[The Examination of Sir William of Thorpe.]
Known be it to all men that read or hear this Writing beneath, that on the Sunday next [August 7th] after the Feast of St. Peter that we call Lammas [August 1st], in the year of our Lord a thousand four hundred seventh year, I, William of Thorpe, being in prison in the castle of Saltwood [near Hythe, in Kent], was brought before Thomas Arundell, Archbishop of Canterbury, and [Lord] Chancellor then of England.
And when that I came to him, he stood in a great chamber, and much people [were] about him; and when that he saw me, he went fast into a closet [private room], bidding all secular men [laymen] that followed him, to go forth from him soon; so that no man was left then in that closet, but the Archbishop himself, a physician that was called Malveren [i.e., John Malverne, S.T.P.], Parson of St. Dunstan’s [Church, in Tower Street] in London, and two other persons unknown to me, which were Ministers of the Law [i.e., the Canon Law: later on, they are called Clerks, i.e., Chaplains].
A precise & authentic Lollard Creed .
Archbishop. And I standing before them, by and by, the Archbishop said to me, “William! I know well, that thou hast, this twenty winter and more [i.e., from before 1387], travelled about busily, in the North country and in other divers countries [counties] of England, sowing about false doctrine: having great business, if thou might, with thine untrue teaching and shrewd will, for to infect and poison all this land. But, through the grace of GOD! thou art now withstanded, and brought into my ward! so that I shall now sequester thee from thine evil purpose, and let [hinder] thee to envenom the sheep of my Province. Nevertheless, St. Paul saith, If it may be, as far as in us is, we owe [ought] to have peace with all men. Therefore, William! if thou wilt now, meekly, and of good heart, without any feigning, kneel down and lay thy hand upon a book, and kiss it; promising faithfully as I shall here charge thee, that ‘thou wilt submit thee to my correction and stand to mine ordinance, and fulfil it duly by all thy cunning and power,’ thou shalt yet find me gracious unto thee!”
William. Then said I, to the Archbishop, “Sir, since ye deem me an heretic out of belief, will ye give me here audience to tell my Belief.”
Archbishop. And he said, “Yea, tell on!”
William. And I said, “I believe that there is not but one GOD Almighty, and in this Godhead and of this Godhead are three Persons; that is the Father, the Son, and the soothfast HOLY GHOST. And I believe that all these three Persons are even in power, in cunning, and in might, full of grace and of all goodness: for whatever that the Father doth or can or will, that thing also the Son doth can and will; and in all their power cunning and will, the HOLY GHOST is equal to the Father and to the Son.
Over this, I believe that, through counsel of this most blessed Trinity (in most convenient time, before ordained), for the salvation of mankind, the second Person of this Trinity was ordained to take the form of Man, that is the Kind of man. And I believe that this second Person, our Lord Jesu Christ was conceived, through the HOLY GHOST, into the womb of the most blessed Virgin Mary without any man’s seed. And I believe that after nine months, Christ was born of this most blessed Virgin without any pain or breaking of the closter of her womb, and without filth of her virginity.
And I believe that Christ our Saviour was circumcised in the eighth day after his birth, in fulfilment of the Law; and his name was called Jesus, which was called of the angel before he was conceived in the womb of Mary his mother.
And I believe that Christ, as he was about thirty years old, was baptized in the flood of Jordan of John [the] Baptist, and in likeness of a dove the HOLY GHOST descended there upon him; and a voice was heard from heaven, saying, Thou art my well beloved Son! In Thee, I am full pleased!
And I believe that Christ was moved then by the HOLY GHOST for to go into [the] desert, and there he fasted forty days and forty nights without bodily meat and drink. And I believe that by and by, after his fasting, when the manhood of Christ hungered, the Fiend came to him and tempted him in gluttony, in vainglory, and in covetise: but in all those temptations Christ concluded [confounded] the Fiend and withstood him.
And then, without tarrying, Jesu began to preach, and to say unto the people, Do ye penance! for the Realm of Heaven is now at hand!
And I believe that Christ, in all his time here, lived most holily; and taught the Will of his Father most truly: and I believe that he suffered therefore most wrongfully, greatest reproofs and despisings.
And after this, when Christ would make an end here, of his temporal life, I believe that, in the day next before that he would suffer passion on the morn, in form of bread and wine, he ordained the Sacrament of his flesh and blood, that is his own precious body, and gave it to his Apostles for to eat, commanding them, and by them all their after-comers, that they should do it, in this form that he shewed to them, use themselves and teach and common forth to other men and women this most worshipful holiest Sacrament; in mindfulness of his holiest Living and of his most true Teaching, and of his wilful and patient Suffering of the most painful Passion.
And I believe that thus, Christ our Saviour, after that he had ordained this most worthy Sacrament of his own precious body, he went forth wilfully against his enemies, and he suffered them most patiently to lay their hands most violently upon him, and to bind him, and to lead him forth as a thief, and to scorn and buffet him, and all to blow or [de]file him with their spittings.
Over this, I believe that Christ suffered, most meekly and patiently, his enemies for to ding [beat] out with sharp scourges, the blood that was between his skin and his flesh: yea, without grudging, Christ suffered wicked Jews to crown him with most sharp thorns, and to strike him with a reed. And, after, Christ suffered wicked Jews to draw [lay] him out upon the Cross, and for to nail him there, upon foot and hand; and so, through this pitiful nailing, Christ shed out wilfully, for man’s life, the blood that was in his veins: and then, Christ gave wilfully his spirit into the hands or power of his Father. And so, as he would, and when he would, Christ died wilfully, for man’s sake, upon the Cross. And notwithstanding that Christ was wilfully, painfully, and most shamefully put to death as to the world, there was left blood and water in his heart, as he before ordained that he would shed out this blood and this water for man’s salvation. And therefore he suffered the Jews to make a blind [ignorant] Knight to thrust him into the heart with a spear; and this the blood and water that was in his heart, Christ would shed out for man’s love.
And, after this, I believe that Christ was taken down from the Cross, and buried.
And I believe that on the third day, by the power of his godhead, Christ rose again from death to life. And forty days thereafter, I believe that Christ ascended up into heaven; and that he there sitteth on the right hand of GOD the Father Almighty. And the tenth day after his up going, he sent to his Apostles the HOLY GHOST, that he had promised them before.
And I believe that Christ shall come and judge all mankind, some to everlasting peace, and some to everlasting pains.
And as I believe in the Father, and in the Son, that they are one GOD Almighty; so I believe in the HOLY GHOST that is also, with them, the same GOD Almighty.
And I believe [in] an Holy Church, that is, all they that have been, and that now are, and always to the end of the world shall be, a people the which shall endeavour them to know, and keep the commandments of GOD; dreading over all things to offend GOD, and loving and seeking most to please Him. And I believe that all they that have had, and yet have, and all they that yet shall have the foresaid virtues, surely standing in the Belief of GOD, hoping steadfastly in His merciful doings, continuing to their end in perfect charity, wilfully patiently and gladly suffering persecutions by the example of Christ chiefly and His Apostles; and these have their names written in the Book of Life. Therefore I believe that the gathering together of this people living now in this life, is the Holy Church of GOD, fighting here on earth against the Fiend, the prosperity of the world, and their fleshly lusts. Wherefore, seeing that all the gathering together of this Church beforesaid, and every part thereof, neither coveteth, nor willeth, nor loveth, nor seeketh anything, but to eschew the offence of GOD, and to do His pleasing will: meekly, gladly, and wilfully, of all mine heart, I submit myself unto this Holy Church of Christ; to be ever buxom and obedient to the ordinance of it, and of every member thereof, after my knowledge and power, by the help of GOD.
Therefore I [ac]knowledge now, and evermore shall (if GOD will!) that, of all my heart, and of all my might, I will submit me only to the rule and governance of them whom, after my knowledge, I may perceive, by the having and using of the beforesaid virtues, to be members of the Holy Church.
Wherefore these Articles of Belief and all others, both of the Old Law and of the New, which, after the commandment of GOD, any man ought to believe, I believe verily in my soul, as a sinful deadly wretch of my cunning and power ought to believe; praying the LORD GOD, for His holy name, for to increase my belief, and help my unbelief.
And for because, to the praising of GOD’s name, I desire above all things to be a faithful member of Holy Church, I make this Protestation before you all four that are now here present, coveting that all men and women that [are] now absent knew the same; that what thing soever before this time I have said or done, or what thing here I shall do or say at any time hereafter, I believe that all the Old Law and the New Law given and ordained by the counsel of these three Persons in the Trinity, were given and written to [for] the salvation of mankind. And I believe these Laws are sufficient for the man’s salvation. And I believe every Article of these Laws to the intent that these Articles were ordained and commanded, of these three Persons of the most blessed Trinity, to be believed. And therefore to the rule and the ordinance of these, GOD’s Laws, meekly, gladly, and wilfully, I submit me with all mine heart: that whoever can or will, by authority of GOD’s Law, or by open reason, tell me that I have erred, or now err, or any time hereafter shall err in any Article of Belief (from which inconvenience, GOD keep me, for his goodness!) I submit me to be reconciled, and to be buxom and obedient unto these Laws of GOD, and to every Article of them. For by authority specially of these Laws, I will, through the grace of GOD, be unied [united] charitably unto these Laws.
Archbishop’s conditions to William .
Yea, Sir, and over this, I believe and admit all the Sentences, authorities, and reasons of the Saints and Doctors, according unto Holy Scripture, and declaring it truly. I submit me wilfully and meekly to be ever obedient, after my cunning and power, to all these Saints and Doctors as they are obedient in work and in word to GOD and his Law: and further, not to my knowledge; nor for any earthly power, dignity, or state, through the help of GOD.
“But, Sir, I pray you tell me, if after your bidding, I shall lay my hand upon the book, to the intent to swear thereby?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said unto me, “Yea! wherefore else?”
William. And I said to him, “Sir, a book is nothing else but a thing coupled together of diverse creatures [created things]; and to swear by any creature, both GOD’s Law and man’s law is against. But, Sir, this thing I say here to you, before these your Clerks, with my foresaid Protestation, that how, where, when, and to whom, men are bounden to swear or to obey, in any wise, after GOD’s Laws, and Saints and good Doctors according with GOD’s Law; I will, through GOD’s grace, be ever ready thereto, with all my cunning and power!
“But I pray you, Sir, for the charity of GOD! that ye will, before that I swear as I have rehearsed to you, tell me how or whereto that I shall submit me; and shew me whereof that ye will correct me, and what is the ordinance that ye will thus oblige me to fulfil?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said unto me, “I will, shortly, that now thou swear here to me, that thou shalt forsake all the opinions which the Sect of Lollards hold, and is slandered [charged] with; so that, after this time, neither privily nor apertly, thou hold any opinion which I shall, after that thou hast sworn, rehearse to thee here. Nor thou shalt favour no man nor woman, young nor old, that holdeth any of these foresaid opinions; but, after thy knowledge and power, thou shalt enforce thee to withstand all such distroublers of Holy Church in every diocese that thou comest in; and them that will not leave their false and damnable opinions, thou shalt put them up, publishing them and their names; and make them known to the Bishop of the diocese that they are in, or to the Bishop’s Ministers. And, over this, I will that thou preach no more, unto the time that I know, by good witness and true, that thy conversation be such that thy heart and thy mouth accord truly in one contrarying [of] all the lewd learning that thou hast taught herebefore.”
And I, hearing these words, thought in my heart that this was an unlawful asking; and I deemed myself cursed of GOD, if I consented hereto: and I thought how Susanna said, Anguish is to me on every side!
Archbishop. And in that I stood still, and spake not; the Archbishop said to me, “Answer one wise or another!”
He is to be the Bishops’ spy.
William. And I said, “Sir, if I consented to you thus, as ye have here rehearsed to me; I should become an Appealer, or every Bishop’s Spy! Summoner of all England! For an [if] I should thus put up and publish the names of men and women, I should herein deceive full many persons: yea, Sir, as it is likely, by the doom of my conscience, I should herein be cause of the death, both of men and women; yea, both bodily and ghostly. For many men and women that stand now in the Truth, and are in the way of salvation, if I should for the learning and reading of their Belief publish them or put them therefore up to Bishops or to their unpiteous Ministers, I know some deal by experience, that they should be so distroubled and dis-eased with persecution or otherwise, that many of them, I think, would rather choose to forsake the Way of Truth than to be travailed, scorned, and slandered or punished as Bishops and their Ministers now use [are accustomed] for to constrain men and women to consent to them.
“But I find in no place in Holy Scripture, that this office that ye would now enfeoff me with, accordeth to any priest of Christ’s sect, nor to any other Christian man. And therefore to do thus, were to me a full noyous bond to be bounden with, and over grievous charge. For I suppose that if I thus did, many men and women in the world, yea, Sir, might justly, unto my confusion say to me that ‘I were a traitor to GOD and to them!’ since, as I think in mine heart, many men and women trust so mickle in me in this case, that I would not, for the saving of my life, do thus to them. For if I thus should do, full many men and women would, as they might full truly, say that ‘I had falsely and cowardly forsaken the Truth, and slandered shamefully the Word of GOD!’ For if I consented to you, to do hereafter your will, for bonchief and mischief that may befall to me in this life, I deem in my conscience that I were worthy herefore to be cursed of GOD, as also of all His Saints! From which inconvenience keep me and all Christian people, Almighty GOD! now and ever, for His holy name!”
Arundell threatens to burn William.
Archbishop. And then the Archbishop said unto me, “O thine heart is full hard, endured [hardened] as was the heart of Pharaoh; and the Devil hath overcome thee, and perverted thee! and he hath so blinded thee in all thy wits, that thou hast no grace to know the truth, nor the measure of mercy that I have proffered to thee! Therefore, as I perceive now by thy foolish answer, thou hast no will to leave thine old errors. But I say to thee, lewd losell! [base lost one! or base son of perdition!] either thou quickly consent to mine ordinance, and submit thee to stand to my decrees, or, by Saint Thomas! thou shalt be disgraded [degraded], and follow thy fellow in Smithfield!”
And at this saying, I stood still and spake not; but I thought in mine heart that GOD did to me a great grace, if He would, of His great mercy, bring me to such an end. And in mine heart, I was nothing [a]fraid with this menacing of the Archbishop.
And I considered, there, two things in him. One, that he was not yet sorrowful, for that he had made William Sautre wrongfully to be burnt [on Feb. 12, 1401, at Smithfield]. And as I considered that the Archbishop thirsted yet after more shedding out of innocent blood. And fast therefore I was moved in all my wits, for to hold the Archbishop neither for Prelate, nor for priest of GOD; and for that mine inward man was thus altogether departed from the Archbishop, methought I should not have any dread of him. But I was right heavy and sorrowful for that there was none audience of secular [lay] men by: but in mine heart, I prayed the LORD GOD to comfort me and strengthen me against them that there were against the Soothfastness. And I purposed to speak no more to the Archbishop and his Clerks [Chaplains] than me need behoved.
How William came to Wycliffe, about 1377.
And all thus I prayed GOD, for His goodness, to give me then and always grace to speak with a meek and an easy spirit; and whatsoever thing that I should speak, that I might thereto have true authorities of Scriptures and open reason.
A Clerk. And for that I stood still, and nothing spake, one of the Archbishop’s Clerks said unto me, “What thing musest thou? Do thou, as my Lord hath now commanded to thee here!”
And yet I stood still, and answered him not.
Archbishop. And then, soon after, the Archbishop said to me, “Art thou not yet bethought, whether thou wilt do as I have here said to thee?”
William. And I said then to him, “Sir, my father and mother (on whose souls GOD have mercy! if it be His will) spent mickle money in divers places about my learning; for the intent to have made me a priest to GOD. But when I came to years of discretion, I had no will to be priest; and therefore my friends were right heavy to me. And then methought their grudging against me was so painful to me, that I purposed therefore to have left their company. And when they perceived this in me, they spake some time full fair and pleasant words to me: but for that they might not make me to consent, of good heart, to be a priest, they spake to me full ofttimes very grievous words, and menaced me in divers manners, shewing to me full heavy cheer. And thus, one while in fair manner, another while in grievous, they were long time, as methought, full busy about me, ere I consented to them to be a priest.
“But, at the last, when, in this matter, they would no longer suffer mine excusations; but either I should consent to them, or I should ever bear their indignation; yea, ‘their curse,’ as they said. Then I seeing this, prayed them that they would give me license for to go to them that were named wise priests and of virtuous conversation, to have their counsel, and to know of them the office and the charge of priesthood.
“And hereto my father and my mother consented full gladly, and gave me their blessing and good leave to go, and also money to spend in this journey.
Wycliffe’s co-workers in translating the Bible , Hereford & Purvey, give up Lollardism.
“And so then I went to those priests whom I heard to be of best name and of most holy living, and best learned and most wise of heavenly wisdom: and so I communed with them unto the time that I perceived, by their virtuous and continual occupations, that their honest and charitable works [sur]passed their fame, which I heard before of them. Wherefore, sir, by the example of the doctrine of them, and specially for the godly and innocent works which I perceived of them and in them; after my cunning and power I have exercised me then, and in this time, to know perfectly GOD’s Law: having a will and desire to live thereafter, willing that all men and women exercised themselves faithfully thereabout.
“If then, Sir, either for pleasure or displeasure of them that are neither so wise, nor of so virtuous conversation (to my knowledge, nor by common fame of other men’s knowledge in this land) as these men were, of whom I took my counsel and information; I should now forsake, thus suddenly and shortly, and unwarned, all the learning that I have exercised myself in, this thirty winter [i.e., from 1377] and more, my conscience should ever be herewith out of measure unquieted. And as, Sir, I know well that many men and women should be therethrough greatly troubled and slandered; and (as I said, Sir, to you before) for mine untruth and false cowardness many a one should be put into full great reprefe [reproof]. Yea, Sir, I dread that many a one, as they might then justly, would curse me full bitterly: and, Sir, I fear not but the curse of GOD (which I should deserve herein) would bring me to a full evil end, if I continued thus.
“And if through remorse of conscience, I repented me at any time, returning into the Way which you do your diligence to constrain me now to forsake; yea, Sir, all the Bishops of this land, with full many other priests, would defame me, and pursue me as a Relapse: and they that now have (though I be unworthy) some confidence in me, hereafter would never trust to me, though I could teach and live never so virtuously more that I can or may.
“For if, after your counsel, I left utterly all my Learning: I should hereby, first wound and defile mine own soul; and also I should herethrough give occasion to many men and women of full sore hurting. Yea, Sir, it is likely to me, if I consented to your will, I should herein by mine evil example in it, as far as in me were, slay many folk ghostly, that I should never deserve for to have grace of GOD to the edifying of His Church, neither of myself, nor of none other man’s life, and [be] undone both before GOD and man.
“But, Sir, by example chiefly of some, whose names I will not now rehearse, [Nicholas de] H[ereford], of J[ohn] P[urvey], and B[owland]; and also by the present doing of Philip of Repington that [after being a Lollard] is now become Bishop of Lincoln [consecrated on March 28, 1405; and about a year following this Examination was made, on September 19, 1408, a Cardinal]: I am now learned, as many more hereafter through GOD’s grace shall be learned, to hate and to flee all such slander that these foresaid men chiefly hath defiled principally themselves with. And in it that in them is, they have envenomed all the Church of GOD; for the slanderous revoking at the Cross of Paul’s, of H[ereford], P[urvey], and of B[owland], and how now Philip Repington pursueth Christ’s people. And the feigning that these men dissemble by worldly prudence, keeping them cowardly in their preaching and communing, within the bonds and terms, which, without blame, may be spoken and shewed out to the most worldly livers, will not be unpunished of GOD. For to the point of truth that these men shewed out some time, they not will now stretch forth their lives: but by example, each one of them, as their words and works shew, they busy them, through their feigning, for to slander and to pursue Christ in his members, rather than they will be pursued.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “These men the which thou speakest of now, were fools and heretics, when they were counted wise men of thee and other such losells: but now they are wise men, though thou and such others deem them unwise. Nevertheless, I wist never none, that right said; that any while were envenomed with your contagiousness, that is contaminated and spotted doctrine.”
William. And I said to the Archbishop, “Sir, I think well that these men and such others are now wise as to this world, but as their words sounded sometime and their works shewed outwardly, it was likely to move me that they had earnest of the wisdom of GOD, and that they should have deserved mickle grace of GOD to have saved their own souls and many other men’s, if they had continued faithful in wilful poverty and in other simple virtuous living; and specially if they had with these foresaid virtues, continued in their busy fruitful sowing of GOD’s Word, as, to many men’s knowledge, they occupied them a season in all their wits full busily to know the pleasant Will of GOD, travailing all their members full busily for to do thereafter purely, and chiefly to the praising of the most holy name of GOD and for grace of edification and salvation of Christian people. But woe worth false covetise! and evil counsel! and tyranny! by which they and many men and women are led blindly into an evil end.”
J. Purvey, Vicar of West Hythe , 1401-3.
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “Thou and such other losells of thy sect would shave your beards full near, for to have a benefice! For, by Jesu! I know none more covetous shrews than ye are, when that ye have a benefice. For, lo, I gave to John Purvey a benefice but a mile out of this Castle [i.e., the vicarage of West Hythe, near Saltwood Castle in Kent, which Purvey held from August 11, 1401, till he resigned it on October 8, 1403], and I heard more complaints about his covetousness for tithes and other misdoings, than I did of all men that were advanced within my diocese.”
William. And I said to the Archbishop, “Sir, Purvey is neither with you now for the benefice that ye gave him, nor holdeth he faithfully with the learning that he taught and writ before time; and thus he sheweth himself neither to be hot nor cold: and therefore he and his fellows may sore[ly] dread that if they turn not hastily to the Way that they have forsaken, peradventure they be put out of the number of Christ’s chosen people.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Though Purvey be now a false harlot [debased man. This term was at this time applied also to men], I quite me [absolve myself in respect] to him: but come he more for such cause before me, ere we depart, I shall know with whom he holdeth! But I say to thee, Which are these holy men and wise of whom thou hast taken thine information?”
The first leaders of the Lollards.
William. And I said, “Sir, Master John Wycliffe was holden of full many men, the greatest Clerk [Divine] that they knew then living; and therewith he was named a passing ruely man and an innocent in his living: and herefore great many commoned [communed] oft with him, and they loved so much his learning that they writ it, and busily enforced them to rule themselves thereafter. Therefore, Sir, this foresaid learning of Master John Wycliffe is yet holden of full many men and women, the most agreeable learning unto the living and teaching of Christ and his Apostles, and most openly shewing and declaring how the Church of Christ hath been, and yet should be, ruled and governed. Therefore so many men and women covet this learning, and purpose, through GOD’s grace, to conform their living like to this learning of Wycliffe.
“Master John Aiston taught and writ accordingly, and full busily, where, and when, and to whom that he might: and he used it himself right perfectly, unto his life’s end.
“And also Philip of Repington, while he was a Canon of Leicester [He was Chancellor of Oxford in 1397, and again in 1400]; Nicholas Her[e]ford; David Gotray of Pakring, Monk of Bylande and a Master of Divinity; and John Purvey, and many others, which were holden right wise men and prudent, taught and writ busily this foresaid learning, and conformed them thereto. And with all these men I was oft right homely [quite at home], and communed with them long time and oft: and so, before all other men, I choose wilfully to be informed of them and by them, and especially of Wycliffe himself; as of the most virtuous and godly wise men that I heard of or knew. And therefore of him specially, and of these men I took my learning, that I have taught; and purpose to live thereafter, if GOD will! to my life’s end.
“For though some of these men be contrary to the learning that they taught before, I wot well that their learning was true which they taught; and therefore, with the help of GOD, I purpose to hold and to use the learning which I heard of them while they sat on Moses’ chair, and specially while they sat on the chair of Christ. But after the works that they now do, I will not do! with GOD’s help. For they feign and hide and contrary the Truth which before they taught out plainly and truly. For as I know well, when some of these men hath been blamed for their slanderous doing, they grant not that they have taught amiss, or erred before time; but that they were constrained by pain[s] to leave to tell out the Sooth: and thus they choose now rather to blaspheme GOD than to suffer awhile here bodily persecution for Soothfastness that Christ shed out his heart-blood for.”
William’s Sermon at St. Chad’s.
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “That learning that thou callest Truth and Soothfastness is open slander to Holy Church, as it is proved of Holy Church. For albeit that Wycliffe your author [founder] was a great Clerk, and though that many men held him a perfect liver: yet his doctrine is not approved of Holy Church, but many Sentences of his learning are damned [condemned] as they are well worthy.
“But as touching Philip of Repington that was first Canon, and after Abbot of Leicester, which is now Bishop of Lincoln; I tell thee that the Day is now comen for which he fasted the Even! For neither he holdeth now, nor will hold the learning that he thought when he was Canon of Leicester; for no Bishop of this land pursueth now more sharply them that hold thy Way than he doth.”
William. And I said, “Sir, full many men and women wondereth upon him, and speaketh him mickle shame, and holdeth him for a cursed enemy of the Truth.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Wherefore tarriest thou me thus here, with such fables? Wilt thou shortly, as I said to thee, submit thee to me or no?”
William. And I said, “Sir, I tell you at one word. I dare not, for the dread of GOD, submit me to you after the tenour and Sentence that ye have above rehearsed to me.”
Archbishop. And then, as if he had been wroth, he said to one of his Clerks, “Fetch hither quickly the Certification that came to me from Shrewsbury, under the Bailiff’s seal, witnessing the errors and heresies which this losell hath venemously witnessed there!”
Then hastily the Clerk took out and laid forth on a cupboard divers rolls and writings; among which there was a little one, which the Clerk delivered to the Archbishop.
The desire of the Shrewsbury men.
And by and by the Archbishop read this roll containing this sentence.
¶ The third Sunday [April 17th] after Easter [March 27th], the year of our Lord 1407, William Thorpe came unto the town of Shrewsbury, and, through leave granted to him to preach, he said openly in St. Chad’s Church, in his sermon,
That the Sacrament of the Altar after the consecration was material bread.
And that images should in no wise be worshipped.
And that men should not go on any pilgrimages.
And that priests have no title to tithes.
And that it is not lawful to swear in any wise.
Archbishop. And when the Archbishop had read thus this roll, he rolled it up again, and said to me, “Is this wholesome learning to be among the people?”
William. And I said to him, “Sir, I am both ashamed on their behalf, and right sorrowful for them that have certified you these things thus untruly: for I never preached nor taught thus, privily nor apertly.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “I will give credence to these worshipful men which have written to me and witnessed under their seals there among them. Though thou now deniest this, weenest thou that I will credence to thee! Thou, losell! hast troubled the worshipful comminalty of Shrewsbury, so that the Bailiffs and comminalty of that town have written to me, praying me, that am Archbishop of Canterbury, Primate, and Chancellor of England, that I will vouchsafe to grant them, that if thou shalt be made, as thou art worthy! to suffer open jouresse [? penance or pillory] for thine heresies, that thou may have thy jouresse openly there among them; so that all they whom thou and such like losells have there perverted, may, through fear of thy deed [i.e., martyrdom] be reconciled again to the unity of Holy Church; and also they that stand in true faith of Holy Church may through thy deed be more stablished therein.” And as if this asking had pleased the Archbishop, he said, “By my thrift! this hearty prayer and fervent request shall be thought on!”
But certainly neither the prayer of the men of Shrewsbury, nor the menacing of the Archbishop made me anything afraid: but, in the rehearsing of this malice, and in the hearing of it, my heart greatly rejoiced, and yet doth. I thank GOD, for the grace that I then thought, and yet think, shall come to all the Church of GOD herethrough, by the special merciful doing of the LORD.
A dauntless Lollard speech.
William. And as having no dread of the malice of tyrants, by trusting stedfastly in the help of the LORD, with full purpose for to [ac]knowledge the Soothfastness, and to stand thereby after my cunning and power, I said to the Archbishop, “Sir, if the truth of GOD’s Word might now be accepted as it should be, I doubt not to prove by likely evidence, that they that are famed to be out of the faith of Holy Church in Shrewsbury and in other places also, are in the true faith of Holy Church. For as their words sound and their works shew to man’s judgement, dreading and loving faithfully GOD; their will, their desire, their love, and their business, are most set to dread to offend GOD and to love for to please Him in true and faithful keeping of His commandments.
“And again, they that are said to be in the faith of Holy Church at Shrewsbury and in other places, by open evidence of their proud, envious, malicious, covetous, lecherous, and other foul words and works, neither know nor have will to know nor to occupy their wits truly and effectuously in the right faith of Holy Church. Wherefore [none of] all these, nor none that follow their manners, shall any time come verily in the faith of Holy Church, except they enforce them more truly to come in the way which now they despise. For these men and women that are now called Faithful and holden Just, neither know, nor will exercise themselves to know, of faithfulness, one commandment of GOD. And thus full many men and women now, and specially men that are named to be “principal limbs of Holy Church,” stir GOD to great wrath; and deserve His curse for that they call or hold them “just men” which are full unjust, as their vicious words, their great customable swearing, and their slanderous and shameful works shew openly and witness. And herefore such vicious men and unjust in their own confusion call them “unjust men and women,” which after their power and cunning, busy themselves to live justly after the commandment of GOD.
“And where, Sir, ye say, that I have distroubled the comminalty of Shrewsbury and many other men and women with my teaching; if it thus be, it is not to be wondered [at] of wise men, since all the comminalty of the city of Jerusalem was distroubled of Christ’s own person, that was Very GOD and Man, and [the] most prudent preacher that ever was or shall be. And also all the Synagogue of Nazareth was moved against Christ, and so full-filled with ire towards him for his preaching, that the men of the Synagogue rose up and cast Christ out of their city, and led him up to the top of a mountain for to cast him down there headlong. Also according hereto, the LORD witnesseth by Moses, that He shall put dissension betwixt His people, and the people that contrarieth and pursueth His people. Who, Sir, is he that shall preach the truth of GOD’s Word to that unfaithful people, and shall let [hinder] the Soothfastness of the gospel, and the prophecy of GOD Almighty to be fulfilled?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “It followeth of these thy words, that thou, and such other, thinkest that ye do right well for to preach and teach as ye do, without authority of any Bishop. For ye presume that the LORD hath chosen you only, for to preach as faithful disciples and special followers of Christ!”
The office of every Priest is to preach.
William. And I said, “Sir, by authority of GOD’s law, and also of Saints and Doctors, I am learned to deem that it is every priest’s office and duty for to preach busily, freely, and truly the Word of GOD.
“For, no doubt, every priest should purpose first in his soul and covet to take the order of priesthood chiefly for to make known to the people the Word of GOD, after his cunning and power, approving his words ever to be true by his virtuous works; and for this intent we suppose that Bishops and other prelates of Holy Church should chiefly take and use their prelacy. And for the same cause, Bishops should give to priests their orders. For Bishops should accept no man to priesthood, except that he had good will and full purpose, and were well disposed and well learned to preach. Wherefore, Sir, by the bidding of Christ, and by example of His most holy living, and also by the witnessing of His holy apostles and prophets, we are bound under full great pain to exercise us after our cunning and power (as every priest is likewise charged of GOD), to fulfil duly the office of priesthood. We presume not hereof, ourselves, for to be esteemed, neither in our own reputation nor in none other man’s, faithful disciples and special followers of Christ: but, Sir, as I said to you before, we deem this, by authority chiefly of GOD’s Word, that it is the chief duty of every priest to busy him faithfully to make the law of GOD known to His people; and so to comune [communicate] the commandment of GOD charitably, how that we best, where, when, and to whom that ever we may, is our very duty. And for the will and business that we owe of due debt to do justly our office, through the stirring and special help, as we trust, of GOD, hoping stedfastly in His mercy, we desire to be the faithful disciples of Christ: and we pray this gracious LORD, for His holy name! that He make us able for to please Him with devout prayers and charitable priestly works, that we may obtain of Him to follow Him thankfully.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Lewd losell! whereto makest thou such vain reasons to me? Asketh not Saint Paul, How should priests preach, except they be sent? But I sent thee never to preach! For thy venomous doctrine is so known throughout England, that no Bishop will admit thee for to preach, by witnessing of their Letters! Why then, lewd idiot! willst thou presume to preach, since thou art not sent nor licensed of thy Sovereign to preach? Saith not Saint Paul that Subjects owe [ought] to obey their Sovereigns; and not only good and virtuous, but also tyrants that are vicious!”
GOD will be a Letter of License!
William. And I said to the Archbishop, “Sir, as touching your Letter of License or other Bishops’, which, ye say, we should have to witness that we were able to be sent for to preach; we know well that neither you, Sir, nor any other Bishop of this land will grant to us any such Letters of License but [except] we should oblige [bind] us to you and to other Bishops by unlawful oaths for to pass not the bounds and terms which ye, Sir, or other Bishops will limit to us. And since in this matter, your terms be some too large, and some too strait; we dare not oblige us thus to be bound to you for to keep the terms which you will limit to us, as ye do to Friars and such other preachers: and therefore, though we have not your Letter, Sir, nor Letters of other Bishops written with ink upon parchment; we dare not herefore leave the office of preaching; to which preaching, all priests, after their cunning and power are bound, by divers testimonies of GOD’s Law and of great Doctors, without any mention making of Bishops’ Letters.
Both good and bad are witnesses.
“For as mickle as we have taken upon us the office of priesthood, though we are unworthy thereto, we come and purpose to fulfil it, with the help of GOD, by authority of His own law, and by witness of great Doctors and Saints according hereto, trusting stedfastly in the mercy of GOD. For that [because] He commandeth us to do the office of priesthood, He will be our sufficient Letters and witness, if we, by the example of his living and teaching specially occupy us faithfully to do our office justly: yea, that people to whom we preach, be they faithful or unfaithful, shall be our Letters, that is, our witness bearers; for that Truth where it is sown may not be unwitnessed. For all that are converted and saved by learning of GOD’s Word and by working thereafter are witness bearers, that the Truth and Soothfastness which they heard and did after, is cause of their salvation. And again, all unfaithful men and women which heard the Truth told out to them and would not do thereafter, also all they that might have heard the Truth and would not hear it, because that they would not do thereafter, all these shall bear witness against themselves, and the Truth (which they would not hear, or else heard it and despised to do thereafter through their unfaithfulness) is and shall be cause of their damnation.
“Therefore, Sir, since this foresaid witnessing of GOD, and of divers Saints and Doctors, and of all the people good and evil sufficeth to all true preachers: we think that we do not the office of the priesthood, if that we leave our preaching because that we have not or may not have duly Bishops’ Letters to witness that we are sent of them to preach. This Sentence approveth Saint Paul where he speaketh of himself and of faithful Apostles and disciples, saying thus, We need no letters of commendation as some other preachers do; which preach for covetousness of temporal goods, and for men’s praising.
“And where ye say, Sir, Saint Paul biddeth subjects obey their Sovereigns; this is Sooth, and may not be denied. But there are two manner of Sovereigns; virtuous sovereigns and vicious tyrants. Therefore to these last Sovereigns, neither men nor women that be subject owe [ought] to obey. In two manners. To virtuous Sovereigns and charitable, subjects owe to obey wilfully and gladly in hearing of their good counsel, in consenting to their charitable biddings, and in working after their fruitful works. This Sentence, Paul approveth where he saith thus to subjects, Be ye mindful of your Sovereigns that speak to you the Word of GOD; and follow you the faith of them, whose conversation you know to be virtuous.
The old theory of Political Responsibility.
“For as Paul saith after, These Sovereigns to whom subjects owe to obey in following of their manners, work busily in holy studying how they may withstand and destroy vices, first in themselves and after in all their subjects, and how they may best plant in them virtues. Also these Sovereigns make devout and fervent prayers for to purchase [obtain] grace of GOD, that they and their subjects may, over all things, dread to offend Him, and to love for to please Him. Also these Sovereigns to whom Paul biddeth us obey, as it is said before, live so virtuously that all they that will live well may take of them good example to know and to keep the commandments of GOD.
“But, in this foresaid wise, subjects owe [ought] not to obey nor to be obedient to tyrants, while they are vicious tyrants; since their will, their counsel, their biddings, and their works are so vicious that they owe [ought] to be hated and left. And though such tyrants be masterful and cruel in boasting and menacing, in oppressions and divers punishings; Saint Peter biddeth the servants of such tyrants to obey meekly to such tyrants, suffering patiently their malicious cruelness. But Peter counselleth not any servant or subject to obey to any Lord, or Prince, or Sovereign, in anything that is not pleasing to GOD.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said unto me, “If the Sovereign bid his subject do that thing that is vicious, this Sovereign herein is to blame: but the subject, for his obedience, deserveth meed of GOD. For obedience pleaseth more to GOD than any sacrifice.”
William. And I said, “Samuel the Prophet said to Saul the wicked King, that GOD was more pleased with the obedience of His commandment, than with any sacrifice of beasts: but David saith, and Saint Paul and Saint Gregory accordingly together, that not only they that do evil are worthy of death and damnation; but also all they that consent to evil doers. And, Sir, the law of Holy Church teacheth, in the Decrees, that no servant to his Lord, nor child to the father or mother, nor wife to her husband, nor monk to his abbot, ought to obey, except in lefull [loyal] things and lawful.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “All these allegings that thou bringest forth are nought else but proud presumptuousness. For hereby thou enforcest [endeavourest] thee to prove, that thou and such others are so just, that ye owe [ought] not to obey to Prelates: and thus against the learning of Saint Paul that telleth you not to preach, but if ye were sent, of your own authority, ye will go forth and preach, and do what ye list!”
William. And I said, “Sir, [re]presenteth not every priest the office of the Apostles or the office of the disciples of Christ?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Yea!”
A Priest not preaching, is Antichrist.
William. And I said, “Sir, as the 10th Chapter of Matthew and the last Chapter of Mark witnesseth, Christ sent his Apostles for to preach. And the 10th Chapter of Luke witnesseth Christ sent his two and seventy disciples for to preach in every place that Christ was to come to. And Saint Gregory in the Common Law saith, that every man that goeth to priesthood taketh upon him the office of preaching: for as he saith, that priest stirreth GOD to great wrath, of whose mouth is not heard the voice of preaching. And as other more glosses upon Ezekiel witness, that the priest that preacheth not busily to the people shall be partaker of their damnation, that perish through his default: and though the people be saved by other special grace of GOD than by the priest’s preaching; yet the priests (in that they are ordained to preach, and preach not) as before GOD, they are man-slayers. For as far as in them is, such priests as preach not busily and truly, slayeth all the people ghostly, in that they withhold from them the Word of GOD, that is [the] life and sustenance of men’s souls. And Saint Isidore saith, Priests shall be damned for [the] wickedness of the people, if they teach not them that are ignorant, and condemn them that are sinners. For all the work and witness of priests standeth in preaching and teaching; that they edify all men, as well by cunning of faith, as by discipline of works, that is virtuous teaching. And, as the gospel witnesseth, Christ said in his teaching, I am born and come into this world to bear witness to the Truth, and he that is of the Truth heareth my voice.
“¶ Then, Sir, since by the word of Christ specially, that is his voice, priests are commanded to preach; whatsoever priest that it be, that hath not goodwill and full purpose to do thus, and ableth not himself after his cunning and power to do his office, by the example of Christ and his Apostles: whatsoever other thing that he doeth, displeaseth GOD. For, lo, Saint Gregory saith, That thing left, that a man is bound chiefly to do; whatsoever other thing that a man doeth, it is unthankful to the HOLY GHOST. And therefore saith [Robert Grossetête, Bishop of] Lincoln, That priest that preacheth not the Word of GOD, though he be seen to have none other default, he is Antichrist and Sathanas, a night-thief and a day-thief, a slayer of souls, and an angel of light turned into darkness.
“Wherefore, Sir, these authorities and others well considered, I deem myself damnable, if I, either for pleasure or displeasure of any creature, apply me not diligently to preach the Word of GOD: and in the same damnation, I deem all those priests which, of good purpose and will, enforce them not busily to do thus, and also all them that have purpose or will to let [hinder] any priest of this business.”
The Psalter taken from William.
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to those three Clerks that stood before him, “Lo, Sirs, this is the manner and business of this losell and such others, to pick out such sharp sentences of Holy Scripture and of Doctors to maintain their sect and lore [teaching] against the ordinance of Holy Church. And therefore, losell! is it, that thou covetest to have again the Psalter that I made to be taken from thee at Canterbury, to record sharp verses against us! But thou shalt never have that Psalter, nor none other book, till that I know that thy heart and thy mouth accord fully to be governed by Holy Church.”
William. And I said, “Sir, all my will and power is, and ever shall be, I trust to GOD! to be governed by Holy Church.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop asked me, “What was Holy Church?”
William. And I said, “Sir, I told you before, what was Holy Church: but since ye ask me this demand, I call Christ and his saints, Holy Church.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said unto me, “I wot well that Christ and his saints are Holy Church in heaven; but what is Holy Church in earth?”
William. And I said, “Sir, though Holy Church be every one in charity; yet it hath two parts. The first and principal part hath overcomen perfectly all the wretchedness of this life, and reigneth joyfully in heaven with Christ. And the other part is here yet in earth, busily and continually fighting, day and night, against temptations of the Fiend, forsaking and hating the prosperity of this world, despising and withstanding their fleshly lusts; which only are the pilgrims of Christ, wandering towards heaven by steadfast faith, and grounded hope, and by perfect charity. For these heavenly pilgrims may not, nor will not, be letted [hindered] of their good purpose by reason of any Doctors discording from Holy Scripture, nor by the floods of any tribulation temporal, nor by the wind of any pride of boast, or of menacing of any creature; for they are all fast grounded upon the sure stone Christ, hearing his word and loving it, exercising them faithfully and continually in all their wits to do thereafter.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to his Clerks, “See ye not how his heart is endured [hardened], and how he is travailled with the Devil, occupying him thus busily to allege such Sentences to maintain his errors and heresies! Certain, thus, he would occupy us here all day, if we would suffer him!”
The 1st charge of the Shrewsbury men.
One of the Clerks answered, “Sir, he said, right now, that this Certification that came to you from Shrewsbury is untruly forged against him. Therefore, Sir, appose you him now here, in all the points which are certified against him; and so we shall hear of his own mouth his answers, and witness them.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop took the Certification in his hand, and looked thereon awhile; and then he said to me, “Lo, herein is certified against thee, by worthy men and faithful of Shrewsbury, that thou preachedst there openly in Saint Chad’s Church, that the Sacrament of the Altar was material bread after the consecration. What sayest thou? Was this truly preached?”
Material bread not found in Scripture.
William. And I said, “Sir, I tell you truly that I touched nothing there of the Sacrament of the Altar, but in this wise, as I will, with GOD’s grace, tell you here.
“As I stood there in the pulpit, busying me to teach the commandment of GOD, there knelled a sacring-bell; and therefore mickle people turned away hastily, and with great noise ran from towards me. And I seeing this, say to them thus, ‘Good men! ye were better to stand here full still and to hear GOD’s Word. For, certes, the virtue and the mede of the most holy Sacrament of the Altar standeth much more in the Belief thereof that ye ought to have in your soul, than it doth in the outward Sight thereof. And therefore ye were better to stand quietly to hear GOD’s Word, because that through the hearing thereof, men come to very true belief.’ And otherwise, Sir, I am certain I spake not there, of the worthy Sacrament of the Altar.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “I believe thee not! whatsoever thou sayest, since so worshipful men have witnessed against thee. But since thou deniest that thou saidest thus there, what sayest thou now? Resteth there, after the consecration, in the [h]ost, material bread or no?”
William. And I said, “Sir, I know of no place in Holy Scripture, where this term, material bread, is written: and therefore, Sir, when I speak of this matter, I use not [am not accustomed] to speak of material bread.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “How teachest thou men to believe in this Sacrament?”
William. And I said, “Sir, as I believe myself, so I teach other men.”
Archbishop. He said, “Tell out plainly thy belief hereof!”
William. And I said, with my Protestation, “Sir, I believe that the night before that Christ Jesu would suffer wilfully Passion for mankind on the morn after, he took bread in his holy and most worshipful hands, lifting up his eyes, and giving thanks to GOD his Father, blessed this bread and brake it, and gave it to his disciples, saying to them, Take, and eat of this, all of you! This is my body!
“And that this is, and ought to be all men’s belief, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Paul witnesseth.
“Other belief, Sir, have I none, nor will have, nor teach: for I believe that this sufficeth in this matter. For in this belief, with GOD’s grace, I purpose to live and die: [ac]knowledging as I believe and teach other men to believe, that the worshipful Sacrament of the Altar is the Sacrament of Christ’s flesh and his blood, in form of bread and wine.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “It is sooth, that this Sacrament is very Christ’s body in form of bread: but thou and thy sect teachest it to be the substance of bread! Think you this true teaching?”
William. And I said, “Neither I nor any other of the sect that ye damn [condemn], teach any otherwise than I have told you, nor believe otherwise, to my knowing.
St. Paul, a Doctor of Holy Church.
“Nevertheless, Sir, I ask of you, for charity! that will ye tell me plainly, how ye shall understand this text of Saint Paul, where he saith thus, This thing feel you in yourselves, that is, in Christ Jesu, while he was in the form of GOD. Sir, calleth not Paul here, the form of GOD, the substance or kind of GOD? Also, Sir, saith not the Church, in the Hours of the most blessed Virgin, accordingly hereto, where it is written thus, Thou Author of Health! remember that some time thou took, of the undefiled Virgin, the form of our body! Tell me, for charity! therefore, Whether the form of our body be called here, the kind of our body, or no?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Wouldst thou make me declare this text after thy purpose, since the Church hath now determined that ‘there abideth no substance of bread after the consecration in the Sacrament of the Altar!’ Believest thou not, on this Ordinance of the Church?”
William. And I said, “Sir, whatsoever Prelates have ordained in the Church, our Belief standeth ever whole. I have not heard that the ordinance of men under Belief, should be put into Belief.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “If thou hast not learned this before, learn now, to know that thou art out of belief, if, in this matter, and others, thou believest not as Holy Church believeth! What say Doctors treating of this Sacrament?”
The Faith of the Church for 1,000 years.
William. And I said, “Sir, Saint Paul, that was a great Doctor of Holy Church, speaking to the people and teaching the right belief of this most holy Sacrament, calleth it bread that we break. And also in the Canon of the Masse, after the consecration, this most worthy Sacrament is called holy bread. And every priest in this land, after he hath received this Sacrament, saith to this wise, That thing which we have taken with our mouth, we pray GOD, that we may take it with a pure and clean mind: that is, as I understand, ‘We pray GOD, that we may receive, through very belief, this holy Sacrament worthily.’ And, Sir, Saint Augustine saith, That thing that is sense is bread, but that men’s faith asketh to be informed of, is very Christ’s body. And also Fulgentius, an ententif Doctor, saith, As it were an error to say that Christ was but a substance, that is Very Man and not Very GOD, or to say that Christ was Very GOD and not Very Man; so is it, this Doctor saith, an error to say that the Sacrament of the Altar is but a substance. And also, Sir, accordingly hereto, in the Secret of the mid-Mass of Christmas day, it is written thus, Idem refulsit DEUS, sic terrena substantia nobis conferat quod divinum est; which sentence, with the Secret of the fourth ferye quatuor temporum Septembris, I pray you, Sir, declare here openly in English!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “I perceive well enough whereabout thou art! and how the Devil blindeth thee, that thou maist not understand the ordinance of Holy Church, nor consent thereto! But I command thee now, answer me shortly, ‘Believest thou that, after the consecration of this foresaid Sacrament, there abideth substance of bread or not?’”
William. And I said, “Sir, as I understand, it is all one to grant or to believe that there dwelleth substance of bread, and to grant or to believe that this most worthy Sacrament of Christ’s own body is one Accident without Subject. But, Sir, for as mickle as your asking passeth mine understanding, I dare neither deny it nor grant it, for it is a School matter [a subject for debate in the University Schools], about which I busied me never for to know it: and therefore I commit this term accidens sine subjecto, to those Clerks which delight them so in curious and subtle sophistry, because they determine oft so difficult and strange matters, and wade and wander so in them, from argument to argument, with pro and contra, till they wot not where they are! nor understand not themselves! But the shame that these proud sophisters have to yield them to men and before men, maketh them oft fools, and to be concluded shamefully before GOD.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “I purpose not to oblige thee to the subtle arguments of Clerks, since thou art unable thereto! but I purpose to make thee obey to the determination of Holy Church.”
William. And I said, “Sir, by open evidence and great witness, a thousand years after the Incarnation of Christ, that determination which I have, here before you, rehearsed was accepted of Holy Church, as sufficient to the salvation of all them that would believe it faithfully, and work thereafter charitably. But, Sir, the determination of this matter, which was brought in since the Fiend was loosed by Friar Thomas [Acquinas, d. 1274] again, specially calling the most worshipful Sacrament of Christ’s own body, an Accident without Subject; which term, since I know not that GOD’s law approveth it in this matter, I dare not grant: but utterly I deny to make this friar’s sentence [enunciation] or any such other my belief; do with me, GOD! what Thou wilt!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Well, well! thou shalt say otherwise ere that I leave thee!”
The 2nd charge of the Shrewsbury men.
But what sayest thou to this second point that is recorded against thee, by worthy men of Shrewsbury, saying that thou preachedst openly there that the images ought not to be worshipped in any wise?”
William. And I said, “Sir, I preached never thus, nor, through GOD’s grace, I will not, any time, consent to think nor to say thus; neither privily, nor apertly. For, lo, the LORD witnesseth by Moses, that the things which He made were right good, and so then they were, and yet are, and shall be good and worshipful in their kind. And thereto, to the end that GOD made them to, they are all preisable [valuable] and worshipful; and specially man that was made after the image and likeness of GOD is full worshipful in his kind: yea, this holy image, that is man, GOD worshippeth [respecteth]. And herefore every man should worship others in kind, and also for heavenly virtues that men use charitably. Also I say, wood, tin, gold, silver, or any other matter that images are made of; all these creatures [created things] are worshipful in their kind, and to the end that GOD made them for.
How Image-carvers shrive themselves first.
“But the carving, casting, nor painting of any imagery made with man’s hands (albeit that this doing be accepted of men of highest state and dignity, and ordained of them to be a calendar [horn book] to lewd men that neither can nor will be learned to know GOD in His Word, neither by His creatures, nor by His wonderful and divers workings); yet this imagery ought not to be worshipped in the form, nor in the likeness of man’s craft: nevertheless that every matter that painters paint with, since it is GOD’s creature, ought to be worshipped in the kind and to the end that GOD made and ordained it to serve man.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “I grant well that nobody oweth [ought] to do worship to any such images for themselves; but a crucifix ought to be worshipped for the Passion of Christ that is painted therein, and so brought therethrough to man’s mind: and thus the images of the blessed Trinity and of [the] Virgin Mary, Christ’s mother, and other images of the saints ought to be worshipped. For, lo, earthly kings and lords, which use to send their letters ensealed with their arms or with their privy signet, to men that are with them, are worshipped of these men. For when these men receive their lord’s letters, in which they see and know the wills and biddings of their lords, in worship of their lords, they do off their caps to these letters: why not, then, since in images made with man’s hands, we may read and know many divers things of GOD and of His saints, shall we not worship their images?”
William. And I said, with my foresaid Protestation, “I say that these worldly usages of temporal lords that ye speak now of, may be done in case without sin: but this is no similitude to worship images made by man’s hand, since that Moses, David, Solomon, Baruch, and other saints in the Bible, forbid so plainly the worshipping of all such images.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “Lewd losell! In the Old Law, before that Christ took mankind [human nature], was no likeness of any person of the Trinity neither shewed to man nor known of man; but now since Christ became man, it is lawful to have images to shew His manhood. Yea, though many men which are right great Clerks, and others also, hold it an error to paint the Trinity; I say, it is well done to make and to paint the Trinity in images. For it is a great moving of devotion to men, to have and to behold the Trinity and other images of Saints carved, cast, and painted. For beyond the sea, are the best painters that ever I saw. And, sirs! I tell you, this is their manner; and it is a good manner! When that an image-maker shall carve, cast in mould, or paint any images; he shall go to a priest, and shrive him as clean as if he should die, and take penance, and make some certain vow of fasting, or of praying, or of pilgrimages doing: praying the priest specially to pray for him, that he may have grace to make a fair and a devout image.”
Great boldness of the Lollard Apostle.
William. And I said, “Sir, I doubt not, if these painters that ye speak of, or any other painters understood truly the text of Moses, of David, of the Wise Man [i.e., Solomon], of Baruch, and of other Saints and Doctors, these painters should be moved to shrive them to GOD, with full inward sorrow of heart; taking upon them to do right sharp penance for the sinful and vain craft of painting, carving, or casting that they had used; promising GOD faithfully never to do so after, [ac]knowledging openly before all men, their reprovable earning. And also, sir, these priests, that shrive, as ye do say, painters, and enjoin them to do penance, and pray for their speed, promising to them help of their prayers for to be curious [cunning] in their sinful crafts, sin herein more grievously than the painters. For these priests do comfort and give them counsel to do that thing, which of great pain (yea, under the pain of GOD’s curse!) they should utterly forbid them. For, certes, Sir, if the wonderful working of GOD, and the holy living and teaching of Christ and of his Apostles and Prophets were made known to the people by holy living and true and busy teaching of priests; these things, Sir, were sufficient books and kalendars to know GOD by, and His Saints: without any images made with man’s hand: but, certes, the vicious living of priests and their covetousness are [the] chief cause of this error and all other viciousness that reigneth among the people.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “I hold thee a vicious priest, and a curst! and all them that are of thy sect! for all priests of Holy Church and all images that move men to devotion; thou and such others go about to destroy! Losell! were it a fair thing to come into a church, and see therein none image?”
There is no miracle in an Image.
William. And I said, “Sir, they that come to the church, for to pray devoutly to the LORD GOD, may in their inward wits be the more fervent [when] that all their outward wits be closed from all outward seeing and hearing and from all distroublance and lettings [hindrances]. And since Christ blessed them that saw him not bodily, and have believed faithfully in him: it sufficeth then, to all men, through hearing and knowing of GOD’s Word, and to do thereafter, for to believe in GOD, though they see never images made with man’s hands, after any Person of the Trinity, or of any other Saint.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me with a fervent spirit, “I say to thee, losell! that it is right well done to make and to have an image of the Trinity! Yea, what sayest thou? Is it not a stirring thing to behold such an image?”
William. And I said, “Sir, ye said, right now, that in the Old Law, ere Christ took mankind, no likeness of any Person of the Trinity was shewed to men; wherefore, Sir, ye said it was not then lawful to have images: but now ye say, since Christ is become man, it is lawful to make and to have an image of the Trinity, and also of other saints. But, sir, this thing would I learn of you! Since the Father of heaven, yea, and every Person of the Trinity was, without beginning, GOD Almighty, and many holy prophets, that were dedely [deathly, i.e., liable to death] men, were martyrized violently in the Old Law, and also many men and women then died holy Confessors: why was it not then, as lawful and necessary as now, to have made an image of the Father of heaven, and to have made and had other images of martyrs, prophets, and holy confessors to have been kalendars to advise men and move them to devotion, as ye say that images now do?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “The Synagogue of Jews had not authority to approve these things, as the Church of Christ hath now.”
William. And I said, “Sir, Saint Gregory was a great man in the New Law, and of great dignity; and as the Common [? Canon] Law witnesseth, he commended greatly a Bishop, in that he forbade utterly the images made with man’s hand, should be worshipped.”
In what image, may GOD be shewed?
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Ungracious losell! thou favourest no more the truth, than a hound! Since at the Rood[s] at the North Door [of Saint Paul’s Church] at London, at our Lady at Walsingham, and many other divers places in England, are many great and preisable [precious] miracles done: should not the images of such holy saints and places, at [on account of] the reverence of GOD, and our Lady, and other saints, be more worshipped, than other places and images where no such miracles are done?”
William. And I said, “Sir, there is no such virtue in any imagery, that any images should herefore be worshipped; wherefore I am certain that there is no miracle done of GOD in any place in earth, because that any images made with man’s hand, should be worshipped. And herefore, Sir, as I preached openly at Shrewsbury and other places, I say now here before you: that nobody should trust that there were any virtue in imagery made with man’s hand, and herefore nobody should vow to them, nor seek them, nor kneel to them, nor bow to them, nor pray to them, nor offer anything to them, nor kiss them, nor incense them. For, lo, the most worthy of such images, the Brazen Serpent, by Moses made, at GOD’s bidding! the good King Hezekiah destroyed worthily and thankfully; for because it was incensed. Therefore, Sir, if men take good heed to the writing and to the learning of Saint Augustine, of Saint Gregory, and of Saint John Chrysostom, and of other Saints and Doctors, how they speak and write of miracles that shall be done now in the last end of the world; it is to dread that, for the unfaithfulness of men and women, the Fiend hath great power for to work many of the miracles that now are done in such places. For both men and women delight now, more for to hear and know miracles, than they do to know GOD’s Word or to hear it effectuously. Wherefore, to the great confusion of all them that thus do, Christ saith, The generation of adulterers requireth tokens, miracles, and wonders. Nevertheless, as divers Saints say, now, when the faith of GOD is published in Christendom, the Word of God sufficeth to man’s salvation, without such miracles; and thus also the Word of GOD sufficeth to all faithful men and women, without any such images.
“But, good Sir, since the Father of heaven, that is GOD in His Godhead, is the most unknown thing that may be, and the most wonderful Spirit, having in it no shape or likeness of any members of any dedely [deadly, i.e., liable to death] creature: in what likeness, or what image, may GOD the Father be shewed or painted?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “As Holy Church hath suffered, and yet suffereth the images of all the Trinity, and other images to be painted and shewed, sufficeth to them that are members of Holy Church. But since thou art a rotten member cut away from Holy Church, thou favourest not the ordinance thereof! But since the day passeth, leave we this matter!”
The 3rd charge of the Shrewsbury men.
Archbishop. And then he said to me, “What sayest thou, to the third point that is certified against thee, preaching openly in Shrewsbury that Pilgrimage is not lawful? And, over this, thou saidest that those men and women that go on pilgrimages to Canterbury, to Beverley, to Carlington, to Walsingham, and to any such other places, are accursed; and made foolish, spending their goods in waste.”
William. And I said, “Sir, by this Certification, I am accused to you, that I should teach that no pilgrimage is lawful. But I never said thus. For I know that there be true pilgrimages, and lawful and full pleasant to GOD; and therefore, Sir, howsoever mine enemies have certified you of me, I told at Shrewsbury of two manner of pilgrimages.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Whom callest thou true pilgrims?”
Every good thought is a step heavenward.
William. And I said, “Sir, with my Protestation, I call them true pilgrims travelling towards the bliss of heaven, which (in the state, degree, or order that GOD calleth them) do busy them faithfully for to occupy all their wits bodily and ghostly, to know truly and keep faithfully the biddings of GOD, hating and fleeing all the seven deadly sins and every branch of them, ruling them virtuously, as it is said before, with all their wits, doing discreetly wilfully and gladly all the works of mercy, bodily and ghostly, after their cunning and power abling them to the gifts of the HOLY GHOST, disposing them to receive in their souls, and to hold therein the right blessings of Christ; busying them to know and to keep the seven principal virtues: and so then they shall obtain herethrough grace for to use thankfully to GOD all the conditions of charity; and then they shall be moved with the good Spirit of GOD for to examine oft and diligently their conscience, that neither wilfully nor wittingly they err in any Article of Belief, having continually (as frailty will suffer) all their business to dread and to flee the offence of GOD, and to love over all things and to seek ever to do His pleasant will.
“Of these pilgrims, I said, ‘Whatsoever good thought that they any time think, what virtuous word that they speak, and what fruitful work that they work; every such thought, word, and work is a step numbered of GOD towards Him into heaven. These foresaid pilgrims of GOD delight sore, when they hear of saints or of virtuous men and women, how they forsook wilfully the prosperity of this life, how they withstood the suggestion of the Fiend, how they restrained their fleshly lusts, how discreet they were in their penance doing, how patient they were in all their adversities, how prudent they were in counselling of men and women, moving them to hate all sin and to flee them and to shame ever greatly thereof, and to love all virtues and to draw to them, imagining how Christ and his followers (by example of him) suffered scorns and slanders, and how patiently they abode and took the wrongful menacing of tyrants, how homely they were and serviceable to poor men to relieve and comfort them bodily and ghostly after their power and cunning, and how devout they were in prayers, how fervent they were in heavenly desires, and how they absented them from spectacles of vain seeings and hearings, and how stable they were to let [hinder] and to destroy all vices, and how laborious and joyful they were to sow and plant virtues. These heavenly conditions and such others, have the pilgrims, or endeavour them for to have, whose pilgrimage GOD accepteth.’
The singing and jangling of pilgrims.
“And again I said, ‘As their works shew, the most part of men or women that go now on pilgrimages have not these foresaid conditions; nor loveth to busy them faithfully for to have. For (as I well know, since I have full oft assayed) examine, whosoever will, twenty of these pilgrims! and he shall not find three men or women that know surely a Commandment of GOD [i.e., one of the Ten Commandments], nor can say their Pater noster and Ave Maria! nor their Credo, readily in any manner of language. And as I have learned, and also know somewhat by experience of these same pilgrims, telling the cause why that many men and women go hither and thither now on pilgrimages, it is more for the health of their bodies, than of their souls! more for to have richesse and prosperity of this world, than for to be enriched with virtues in their souls! more to have here worldly and fleshly friendship, than for to have friendship of GOD and of His saints in heaven. For whatsoever thing a man or woman doth, the friendship of GOD, nor of any other Saint, cannot be had without keeping of GOD’s commandments.’
“For with my Protestation, I say now, as I said at Shrewsbury, ‘though they that have fleshly wills, travel for their bodies, and spend mickle money to seek and to visit the bones or images, as they say they do, of this saint and of that: such pilgrimage-going is neither praisable nor thankful to GOD, nor to any Saint of GOD; since, in effect, all such pilgrims despise GOD and all His commandments and Saints. For the commandments of GOD they will neither know nor keep, nor conform them to live virtuously by example of Christ and of his Saints.’
“Wherefore, Sir, I have preached and taught openly, and so I purpose all my lifetime to do, with GOD’s help, saying that ‘such fond people waste blamefully GOD’s goods in their vain pilgrimages, spending their goods upon vicious hostelars [innkeepers], which are oft unclean women of their bodies; and at the least, those goods with the which, they should do works of mercy, after GOD’s bidding, to poor needy men and women.’
“¶ These poor men’s goods and their livelihood, these runners about offer to rich priests! which have mickle more livelihood than they need: and thus those goods, they waste wilfully, and spend them unjustly, against GOD’s bidding, upon strangers; with which they should help and relieve, after GOD’s will, their poor needy neighbours at home. Yea, and over this folly, ofttimes divers men and women of these runners thus madly hither and thither into pilgrimage, borrow hereto other men’s goods (yea, and sometimes they steal men’s goods hereto), and they pay them never again.
“Also, Sir, I know well, that when divers men and women will go thus after their own wills, and finding out one pilgrimage, they will ordain with them before[hand] to have with them both men and women that can well sing wanton songs; and some other pilgrims will have with them bagpipes: so that every town that they come through, what with the noise of their singing, and with the sound of their piping, and with the jangling of their Canterbury bells, and with the barking out of dogs after them, they make more noise than if the King came there away, with all his clarions and many other minstrels. And if these men and women be a month out in their pilgrimage, many of them shall be, a half year after, great janglers, tale-tellers, and liars.”
The Archbp.’s cure for a toeache.
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Lewd losell! thou seest not far enough in this matter! for thou considerest not the great travail of pilgrims; therefore thou blamest that thing that is praisable! I say to thee, that it is right well done; that pilgrims have with them both singers and also pipers: that when one of them that goeth barefoot striketh his toe upon a stone and hurteth him sore and maketh him to bleed; it is well done, that he or his fellow, begin then a song or else take out of his bosom a bagpipe for to drive away with such mirth, the hurt of his fellow. For with such solace, the travail and weariness of pilgrims is lightly and merrily brought forth.”
William. And I said, “Sir, Saint Paul teacheth men, to weep with them that weep.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “What janglest thou against men’s devotion? Whatsoever thou or such other say, I say, that the pilgrimage that now is used, is to them that do it, a praisable and a good mean[s] to come the rather to grace. But I hold thee unable to know this grace! for thou enforcest thee to let [hinder] the devotion of the people, since by authority of Holy Scripture, men may lawfully have and use such solace as thou reprovest! For David in his last Psalm, teacheth me to have divers instruments of music for to praise therewith GOD.”
William. And I said, “Sir, by the sentence [opinions] of divers Doctors expounding the Psalms of David, the music and minstrelsy that David and other Saints of the Old Law spake of, owe [ought], now, neither to be taken nor used by the letter; but these instruments with their music ought to be interpreted ghostly [spiritually]: for all those figures are called Virtues and Grace, with which virtues men should please GOD and praise His name. For Saint Paul saith, All such things befell to them in figure. Therefore, Sir, I understand that the letter of this Psalm of David and of such other Psalms and sentences, doth slay them that taken them now literally. This sentence, I understand, Sir, Christ approveth himself, putting out the minstrels, ere that he would quicken the dead damsel.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Lewd losell! is it not lawful for us to have organs in the church, for to worship therewithal GOD?”
William. And I said, “Yea, Sir, by man’s ordinance; but, by the ordinance of GOD, a good sermon to the people’s understanding, were mickle more pleasant to GOD!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said that “organs and good delectable songs quickened and sharpened more men’s wits, than should any sermon!”
William. But I said, “Sir, lusty men and worldly lovers delight and covet and travail to have all their wits quickened and sharpened with divers sensible solace: but all the faithful lovers and followers of Christ have all their delight to hear GOD’s Word, and to understand it truly, and to work thereafter faithfully and continually. For, no doubt, to dread to offend GOD, and to love to please Him in all things, quickeneth and sharpeneth all the wits of Christ’s chosen people, and ableth them so to grace, that they joy greatly to withdraw their ears, and all their wits and members from all worldly delight, and from all fleshly solace. For Saint Jerome, as I think, saith, Nobody may joy with this world, and reign with Christ.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop, as if he had been displeased with mine answer, said to his Clerks, “What guess ye this idiot will speak there, where he hath none dread; since he spaketh thus now, here in my presence? Well, well, by God! thou shalt be ordained for!”
The 4th charge of the Shrewsbury men.
And then he spake to me, all angerly, “What sayest thou to this fourth point that is certified against thee, preaching openly and boldly in Shrewsbury, That priests have no title to tithes?”
Christ & his Apostles took no tithes.
William. And I said, “Sir, I named there no word of tithes in my preaching. But, more than a month after [? June, 1407] that I was arrested, there in prison [at Shrewsbury], a man came to me into the prison, asking me ‘What I said of tithes?’
“And I said to him, ‘Sir, in this town, are many Clerks and Priests; of which some of them are called Religious Men, though many of them be Seculars. Therefore, ask ye of them this question!’
“And this man said to me, ‘Sir, our prelates say that we are also obliged to pay our tithes of all things that renew to us; and that they are accursed that withdraw any part wittingly from them of their tithes.’
“And I said, Sir, to that man, as with my Protestation, I say now here before you, that ‘I had wonder[ed] that any priest dare say men to be accursed, without ground of GOD’s Word.’
“And the man said, ‘Sir, our priests say that they curse men thus, by authority of GOD’s Law.’
“And I said, ‘Sir, I know not where this sentence of cursing is authorized now in the Bible. And therefore, Sir, I pray you that ye will ask the most cunning Clerk of this town, that ye may know where this sentence, “cursing them that tythe not now,” is written in GOD’s Law: for if it were written there, I would right gladly be learned [informed] where.’
“But, shortly, this man would not go from me, to ask this question of another body; but required me, there, as I would answer before GOD! if, in this case, the cursing of priests were lawful and approved of GOD?
“And, shortly, therewith came to my mind the learning of Saint Peter, teaching priests especially, to hallow the LORD Christ in their hearts, being evermore ready, as far as in them is, to answer through faith and hope, to them that ask of them a reason. And this lesson Peter teacheth me to use, with a meek spirit, and with dread of the LORD.
“Wherefore, Sir, I said to this man, in this wise, ‘In the Old Law, which ended not fully till the time that Christ rose up again from death to life, GOD commanded tithes to be given to the Levites for the great business and daily travail that pertained to their office: but Priests, because their travail was mickle more easy and light than was the office of the Levites, GOD ordained that Priests should take for their lifelode [livelihood] to do their office, the tenth part of those tithes that were given to the Levites.
Apostle Paul worked with his hands.
“‘But now,’ I said, ‘in the New Law, neither Christ nor any of his Apostles took tithes of the people, nor commanded the people to pay tithes, neither to Priests nor to Deacons. But Christ taught the people to do almesse [alms], that is, works of mercy to poor needy men, of surplus that is superfluouse [superfluity] of their temporal goods which they had more than them needed reasonably to their necessary livelihood. And thus,’ I said, ‘not of tithes, but of pure alms of the people Christ lived and his Apostles, when they were so busy in teaching of the Word of GOD to the people, that they might not travail otherwise for to get their livelihood. But after Christ’s Ascension, and when the Apostles had received the HOLY GHOST, they travailed with their hands for to get their livelihood when that they might thus do for [on account of] busy preaching. Therefore, by example of himself, St. Paul teacheth all the priests of Christ for to travail with their hands, when for busy teaching of the people, they might thus do. And thus all these priests (whose priesthood GOD accepteth now, or will accept; or did [accept] in the Apostles’ time, and after their decease) will do, to the world’s end.
“‘But as Cisterciensis telleth, in the thousand year of our Lord Jesus Christ, two hundred and eleventh year, one Pope, the tenth Gregory, ordained new tithes first to be given to priests now in the New Law. But Saint Paul in his time (whose trace or example, all priests of GOD enforce them to follow), seeing the covetousness that was among the people (desiring to destroy this foul sin, through the grace of GOD, and true virtuous living and example of himself) wrote and taught all priests for to follow him, as he followed Christ, patiently, willingly, and gladly in high poverty. Wherefore Paul saith this, The LORD hath ordained, that they that preach the Gospel shall live by the Gospel. But we, saith Paul, that covet and busy us to be faithful followers of Christ, use not this power. For, lo, as Paul witnessed afterward, when he was full poor and needy, preaching among the people, he was not chargeous [chargeable] unto them, but with his hands he travailed, not only to get his own living, but also the living of other poor and needy creatures. And since the people were never so covetous nor so avarous [avaricious], I guess, as they are now; it were good counsel that all priests took good heed to this heavenly learning of Paul: following him here, in wilful poverty, nothing charging the people for their bodily livelihood.
Priests spend the parish offerings.
“‘But because that many priests do contrary Paul in this foresaid doctrine, Paul biddeth the people take heed to those priests, that follow him, as he had given them example: as if Paul would say thus to the people, “Accept ye none other priests, than they that live after the form that I have taught you!” For, certain, in whatsoever dignity or order that any priest is in, if he conform him not to follow Christ and his Apostles in wilful poverty and in other heavenly virtues, and specially in true preaching of GOD’s Word; though such a one be named a Priest, yet he is no more but a Priest in name: for the work of a very Priest such a one wanteth! This sentence [opinion] approveth Augustine, Gregory, Chrysostom, and [Grossetête, Bishop of] Lincoln plainly.’”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Thinkest thou this wholesome learning for to sow openly, or yet privily among the people! Certain, this doctrine contrarieth plainly the ordinance of Holy Fathers: which have ordained, granted, and licensed priests to be in divers degrees; and to live by tithes and offerings of the people, and by other duties.”
William. And I said, “Sir, if priests were now in measurable measure and number; and lived virtuously, and taught busily and truly the Word by the example of Christ and of his Apostles, without tithes offerings and other duties that priests now challenge and take: the people would give them freely sufficient livelihood.”
A Clerk. And a Clerk said to me, “How wilt thou make this good, that the people will give freely to priests their livelihood; since that now, by the law, every priest can scarcely constrain the people to give them their livelihood?”
Christ lived wholly upon alms.
William. And I said, “Sir, it is now no wonder, though the people grudge to give the priests the livelihood that they ask! for mickle people know, now, how that priests should live; and how that they live contrary to Christ and His Apostles. And therefore the people are full heavy to pay, as they do, their temporal goods to Parsons and to other Vicars and Priests; which should be faithful dispensators of the parish’s goods, taking to themselves no more but a scarce living of tithes nor of offerings by the Ordinance of the Common Law. For whatsoever priests take of the people, be it tithes or offering, or any other duty or service, the priests ought not to have thereof no more but a bare living: and to depart [give away] the residue to the poor men and women, specially of the parish of whom they take this temporal living. But the most deal [greater portion] of priests now waste their parish’s goods, and spendeth them at their own will, after the world in their vain lusts: so that in few places poor men have duly, as they should have, their own sustenance, neither of tithes nor of offerings, nor of other large wages and foundations that priests take of the people in divers manners, above that they need for needful sustenance of meat and clothing. But the poor needy people are forsaken and left of priests, to be sustained of the paroshenis [parishioners]; as if the priests took nothing of the parishioners, for to help the poor people with. And thus, Sir, into over great charges of the parishioners, they pay their temporal goods twice; where once might suffice, if priests were true dispensators.
“Also, Sir, the parishioners that pay their temporal goods, be they tithes or offerings, to priests that do not their office among them justly, are partners of every sin of those priests: because that they sustain those priests’ folly in their sin, with their temporal goods. If these things be well considered, what wonder is it then, Sir, if the parishioners grudge against these dispensators?”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “Thou that shouldest be judged and ruled by Holy Church, presumptuously, thou deemest Holy Church to have erred in the ordinance of tithes and other duties to be paid to priests! It shall be long ere thou thrive, losell! that thou despisest thy ghostly Mother! How darest thou speak this, losell! among the people? Are not tithes given to priests for to live by?”
William. And I said, “Sir, Saint Paul saith that tithes were given in the Old Law to Levites and to Priests, that came of the lineage of Levi. But our priest, he saith, came not of the lineage of Levi, but of the lineage of Judah; to which Judah, no tithes were promised to be given. And therefore Paul saith, Since the priesthood is changed from the generation of Levi to the generation of Judah, it is necessary that changing also be made of the Law. So that priests live now without tithes and other duties that they now claim; following Christ and his Apostles in wilful poverty, as they have given them example. For since Christ lived all the time of His preaching by pure [the simple] alms of the people, and (by example of him) his Apostles lived in the same wise, or else by the travail of their hands, as it is said above; every priest, whose priesthood Christ approveth, knoweth well, and confesseth in word and in work that a disciple oweth [ought] not to be above his Master, but it sufficeth to a disciple to be as his Master, simple and pure, meek and patient: and by example specially of his Master Christ, every priest should rule him in all his living; and so, after his cunning and power, a priest should busy him to inform and to rule whomsoever he might charitably.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, with a great spirit, “GOD’s curse have thou and thine for this teaching! for thou wouldest hereby make the Old Law more free and perfect than the New Law! For thou sayest it is lawful for Levites and to Priests to take tithes in the Old Law, and so to enjoy their privileges; but to us priests in the New Law, thou sayest it is not lawful to take tithes! And thus, thou givest the Levites of the Old Law more freedom, than to priests of the New Law!”
William. And I said, “Sir, I marvel, that ye understand this plain text of Paul thus! Ye wot well, that the Levites and Priests in the Old Law, that took tithes, were not so free nor so perfect as Christ and his Apostles that took no tithes! And, Sir, there is a Doctor, I think that it is Saint Jerome, that saith thus, The priests that challenge now in the New Law, tithes, say, in effect that Christ is not become Man, nor that he hath yet suffered death for man’s love. Whereupon, this Doctor saith this sentence, Since tithes were the hires and wages limited to Levites and to Priests of the Old Law, for bearing about of the Tabernacle, and for slaying and flaying of beasts, and for burning of sacrifice, and for keeping of the Temple, and for trumping of battle before the host of Israel, and other divers observances that pertained to their office; those priests, that will challenge or take tithes, deny that Christ is comen in flesh, and do the Priest’s office of the Old Law, for whom tithes were granted: for else, as the Doctor saith, priests take now tithes wrongfully.”
" Heard ye ever losell speak thus! "
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to his Clerks, “Heard ye ever losell speak thus! Certain, this is the learning of them all, that wheresoever they come, and they may be suffered, they enforce them to expugn the freedom of Holy Church!”
William. And I said, “Sir, why call you the taking of tithes and of such other duties that priests challenge now wrongfully ‘the freedom of Holy Church’; since neither Christ nor his Apostles challenged nor took such duties? Herefore these takings of priests now, are not called justly ‘the freedom of Holy Church’: but all such giving and taking ought to be called and holden ‘the slanderous covetousness of men of the Holy Church.’”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Why, losell! wilt not thou and others that are confedered [confederated] with thee, seek out of Holy Scripture and of the sentence of Doctors, all sharp authorities against Lords and Knights and Squires, and against other secular men, as thou dost against priests?”
Priests are the stomach of the people!
William. And I said, “Sir, whatsoever men or women, Lords or Ladies, or any others that are present in our preaching specially, or in our communing, after our cunning, we to tell to them their office and their charges: but, Sir, since Chrysostom saith the priests are the stomach of the people, it is needful in preaching and also in communing, to be most busy about this priesthood, since by the viciousness of priests, both Lords and Commons are most sinfully infected and led into the worst. And because that the covetousness of priests, and pride and the boast that they have and make, of their dignity and power, destroyeth not only the virtues of priesthood in priests themselves: but also, over this, it stirreth GOD to take great vengeance both upon Lords and Commons, which suffer these priests charitably.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Thou judgest every priest proud that will not go arrayed as thou dost! By God! I deem him to be more meek that goeth every day in a scarlet gown, than thou, in that threadbare blue gown! Whereby knowest thou a proud man?”
William. And I said, “Sir, a proud priest may be known when he denieth to follow Christ and his Apostles in wilful poverty and other virtues; and coveteth worldly worship, and taketh it gladly, and gathereth together with pleting [? pleading] menacing or with flattering, or with simony, any worldly goods: and most if a priest busy him not chiefly in himself, and after in all other men and women, after his cunning and power, to withstand sin.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Though thou knewest a priest to have all these vices, and though thou sawest a priest, lovely, lie now by a woman, knowing her fleshly; wouldest thou herefore deem this priest damnable? I say to thee, that in the turning about of thy hand, such a sinner may be verily repented!”
William. And I said, “Sir, I will not damn any man for any sin that I know done or may be done; so that the sinner leaveth his sin! But, by authority of Holy Scripture, he that sinneth thus openly, as ye shew here, is damnable for doing of such a sin; and most specially a priest that should be [an] example to all others for to hate and fly sin: and in how short time that ever ye say, that such a sinner may be repented, he oweth [ought] not, of him that knoweth his sinning, to be judged verily repentant, without open evidence of great shame and hearty sorrow for his sin. For whosoever, and specially a priest, that useth pride, envy, covetousness, lechery, simony, or any other vices; and sheweth not, as open evidence of repentance, as he hath given evil example and occasion of sinning: if he continue in any such sin as long as he may, it is likely that sin leaveth him and he not sin; and, as I understand, such a one sinneth unto death, for whom nobody oweth [ought] to pay, as Saint John saith.”
A Clerk. And a Clerk said to the Archbishop, “Sir, the longer that ye appose him, the worse he is! and the more that ye busy you to amend him, the waywarder he is! for he is of so shrewd a kind, that he shameth not only to be himself a foul nest; but, without shame, he busieth him to make his nest fouler!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to his Clerk, “Suffer a while, for I am at an end with him! for there is one other point certified against him; and I will hear what he saith thereto.”
The 5th charge of the Shrewsbury men.
And so then, he said to me, “Lo, it is here certified against thee, that thou preachedst openly at Shrewsbury that it is not lawful to swear in any case.”
William. And I said, “Sir, I preached never so openly, nor I have not taught in this wise, in any place. But, Sir, as I preached in Shrewsbury, with my Protestation I say to you now here, That by the authority of the Gospel and of Saint James, and by witness of divers Saints and Doctors, I have preached openly, in one place or other, that it is not lawful in any case to swear by any creature. And, over this, Sir, have also preached and taught, by the foresaid authorities, that nobody should swear in any case, if that without oath, in any wise, he that is charged to swear, might excuse him to them that have power to compel him to swear in leful things and lawful: but if a man may not excuse him without oath to them that have power to compel him to swear, then he ought to swear only by GOD, taking Him only, that is Soothfastness, for to witness the soothfastness.”
A Clerk. And then a Clerk asked me, “If it were not leful [lawful] to a subject, at the bidding of his Prelate, for to kneel down and touch the Holy Gospel book, and kiss it saying, So help me, GOD! and this holy doom! for he should, after his cunning and power, do all things, that his Prelate commandeth him?”
William. And I said to them, “Sirs, ye speak here full generally and largely! What, if a Prelate commanded his subject to do an unlawful thing, should he obey thereto?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “A subject ought not to suppose that his Prelate will bid him do an unlawful thing. For a subject ought to think that his Prelate will bid him do nothing but that he will answer for before GOD, that it is lefull [lawful]: and then, though the bidding of the Prelate be unlawful, the subject hath no peril to fulfil it; since that he thinketh and judgeth that whatsoever thing his Prelate biddeth him do, that is leful to him for to do it.”
A Man of Law and a Master of Divinity .
William. And I said, “Sir, I trust not hereto! But to our first purpose! Sir, I tell you that I was once in a gentleman’s house, and there were then two Clerks there, a Master of Divinity and a Man of Law; which Man of Law was also communing in divinity. And among other things, these men spake of oaths. And the Man of Law said, ‘At the bidding of his Sovereign which had power to charge him to swear, he would lay his hand upon a book, and hear his charge; and if his charge, to his understanding were unlawful, he would hastily withdraw his hand from the book; and if he perceived his charge to be leful he would hold still his hand upon the book, taking there only GOD to witness that he would fulfil that leful charge after his power.’ And the Master of Divinity said then to him thus, ‘Certain, he that layeth his hand upon a book in this wise, and maketh there a promise to do that thing that he is commanded, is obliged there, by book oath, then, to fulfil his charge. For, no doubt, he that chargeth him to lay his hand thus upon a book, touching the book and swearing by it, and kissing it, promising in this form, to do this thing or that, will say and witness, that he that toucheth thus a book and kisseth it, hath sworn upon that book; and all other men that see that men thus do, and also all those that hear thereof in the same wise, will say and witness that this man hath sworn upon a book! Wherefore,’ the Master of Divinity said, ‘it was not leful, neither to give nor to take any such charge upon a book! for every book is nothing else but divers creatures [created things], of which it is made of: therefore to swear upon a book, is to swear by creatures! and this swearing is ever unleful.’
“This sentence witnesseth Chrysostom, plainly blaming them greatly, that bring forth a book for to swear upon, charging Clerks that in nowise they constrain anybody to swear, whether they think a man to swear true or false.”
And the Archbishop and his Clerks scorned me, and blamed me greatly for this saying. And the Archbishop menaced me with great punishment and sharp, except I left this opinion of swearing.
William. And I said, “Sir, this is not mine opinion; but it is the opinion of Christ our Saviour! and of Saint James! and of Chrysostom! and of other divers Saints and Doctors!”
Then the Archbishop bad a Clerk read this Homily of Chrysostom, which Homily this Clerk held in his hand written in a roll; which roll the Archbishop caused to be taken from my fellow at Canterbury: and so then this Clerk read this roll, till he came to a clause where Chrysostom saith that it is sin, to swear well.
A Clerk (? Malveren). And then a Clerk, Malveren as I guess, said to the Archbishop, “Sir, I pray you wit of him, how that he understandeth Chrysostom here, saying it to be sin, to swear well.”
Archbishop. And so the Archbishop asked me, “How I understood here Chrysostom?
William to explain Chrysostom’s Homily .
William. And, certain, I was somewhat afraid to answer hereto; for I had not busied me to study about the sense hereof: but lifting up my mind to GOD, I prayed Him, of grace. And, as fast, as I thought how Christ said to his apostles, When, for my name, ye shall be brought before judges, I will give into your mouth, wisdom, that your adversaries shall not against say [gainsay]; and trusting faithfully in the Word of GOD, I said, “Sir, I know well, that many men and women have now swearing so in custom, that they know not, nor will not know that they do evil for to swear as they do: but they think and say, that they do well for to swear as they do; though they know well that they swear untruly. For they say, ‘They may by their swearing, though it be false, [a]void blame or temporal harm; which they should have, if they swore not thus.’
“And, Sir, many men and women maintain strongly that they swear well, when that thing is sooth that they swear for.
“Also full many men and women say now that ‘It is well done to swear by creatures, when they may not (as they say) otherwise be believed.’
“And also full many men and women now say that ‘It is well done to swear by GOD and by our Lady, and by other Saints; for to have them in mind!’
“But since all these sayings are but excusations [excuses] and sin, methinketh, Sir, that this sentence of Chrysostom may be alleged well against all such swearers: witnessing that these sin grievously; though they think themselves for to swear in this foresaid wise, well. For it is evil done and great sin for to swear truth, when, in any manner, a man may excuse him without oath.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said that “Chrysostom might be thus understood.”
A Clerk. And then a Clerk said to me, “Wilt thou tarry my Lord no longer! but submit thee here meekly to the ordinance of Holy Church; and lay thine hand upon a book, touching the Holy Gospel of GOD, promising, not only with thy mouth but also with thine heart, to stand to my Lord’s ordinance?”
William. And I said, “Sir, have I not told you here, how that I heard a Master of Divinity say that, in such a case, it is all one to touch a book, and to swear by a book?”
Archbp.’s views enforced by force.
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “There is no Master of Divinity in England so great, that if he hold this opinion before me, but I shall punish him as I shall do thee, except thou swear as I shall charge thee!”
Specimen of the arguments of Schoolmen.
William. And I said, “Sir, is not Chrysostom an ententif Doctor?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Yea!”
William. And I said, “If Chrysostom proveth him worthy great blame that bringeth forth a book to swear upon, it must needs follow that he is more to blame that sweareth on that book!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “If Chrysostom meant according to the ordinance of Holy Church, we will accept him!”
A Clerk. And then said a Clerk to me, “Is not the Word of GOD, and GOD Himself equipollent, that is, of one authority?”
William. And I said, “Yea!”
A Clerk. Then he said to me, “Why wilt thou not swear, then, by the Gospel of GOD, that is, GOD’s Word; since it is all one to swear by the Word of GOD and by GOD Himself?”
William. And I said, “Sir, since I may not, now, otherwise be believed but by swearing, I perceive, as Augustine saith, that it is not speedful that ye, that should be my brethren, should not believe me: therefore I am ready, by the Word of GOD (as the LORD commanded me by His Word), to swear.”
A Clerk. Then the Clerk said to me, “Lay, then, thine hand upon the book, touching the Holy Gospel of GOD; and take thy charge!”
William. And I said, “Sir, I understand that the Holy Gospel of GOD may not be touched with man’s hands!”
A Clerk. And the Clerk said I fonded [fooled], and that I said not truth.
William. And I asked this Clerk, “Whether it were more to read the Gospel, or to touch the Gospel?”
A Clerk. And he said, “It was more to read the Gospel!”
Gospel hid in the Letter of Scripture.
William. Then I said, “Sir, by authority of Saint Jerome, the Gospel is not the Gospel for [through] reading of the letter, but for the belief that men have in the Word of GOD; that it is the Gospel that we believe, and not the letter we read: for because the letter that is touched with man’s hand is not the Gospel, but the sentence that is verily believed in man’s heart is the Gospel. For so Saint Jerome saith, The Gospel, that is the virtue of GOD’s Word is not in the leaves of the book, but it is in the root of reason. Neither the Gospel, he saith, is in the writing above of the letters; but the Gospel is in the marking of the sentence of Scriptures.
“This sentence approveth Saint Paul, saying thus, The Kingdom of GOD is not in word, but in virtue. And David saith, The voice of the LORD, that is, His Word, is in virtue. And, after, David saith, Through the Word of GOD, the heavens were formed; and in the Spirit of His mouth is all the virtue of them. And I pray you, Sir, understand ye well how David saith that, in the Spirit of the mouth of the LORD is all the virtue of angels and of men”?
A Clerk. And the Clerk said to me, “Thou wouldst make us to fond with thee! Say we not that the Gospels are written in the Mass book?”
William. And I said, “Sir, though men use [are accustomed] to say thus, yet it is unperfect speech. For the principal part of a thing is properly the whole thing: for, lo, man’s soul that may not now be seen here, nor touched with any sensible thing, is properly Man! And all the virtue of a tree is in the root thereof, that may not be seen; for do away with the root, and the tree is destroyed! And, Sir, as ye said to me, right now, GOD and His Word are of one authority; and, Sir, Saint Jerome witnesseth that Christ, Very GOD and Very Man, is hid in the letter of his Law; thus also, Sir, the Gospel is hid in the letter!
“For, Sir, as it is full likely many divers men and women here in the earth touched Christ, and saw him, and knew his bodily person; which neither touched, nor saw, nor knew ghostly his Godhead: right thus, Sir, many men now touch, and see, and write, and read the Scriptures of GOD’s Law, which neither touch, see, nor read effectually the Gospel. For as the Godhead of Christ, that is, the virtue of GOD, is known by the virtue through belief; so is the Gospel, that is Christ’s Word!”
A Clerk. And a Clerk said to me, “These be full misty matters and unsavoury, that thou showest here to us!”
William. And I said, “Sir, if ye, that are Masters, know not plainly this sentence, ye may sore dread that the Kingdom of Heaven be taken from you! as it was from the Princes of Priests and from the Elders of the Jews.”
A Clerk (? Malveren). And then a Clerk, as I guess Malveren, said to me, “Thou knowest not thine equivocations! for the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ hath diverse understandings. What callest thou the ‘Kingdom of Heaven’ in this sentence, that thou shewest here?”
William. And I said, “Sir, by good reason, and sentence of Doctors, the Realm of Heaven is called here, the understanding of GOD’s Word.”
A Clerk. And a Clerk said to me, “From whom, thinkest thou, that this understanding is taken away?”
William. And I said, “Sir, by authority of Christ himself, the effectual understanding of Christ’s word is taken away from all them chiefly which are great-lettered [learned] men, and presume to understand high things, and will be holden wise men, and desire mastership and high state and dignity: but they will not conform them to the living and teaching of Christ and of His Apostles.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said, “Well, well, thou wilt judge thy sovereigns! By God! the King [Henry IV.] doeth not his duty, but he suffer thee to be condemned!”
They layed wait to entrap William.
A Clerk. And then another Clerk said to me, “Why, on Friday last, that was [August 5, 1407], counselledst thou a man of my Lord’s, that he should not shrive him to Man, but only to GOD?”
And with this asking, I was abashed; and then, by and by, I knew that I was surely betrayed of a man that came to me in prison [? at Saltwood Castle] on the Friday before, communing with me in this matter of confession: and, certain, by his words, I thought that this man came then to me of full fervent and charitable will. But now I know, he came to tempt me and to accuse me. GOD forgive him, if it be His holy will!
And with all mine heart, when I had thought thus, I said to this Clerk, “Sir, I pray you that ye would fetch this man hither! and all the words, as near as I can repeat them, which that I spake to him on Friday in the prison, I will rehearse now here, before you all, and before him.”
Archbishop. And, as I guess, the Archbishop then said to me, “They that are now here, suffice to repeat them. How saidest thou to him?”
Talk on Confession, in Saltwood Castle.
William. And I said, “Sir, that man came and asked me of divers things; and after his asking, I answered him, as I understood that good was. And, as he shewed to me by his words, he was sorry for his living in Court, and right heavy for his own vicious living, and also for the viciousness of other men, and specially of priests’ evil living; and herefore, he said to me with a sorrowful heart, as I guessed, that he purposed fully, within short time, for to leave the Court, and busy him to know GOD’s Law, and to conform all his life hereafter.
“And when he had said to me these words, and others more, which I would rehearse and [if] he were present, he prayed me to hear his confession.
“And I said to him, ‘Sir, wherefore come ye to me, to be confessed of me? Ye wot well that the Archbishop putteth and holdeth me here, as one unworthy either to give or to take any Sacrament of Holy Church!’
“And he said to me, ‘Brother, I wot well, and so wot many others more, that you and such others are wrongfully vexed; and herefore I will common [commune] with you the more gladly.’
“And I said to him, ‘Certain, I wot well that many men of this Court [i.e., the Archbishop’s], and specially Priests of this household [Chaplains], would be full evil a paid, both with you and me, if they wist that ye were confessed of me!’
“And he said that he cared not therefore, for he had full little affection in them! and, as methought, he spake these words and many others of so good will and of so high desire for to have known and done the pleasant Will of GOD.
“And I said then to him, as with my foresaid Protestation, I say to you now here, ‘Sir, I counsel you for to absent you from all evil company, and to draw you to them that love and busy them to know and to keep the precepts of GOD; and then the good Spirit of GOD will move you for to occupy busily all your wits in gathering together of all your sins, as far as ye can bethink you; shaming greatly of them, and sorrowing heartily for them. Yea, Sir, the HOLY GHOST will then put in your heart a good will and a fervent desire for to take and to hold a good purpose, to hate ever and to fly, after your cunning and power, all occasion of sin: and so then wisdom shall come to you from above, lightening with divers beams of grace and of heavenly desire all your wits, informing you how ye shall trust stedfastly in the mercy of the LORD, [ac]knowledging to Him only all your vicious living, praying to Him ever devoutly of charitable counsel and continuance, hoping without doubt that if ye continue thus busying you faithfully to know and keep his biddings, that He will, for He only may, forgive you all your sins!’
“And this man said then to me, ‘Though GOD forgive men their sins, yet it behoveth men to be assoiled [absolved] of priests, and to do the penance that they enjoin them!’
GOD alone can forgive sins !
“And I said to him, ‘Sir, it is all one to assoil men of their sins, and to forgive men their sins: wherefore since it pertaineth only to GOD to forgive sin, it sufficeth in this case, to counsel men and women for to leave their sin, and to comfort them that busy them thus to do, for to hope stedfastly in the mercy of GOD. And againward, priests ought to tell sharply to customable sinners, that if they will not make an end of their sin, but continue in divers sins while that they may sin, all such deserve pain without end. And herefore priests should ever busy them to live well and holily, and to teach the people busily and truly the Word of GOD; shewing to all folk, in open preaching and in privy counselling, that the LORD GOD only forgiveth sin. And therefore those priests that take upon them to assoil men of their sins, blaspheme GOD; since that it pertaineth only to the LORD to assoil men of all their sins. For, no doubt, a thousand years after that Christ was man, no priest of Christ durst take upon him to teach the people, neither privily nor apertly, that they behoved needs to come to be assoiled of them; as priests do now. But by authority of Christ’s word, priests bound indured [hardened] customable sinners to everlasting pains, [those] which, in no time of their living, would busy them faithfully to know the biddings of GOD, nor to keep them. And, again, all they that would occupy all their wits to hate and to flee all occasion of sin, dreading over all things to offend GOD, and loving for to please Him continually; to these men and women, priests shewed how the LORD assoileth them of their sins. And thus Christ promised to confirm in heaven, all the binding and loosing that priests, by authority of his Word, bind men in sin that are indured therein; or loose them out of sin here upon earth that are verily repentant.’
“And this man hearing these words, said that he ‘might well in conscience consent to this sentence. But,’ he said, ‘is it not needful to the lay people that cannot thus do, to go shrive them to priests?’
The Monk of Faversham’s sermon.
“And I said, ‘If a man feel himself so distroubled with any sin, that he cannot by his own wit, avoid this sin without counsel of them that are herein wiser than he; in such a case, the counsel of a good priest is full necessary. And if a good priest fail, as they do now commonly, in such a case; Saint Augustine saith that a man may lefully comon [lawfully commune] and take counsel of a virtuous secular man. But, certain, that man or woman is overladen and too beastly, which cannot bring their own sins into their mind, busying them night and day for to hate and for to forsake all their sins, doing a sigh for them, after their cunning and power. And, Sir, full accordingly to this sentence, upon mid-Lenton Sunday, two years [March 29, 1405], as I guess, now agone, I heard a Monk of Feversham, that men called Moredom, preach at Canterbury, at the Cross within Christchurch Abbey, saying thus of Confession: As through the suggestion of the Fiend, without counsel of any other body than of themselves, many men and women can imagine and find means and ways enough to come to pride, to theft, to lechery, and to other divers vices: in contrary wise, this Monk said, since the LORD GOD is more ready to forgive sin than the Fiend is or may be of power to move anybody to sin, then whoever will shame and sorrow heartily for their sins, [ac]knowledging them faithfully to GOD, amending them after their power and cunning, without counsel of any other body than of GOD and himself, through the grace of GOD, all such men and women may find sufficient means to come to GOD’s mercy, and so to be clean assoiled of all their sins.’ This sentence I said, Sir, to this man of yours, and the self words, as near as I can guess.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Holy Church approveth not this learning.”
William. And I said, “Sir, Holy Church, of which Christ is head in heaven and in earth, must needs approve this sentence. For, lo, hereby all men and women may, if they will, be sufficiently taught to know and to keep the commandments of GOD, and to hate and to fly continually all occasion of sin, and to love and to seek virtues busily, and to believe in GOD stably, and to trust in His mercy stedfastly, and so to come to perfect charity and continue therein perseverantly: and more, the LORD asketh not of any man here now in this life. And, certain, since Jesus Christ died upon the cross wilfully to make men free; Men of the Church are too bold and too busy to make men thrall! binding them ‘under the pains of endless curse,’ as they say, to do many observances and ordinances, which neither the living nor the teaching of Christ, nor of his Apostles approveth.”
A Clerk. And a Clerk said then to me, “Thou shewest plainly here thy deceit, which thou hast learned of them that travail to sow popil [tares] among wheat! But I counsel thee to go away clean from this learning, and submit thee lowly to my Lord, and thou shalt find him yet to be gracious to thee!”
Another Clerk. And as fast, another Clerk said to me, “How wast thou so bold at Paul’s Cross in London, to stand there hard, with thy tippet [cape] bounden about thine head, and to reprove in his sermon, the worthy Clerk Alkerton, drawing away all, that thou mightest! Yea, and the same day at afternoon, thou meeting that worthy Doctor in Watling street, calledst him, ‘False flatterer, and hypocrite!’”
William calls Alkerton, Flatterer !
William. And I said, “Sir, I think certainly, that there was no man nor woman that hated verily sin and loved virtues, hearing the sermon of the Clerk of Oxford, and also Alkerton’s sermon, but they said, and might justly say, that Alkerton reproved the Clerk untruly, and slandered him wrongfully and uncharitably. For, no doubt, if the living and teaching of Christ chiefly and his Apostles be true, nobody that loveth GOD and His Law will blame any sentence that the Clerk then preached there; since, by authority of GOD’s Word, and by approved Saints and Doctors, and by open reason, this Clerk approved all things clearly that he preached there.”
A Clerk. And a Clerk of the Archbishop said to me, “His sermon was false, and that he sheweth openly, since he dare not stand forth and defend his preaching, that he then preached there.”
The Clerk at Oxford, a Lollard.
William. And I said, “Sir, I think that he purposeth to stand stedfastly thereby, or else he slandereth foully himself and many others that have great trust that he will stand by the truth of the Gospel. For I wot well his sermon is written both in Latin and in English; and many men have it, and they set great price thereby. And, Sir, if ye were present with the Archbishop [i.e., of Canterbury, in whose presence he was then standing] at Lambeth, when this Clerk appeared; and were at his Answer before the Archbishop: ye wot well that this Clerk denied not there his sermon; but, two days, he maintained it before the Archbishop and his Clerks.”
Archbishop or a Clerk. And then the Archbishop, or one of his Clerks said (I wot not which of them!), “That harlot [at this time applied to men also] shall be met with, for that sermon. For no man but he, and thou, and such other false harlots, praiseth any such preaching.”
Archbishop. And then the Archbishop said, “Your cursed sect is busy, and it joyeth right greatly to contrary and to destroy the privilege and freedom of Holy Church.”
William. And I said, “Sir, I know no men travail so busily as this sect doth, which you reprove, to make rest and peace in Holy Church. For pride, covetousness, and simony which distrouble most Holy Church, this sect hateth and flyeth, and travaileth busily to move all other men in like manner unto meekness and wilful poverty and charity, and free ministring of the sacraments: this sect loveth, and useth, and is full busy to move all other folks, thus to do. For these virtues owe all members of Holy Church to their head, Christ.”
A Clerk. Then a Clerk said to the Archbishop, “Sir, it is far day, and ye have far to ride to-night; therefore make an end with him, for he will none make! But the more, Sir, that ye busy you for to draw him towards you, the more contumax [contumacious] he is made, and the further from you.”
Malveren. And then Malveren said to me, “William! kneel down, and pray my Lord, of grace! and leave all thy fantasies, and become a child of Holy Church!”
William. And I said, “Sir, I have prayed the Archbishop oft, and yet I pray him, for the love of Christ! that he will leave his indignation that he hath against me; and that he will suffer me, after my cunning and power, for to do mine office of priesthood, as I am charged of GOD to do it. For I covet nought else, but to serve my GOD to His pleasing, in the state that I stand in, and have taken me to.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “If, of good heart, thou wilt submit thee now, here, meekly to be ruled, from this time forth by my counsel, obeying meekly and wilfully to mine ordinance, thou shalt find it most profitable and best to thee for to do thus. Therefore, tarry thou me no longer! Grant to do this, that I have said to thee now, here, shortly; or deny it utterly!”
William questions the Archbishop.
William. And I said to the Archbishop, “Sir, owe [ought] we to believe that Jesus Christ was and is Very GOD and Very Man?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Yea!”
William. And I said, “Sir, owe we to believe that all Christ’s living and his teaching is true in every point?”
Archbishop. And he said, “Yea!”
William. And I said, “Sir, owe we to believe that the living of the Apostles and the teaching of Christ and of all Prophets are true, which are written in the Bible for the health and salvation of GOD’s people?”
Archbishop. And he said, “Yea!”
William. And I said, “Sir, owe all Christian men and women, after their cunning and power, for to conform their living to the teaching specially of Christ; and also to the teaching and living of his Apostles and of Prophets, in all things that are pleasant to GOD, and edification to His Church?”
Archbishop. And he said, “Yea!”
William. And I said, “Sir, ought the doctrine, the bidding, or the counsel of anybody to be accepted or obeyed unto, except this counsel, these biddings, or this counsel may be granted and affirmed by Christ’s living and his teaching, or by the living and teaching of his Apostles and Prophets?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Other doctrine ought not to be accepted, nor we owe not to obey to any man’s bidding or counsel; except we can perceive that this bidding or counsel accordeth with the bidding and teaching of Christ and of his Apostles and Prophets?”
William very firm; Abp. in a passion.
William. And I said, “Sir, are not all the learning and biddings and counsels of Holy Church means and healthful remedies to know, and to withstand the privy suggestions and the apert temptations of the Fiend; and also ways and healthful remedies to slay pride and all other deadly sins and the branches of them; and sovereign means to purchase grace, for to withstand and overcome all fleshly lusts and movings?”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “Yea!”
William. And I said, “Sir, whatsoever thing ye or any other body bid or counsel me to do; according to this foresaid learning, after my cunning and power, through the help of GOD, I will meekly, with all mine heart, obey thereto!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said to me, “Submit thee then, now, here, meekly and wilfully to the ordinance of Holy Church, which I shall shew to thee!”
William. And I said, “Sir, according as I have here, now before you, rehearsed, I will now be ready to obey full gladly to Christ, the Head of all Holy Church, and to the learning and biddings and counsels of every pleasing member of Him.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop striking with his hand fiercely upon a cupboard, spake to me, with a great spirit, saying, “By Jesu! but if thou leave such additions, obliging thee now here without any exception to mine ordinance, ere that I go out of this place, I shall make thee as sure as any thief that is in the prison of Lantern. Advise thee now, what thou wilt do!” And then, as if he had been angered, he went from the cupboard where he stood, to a window.
And then Malveren and another Clerk came nearer me, and they spake to me many words full pleasantly, and another while they menaced me and counselled full busily to submit me, or else they said I should not escape punishing over measure; for they said I should be degraded, cursed, and burned, and so then damned!
Malveren and a Clerk. “But now,” they said, “thou mayest eschew all these mischiefs, if thou will submit thee wilfully and meekly to this worthy Prelate, that hath cure of thy soul! And for the pity of Christ!” said they, “bethink thee, how great clerks [Philip de Repington] the Bishop of Lincoln, Hereford, and Purvey were, and yet are; and also B[owton] that is a well understanding man: which also have forsaken and revoked all the learning and opinions that thou and such others hold! Wherefore, since each of them is mickle wiser than thou art; we counsel thee for the best, that, by the example of these four Clerks, thou follow them, submitting thee as they did!”
The Chaplains try their hands on him.
A Clerk. And one of the [Arch]bishop’s Clerks said, then, there, that “he heard Nicholas Hereford say, that ‘since he forsook and revoked all the learning and opinions of the Lollards, he hath had mickle greater favour and more delight to hold against them; than ever he had to hold with them, while he held with them.’”
Malveren. And therefore Malveren said to me, “I understand and [if] thou wilt take thee to a priest, and shrive thee clean, forsake all such opinions, and take thy penance of my Lord here, for the holding and teaching of them, within short time thou shalt be greatly comforted in this doing!”
William. And I said to the Clerks, that thus busily counselled me to follow these foresaid men, “Sirs, if these men, of whom ye counsel me to take example, had forsaken benefices of temporal profit and of worldly worship, so that they had absented them and eschewed from all occasions of covetousness and of fleshly lusts; and had taken them to simple living and wilful poverty: they had herein given good example to me and many others to have followed them. But now, since all these four men have slanderously and shamefully done the contrary, consenting to receive and to have and to hold temporal benefices, living now more worldly and more fleshly than they did before, conforming them to the manners of this world; I forsake them herein, and in all their foresaid slanderous doing!
William rejects the Lollard turncoats.
“For I purpose, with the help of GOD into remission of all my sins and of my foul cursed living, to hate and to fly privily and apertly, to follow these men! teaching and counselling whomsoever that I may, for to fly and eschew the way that they have chosen to go in, which will lead them to the worst end, if, in convenient time, they repent them not, verily forsaking and revoking openly the slander that they have put, and every day yet put to Christ’s Church. For, certain, so open blasphemy and slander, as they have spoken and done in their revoking and forsaking of the Truth, ought not, nor may not, privily be amended duly. Wherefore, Sirs, I pray you that ye busy you not for to move me to follow these men in revoking and forsaking of the Truth and Soothfastness! as they have done, and yet do; wherein by open evidence, they stir GOD to great wroth, and not only against themselves, but also against all them that favour them or consent to them herein, or that comoneth [communeth] with them, except it be for their amendment. For whereas these men first were pursued of enemies, now they have obliged them by oath for to slander and pursue Christ in his members! Wherefore, as I trust stedfastly in the goodness of GOD, the worldly covetousness, and the lusty living, and the sliding from the truth of these runagates [renegades] shall be to me, and to many other men and women, an example and an evidence to stand the more stiffly by the Truth of Christ.
“For, certain, right many men and women do mark and abhor the foulness and cowardice of these aforesaid untrue men, how that they are overcome, and stopped with benefices, and withdrawn from the truth of GOD’s Word, forsaking utterly to suffer therefore bodily persecution. For by this unfaithful doing and apostasy, of them specially that are great lettered men, and have [ac]knowledged openly the truth; and now either for pleasure or displeasure of tyrants have taken hire and temporal wages, to forsake the Truth and to hold against it, slandering and pursuing them that covet to follow Christ in the way of righteousness: many men and women therefore are now moved. But many more, through the grace of GOD, shall be moved hereby, for to learn the Truth of GOD, and to do thereafter, and to stand boldly thereby.”
Abp. says, “he shall conform in 8 days !”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to his Clerks, “Busy you no longer about him! for he, and others such as he is, are confeder[at]ed so together, that they will not swear to be obedient, and to submit them to Prelates of Holy Church. For now, since I stood here, his fellow sent me word that he will not swear, and that he [William of Thorpe] counselled him that he should not swear to me But, losell! in that thing that in thee is, thou hast busied thee to lose this young man; but, blessed be GOD! thou shalt not have thy purpose of him! For he hath forsaken all thy learning, submitting him to be buxom [submissive] and obedient to the ordinance of Holy Church; and weepeth full bitterly, and curseth thee full heartily for the venomous teaching which thou hast shewed to him, counselling him to do thereafter. And for thy false counselling of many others and him, thou hast great cause to be right sorry! For, long time, thou hast busied thee to pervert whomsoever thou mightest! Therefore as many deaths thou art worthy of, as thou hast given evil counsels. And therefore, by Jesu! thou shalt go thither where Nicholas Hereford and John Purvey were harboured! and I undertake, ere this day eight days, thou shalt be right glad for to do what thing that ever I bid thee do!
“And, losell! I shall assay if can make thee there, as sorrowful as, it was told me, thou wast glad of my last going out of England [in 1397]. By St. Thomas! I shall turn thy joy into sorrow!”
William. And I said, “Sir, there can nobody prove lawfully that I joyed ever of the manner of your going out of this land [the Archbishop had been banished]. But, Sir, to say the sooth, I was joyful when ye were gone! for [Robert de Braybrooke] the Bishop of London (in whose prison ye left me!) found in me no cause for to hold me longer in his prison; but, at the request of my friends, he delivered me to them, asking of me no manner of submitting.”
Archbishop. Then the Archbishop said to me, “Wherefore that I yede [went] out of England is unknown to thee! But be this thing well known to thee! that GOD, as I wot well, hath called me again and brought me into this land, for to destroy thee and the false sect that thou art of! as, by God! I shall pursue you so narrowly that I shall not leave a step of you in this land!”
William. And I said to the Archbishop, “Sir, the holy prophet Jeremy said to the false prophet Hananiah, When the word, that is, the prophecy, of a prophet is known or fulfilled; then it shall be known that the LORD sent the prophet in truth!”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop, as if he had not been pleased with my saying, turned him away-ward, hither and thither, and said, “By God! I shall set on thy shins a pair of perlis [? pearls], that thou shalt be glad to change thy voice!”
These and many more wondrous and convicious [railing] words were spoken to me; menacing me and all others of the same sect, for to be punished and destroyed to the uttermost.
And the Archbishop called then to him, a Clerk; and rounded with him [whispered in his ear], and that Clerk went forth: and soon he brought in the Constable of Saltwood Castle, and the Archbishop rounded a good while with him.
The Constable places him in a den.
And then the Constable went forth, and then came in divers secular [laymen]; and they scorned me on every side, and menaced me greatly. And some counselled the Archbishop to burn me by and by [at once]: and some others counselled him to drown me in the sea, for it is near [at] hand there.
A Clerk. And a Clerk standing besides me there, kneeled down to the Archbishop, praying him that he would deliver me to him for to say Matins with him; and he would undertake that, within three days, I should not resist anything that was commanded me to do, of my Prelate.
And the Archbishop said that he would ordain for me himself.
And then, after, came in again the Constable and spake privily to the Archbishop.
And then the Archbishop commanded the Constable to lead me forth thence, with him: and so he did.
And when we were gone forth thence, we were sent after again.
And when I came in again before the Archbishop, a Clerk bade me kneel down, and ask grace, and submit me lowly, and I should find it for the best.
William. And I said then to the Archbishop, “Sir, as I have said to you, divers times, to-day, I will wilfully and lowly obey and submit me to be ordained ever, after my cunning and power, to GOD and His Law, and to every member of Holy Church; as far forth as I can perceive that these members accord with their head, Christ, and will teach me, rule me, or chastise me by authority specially of GOD’s Law.”
Archbishop. And the Archbishop said, “I wist well, he would not, without such additions, submit him!”
And then, I was rebuked, scorned, and menaced on every side; and yet, after this, divers persons cried upon me to kneel down and submit me: but I stood still, and spake no word.
And then there was spoken of me and to me many great words; and I stood, and heard them menace, curse, and scorn me: but I said nothing.
Archbishop. Then a while after, the Archbishop said to me, “Wilt thou not submit thee to the ordinance of Holy Church?”
William. And I said, “Sir, I will full gladly submit me, as I have shewed you before.”
And then, the Archbishop bade the Constable to have me forth thence in haste.
He thanks GOD, he is, at last, alone.
And so then I was led forth, and brought into a foul unhonest prison, where I came never before. But, thanked be GOD! when all men were gone forth then from me, and had sparred [barred] fast the prison door after them, by and by [immediately] after, I therein by myself busied me to think on GOD, and to thank Him of His goodness.
And I was then greatly comforted in all my wits, not only for that I was then delivered, for a time, from the sight, from the hearing, from the presence, from the scorning, and from the menacing of my enemies: but much more I rejoiced in the LORD, because that through His grace, He kept me so, both among the flattering specially, and among the menacing of mine adversaries, that without heaviness and anguish of my conscience, I passed away from them. For as a tree laid upon another tree overthwart or on cross wise, so was the Archbishop and his three Clerks always contrary to me, and I to them.
Now, good GOD! (for Thine holy name and for the praising of Thy most blessed name, make us one together), if it be Thy will, by authority of thy Word that is true perfect charity: and else not! And that it may thus be, all that this writing read or hear, pray heartily to the LORD GOD! that He (for His great goodness that cannot be with tongue expressed) grant to us and to all others, that in the same
wise and for the same cause specially, or for any other
cause be at [a] distance, to be knit and made
One in true Faith, in stedfast Hope, and
in perfect Charity.
Amen.
Thus endeth the Examination of Master William Thorpe.
And Hereafter Followeth His Testament
19 Sept. 1460.
William of Thorpe’s Testament .
Matthew, an Apostle of Christ and his gospeller, witnesseth truly in the Holy Gospel, the most holy living and the most wholesome teaching of Christ. He rehearseth how that Christ likeneth them that hear his words and keep them, to a wise man that buildeth his house upon a stone, that is a stable and a sad [firm] ground.
This house is man’s soul, in whom Christ delighteth to dwell, if it be grounded, that is, stablished, faithfully in his living, and in his true teaching, adorned or made fair with divers virtues, which Christ used and taught without any meddling of any error, as are chiefly the conditions of charity.
This foresaid stone is Christ, upon which every faithful soul must be builded, since upon none other ground than upon Christ’s living and his teaching, nobody may make any building or houseing wherein Christ will come and dwell. This sentence witnesseth Paul to the Corinthians, shewing them that nobody may set any other ground than is set, that is, Christ’s living and his teaching.
And because that all men and women should give all their business here in this life to build them virtuously upon this sure foundation, Saint Paul [ac]knowledging the fervent desire and the good will of the people of Ephesus, wrote to them comfortably, saying, Now ye are not strangers, guests, nor yet comelings, but ye are the citizens and of the household of GOD, builded above upon the foundament of the Apostles and Prophets. In which foundament, every building that is builded and made through the grace of GOD, it increaseth or groweth into a holy temple; that is, everybody that is grounded and builded faithfully in the teaching and living of Christ is therethrough made the holy temple of GOD.
This is the stable ground and stedfast stone, Christ! which is the sure corner-stone fast joining and holding mightily together two walls. For through Christ Jesu, mean or middle Person of the Trinity, the Father of Heaven is piteous or mercifully joined and made one together to Mankind: and through dread to offend GOD, and fervent love to please him, men be unseparably made one to GOD, and defended surely under His protection.
Also this foresaid stone Christ was figured by the square stones of which the Temple of GOD was made. For as a square stone, wheresoever it is cast or laid, it abideth and lieth stably; so Christ and every faithful member of his Church, by example of him, abideth and dwelleth stably in true faith and in all other heavenly virtues, in all adversities that they suffer in this Valley of Tears. For, lo, when these foresaid square stones were hewen and wrought for to be laid in the walls or pillars of GOD’s Temple, none noise or stroke of the workmen was heard. Certain, this silence in working of this stone figureth Christ chiefly, and his faithful members, which by example of him have been, and yet are, and ever to the world’s end shall be, so meek and patient in every adversity, that no sound nor yet any grudging shall any time be perceived in them.
Nevertheless this chief and most worshipful corner-stone, which only is ground of all virtues, proud beggars reproved! but this despite and reproof Christ suffered most meekly in his own person, for to give example of all meekness and patience to all his faithful followers. Certain, this world is now so full of proud beggars which are named priests; but the very office of working of priesthood which Christ approveth true, and accepteth, is far from the multitude of priests that now reign in this world.
For, from the highest priest to the lowest, all (as who say) study, that is, they imagine and travail busily how they may please this world and their flesh. This sentence and many such others dependeth upon them, if it be well considered; either GOD the Father of heaven hath deceived all mankind by the living specially and teaching of Jesus Christ, and by the living and teaching of his Apostles and Prophets; all else all the Popes that have been since I had any knowledge or discretion, with all the College of Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops, Monks, Canons, and Friars, with all the contagious flock of the comminalty of priesthood, which have, all my life-time and mickle longer, reigned and yet reign and increase damnably from sin into sin, have been and yet be proud obstinate heretics, covetous simoners [trafficers in ecclesiastical preferments], and defouled adulterers in the ministering of the Sacraments, and especially in the ministering of the Sacrament of the Altar.
For, as their works shew (whereto Christ biddeth us take heed!) the highest priests and Prelates of this priesthood challenge and occupy [hold] unlawfully temporal lordships. And for temporal favour and mede, they sell and give benefices to unworthy and unable persons; yea, these simoners sell sin! suffering men and women in every degree and estate, to lie and continue, from year to year, in divers vices slanderously. And thus, by evil example of high priests in the Church, lower priests under them are not only suffered, but they are maintained to sell full dear to the people for temporal mede, all the Sacraments. And thus all this foresaid priesthood is blown so high, and borne up in pride and vainglory of their estate and dignity, and so blinded with worldly covetousness, that they disdain to follow Christ in very meekness and wilful poverty, living holily, and preaching GOD’s Word truly, freely, and continually; taking their livelihood at the free will of the people, of their pure almose [alms], where and when, they suffice not (for their true and busy preaching) to get their sustenance with their hands.
To this true sentence, grounded on Christ’s own living and teaching of his Apostles; these foresaid worldly and fleshly priests will not consent effectually. But, as their works and also their words shew, boldly and unshamefastly these foresaid named priests and Prelates covet, and enforce them mightily and busily, that all Holy Scripture were expounded and drawn according to their manners, and to their ungrounded [unwarranted] usages and findings. For they will not (since they hold it but folly and madness!) conform their manners to the pure and simple living of Christ and his Apostles, nor they will not follow freely their learning. Wherefore all the Emperors and Kings, and all other lords and ladies, and all the common people in every degree and state, which have before time known or might have known; and also all they that now yet know or might know this foresaid witness of priesthood; and would not, nor yet will enforce them, after their cunning and power, to withstand charitably the foresaid enemies and traitors of Christ and his Church; all these strive, with Antichrist, against Jesu! And they shall bear the indignation of GOD Almighty without end, if in convenient time they amend them not, and repent them verily; doing therefore due mourning and sorrow, after their cunning and power.
For through presumptions and negligence of priests and Prelates (not of the Church of Christ, but occupying their prelacy, unduly in the Church, and also by flattering and false covetousness of other divers named priests), lousengers, and lounderers are wrongfully made and called Hermits; and have leave to defraud poor and needy creatures of their livelihood, and to live by their false winning and begging in sloth and other divers vices. And also of these Prelates, these cokir noses [?] are suffered to live in pride and hypocrisy, and to defoul themselves both bodily and ghostly.
Also by the suffering and counsel of these foresaid Prelates and of other priests, are made vain, both Brotherhoods and Sisterhoods, full of pride and envy; which are full contrary to the Brotherhood of Christ, since they are cause of mickle dissension: and they multiply and sustained it uncharitably, for in lusty eating, and drinking unmeasurably and out of time, they exercise themselves. Also this vain confederacy of Brotherhoods is permitted to be of one clothing, and to hold together. And in all these ungrounded and unlawful doings, priests are partners and great meddlers and counsellors.
And over this viciousness, hermits and pardoners, ankers [anchorites], and strange beggars are licensed and admitted of Prelates and priests for to beguile the people with flatterings and leasings [falsehoods] slanderously, against all good reason and true belief; and so to increase divers vices in themselves, and also among all them that accept them or consent to them.
And thus, the viciousness of these forenamed priests and Prelates, has been long time, and yet is, and shall be cause of wars, both within the realm and without.
And, in the same wise, these unable [useless] priests have been, and yet are, and shall be, the chief cause of pestilence of men, and murrain of beasts, and of bareness of the earth, and of all other mischiefs, to the time that Lords and Commons able them through grace for to know and to keep the Commandments of GOD, enforcing them then faithfully and charitably by one assent, for to redress and make one, this foresaid priesthood to the wilful poor, meek, and innocent living and teaching, specially of Christ and his Apostles.
Therefore all they that know, or might know the viciousness that reigneth now cursedly in these priests and in their learning, if they suffice not to withstand this contagious viciousness: let them pray to the LORD heartily for the health of his Church! abstaining them prudently from these endured [hardened] enemies of Christ and his people, and from all their Sacraments! since to them all that know them, or may know, they are but fleshly deeds and false: as Saint Cyprian witnesseth in the first Question of Decrees and in the first Cause. Ca. Si quis inquit.
For as this Saint, and great Doctors witness there, that not only vicious priests, but also all they that favour them or consent to them in their viciousness, shall together perish with them, if they amend them not duly: as all they perished that consented to Dathan and Abiram. For nothing were more confusion to these foresaid vicious priests, than to eschew them prudently in all their unlawful Sacraments, while they continue in their sinful living slanderously, as they have long time done and yet do. And nobody need to be afraid, though death did follow by any wise or other, for to die out of this world without taking of any Sacrament of these foresaid Christ’s enemies: since Christ will not fail for to minister himself all lawful and heal-ful sacraments, and necessary at all time; and especially at the end, to all them that are in true faith, in steadfast hope, and in perfect charity.
But yet some mad fools say, for to eschew slander they will be shriven once a year and comuned [receive the Sacrament] of their proper priests; though they know them defouled with slanderous vices. No doubt, but all they that thus do or consent, privily or apertly, to such doing, are culpable of great sin; since St. Paul witnesseth that not only they that do evil are worthy of death and damnation, but also they that consent to evil doers. Also, as their slanderous works witness, these foresaid vicious priests despise and cast from them heavenly cunning that is given of the HOLY GHOST. Wherefore the LORD throweth all such despisers from Him, that they use nor do any priesthood to Him. No doubt then, all they that wittingly or wilfully take, or consent that any other body should take any Sacrament of any such named priest, sinneth openly and damnably against all the Trinity, and are unable to any Sacrament of health.
And that this foresaid sentence [opinion] is altogether true unto remission of all my sinful living, trusting steadfastly in the mercy of GOD, I offer to Him my soul!
And to prove also this foresaid sentence true, with the help of GOD, I purpose fully to suffer meekly and gladly my most wretched body to be tormented, where GOD will! and of whom He will! how He will and when He will! and as long as He will! and what temporal pain He will! and death! to the praising of His name, and to the edification of His Church. And I, that am most unworthy and wretched caitiff, shall now, through the special grace of GOD, make to Him pleasant sacrifice of my most sinful and unworthy body.
I Beseech heartily all folk that read or hear this end of my purposed Testament, that, through the grace of GOD, they dispose verily and virtuously all their wits, and able, in like manner, all their members for to understand truly and to keep faithfully, charitably, and continually all the commandments of GOD, and so then to pray devoutly to all the blessed Trinity, that I may have grace with wisdom and prudence from above, to end my life here, in this foresaid Truth and for this
Here endeth, sir [the Reverend] William Thorpe’s Testament on the Friday after the Rood Day [Holy Rood-day, or Exaltation of the Holy Cross, falls on Sept. 14th], and the twenty [? nineteenth] day of September, in the year of our Lord a thousand four hundred and sixty.
And on the Sunday [August 7th] next after the feast of Saint Peter that we called Lammas Day [August 1st] in the year of our Lord a thousand four hundred and seven, the said sir William Thorpe was accused of these points, before written in this book, before Thomas Arundell, Archbishop of Canterbury, as it is said before.
And so was it then betwixt the Day of his Accusing, and
the Day that this was written three and fifty years;
and as mickle more as from the Lammas
[August 1st] to the Woodmas
[September 19th].
Behold the end!
¶ The strength of a tale is in its end.
[The following is but an abridgement of the Story of Sir John Oldcastle: respecting which, Miss L. Toulmin Smith has recently published, in the Anglia for April 1882, Thomas Occleve’s Ballad against Lord Cobham and the Lollards, in 1415.]
Sept. 1413.
¶ The Belief of the Lord Cobham.
Be it known to all men! that in the year of our LORD a thousand four hundred and thirteen, in the first year of King Henry the Fifth; the King gave to [Thomas Arundell] the Bishop of Canterbury, leave to correct the Lord Cobham.
And because no man durst summon him personally, the Archbishop set up a Citation on his Cathedral Church door on the Wednesday [September 6, 1413] next before the nativity of our Lady [September 8th] in the foresaid year: and that Citation was taken down by the friends of the Lord Cobham.
And, after that, the Bishop set up another on our Lady Day [September 8, 1413]; which also was rent down.
And because he came not to answer on the day assigned in the Citation, the Bishop cursed him for contumacy.
And the Lord Cobham seeing all this malice purposed against him, wrote this Belief that followeth, with his own hand; and noted [signed] it himself; and also answered to Four Points put against him by the Bishop: and he went to the King, supposing to get of him good favour and lordship.
¶ The Belief.
The Belief of Sir John Oldcastle.
I believe in GOD the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesu Christ His only Son our Lord, which was conceived of the HOLY GHOST, born of the Virgin Mary, and suffered death under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead, and buried. He went down to hells. The third day He rose again from death. He ascended up into heavens. He sitteth on the right hand of GOD, the Father Almighty. From thence, He is to come to judge the quick and dead.
I believe in the HOLY GHOST, all Holy Church, the Communion of Saints, forgiveness of sins, uprising of flesh, and everlasting life. Amen.
And for to declare more plainly my soothfastness in the belief of Holy Church, I believe faithfully and verily, that there is but one GOD Almighty; and in this Godhead and of this Godhead be Three Persons, the Father, the Son, and the HOLY GHOST; and these Three Persons be the same GOD Almighty.
Furthermore, I believe that the Second Person of this most blessed Trinity, in most convenient time before ordained, took flesh and blood of the most blessed Virgin, our Lady Saint Mary, for the redemption and salvation of mankind; that was lost before, for Adam’s sin.
And I believe that Jesu Christ our Lord, which is both GOD and Man, is head of all Holy Church; and that all those that be, and shall be saved, be members of this most Holy Church. Which Holy Church is departed [divided] in three parts. Of the which, one part is now in Heaven; that is to say, the saints that in this life live accordingly with the most blessed Law of Christ and his living, despising and forsaking the Devil and his works, the prosperities of this world, and the foul lust of the flesh.
The second part is in Purgatory, abiding the mercy of GOD, and purging them there of their sins; of the which they have been truly confessed in deed, or else in will to have been.
The third part of this Church is here in Earth, the which is called the Fighting Church; for it fighteth, every day and night, against the temptation of the Devil, the prosperity of this false failing world, and the proud rebellion of the flesh against the soul. This Church is departed [divided] by the most blessed ordinance of GOD into three Estates; that is to say, Priesthood, Knighthood, and Commons: to every Estate of the which, GOD gave charge that one should help another, and none destroy other.
As to Priests, they should be most holy and least worldly; and truly living as near as they could, after the example of Christ and his Apostles. And all their business should be, day and night, in holy example of living, and true preaching and teaching of GOD’s Law to both the other parts. And also they should be most meek, most serviceable, and most lovely in spirit, both to GOD and man.
In the second part of this Church, that is Knighthood, be contained all that bear the sword by the law of Office: which should maintain GOD’s Law to be preached and taught to the people; and principally the Gospel of Christ; and truly to live thereafter. The which part should rather put themselves to peril of death, than to suffer any Law or Constitution [referring to the Constitutions of Arundel in 1408] to be made of man, wherethrough the freedom of GOD’s Law might be letted to be preached and taught to the people, or whereof any error or heresy might grow in the Church. For I suppose fully that there may come none heresy nor error among the people, but by false Laws, Constitutions, or teachings contrary to Christ’s Law, or by false leasings [lies].
Also the second part should defend the common people from tyrants, oppressors, and extortioners: and maintain the Clergy, doing truly their office, in preaching, teaching, praying, and freely ministering the Sacraments of Holy Church. And if this Clergy be negligent in doing this office, this second part of the Church ought, by their office that they have taken of GOD, to constrain the Clergy in due wise, to do their office in the form that GOD hath ordained to be done.
The third part of this Fighting Church oweth [ought] to bear good will to Lords and Priests, truly to do their bodily labour in tilling the earth, and with their true merchandise doing their duties that they owe both to Knighthood and to Priesthood, as GOD’s Law limiteth; keeping faithfully the commandments of GOD.
Moreover, I believe all the Sacraments of Holy Church for to be meedful and profitable to all that shall be saved; taking them after the intent that GOD and Holy Church have ordained.
And for as mickle as I am slandered falsely in my Belief in the Sacrament of the Altar, I do all Christian men to wit, that I believe verily that the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar is very Christ’s body in form of bread; the same body that was born of the blessed Virgin our Lady Saint Mary, done on the cross, dead, buried, and on the third day rose from death to life, the which body is now glorified in heaven.
Also I believe that all GOD’s Law is true; and who that liveth contrary to this blessed Law, and so continueth to his life’s end, and dieth so breaking the holy commandments of GOD, that he shall be damned into everlasting pains. And he that will learn this most blessed Law, and live thereafter, keeping these holy commandments of GOD, and endeth in charity shall have everlasting bliss.
Also I understand that this followeth of Belief, that our Lord Jesu Christ (that is both GOD and Man) asketh no more here in earth, but that he obey to him after the form of his Law, in truly keeping of it. And if any Prelate of the Church ask more obedience than this, of any man living; he exalteth himself, in that, above Christ: and so he is an open Antichrist.
Also these points I hold as of Belief in especial.
And in general, I believe all that GOD wills that I believe, praying, at the reverence of Almighty GOD, to you my liege Lord [Henry V.] that this Belief might be examined by the wisest and truest Clerks of your realm: and if it be truth, that it might be confirmed, and I to be holden for a true Christian man; and if it be false, that it might be damned [condemned], and I taught a better Belief by GOD’s Law; and I will gladly obey thereto.
This foresaid Belief, the Lord Cobham wrote; and took it with him, and offered it to the King [Henry V.], for to see: and the King would not receive it, but bade him take it to them that should be his judges.
And then the Lord of Cobham offered to bring before the King, to purge him of all error and heresy, that they would put against him, a hundred Knights and Squires.
And also he offered to fight with any man, Christian or heathen, that would say he were false in his belief; except the King and his brethren.
And after, he said “He would submit him to all manner [of] correction, that any man would correct him, after GOD’s Law.”
And notwithstanding all this, the King suffered him to be summoned personally, in his own [the King’s] chamber.
And the Lord of Cobham said to the King, that he had appealed to the Pope from the Archbishop; and therefore, he said, “he ought not to take him for his judge”: and so he had there his Appeal ready written, and shewed to the King.
And therewith the King was more angry, and said, “He should not pursue his appeal: but rather he should be in ward till his appeal were admitted, and then (would he or not!) he should be his judge!”
And thus nothing of all this was allowed; but, because he would not swear to submit him to the Church, and take what penance the Archbishop would enjoin him, he was arrested, and sent to the Tower of London to keep his day that the [arch]bishop assigned him in the King’s Chamber.
And then he made the Belief aforesaid, with the Answer to Four Points that now follow, to be written in two parts of an Indenture.
And when he came to answer; he gave that one part to the [arch]bishop, and that other part he kept to himself.
The Indenture of the Lord Cobham.
His Answer to the Four Points .
I, John Oldcastle Knight, and Lord of Cobham, will that all Christian men wit, how that Thomas of Arundell, Archbishop of Canterbury hath not only laid it to my charge maliciously, but also very untruly, by his Letter and his Seal written against me in most slanderous wise, that I should otherwise feel and teach of the Sacraments of the Holy Church; assigning in special the Sacrament of the Altar, the Sacrament of Penance, and also in Worshipping of Images, and in Going on Pilgrimages, otherwise than feeleth and teacheth the universal Holy Church. I take Almighty GOD to witness, that it hath been, and now is, and ever, with the help of GOD, shall be, mine intent and my will to believe faithfully and truly in all the Sacraments that ever GOD ordained to be done in Holy Church.
And, moreover, for to declare me in these points aforesaid.
I believe that the most worshipful Sacrament of the Altar is very Christ’s body in form of bread: the same body that was born of the blessed Virgin our Lady Saint Mary, done on the cross, dead and buried, and the third day rose from death to life; the which body is now glorified in heaven.
Also as for the Sacrament of Penance, I believe that it is needful to every man that shall be saved, to forsake sin, and to do due penance for sin before done, with true confession, very contrition, and, due satisfaction, as GOD’s Law limiteth and teacheth; and else, may he not be saved; which penance I desire all men to do.
And as for Images, I understand that they be not of Belief, but they were ordained (since Belief was given of Christ) by sufferance of the Church for to be Kalenders to laymen, to represent and bring to mind the Passion of our Lord Jesu Christ, and [the] martyrdom and good living of other Saints. And that who so it be, that doeth the worship to dead images that is due to GOD; or putteth hope, faith, or trust in help of them as he should do to GOD; or hath affection in one more than in another: he doth in that, the great sin of Idolatry.
Also I suppose this fully, that every man in this earth is a Pilgrim towards Bliss or towards Pains. And he that knoweth not, nor will not know, nor keep the holy commandments of GOD in his living (albeit that he goeth on pilgrimage in all parts of the world), and he die so, he shall be damned. And he that knoweth the holy commandments of GOD and keepeth them to his end, he shall be saved; though he never in his life, go on pilgrimage as men use [are accustomed] now to Canterbury, or to Rome, or to any other place.
Lord Cobham’s final Examination . Sept. 1413
This Belief indented, containing the foresaid Belief with these foresaid Answers, he took to the Bishops when he came to answer [in the Chapter House of St. Paul’s] on the Saturday next before Michaelmas in the year beforesaid [September 23, 1413].
And whatsoever the Bishops asked him, he bade them look what his Bill said thereto; and thereby he would stand to the death. Other answer gave he not that day: but the Bishops were not quieted herewith.
And the Archbishop bade him take avisement [counsel] till Monday [September 25th] next following, to answer to this point:
If there remained material bread in the Sacrament of the Altar, after the words of consecration?
And in the meantime, he perceived that the uttermost malice was purposed against him, howsoever he answered: therefore he put his life in GOD’s hand, and answered thus, as followeth.
This is the judgement and sentence given upon Sir John Oldcastle Knight and Lord of Cobham, the Monday [September 25th] next before Michaelmas Day, at the Friar Preachers’s [the Dominican Friary within Ludgate] in London, in the year of our Lord, a thousand, four hundred and thirteen.
[Thomas Arundell] the Archbishop of Canterbury, [Richard Clifford] the Bishop of London, [Henry Beaufort] the Bishop of Winchester, [Benedict Nicolls] the Bishop of Bangor; Master John Witnam, Master John Whitehead [both of New College, Oxford], Doctors of Divinity; Master Philip Morgan, Master Henry Ware, Master John Kemp, Doctors of [Canon] Law; and sir [Rev.] Robert Wombewell, Vicar of St. Lawrence in the Jewry; Master John Stevens, Master James Cole, Notaries: with the Four Orders of Friars, and many other Clerks, deeming and convicting him for an heretic and a cursed man.
The Archbishop made all these Clerks, both Religious and Secular, to swear upon a book, that they should not, for love or favour of the one party, nor for any envy or hatred of the other party, say, nor witness but the truth.
And the two foresaid Notaries were sworn also to write and to witness the words and process that were to be said on both the parties, and to say the sooth if it otherwise were.
After this, the Lord of Cobham came, and was brought before them all, to his Examination, and to his Answer.
The Abp. again offers to absolve him .
Then the Archbishop said to him, “Lord of Cobham, ye be advised well enough of the words and Process that were said to you, upon Saturday last past, in the Chapter House of Paul’s: the which Process were now too long to rehearse. Then I proffered to have assoiled [absolve] you (for ye were accursed!) of your contumacy and disobedience to Holy Church.”
Then said the Lord Cobham forthwith, “GOD saith, Maledicam benedictionibus vestris, that is to say, ‘I shall curse your blessings!’”
Then said the Archbishop, “Sir, then I proffered to have assoiled you, if ye would have asked it; and yet I do the same!”
Then said the Lord of Cobham, “Nay, forsooth, I trespassed never against you! and therefore will I not do it.”
And with that, he kneeled down on the pavement, and held up his hands and said, “I shrive me to GOD! and to you all, Sirs! that, in my youth, I have sinned greatly and grievously in lechery and in pride, and hurt many men, and done many other horrible sins; Good Lord! I cry Thee, mercy!”
And therewith weepingly, he stood up again and said, “Here, for the breaking of GOD’s Law and His commandments, ye cursed me not! but for your own laws and traditions, above GOD’s Law: and therefore it shall be destroyed.”
Then the Archbishop examined the Lord of his Belief. And the Lord of Cobham said, “I believe fully in all GOD’s Law, and I believe that it is all true! and I believe all that GOD wills that I believe.”
Then the Archbishop examined him of the Sacrament of the Altar, how he believed therein?
The Lord of Cobham said, “Christ upon Shere [or Shrive or Maunday] Thursday [the day before Good Friday] at night, sitting with his disciples at the Supper, after that he had supped, he took bread and giving thanks to the Father, he blessed it and brake it, and gave it to his disciples saying, Take, and eat ye of this, all! This is my body that shall be betrayed for you! Do you this, in the remembrance of me. This I believe!” said he.
Then the Archbishop asked him, “If it were bread after the consecration, and the sacramental words said?”
The Lord of Cobham said, “I believe that the Sacrament of the Altar is very Christ’s body in form of bread; the same body that was born of the Virgin Mary, done on the cross, dead and buried, and the third day rose from death to life: which body is now glorified in heaven.”
Then said one of the Doctors of the Law, “After the sacramental words said, there remaineth no bread but the body of Christ!”
Then the Lord of Cobham said to one, Master John Whitehead, “You said to me in the Castle of Cowling [Lord Cobham’s home], that the host sacred was not Christ’s body: but I said, ‘It was Christ’s body!’ though Seculars and Friars hold each one against other in this opinion.”
Then said they, “We say all that it is GOD’s body!”
And they asked him, “Whether it were material bread after the consecration?”
Then said the Lord, “I believe it is Christ’s body in form of bread. Sir, believe ye not thus?”
And the Archbishop said, “Yea!”
Then the Doctors asked him, “Whether it were only Christ’s body after the consecration, and no bread?”
And he said to them, “It is Christ’s body and bread. For right as Christ was here in manhood, and the godhead hid in the manhood: so I believe verily that Christ’s flesh and his blood is hid there in the form of bread.”
Smiling they say, “It is an heresy !”
Then they smiled each on other, deeming him taken in heresy; and said, “It is an heresy!”
The Archbishop asked him, “What bread it was?” and the Clerks also, “Whether it were material or not?”
Then the Lord said, “The Gospel speaketh not of this term material; and therefore I will not! but say, it is Christ’s body and bread! For the Gospel saith, Ego sum panis vivus qui de cœlo descendi, that is to say, “I am quick bread that came down from heaven.” For as our Lord Jesus Christ is Very GOD and Very Man; so the most blessed Sacrament of the Altar is Christ’s body and bread.”
Then they said, “It is an heresy, to say that it is bread after the consecration and the sacramental words said, but only Christ’s body.”
The Lord said, “Saint Paul the Apostle was as wise as ye be! and he called it bread; where he saith thus The bread that we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the LORD?”
Then they said, “Paul must be otherwise understanded; for it is an heresy to say, that it is bread after the consecration, but only Christ’s body: for it is against the determination of the Church.”
Then they asked him, “Whether he believed not in the determination of the Church?”
And he said, “No, forsooth! but I believe all GOD’s Law, and all that GOD wills that I believe; but not in your law nor in your determination: for ye be no part of Holy Church, as openly your deeds shew; but very Antichrists, contrary to GOD’s law. For ye have made laws for your covetousness.”
“This,” they said, “was heresy: not for to believe in the determination of the Church.”
Lollard definition of “Holy Church .”
Then the Archbishop asked him, “What was Holy Church?”
He said, “I believe that Holy Church is the number of all them that shall be saved; of whom Christ is head: of the which Church, one part is in Heaven, another in Purgatory, and the third here in Earth. This part here, standeth in three degrees and estates, Priesthood, Knighthood, and the Comminalty, as I said plainly in my Belief.”
Then the Archbishop said to him, “Wot you who is of this Church? It is doubt to you who is thereof? Ye should not judge!”
The Lord said, “Operibus credite! justum judicium judicate!” that is to say, “Believe ye the works! judge ye rightful judgement!”
Also he said to them all, “Where find ye by GOD’s Law, that ye should set thus upon any man, or any man’s death, as ye do? But Annas and Caiaphas sat and judged Christ; and so do you!”
Then said they, “Yes, Sir, Christ judged Judas!”
The venom of worldly possessions .
The Lord of Cobham said, “No, Christ judged not Judas! but he judged himself, and went and hanged himself: but Christ said, Woe to him, as he doth to many of you! For since the venom was shed into the Church; ye followed never Christ, nor ye stood never in perfection of GOD’s Law!”
Then the Archbishop asked him, “What was that venom?”
The Lord said, “The lordships and possessions. For then, cried an angel, ‘Woe! woe! woe! This day is venom shed into the Church of GOD!’ For before that time, there many martyrs of Popes; and since I can tell of none! but, sooth it is, since that time one hath put down another, and one hath slain another, and one hath cursed another, as the Chronicles tell; also of much more cursedness.”
Also he said, “Christ was meek, and the Pope is proud. Christ was poor and forgave; the Pope is rich and a man-slayer, as it is openly proved. And thus this is the nest of Antichrist, and out of this nest cometh Antichrist’s disciples, of whom these Monks and Friars be the tail.”
Then said [Richard Dodington] Prior of the Friars Augustines, “Sir, why say ye so?”
And the Lord of Cobham said, “For as ye be Pharisees, “divided,” and divided in habit [dress]; so ye make division among the people. And thus these friars and monks with such others be the members of the nest of Antichrist.”
And he said, “Christ saith, Woe be to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye close up the Kingdom of Heaven before men: for, sooth, ye enter not yourselves! nor ye will not suffer them that would, to enter in! And thus, ye be the disciples of Antichrist! For ye will not suffer GOD’s Law to go through, nor to be taught and preached of good priests; which will speak against your sins, and reprove them: but of such that be flatterers, which sustain you in your sins and cursedness.”
Then said the Archbishop, “By our Lady! Sir, there shall no such preach, that preacheth dissension and division, if GOD will!”
Then said the Lord of Cobham to the Archbishop, “Christ saith that there shall be so great tribulation, as never was since the beginning. And this shall be in your days! and by you! for ye have slain many men, and shall more hereafter: but Christ saith, Except that those days were shortened, no flesh should be saved: but hastily GOD will short[en] your days! Furthermore, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons be grounded in GOD’s Law: but not these other Religious [Monks and Friars] as far as I can wit.”
The 4 Determinations of the Church .
Then a Doctor of Law, one Master John Kemp, put to him these four Points that follow:
“The faith and determination of Holy Church touching the blessed Sacrament of the Altar is this. That after the sacramental words be said of a priest in his Mass, the material bread that was before, is turned into Christ’s body, and the material wine that was before, is turned into Christ’s very blood: and so there remaineth in the Sacrament of the Altar, no material bread nor material wine; the which were there, before the saying of the sacramental words. Sir, believe you this?”
The Lord of Cobham said, “This is not my belief. For my belief is, as I said to you before, that the worshipful Sacrament of the Altar is very Christ’s body in form of bread.”
Then said the Archbishop, “Sir John! ye must say otherwise!”
The Lord of Cobham said, “Nay, if GOD will! but that it is Christ’s body in form of bread, as all the common belief is.”
The Doctor [John Kemp] said, “The second is this, The Holy Church hath determined that every Christian man living bodily upon the earth oweth [ought] to be shriven to a priest ordained by the Church, if he may come to him. Sir, what say ye to this?”
The Lord answered and said, “A sick man and sore wounded had need to have a sure Leech and a true, knowing his cure; and therefore a man should be principally shriven to GOD; and else his confession is nought. And a man should rather go and be counselled with a good priest that knoweth GOD’s Law, and liveth thereafter; than with his own priest, if he were an evil man, or with any other such.”
The Doctor said, “The Third is this, Christ ordained Saint Peter to be his Vicar in earth, whose See is the Church of Rome; ordaining and granting that the same power that he gave to Peter should succeed to all Peter’s successors, the which we call now the Popes of Rome: by whose power in the Church particularly and specially, be ordained Prelates as Archbishops, Bishops, and other degrees; to whom Christian men owe [ought] to obey after the law of the Church of Rome. This is the determination of the Church.”
To this, he answered and said, “Who that followeth next Peter in living, is next him in succession: but your living refuseth poor Peter’s living, and many other Popes that were martyrs in Rome that followed Peter in manner of living; whose conditions ye have clean forsaken, all the world may know it well!”
The Doctor said, “The fourth point is this. Holy Church hath determined that it is meedful to a Christian man, to go on pilgrimages to holy places; and there especially to worship holy relics of Saints, Apostles, Martyrs, Confessors, and all Saints approved by the Church of Rome.”
To this, he said, “It were enough to bury Saints fair in the earth; but now Saints that be dead, be compelled to beg for covetousness! the which in their life, hated covetousness and begging. But I say to you all, and know it for a truth, that with your shrines and idols, and your feigned absolutions and indulgences, and your temporalities, ye draw to you all the richesse of this world.”
“Where is the cross Christ died on ?”
“Why Sir,” said one of the Clerks, “will ye not worship images?”
“What worship?” said the Lord.
Then said Friar [Thomas] Palmer [Warden of the Minorites], “Sir, ye will worship the Cross of Christ that he died on?”
“Where is it?” said the Lord.
The Friar said, “I put case, Sir, that it were here before you!”
The Lord said, “This is a ready man! to put to me a question of a thing, that they wot never where it is? And yet I ask you, What worship?”
A Clerk said, “Such worship as Paul speaketh of, that is this, GOD forbid me to joy, but in the cross of our Lord Jesu Christ.”
Then said the Lord, and spread his arms abroad, “This is a very cross!”
Then said the [Henry Beauclerc] Bishop of London, “Sir, ye wot well! that he died on a material cross.”
Then said the Lord, “Our salvation come in only by him that died on the cross, and by the material cross. And, well I wot, that this was the cross that Paul joyed on, that is, in the Passion of our LORD Jesu Christ.”
The Archbishop said, “Sir John! ye must submit you to the ordinance of the Church!”
The Lord said, “I wot not whereto?”
Lord Cobham adjudged a heretic .
Then the Archbishop read a bill of his judgement, and convicted him for a heretic.
After the reading of the bill, the Lord said, “Though ye judge my body, I hope to GOD! that He will save my soul!” and he said that he “would stand to the death, by these things beforesaid; with the help of Jesu!”
And then he said to all the people, “Sirs, for GOD’s love! be well ware of these men! for they will beguile you else! and lead you blindlings into hell, and themselves also! For Christ saith, ‘If one blind man lead another, both fall into the ditch!”
And after this, thus he prayed for his enemies, and said, “LORD GOD! I beseech thee, forgive my pursuers! if it be thy will!”
And then he was led again to the Tower of London: and thus was the end.
The MS. notice in London Streets .
While the Lord of Cobham was in the Tower, he sent out privily to his friends; and they, at his desire, informed and writ this bill that followeth next, commending it to the people, that they should cease the slanders and leasings that his enemies made on him.
F or as mickle as Sir John Oldcastle, Knight and
Lord of Cobham, is untruly convicted and prisoned,
and falsely reported and slandered among the people
by his adversaries, that he should otherwise
feel and speak of the Sacraments of Holy
Church, and especially of the blessed
Sacrament of the Altar, than
was written in his Belief,
which was indented
and taken to the
Clergy, and set
up in divers
open places
in the city of
London: Known
be it to all the world
that he never varied in any
point therefrom; but this is plainly
his Belief, that all the Sacraments of
Holy Church be profitable and meedful to
all them that shall be saved, taking them after
the intent that GOD and Holy Church hath
ordained. Furthermore he believeth
that the blessed Sacrament of the
Altar is verily and
truly Christ’s
body in form
of bread.
Truth long-hid now is disclosed.
Praised be GOD! Amen.