The Emperor Henry IV. with his Empress and Son, waiting three days and nights, to gain admission to Pope Gregory VI.-See page 155.

BOOK IX.

CONTAINING A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE REFORMATION, AND THE REMARKABLE CIRCUM STANCES WHICH PRECEDED IT, FROM THE TIME OF WICKLIFFE TO THE REIGN OF QUEEN MARY.

SECTION I.

Particulars relative to the Great Ascendency of the Popes throughout Christendom, in the Middle Ages.

IN the Introduction will be found an ac-peror for Germany, they poisoned Clement, count of the rise and progress of popery, and at once violated the law by choosing from the commencement of its usurpations to another pope, without the imperial sanction. the tenth century. From this period, till This was Damasus II., who being also poithe reformation was attempted by Wickliffe, soned, within a few days from his appointthe abominations of these arch and unchris-ment, much contention took place. Wheretian heretics increased with rapid strides, upon the Romans sent to the emperor, detill at length all the sovereigns of Europe siring him to give them a bishop; upon were compelled to do them the most servile which he selected Bruno, a German, called homage. It was in the reign of Edgar, king Leo IX. This pope was also poisoned, in the of England, that monks were first made first year of his popedom. spiritual ministers, though contrary to the decrees and custom of the church; and in the time of this sovereign they were allowed to marry, there being no law forbidding it, before the papacy of Gregory VII.

After his death Theophylactus made an effort to be pope, but Hildebrand, to defeat him, went to the emperor, and persuaded him to assign another bishop, a German, who ascended the papal chair under the title of Victor II.

The second year of his papacy, this pode also followed his predecessors, like them being poisoned.

To relate the tyrannical innovations upon the religion of Christ during the space of more than three hundred years, would be the province of a writer on church history, and is quite incompatible with our limits. On the death of Victor, the cardinals Suffice it to say, that scarcely a foreign war elected Stephen IX. for pope, contrary to or civil broil convulsed Europe during that their oath, and the emperor's assignment. period, which did not originate in the infer- From this period, indeed, their ascendency nal artifices of popes, monks, and friars. was so great, that the most powerful soveThey frequently fell victims to their own reigns of Europe were obliged to do them machinations; for, from the year 1004, many homage; and Nicholas, who succeeded Stepopes died violent deaths: several were phen, established the Council of the Lateran poisoned; Sylvester was cut to pieces by! In this council first was promulgated the his own people; and the reigns of his suc- terrible sentence of excommunication against cessors were but short. Benedict, who suc- all such as "do creep into the seat of Peter eeeded John XXI., thought proper to resist by money or favor, without the full consent the emperor Henry III. and place in his room of the cardinals;" cursing them and their Peter, king of Hungary; but afterwards children with the anger of Almighty God; being alarmed by the success of Henry, he and giving authority and power to cardinals, sold his seat to Gratianus, called Gregory with the clergy and laity, to depose all such VI. At this time there were three popes in persons, and call a council-general, wheresoRome, all striving against each other for the ever they will, against them. supreme power, viz. Benedict IX., Sylves- Pope Nicholas only reigned three years ter III., and Gregory VI. But the emperor, and a half, and then, like his predecessors, Henry, coming to Rome, displaced these was poisoned. three monsters at once, and appointed Clement the Second, enacting that henceforth no bishop of Rome should be chosen but by the consent of the emperor. Though this ·To such a height had papal insolence now law was necessary for public tranquillity, attained, that, on the emperor Henry IV. reyet it interfered too much with the ambitious fusing to submit to some decrees of pope views of the cardinals, who accordingly ex- Gregory VII., the latter excommunicated erted themselves to get it repealed; and him, and, absolved all his subjects from their failing in this, on the departure of the em- oath of allegiance to him: on this he was

SUBMISSION OF THE EMPEROR HENRY IV.
TO THE POPE.

deserted by his nobility, and dreading the the clergy, John had also fallen under the consequences, though a brave man, he found displeasure of the pope, who accordingly it necessary to make his submission. He laid the kingdom under an interdict, and ab accordingly repaired to the city of Canusium, solved his subjects from their allegiance. where the pope then was, and went bare- Alarmed at this, the tyrant earnestly sued footed with his wife and child to the gate; for peace with his holiness, hoping, by his where he remained from morning to night, mediation, to obtain favorable terms from the fasting, humbly desiring absolution, and barons, or, by his thunders, to terrify them craving to be let in. But no ingress being into submission. He made the most abject given him, he continued thus three days to- supplications, and the pope, ever willing to gether; at length, answer came, that his increase the power of the church, sent cardiholiness had yet no leisure to talk with him. nal Pandulf as legate to the king at CanterThe emperor patiently waited without the bury; to whom John resigned his crown and walls, although in the depth of winter. At dominions; and the cardinal, after retaining length his request was granted, through the the crown five days, in token of possession, entreaties of Matilda, the pope's paramour. returned it to the king, on condition of his On the fourth day, being let in, for a token making a yearly payment of 1000 marks to of his true repentance, he yielded to the the court of Rome, and holding the dominpope's hands his crown, and confessed him- ions of England and Ireland in farm from self unworthy of the empire, if he ever again the pope.

offended against the pope, desiring for that But if John expected any benefit from time to be absolved and forgiven. The pope this most disgraceful transaction, he was disanswered, he would neither forgive him, appointed; and instead of enjoying the nor release the bond of his excommunica- crown which he had so basely surrendered tion, but upon condition, that he would abide and received again, the short remainder of by his arbitrement in the council, and under- his life was disturbed by continual insurrecgo such penance as he should enjoin him; tions, and he at last died either of grief, or that he should answer to all objections and by poison administered to him by a monk of accusations laid against him, and that he the convent of Swineshead in Lincolnshire. should never seek revenge; that it should The latter cause is assigned by many histobe at the pope's pleasure, whether his king-rians, and we are told that the king, susdom should be restored, or not. Finally, pecting some fruit, which was presented to that before the trial of his cause, he should him at the above convent, to be poisoned, neither use his kingly ornaments, nor usurp ordered the monk who brought it to eat of the authority to govern, nor to exact any it; which he did, and died in a few hours after. oath of allegiance from his subjects, &c. These things being promised to the pope by an oath, the emperor was only released from excommunication.

KING JOHN SURRENDERS HIS CROWN TO
THE POPE.

AN EMPEROR TRODDEN ON BY THE POPE

The papal usurpations were extended to every part of Europe. In Germany, the emperor Frederic was compelled to submit to be trodden under the feet of pope Alexander, and dared not make any resistance. In The ascendency of the popes was never England, however, a spirit of resentment more fully evinced than by a remarkable broke out in various reigns, in consequence fact in the history of our own country. King of the oppressions and horrible conduct of John, having incurred the hatred of his those antichristian blasphemers, which conDarons and people by his cruel and tyranni- tinued with more or less violence till the cal measures, they took arms against him, time of the great Wickliffe, of whom we and offered the crown to Lewis, son of the shall speak more fully in the following pages. French king. By seizing the possessions of

SECTION II.

Account of Wickliffe, and of the Martyrs who suffered in Defence of his Doctrines.

THE first attempts made in England to- my, writing to pope Martin, says, that he wards the reformation of the church, took was wonderfully astonished at his strong arplace in the reign of Edward III., about A. guments, with the places of authority which D. 1350, when John Wickliffe appeared. he had gathered, with the vehemency and This early star of the English church was force of his reasons, &c. At the time of his public reader of divinity in the university of appearance, the greatest darkness pervaded Oxford, and, by the learned of his day, was the church. Scarcely any thing but the accounted deeply versed in theology, and all name of Christ remained; his true doctrine kinds of philosophy. This even his adver- being as far unknown to the most part, as saries allowed, as Walden, his bitterest ene- his name was common to all. As to faith,

Po, e lexan er trea ling on the neck of Frederick, Emperor of