A History of the British Empire

recalling the warrants, and disavowing the meas sure *. It was in religious matters, after the commencement of the Reformation, that Parliaments, during this reign and the three following, shewed themselves inclined slavishly to adopt suggestions from the throne, and the conduct of Henry and his successors was chiefly distinguished by an arbitrary character; but when we examine the causes of that acquiescence, we discover them in the circumstances and feelings which attended the Reformation itself. As this is, however, a subject which deserves investigation, it will not be improper to enter into some detail.

Even in the darkest ages, there were instances of individuals who impugned the authority of the Popish yoke, and gained a few proselytes; but it was reserved for Englishmen to disclaim the dominion of the papal see, with the first prospect of success t. Popular movements have commonly been ascribed to the principal actors in them, as to their authors; but the utmost that can be accomplished by individuals, in such cases, is merely to avail themselves of a happy predisposition in the public mind, to give form and consistency to loose opinions, and to bring to the aid of an infant sect or party, the weight of talent, learning, and

* Holinshed, Vol. II. p. 891. Halle, 137, et seq. Herbert, p. 66 and 67. Burnet's History of Ref. Vol. V. p. 36 and 37, Burleigh's Paper to Elizabeth. Wolsey afterwards pretended that he merely wanted a benevolence, but he was answered with law.

+ See Fox's Martyrs, Vol. I. for an account of reformers long before Wickliffe's time.

character, or station. They may thus strengthen and direct the current; but, if they be wise beyond their age, they must expect the just appreciation of their views from an enlightened posterity. Thus it happened with John Wickliffe, to whom the first grand attempt at reformation has been attributed. Previous attempts, as we have observed, had proved abortive-because the times were not ripe for a change; but the merit of Wickliffe lay in seizing the favourable moment for disseminating his doctrine. In most of his principles he had been, in a great measure, anticipated, even by writers whose names are forgotten; but the profoundness of his learning, and greatness of his abilities, enabled him at once to take the lead, and thus gave to the sect the name of its champion. This eminent individual was reader of divinity at Oxford, and began to broach his opinions about the year 1371. His most inveterate enemies, while they endeavour to blacken his memory with the imputation of vices, and of many profane as well as ridiculous tenets, do ample justice to his great endowments; and it may be remarked, that the slander of Pol. Vergil t-that he

* Fox, p. 521, et seq.

+ Pol. Verg. L. xix. p. 399 & 400. After having said, that, at that time, there existed many learned and brave men, he observes→→ Extitere et aliqui insigni infamia, quorum caput et princeps fuit Joannes Wythcliffus: is, ut fama est, à primo indignatus, quod non potuisset ad summos sacerdotalis ordinis aspirare honores, factus inde sacerdotibus cunctis inimicior, cœpit divina scripta perversé interpretari, atque novam instituere sectam, &c. The character of Wickliffe, for talents and attainments, is thus given by a cotemporary VOL. I.

acted from disappointment in his ambitious hopes of reaching the highest honours in the Church he abandoned—is really a tribute to his character for talent and learning. Instead of the timidity for which, at a more enlightened period, the Saxon reformer was remarkable, Wickliffe and his party at once struck at the root of the evil, disclaiming alike the supremacy of the Pope, and the tenets and practices- such as purgatory, the real presence in the eucharist, the tutelar protection of saints, the adoration of images, auricular confession, pilgrimages, the effect of baptism, the colibacy of the clergy, &c.—which peculiarly distinguish the Catholic superstition, and boldly appealed to the Scriptures as the only rule of faith. Qualified equally by nature and by his uncommon attainments to be the leader of the sect, he did not permit his talents to rust in inactivity; for, besides translating the Scriptures into English, he is said to have written about two hundred books, the majority of which were preserved till the sixteenth century against all the efforts of the clergy to destroy them. That body were particularly offended at the translation of the Scriptures, by which, they alleged, the evangelical pearl was cast

historian of great credit, and who, being a monk, and an inveterate enemy, is in this respect the more to be trusted: "In philosophiâ nulli reputabatur secundus, in scholasticis disciplinis incomparabilis. Hic maximè nitebatur aliorum ingenia, subtilitate scientiæ, et profunditate ingenii sui transcendere, et ab opinionibus eorum variare.” Knighton, p. 2644.

Henry's Hist. Vol. VIII. p. 234.

"Sic

abroad, and trodden under feet of swine. evangelica margarita spargitur et a porcis conculcatur." His followers went about preaching the gospel, barefooted, and cloathed in russet; and, as the simplicity of their dress made a deep impression on the common people, their enemies likened them to the false prophets-ravenous wolves in sheep's clothing-of whom Christ forewarned his disciples. Their doctrine, however, attracted many amongst the high classes, and even amongst the people, from a more impure cause: for they declaimed virulently against the monastic institutions and the property of the church: and went so far as to assert, that it was not only lawful for the temporal lords and gentry, but incumbent on them, under pain of damnation, to seize the possessions of any delinquent church; and that tithes were purely eleemosynary, and might be withheld by the people upon a delinquency in the pastor, and transferred to another at pleasure t. Great

* Knighton, p. 2644. Principales pseudo Lollardi, primâ introductione hujus sectæ nephandæ, vestibus de russeto utebantur pro majore parte, illorum quasi simplicitatem cordis ostendentes exterius, ut sic mentes intuentium se subtiliter sibi attraherent, et laborem docendi atque seminandi insanam doctrinam, securius aggrederentur. De talibus, enim, loquitur dominus in evangelio docens suos cavere ab eis, ait, enim, attendite a falsis prophetis, qui ad vos veniunt in vestimentis ovium, intrinsecus autem sunt lupi rapaces, p. 2663. See also Walsingham, Hist. p. 191.

+ Walsingham, Hist. p. 191. Ypodig. Neust. p. 531. Knighton gives the particular charges of heresy against Wickliffe; and by these he is accused of having gone a little farther than what is stated in our text-" quod domini temporales possunt ad arbitrium auferre bona temporalia sibi ab ecclesiâ habitualiter delinquente, vet quod populares possunt ad eorum arbitrium dominos delinquentes corrigere." P. 2648.

prospects thus encouraged the higher classes to advance the infant creed; and to that motive Walsingham attributes the success of the new sect in obtaining so many high proselytes. "Eo nempe maximo, quia potestatem tribuerunt laicis, suis assertionibus, ad auferendum temporalia a viris ecclesiasticis et religiosis *." It is not so wonderful, therefore, that a cotemporary monkish historian should endeavour to blast the credit of the reformer, by alleging that he had John Balle, the friend of Wat Tyler, as his precursor, who prepared the way for him by similar opinions. "Hic habuit præcursorem Johannem Balle, veluti Christus Johannem Babtistam, qui vias suas in talibus opinionibus præparavit, et plurimos quoque, doctrinâ suâ, ut dicitur, perturbavit t." Amongst the favourers and patrons of Wickliffe, were John of Gaunt, (on whom the government chiefly devolved in the old age of Edward III.,) and the Lords Percy, Latimer, Montague, &c. ‡ who are

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A History of the British Empire: From the Accession of Charles I. to ..., 第 1 卷