WEBVTT 00:00.820 --> 00:06.820 John Wycliffe, The Morning Star of the Reformation Although it be manifest that 00:06.820 --> 00:11.300 there were divers before Wycliffe's time, who have wrestled and laboured in the same 00:11.300 --> 00:16.180 cause and quarrel that our countryman Wycliffe hath done, whom the Holy Ghost 00:16.180 --> 00:20.780 hath from time to time raised and stirred up in the Church of God, something to work 00:20.780 --> 00:25.120 against the Bishop of Rome, to weaken the pernicious superstition of the friars, 00:25.120 --> 00:30.060 and to vanquish and overthrow the great errors which daily did grow and prevail in 00:30.060 --> 00:34.460 the world, yet notwithstanding, for so much as they are not many in 00:34.460 --> 00:39.240 number, neither very famous or notable, we will begin with the story of John 00:39.240 --> 00:45.820 Wycliffe, at whose time this furious fire of persecution seemed to take his first 00:45.820 --> 00:47.220 original and beginning. 00:48.260 --> 00:52.860 Through God's providence stepped forth into the arena the valiant champion of the 00:52.860 --> 00:58.980 truth, John Wycliffe, our countryman, whom the Lord raised up here in England to 00:58.980 --> 01:03.640 detect more fully and amply the poison of the Pope's doctrine and false religion. 01:04.820 --> 01:08.720 Wycliffe, being the public reader of divinity in the University of Oxford, 01:08.900 --> 01:13.740 was, for the rude time wherein he lived, famously reputed for a great clerk, 01:14.020 --> 01:19.260 a deep schoolman, and no less expert in all kinds of philosophy, the which doth 01:19.260 --> 01:23.880 not only appear by his own most famous and learned writings, but also by the 01:23.880 --> 01:28.760 confession of Walden, his most cruel and bitter enemy, who in a certain epistle 01:28.760 --> 01:35.720 written unto Pope Martin V, saith that he was wonderfully astonished at his most 01:35.720 --> 01:40.280 strong arguments, with the places of authority which he had gathered, 01:40.880 --> 01:43.880 and with the vehemency and force of his reasons. 01:43.880 --> 01:48.980 It appeareth that this Wycliffe flourished about A.D. 01:49.360 --> 01:52.800 1371, Edward III reigning in England. 01:53.500 --> 01:59.160 This is out of all doubt that at what time all the world was in most desperate and 01:59.160 --> 02:03.600 vile a state, and the lamentable ignorance and darkness of God's truth had 02:03.600 --> 02:04.780 overshadowed the whole earth. 02:05.420 --> 02:10.480 This man stepped forth like a valiant champion, unto whom that may justly be 02:10.480 --> 02:16.780 applied which is spoken of one Simon, the son of Onias, even as the morning star 02:16.780 --> 02:20.980 being in the midst of a cloud, and as the moon being full in her course, 02:21.440 --> 02:26.480 and as the bright beams of the sun, so doth he shine and glister in the temple 02:26.480 --> 02:27.620 and church of God. 02:28.580 --> 02:31.680 In these days the whole state of religion was depraved and corrupted. 02:32.340 --> 02:36.620 The name only of Christ remained amongst Christians, but his true and lively 02:36.620 --> 02:42.360 doctrine was as far unknown to the most part as his name was common to all men. 02:43.360 --> 02:48.280 As touching faith, consolation, the end and use of the law, the office of 02:48.280 --> 02:53.540 Christ, our impotency and weakness, the Holy Ghost, the greatness and strength 02:53.540 --> 02:59.280 of sin, true works, grace and free justification by faith, the liberty of a 02:59.280 --> 03:02.120 Christian man, there was almost no mention. 03:02.960 --> 03:08.180 The world, forsaking the lively power of God's spiritual word, was altogether led 03:08.180 --> 03:10.940 and blinded with outward ceremonies and human traditions. 03:12.020 --> 03:17.140 In these was all the hope of obtaining salvation fully fixed, insomuch that 03:17.140 --> 03:22.140 scarcely any other thing was seen in the temples or churches, taught or spoken of 03:22.140 --> 03:27.100 in sermons, or finally intended or gone about in their whole life, but only 03:27.100 --> 03:32.620 heaping up of certain shadowy ceremonies upon ceremonies, neither was there any end 03:32.620 --> 03:34.040 of this their heaping. 03:34.960 --> 03:40.120 The church did fall into all kind of extreme tyranny, whereas the poverty and 03:40.120 --> 03:44.400 simplicity of Christ were changed into cruelty and abomination of life. 03:45.380 --> 03:49.980 With how many bonds and snares of ceremonies were the consciences of men, 03:50.440 --> 03:54.600 redeemed by Christ to liberty, ensnared and snarled? 03:55.060 --> 03:59.360 The Christian people were wholly carried away, as it were, by the nose, 03:59.600 --> 04:04.220 with mere decrees and constitutions of men, even whither it pleased the bishops 04:04.220 --> 04:07.480 to lead them, and not as Christ's will did direct them. 04:08.600 --> 04:12.760 The simple and unlearned people, being far from all knowledge of the Holy 04:12.760 --> 04:16.840 Scripture, thought it quite enough for them to know only those things which were 04:16.840 --> 04:21.240 delivered them by their pastors, and they on the other part taught in a 04:21.240 --> 04:25.060 manner nothing else but such things as came forth of the court of Rome, 04:25.600 --> 04:30.000 whereof the most part tended to the profit of their order more than to the glory of 04:30.000 --> 04:30.400 Christ. 04:31.540 --> 04:37.120 What time there seemed to be no spark of pure doctrine remaining, this aforesaid 04:37.120 --> 04:42.020 Wycliffe by God's providence sprang up, through whom the Lord would first waken 04:42.020 --> 04:46.900 and raise up again the world, which was drowned and whelmed in the deep streams of 04:46.900 --> 04:47.800 human traditions. 04:48.680 --> 04:53.340 This Wycliffe, perceiving the true doctrine of Christ's gospel to be 04:53.340 --> 04:57.560 adulterated and defiled with so many filthy inventions and dark errors of 04:57.560 --> 05:02.560 bishops and monks, after long debating and deliberating with himself, with many 05:02.560 --> 05:06.720 secret sighs and bewailing in his mind the general ignorance of the whole world, 05:07.300 --> 05:12.660 could no longer abide the same, and at the last determined with himself to 05:12.660 --> 05:17.380 help and to remedy such things as he saw to be wide and out of the way. 05:18.120 --> 05:23.700 This holy man took great pains protesting, as they said, openly in the schools, 05:24.100 --> 05:28.580 that it was his principal purpose to call back the church from her idolatry, 05:28.860 --> 05:32.320 especially in the manner of the sacrament of the body and blood of Christ. 05:32.940 --> 05:38.640 But this boil or sore could not be touched without the great grief and pain of the 05:38.640 --> 05:39.360 whole world. 05:39.940 --> 05:44.260 For first of all, the whole glut of monks and begging friars was set in a rage and 05:44.260 --> 05:49.580 madness, who, even as hornets with their sharp stings, did assail this good man on 05:49.580 --> 05:54.820 every side, fighting, as is said, for their altars, paunches, and bellies. 05:55.800 --> 05:59.120 After them the priests and bishops, and then after them the archbishop, 05:59.220 --> 06:04.480 being then Simon Sudbury, took the matter in hand, who, for the same cause, 06:05.260 --> 06:09.160 deprived him of his benefice, which then he had in Oxford. 06:10.180 --> 06:14.640 At the last, when their power seemed not sufficient to withstand the truth which 06:14.640 --> 06:18.980 was then breaking out, they ran unto the lightnings and thunderbolts of the bishop 06:18.980 --> 06:24.420 of Rome, as it had been unto the last refuge of most force and strength. 06:25.520 --> 06:30.240 Notwithstanding, the said Wycliffe, being somewhat friended and supported by 06:30.240 --> 06:35.180 the king, bore out the malice of the friars and of the archbishop, John of 06:35.180 --> 06:40.820 Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, the king's son, and Lord Henry Percy being his special 06:40.820 --> 06:41.580 maintainers. 06:42.480 --> 06:47.600 The opinions for which Wycliffe was deprived were these, that the pope hath no 06:47.600 --> 06:50.520 more power to excommunicate any man than hath another. 06:51.680 --> 06:57.400 That if it be given by any person to the pope to excommunicate, yet to absolve the 06:57.400 --> 07:01.460 same is as much in the power of another priest as in his. 07:02.540 --> 07:07.640 He affirmed, moreover, that neither the king nor any temporal lord could give any 07:07.640 --> 07:12.740 perpetuity to the church or to any ecclesiastical person, for that when such 07:12.740 --> 07:18.780 ecclesiastical persons do sin habitually, the temporal powers may meritoriously take 07:18.780 --> 07:22.560 away from them what before hath been bestowed upon them. 07:23.420 --> 07:27.540 And that he proved to have been practised before here in England by William Rufus, 07:28.040 --> 07:32.840 which thing, said he, if he did it lawfully, why may not the same also be 07:32.840 --> 07:33.700 practised now? 07:34.220 --> 07:39.320 If he did it unlawfully, then doth the church err and doth unlawfully in praying 07:39.320 --> 07:39.900 for him. 07:41.180 --> 07:44.700 Beside these opinions he began something nearly to touch the matter of the 07:44.700 --> 07:49.320 sacrament, proving that in the said sacrament the accidents of bread remain 07:49.320 --> 07:53.800 not without the subject or substance, and that the simple and plain truth doth 07:53.800 --> 07:58.380 appear in the Scriptures, whereunto all human traditions, whatsoever they be, 07:58.700 --> 07:59.500 must be referred. 08:00.720 --> 08:05.160 The truth, as the poet speaketh very truly, had gotten John Wycliffe great 08:05.160 --> 08:10.040 displeasure and hatred at many men's hands, especially of the monks and richest 08:10.040 --> 08:11.420 sort of priests. 08:12.300 --> 08:16.540 Albeit through the favour and supportation of the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry 08:16.540 --> 08:21.420 Percy, he persisted against their wolfish violence and cruelty, till at last, 08:21.500 --> 08:22.060 about A.D. 08:22.460 --> 08:27.720 1377, the bishops, still urging and inciting their Archbishop Simon Sudbury, 08:28.080 --> 08:33.520 who before had deprived him, and afterward prohibited him not to stir any more in 08:33.520 --> 08:38.160 those sorts of matters, had obtained, by process and order of citation, 08:38.800 --> 08:40.400 to have him brought before them. 08:41.260 --> 08:45.540 The Duke, having intelligence that Wycliffe should come before the bishops, 08:46.140 --> 08:50.620 fearing that he, being but one, was too weak against such a multitude, 08:51.220 --> 08:56.120 calleth to him, out of the orders of friars, four bachelors of divinity, 08:57.000 --> 09:02.480 out of every order one, to join them with Wycliffe also, for more surety. 09:03.360 --> 09:07.720 When the day was come, assigned to the said Wycliffe to appear, which day was 09:07.720 --> 09:12.480 Thursday, the 19th of February, he went, accompanied with the four friars 09:12.480 --> 09:16.660 aforesaid, and with them also the Duke of Lancaster and Lord Henry Percy, 09:17.140 --> 09:21.400 Lord Marshal of England, the said Lord Percy going before them to make room and 09:21.400 --> 09:23.500 way, where Wycliffe should come. 09:24.360 --> 09:28.440 Thus Wycliffe, through the providence of God being sufficiently guarded, 09:28.440 --> 09:33.780 was coming to the place where the bishops sat, whom, by the way, they animated and 09:33.780 --> 09:38.700 exhorted not to fear or shrink a wit at the company of the bishops there present, 09:39.240 --> 09:44.140 who were all unlearned, said they, in respect of him, neither that he should 09:44.140 --> 09:48.060 dread the concourse of the people, whom they would themselves assist and 09:48.060 --> 09:51.920 defend, in such thought as he should take no harm. 09:52.660 --> 09:58.320 With these words, and with the assistance of the nobles, Wycliffe, in heart 09:58.320 --> 10:03.220 encouraged, approached to the church of St. Paul in London, where a main press of 10:03.220 --> 10:06.080 people was gathered to hear what should be said and done. 10:07.280 --> 10:11.200 Such was there the frequency and throng of the multitude, that the lords, 10:11.580 --> 10:15.580 for all the puresons of the High Marshal, with great difficulty could get way 10:15.580 --> 10:19.700 through, insomuch that the Bishop of London, whose name was William Courtney, 10:19.700 --> 10:23.800 seeing the stir that the Lord Marshal kept in the church among the people, 10:24.440 --> 10:29.300 speaking to the Lord Percy, said that if he had known before what masteries he 10:29.300 --> 10:32.860 would have kept in the church, he would have stopped him out from coming 10:32.860 --> 10:33.260 there. 10:34.140 --> 10:38.840 At which words of the Bishop, the Duke, disdaining not a little, answered that he 10:38.840 --> 10:41.920 would keep such mastery there, though he say nay. 10:43.620 --> 10:47.300 At last, after much wrestling, they pierced through and came to Our 10:47.300 --> 10:51.660 Lady's Chapel, where the Dukes and Barons were sitting together with the Archbishops 10:51.660 --> 10:56.140 and other Bishops, before whom Wycliffe, according to the manner, stood to know 10:56.140 --> 10:57.600 what should be laid unto him. 10:58.860 --> 11:03.900 To whom first spake the Lord Percy, bidding him to sit down, saying that he 11:03.900 --> 11:07.360 had many things to answer to, and therefore had need of some softer seat? 11:08.700 --> 11:13.660 But the Bishop of London, cast, effsoons, into a fumished chaff by those 11:13.660 --> 11:16.040 words, said he should not sit there. 11:17.200 --> 11:21.980 Neither was it, said he, according to law or reason, that he, who was cited there to 11:21.980 --> 11:25.880 appear to answer before his ordinary, should sit down during the time of his 11:25.880 --> 11:27.720 answer, but that he should stand. 11:29.020 --> 11:34.740 Upon these words a fire began to kindle between them, insomuch that they began so 11:34.740 --> 11:38.920 to rate and revile one the other, that the whole multitude, therewith 11:38.920 --> 11:41.900 disquieted, began to be set on a hurry. 11:43.060 --> 11:48.260 Then the Duke, taking the Lord Percy's part, with hasty words, began also to take 11:48.260 --> 11:48.780 up the Bishop. 11:49.680 --> 11:54.140 To whom the Bishop again, nothing inferior in reproachful checks and rebukes, 11:54.200 --> 11:59.460 did render and requite, not only to him as good as he brought, but also did so far 11:59.460 --> 12:03.680 excel in this railing art of scolding, that the Duke blushed and was ashamed, 12:04.100 --> 12:08.580 because he could not overpass the Bishop in brawling and railing, and therefore he 12:08.580 --> 12:13.100 fell to plain threatening, menacing the Bishop, that he would bring down the 12:13.100 --> 12:16.840 pride, not only of him, but also of the prelacy of England. 12:17.480 --> 12:23.300 Thou, said he, barest thyself so brag upon thy parents, who shall not be able to help 12:23.300 --> 12:28.440 thee, they shall have enough to do to help themselves, for his parents were the Earl 12:28.440 --> 12:29.880 and Countess of Devonshire. 12:30.800 --> 12:34.040 To whom the Bishop answered, that his confidence was not in his parents, 12:34.040 --> 12:37.080 nor in any man else, but only in God. 12:38.200 --> 12:43.160 Then the Duke, softly whispering in the ear of him next by him, said that he would 12:43.160 --> 12:47.580 rather pluck the Bishop by the hair of his head out of the church, than he would take 12:47.580 --> 12:48.760 this at his hand. 12:49.800 --> 12:53.740 This was not spoken so secretly, but that the Londoners overheard him, 12:54.340 --> 12:58.160 whereupon being sat in a rage, they cried out, saying that they would not 12:58.160 --> 13:02.840 suffer their Bishop so contemptuously to be abused, but rather they would lose 13:02.840 --> 13:06.080 their lives than that he should be so drawn out by the hair. 13:07.060 --> 13:11.060 Thus that counsel, being broken with scolding and brawling for that day, 13:11.140 --> 13:12.920 was dissolved before nine o'clock. 13:13.900 --> 13:20.160 After, King Edward III succeeded his son's son, Richard II, who was no great 13:20.160 --> 13:22.860 disfavourer of the way and doctrine of Wycliffe. 13:23.860 --> 13:28.580 But the Bishops, now seeing the aged King to be taken away, during the time of whose 13:28.580 --> 13:32.400 old age all the government of the realm depended upon the Duke of Lancaster, 13:32.760 --> 13:37.800 and seeing the said Duke, with the Lord Percy, the Lord Marshal, give over their 13:37.800 --> 13:41.220 offices and remain in their private houses, without intermeddling, 13:41.920 --> 13:45.860 thought now the time to serve them to have some vantage against John Wycliffe, 13:46.360 --> 13:51.040 who hitherto, under the protection of the aforesaid Duke and Lord Marshal, 13:51.040 --> 13:52.880 had some rest and quiet. 13:53.800 --> 13:57.860 Notwithstanding being by the Bishops forbid to deal in doctrine any more, 13:58.480 --> 14:03.320 he continued yet with his fellows going barefoot and in long-freeze gowns, 14:03.480 --> 14:05.340 preaching diligently unto the people. 14:06.640 --> 14:09.420 Out of whose sermons these articles were collected. 14:10.760 --> 14:16.640 Articles Collected Out of Wycliffe's Sermons The Holy Eucharist, after the 14:16.640 --> 14:19.180 consecration, is not the very body of Christ. 14:19.800 --> 14:23.940 The Church of Rome is not the head of all churches more than any other church is, 14:24.260 --> 14:28.520 nor that Peter had any more power given of Christ than any other apostle had. 14:29.720 --> 14:34.460 The Pope of Rome hath no more in the keys of the church than hath any other within 14:34.460 --> 14:35.840 the order of priesthood. 14:36.700 --> 14:41.360 The gospel is a rule sufficient of itself to rule the life of every Christian man 14:41.360 --> 14:42.840 here without any other rule. 14:44.100 --> 14:49.680 All other rules under whose observances divers religious persons be governed do 14:49.680 --> 14:53.520 add no more perfection to the gospel than doth the white color to the wall. 14:54.520 --> 14:59.220 Neither the Pope nor any other prelate of the church ought to have prisons wherein 14:59.220 --> 15:00.880 to punish transgressors. 15:02.080 --> 15:06.460 Wycliffe, albeit he was commanded by the bishops and prelates to keep silence, 15:06.820 --> 15:10.680 yet could not so be suppressed, but that through the vehemency of the 15:10.680 --> 15:13.800 truth he burst out afterwards much more fiercely. 15:14.480 --> 15:19.240 For he, having obtained the goodwill and favor of certain noblemen, attempted again 15:19.240 --> 15:21.800 to stir up his doctrine amongst the common people. 15:22.980 --> 15:27.000 Then began the Pharisees to swarm together, striving against the light of 15:27.000 --> 15:29.480 the gospel, which began to shine abroad. 15:30.460 --> 15:35.340 Neither was the Pope himself behind with his part, for he never ceased with his 15:35.340 --> 15:40.280 bulls and letters to stir up them who otherwise of their own accord were but too 15:40.280 --> 15:41.380 furious and mad. 15:42.520 --> 15:47.600 Accordingly, in the year of our Lord 1377, being the first year of King Richard II, 15:47.600 --> 15:52.280 Pope Gregory sendeth his bull directed unto the University of Oxford, 15:52.960 --> 15:58.440 rebuking them sharply, imperiously, and like a pope, for suffering so long the 15:58.440 --> 16:02.580 doctrine of John Wycliffe to take root, and not plucking it up with the crooked 16:02.580 --> 16:04.220 sickle of their Catholic doctrine. 16:05.480 --> 16:09.880 Which bull, the proctors and masters of the university, joining together in 16:09.880 --> 16:14.200 consultation, stood long in doubt, deliberating with themselves whether to 16:14.200 --> 16:17.980 receive it with honor or to refuse and reject it with shame. 16:18.700 --> 16:22.720 The copy of this wild bull sent to them from the Pope was this. 16:23.880 --> 16:28.040 It hath been intimidated to us by many trustworthy persons that one John 16:28.040 --> 16:32.660 Wycliffe, Rector of Lutterworth, in the diocese of Lincoln, Professor of 16:32.660 --> 16:37.840 Divinity, hath gone to such a pitch of detestable folly, that he feareth not to 16:37.840 --> 16:42.580 teach, and publicly preach, or rather to vomit out of the filthy dungeon of his 16:42.580 --> 16:47.220 breast, certain erroneous and false propositions and conclusions, savoring 16:47.220 --> 16:52.440 even of heretical pravity, tending to weaken and overthrow the status of the 16:52.440 --> 16:54.920 whole church and even the secular government. 16:56.000 --> 17:01.000 These opinions he is circulating in the realm of England, so glorious for power 17:01.000 --> 17:05.480 and abundance of wealth, but still more so for the shining purity of its faith, 17:06.120 --> 17:10.500 and want to produce men, illustrious for their clear and sound knowledge of the 17:10.500 --> 17:15.920 Scriptures, ripe in gravity of manners, conspicuous for devotion, and bold 17:15.920 --> 17:17.680 defenders of the Catholic faith. 17:18.460 --> 17:23.760 And some of Christ's flock he hath been defiling therewith, and misleading from 17:23.760 --> 17:28.440 the straight path of the sincere faith into the pit of perdition. 17:29.420 --> 17:34.380 Wherefore, being unwilling to connive at so deadly a pest, we strictly charge that 17:34.380 --> 17:40.320 by our authority you seize, or cause to be seized, the said John, and send him under 17:40.320 --> 17:44.220 trusty keeping to our venerable brethren the Archbishop of Canterbury and the 17:44.220 --> 17:46.220 Bishop of London, or either of them. 17:46.960 --> 17:51.300 I find, moreover, two other letters of the Pope concerning the same matter, 17:51.580 --> 17:56.120 the one directing that in case Wycliffe could not be found, he should be warned by 17:56.120 --> 18:00.480 public citation to appear before the Pope at Rome within three months, the other 18:00.480 --> 18:03.840 exhorting the bishops that the King and the nobles of England should be admonished 18:03.840 --> 18:08.100 not to give any credit to the said John Wycliffe or to his doctrine. 18:09.300 --> 18:14.200 The letters, being received from the Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury and other 18:14.200 --> 18:18.480 bishops, took no little heart, for being encouraged by them and pricked 18:18.480 --> 18:22.420 forward by their own fierceness and cruelty, it is to be marveled at, 18:22.820 --> 18:27.160 with what boldness and stomach they did openly profess before their provincial 18:27.160 --> 18:33.020 council that all fear or favor set apart, no person, neither high nor low, 18:33.460 --> 18:37.180 should let them, neither would they be seduced by the entreaty of any man, 18:37.720 --> 18:42.200 neither by any threatenings or rewards, but that they would follow straight and 18:42.200 --> 18:47.440 upright justice and equity, yea, albeit that danger of life should follow 18:47.440 --> 18:48.280 thereupon. 18:49.360 --> 18:54.660 But these so fierce brags and stout promise, with the subtle practices of 18:54.660 --> 19:00.320 these bishops, who thought themselves so sure before the Lord, against whom no 19:00.320 --> 19:05.060 determination of man's counsel can prevail, by a small occasion did lightly 19:05.060 --> 19:06.720 confound and overthrow. 19:07.920 --> 19:12.300 For the day of the examination being come, a certain personage of the Prince's court, 19:12.680 --> 19:17.520 and yet of no great noble birth, named Louis Clifford, entering in among 19:17.520 --> 19:21.460 the bishops, commanded them that they should not proceed with any definite 19:21.460 --> 19:26.940 sentence against John Wycliffe, with which words all they were so amazed, 19:27.320 --> 19:31.900 and their combs so cut, that they became mute and speechless. 19:32.800 --> 19:36.880 And thus, by the wondrous work of God's providence, John Wycliffe escaped the 19:36.880 --> 19:39.360 second time out of the bishops' hands. 19:40.460 --> 19:46.260 This good man ceased not to proceed in his godly purpose, laboring as he had begun, 19:47.040 --> 19:51.640 unto whom also, as it happened by the providence of God, this was a great help 19:51.640 --> 19:57.880 and stay, for that in the same year the aforesaid Pope Gregory XI., who was the 19:57.880 --> 20:02.480 stirrer up of all this trouble against him, turned up his heels and died. 20:03.540 --> 20:07.940 Whose death was not a little happy to Wycliffe, for immediately after his 20:07.940 --> 20:13.280 disease, there fell a great dissension between the Romish and the French popes, 20:13.460 --> 20:18.880 and others succeeding them, one striving against another, that the schism therefore 20:18.880 --> 20:24.220 endured the space of thirty-nine years until the time of the Council of 20:24.220 --> 20:25.720 Constance, A.D. 20:26.200 --> 20:26.780 1417. 20:27.980 --> 20:31.680 About the same time also, about three years after, there fell a cruel dissension 20:31.680 --> 20:35.960 in England between the common people and the nobility, the which did not a little 20:35.960 --> 20:37.820 disturb and trouble the commonwealth. 20:38.700 --> 20:43.140 In this tumult, Simon of Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury, was taken by the 20:43.140 --> 20:48.040 rustical and rude people and was beheaded, in whose place succeeded William Courtney, 20:48.360 --> 20:51.580 who was no less diligent in rooting out heretics. 20:52.960 --> 20:57.940 Notwithstanding, Wycliffe's sect daily grew to greater force, until the time that 20:57.940 --> 21:00.420 William Burton, Chancellor of Oxford, about A.D. 21:00.780 --> 21:05.800 1381, had the whole rule of that university, who, calling together eight 21:05.800 --> 21:09.820 monastical doctors and four others, and putting the common seal of the 21:09.820 --> 21:14.680 university unto certain writings, set forth an edict, declaring that no man, 21:15.140 --> 21:20.280 under a grievous penalty, should be so hardy hereafter to associate themselves 21:20.280 --> 21:22.920 with any of Wycliffe's abettors or favorers. 21:23.300 --> 21:28.060 And unto Wycliffe himself he threatened the greater excommunication and farther 21:28.060 --> 21:32.960 imprisonment, and to all his forters, unless that they, after three days' 21:33.120 --> 21:38.400 admonition or warning, canonical and preemptory, as they call it, did repent 21:38.400 --> 21:38.920 and amend. 21:39.640 --> 21:44.780 The witch thing, when Wycliffe understood, forsaking the pope and all the clergy, 21:45.160 --> 21:47.680 he thought to appeal unto the king's majesty. 21:48.540 --> 21:53.880 But the Duke of Lancaster, coming between, forbade him, saying that he ought rather 21:53.880 --> 21:58.960 to submit himself unto the censure and judgment of his ordinary, whereby 21:58.960 --> 22:02.940 Wycliffe, being beset with troubles and vexations, as it were in the midst of the 22:02.940 --> 22:06.820 waves, was forced once again to make confession of his doctrine. 22:07.640 --> 22:12.440 Here is not to be passed over the great miracle of God's divine admonition or 22:12.440 --> 22:17.120 warning, for when the archbishop and suffragiants, with the other doctors of 22:17.120 --> 22:21.740 divinity and lawyers, with a great company of babbling friars and religious persons, 22:22.080 --> 22:26.920 were gathered together to consult touching John Wycliffe's books, when they were 22:26.920 --> 22:31.120 gathered together at the Black Friars in London to begin their business upon St. 22:31.200 --> 22:36.240 Dunstan's Day, after dinner, about two of the o'clock, the very hour and instant 22:36.240 --> 22:41.380 that they should go forward, a wonderful and terrible earthquake fell throughout 22:41.380 --> 22:46.200 all England, whereupon divers of the suffragiants, being affrighted by the 22:46.200 --> 22:50.160 strange and wonderful demonstration, doubting what it should mean, thought it 22:50.160 --> 22:52.580 good to leave off from their determinate purpose. 22:53.740 --> 22:58.820 But the archbishop, as chief captain of that army, more rash and bold than wise, 22:59.800 --> 23:03.540 interpreting the chance which had happened, clean contrary to another 23:03.540 --> 23:07.640 meaning or purpose, did confirm and strengthen their hearts and minds, 23:08.200 --> 23:12.940 which were almost daunted with fear, stoutly to go forward in their attempted 23:12.940 --> 23:18.420 enterprise, who then, discursing Wycliffe's articles, not according unto 23:18.420 --> 23:23.200 the sacred canons of the Holy Scripture, but unto their own private affections and 23:23.200 --> 23:27.840 men's traditions, gave sentence that some of them were simply and plainly heretical, 23:28.320 --> 23:34.260 others were erroneous, others irreligious, some seditious and not consonant to the 23:34.260 --> 23:35.020 church of Rome. 23:36.460 --> 23:40.720 Besides the earthquake aforesaid, there happened another strange and 23:40.720 --> 23:44.740 wonderful chance, sent by God, and no less to be marked than the other. 23:45.520 --> 23:48.760 If it be true, that was reported by John Hus' enemies. 23:49.820 --> 23:53.700 These enemies of his, amongst other principal points of his accusation, 23:54.180 --> 23:59.220 laid this to his charge at the Council of Constance, that he should say openly unto 23:59.220 --> 24:03.700 the people as touching Wycliffe, that at what time a great number of 24:03.700 --> 24:08.280 religious men and doctors were gathered together in a certain church to dispute 24:08.280 --> 24:12.620 against Wycliffe, suddenly the door of the church was broken open with lightning, 24:13.280 --> 24:16.960 in such thought that his enemies hardly escaped without hurt. 24:18.020 --> 24:22.340 This thing, albeit that it were objected against Hus' by his adversaries, 24:22.560 --> 24:28.380 yet, for so much as he did not deny the same, neither, if he so said, it seemeth 24:28.380 --> 24:31.080 that he would speak it without some ground or reason. 24:31.640 --> 24:34.540 I have not thought it good to leave clean out of memory. 24:35.660 --> 24:40.180 Of like credit is this also, which is reported of Wycliffe, that when he was 24:40.180 --> 24:44.440 lying very sick at London, certain friars came unto him to counsel him. 24:44.960 --> 24:49.120 And when they had babbled much unto him, touching the Catholic church, the 24:49.120 --> 24:52.660 acknowledgement of his errors, and the Bishop of Rome, Wycliffe, 24:52.780 --> 24:57.060 being moved with the foolishness and absurdity of their talk, with a stout 24:57.060 --> 25:01.760 stomach, setting himself upright in his bed, repeated this saying out of the 25:01.760 --> 25:08.560 Psalms 118.17, I shall not die, but I shall live, and declare the works of 25:08.560 --> 25:09.020 the Lord. 25:10.000 --> 25:14.020 The mandate of the Archbishop of Canterbury, directed to the Bishop of 25:14.020 --> 25:17.500 London, against John Wycliffe and his adherents. 25:18.240 --> 25:23.520 It is come to our hearing, that although, by the canonical sanctions, no man, 25:23.900 --> 25:28.660 being forbidden or not sent, ought to usurp to himself the office of preaching, 25:29.200 --> 25:34.480 publicly or privily, without the authority of the Apostolic See, or of the Bishop of 25:34.480 --> 25:39.520 the place, yet notwithstanding, certain, being sons of perdition under the 25:39.520 --> 25:44.620 veil of great sanctity, are brought into such a doting mind, that they take upon 25:44.620 --> 25:48.880 them authority to preach, and are not afraid to affirm, and to teach, 25:49.160 --> 25:54.220 and generally, commonly, and publicly to preach, as well in the churches as in the 25:54.220 --> 25:59.140 streets, and also in many other profane places of our said province, certain 25:59.140 --> 26:04.700 propositions and conclusions, erratical, erroneous, and false, condemned by the 26:04.700 --> 26:08.740 church of God, and repugnant to the determinations of Holy Church, 26:09.380 --> 26:14.880 who also infect therewith very many good Christians, causing them, lamentably, 26:15.120 --> 26:19.940 to err from the Catholic faith, without which there is no salvation. 26:20.800 --> 26:25.660 We therefore admonish and warn, that no man henceforth, of what estate or 26:25.660 --> 26:31.100 condition soever, do hold, teach, preach, or defend the aforesaid heresies 26:31.100 --> 26:36.520 and errors, or any of them, nor that he hear or hearken to any one preaching the 26:36.520 --> 26:41.480 said heresies or errors, or any of them, nor that he favor or adhere to him, 26:41.820 --> 26:46.080 either publicly or privily, but that immediately he shun and avoid him, 26:46.480 --> 26:51.520 as he would avoid a serpent putting forth pestiferous poison, under pain of the 26:51.520 --> 26:52.300 greater curse. 26:53.260 --> 26:57.360 And furthermore, we command our fellow brethren, that of such presumptions they 26:57.360 --> 27:02.920 carefully and diligently inquire, and do proceed effectually against the 27:02.920 --> 27:03.220 same. 27:04.880 --> 27:10.400 The Chancellor at the same time in Oxford was Master Robert Rigg, who, as it 27:10.400 --> 27:15.420 seemeth, favoring Wycliffe's part, as much as he could or durst, many times 27:15.420 --> 27:20.160 dissembled and cloaked certain matters, and oftentimes, as opportunity would 27:20.160 --> 27:24.740 serve, helped forward the cause of the gospel, which was then in great danger. 27:25.780 --> 27:30.100 When the time was come that there must needs be sermons made unto the people, 27:30.580 --> 27:35.460 he committed the whole doings thereof to such as he knew to be great favorers of 27:35.460 --> 27:36.240 John Wycliffe. 27:36.840 --> 27:42.100 The two proctors were John Huntman and Walter Disch, who then, as far as they 27:42.100 --> 27:44.980 durst, favored the cause of John Wycliffe. 27:46.320 --> 27:49.520 In so much that the same time and year, which was A.D. 27:49.760 --> 27:55.200 1382, when certain public sermons should be appointed customarily at the Feast of 27:55.200 --> 27:59.340 the Ascension and of Corpus Christi to be preached in the cloister of St. 27:59.460 --> 28:04.120 Frideswide, now called Christ's Church, before the people, by the Chancellor 28:04.120 --> 28:09.620 aforesaid and the proctors, and the doings hereof the Chancellor and proctors had 28:09.620 --> 28:13.320 committed to Philip Reppington and Nicholas Hereford. 28:15.360 --> 28:20.460 Hereford, beginning, was noted to defend John Wycliffe openly, to be a faithful, 28:20.700 --> 28:26.020 good, and innocent man, for the which no smaller do without cries, was among the 28:26.020 --> 28:26.560 friars. 28:27.340 --> 28:31.560 This Hereford, after he had long favored and maintained Wycliffe's part, 28:32.140 --> 28:36.380 grew in suspicion amongst the enemies of the truth, for as soon as he began 28:36.380 --> 28:40.280 somewhat liberally and freely to utter anything which tended to the defense of 28:40.280 --> 28:45.100 Wycliffe, by and by the Carmelites and all the orders of religion were on his top, 28:45.500 --> 28:50.500 and laid not a few heresies under his charge, the which they had strained here 28:50.500 --> 28:56.000 and there out of his sermons, through the industry of one Peter Stokes, a Carmelite, 28:56.500 --> 29:00.240 a kind of people prone to mischief, uproars, debate, and dissension, 29:00.800 --> 29:02.980 as though they were born for that purpose. 29:04.160 --> 29:08.940 Much like thing do divers writers write of the nature of certain spiders, 29:09.780 --> 29:14.660 that whatsoever pleasant juice is in herbs, they suck it out and convert it 29:14.660 --> 29:15.300 into poison. 29:16.240 --> 29:20.820 But these cowled merchants, in this behalf, do pass all the spiders, 29:21.360 --> 29:26.160 for whatsoever is worst and most pestilent in a man, that they do hunt out for, 29:26.620 --> 29:29.780 and with their teeth even, as it were, gnaw it out. 29:30.580 --> 29:34.700 And of the opinions which be good and agreeable with verity, they do make 29:34.700 --> 29:36.140 schisms and heresies. 29:37.320 --> 29:42.100 After this the feast of Corpus Christi drew near, upon which day it was looked 29:42.100 --> 29:46.360 for that Reppington should preach, who in the schools had shown forth and 29:46.360 --> 29:51.700 uttered that which he had long hidden and dissembled, protesting openly that in all 29:51.700 --> 29:54.180 moral matters he would defend Whitcliffe. 29:54.900 --> 29:59.580 But as touching the sacrament, he would as yet hold his peace until such 29:59.580 --> 30:03.120 time as the Lord should illuminate the hearts and minds of the clergy. 30:04.400 --> 30:09.740 When the friars understood that this man should preach shortly, these Babylonians, 30:09.960 --> 30:15.000 fearing lest that he would scarce civilly or gently rub the galls of their religion, 30:15.680 --> 30:19.340 convented with the Archbishop of Canterbury, that the same day, 30:19.580 --> 30:23.320 a little before Philip should preach, Whitcliffe's conclusions, which were 30:23.320 --> 30:27.520 privately condemned, should be openly defamed in the presence of the whole 30:27.520 --> 30:32.420 university, the doing of which matter was committed to Peter Stokes, friar, 30:32.860 --> 30:36.480 standard-bearer, and chief champion against Whitcliffe. 30:37.040 --> 30:40.780 The Chancellor, having received the Archbishop's letters and perceived the 30:40.780 --> 30:44.120 malicious enterprise of the Carmelite, was wonderfully moved against him, 30:44.540 --> 30:49.200 and falling out with him and his like, not without cause, for troubling the state 30:49.200 --> 30:54.200 of the university, said that neither the bishop nor the archbishop had any power 30:54.200 --> 30:59.180 over that university, nor should not have, in the determination of any heresies. 31:00.140 --> 31:04.200 And afterward, taking deliberation, calling together the proctors with other 31:04.200 --> 31:09.120 regents and non-regents, he did openly affirm that he would by no means help the 31:09.120 --> 31:10.520 Carmelite in his doings. 31:11.620 --> 31:16.720 These things thus done, Reppington, at the hour appointed, proceeded to his 31:16.720 --> 31:22.440 sermon, in the which he was reported to have uttered, that in all moral matters he 31:22.440 --> 31:26.000 would defend Master Whitcliffe as a true Catholic doctor. 31:26.920 --> 31:30.860 Moreover, that the Duke of Lancaster was very earnestly affected and minded in this 31:30.860 --> 31:34.980 matter, and would that all such should be received under his protection, 31:35.820 --> 31:39.960 besides many things more, which touched the praise and defense of Whitcliffe. 31:41.180 --> 31:45.220 When the sermon was done, Reppington entered into St. Fridewide's church, 31:45.720 --> 31:50.580 accompanied with many of his friends, who, as the enemies surmised, were privily 31:50.580 --> 31:51.980 weaponed under their garments. 31:53.220 --> 31:56.940 Friar Stokes, the Carmelite, suspecting all this to be against him, and being 31:56.940 --> 32:01.680 afraid of hurt, kept himself within the sanctuary of the church, not daring to put 32:01.680 --> 32:02.360 out his head. 32:03.460 --> 32:06.920 The Chancellor and Reppington, friendly, saluting one another in the 32:06.920 --> 32:12.360 church porch, sent away the people, and so departed every man home to his own 32:12.360 --> 32:12.900 house. 32:13.320 --> 32:17.220 There was not a little joy throughout the whole university for that sermon. 32:18.900 --> 32:23.520 John Whitcliffe, returning again within short space, either from his banishment or 32:23.520 --> 32:27.840 from some other place where he was secretly kept, repaired to his parish of 32:27.840 --> 32:32.620 Lutterworth, where he was parson, and there, quietly departing this mortal 32:32.620 --> 32:38.120 life, slept in peace in the Lord, in the end of the year 1384, upon 32:38.120 --> 32:39.260 Sylvester's day. 32:40.220 --> 32:44.800 It appeareth that he was well aged before he departed, and that the same thing 32:44.800 --> 32:49.020 pleased him in his old age which did please him being young. 32:50.220 --> 32:56.480 This Whitcliffe, albeit in his lifetime, he had many grievous enemies, yet was 32:56.480 --> 32:59.120 there none so cruel to him as the clergy itself. 32:59.980 --> 33:04.560 Yet, notwithstanding, he had many good friends, men not only of the meaner sort, 33:04.840 --> 33:06.260 but also of the nobility. 33:06.760 --> 33:09.000 Amongst them, these men are to be numbered. 33:09.820 --> 33:14.860 John Clenbourne, Lewes Clifford, Richard Sturry, Thomas Latimer, 33:15.360 --> 33:20.080 William Neville, and John Montague, who plucked down all the images in his 33:20.080 --> 33:20.480 church. 33:21.520 --> 33:27.020 Besides all these, there was the Earl of Salisbury, who, for contempt in him noted 33:27.020 --> 33:32.220 towards the sacrament, in carrying it home to his house, was enjoined by Ralph 33:32.220 --> 33:37.780 Urgham, Bishop of Salisbury, to make in Salisbury a cross of stone, in which all 33:37.780 --> 33:42.540 the story of the matter should be written, and he, every Friday during his life, 33:42.900 --> 33:46.260 to come to the cross barefoot and bareheaded in his shirt, and there, 33:46.380 --> 33:49.200 kneeling upon his knees, do penance for his deed. 33:50.400 --> 33:55.380 And for the residue, we will declare what cruelty they used, not only against the 33:55.380 --> 33:59.340 books and articles of John Whitcliffe, but also in burning his body and bones, 33:59.900 --> 34:05.620 commanding them to be taken up many years after he was buried, as appeareth by the 34:05.620 --> 34:08.280 decree of the Synod of Constance, A.D. 34:08.580 --> 34:09.220 1415. 34:10.120 --> 34:15.820 This holy Synod declareth, determineth, and giveth sentence, that John Whitcliffe 34:15.820 --> 34:21.600 was a notorious heretic, and that he died obstinate in his heresy, cursing alike 34:21.600 --> 34:23.200 him, and condemning his memory. 34:24.020 --> 34:29.480 This Synod also decreeeth and ordaineth, that his body and bones, if they might be 34:29.480 --> 34:33.220 discerned from the bodies of other faithful people, should be taken out of 34:33.220 --> 34:37.780 the ground, and thrown away far from the burial of any church, according as the 34:37.780 --> 34:39.560 canons and laws enjoin. 34:40.440 --> 34:45.300 This wicked and malicious sentence of the Synod would require here a diligent 34:45.300 --> 34:50.800 apology, but that it is so foolish and vain, and no less barbarous, that it 34:50.800 --> 34:55.480 seemeth more worthy of derision and disdain, than by any argument to be 34:55.480 --> 34:56.080 confuted. 34:57.120 --> 35:01.140 What Heraclitus would not laugh, or what Democritus would not weep, 35:01.620 --> 35:06.740 to see these so sage and reverent caters, occupying their heads to take up a poor 35:06.740 --> 35:12.340 man's body, so long dead and buried, and yet, peradventure, they were not able 35:12.340 --> 35:18.600 to find his right bones, but took up some other body, and so of a Catholic made a 35:18.600 --> 35:19.000 heretic. 35:19.840 --> 35:24.720 Albeit, herein Whitcliffe had some cause to give them thanks, that they would at 35:24.720 --> 35:29.540 least spare him till he was dead, and also give him so long respite after 35:29.540 --> 35:34.840 his death, forty-one years, to rest in his sepulchre, before they ungraved him, 35:35.260 --> 35:40.680 and turned him from earth to ashes, which ashes they also took and threw into 35:40.680 --> 35:41.100 the river. 35:42.820 --> 35:48.520 The decree of the Synod was not carried out until after the lapse of several years 35:48.520 --> 35:49.360 from its meeting. 35:51.120 --> 35:55.380 And so was he resolved into three elements, earth, fire, and water, 35:55.740 --> 35:59.660 thinking thereby utterly to extinguish and abolish both the name and doctrine of 35:59.660 --> 36:00.520 Whitcliffe for ever. 36:01.880 --> 36:05.600 Not much unlike the example of the old Pharisees and the sepulchre knights, 36:05.740 --> 36:10.740 who, when they had brought the Lord unto the grave, thought to make him sure never 36:10.740 --> 36:11.660 to rise again. 36:12.520 --> 36:17.060 But these and all others must know that, as there is no counsel against the Lord, 36:17.060 --> 36:21.940 so there is no keeping down of verity, but it will spring up and come out of dust 36:21.940 --> 36:24.780 and ashes, as appeared right well in this man. 36:25.500 --> 36:29.740 For though they digged up his body, burnt his bones, and drowned his ashes, 36:30.540 --> 36:34.740 yet the word of God and the truth of his doctrine, with the fruit and success 36:34.740 --> 36:37.020 thereof, they could not burn.