sekithe ryot gladly, he metithe therewith, for many men for anger betithe hym selff with his owne staffe, and sekithe hym sorw from day to day. And God blessithe in the gospelle the meke and the humble hert. And all these men that kepithe hem selff clene, and in the loue and drede of God, and of his neighboures, shewithe welle who is her fader, and that is God the fader, of the which they kepe his comaundementis as holy chirche techithe hem. And they haue free hert to witholde good ensaumples of lyff, and ioye perdurable, and of saluation. And therfor, faire doughters, haue night and day youre hertes to hym and loue hym, and drede hym, and he wille kepe you and saue you from perille and temptaciones. And therfor, my faire doughters, y wille shewe you and declare you by this boke the good ladyes that God preisithe in the Bybille, and for thaire holy lyff shal euer be praised, and therfor takithe ensaumple to lyue clenly and honestly as thei dede. And also y wille declare you sum euelle women that were diuerse and cruelle, the whiche made and hadde euelle ende, to that entent that ye may take hede by hem to kepe you from the euelle, that ye falle not inne.

WYCLIF

(A. D. 1320–1384.)

"WYCLIF, Langland, and Chaucer are the three great figures of English literature in the Middle Ages.

"Wyclif belonged to the rich and respected family of the Wyclifs, lords of the manor of Wyclif, in Yorkshire. He was born about 1320, and devoted himself early to a scientific and religious calling. He studied at Oxford, where he soon attracted notice, being one of those men of character who occupy from the beginning of their lives, without seeking for it, but being, as it seems, born to it, a place apart amid the limp multitude of men. The turn of his mind, the originality of his views, the firmness of his will, his learning, raised him above others; he was one of those concerning whom it is at once said they are some one;' and several times in the course of his existence he saw the University, the King, the country even, turn to him when some one was needed.

"He was hardly thirty-five when, the college of Balliol at Oxford having lost its master, he was elected to the post. In 1366 Parliament ruled that the Pope's claim to the tribute promised by King John should no longer be recognized, and Wyclif was asked to draw up a pamphlet justifying the decision. In 1374 a diplomatic mission was entrusted to him, and he went to Bruges, with several other 'ambassatores,' to negotiate with the Pope's representatives. He then had the title of doctor of divinity.

"Various provincial livings were successively bestowed upon him: that of Fillingham in 1361; that of Ludgarshall in 1368; that of Lutterworth, in Leicestershire, in 1374, which he kept till his death. He divided his time between his duties as rector, his studies, his lectures at Oxford, and his life in London, where he made several different stays, and preached some of his sermons.

But so

"These quiet occupations were interrupted from time to time owing to the storms raised by his writings. great was his fame, and so eminent his personality, that he escaped the terrible consequences that heresy then involved. He had at first alarmed religious authority by his political theories on the relations of Church and State, next on the reformation of the Church itself; finally he created excessive scandal by attacking dogmas and by discussing the sacra

ments.

"Besides his writings and his speeches, he used, in order to popularize his doctrines, his simple priests,' or 'poor priests, who, without being formed into a religious order, imitated the wandering life of the friars, but not their mendicity, and strove to attain the ideal which the friars had fallen short of. They went about preaching from village to village, and the civil authority was alarmed by the political and religious theories expounded to the people by these wanderers, who journeyed from county to county, and from town to town, in certain habits under dissimulation of great holiness, without license of our Holy Father the Pope, or of the ordinary of the diocese.' Wyclif justified these unlicensed preachings by the example of St. Paul, who, after his conversion, preechide fast, and axide noo leve of Petir herto, for he hadde leve of Jesus Crist.'

6

6

"From this time forth Wyclif began to circulate on the sacraments, and especially on the Eucharist, opinions that Oxford even was unable to tolerate; the University condemned them. Conformably to his Own theory, which tended, as did that of the Commons, towards a royal supremacy, Wyclif appealed not to the Pope but to the king, and in the meantime refused to submit. This was carrying boldness very far. John of Gaunt separates from his protégé; Courtenay, bishop of London, calls together a Council, which condemns Wyclif and his adherents (1382); the followers are pursued, and retract or exile themselves; but Wyclif continues to live in perfect quiet. Settled at Lutterworth, from whence he now rarely stirred, he wrote more than ever, with a more and more caustic and daring pen. The papal schism, which had begun in 1378, had cast discredit on the Holy See; Wyclif's work was made the easier by it. At last Urban VI., the Pope whom England recognized,

summoned him to appear in his presence, but an attack of paralysis came on, and Wyclif died in his parish on the last day of the year 1384. . . . By order of the Council of Constance, his ashes were afterwards thrown to the winds, and the family of the Wyclifs of Wyclif, firmly attached to the old faith, erased him from their genealogical tree.' T. J. JUSSERAND, "A Literary History of the English People."

WYCLIF'S SHORT RULE OF LIFE.

FOR EACH MAN IN GENERAL, AND FOR PRIESTS, AND LORDS, AND LABOURERS, IN PARTICULAR, HOW EACH SHALL BE SAVED IN HIS DEGREE.

First, When thou risest, or fully wakest, think upon the goodness of thy God; how for his own goodness, and not for any need, he made all things out of nothing, both angels and men, and all other creatures, good in their kind.

The second time, think on the great sufferings, and willing death that Christ suffered for mankind. When no man might make satisfaction for the guilt of Adam and Eve, and others more, neither any angel might make satisfaction therefore, then Christ, of his endless charity, suffered such great passion and painful death that no creature could suffer so much.

Think the third time, how God hath saved thee from death and other mischief, and suffered many thousands to be lost that night, some in water, some in fire, and some by sudden death; and some to be damned without end. And for this goodness and mercy thank thy God with all thine heart. And pray him to give thee grace to spend in that day, and evermore, all the powers of thy soul, as mind, understanding, reason, and will; and all the powers of thy body, as strength, beauty, and thy five senses,

in his service and worship, and in nothing against his commandments; but in ready performance of his works of mercy, and to give good example of holy life, both in word and deed, to all men about thee.

occupied, and no time

Take meat and drink

Look afterward that thou be well idle, for the danger of temptation. in measure, not too costly nor too lickerous, and be not too curious thereabout. But such as God sendeth thee with health, take it in such measure that thou be fresher in mind and understanding to serve God. And always thank him for such gifts. Besides this, look thou do right and equity to all men, thy superiors, equals, and subjects or servants; and stir all to love truth, and mercy, and true peace, and charity; and suffer no men to be at dissension, but accord them if thou canst in any good

manner.

Also, most of all fear God and his wrath; and most of all love God and his law, and his worship; and ask not principally for worldly reward, but in all thine heart desire the bliss of heaven in mercy of God, and thine own good life; and think much of the dreadful doom of pains of hell, to keep thee out of sin; and on the endless great joys of heaven, to keep thee in virtuous life; and according to thy skill teach others the same doing.

In the end of the day think wherein thou hast offended God, and how much and how oft, and therefore have entire sorrow, and amend it while thou mayest. And think how many God hath suffered to perish that day, many ways, and to be damned everlastingly, and how graciously he hath saved thee; not for thy desert, but for his own mercy and goodness, and therefore thank him with all thine heart. And pray him for grace that thou mayest dwell and end in his true and holy service and real love, and to teach other men the same doing.