14. That it is lawful for any man, either deacon or priest, to preach the word of God without the authority or licence of the apostolic see or any other of his catholics. 15. That so long as a man is in deadly sin, he is neither bishop nor prelate in the church of God.

16. Also that the temporal lords may, according to their own will and discretion, take away the temporal goods of the churchmen whenever they offend.

17. That tithes are pure alms, and that the parishioners may, for offence of their curates, detain and keep them back, and bestow them upon others, at their own will and pleasures.

18. Also, that all special prayers applied to any private or particular person, by any prelate or religious man, do no more profit the same person, than general or universal prayers do profit others, under similar circum

stances.

19. Moreover, if any man enters into any private religion, whatever it be, he is thereby made the more unapt and unable to observe and keep the commandments of God.

20. That holy men, who have instituted private religions, whatever they be (as well such as have possessions, as also the order of begging friars having no possessions) in so doing, have grievously offended.

21. That religious men, (i. e. monks,) being in their private religions, are not of the christian religion.

22. That friars are bound to get their living by the labour of their hands, and not by begging.

23. That whoever gives any alms to friars, or to any of the mendicant orders, is accursed, or in danger thereof.

While the archbishop and suffragans, with the other doctors of divinity and lawyers, with a great company of babbling friars and monastics were gathered together to consult as to John Wickliff's books, at the Gray Friars in London, upon St. Dunstan's day after dinner, about two o'clock, the very hour that they should go forward with their business, a wonderful and terrible earthquake fell throughout all England. Several of the suffragan bishops being frightened, thought it good to leave off from their purpose. But the archbishop confirmed and strengthened their hearts and minds, which were daunted with fear, to proceed in their attempted enterprise. Then discoursing upon Wickliff's articles, not according to the sacred canons of the holy scripture, but according to their own traditions, they pronounced and gave sentence, that some of them were simply and plainly heretical, others half erroneous, others irreligious, and some seditious, and not consonant to the church of Rome.

Whereupon the lord archbishop of Canterbury, wishing to check such heresies and errors, delivered to the chancellor, his letters patent to be executed as follow:

"William by the grace of God archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, and legate of the apostolical see, To our well beloved son in Christ the chancellor of the university of Oxford, within the diocess of Lincoln, greeting, grace, and benediction. The prelates of the church, about the Lord's flock committed to their charge, ought to be so much more vigilant as that they see the wolf, clothed in sheep's attire, fraudulently go about to worry and scatter the sheep. Doubtless, the common fame and report is come unto our ears, &c. We will therefore and command, straitly enjoining you, that in the church of our blessed lady in Oxford, upon those days in the which customarily the sermon is made, as also in the schools of the university upon those days when the lectures are read, ye publish and cause by others to be published to the clergy and people, as well in their vulgar tongue, as in the Latin tongue, manifestly and plainly without any curious implication, that the same heretical and erroneous conclusions, so repugnant to the determination of holy church, as is aforesaid, have been and are condemned; which conclusions we also declare by these our letters to be utterly condemned. And that furthermore you forbid, and canonically admonish and cause to be admonished, as we by the tenour of these presents do forbid and admonish you, once, twice, thrice,

and that peremptorily, that none hereafter hold, teach, and preach, or defend the heresies and errors above said, or any of them, either in school or out of school by any sophistical cavilling or otherwise: or that any admit to preach, hear or hearken unto John Wickliff, Nicholas Herford, Philip Reppington, canon regular, or John Ashton, or Lawrence Redman, who are vehemently and notoriously suspected of heresy, or any other whatever, so suspected or defamed; or that either privately or publicly they either aid or favour them or any of them, but that immediately they shun and avoid the same as a serpent which puts forth most pestiferous poison. And furthermore we suspend the said suspected persons from all scholastical act, till such time as they shall purge themselves before us in that behalf: and that you denounce the same publicly by us to have been and be suspended; and that ye diligently and faithfully inquire after all their favourers, and cause to be inquired throughout all the halls of the university. And that when you shall have intelligence of their names and persons, that ye compel all and every one of them to abjure their outrages by ecclesiastical censures and other pains canonical, under pain of the greater curse, which against all and singular the rebellious in this behalf, and disobeying our admonitions, we pronounce: so that their fault, deceit, and offence in this behalf deserve the same (the said admonition of ours being first sent) which in this behalf we esteem and allow canonical, that then and again according to the effect of these our letters, &c. The absolution of all and singular such, which shall incur the sentence of this instrument by us sent forth (which God forbid) we specially reserve unto ourselves: exhorting you the chancellor by the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, that to the utmost of your power hereafter you do your endeavour, that the clergy and people being subject to you, if there be any who have strayed from the catholic faith by such errors, may be brought home again to the praise and honour of his name that was crucified, and to the preservation of the true faith. And further our will is, that whatever you shall do in the premises, in manner and form of our process in this behalf it be had and done : and that you for your part, when you shall be required thereto, plainly and distinctly do certify us by your letters patents, having the tenour hereof."

The conclusions and articles mentioned in this letter are above prefixed. Of which some were condemned for heretical, some for erroneous.

After this, the archbishop directed his letters of admonition to Robert Rigge commissary of Oxford, for repressing this doctrine: which notwithstanding, both then, and yet to this day (God be praised) remains.

The Examination of Nicholas Herford, Philip Reppington, and John Ashton.

Some days afterwards, on June 18th 1382, in the chamber of the preaching-friars afore mentioned, before the archbishop in the presence of divers doctors and bachelors of divinity, and many lawyers both canon and civil, whose names are under written, appeared Nicholas Herford, Philip Reppington, and John Ashton, bachelors of divinity. Who after oath taken to give judg ment upon the conclusions aforesaid, were examined severally, each by himself, before the archbishop. Who there required day and place to deliberate upon the conclusions, and to give their answer to the same in writing.

Two days afterwards, when the answers were returned, the lord archbishop of Canterbury demanded of all the doctors what their judgment was touching the answers that were made upon such conclusions. All which doctors severally said, "That all the answers given to the first, second, third, and sixth conclusions, were insufficient, heretical and subtle; and that all the answers made, especially to the ninth, tenth, and last conclusions, were insufficient, erroneous, and perverse." Whereupon the lord archbishop of Canterbury, considering the answers to be heretical, subtle, erroneous, and perverse, accordingly as the doctors had weighed and considered, admonished Nicholas and Philip; assigning to them

eight days' space, that is to say, until the twenty-seventh day of the month, and that then they should appear before the said lord archbishop of Canterbury, to hear his decree that should be made in that behalf. This done,

the archbishop of Canterbury admonished and cited John Ashton, under the tenor of these words following:

"In the name of God, we, William, by God's permission, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, legate of the see apostolical, and through all our province of Canterbury, chief inquisitor of all heretical pravity, do monish and cite thee, John Ashton, master of arts, and student in divinity, appearing before us, judicially to say and speak the plain verity touching these conclusions, to which we refer thee, and to which we have caused thee to swear, laying thy hand upon a book," &c.

After this citation, John Ashton was examined before the bishops, and his answers not proving satisfactory to them, they determined against him, and then the archbishop proceeded thus:

"And thou John Ashton, admonished and commanded by us, as is aforesaid, after thine oath taken, without any reasonable cause, or any other license, neither wouldst thou, nor yet wilt, but refusedst, and yet dost contemptuously, to answer to such conclusions before us; judicially according to our admonition and commandment aforesaid; we do hold all such conclusions to be by thee confessed, and thee the aforesaid John, with all thy aforesaid conclusions, convicted. And, therefore, we do pronounce, and declare by giving sentence that thou John Ashton, concerning those conclusions, which by us, with good deliberation of divers prelates, our suffragans, and also divers and sundry professors of divinity, and other wise men and learned in the law, according to the canonical sanctions, being condemned and declared for a heretic, and heretical hast been, and still art a heretic, and thy conclusions heretical. And as touching thy other conclusions, by us heretofore counted erroneous, and for erroneous condemned, we do pronounce and declare sententially by these our writings, that both thou hast erred, and dost err."

On the appointed day, the archbishop, with the doctors, being assembled in the chief house of his church at Canterbury, before the hour of nine, expected Nicholas, Philip, and also Thomas Hilman, calling them and looking after them; nevertheless they appeared not before two o'clock the same day. At which hour the archbishop of Canterbury examined Thomas Hilman, who then and there judicially appeared, what his opinion was touching the aforesaid conclusions, who, somewhat stammering at them and their meaning, at last to all the conclusions then read and expounded to him, thus answered, “I suppose and judge all and singular those conclusions lately condemned by my lord of Canterbury to be heretical and erroneous, even as the same my lord of Canterbury, and other doctors of divinity, of the canon and civil law, by common consent and counsel have supposed and thought. And the same (being for heresies and errors, as before is said condemned) I do, as much as in me is, condemn, protesting that I will hold and affirm the contrary of those conclusions, and in the same faith live and die." Then the archbishop of Canterbury, sitting as tribunal or judge, pronouncing Nicholas and Philip, guilty of contumacy and disobedience, for not appearing in court, excommunicated them for their contunacy, as follows:

but impertinent and nothing to the purpose, as also heretical and erroneous) in divers places of our province commonly, generally, and publicly taught and preached, and that therefore they should judicially appear before us, to do and receive peremptorily in that behalf whatever the quality of that business should move us to: and that we have for their contumacy in not appearing before us at that day and place, adjudged as right therein required. We, by these presents, command and commit to you, firmly enjoining you, when all the multitude of people shall be gathered together to hear your sermon, that in the day and place appointed you publicly and solemnly denounce the aforesaid Nicholas and Philip, holding up a cross, and lighting up a candle, and then throwing down the same upon the ground, to have been so and in such manner excommunicated, and still continuing so.

"Fare ye well. In our manor house at Lambeth, the thirteenth day of July, the year of our Lord 1382, and first year of our translation."

The archbishop sent also another letter to Master Rigge, commissary of Oxford, straightly enjoining and charging him, not only to denounce the sentence of excommunication, and to give out public citation against them, but also to make diligent search and inquisition through all Oxford for them, to have them apprehended and sent up to him, personally before him to appear at a certain day prescribed for the same. Whereby it may appear how busy this bishop was in disquieting and persecuting these poor men, whom he should have nourished and cherished as his brethren.

The archbishop not contented with this, solicits the king to join the power of his temporal sword, for he well perceived that as yet the popish clergy had not sufficient authority, by any public law or statute of this land, to proceed unto death against any person in question of religion, but only by the usurped tyranny and example of the court of Rome. Where note, gentle reader, for thy better understanding, the practice of the Romish prelates in seeking the king's help to further their bloody purpose against the good saints of God. The king being but young, and not arrived at years of ripe judgment, was seduced by the archbishop to give his private assent to an ordinance, which was indeed the very first law to be found against religion and the professors thereof, bearing the name of an act made in the parliament held at Westminster, in the fifth year of Richard II. Where among other statutes then published, and yet remaining in the printed books of statutes, this supposed statute is to be found, (cap. 5. & ultimo).

"Forasmuch as it is openly known that there be divers evil persons within the realm, going from county to county, and from town to town, in certain habits under dissimulation of great holiness, and without the licence of the ordinaries of the places, or other sufficient authority, preaching daily not only in churches and churchyards, but also in markets, fairs, and other open places where a great congregation of people is, divers sermons containing heresies and notorious errors, to the great blemishing of the christian faith, and destruction of the laws, and of the estate of holy church, to the great peril of the souls of the people, and of all the realm of England, as more plainly is found, and sufficiently proved before the reverend father in God the archbishop of Canterbury, and the bishops and other prelates, masters of divinity, and doctors of canon and of civil law, and a great part of the clergy of the said realm, specially assembled for this great cause; which persons do also

Herford and Philip Reppington.

"William, by God's permission, archbishop of Canterbury, &c. To our beloved Son in Christ, whoever he be, that this instant Sunday shall preach at St. Paul's cross in London, salutation, grace, and blessing. Forasmuch as we appointed a certain day and place to Master Nicholas Herford, and Master Philip Reppington, canon regular of the monastery of our lady of Leicester, being doctors of divinity, and suspected of heretical pravity (after certain answers not fully made,

dissension betwixt divers estates of the said realm, as well spiritual as temporal, in exciting the people to the great peril of all the realm: which preachers being cited or summoned before the ordinaries of the places, there to answer to that whereof they are impeached, they will not obey the summons and commands, and care not for the admonitions nor censures of the holy church, but expressly despise them; and moreover, by their subtle and ingenious words, draw the people to hear their sermons, and maintain them in their errors by strong hand, and by great routs: it is ordained and assented in this pre

sent parliament, that the king's commissions be made and directed to the sheriffs, and other ministers of our sovereign lord the king, or other persons sufficiently learned, and according to the certificates of the prelates to be made in chancery from time to time, to arrest all such preachers, and also their favourers, maintainers and abetters, and to hold them in arrest and strong prison, till they justify themselves according to the law and reason of holy church. And the king wills and commands, that the chancellor make such commissions at all times, that he by the prelates, or any of them shall be certified and thereof required as is aforesaid."

time to time, by virtue of the statute, as well during all the reign of this king, as ever since against the professors of religion.

The young king was further induced by the importu. nity of the archbishop, to send special letters to the vice chancellor and proctors of the university of Oxford, in which he straightly and sharply enjoins them to make a general inquisition through the whole university, for John Wickliff, Nicholas Herford, Philip Reppington, John Ashton, and such others; and also for all whom they know or judge to be suspected of that doctrine, or to be maintainers, receivers, and defenders of the parties, or their opinions; to the intent that they being so appre

of the invalidity thereof.

As this supposed statute, was the principal ground whereupon proceeded all the persecution of that time; it is therefore not impertinent to examine the same more particularly, whereby it shall appear, that as it was fraudulently and unduly devised by the prelates only, so was it in like manner most injuriously and disorderly executed by them. For immediately upon the publishing of this law, without further warrant either from the king or his council, commissions under the great seal of England were made in this form, "Richard by the Grace of God," &c. "Witness my

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self at Westminster the 26th day of June, in the sixth year of our reign." Without more words of warrant under-written, such as in like cases are both usual and requisite, viz: "per ipsum regem:""per regem et concilium:" per breve de privato sigillo." All or any which words being utterly wanting in this place, as may be seen in the king's records of that time; it must therefore be done either by warrant of this statute, or else without any war rant at all. Whereupon it is to be noted, that whereas the statute appointed the commissions to be directed to the sheriff, or other ministers of the king, or to other persons sufficiently learned, for the arresting of such persons; the commissions are directed to the archbishop and his suffragans, being as it appears parties in the case, authorizing them further without either the words, or reasonable meaning of the statute, to imprison them in their own houses, or where else they pleased.

Besides also, what manner of law this was, by whom devised, and by what authority the same was first made and established, judge by that which follows, viz.

In the utas of St. Michael next following, at a parliament summoned and holden at Westminster, the sixth year of the king, among sundry petitions made to the king by his commons, to which he assented, there is one in this form. Article 52.

"That whereas a statute was made the last parliament in these words,-'It is ordained in this present parliament that commissions from the king be directed to the sheriffs, and other ministers of the king, or to other persons sufficiently skilful, and according to the certificates of the prelates thereof, to be made to the chancery from time to time, to arrest all such preachers, and their favorers, maintainers and abetters: and to detain them in strong prison, until they justify themselves according to reason, and law of holy church : and the king wills and commands, that the chancellor make such commissions at all times as he shall be by the prelates or any of them certified and thereof required, as is aforesaid,'-the which was never agreed nor granted by the commons; but whatever was moved therein, was without their assent. That the said statute be therefore disannulled. For it is not in any wise their meaning, that either themselves or such as shall succeed them, shall be further justified or bound by the prelates, than were their ancestors in former times," whereunto is answered, "Il plaist al, Roy. I." the king is pleased.

Hereby notwithstanding the former unjust law was repealed, and the fraud of the framers thereof sufficiently discovered yet such means were taken by the prelates, that this act of repeal was never published, nor ever since printed with the rest of the statutes of that parliament: so that the repeal being concealed, similar commissions and other process were made from

expelled the university, and cited before the archbishop of Canterbury, moreover commanding the vice-chancellor and proctors with their assistants, that if any person or persons in any house, hall, or college, or in any other place shall be found to have any of the books or treatises compiled by John Wickliff, Nicholas Herford, &c. they will cause the said person or persons, to be arrested and attached, and their books to be seized and presented within one month, without correction, corruption, or alteration, to the archbishop upon their faith and allegiance, as they would avoid the forfeiture of all privileges of the university, &c.

The vice-chancellor at this time in Oxford was Master Robert Rigge. The two proctors were John Huntman and Walter Dish; who, as far as they durst, favoured the cause of John Wickliff, so that when some public sermons at the feast of the Ascension, and of Corpus Christi were to be preached in the cloister of Saint Frideswide (now called Christ's church) before the people, by the vice-chancellor and the proctors: they committed it to Philip Reppington and Nicholas Herford, so that Herford should preach on the Ascension-day, and Reppington upon Corpus Christi day. Herford was observed to defend John Wickliff openly as a faithful, good, and innocent man; at which there were great outcries among the friars. This Herford, after he had long favoured and maintained Wickliff's part, grew in suspicion among the enemies of truth. For as soon as he began somewhat liberally and freely to utter anything, which tended to the defence of Wickliff, by and bye the Carmelites, and all the orders of religion were on his watch, and laid not a few heresies to his charge; which they had strained here and there out of his sermons. After this the feast of Corpus Christi drew near: upon which day it was expected that Reppington would preach. This man was a canon of Leicester, who protested openly, that in all moral matters he would defend Wickliff. But as to the sacrament he would as yet hold his peace, until such time as the Lord should otherwise illuminate the hearts and minds of the clergy.

Now the day of Corpus Christi approaching near, when the friars understood that this man would preach, they arranged with the archbishop of Canterbury, that the same day, a little before Philip should preach, Wickliff's conclusions, which were privately condemned, should be openly defamed in the presence of the whole university.

These things being thus done, Philip Reppington at the hour appointed, proceeded to his sermon. In which among many other things, he was reported to have uttered these sayings, or to this effect:

"That the popes or bishops ought not to be exalted above temporal lords.

"That in moral matters he would defend Master Wickliff as a true catholic doctor.

"That the duke of Lancaster was very earnestly affected and minded in this matter, and wished that all such should be received under his protection," besides many things more which touched the praise and defence of Wickliff.

And finally, in concluding his sermon, he dismissed the people with this sentence,-"I will in the speculative doctrine, as pertaining to the sacrament of the altar, keep silence and hold my peace, until such time as God otherwise shall instruct and illuminate the hearts of the clergy."