on Braibrook Bishop of London To this last mentioned Parliament John Wickliff exhibited a certain Complaint or Articles chiefly against the Abuses of Monks Fryars c. An Abstract of the substance whereof is as follows 1. Article That all Persons of what Kind Order Sect or singular Religion soever made or instituted by men may freely without any let or punishment leave the same at their pleasure and are only bound stably to hold the Rule of Jesus Christ taken and given by him and his Apostles and far more profitable than such new Religions founded by sinful men 2. Art That those things which men have unreasonably and wrongfully condemned As That the King cannot take away the Goods of Prelates Monks c. misbehaving themselves or the like may be vindicated and asserted and the contrary Errour condemning them Exposed For that nothing ought to be condemned unless it savour of Errour or unrighteousness against Gods Law 3. Art That both Tythes and Offerings be given paid and received with and to the same intent only as by Gods Law they ought that is that what is more than sufficient to serve the Priests c. with Necessaries be given to the Poor And that if they be abused to luxury or covetousness then they may lawfully be taken away 4. Art That Christs Doctrine and the Belief touching the Sacrament plainly delivered by him and his Apostles be openly taught in Churches and the contrary Teaching and false Belief brought up by cursed Hypocrites and worldy Priests exploded Wickliff's preferring these Articles which he at large Confirmed both by Authorities and Reason stirred up fresh hatred against him in the Ecclesiasticks and procured him much trouble Wherefore because all Papists so furiously condemn him to this day as a wicked Heretick and we justly own him as one of the first and most eminent Authors of the Reformation in Doctrine by his painful Writing and Preaching his Tenets being generally the same with those professed at this day by the Protestant Churches bating some few Errours intermixt which are as less material so likewise more excusable considering the Ignorance and Blindness of the Age he lived in And since his Story is one of the Remarkables of this King Richard's Reign it will not be impertinent briefly to relate the same Wickliff is said to be descended of an ancient Family in the North but the exact year of his Birth we do not find Recorded he was Educated in Merton Colledge in Oxford became first Divinity Reader in that Famous University and afterwards Rector of Lutterworth in Leicester shire Touching his Parts his Contemporary Henry de Knyghton Cannon of Leicester and by consequence none of his Friends does yet give this Honorable Character That he was the most eminent Doctor of Divinity of those times second to none in Philosophy incomparable for School learning and transcending most both in subtilty of Science and profoundness of Wit These great Abilities enabled him quickly to discover the Falsity of the Doctrines and the Cheat of the Practices then in vogue in the Church For in his Studies he had run through the whole Course of the School-men and amongst them was a professed Follower of Occham by reading whose Works and others that lived about the same time or not long before such as Bradwardine Marsilius Gulielmus de Sancto Amore Abelardus Armachanus and the Learned Grosthead Bishop of Lincoln God gave him Grace to see the Truth of his Gospel and by seeing it to loath Superstition and Popery By Occham and Marsilius he was informed of the Popes Intrusions and Usurpations upon Kings their Crowns and Dignities Of Gul. de S. Amore and Armachanus he learned the sundry Abuses of the Monks and Fryars in upholding this Usurped Power By Abelard and others he got a Prospect of the Right Faith touching the Sacrament of the Lords Supper By Bradwardine he was instructed in the nature of a true Sole Justifying Faith against Merit-mongers and Pardoners Pelagians c. Finally by perusing Grosthead's Works in which he seemed to be most conversant he descryed the Pope to be Antichrist by hindring the Preaching of the Gospel and placing unfit men in the Church only to support his own Tyranny And being thus enlightned his Zeal to Truth would not suffer him to Conceal his Candle under a Bushel And therefore those that assign'd his being depriv'd of a Benefice in Oxford to be the occasion of first spreading his Opinions and would attribute all to Resentment and Revenge speak either rashly or maliciously no such provocation being so much as mentioned by Authors of best Credit to occasion his preaching against the Corruptious of the Times nor is it likely that he would have so inveighed against Clergy-covetousness and Pride if they could have retorted on him any such cause of his Discontent or how can we but imagine that if he had affected any such small Business as the Headship of Canterbury Colledge the Duke of Lancaster who was his Great Patron could have helpt him to it For indeed the Fame of his Learning his unwearied diligence in Preaching and Writing together with his pious exemplary Life procured him many Disciples amongst the People and several Favorers of the first Rank The rather for that he justly opposed the Ambition and Avarice of the Clergy a Theme no less grateful than necessary for the Temporal States-men already found it to be an insufferable Grievance though they wanted Skill or Courage to abate it King Edward the Third though a great Doter on Ecclesiasticks is supposed not to have been his Enemy and 't is certain the pious Duke of Lancaster so our Author Knyghton always calls him and several of the Nobles were much his Friends and Protectors against the Rage of the Prelates for Wickliff being in King Edward's days Cited to Answer before the Arch-bishop of Canterbury the Bishop of London and others in Pauls the said Duke and Sir Henry Piercy Lord Marshal were pleased to attend him thither and would needs have him sit in presence of the Court alleaging he had much to answer and therefore needed convenient ease which favor the Bishop of London refusing to grant hard words arose between the Temporal and Spiritual Lords insomuch that the Duke threatned he would pull down the pride of all the Bishops of England And by reason of their Contest Wickliff for the present got off and little was done against him But in the beginning of King Richards Reign the Pope sent a Bull to the University of Oxford upbraiding them with suffering and countenancing Wickliff and his Doctrine and charging them on pain of being deprived of all their Priviledges and Indulgences that they should no longer tolerate the same But the Heads of the University were so well satisfied with Wickliffe's Integrity that they were at a stand whether they should receive the said Bull or reject it with Contempt However the Pope plyed both the King and the Arch-bishop and Bishop of London
all former burdens this present Year 1399. He charged 17 whole Counties with taking part against him heretofore with the Duke of Glocester and the rest of the Lords and threatned with Armed force to spoil and destroy them as publick Enemies And having thus affrighted them sent certain Commissioners Bishops and Lords Temporal to all the said several Shires to let them know his heavy displeasue And that without due acknowledgment of the Offence and Submission to his mercy he could not receive them into his Grace and Favour whereby they were prevailed upon to own themselves Traytors under their Hands and Seals Which was no sooner obtained but they were compell'd to pay insupportable Sums of Money for the Redemption of their Lives and Estates and procuring their Peace whereby they were all so impoverisht that few were able to subsist none at present to resist And yet further to make Conscience it self accessary to slavery New Oaths were imposed not warranted by any Law and the People constrained to Seal Blank Charters and Obligations and deliver them to the Kings use wherein whatsoever he pleased might afterwads be inserted The King bearing so heavy an hand over his People 't is no wonder if they bear an hard Heart towards him who being shallow in Judgment and not able to cover his Vices but with a Cloak of seeming terrible and powerful became first hated and afterwards contemptible and drove many of his Subjects to an Inclination to Revolt as resolved rather to run the hazzard of a speedy ruine by Rebellion than to perish by such a lingring Death of slavery In order hereunto there had been some overtures very privately made by Letters to the Duke of Hereford importuning his speedy return into England remonstrating that as well for the publick good of the Realm as for their own particular safeties they should be forced to use force for their deliverance from these intollerable oppressions and therefore solliciting him to be pleased but to make the Head and they would furnish the Body with an able Army and not only help him in bare wishes and advice but would joyn Hearts and Hands to adventure their Lives and Fortunes in his Quarrel which was also their own so that the danger should be common to all the Glory only his The Duke entertained these Adresses with great wariness and such moderation that he seem'd rather worthy of a Kingdom than desirous of it But to Whet him to an Edge and settle his Resolutions for the Enterprize there wanted not an apt and politick Instrument This was Thomas Arundel late Archbishop of Canterbury who being with the other Bishops in the Parliament when his Brother the Earl of Arundel together with the Earl of Warwick c. were called into question because Clergy-men by the Canons are commanded not to be present at any Judgment of Blood He and the rest of that Order departed the House Upon which occasion being absent not only his Brother was condemned for high Treason and Executed as you have heard but he himself Banish't the Realm his goods seized as forfeit and his Archbishoprick conferr'd on another This Prelate after this Disaster did with divers of his Confederates by several ways and in strange disguises come to Paris and in the House of one Clomigey where the Duke had taken Lodgings had frequent Conferences with his Grace touching the Affairs of England Their debates you may Imagine were managed with the strictest secrecy And I have alwaies been of Opinion that it better becomes a Romance than a serious History for the Author to forge set Speeches on such occasions wherin though he may please he does but deceive the Reader for how suitable soever he may contrive them yet 't is forty to one but the parties themselves might make use of very different Topicks Without guessing therefore at their word let it suffice to say their Consultations terminated in a Result that the Duke should adventure himself over into England and try his Fortune upon the first convenient opportunity Which soon presented it self the most invitingly that could be imagined The Earl of March appointed by the King to be his Lieutenant in Ireland exposing his person too adventurously was slain by the Wild Irish which so exasperated King Richard that he resolved in person to revenge his Death In order to which he raised a great Army but not without grievous Charge to his Subjects and about Whitsontide set forwards accompanied with the Dukes of Albemarle and Exeter divers of the Nobles and many Mitred Prelates amongst whom was the Abbot of Westminster a chief Favourite and taking with him not only the Sons of the Duke of Glocester and Hereford whom he pretended to instruct by that expedition in the Rudiments of War but indeed secured them as Hostages to prevent any attempts that might be made in his Absence by their Relations of whom he was most apprehensive But also all his Treasure Jewels Plate and Royal Robes as if he had design'd as in the event it effectually prov'd to have taken a final leave of his Kingdom and Dignity here in Enland Besides these general discontents of the People occasioned by the former ill-conduct and oppressions of Corrupt Ministers of state he just upon his departure stumbled upon another Error in Politicks for being at Bristol it was suggested to him That Henry Piercy Earl of Northumberland with others his Partisans intended some disloyal attempt and therefore did not tender their service in this Expedition whereupon by a pursevant he commanded the said Earl with all the Forces he could raise forthwith to repair to him whereunto the Earl by a Letter returned an excuse instead of Compliance intreating his Majesty to consider how little necessary it would be for the Irish Service and indeed dangerous to the whole Realm to draw men from such remote places in regard those Rebels were neither so many nor so mighty but that the King had already sufficient Forces to reduce them to Obedience and to disfurnish the Northern parts of their strength would but give an opportunity to the Scots to Invade us And therefore begg'd his Majesty that he would be pleased in such a juncture to Excuse him from attending This Answer the King interprets as an Affront to his Authority and in an unadvised Heat proclaims the Earl and all that should take his part Traytors and orders all their Lands and Goods to be seiz'd to his Use. The Earl resenting this disgrace and forced as it were by necessity does then in earnest make good the Original Information by standing upon his Guard or rather in a posture of open Hostility In the mean time the King pursues his voyage for Ireland whose Arrival Fortune courted with some treacherous smiles for the petty Irish Kings terrified with the Fame of his Power and not daring to trust each other in a joynt Defence endeavoured rather singly to make each one the best Bargain for himself by being the first that
Item At the same time that the King in his Parliament caused the Duke of Glocester and Earls of Arundel and Warwick to be adjudged that he might more freely exercise his Cruelty upon them and accomplish his injurious will in other matters he gathered to himself a great multitude of Malefactors of the County of Chester of whom some passing with the King through the Kingdom as well within the Kings Pallace as without did cruelly kill the Liege Subjects of the Kingdom and some they beat and wounded and did plunder the Goods of the People and refuse to pay for their Victuals and did Ravish and Violate their Wives and other Women and though their were grievous Complaints of such their excesses brought to the hearing of the said King Yet the said King did not regard to cause Justice to be done or any Remedy thereuponâ— but did favour the said Troops in such their evil doings trusting in them and their Guard against all others of his Kingdom for which cause the faithful People of his Kingdom had great matter of Commotion and Indignation VI. Item Although the said King by his writs caused Proclamation to be made throughout the whole Kingdom that he had caused his Uncle the Duke of Glocester and the Earls of Arundel and Warwick to be taken and Arrested not for any Assemblings or Troopings by them formerly made within the Kingdom of England but for very many Extortions Oppressions and other things by them afterwards done and perpetrated against his Royalty and Kingly Majesty And that it was not his Intention that any of the Family of the said Duke and Earls or of their followers at the time of such Assembling and Trooping should for that occasion be molested or aggrieved Yet the said King at last in his Parliament did not Impeach the said Lords for Extortions Oppressions or any such matters but for the Assemblings and Troopings aforesaid did adjudge them to Death and very many of the Family of the said Lords and others who were following them at the time of such their Assembling and Trooping he did for fear of Death force to make Fine and Ransom as Traytors or Rebels to the great destruction of a great Number of his People And so he did subtily fraudulently and maliciously deceive the said Lords and their familiars and the People of his Kingdom VII Item After very many of those Persons so making Fine and Ransom had obtained of the King his Letters Patent of full Pardon in the Premises they could not reap any Commodity by such Letters of Pardon till they had made new Fine and Ransoms for saving of their Life whereby very many were Impoverished which was a great Derogation and dishonour to the Name and State of a King VIII Item In the Last Parliament held at Shrewsbury the said King purposing to oppress his People subtily procured and caused it to be granted that the power of the Parliament by the consent of the States of his Kingdom shall remain in certain Persons to determine after the dissolution of the Parliament certain Petitions in the said Parliament exhibited but then not dispatched By Colour of which grant the Persons so deputed proceeded to other things generally touching that Parliament And this with the will of the King in Derogation of the state of Parliament the great dammage of the whole Kingdom and pernitious Example And that they might seem to have some Colour and Authority for such their doings the King called the Parliament Rolls to be altered and blotted at his pleasure against the Effect of the said Grant IX Item Notwithstanding the said King in his Coronation had sworn that in all his Judgments he would cause to be done equal and right Justice and discretion in mercy and truth according to his power Yet the said King rigorously without all mercy did amongst other things Ordain under grievous penalties that none should sue for any favour or intercede with the said King for Henry Duke of Lancaster being Banished whereby the said King did act against the Bond of Charity rashly violating his Oath aforesaid X. Item Although the Crown of the Kingdom of England and the Rights of the said Crown and that Kingdom it self have in all time past been so free that our Lord the Pope nor any other without the Kingdom ought to concern himself about the same Yet the aforesaid King for the Corroboration of such his erroneous statutes did make supplication to our Lord the Pope that he would confirm the statutes ordained his last Parliament whereupon our Lord the King obtained the Apostolick Letters in which grievous Censures are denounced against any that should presume in any thing to act contrary to the said statutes all which are well known to tend against the Crown and Royal dignity and against the Statutes and Liberties of the said Kingdom XI Item Although the Lord Henry now Duke of Lancaster by the Kings Command had preferred his Bill touching the State and Honour of the King against the Duke of Norfolk and the same had duely prosecuted so that according to the Kings Order he had exhibited himself in all Points prepared for the Combate And the said King had declared that the said Duke of Lancaster had honourably performed his Devoir as much as in him lay and this by a Decree publickly Proclaimed before all the people Assembled at the said Combate Yet the said King without any Legal Reason whatsoever did cause and command the said Duke to be Banisht for ten Years against all Justice and Laws and Customs of his Kingdom and the Law of War in that behalf thereby damnably incurring Perjury XII Item After the said King had graciously granted by his Letters Patents to the Lord Henry now Duke of Lancaster that in his absence whilst he was banisht his General Attorneys might prosecute for Livery to him to be made of all manner of Inheritances or Successions belonging unto him and that his Homage should be respited paying a certain reasonable Fine he injuriously did revoke the said Letters Patent against the Laws of the Land thereby incurring the Crime of Perjury XIII Item Notwithstanding that it was Enacted that every Year the Officers of the King with his Justices and others of the Kings Council should choose Sheriffs for all the Counties of England and name them to our Lord the King according as to their Discretion and Conscience should seem expedient for the good and utility of the Kingdom the said King hath caused persons to be made Sheriffs not so nominated or elected but other according to the Capricio's of his pleasure sometimes his Favourites or Creatures and sometimes such as he knew would not oppose his humour for his own and others private advantage to the great grievance of his People and against the Laws of his Kingdom thereby notoriously incurring Perjury XIV Item At such time as the aforesaid King requested and had of very many Lords and others of his Kingdom divers Sums