximilian his sonne omitting diuers things els incident in the time of this Emperour as first touching the vnbrotherly contention conflicts betwene this Fredericke and Albertus hys brother and Sigismundus his vncle for the dukedome of Austria after the death of Mathias afore mentioned Omitting also to speake of the long and cruel war betwene the Prussians and Polonians with the religious sect of them which were called Tentones fratres sanctae Mariae in the time of Uladislaus Omitting also the strife and variaunce for the dukedome of Millain betwene Fredericus the Emperor Alfonsus Carolus duke of Orleance Franciscus Sfortia And howe the sayde Princedome being after geuen to Sfortia great warres were kindled long continued betwene Sfortia and the Milleners then betwene the Milleners and Uenetians and after betweene the Frenchmen and the Milleners All which tumultes and commotions as not pertinent greatly to the purpose of this story I referre to other wryters where they are to be founde more amply discoursed Thys as more properly belonging to the storye of the Church I thought good not to passe ouer touching such as were condemned suffered the paines of fire for testimony of Christ and his truth Of whom one was Iohn a pastor or a neteheard which was a keper of cattel The other was Ioannes de Wesalia although not burned yet persecuted neere to death vnder the raigne of thys Emperour Fredericus the 3. And first touching thys Iohn the Netehearde Thus wryteth Sebast. Munsterus That the Bishop of Herbypolis condemned and burned for an hereticke one Iohn whych was a keeper of cattel at a towne called Niclas Hausen in Franconia because hee taught and helde that the lyfe of the cleargy was ignominious and abhominable before God An. 1476. Ex Munstero The other was Doctour Ioannes de Wessalia who was complained vpon vnto Dietherus the Archbishop of Mentz by the Thomists vppon certaine articles and opinions gathered out of hys bookes Wherefore the sayde Dietherus fearing else to be deposed againe from his Bishopricke directeth forth commission to the vniuersities of Heidelberg and Colen to haue the mater in examination who conuenting together the yere aboue mentioned called thys Doctour de Wessalia before them making hym to sweare that he shuld present and geue vp all his treatises workes and wrytings what so euer hee had made or preached that being done they deuided hys bookes amongest themselues seuerally euery man to find out what heresies and errors they could His articles opinions were these That all men be saued freely and through meere grace by faith in Christ. Free will to be nothing Onely that we shoulde beleeue the word of God and not the glose of any mā or fathers That the worde of God is to be expounded with the collation of one place with an other That Prelates haue no authoritie to make lawes or to expounde the scriptures by any peculiare right geuen them more then to an other That mennes traditions as fastings pardones feasts long prayers peregrinations and such like are to be reiected Extreme vnction and confirmation to be reprooued confession and satisfaction to be reprehended The primacie of the Pope also he affirmed to be nothing Certaine other articles also were gathered out of hym by his aduersaries but in such sort that they may seme rather to followe their owne malicious gathering then any true intelligence of his minde whereof more is to be vnderstanded in this processe hereafter Thus when Wesalianus was commanded to appear there conuented together first the Archbishop the inquisitor the doctors of Colen and the doctors of Heidelberge with the masters of the same and the Rector of the vniuersity of Mentz the Deane of faculties Bachelers of diuinity and many other maisters of the same vniuersitie Canous doctors with the bishops Chanceller and his councellers besides many religious prelates schollers wyth a doctor of Franckforte the sumner bedels which all met together in the great hall of the Minorites for the examination of this Ioannes de Wesalia Frier Elton the Inquisitor first sitteth in the hyghest place then after him others according to their degree In the beginning of the examination first the Inquisitor beginneth with these wordes Most reuerent father and honorable doctors c. Our reuerent father and prince Elector hath caused this present cōuocation to be called to hear the examination of M. Iohn de Wesalia in certaine suspected articles concerning the catholique faith But something I will say before that may doe hym good and desire that two or three of them that fauoure hym or some other will rise vppe and geue him counsaile to forsake and leaue his errours to recognise himselfe to aske pardon which if he wil do he shal haue pardon if he wil not we wil procede against him without pardone And thus Wesalianus being cited and brought in the midst betwixt 2. minorites being very aged and hauing a staffe in his hand was sette before the Inquisitor Who beginning to answer for hym self with a long protestation could not be suffred to prosecute his Oration but was cutre off and required briefly to make an end and to tell them in fewe woordes whether he would stand to his opinions or to the determination of the church To this he aunswered that he neuer spake any thing against the determination of the Church but sayde that he had written diuers and sondry treatises in the which if hee had erred or were found to say otherwise then wel he was content to reuoke and cal backe the same and do al things that was requisite Then said the Inquisitor do you aske then pardon The other answered why shuld I aske pardon when I know no crime or error committed The inquisitour sayd well we will call you to the remembraunce thereof and proceede to the examination In the meane time others called vppon him instantly to aske pardone Then sayd Wesalianus I aske pardone Notwithstanding the Inquisitor proceeded to the examination reading there two instruments declaring that hee had authority from the Apostolicke sea after this cited the said Iohn to appear to hys examination Thirdly he commaunded him vnder paine of disobedience in the vertue of the holy Ghost and vnder paine of excōmunication of the greater curse from the which no man coulde absolue him but onely the Pope or the Inquisitour except onely at the poynt of death to tell plainly the truth vppon such things as should be demanded of him concerning his faith without ambages and sophistication of wordes And so being demanded first whether he did beleue vpon his oth taken that hee was bounde to tell the trueth although it were against himselfe or any other to this he answered Scio that is I know Thē the Inquisitour biddeth him say Credo that is I beleeue To the
liuing Lord within the Arke of his true spirituall and visible Churche And where is then the friuolous bragge of the Papistes which make so muche of there paynted sheath would nedes beare vs downe that this gournment of the Church of Rome which nowis hath bene of such an old standing time out of minde euen from the primitiue Antiquitie that neuer was any other church demonstrable here in earth for men to follow besides the said only Catholick mother church of Rome whē as we haue sufficiently proued before by the continual descēt of the Church till this present tyme that the sayd Church after the doctrine which is now reformed is no new begunne matter but euen the olde continued Churche by the prouidence and promise of Christ still standing which albeit it hath bene of late yeares repressed by the tyranny of Romayne Byshops more then before yet notwithstanding it was neuer so oppressed but God hath euer maintayned in it the truth of his Gospell agaynst heresies and errours of the Church of Rome as in thys history more at full is to be seene Let vs now proceede farther as we began deducing this descent of the Churche vnto the 1501. yeare In which yeare the Lord began to shew in the partes of Germany wonderfull tokens and blody markes of his Passion as the bloudy Crosse hys nayles speare and Crowne of thornes which fell from heauen vpon the garments and cappes of men and rockes of woman as you may further read in this booke pag. 816. By the which tokens almighty God no doubt presignified what grieuous afflictions and bloudy persecutions shoulde then begin to ensue vppon his Churche for hys Gospels sake according as in this history is described wherein is to be seene what Christen bloud hathe bene spilt what persecutions raysed what tyranny exercised what tormentes deuised what trechery vsed agaynst the poore flocke and Church of Christ in such sort as since Christes tyme greater hath not bene seene And now by reuolution of yeares we are come from the time of .1501 to that yeare now present 1570. In which the full seuenty yeares of the Babilonicall captiuitie draweth now well to an ende if we count from the first appearing of these bloudy markes aboue mentioned Or if wee recken from the beginning of Luther and hys persecution then lacketh yet xvi yeres Now what the Lord wil do with this wicked world or what rest he will geue to hys Church after these long sorrowes he is our father in heauen his will be done in earth as seemeth best to his diuine maiestie In the meane time let vs for our partes with all patient obedience wayt vpon hys gracious leysure and glorifie his holy name and edifie one an other with all humilitie And if there cannot be an end of our disputing and contending one agaynst an other yet let there be a moderation in our affections And for asmuch as it is the good will of our God that Sathan thus should be let lose amongst vs for a short time yet let vs striue in the meane while what wee can to amende the malice of the tyme with mutuall humanitie They that be in errour let them not disdayne to learne They whiche haue greater talentes of knowledge committed instruct in simplicitie them that be simple No man liueth in that common wealth where nothing is amisse But yet because God hath so placed vs Englishmen here in one common wealth also in one Church as in one shippe together let vs not mangle or deuide the shippe which being deuided perisheth but euery man serue in his order with dilligence wherein he is called They that sitte at the helme keepe well the poynt of the needle to knowe how the ship goeth and whether it should Whatsoeuer weather betydeth the needle well touched with the stone of Gods word will neuer fayle Such as labour at the oares start for no tempest but doe what they can to keepe from the rockes Likewise they whiche be inferiour rowmes take heede they moue no sedition nor disturbance agaynst the rowers and mariners No storme so daungerous to a shippe on the sea as is discord and disorder in a weale publique What countryes and nations what kingdomes and Empyres what Cities townes and houses discord hath dissolued in storyes is manifest I neede not spend tyme in rehearsing examples The Lord of peace who hath power both of land and Sea reach forth hys mercifull hand to helpe them vp that sincke to keepe them vpp that stand to still these windes and sourging seas of discord and contention among vs that wee professing one Christ may in one vnitie of doctrine gather our selues into one Arke of the true Church together where we continuing stedfast in fayth may at the last luckely be conducted to the ioyfull porte of our desired landing place by hys heauenly grace To whome both in heauen and in earth be all power and glory with his father and the holy spirite for euer Amen The vtilitie of this Story SEyng the worlde is replenished with such an infinite multitude of bookes of all kinde of matters I may séeme perhaps to take a matter in hand superfluous and needles at this present to set out such Uolumes especially of histories considering now a dayes the world is so greatly pestered not only with superfluous plenty therof but of all other treatises so that books now seeme rather to lacke Readers then Readers to lacke bookes In which multitude of bookes I doubt not but many doe both perceiue and inwardly bewayle this insatiable boldnes of many now a dayes both in writing and printing which to say the truth for my part I do as much lament as any man els beside and would therefore no man should thinke that vnaduisedly or with rashnes I haue attempted this enterprise as one being not onely doubtful but also both bashfull and feareful within my self for setting the same abroad And why first I perceaued howe learned this age of ours is in reading of bookes neither could I tell what the secret iudgementes of readers woulde conceaue to see so weake a thing to set vpon such a weighty enterprise not sufficiently furnished with such ornamentes able to satisfie the perfection of so great a story or sufficient to serue the vtility of the studious and the delight of the learned Which abilitie the more I perceiued to be wanting in me the lesse I durst be bold to become a writer But agayne on the other side when I weyed with my selfe what memorable Actes and famous doynges this latter age of the Churche hath ministred vnto vs by the patient suffringes of the worthy martyrs I thought it not to be neglected that so precious Monumentes of so many matters meet to be recorded and regestred in books should lie buried by my default vnder darkenes of obliuion Me thought somewhat was to be sayd of them for their well deseruing and something agayne of our partes for benefites by
pretensed or rather a fable imagined or els to be the deede of Pipinus or Charles or some such other if it were euer the deede of any And thus hast thou beloued Reader briefly collected the narration of the noble actes and heauenly vertues of thys most famous Emperour Constantine the great a singulare spectacle for all Christian Princes to beholde and imitate and worthy of perpetuall memorie in all congregations of Christian Saintes Whose feruent zeale pietie in generall to all coÌ„gregations and to all the seruants of Christ was notable but especially the affection and reuerence of hys heart toward them was admirable whych had suffered any thyng for the confession of Christ in the persecutions before them had hee principally in price and veneration in so much that hee embraced and kissed theyr woundes and stripes and their eyes being put out And if any suche Byshops or any other Ministers brought to hym any coÌ„plaints one against an other as many times they did he would take theyr bils of complaint and burne them before theyr faces so studious and zealous was hys mind to haue them agree whose discord was to hym more griefe then it was to themselues All the vertuous actes and memorable doings of this diuine renowmed Emperour to comprehende or commit to hystorie it were the matter alone of a great volume wherfore contented with these aboue premised because nothing of him can be sayde inough I cease to discourse of him any further One thyng yet remaineth not to be omited wherein as by the way of a note I thought good to admonish the learned Reader suche as loue to be conuersant in reading of auncient authors that in the Ecclesiasticall hystorie of Eusebius where in the latter ende of the booke is added a certaine Oration Ad coÌ„uentum Sanctorum vnder the name of Eusebius Pamphilus here is to be vnderstaÌ„d that the sayd Oration is wrongly intituled vpon the name of Eusebius whych in very truth is the Oration of Constantinus hymselfe For the probation whereof beside the stile and matter therein contained and tractation heroycall liuely declaring the religious vaine of Constantine I alledge the very testimonie of Eusebius himselfe in his fourth booke De vita Constantini where he in expresse wordes not onely declareth that CoÌ„stantine wrote such an Oration intituled Ad Conuentum Sanctorum but also promiseth in the end of hys booke to annexe the same declaring moreouer what difficultie the interpretors had to translate the same from the Romaine speeche to theyr Grecian toung Eusebius de vita Constantini Lib. 4 pag. 211. And here an end of these lamentable doleful persecutions of the primitiue Church during the space of the 300. yeres froÌ„ the passion of our Sauiour Christ til the coÌ„ming of this Constantinus by whom as by the elect instrumeÌ„t of God it hath so pleased his almighty maiesty by his determinat purpose to giue rest after loÌ„g trouble to his church according to that S. Cyprian declareth before pag. 68. to be reueled of God vnto his Church that after darkenes and stormy tempest should come peaceable calme stable quietnes to his church meaning this time of Constantine now present At which time it so pleased the almightie that the murdering malice of Sathan should at length be restrained and he him selfe to be tied vp for a thousande yeares through his great mercie in Christ to whome therefore â—e thankes and praise now and for euer AMEN The ende of the first Booke THE SECOND BOOKE CONTAINING the next 300. yeares following with such things specially touched as haue happened in England from the time of king Lucius to Gregorius and so after to the time of king Egebert BY these persecutions hytherto in the Booke before precedent thou maiest vnderstand Christian reader how the furie of Sathan and rage of men haue done what they could to extinguish the name and religion of Christ. For what thing did lacke that eyther death coulde doe or torments coulde worke or the gates of hell coulde deuise all was to the vttermost attempted And yet all the furie and malice of Sathan al the wisedom of the world strength of men doing deuising practising what they could notwtstanding the religion of Christ as thou seest hath had the vpper hand Which thing I wish thee greatly gentle reader wisely to note and diligently to ponder in coÌ„sidering these former histories And because thou canst not consider them nor profit by them vnles thou do first read peruse them let me craue therfore thus much at thine handes to turne read ouer the said hystories of those persecutioÌ„s aboue described especially aboue all the other hystories of this present volume for thy especiall edification whych I trust thou shalt finde not vnworthy the reading Nowe because the tying vp of Sathan geueth to the Church some rest to me some leisure to addresse my selfe to the handling of other stories I minde therefore Christ willing in thys present booke leauing a while the tractation of these generall affaires pertaining to the vniuersal Church to prosecute such domesticall hystories as more neare concerne this our country of England Scotland done here at home beginning first with king Lucius with whome the faith first begaÌ„ here in this Realme as the sentence of some writers doth hold And for somuch as here may rise yea and doth rise a great coÌ„trouersie in these our Popish daies coÌ„cerning the first origine planting of the faith in this our Realme it shall not be greatly out of our purpose somewhat to stay say of this question whether the Church of England first receiued the faith from Rome or not The which although I graunt so to be yet being so graunted it little auaileth the purpose of them whiche woulde so haue it for be it so that England first receaued the Christian faith and Religion from Rome both in the time of Eleutherius theyr Byshop 180. yeares after Christ and also in the time of Austen whome Gregory sent hether 600. yeares after Christ yet their purpose followeth not thereby that we must therefore fetche our Religion from thence still as from the chiefe welhead and fountaine of all godlines And yet as they are not able to proue the second so neither haue I any cause to graunt the first that is that our Christian faith was first deriued from Rome which I may proue by vj. or vij good coÌ„iectural reasons Wherof the first I take of the testimony of Gildas our couÌ„treyman who in his history affirmeth plainly that Britaine receaued the Gospell in the time of Tiberius the Emperour vnder whome Christ suffered Lib. De victoria Aurelij Ambrosij And sayth moreouer that Ioseph of Arimathie after dispersion of the Iewes was sent of Philip the Apostle froÌ„ France to Britayne about the yeare of our Lord. 63. and heere remained in this land al his time and so with his fellowes
Vortiperius Malgo. Carecius Here is to be vnderstand that these Britaine kings aboue mentioned did not so raign here in this land frō the time of Vortigerne that they had the full possession and gouernement ouer all the whole realme but only ouer parcels or partes such as by force of armes they could either hold or win from the Saxons which cōming in daily and growing vpon thē did so replenish the land with multitudes of them that the Britains at lēgth were neither able to hold that which they had nor to recouer that which they lost Leauing exaple to al ages countreis what it is first to let in forreine nations into their dominion but especially what it is for Princes to ioyne in mariage with infidels as this Vortiger did with Hengistus daughter which was the mother of al this mischief geuing to the Saxons not only strēgth but also occasion and courage to attempt that whych they did Neyther was this vncōsidered before of the Britaine Lords and Nobilitie who worthely being therew t offended iustly deposed their king inthroned Vortimerus hys sonne in his roume By the which Vortimer being a punāt prince the Saxons were then repulsed and driuen againe into Germany where they stayed a while till the death of Vortimer whome Rowen daughter of Hengistus caused traiterously to be poysoned Then Vortiger being again restored to his kingdome through the entreatie of Rowen hys wife sent into Germanie againe for Engist who eftsoones making his returne came in wyth a name of 300. shippes wel appointed The Nobles of Britain hearing this prepared them selues to the contrary side in all forceable wise to put them of But Engist through Rowen hys daughter so laboured the king excusing himselfe and saying that he brought not the multitude to worke any violence eyther against him or against his coūtrey but only thinking that Vortimer had yet bene aliue whom he minded to impugne for the kings sake and to take hys part And nowe for so much as he heareth of the death of Vortimer hys enemie hee therefore committeth both himselfe his people to his disposition to appoint how few or how many of thē he wold to remaine within his land the rest should returne And if it so pleased the King to appoynt day place where they might meete and talke together of the matter both he and his would stande to such order as the king with his counsaile should appoynt With these faire words the king and his nobles wel contented did assigne to them both day place which was in the towne of Ambry where he ment to talke with them adding thys condition with all that eche part shoulde come without any maner of weapon Engist shewing him selfe well agreed thereto gaue priuy intelligence to his side that eche man should cary with him secretely in his hose a long knife with their watch worde also geuen vnto them whē they should draw their kniues wherwith euery Saxon shoulde and so did kill the Britayne wyth whō he talked as is aboue declared The Britaine Lords being slayne the Saxons tooke Vortigerne the King and bound him for whose ransome they required to be deliuered to them the Cittie of London Yorke Lincolne Winchester with other the most strongest holdes within the lande whych being to them graunted they begin to make spoile hauocke of the Britaine nation destroying the Citizens plucking downe Churches killing vp the Priestes burning the Bookes of the holy Scripture leauing nothyng vndone that tyrannie could worke whych was about the yeare of our Lorde 462. The King seeing thys miserable slaughter of the people fled into Wales This whyle Aurelius Ambrosius Vter Pendragon brethren to king Constans aboue mentioned whō Vortigerne wickedly caused to be killed were in little Britayne To whome the Britaynes sent woorde desiring theyr ayde in helping their countrey Aurelius vnderstanding the wofull state of the Realme speedeth hym ouer to satisfie their desire and to rescue what in him was their necessitie Who at his first commyng eftsoones being crowned for theyr king seeketh out wicked Vortigerne the cause of all thys trouble and murder of king Constās hys brother And finding him in Wales in a strong tower wherein he had immured him selfe setteth hym and his castell on fire That done he moued his power against the Saxons with whom and wyth Elle Captaine of the Southsaxons who then was newly come ouer he had diuers conflicts Our English old Chronicles make record that Horsus the brother of Engist was slaine before in the time of Vortimer The same also doe recorde that thys Engist was taken prisoner in the fielde fighting against Aurelius Ambrosius who then cōsulting with his Nobles and Barons what was to be done with him the Byshop of Glocester called Eldadus standing vp gaue this counsaile saying that 〈◊〉 all men would deliuer him yet he with his owne hāds wold cut him in peeces alleaging the exāple of Samuel against Agag King of the Ameleches taken by King Saul in the field whome the sayde Samuel caused to be cut in peeces Euen so saith he do you to this Agag here that as he hath made many a woman widow and without childrē so his mother mai be made this day of him likewise And so was Engist taken out of the Citie by Eldo Consull or Maior of Glocester and there was beheaded if truth or credit be to be geuen to these our old Britaine stories wherof I haue nothing certainly to pronoūce but that I may suspect the truth therof which was about the yeare of our Lord. 490. Henr. Hunting Galfr. cum alijs A certaine auncient written history I haue in Latine compiled in the .xiiij. yeare of king Richard the seconde and by him caused to be writtē as the title declareth whych because it beareth no name of the author I cal it by the name of him of whom I borowed thys booke wyth many other likewise without name Historia Cariana This hystorie recordeth that Hengistus dyed in Kent the xxxii yeare of hys raigne which if it be true then is it false that he was taken at Cunynburgh and slaine in the North. Thys Aurelius Ambrosius before mentioned is thought of Polidorus Vergilius citing the authoritye of Bede to descende of the stocke of the Romaines whych as it is not vnpossible to be true so this is certaine by the full accord of al our old wrytten stories that both the sayde Aurelius and his brother Vter Pendragon being the sonnes of Constantinus brother to Andoenus king of litle Britaine were nursed and brought vp in England in their tender age and instructed by Gultelinus Archbyshop of London and after the murder of Constans their elder brother were conueied from hence to litle Britaine whereby it is manifest that they were borne in thys land and though their father were a Romaine as Polydorus pretēdeth yet lyke it is that they were Britains borne and
the pots one being full of water the other empty c. Also of king Edward the Confessor touching the ruine of the lande by the conquest of the Normands We read also in the history of Astiages how he dreamed of Cyrus And likewise of many other dreames in the bookes of the monkes of the Ethnike writers For what cannot either the idle vanitie of mans head or the deception of the lying spirite worke by man in foreshewing such earthly euentes as happen commonly in this present world But here is a difference to be vnderstood betwene these earthly dreames speaking of earthly things and matters of humaine superstition betwene other spiritual reuelations sent by God touching spirituall matters of the Church pertayning to mans saluation But to our purpose by this dreame and by the euent which followed after it may appeare how by what meanes the multitude of Monkes began first to swarme in the Churches of England that is in the dayes of this Edgar by the meanes of these three Bishops Dunstane Ethelwold and Oswold Albeit Dunstane was the chiefest ring leader of this race yet Ethelwold beyng now Bishop of Winchester Oswald bishop of Worcester were not much behind for their partes By the instigation and counsail of these three aforesaid king Edgar is recorded in histories to build either new out of the ground or to reedifie monasteries decayed by the Danes mo then xl As the house of Ely Glastenbury Abington Burgh by Stamford Thorney Ramsey Wilton Wenton Winchtombe Thamstock in Deuonshire with diuers other moe In the settyng vp and building of the which the foresayde Ethelwold was a great doer and a founder vnder the king Moreouer thorough the motion of this Dunstane and his fellowes kyng Edgar in diuers great houses and Cathedrall Churches where Prebendaries and priestes were before displaced the priests and set in Monkes Whereof we read in the chronicle of Rog. Houeden in wordes and forme as followeth Hic namque Ethelwoldus Regem cuius eximius erat consiliarius ad hoc maximè prouocauit yt clericos à Monasterijs expelleret monachos sanctimonialesque in eis collocaret c. That is Ethelwold bishop of Winchester who was then one of the kings couÌ„saile did vrge the K. chiefly to expel Clerks out of Monasteries and in their rowmes to bestow Monks and Nunnes c. whereunto accordeth likewise Historia Iornalensis containing the like effect in these wordes Hoc anno Ethelwoldus Wint. Oswaldus Wygornensis Episcopi iussu Regis Edgari clericis de quibusdam maioribus Ecclesijs expulsis Monachos instituerunt aut de eisdem clericis alijs monachos in eisdem fecerunt Gulielmus also writing of the tyme of Dunstane maketh the matter somwhat more plain where he sayth Itaque clerici multarum Ecclesiarum data optione vt aut amictum mutarent aut locis valedicerent melioribus habitacula vacuefacientes Surgebant itaque in tota insula religiosorum monasteria cumulabaÌ„tur mole pretiosi metalli sanctorum altaria c. Thus the secular priests being put to their choise whether to chaunge their habite or to leaue theyr roumes departed out of their houses geuing place for other better men to come in Then the houses Monasterics of Religious men through all the Realme went vp apace c. After the kings mynd was thus perswaded and incited by these bishops to aduance Monkery then Oswaldus bishop of Worcester also made Archbishop of Yorke after the decease of Oskitellus sui 〈◊〉 compos effectê° as Houeden writeth hauing his sea in the cathedrall Church there of S. Peter began first with faire perswasions to assay the myndes of the Canons and priests whether they could be content to change their profession and to be made monks or no which when he saw it would not take effect he practised this pollicie with theÌ„ Nere to the said Church of S. Peter within the churchyard he erected an other Church of our Lady which when he had replenished with Monkes there he continually frequented there he kept there he sat and was euer there conuersant By reason whereof the other church was left naked and desolate and all the people gathered there where the bishop was The priests seyng themselues so to be left and neglected both of the Bishop and of the people to whome nothing remayned but shame and contempt were driuen of shame either to relinquish the house such as would not enter the Monkish profession or els to become monkes such as had nothyng els to stay vpon After the like superstition although not after the same subtletie did Ethelwold also driue out the Canons and priests from the new Monastery in Winchester afterward called Hida and placed his monkes So in Oxford and in Mildune with diuers other places moe the secular Priests with their wiues were expelled to geue place to Monkes The cause wherof is thus pretended in certaine story writers whom I see also Fabian to folow for that the priests and Clerkes were thought slack and negligent in their Church seruice and set in Uicares in theyr stead while they liued in pleasure and mispent the patrimony of the Church after their owne lust Then king Edgar gaue to the Uicars the same land which before belonged to the Prebendaries who also not long after shewed themselues as negligent as the other Wherfore king Edgar as mine authors write by the consent of Pope Iohn 13. voyded clerely the priests and ordained there monkes Although certaine of the nobles and some of the Prelates were therewith not well contented as in the chapter following may partly appeare But for so much as we haue entred into the mention of Monkes Nunnes and of their profession which I see so greatly in our Monkish stories commended lest perhaps the simple Reader may be deceiued thereby in hearing the name of monkes in all histories of tymes to be such an ancient thing in Christian life euen froÌ„ the primitiue church after the Apostles tyme both commonly recited and well receiued therfore to helpe the iudgement of the ignorant and to preuent all errour herein it shall not be vnprofitable in followyng the present occasion here geuen by way of a little digression to entermedle somewhat concerning the originall institution of monkes what they were in the old tyme which were called Monachi wherin the monkes of the primitiue tyme did differ from the Monkes of the middle time and from these our Monkes now of this latter age Moreouer wherein all these three do differ from Priests as we call them and froÌ„ men of the clergy Wherfore to aunswer to the superstitious scruple of such which alledge the old antiquitie of the name and title of monks first I graunt the name and order of Monkes to be of old continuance during neare from the tyme of 300. yeares after Christ. Of whom diuers old authors do record as Augustinus Hieronymus Basillus Magnus who was also himself one
shoulde we be accused for such an enemy of our mother the true church as is layd vnto her sonnes charge by such a Byshopp Which true and mother Church with all reuerence we honour and benignity embrace so beautified and adourned with Goddes most holy Sacraments Some singular persons notwihstanding fayning themselues to be our brethren by that mother and yet are not but of a strumpet begot such I say as are subiect and slaues to corruptible things putting thē from amongst vs we vtterly reiect Especially for that iniuries by them done are not only transitorie and mundane wherwith our maiestie is so molested vexed greued Wherefore we cannot so easily mitigate our moode neyther ought we in very dede so to do and therefore are we inforced the more to take the greater reuenge of them You therefore that are men of graue and deliberate counsail hauing the excellēt gift as from God of wisdom and vnderstāding Refuse you that raoring enemie of ours in these his proceedings whose beginnings are so wicked and detestable wisely comparing things past with those to come Otherwise you that are vnder our subiection as well of the Empire as other our dominions shall feele and perceiue both of my chiefe ennemie and persecutour as also of the princes that are his fautors and adherents what reuenge by sword Fredericus Augustus shall take vpon them God so permitting This done hee denounceth a solemne Parliament or councel of al the princes other nobilitie of the Empire at Aegra whether came Conradus Cesar Moguntinus Presul the Saxon Dukes the Lordes of Brandeburgh Misna Thuringus and the Legates of all the nobles of Brabant to aid the Emperor But the princes of Boiemus and Palatinus being dissuaded by the legates vnto whom the Austrians had ioyned thēselues refused to come to the Councel holden at Aegra And being at their wittes ends not knowing well what they might doe forsoke at last the Emperor and toke part with the pope and the other conspirators Then Fredericus Austriacus the Emperors second sonne whom he disherited as ye heard by the aid of the Boiors and Bohemians recouered againe the Dukedomes of Austria and Styria putting to flight and discōfiting the Emperors bandes and garrisons which he had there And although the Cardinals especially that honest man Albertus Boiemus had allured vnto the pope Otho the duke of Boioria as ye heard diuers other noble men of Germanie yet notwythstanding certaine bishops in Boioria as Eberhardus Iuuanensis and Sigrefridus Seginoburgensis being at that time the Emperors Chauncelour Rudicenis Ratheuiensis Conradus Frisingensis and others left not or yet forsoke the Emperor All which the foresayd Albertus not onely did excōmunicate but also by processe sought to bring them vp to Rome before the pope Geuing commaundement to their Collegioners and cloysterers that they should depriue them of their offices chuse such others in their steade as would obey the Pope All which things the Pope vnderstanding by Albertus and of thys their fidelitie to the Emperor corroborated and confirmed the same his doings commaunding them to chuse other byshops in their stedes But the bishops prelates with one consent contemning the popes mandates writs and also the curses and threatnings of Albertus accused reproued greatly blamed his temerity also tiranny which he vsurped against the churches of Germanie and especially against the good Emperor that without his consent he durst be so bolde as to meddle in churches cōmitted to the Emperors gouernment against the old auncient customes and that he had excommunicated the Emperor without iust cause that he had condemned the Emperors faithful subiects as enemies to the Church for standing with their liege and soueraigne Prince which allegiance to violate without horrible iniquitie they might not and so had sought to disquiet them likewise in their charges and administrations had also in that quarel geuen such defiance to the Emperor They accused and condemned the same Albertus also for a most impudent impostor and wicked varlet and for a most pestiferous botch soare of the christian common weale and giue him to the deuil they do as a ruinous enemie as wel of the church as of his owne natural countrey and further thinke him worthy to haue his reward with the rest of the popes pursiuants being the most wicked inuentors deuisers of mischief that were in al Germanie This done they make relation hereof to the Emperor by their letters and further they aduertise all the princes of Germanie especially those which were of the Popes faction or rebellion were the fauorers of Albertus that they should take hede and beware in any case of his subtill deceites pernitious deceiuable allurements nor that they should assist the pope for al his words against the Emperor And doutles by the counsaile of the high prelate or Archb. of Boioria whose name was Iuuanerisis and by his industry and persuasion Fredericus Austriacus was againe reconciled vnto the Emperor his father from whose aide and obedience after that by no promises threatnings bribes nor paines no nor for the execrable curses of the Popes owne holy month he would be induced or remooued But Albertus prosecuteth stil his purposed mischief alluring inciting by al meanes possible and that not amongst the worst but the best frendes to the pope enemies to the Emperor To some he gaue their tithes to fight against the Emperor to other some he gaue the gleebe landes of benefices and to other some hee gaue the spoile of such colledges and monasteries as tooke not part with the pope and to some other also he gaue the colleges monasteries themselues And assuredly I finde by Iohannes Auentinus lib. 7. annalium Boiorum that there were certen of the popes owne birdes that had their ecclesiasticall tithes taken from them and other some had the rents and reuenues of their colleges pluckt away by force to the maintenance of the Popes quarel against the Emperour Hereby was there a windowe opened to do what they listed euery man according to hys rauening and detestable lust and all things lay open vnto their gredy and insatiable desires Who listeth to heare more hereof let him reade Auentinus in his Booke before noted and there shall he see what vastation grew therby to the whole state of Germanie who largely entreateth of the same While these things were thus in working in Germanie Fredericke leauing in Lumbardie Actiolinus wyth a great part of his hoste hee passing with the rest by Apeninum came to Hetruria and set the same in a stay after that he had alaide certaine insurrections there and from thence to Pysas where he was with great amitie and honor receiued and welcomed This citie was alwaies assured and faithfull to the Emperours of Germanie The Pope vnderstanding of the Emperours comming into Hetruria and knowing what power the Emperour had also left in Lumbardie hee with
the chiefe diuines of the sayd vniuersitie being your assistents and the same likewise to be done of all and singular the Graduates Diuines lawyers of the same vniuersitie And if they shall know any which be of the iurisdiction of the sayd vniuersitie of Oxford whiche be probablie of them to be suspected in the fauour belyefe or defence of anye heresie or errour and especially of any of the conclusions publiquely condemned by the reuerend Father William Archbishop of Canterbury by the Counsaile of his Clergye or els of any other conclusion like vnto anye of them in meaning or in wordes and that if henceforth you shall finde any that shall beleue fauoure or defend anye of the foresayd heresies or errours or anye other suche like or els which shall be so bolde to receaue into their houses and Innes Maister Iohn Wickliffe M. Nich. Herforde M Phillip Repingdon or M. Iohn Asheton or anye other noted by probable suspicion of anye the foresayd heresies or erroures or any other like vnto them in meaning or in worde Or that shall presume to communicate with anye of them or els to defend or fauour anye of suche fauourers receauers communicantes and defendours within 7. dayes after the same shal appeare and be manifest vnto you to banish and expell them from the Uniuersitie and towne of Oxford till such time as they shall declare their innocency before the Archbishop of Caunterbury for the time being by manifest purgation So notwithstanding that such as be compelled to purge themselues you certifie vs and the sayd archbishop vnder your seales frō time to time within one month that they be such maner of men Commaunding furthermore that thorough all the halles of the sayd vniuersitie ye cause dilligently to be searched and inquired out of hād If any man haue any book or tractation of the Edition or compiling of the foresayd M. Iohn Wickliffe or Nicholas Herford and that when and whersoeuer ye shall chaunce to finde any such booke or tractation ye cause the same to be arested and taken and vnto the foresayd Archbishop within one month without correction corruption or mutation whatsoeuer word for word sentēce for sentence to be brought and presented And therefore we straightly enioine and command you vpon your fidelitie and allegeaunce wherein ye stand bound vnto vs and vpon payne of forfaiture of all and singuler your liberties and priuilegies of your sayde vniuersitie and of all that euer you haue besides that you geue your diligent attendance vpō the premisses and that well and faythfully you execute the same in maner and forme aforesayd And that you obey the foresayde Archbishop and his lawfull and honest mandates that he shall thinke good to direct vnto you in this behalfe as it is meete ye should And we geue in charge vnto the Uicechauncellour and Mayor of Oxford for the time being and to all and singuler our Sheriffes vndersheriffes Bayliffes and subiectes by these presents that they ayde obey and be attendaunt vpon you in the execution of the premisses In witnes whereof c. Witnesse the King at Westminster the 13. day of Iuly the sixte yeare of hys raigne Besides these letters patentes the said young King moued by the vnquyet importunitie of the Archb. sendeth moreouer an other special letter to the Uicechancellor and proctors of the Uniuersitie of Oxforde Wherein vnder a pretensed zeale of defence of Christian fayth he straightlye and sharply enioyneth assigneth them for the vtter abolishing of those conclusions opinions to make a generall Inquisition through the whole vniuersitie as wel for the parties aforesaid Iohn Wickliffe Nicholas Herford Phillip Repington Iohn Ashton such other as also for al other whō they know or iudge to be suspected of that doctrine or to be mayntayners receauers and defenders of foresayd parties or their conclusions any maner of way to the intent that they being so apprehended through their diligent search may be w'in 7. dayes of their admonitions expulsed the vniuersitie and cited vp to the archb of Cant. before him to appeare and to stand to their answers Willing moreouer and commanding the said vicechauncellor proctors with other regents their assiters that if any person or persons in any house hall or colledge or in anye other place shal be found to haue any of theyr books or treatises compiled by the sayd Iohn Wickliffe Nicholas Herford c. they will cause without delay the sayd person or persons with theyr bookes to be arested and attached presented within one month without correction corruption or mutation to the foresayd Archbishop vpon their fayth and allegeance as they will auoyd the forfaiture of all and singuler the liberties and priueledges to the vniuersity apertayning And that they will be obedient to the Archb. aforesayd in the ordering hereof and all other his iniunctions to be obeyed in all thinges lawfull and honest Beuing moreouer in these our letters charge and commaundement to the Mayor Bayliffes and other the inhabitants of Oxford to be assistant and attendant vnto the foresayd vicechancelor and proctors touching the execution of the premises bearing the date of the fourteenth day of Iuly which was the yeare of our Lord. 1382. * Matters incident of Robert Rigges Uicechauncellor of Oxford Nicholas Herford and Phillip Repington with other THe vicechauncelor the same time in Oxforde was M. Robert Rigges The 2. proctors were Iohn Huntman Walter Dishe who then as farre as they durst fauoured the cause of Iohn Wickliffe and that side In so much that the same time and yeare which was an 1382. when certaine publicke sermons should be appoynted customably at that feast of the Ascention and of Corpus Christi to be preached in the cloyster of S. Frideswyde now called Christs church before the people by the vicechanceller aforesayd the proctoures the doinges thereof the vicechauncellor aforesaid and proctors had committed to Phillip Repington and N. Her so that N. Her shold preach on the Ascention day and Repington vpō Corpus Christi day First Herford beginning was noted to defend Iohn Wickliffe opēly to be a faythful good innocent man for the which no small adoe with outcries was amongst the Fryers This Herford after he had long fauoured mayntayned Wickliffes part grew first in suspicion amongst the enemies of the truth For assoone as he began somewhat liberally and freely to pronounce vtter any thing which tended to the defence of Wickliffe by and by the Carmelites and al the orders of religion were in his top and laid not a few here sies vnto his charge the which they had strayned here and there out of his sermons had cōpyled together in a certaine forme by the handes of a certayne notaries through the industry diligence of one Peter Stokes a Carmelite a kind of people prone ready to all kinde of mischiefe vprores debate and discention After this the feast of Corpus Christi
except he doe looke for the duetie of recompence by the law of conscience Item all temporall goods bestowed vppon the clergie by the lay people vnder condition as the goodes of the churche are the almes of them which geue it it is prooued thus for so much as all those goods are the goods of the poore as it appeareth by many sayings of holy men and by the lawes But they were not the goods of the pore after they were mere seculer goodes but onely by the meane of the woorke of mercie wherby they were bestowed vpon the pore Ergo they were pure almes The cōsequent dependeth vpō the definitiō of pure almes Item all things changed to the vse and power of an other either by ciuil exchange or Euangelical is changed But the church goods are so changed by one of these ministries But the Euangelical exchange is not to be fained because it is not done neyther by bying or selling or any other ciuill exchange Therefore there doth not remaine but only a pure gift for hope of a heauenly reward the which is mercy and so pure almes And it semeth to followe consequently that all the Clergie receiuing such almes are not onely in respect of God as all other menne But in respect of men beggers For they wold not so instantly require those almes except they had neede of them neither ought we to be ashamed therof or to be proud beggers for so much as Christ touching his humanitie became a begger for vs because hee declared his need vnto his Father saying c. Item when any Kyng Prince Knight Citizen or anye other man doth geue vnto the clergy or to anye priest for his stipend he geueth the same vnto the Churche of God and to the priuate party as a perpetuall almes that he should attend to his vocation preaching praying and studying But this kinde of geuing doth not suffice to ground any seculer dominion amongst the clergye it followeth that the bare vse remayneth in them or the seculer vse without any seculer power The maior appeareth hereby forsomuch as otherwise almes should not be a worke of mercy Whereby it may also appeare that tenths are pure alms geuen to the church to the vse of the pore And hereupon the holy men doe say that tenthes are the tributes of the needy soules Whereupon S. Augustine in a sermon made vpon the restoring of tithes sayth The geuing of Tithes most deare brethren are the tributes of the poore soules therefore pay your tribute vnto the poore And by and by after he sayth therefore who desireth eyther to get any rewarde or to haue anye remission of sinnes by geuing of his tenthes let him study to geue almes euen of the ninth part so that what soeuer shall remayne more then a competent liuing and decent clothing that it be not reserued for riot but that it be layd vp in the heauenly treasure by geuing it in almes to the poore For what so euer God doth geue vnto vs more then we haue neede of he doth not geue it vs specially for our selues but doth send it vs to be bestowed vpon others by our handes if wee doe not geue it we inuade an other mans possessions Thus much wryteth S. Augustine and is repeted in the xvi question 1. Decime Also S. Ierome in an Epistle and it is put in the 16. question and 2. chap Quicquid What soeuer the clergy hath it is the goods of the poore Also S. Augustine in his 33. Epistle vnto Boniface and it is aleaged in the 1. question and 12. Also in the 23. question 7. If we doe possesse any thinge priuately the which doth suffise vs they are not oures but the goods of the poore whose stewardes we are except we doe challenge to ourselues a property by some damnable vsurpatiō The glose vpon that part of the 23. question 7. sayth The Prelates are but onely the stewardes of the church goodes and not Lordes thereof S. Ambrose also vpon this saying of the Gospell Luke the 16. Geue accompt of your bailiship or stewardship Hereby then doe we learne that they are not Lordes but rather stewardes and baliffes of other mens substaunce And S. Ierome writing to Nepotianus saieth howe can they be of the clergye which are commaunded to contemne and dispise their owne substaunce and to take away from a frend it is theft to deceiue the Churche it is sacriledge and to take awaye that which should be geuen vnto the poore ¶ The order and maner of taking vp the body of Iohn Wickliffe and burning his bones 41. yeares after his death And S. Bernard in his sermon vppon these wordes Symon Peter sayd vnto Iesus chap. 17 sayd Truely the goodes of the Church are the patrimony of the poore And whatsoeuer thyng the ministers and stewardes of the same not Lordes or possessours do take vnto themselues more then sufficient for a competent liuing the same is taken away from the poore by a sacrilegious crueltie And Eusebius in his treatise vpon the pilgrimage of S. Ierom writeth thus if thou doest possesse a garment or anye other thing more then extreme necessitie doth require and dost not help the needy thou art a theef a robber Wherfore dearly beloued children let vs be stewards of our temporallities and not possessors And Isidore in his treatise De summo Bono chap. 42. sayth Let the byshop know that he is the seruaunt of the people and not Lord ouer them Also in the 5. booke of decretals extra de donationibus sub authoritate Alexandri tertij Episcopi paristensis He sayth we beleue that it is not vnknowne vnto your brotherhoode that a Byshop and euery other Prelate is but a steward of the Churche goodes and not Lord thereof By these sayinges of these holy men it is euidently declared that not only tithes but also al other substaunce which the clergy hath by gift of worke of mercy are pure almes which after the necessitie of the clergy once satisfied ought to be transported vnto the poore Secondly it is declared how that the Clergye are not Lordes and possessours of those goods but ministers stewardes therof Thirdly it is shewed that if the Clergye doe abuse the same they are theeues robbers and sacrilegious persons and except they doe repent by the iust iudgement of God they are to be condempned ANd thus hetherto I may peraduenture seeme to haue made sufficient long resitall out of Ihon Dus but so notwithstanding that the commoditie of those thinges maye aboundantly recompence the prolixitie thereof Wherfore if I shall seeme vnto any man in the rehearsall of this disputation to haue passed very farre the boundes of the history let him thinke thus of me that at what tyme I tooke in hand to wryte of these Ecclesiasticall matters I could not omit these thinges whiche were so straightly ioyned with the cause of the Church Neither that I did make more accompt of the historye which I
other sacrament of the Church or article of the fayth then that already is discussed by the holy mother Churche nor shall bring anye thing in doubt that is determined by the church nor shal to his knowledg◠priuily or apertly pronounce blasphemous wordes concerning the same nor shall teach preach or obserue any sect or kinde of heresie whatsoeuer contrary to the wholesome doctrine of the Church He that shall wittingly obstinatly attempt the contrary after the publication of these presentes shall incurre the sentence of excommunication ipso facto From the which except in poynt of death he shal not be absolued vntill he hath reformed himselfe by abiuration of his heresie at the discretion of the Ordinary in who◠territory he so offeded and hath receiued wholsome penitence for his offences But if the second tyme he shall so offend being lawfully conuicted he shal be pronounced an hereticke his goods confiscate and apprehended and kept by them to whome it shall appertayne The penance before mentioned shal be after this manner If anye man contrary to the determination of the Church that is in p ◠decrees decretals or our constitutions prouinciall doe openly or priuily teach or preach any kinde of heresie or secte he shall in the parish Church of the same place where he so preached vpon one sonday or other solemne day or more at the discretion of the ordinary and as his offence is more or lesse expressely reuoke that he so preached taught or affirmed euen at the time of the solemnitic of the masse whē the people are most assembled and there shall effectually and without fraud preach and teach the very truth determined by the church and further shal be punished after the quallitie of hys offence as shal be thought expedient to the discretion of the Ordinary Item for as much as a new vessell being long vsed fauoreth after the head we decree and ordayn that no scholemaisters and teachers what soeuer that instruct childrē in grammer or others whō so euer in primitiue sciences shal in teaching them intermingle any thing concerning y◠catholicke rayth the sacrament of the aulter or other Sacramentes of the Church contrary to the determinations of y◠church Nor shall suffer theyr schollers to expound the holy Scriptures except the text as hath bene vsed of auncient time nor shal permit them to dispute openly or priuily concerning the catholicke fayth or Sacramentes of the Churche Contrariwise the offender herein shal be greeuously punished by the Ordinary of the place as a fauourer o◠errours and schismes Item for that a new way doth more frequently leade a stray then an old way we will and commaunde that no booke or treatise made by Iohn Wickliffe or other whom soeuer about that time or sithence or hereafter to be made be from henceforth read in schooles halles hospitalles or other places whatsoeuer within our prouince of Canterbury aforesayd except the same be first examined by the vniuersitie of Oxford or Cambridge or at the last by twelue persons whom the sayd vniuersities or one of the shal appoynt to be chosen at our discretion or the laudable discretion of our predecessoures and the same being examined as aforesayd to be expresly approued and allowed by vs or our successours and in the name and authoritie of the vniuersitie to be deliuered vnto the Stationers to be copyed out and the same to be sold at a reasonable price the originall therof alwaies after to remayn in some chest of that vniuersitie But it any man shall read any such kynd of booke in schooles or otherwise as aforesayd he shal be punished as a sower offchisme and a fauourer of heresie as the qualitie or the fault shall require Item it is a daungerous thinge as witnesseth blessed S. Hierome to translate the text of the holy scripture out of one tongue into an other for in the translation the same sense is not alwayes easily kept as the same S. Ierome confesseth that although he were inspired yet oftentimes in this he erred We therefore decree and ordayne that no man hereafter by his owne authoritie translate any text of the Scripture into English or any other tongue by way of a booke libell or treatise and if no man read anye suche booke libell or treatise nowe lately set foorth in the time of Iohn Wickliffe or sithence or hereafter to be set forth in part or in whole priuily or apertly vpon paine of greater excommunication vntill the said translation be allowed by the Ordinary of the place or if the case so require by the Councell prouinciall He that shall do contrary to this shal likewise be punished as a fauourer of error heresie Item for that almighty God cannot be expressed with any Philosophicall termes or otherwise inuented of man And S. Augustine faith That he hath oftentimes reuoked such conclusions as hath bene most true because they haue bene offensiue to the eares of the religious we doe ordeine and specially forbid that no maner o◠person of what state degree or condition so euer he be doe allege or propone any conclusions or propositions in that catholicke fayth or repugnant to good manners except necessary doctrine pertayning to theyr facultie of teaching or disputing in theyr schooles or otherwise although they defend the same with neuer so curious termes and wordes For as sayth blessed S. Hugh of the Sacramentes that whiche oftentimes is well spoken is not well vnderstood If any man therefore after the publication of these presents shal be conuict wittingly to haue proponed such conclusions or propositions except being monished he reforme himselfe in one month by vertue of this present constitution He shall incurre the sentence of greater excommunication ipso facto and shal be openly pronounced an excommunicate vntill he hath confessed his fault openly in the same place where he offended and hath preached the true meaning of the sayd conclusion or proposition in one church or more as shal be thought expedient to the Ordinary Item no manner of person shall presume to dispute vpon that articles determined by that church as is cōtayned in the decrees decretals our constitutions prouinciall or in the general Councels But onely to seek out the true meaning therof that expressely whether it be openly or in secret nor none shal cal in doubt the authoritie of the said decretals or constitutions or the authoritie of him that made thē nor teach any thing contrary to that determination therof And chiefly concerning the adoration of the holy crosse the worshipping of Images of sayntes going on pilgrimage to certayne places or to the reliques of saintes or agaynst that othes in cases accustomed to be geuen in both cōmon places that is to say spirituall temporall But of al it shal be commonly taught and preached that the crosse Image of the Crucifixe and other Images of Saynts in the honour of them whom they present
which were spoken of a litle before who euery mā for himselfe affirmed with an othe that which he had said Amongest whom Iohn Protyway parishe priest of S. Clemēts in Prage whē he should come to confirme his testimony added more that Iohn Hus should say that S. Gregory was but a rimer whē he did alleadge his athoritie against him Unto whō Iohn Hus answered that in this point they did him great iniury for somuch as he alwaies esteemed and reputed S. Gregory for a most holy doctor of the Church These contentions and disputations being somewhat appeased the Cardinall of Florence turned himselfe toward Iohn Hus said Maister you know well inough that it is written that in the mouth of two or three witnesses all witnes is firme and stable and heere you see nowe almost 20. witnesses against you men of authority worthy of credite amongst the whych some haue hearde you teach these things themselues the other by report common brute or voice do testify of your doctrine and altogether generally bring firme reasons proofes of theyr witnesse vnto the which wee are forced constrained to geue credite and for my part I see not howe you can maintaine defend your cause against so many notable wel learned men Unto whom Iohn Hus answered in this maner I take God and my conscience to witnes that I neuer taught any thing neither was it euer in my minde or fantasie to teach in such sort or maner as these men here haue not feared to witnesse against me that which they neuer hearde And albeit they were as many more in nūber as they are for all that I do much more esteme yea and wtout comparison regard the witnes of my Lord God before the wytnes and iudgement of al mine aduersaries vpon whom I do in no poynt stay my selfe Then sayde the Cardinall againe vnto him it is not lawfull for vs to iudge according to your conscience for we can not chuse but that wee must nedes stay our selues vpon the firme euident witnes of these men heere For it is not for any displeasure or hatred that these men do witnes thys against you as you doe alleadge for they alleadge and bring foorth suche reasons of their witnesse that there is no man that can perceyue any hatred in them or that we can in any case be in dout thereof And as touching M. Steuen Paletz whereas you say you do suspect him that he hath craftly deceitfully drawen out certaine poyntes or articles out of your books for to betray them afterward It semeth that in this point you do hym great wrong for in myne aduise he hath vsed and shewed a great fidelitie and amitie towarde you in that he hathe alleuiated and moderated many of your articles much more then they are in your owne bookes I vnderstand also that you haue like opinion of diuers other notable men and specially you haue sayd that you do suspect M. Chauncellour of Paris then whome there is no more excellent and Christian man in all the whole world Then was there read a certayne article of accusation in the which it was alledged that Iohn Hus had taught obstinately defended certayne erroneous Articles of Wicliffes in Boheme Whereunto Hus answered that he neuer taught any erroures of Iohn Wickliffes or of anye other mans Wherefore if it be so that Wickliffe haue sowed any errours in England let the English men look to the themselues But to confirme theyr article there was alleaged that Iohn Husse did withstande the condemnation of Wickliffes articles the which was first condemned at Rome afterward also whē the Archb. Swinco with other learned men held a conuocation at Prage for the same matter when as they should haue bene there condemned for this cause that none of them were agreeing to the Catholicke faith or doctrine but were either hereticall erroneous or offensiue he aunswered that he durst not agree thereunto for offending hys conscience and specially for these Articles that Siluester the pope and Cōstantine dyd erre in bestowing those gret gifts rewards vpō the church Also that the pope or Priest being in mortall sinne can not consecrate nor baptise This article said he I haue thus determined as if I should say that he doth vnworthely consecrate or Baptise when as he is in deadly sinne and that he is an vnworthy minister of the Sacramentes of God Here his accusers with their witnesses were earnest and instant that the article of Wickliffe was written by the very same wordes in the treatise which Iohn Husse made agaynst Stephen Paletz Uerely said Iohn Husse I feare not to submit my selfe euen vnder the daunger of death if you shall not find it so as I haue sayd When the book was brought forth they founde it written as Iohn Husse had sayd He added also moreouer that he durst not agree vnto them which had condemned Wickliffes articles for this Article the tenthes were pure almes Here the Cardinal of Florence obiected vnto him this argument as touching the almes it is required that it shold be geuē freely without bond or duety But tenthes are not geuen freely without bond or duety therefore are they no almes Iohn Hus denying the Maior of this Sillogismus brought this reason agaynst him For somuch as rich men are bounden vnder the payne of eternall damnation vnto the fulfilling of the 6. works of mercy which Christ repeteth in the 25. chap. of Mathew and these workes are pure almes Ergo almes is also geuen by bond duety Then an Archbishop of Englād stepping vp sayd if we all be boūd vnto those 6. workes of mercy it doth followe that poore men which haue nothing at al to geue should be damned I answere sayd Husse vnto your antecedent that I spake distinctly of rich men and of those which had where withall to doe those workes they I say were bound to geue almes vnder payne of damnation He answered moreouer vnto the Minor of the first argument that tenthes were at first geuen freely and afterward made a bond and duetie And when as he woulde haue declared it more at large he could not be suffered He declared also diuers other causes why he coulde not with safe conscience consent vnto the condemnatiō of Wickliffes articles But how soeuer the matter went he did affirme say that he did neuer obstinately confirme any Articles of Wickleffes but only that he did not alow and consent that Wickliffes Articles should be condemned before that sufficient reasons were alleadged out of the holy Scripture for theyr condemnation of the same minde saith Iohn Hus are a great many other Doctors and maysters of the Uniuersitie of Prage For when as Swinco the archbishop commanded all Wickliffes bookes to be gathered together in the whole City of Prage and to be brought vnto him I my self brought also certayn books of Wickliffes which I
affirmed and proued that he shoulde ascende and come in another way for Iudas Iscariot was truely and lawfully chosen of the Lorde Iesus Christ vnto his Bishopricke as Christe sayth in the sixt of Iohn and yet he came in an other way into the sheepe folde and was a thefe and a Deuill and the sonne of perdition Did he not come in another waye when as our Sauiour spake thus of him he that eateth breade with me shall lift vp his heele agaynst me The same also is proued by Saynte Bernarde vnto Pope Eugenius Then sayde Paletz beholde the â—â—ror and maddenesse of this man for what more furious or madde thing canne there be then to say Iudas is chosen by Christ and notwithstanding he did ascende an other way and not by Christ. Iohn Husse aunswered verely both partes are true that he was electe and chosen by Christ and also that he did ascende and come in another way for he was a Theefe a Deuill and the sonne of perdition Then sayde Palettez cannot a manne be truely and lawefully chosen Pope or Byshoppe and afterwarde liue contrarye vnto Christe and that notwithstanding he doth not ascende any other wayes But I sayde Iohn Husse doe saye that whosoeuer doth enter into anye Byshoppricke or like office by Simonye not to the intent to labour and trauell in the Church of God but rather to liue delicately voluptuouslye and vnrighteously and to the intent to aduaunce hymselfe with all kinde of pride euery suche man ascendeth and commeth vppe by an other way and according vnto the Gospell he is a theefe and a robber The 7. Article The condemnation of the forty fyue Articles of Wickliffe made by the Doctours is vnreasonable and wicked and the cause by them alleadged is fayned and vntrue That is to say that none of those Articles are Catholicke but that euery of them be either hereticall erronious or offenciue The aunswere I haue wrytten it thus in my treatise the forty fyue Articles are condemned for this cause that none of those forty fyue is a Catholicke Article but eache of them is either hereticall erronious or offenciue O Mayster Doctour where is your proofe you fayne a cause which you doe not poue c. As it appeareth more at large in my Treatise Then sayd the Cardinall of Cambraye Iohn Husse thou diddest saye that thou wouldest not defend any errour of Iohn Wickliffes And now it appeareth in your bookes that you haue openly defended his Articles Iohn Hus aunswered Reuerend Father euen as I sayde before so doe I now say agayne that I will not defende any errours of Iohn Wickliffes neyther of anye other mannes but for so muche as it seemed vnto me to be agaynst conscience simply to consent vnto the condemnation of them no Scripture beyng alledged or brought contrary and agaynst them thereupon I woulde not consent or agree vnto the condemnation of them And for so much as the reason whiche is copulatiue can not be verifyed in euery poynt according to euery part thereof Nowe there remayneth sixe Articles of 39. These are sayd to be drawen out of an other treatise which he wrote agaynst Stanislaus de Znoyma The first Article No man is lawfully elect or chosen in that the Electours or the greater part of them haue consented with a liuely voyce according to the custome of men to elect and choose any person or that he is thereby the manifest and true Successour of Christ or Uicare of Peter in the Ecclesiasticall office but in that that any man doth most aboundantlye worke meritoriouslye to the profitte of the Churche he hath thereby more aboundant power geuen him of God thereunto The answere These things which follow are also written in my booke It standeth in the power and handes of wicked Electours to choose a woman into the Ecclesiasticall office as it appeareth by the election of Agnes whiche was called Iohn who held and occupyed the Popes place dignitye by the space of two yeares and more It may also be that they doe choose a Theefe a Murderer or a Deuil and consequently they may also elect and choose Antichrist It may also be that for loue couetousnesse or hatred they doe choose some person whom God doth not allowe And it appeareth that that person is not lawfully elect and and chosen In so much as the Electours or the greater part of them haue consented and agreed together according to the custome of men vpon any person or that he is thereby the manifest Successour or Uicare of Peter the Apostle or any other in the Ecclesiasticall office Therefore they which most accordingly vnto the scripture doe elect and choose reuelation being sette a parte doe onelye pronounce and determine by some probable reason vppon hym they doe electe and choose wherevppon whether the Electours doe so choose good or euill we ought to geue creditte vnto the workes of hym that is chosen for in that poynt that any manne doth moste aboundauntly worke meritoriously to the profitte of the Church he hath thereby more aboundaunt power geuen him of God thereunto And hereupon sayth Christ in the 10. of Iohn geue credit vnto workes The 2. Article The Pope being a reprobate is not the head of the holy Church of God The aunswere I wrote it thus in my Treatise that I woulde willinglye receiue a probable and effectuall reason of the Doctour howe thys question is contrary vnto the fayth to say that if the Pope be a reprobate how is he the head of the holy churche Beholde the trueth cannot decay or fayle in disputation for did Christ dispute agaynst the fayth when he demaunded of the Scribes and Pharisyes Math. 12. Ye stocke and ofspring of Uypers how can ye speake good thinges when you your selues are wicked and euill and beholde I demaunde of the Scribes if the Pope be a reprobate and the stocke of Uipers how is he the head of the holy Church of GOD that the Scribes and Pharisyes which were in the Councell house of Prage make aunswere hereunto For it is more possible that a reprobate man shoulde speake good thinges for so much as he may be in state of grace according vnto present iustice then to be the head of the holy Church of God Also in the 5. of Iohn our Sauiour complayneth vppon the Iewes saying How can you beleue which doe seeke for glory amongest your selues and doe not seeke for the glory that commeth onely of God And I likewise doe complayne how that if the Pope be a reprobate can he be the head of the Church of God which receiueth hys glory of the world and seketh not for the glory of GOD For it is more possible that the Pope being a Reprobate should beleue then that he should be the head of the Churche of God For so much as he taketh his glory of the world The 3. Article There is no sparke of apparance that there ought to be one head in the spiritualtye to
of the holy cup. The solemne publishing of the sentence of condemnation against I. Hus. The Emperours iourney into Arragon Pardons were here dogge cheape Concilium Foeeâ—fragum And hovv chauÌ„ceth it that the charte of Constantines donation is not here mentioned Prouide that the churchmen loose nothing in no case Ann. 1416. Ierome oâ— Prage replied agaynst the sermon of the Byshop of Lâ—dy 22. 23 25. 26. 27. â—â— Anno. 1417. 29. 30. 32. 33. Pope Benedict accused 35. The Pope curseth the councell 38. 39 39. Decrees for generall counsels The profession which the pope is bound to 40. The order â—aner of the Conclaue in chusing the Pope These were wise Cardinals they vvould not goe into the Conclaue but they would be sure to haue their goods safe vnspoyled Pope Martine hatched The Emperour leadeth the Popes horse by the bridle on the right hand The prince electour leadeth the popes horse on the left hand Apparell of the clergie Smell here reader this made well for the popes purse Ex paralipomeno Albatis â—rsp The number of prelates in the counsell of Constance Common vvomen in the councell of CoÌ„stance 60500. strauÌ„gers at the counsell of Constance The generall councell aboue the pope Communion in both kindes denyed by this conÌ„cell The safe coÌ„duct geuen to maister Iohn Hus. Ala. Caput pag. 929. Aunswer to Ala. Copâ— Iohn Hus taketh the Emperours safe coÌ„duct Letters of Iohn Hus set vp An other intimation of I. Hus set vp for his going to CoÌ„stance The offer of I. Hus to his enemies A writing aâ— Hus at the kinges â—aes The testimony of the good â—ish of Nazareth The Bish. of Nazareth witnesseth with Iohn hus Conrade the Archb. cleareth Iohn Hus. Iohn Hus requireth to geue testimony of his faith and could not be admitted Iohn Hus taketh his iourney to Constance The letters which Iohn Hus set vpon cities as he passed to Constance How I. Hus was receiued by the way going vp to the counsell Nurrenberge A Charterhouse moÌ„ke against Iohn Hus. Iohn Husses Hoâ—â—es named saith The Pope â—oÌ„senteth to â—elaâ—e conâ—câ—â— of Iohn Hus. Sâ—anislaus â—â—oma Husâ—â— enemy goâ—ng to Constance â—â—e â— by the way Steuen Palletz Michaâ—ll de Causis â—â—â—e enemies to Hus. A Bull against Ladiâ—â—us king of Apulia Michaell de Causis The wicked liâ—e of Mich. de Causis Huâ—â—es enemie described The enemies of Hus praâ—tile against him I. Hus desired to plead his cause before the whole councell 1. Hus is come before the Pope the cardinals The wordes of the pope the Cardinals to I. Hus. The auÌ„swere of Iohn Hus to the Pope and the Cardinals Dolus malus Cardinaliunâ— A Frier Minor putteâ—h two quâ—â—tions to Iohn Hus. A friâ—rly Iudas M.I. Clum â—peaketh for I. Hus. A wolfe in a Lambes skinne Didace a crafty Frier Many a man beguiled vnder the cloke of simplicitie I. Husses accusers triumphe ouer him when he was taken The pope breaketh promise The pope to please the councel was against I. Hus. The imprisoÌ„meÌ„t and sickenes of Iohn Hus. Articles against Iohn Hus. The supper of the Lord. Of the administration of Sacraments Of the Church Eclesiastical reuenues The bishops power The power of the keies of the Church Excommunication In vestitures The office of preacâ—ing Lupus agnuÌ„ accusat quod turbaâ—â—s sontem A heaping togeather of many greeuous crâ—nes The departure of the Germaines from the vâ—uersitie of Prage The 45. articles of Wickliffe The office of preaching forbidden by the Archb. Insurrectiós feared in Bohâ—â—me against the clergie Cayphas prophesied Maister Palletz lyeth for the holy Ghost had no leasure to come to that councell I. Hus sicke of an agew in prison I. Hus debarred of his aduocate The bookes which I. Hus wrote in prison Pope Iohn fled out of CoÌ„stance Noble men of Boheme labour for Iohn Hus. The safe coÌ„duct of the Emperor chalenged The extremities Iohn Hus â—â—tlered in prison The conâ—utation of certain slanders The Byshop of Luthonis The answer and accusation of the Bish. of Luthonis against Iohn Hus. The byshop of Luthonius answere confuted The byshops do quarell about the safe conduct of Iohn Hus. The safe coÌ„duct of Iohn Hus obteyned and shewed before the imprisonment of Iohn Hus. The byshops of the councell falsly enformed touching the safe conduct of Iohn Hus. Iohn Hus imprisoned before he was either condemned or heard Alexander the â— The answere touching the citation of I. Hus to the court of Rome I. Hus his procurers euill entreated at Rome I. Hus falsly reported to preach openly at Constance I. Hus falsely charged to preach comming to the councell I. Hus had many welwillers in Bohemia Vide supra pag. 597. An other supplication of the Bohemians for Iohn Hus. The Lordes could haue no answere of their supplication The protestation of I. Hus. Vid. in priore edit pag. 207. Articles foisted out of Husses bookes by enemies The councell euil ininformed against Iohn Hus. The nobles required that Iohn Hus not being conuicte nor coÌ„demned shoulde be deliuered out of prison A petition for M. Iohn Husses deliuerance out of prison The answer of the councell to the supplication I. Hus in no case must be baled No credite to be kept with an heretique Supplication to the Emperour Sigismund The Barons supplication to the king for I. Hus. The king forced by the importunity of the Cardinals to breake promise The mischieuous counsell of the popish band The craftie couÌ„saile of the papistes stopped by the Emperour I. Hus forced to keepe silence by outrage of the bishops and priestes The like practise in these latter dayes was vsed at Oxford against the godly fathers An outragious councel A great Eclipse of the Sunne They weÌ„t forth with swordes staues as it had bene to take a theife Peter and Iohn follow Christ into the bishops house Matter made against I. Hus False witnes against Iohn Hus The aunswer of Iohn Hus. Naming of bread forbid by the archb The Cardinall sophisticateth with I. Hus. The disputation of the English use An English man Iohn Hus agreeth with that blinde rime in the sacrament Stokes an Englishe man False witnes Iohn Hus falsely accused for calling S. Gregory a rimer The Cardinall of Florence Twenty witnesses preuayled against Iohn Hus but the testimony of al Boheme would not serue on his part The Cardinall of Cambray He meaneth Gerson An other accusation for defending of Wickliffes articles Certaine Articles of Wickliffe that I. Hus stoode in A treatise against SteueÌ„ Palletz Whether tenthes be pure almose Almose staÌ„deth of duty I. Hus his minde touching the coÌ„demnation of Wickliffes articles Wickliffes bookes burned in prage by Archb. Suinco A narration touching Wickliffes bookes The vniuersitie of prage maketh supplication to the king for sauing of Wickliffes bookes Wickliffs bookes burned in Prage against the kings will A decree that no maÌ„ should teach any more in chappels Iohn Hus appealed to the pope from the pope to Christ. A questioÌ„ of