in true and vivid colours in the eyes of the present generation. In the present English edition, several portions of the original work have been omitted which did not appear likely to interest English readers so much as what relates directly to England and Wiclif himself. The Author can only congratulate himself that he has found in Professor Lorimer a translator who, along with a perfect acquaintance with German, combines so rich a knowledge of the subject, and, what is not the smallest requisite for the task, so enthusiastic a love for the personality of Wiclif. He has given a special proof of his love to the subject of this book, and of his learned knowledge of it, in a number of "Additional Notes." In these, with the help of medieval records and chronicles which have appeared since the publication of the German original (1873), he has been able sometimes to confirm, and sometimes to correct, the investigations of the Author. And as, in my esteem, the truth is above all else, I am able, without jealousy, to rejoice in every rectification which the views I set forth may receive from later researches among documents which were not accessible to me at the time of my own investigations. May the Father of Lights, from whom cometh down every good and perfect gift, be pleased to make His blessing rest upon this English edition of my work, to His own glory, to the furtherance of evangelical truth, and to the wellbeing of the Church of Jesus Christ. GOTTHARD LECHLER. LEIPZIG, 11th February 1878. TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE. PROFESSOR LECHLER's work is not only a Biography of Wiclif, but also a preliminary history of the Reformation; beginning far back in the medieval centuries, and carried down along the parallel lines of the Lollards and the Hussites, to the first decades of the sixteenth century. The two volumes extend to 1400 closely printed pages; and it was found impracticable to carry out the original idea of publishing a translation of the whole work. My design was then reduced to the reproduction of the Biography, and of so much of the preliminary history as concerned Wiclif's English Precursors. From the English point of view, it seemed perfectly fitting that the life and teaching of Wiclif should be presented as a subject complete in itself, without implication with the general history of the Church, either earlier or later; and it was found that a single preliminary chapter would suffice to communicate all that the Author had written respecting Grossetête, Occam, and the rest of Wiclif's forerunners upon English soil. Professor Lechler at once acceded to this reduced programme of the translation, and not only prepared for my use a new arrangement of the original text, so far as this was called for, but also made a careful revision both of text and notes, for the present edition. The whole original work is of much value and well worth translation, but its chief importance lies in the Biography of Wiclif himself. In the execution of this kernel portion of his work, the Author had the immense advantage of free and leisurely access to the Wiclif MSS. of the Imperial Library of Vienna; and he has used this advantage to the utmost, and with the best effect. Never before has the whole teaching of the reformer, philosophical, theological, ethical, and ecclesiastical, been so copiously and accurately set forth; and never before has so large a mass of classified quotations from all his chief scientific writings been placed under the eyes of scholars. 66 It is a singular fact that 500 years should have passed away before it became possible to do this service of justice to the memory of so great a man the very Morning Star of the Reformation;" and it is much to be wished that the University of Oxford, Wiclif's Alma Mater, should complete the service, by carrying out to the full her own noble design, already considerably advanced, of a collection of the "Select Works" of Wiclif-in the direction of the suggestions offered by Professor Lechler in the foregoing Preface. The Author has referred in his Preface in the kindest spirit to the "Additional Notes" which I have been able to append to several chapters of the first volume. It had occurred to me that it might be possible to find some fresh collateral lights upon a medieval subject, in several volumes of the "Chronicles and Memorials" brought out under the superintendence of the Master of the Rolls, which had appeared since the publication of Professor Lechler's work. The surmise was verified much beyond my hope. In particular, it is a great satisfaction to me that these sources supplied me with the materials of an argu ment to prove, with a high degree of probability, an unbroken connection of Wiclif with Balliol College, from the date of his entrance at the University, down to his resignation of the Balliol Mastership. This satisfaction has been much enhanced by Professor Lechler's concurrence in the same view, upon the ground of this fresh evidence; and it would be complete if I might hope to obtain also the concurrence of the eminent scholars who now preside over that illustrious seat of learning-one of whose chief historic distinctions must always be that it was Wiclif's College. THE TRANSLATOR. ENGLISH PRESBYTERIAN COLLEGE, LONDON, March 1878. INTRODUCTION, CONTENTS. SECTION III.-Henry Bracton and William Occam and the Tone of Church Life and Politics in the Fourteenth Century, SECTION IV.-Richard of Armagh and the Mendicant Orders, NOTE II.-Provisions of the Statutes of Sir Philip de Somerville for the Study of Theology by the Fellows of Balliol College NOTE III.-State of Philosophical Parties in Oxford in Wiclif's |