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IOHANNIS WYCLIF

TRACTATUS

DE APOSTASIA.

NOW FIRST EDITED FROM THE VIENNA MSS.

1343 AND 3935.

BY

MICHAEL HENEY DZIEWICKI.

LONDON.

PUBLISHED FOR THE WYCLIF SOCIETY BY TRUBNER & C°-

57 AND 59 LUDGATE IIILL

MDCCCLXXXIX.

JOHNSON REPRINT CORPORATION MINERVA, G.m.b.H.

NEW YORK AND LONDON FRANKFURT AM MAIN

Contents of the Introduction.

i. Correction of Shirley's Catalogue (p. I).

2. Description of the MSS. (pp. II — IV).

3. Analysis of the work itself: a) Apostasy (pp. IV— XIII); b) Transsubstantiation (pp. XIII to end).

BOSTON COLLEGE LIBRARY CHESTNOT HILLg^ASS.

M

374357

First reprinting, 1966

Printed in the United States of America

INTRODUCTION.

De Apostasia, which is now printed for the first time, has been hitherto kr.own to the public only by Shirley's valuable catalogue of WycliPs works. His notice, however, is not without a few errors, which ought to be corrected first of all, before I make any further remarks concerning the editing of the work, and the work itself.

It runs thus: uDe Apostasia. In two chapters. Incipit: Restat ulterius ponere aliud principium. Desinit: fratrum commodum quoad deum. — MSS. Vienna: CCXCII, ff. 37—124; CCCX, ff. 49—128. Univ. Pi-ague: III F. 11, ff. 70 — 1 34; III G. 11, ff, 208 — 220. Trin. Coll. Dub.: C. 1, 24, pp. 2q'3 — 3 10. — The Prague MSS. seem both to be imperfect. — Auth. Author's name on the Vienna MSS. ; Walden, De Sacramentis, passim; Bale, tiile only."

On p. 63, he quotes ihe Vienna catalogue: "Undecima, de Apostasia, 18 capp. Restat .... in fine, hoc venerabili sacramento".

The corrections are as follows: There are 17 chapters, not 2 nor 18; the second chapter ends with fratrum commodum &c; the seventeenth, as in the Vienna cataloguc. The Vienna MSS. are re- spectively CCCXCIl (or cod. 1 343) and CCCCX (or cod. 3935). There are three MSS. at Prague University, the one omitted here being C. 73: only one of the three (III G. 11) is imperfect, ending at about the middle of the second chapter. — C. 1, 24, Tr. Coll. Dub. is imperfect, breaking off at the end of the second chapter. The author's name is only in cod. CCCXCII; in CCCCX, C. 73 and III F. 11. there are his initials.

For the sake of uniformity with the other works published by the Wyclif Society, I have lettered these MSS. rn the various readings. Thus, cod. 13^3 (or CCCXCII) will in future be A; this was the MS. copied for the text of the work. Cod. 3^35 (or CCCCX) is B; C. 73 is C; III F. 1 1 is D; III G. 1 1 is E; and Tr. Coll. Dub. C. 1, 24 is F.

A*

IV INTRODUCTION.

I.

I may now briefly describe the six MSS., from indications kindly supplied by Dr. Herzberg-Franckel, of the Imperial Library, Vienna, who transcribed the work, and by the various collators. And here I wish to acknowledge the great pains taken both by the transcriber and the collators, which has considerably lightened my task; though 1 did not think it worth while to preserve all the various readings. Some presented only a philological or palaeographic interest; most of these have been set aside. They become much rarer after the end of the second chapter, when both E and F are wanting; it is unfortunate, as these two seem to have been copied from sources in- dependent of the rest, and often give us the right sense when the others are at fault. Many a doubtful sentence would probably have been explained, had these been complete. The readings of C and D are comparatively the least useful; B serves on many occasions to supplement the text of A.

A belongs to the same collection as the MS. of Poole's De Dominio Civili, and his general description of that MS. may be applied to this. The title of the work, in red ink, on f. 37, runs thus: Incipit tractatus de apostasia, liber XI (meaning that it is the eleventh book of WycliPs Summa Theologica). At the end, on f. 124, there are the words: Explicit tractatus de apostasia magistri Johannis Wiclef doctoris ewangelici. This is written in the same hand as the text. Lower down, there is: Respice finem, 1 5 1 y7 in a later hand, followed by some cyphered writing, perhaps the owner's name, or some indications relative to the scribe himself. The handwriting and other external peculiarities of the MS. are identical with those of the Nimburg collection, near Kolin, in Bohemia.

B. Paper, each sextern enclosed in leaf of parchment; binding, leather and boards. At the beginning, inside the cover, stands an index of the works contained in the volume, in XVth century writing: a proof that the binding dates at least as far back. Beneath, there is written: A fructibus eorum cognoscetis eos. De Blasfemia, cap° i5 substancialiter corporaliter ibi corpus Christi. These words are the same as a marginal note 011 f. 201. One date in the volume (145 3, Assumpcionis) points to the middle of the XVth century as the time

INTRODUCTION. V

at which it was copied; this is also borne out by the handwriting. De Apostasia, De Blasfemia, and the side-notes, are all in the same good steady hand. Two columns to each page.

G. A paper folio volume, belonging to the Chapterhouse library, Prague (Domcapitelbibliothek) and containing De Blasphemia, De Apostasia (ff. 76 c — i5ia), De hostia consecrata ad Urbanum VI, De potestate Pape (not entire) and De Prophetia. Written in two columns, in a good legible hand, of about the beginning of the XVth century. At the end of De Blasphemia are these words in Bohemian vtyess tye buoh (God comfort thee!) and after De Prophetia: Neb gest toho dobr^e hoden (for he is well worthy thereof).

D. A paper MS.; small 4t0; belongs to the University Library, Prague. Same contents as C; probably a copy from it, made a few years later. Handwriting much inferior, with many mistakes. Two columns on each page. De Apostasia begins f. 70 b and ends f. 1 36 b.

E. A paper MS., small 4t0; also belonging to the Prague University Library. Contents: extracts from Wyclif, Huss, Origen, Chrysostom, &c. Three different hands: from beginning to f. 1 54 b; from i54b to 286 a and from 286 a to 286 b. Probable date of writing: 1425 to 1445. The fragment of De Apostasia that is here begins at f. 209 b, and ends f. 221 b. Dr. Buddensieg has described this MS. in his Introduction to Wyclifs Polemical Works.

F. Written in good legible hand, though much abridged; date, XVth century; on parchment, much stained in some parts. Binding, leather and boards. Contains De Veritate Scripture, De Simonia, De Apostasia (pp. 292 — 3 10), and De Blasphemia. Numerous corrections, carefully made; in a similar hand, if not in the same. A blank space is left for initial letters all through the MS.; there are therefore no illuminations. Frequent marginal notes. Verso of p. 3o5 and recto of p. 306, very much stained.

With the aid of these various readings, I have sought to make up a text easily intelligible to the reader. In general, I have departed from the reading given by A only when it is evidently wrong and one or more of the other MSS. seem to give a better; in a few instances I have risked a guess, and set all the readings aside as faulty; always, of course, giving notice of the fact by a foot-note. But before I proceed to say anything of the work itself, I must

VI INTRODUCTION.

gratefully acknowledge the kind and assiduous help supplied to me by Mr. F. D. Matthew, whose great knowledge of all that concerns the Doctor Evangelicus has been invaluable, at the same time that his unwearying patience with an inexperienced editor was very en- couraging. I do not know if it is possible to be more indebted to anyone than I have been to him; and the work finished, my most hearty thanks are due to him principally: not forgetting what I owe to Dr. Furnivall, the Founder of the Wyclif Society, and in general to all those who have contributed to the editing of this work.

II.

De Apostasia is the eleventh of a series of theological works called by Wyclif Summa Theologica; but this series bears no re- semblance either in scope or in plan to the great masterpiece of Aquinas. They are merely an exposition of such of his theological opinions as differed from the views generally held, set forth with a great deal of polemical vigour, and (in some cases at least) without any attempt at a regular plan. They are besides coloured to a very great extent by the writer's personal feelings at the time, so that, for instance, the tone of De Apostasia is moderation itself when compared with De Blasphemia, that seems to have followed it shortly after; and they usually contain some allusions to contemporary cir- cumstances that enable us to fix the date of the work with more or less precision. Thus, in the case of the present work, Wyclif alludes to a certain cruciatum langwidum infinitum. A crusade, he says, was going on at the time, but in a very languishing manner. Now from these words we may gather, as exactly as possible, the date of a composition which must have cost many rnonths' work, even to a man of WycliPs facility and exuberance of thought; for in the year 1 383, Bishop Spenser preached a crusade throughout England, to be undertaken in Flanders on behalf of Urban VI against the antipope Robert of Geneva. It lasted from May to October; it was hailed with much enthusiasm and began with 60,000 volunteers; but it soon met with diffkulties. When the first bad news reached England, towards the beginning of August, Wyclif was writing his De Fundacione Sectarum (see W's Pol. Works, p. 7). The disaster was only known in October. Here we may note his extraordinary activity. As we see,

INTRODUCTION. VII

De Apostasia, and De Fundacione Sectarum, a tract of 80 pages, were both writing at the same time; simultaneously appeared his tract De Cruciata (44 pages). De Dissensione Paparum belongs to the same time, though perhaps it is a little earlier, according to Dr Buddensieg. De septem donis Spiritus Sancti (22 pp.) was written immediately after De fundacione Sectarum, between July and October, i383; without mentioning several other short works, written either in the spring or in the autumn of the same year. Few men have worked so much as Wyclif; for this outpour was not limited to one year or to one period only; it embraces the whole of the man's career.

This work itself possesses peculiar interest, on account of the greal length at which Wyclif discusses the doctrine of Transsub- stantiation. It is by no means easy at first sight to perceive his exact position, especially when we see him adhering with great energy to the condemnation of Berengarius, and not only asserting the real presence of Ghrist in the Host, but even using the very word trans- substantiation (p. 58, 1. 17, and elsewhere); while at the same time he asserts that the substance of bread remains, denies impanation, and says that Christ is present only in figure. But, though I cannot deny that Wyclif, like every man who ventures on so vast a task as framing a scheme of religion for himself, often is and must be inconsistent, yet I think that the careful study of De Apostasia will clear away most of the seeming contradictions to which I have just alluded, and show how what is contradictory to us, is not so to him.

To understand it completely, we ought to possess the light of his philosophical works, which have not yet been published. We all know that he was a Realist, and this fact bears an important part in the explanation of his system; but how far he ventured beyond the very moderate Realism of Aquinas, or the system, hardly less cautiously reserved, of his Franciscan rival, Scotus, remains yet to be ascertained. From this point of view, we might regret that the philosophical works of Wyclif were not published first; but it was evidently impracticable to delay the appearance of his best known works until the long series of his forgotten books on scholastic philosophy was exhausted.

In proceeding to give an analysis of De Apostasia, I ought to point out that the work cannot properly be said to have a plan, in

VIII INTRODUCTJON.

the sense of dealing with certain subjects in one part to the exclusion of others. It looks more like a series of scholastic debates upon Transsubstantiation, to which the first two chapters form the in- troduction by an attack upon the friars, who are responsible for this heresy, as Wyclif calls it. If it were not so, I should be quite at a loss to see how a man of even a weak memory could so often repeat the same arguments, refute the same objections, and use the same invectives, over and over again, in almost the very same words. These repetitions have decided me to undertake the analysis, after the first two chapters, in a very free manner. I intend adding all remarks that I think useful to point out Wyclifs exact position, so far as I understand it; at the same time, I shall only notice in each chapter those arguments that have not been dealt with before. For such readers as should wish for a more complete summary, there are abundant side notes.

Ch. I. Apostasy, according to Wyclifs theory, is but a general denomination for every grievous sin, in so far as it loosens the bond of religion between God the Father and man; similarly, blasphemy (sinning against the Son) and simony (against the Holy Ghost) are not specific sins, but mere aspects of every mortal sin. The book examines (i), Apostasy in itself (ch. i, 2); and (2), Apostasy in its chief result (chs. 3 — 17). This divides the whole work into two very distinct parts; for Wyclif looks upon the theory of Trans- substantiation, as understood by the Friars, as the great effect of the apostasy which he contended was general throughout the Church; but he first of all deals with the Friars as the most notorious apostates. To do so, he takes two definitions, one for eacb of the first two chapters; the first defines apostasy by means of its contrary — religion; the second is the definition given by Holy Writ.

Religion may be defined either as the simple observance of Chrisf s law, or of certain rites and ceremonies superadded thereto This second observance Wyclif calls private religion, and then examines certain questions relative to those called 'religions' in the second sense; some of these questions seem useless, but all, as we shall see, tend to establish his proposition: A man may, without apostasv, leave any of these private religions. Of this the converse appears in the second chapter: A man may, without leaving any private

INTRODUCTION. IX

religion to which he belongs, incur apostasy. Both these propositions seem intended to bring over to WycliPs band of 'poor priests' some wavering Franciscans or Dominicans, who, struck and attracted by his austere doctrines, were yet held back for fear of apostasy. This hypothesis is strengthened, first, by the comparative moderation in tone to which Wyclif keeps all through the book, second, by several passages that we shail notice as we go on, and third, by the general tendency and evident a propos of the arguments. l

Preliminary Question: Whether the habit is essential to religion (pp. 3 — 9). I. Whether 'religious' life is better than ordinary Christi- anity (pp. 9 — 13); II. Whether it would not be better for those Orders not to exist (pp. i3 — 16), and III. Whether perpetual vows are expedient (p. 16 — 19).

Preliminary Question. The Decretal treats as apostates those who put oflf the habit; orders that are distinct, though professing the same rule, can be distinguished only by the habit; and to practise the contrary doctrine would produce confusion. But, on the other hand, religion is in the soul; apostasy cannot depend upon bodily clothing; if it could, any change in the habit would (an absurd consequence) produce a corresponding change in religion; and were the habit essential, even the Pope could not grant a dispensation. It is therefore not so, but only the external characteristic by which the Orders are known to differ. What distinguishes them is their ob- ligations, e. g. to wear certain clothes. So far, Wyclif is quite orthodox; but his corollary, viz. that anyone may, without permission or dispensation, set aside the habit of his Order, is not. The Pope has no power granted him for evil; but it is manifestly evil to punish a man for having laid aside a mere sign. (Andyet, some are called apostates, who have done so, in order to live more piously in a more devout community.' He goes on to complain loudly of their imprisonment as illegal, encroaching upon kingly rights, and contrary to the Christian law. From some passages in De Blasphemia it appears that Wyclifs propaganda amongst the monks was very active at this time; he avails

1 This of course was not WycliFs only intention in writing the first two chapters; but it seems probable that the idea was in his mind, and influenced him to some extent.

X INTRODUCTION.

himself with much skill of every motive they could have to be dis- contented with their Superiors. On the other hand, it would appear from these lines that his activity was met by activity in the opposite direction, and that a Friar could not go over to Wyclif without considerable personal danger.

I. 'Religious' life is not better than ordinary Christianity; for the latter is more simple, more necessary, and more authorized. Monks strive to become Bishops, i. e. to be loosed from their vows and return to ordinary Christianity; if that were apostasy, they could not be allowed to do so. And the objection that monks keep the law of Christ and add thereto, is worthless; they add, as it were, a heap of rubbish round the walls of a perfect building.

II. Would it not be better if no Orders existed? That they were founded by Saints, proves nothing in their favour. Saints are not infallible, and may have sinned. These orders have indeed pro- duced many Saints; but a bad father may have a good son. The Pope has confirmed them for ever; i. e. as long as God shall will their existence; besides, we must suppose that the Pope approved what was praiseworthy in them, not their defects. They ought to be suppressed on account of their members' inordinate love for their own sects, which causes dissensions in the Church, and is a sort of idolatry.

III. Perpetual vows are not expedient. Obedience is good, if rendered to God, not if to man; or if to man, only in so far as it coincides with what is due to God. So that sometimes it is a virtue to rebel. Obedience rendered to a proud and worldly Superior is without merit, even when he commands what is good for his subject. Here Wyclif, before in strict agreement with Aquinas and Catholic theology in general, approaches nearer to heterodoxy, and denies that the virtue of obedience sanctifies an order given by a Superior, if he is a fool or an ignorant man.

Ch. II. If we recollect that it was the custom in old times to speak much more plainly ihan we do now; if we compare the con- ditional tone of this chapter (if the Friars have done these things . . . ) with the unmeasured invective employed in some other works, and if we note the exception that Wyclif explicitly makes in favour of his friends in the cloister, we shall see that in the severe indictment of

INTRODUCTION. XI

the Friars that follows, there is nothing calculated to destroy the effect which the previous chapter may have produced upon the waverers; on the contrary, the thesis that apostasy is often, nay, almost always incurred within the convent-walls, must have acted in a very different way. This idea is developed somewhat in the form of a sermon or homily, with remarks, explanations and amplifications of the Scripture text (Prov. VI, 12 — 14): ist Homo apostata, vir inutilis (pp. 20 — 24); 2nd graditur ore perverso (pp. 24 — 28); 3rd an- nuit oculis (pp. 28 — 31); 4111 terit pede (pp. 3i — 35); 5th digito loquitur (pp. 35 — 39); 6th pravo corde machinatur malum (pp. 39 — 43); 7th et omni tempore jurgia seminat (pp. 43 — 45).

ist Homo apostata, vir inutilis. Uselessness and sins of omission, are the first marks of backsliding. The great omission that Wyclif cannot forgive the Friars is, that they refused to join with him in the war against Ghurch possessions. They were instituted only to renew the life of the Apostles, in strict poverty; to that mission they ought to be faithful. It is a work of spiritual mercy, far more important than deeds of charity done to the body; yet Christ con- demns those who omit the latter. Worse traitors than Judas, they betray Christ glorified; Christ, who came but to bear witness to the truth. — The fact is, Wyclif is so positive that the Church should not hold property, that he cannot understand how a body of men, poor in theory, can refuse to think as he does without being false to their own principles. Ffe pictures theni bringing forward a few miserably weak excuses. "Time, place, circumstances, do not allow them to speak. "But", he replies, with a burst of eloquence, "NOW is the right time; the Prince of this world has spread his armies throughout the whole universe, and the King of kings has promised to assist His Church even unto the end of the world. And John the Baptist and so many martyrs have striven in this cause, knowing that Truth overcometh all things. Then let a Christian excuse himself how he will; before Him that shall try the heart and the reins at the Last Judgment, this negligence and idleness will find no excuse."

He deals in the same manner with all the other excuses, very poor ones indeed. "No more remains to be done; since there are now no enemies of the Church ; bishops should not be attacked; if

XII INTRODUCTION.

the Friars exasperate those that have possessions, they will suffer for it." . . . And therefore, he concludes significantly (p. 24), the religions and intelligent Friars break away from these apostates.

2nd Graditur ore perverso. Sins of the tongue: lying, flattery, evil-speaking. Lying is dismissed with a few strong words; the proverb: *A Friar has said thus and thus, so it is false', is quoted. The flattery here attacked is the flattery of the public, by sermons uttered to please, not to edify them. To relate fables and put human traditions in the place of God's word, is the very worst kind of flattery; thereby they become spirits of error, demons, or rather, as dead to the world, corpses wandering about, moved by a demon. They delight in repeating all evil they have heard; which is a still more grievous sin, if they are bound to silence.

3rd Annuit oculis. In a mystic sense, 'the eye' meaning the intention, to wink with the eye signifies to prefer private interest to the public good; for instance, when they entrap men, and especially boys, into their Order. This is at any rate a sin against prudence ; for the persons thus influenced may have no call from God; and thus, though serving the order, they would harm the Ghurch. Seeking our private welfare, sin can hardly be avoided; and that is why civil ownership always savours of sin (p. 30). Here incidentally we see a Socialistic conclusion that necessarily flows from Wyclfs principles; another appears still more clearly at the end of ch. 7. l

4th Terit pede. 'The foot' in Scripture signifies the affections, which are perverted amongst the Friars, who love temporal things; they beg clamorously, continually, shamelessly, for rich communities, in order to waste the money; and they refuse to share what they have with their poorer brethren, who have more right to ask alms of them than they of the people.

5th Digito loquitur. 'The finger taken in its mystic sense, means the power of acting. Three points in which the Friars go to excess: ist Indulgences and absolutions. He who is contrite gets indulgence from God by the very fact; indulgences can only be of use when contrition exists already. 2nd They extol masses, penances, funerals, and all functions that bring them money. 3rd They 'make broad

1 'To savour of sin' however, does not mean to be sinful in Wyclif s language.

INTRODUCTION. XIII

their fringes' by letters of fraternity, admitting laymen into the Order; but this is concealed simony, being based on the tacit un- derstanding that the lay Brother will help them with his money: take that away, and their spiritual aid is withdrawn. But merit, God's grace, can be neither bought nor sold. And this has no connection with the payment given to oralory-priests, which they deserve.

6th Pravo corde machinatur malum. The root of all intrigues is sectarian feeling. They consider only their sect's advantage, and thus sin more grievously as a body than so many separate individuals. Christ lived with His Apostles, but He knew whom to choose and how to instruct them; and they were afterwards dispersed. The Friars are as bad as the endowed monks. Their union crushes even the most legitimate opposition, for they employ every influence to gain their point. And all are responsible for this. Some good men remain amongst them; others fly in despair, but if taken are put to deatli or in prison for life. A curious quotation follows, compafing the Friars to wild geese; then comes an urgent appeal to Wyclifs friends amongst them to help him in exposing the others.

7th Et omni tempore jurgia seminat. Wyclif accuses them of sowing divisions in their own order, wars throughout Christendom and dissensions in the Church; he attempts to prove the latter point from history. They do good, but also harm; and we know by faith and God's grace that the latter exceeds the former. — All this has no bearing upon some Friars who are Wyclifs most dear sons (p. 44); but if any do what is here denounced, it is the Holy Spirit, not Wyclif, that calls them by the name of apostates. All this has been said for the good of the Church, and of the Friars themselves.

Ch. III. Though the Eucharistic debates are, so far as I can see, independent of each other, it is yet not impossible to introduce a little order amongst them by classifying them as they stand. The first, beginning with Ch. III and ending at the close of Ch. VII, is so to speak a general attack upon the then universally received theory of the Eucharist. The second, beginning with the VIIIth Ch. and ending with the end of the IXth, deals specially with the multiplication of Christ's body in the Eucharist. The third (Ch. X) is an enquiry into the essence or 'quiddity' of the Sacrament. The fourth (Chs. XI

XIV rNTRODUCTION.

to XV) is a more detailed attack on the accident-theory: going through raany classes of accidents, Wyclif asserts that none can be absolute in the sense required. Chapters XV and XVI seem to be a written reply to some treatise or treatises composed against him. He carefully goes over all the authorities quoted by his adversaries, explains their meaning agreeably to his own views, and adds several very important remarks concerning his doctrine. Ch. XVII is principally a historical review of the institution of the Mass. Of course there is not a single chapter in which something extrinsical, either concerning the Friars, Church temporalities, or the power of the Pope, does not occur; but as I said before, unless something particularly worthy of notice comes to hand, I am obliged to confine myself to the main question and to overlook repetitions.

It is necessary to offer a few remarks as to the dogma of Transsubstantiation, and the philosophical theories connected therevvith in the Catholic Church. Scholastic theologians were from the beginning in face of a universal belief in the real presence of Chrisfs Body in the Holy Eucharist; and that belief was borne out by the written tra- dition, both of the Fathers, of the Apostle Paul, and of the Gospels them- selves. Here a difficulty occurred: the bread seemed to reraain, assuredly; but if it remained really, how could Christ's body be realljr there? Nothing can be where it was not before, unless by a change of place, or by conversion of something else into itself. l Therefore, as Christ does not leave Heaven, the bread itself, remaining to all the senses as it was before, is changed into Christ's body; the substance, or as we might perhaps call it, the noumenon alone is changed, all the phenomena are what they were (Aq. S. Th. qu. 75, art. 2). This is a fresh mystery, which also requires to be explained: for how can appearances possibly exist, without anything that appears?

There is here a split amongst Catholic philosophers. The Scholastics answered the question thus: Every accident, while belonging to the substance, possesses a certain amount of reality, of entity, which is different from the latter; a bent finger being really different from a finger that is straight, that which makes the difference must

1 This axiom Wyclif (p. 186, 1. 2) is constrained to call heretical; for it is evidently in contradiction with his system, as we shall see.

INTRODUCTION. XV

be something real. Some of these realities are in their nature such that they cannot even be conceived without a subject; for instance, movement without something in motion is unthinkable. But we can imagine an accident of greater perfection than these, so that, though naturally requiring thesupport of a subject, its entity might miraculously exist, even were its substance to fail. From this results the Scholastic conception of quantity, which, according to Aquinas, remains in the Eucharist as the subject of form, colour, movement, taste, and all the other phenomena observed in the visible and tangible Host. The reader will of course ask: Can quantity exist without anything that has quantity? but the very question indicates that he has not sufficiently understood this hypothesis. Quantity is not a mere abstraction, nor a mere mode of being; it is quite different from extension, for it is that which makes extension, and may be defined as a force that extends material substance: vis extensiva materie. This force is really distinct from its substance, not as a mode differs from what it modifies, but as a thing differs from another thing, to which it belongs. Thus, after the words of consecration, the substance of bread is no longer there, but quantity takes its place, and upholds the other accidents naturally, being itself upheld by God's supernatural power; and therefore, whatever the bread could do, — even to feeding the body — is now performed by the quantity that remains (Cf. Th. Aq., S. Th., 3a Pars, qu. 77, art. 1, 2, 3, 6). On the other hand, though St. Thomas admits that the bread is nowhere after consecration, he denies that it is annihilated, since it is changed into Christ's Body (ib. qu. 75, art. 3); which is hard to understand, and is not, I believe, an article of faith. Neither is it de fide to maintain, as he does, that Christ, though really present, is not locally present in the Host, either as a body (secundum modum commensurationis) or as a spirit (definitive) but rather as the substance of bread was present before — identical in every part of the volume it occupied (ib. qu. 76, art. 4, 5).

So long as the old School held its sway, this theory, however mysterious, however unsatisfactory it may appear, remained the raost popular, and most of the explanations that sprung up to supersede it approached the confines of heresy, if they did not go beyond them. Descartes, however, was a sincere Catholic, and yet would not admit

XVI INTRODUCTION.

the Scholastic theory of quantity. According to him, it may be remembered, actual extension was the very essence of bodily substance, and the idea of absolute accidents seemed as absurd to him as it does to Wyclif. In his celebrated Reponses aux objections de M. Arnauld, he gives several arguments very like those employed in De Apostasia, and concludes thus: "Therefore, if I may here speak my mind truly and simply, I venture to hope that a day will come when the opinion admitting real accidents will be banished by theologians as suspicious in faith, revolting to reason, and quite incomprehensible; while mine will be received in its place, as indubitably certain". His opinion, briefly stated, is as follows: The existence of a bodily substance is known to us only through the continual movements of its surface, which proceed from the underlying substance and produce sensation in us. Now, the surface belongs as much to the surrounding substance as to that which is surrounded. (A vacuum, according to Descartes, is absolutely impossible). Suppose therefore that Transsubstantiation consists ist in the taking away (whether by annihilation or otherwise) of the bread-substance; 2nd in the conservation of the surface with all the movements that would have been imparted to it, had the bread remained; 3rd in the real presence of Christ below that surface; and you have an explanation which is intelligible to the mind, which does not contradict the belief that the bread disappears, nor the opinion held by most Fathers, that aliquitas panis, something of the bread, remains. For the surface is the same.

There are several other theories; but I may now sum up the principal, four in number, none of which have been condemned as heretical; at least I believe not.

ist That of St. Thomas, who, believing with Aristotle that the esse of an accident is, and is only, in the substance, seems to admit the production of a new entity, by which quantity would exist alone, and could not do so otherwise; which he calls, not substance, but subsistence (Sum. Th. 3a' Pars, qu. 77, art. r. Ad 4m dicendum . . . .; and Com. in Sent. 1. 4, dist. 12, qu. 1, art. 2). This opinion is the nearest to Wyclifs, though not identical; for the one imagines a new subsistence coming to uphold the accidents; and the other conceives them as still upheld by the old substance.

INTRODUCTION. XVII

2nd That of Scotus, to whom the theory of absolute accidents, as above set forth, is to be ascribed. (Cf. Migne, Dict. de Th. Scolastique, art. Substance et accident.)

3rd That of Descartes, and in general the theory that ascribes a certain outward movement, resistance, &c, in the place where the bread was, due to supernatural agency.

4th The theory of intentional (or imaginary) accidents, that have nothing corresponding in the external world, and are purely subjective; which is exposed to the double inconvenience of making all our senses lie by Divine agency, and of taking no account of the belief that the appearances remaining are something really objective.

With regard to these theories, we must remark that most of Wyclifs arguments are merely directed against absolute accidents and the theory of Aquinas; some, however, go further; aswhen he says that, bread being called bread only on account of its sensible appearances, if these remain, the name cannot rightly be changed. This is almost a foreshadowing of a modern philosophical school. Lewes, in his Problems of Metaphysics, says very decidedly, "A thing is its qualities"; which amounts to the very same. l

I may now begin to examine Wyclifs Eucharistic doctrine.

As the result, he says, of the general apostasy in this second millenary after Christ, Satan being loosed, dreadful heresies concerning the Eucharist have crept into the Church. The theory which affirms the destruction of the substance of bread and wine2 is opposed to the words of the Church servkes and hymns, to St. Paul, the Acts of the Apostles, and to the Gospels themselves. We ought to stand by Scripture; what Scripture, in six different places, declares to bc bread, is bread. It is never called an accident, at any rate, as these lying masters say. If we begin to wrest words from their right sense, our faith will soon be perverted; for if the Pope has a right to do it in this case, why not in all others? Tradition too speaks likewise: Augustine,

1 Though at present unable to identify the quotation, I am quite sure that it is in the work mentioned.

2 We have already seen that St. Thomas formally denies annihilation, though in a very inexplicable way; it would therefore seem that Wyclifs opponents, either unawares or driven by the force of argument, had actually admitted it; the more so, as Wyclif alludes to this very often and very energetically.

De Apostasia. B

XVIII INTRODUCTION.

Ambrose, Jerome, all use the same language; and Augustine calls the Eucharist Ghrist's Body only in a certain n>ay (i. e. figuratively). John of Damascus says the bread and wine are joined to Christ's Body; and his example of a live coal, as wood united with fire, shows his position still more clearly. Even the words of this Saint, that 'the bread and wine are not a type, but the very body and blood of Our Lord', are to be understood in a figurative sense. A quotation from St. Ambrose, and a remark against the glossators who explain this Saint in the wrong way in several places, close the chapter.

Ch. IV. Continuation of the general thesis. After a protest against any authority but Holy Writ in matters of faith, the author brings in an argument which, under different forms, recurs very often in the book. Is what n>e see Christ's Body? If the adversaries answer Yes, he says: Then how can what we see be an accident without substance? Is Christ's Body an accident? And he points out (at least he does so in other places) the abject entity of an accident, which is lower than the vilest of substances, and less perfect than the worst poison: thus making of those who answer in the affirmative heretics of the most blasphemous sort. If, on the contrary, they answer No, then they admit that the visible and felt Sacrament has a nature which is not identical with Christ's Body; and this nature Wyclif calls the nature of bread. This argument is subtle and deserves attention, on account of the great stress our author lays upon it, and because, under another form, it may be and often has been used by philosophical controversialists. A man sees his friend in a mirror; being asked whom he sees, he answers, 'his friend'. The reply comes, 'Then your friend is only an image'. Or, 'Is this statue made by you'? — 'Yes'. 'Then you have made a piece of marble'. This class of arguments Aristotle calls fallacies tzccqcc tb 6v(i^s^7}%bg. And such arguments are very common indeed in metaphysical matters. Take, for instance, the subject of debate between Realists and Idealists at the present day: "What we perceive is only a modification of ourselves; now, what we perceive is the world; therefore, the world is only a modification of ourselves". It is clear that in any of these cases, to answer simply Yes or No, would be to stand committed to self-contradiction. We have, however, no interest in enquiring what the distinctions of Wyclifs opponents may or may not have been. On the other hand it is right,

INTRODUCTION. XIX

I think, to point out that the Catholic Church really considers as idolatry the worship of the accidents as such;1 and Aquinas (S. Th. 3a pars, qu. 76, art. 7) absolutely denies that Christ's Body can be seen in the Sacrament by any bodily eye, even that of a glorified Saint. If Wyclif only meant that, and chose to call the Host, as the Fathers often do, by the name of bread — merely asserting Chrisfs invisible presence, and saying that what appeared was not Christ, not to be adored, and only the sign of his presence, he could say all that, and yet remain orthodox. In De Blasphemia (yet unpublished, but of which I have had the advantage of seeing the MS.) Wyclif inveighs with just reason against those priests who let the people believe that their bodily eyes, seeing the Host, saw Christ, because this erroneous belief contributed, as they thought, to increase devotion, although it could not be reasonably maintained. But it may be as well to point out that the sentence: "What you see is bread", may be emphasized either thus: "What you see is bread"; or thus: "What you see is bread"; and itwas certainlyin the second way that Wyclif emphasized it. Here, in order to understand better the strength or the weakness of our author's position, a short synopsis of the whole system of Realistic Philosophy is necessary. When we have a universal idea, as of man or of animal in general, the object of our thought is also universal: one, though existing in many individuals. This, denied by Nominalists and Conceptualists, was affirmed by the whole school of Realistic philosophers. But they split into moderate Realists and ultra-Realists. The former, with Aquinas and Scotus at their head2 asserted that the One in Many, as in the external world, and the One in many, as in our thought, exist in two absolutely contrary ways. For instance, in our mind, animal is really and formally one; only fundamentally and potentially does it exist in many, i. e. when our mind applies it to all the individuals A, B, C . . . Z, of which it

1 I happened once to come across a French prayer-book in which there was this expression: ces especes fspeciesj adorables; these adorable appearances. Of course, we must allow for looseness and inexactitude in a mere book of piety; but I feel convinced that, taken as they stand, these words might be condemned as heretical.

2 I take no note here of the minor, yet considerable differences that separate these two philosophers.

B*

XX INTRODUCTION.

can be predicated. In the external world, ihe contrary takes place. Animal is really and formally as many different animals as there are jndividuals A, B, C . . . Z; and it is only fundamentally and potentially1 one, in so far as it gives a foundation by means of which, and the mind's abstractive power, it can become one. This, the reader may note, is not very far from Gonceptualism, as expressed by some of its ablest exponents.

Now, this was not sufficient for the Ultra-Realists. They contended hat the Universal existed in the world of things in the same way as it did in the world of ideas. Of course there were many different varieties, school within school; Prantl says there were as many as thirteen shades of Realism. Some went very far. David of Dinant admitted the identity of God with matter and spirit, "because, if not identical, there would be a Universal Entity wider than all, which would be above God, as embracing both matter, Spirit, and God". "Guillaume of Ghampeaux taught", says Abelard, "that the same thing or substance was present in its entirety and essence in each individual, and that individuals differed no whit in their essence, but only in the variety of their accidents".2 They seem to have made of the world a bundle of universal qualities, of which the presence in some things, combined with their absence in others, creates all the differences that individuate material and immaterial existences. I may not have under- stood them properly; but if I do, their world was composed of Universals much as the chemist's material world is made up of elements; with this difference, however, that the oxygen in a given drop of water and in a given specimen of marble are only absolutely similar, not identically the same. And then, there would be the

1 I was much disappointed not to find, in the very able article on Scholasticism in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, the slightest mention of this distinction which is of supreme importance, as may easily be seen. All those distinctions between univer- salia ante rem, in re, and post rem are secondary. The great question which the opposite Schools had to answer was this: How can the same word, applied to different individuals, rnean the same tliing? Nominalists answer: It means the same thing i. e. the same word; Conceptualists say; It means the same thing, i. e. the same idea Realists are forced (and I believe rightly) to say: It means the same thing, i. e. the same object of the idea.

2 See Encycl. Brit., art. Scholasticism.

INTRODUCTION. XXI

universal Metalloid present wherever there was oxygen, and in many compounds where oxygen was not: and so on. Wyclif admits this identity; at least generic identity, as he calls it. A man and a horse were indeed specifically distinct from each other; but they were genericallv identical, both having within them the element animal, meaning the same thing in both. That our author upheld this doctrine, even to the uttermost limits of making Being identical in all things, appears from his De Ente Predicamentali, now publishing, in which he affirms that Being is a univocal term, i. e. means the same thing in its individuals, like the other Universals. But if Being is the same and identical in all things, how is difference possible? It will be curious, when his philosophical works are published, to see how he manages to escape that pantheism to which the first ultra-Realists were driven. His doctrine of the Eucharist is an evident deduction from his Realism. Not to mention other points that will appear later, everyone admitted that an aliquitas of the bread remained in the Host; now this aliquitas, according to him, was identical with the aliquitas of Christ's Body that supervened: so there must in every case be a subject of the change, if it can be called a change. He develops a similar argument very cleverly and at some length in an account of a debate between himself and certain bishops, which I have copied from De Blasphemia to point out his doctrine more clearly; in De Apostasia he only alludes to it by the way.

"These heretics are said to condemn as heretical two propositions concerning the Eucharist . . . God moved a certain secular Catholic doctor, that he should not consent but contradict their foolishness. And he is said to have asked them if they intended to condemn as heretical the Saints' opinions respecting Universals ex parte rei, from which their signs take their names according to logicians. But they denied that. being ashamed. But he said: 'From this it follows that the substance of material bread remains in the consecrated Host. I say that the genus substance is wherever any individual of the genus is: But in the said Sacrament there is an individual of the genus substance; for, as you yourselves affirm, Christ's Body is there bodily; therefore the genus substance remains in the Host, and as it is a substance (because it is the essence of every material substance) it is thus bread. It follows that the substance of material bread

XXII INTRODUCTION.

remains in the consecrated Host. And because they knew not how lo remove this evidence, he sent them back as foolish men (De Blasphemia, c. 16)".

There would be many interesting questions connected with this theory of Wyclif, but it seems preferable to examine them as we go along, and continue the analysis for the present. — The chapter, a very short one, closes with two rather poor arguments. The sacrament is round, white, heavy, &c. ; therefore it is the subject of roundness, &c. Evidently, only a logical subject is meant here. Still, Ens being univocal in Wyclifs theory, whatever is logical is real too; so, from his point of view, and his theory admitted, the argument may have weight. Again: if the Sacrament be the Body of Ghrist, and Cbrisfs Body be thus without a subject, it follows that no Christian ought to be subject to Christ. Wyclif, feeling that many would set this aside as an idle quibble, points out that St. Peter uses the word subject in a sense relative to authority, and not as Aristotle uses it. But this argument seems to use it in both senses, and therein the fallacy would lie. He concludes by attacking the Friars with great vehemence for not stamping out this heresy; which negligence proves that they are either simoniacal heretics, or traitors of whom the land must be purged.

Ch. V. This chapter and the following ones until the eighth, are devoted to refuting the objections raised against Wyclifs theory. Grosseteste's authority, which is very great with Wyclif, probably on account of his resistance to the Pope in a certain well-known case of ecclesiastical discipline, is brought to bear against him. Here; however, and in general, whenever an authority is quoted, the candid reader will perhaps find that our author carries the liberty of explaining away texts that are against him rather too far. When Grosseteste and others affirm that the accidents exist per se in the Host, he adds, "that is, in the act of our mind's contemplation"; when they say that the bread and wine disappear, he makes this to signify "disappear from our mental vision". There is really no reason why he should not make his contemporary antagonists be also of the same mind as he was; for it is hard to conceive more expressive language than this. The fact is that Wyclif is much displeased with the glosses, of which he often complains, on account of the explanations they give to many

INTRODUCTION. XXIII

sentences that seem in his favour, thus turning them against him; and he no doubt wishes to show that, to use a homely expression, two can play at that game. Besides, his great contention is that Scripture alone is to be followed, and that both the Pope and the Fathers can mistake; so he is all the less scrupulous in explaining their words. If the explanation be unsatisfactory, they mistake, and that is all. — In the answer to the quotation of Grosseteste, we find a clue to his doctrine of the existence, at once figurative and real, of Christ's Body in the Host. After consecration, he says, we think Christ's Body present, the bread having become the sign of that presence. Time, the Universal, and the Sensible, have no actual and real esse, except in so far as the mind knows them; and so it is of the esse of every sign, qua tale. And yet every sign, besides the real esse that it acquires on becoming a sign, has also an independent natural esse. Thus, the bread being the sign of Christ's Body is Christ's Body in reality, according to Wyclifs system; while, at the same time it is mere bread from another point of view. Logically, I suppose that Wyclif would admit that a statue has two entities; the one, as being of stone, &c, shaped in a certain fashion; the other, as representing this or that person. St. Dionysius is also explained in the same manner; St. Ambrose likewise (pp. 62 — 65). Innocent III may have declared that the accidents remain without a subject; but besides his accustomed explanation of the sense (see above, for Grosseteste), Wvclif points out: 1 st that any other sense would imply annihilation, which is inadmissible; 2nd that Innocent neither spoke bv inspiration, nor grounding his decision on Scripture; and that therefore, 3rd he may have been as wrong as when he levied a tribute of 900 marks upon England. x Here Wyclif goes out of his way to deplore the growing perversity of the times, the doctors that uphold lying in Oxford, and the multiplication of heretics who consent to simony; concluding that Innocent's decree went no farther than did Nicolas' decision against Berengarius; and that if it did, we ought to respect it only in so far as it agrees with Scripture (pp. 65 — 68). When, v. g. Innocent goes beyond Scripture to determine doctrines

1 Wyclif often returns to those qoo marks, which evidenfly rankle in his memory, as a good patriot. See p. 204, 1. 20 — 23.

XXIV INTRODUCTION.

relative to the Holy Trinity, as in the Lateran Council, he would have done better to have let the matter alone, and contented himself with refoKming the Church. It were blasphemy to say that all decrees of the Roman Pontiff are infallible; if he goes beyond Scripture, he is probably wrong. The antiquity, sanctity and science of the Roman See proves nothing as to infallibility (pp. 68 — 74). Notwithstanding the violent language that Wyclif very often employs with regard to the Roman Curia, and his evident disbelief in the dogma of infallibility, he generally admits the Decretals as binding, and even (p. 175) speaks vaguely of admitting the decision of a general Council on the Eucharistic question. Still, his principle of the necessity of personal righteousness (or rather of predestinatiori), of which we never can be certain, to constitute a true Priest, Bishop or Pope, strikes at the root of all belief as to trfe infallibility even of a general Council; for we are never sure whether all — or even any — of the members of a Council are members of the Church at all. Should they decide in our favour, we might indeed believe that they were; but if they decide against us, they cannot be members of the Church. This shows that, though widely different in its starting-point and first principles from the Protestant forms of thought that had so much vogue at a later period, Wyclifs system is no less antagonistic in practice to the authority of the Church. Wyclif says explicitly: We must obey the Head of the Church, the Vicar of Christ. But that Vicar of Christ is the holiest, the most God-enlightened man in Christendom; which the Popes are certainly not.

Ch. VI. One objection against the reality of the presence ascribed by Wyclif to the power of the sign, is that Christ would be equally present in Holy Writ, which is His Word and His manifestation. The answer is not hard to find; there can be no equality, after Christ's express declaration. Any bread might be taken as the sign of Christ's Body (spiritual food); but "not every bread is consecrated with a mystic prayer", as Augustine says. If the argument ran otherwise, however; if Wyclifwere asked whether any piece of bread, looked at by a Christian as the image of Christ, food of our souls, would be not equally but really Christ's Body, he would, I believe, have had consistently to answer in the affirmative. To point out this more clearly by an illustration, the Crucifix ought to be adored on

INTRODUCTION. XXV

account of the real presence of Christ therein, less perfect than in the Host, but still real; since it really is a sign, an image of Christ, and that figurative entity constitutes a real presence, as \ve have seen. "Universals exist in the thing as thejr exist in the mind". Thus, we find in the next paragraph how he replies to the objection that in his system the whole world (including not only inanimate things, but good and bad men, and even devils) is a manifestation of God, and is consequently to be adored. He points out (pp. 72—78), that, according to the Apostle (I. Cor. VI, 28) Christ will after the Judgment Day be omnia in omnibus; which Wyclif takes to signify that Christ's Humanity will exist figuratively in every point of mundane space; and that (though he only expresses an opinion) this existence will extend only to the Blessed; so that, by His union with them, He will become the whole human race. Why this existence should be extended only to the Blessed, Wyclif does not stop to consider; nor does he explain why Christ will become the whole human race only after the Judgment, when, as may be seen at length in De Benedicta Incarnatione, Christ's assumption of the Universal "Humanity" really common to all men, identified Him with the whole human race from the very first instant of His conception. Probably the difficulties resulting from Christ's identification with such members of humanity as are reprobate, induced Wyclif somewhat to modify his theory; for it must be remembered that De Benedicta Incarnatione is one of his earliest theological works. A long quotation follows (pp. 73 — j5) from a work called De Divinis Officiis, which is absent from the extant copies of that work. I was at great pains to identify this particular quotation, on account of the beauty of the passage, which is really admirable by its eloquence; but unfortunately I had to give it up. Some student of the Fathers may perhaps know at a glance whose it is by the very style; bu for one little versed in that branch of study, and with no indication but the doubtful one given by Wyclif, who ascribes it to Ambrose, such a search is not likely to be always successful. From this passage, which he contends is completely in his favour, he goes on to bring forward again his theory of the binding of Satan (which means, he says, the diminution of his power to tempt man). During the first millenary after Cbrist, Satan was bound; now he is free, and the consequences to the Church are terrible. Gog and Magog (signifying

XXVI INTRODUCTION.

Antichrist and his accomplices) have led it astray from Christ (pp. 76—78). It has often been remarked by editors of Wyclif, that "Gog", "Magog", "Antichrist", "satraps" are merely general expressions used by him to denote -any persons following tendencies which he considers to be deleterious to the Church, and especially those who happened to be their chief exponents. But I do not know whether the infiuence of his general philosophical position on this view has been much noticed. As an ultra-realist, Wyclif was bound to call Antichrist any man who concentrated in himself the most of the Universal, "Antichristianism", which, we must never forget, was a non-entity, existing in its subjects as a defect. This explains how Wyclif, though he often personifies that non-entity in a vague manner, never thinks of attaching it to any particular institution, as, v. g. some Protestants, calling the Popes Antichrists, and admitting that individual Popes may be good men, are bound to admit that 'some Antichrists may be saved'; a most astounding conclusion, from which Wyclifs principle "In so far as any man is contrary to Christ, in so far is he Antichrist", always saved him. This may also explain why he never falls into those personalities in which Luther so frequently indulges, and why the names of the lower animals, coupled with those of his opponents, never degrade his pen. * To him, the Universal, as real as each particular personal entity, is far more important on account of its wide spreading influence for good or for evil. It is a curious fact that Luther, so remarkable in an opposite way, is said by Melanchthon to have even during his monastic life preferred the Nominalist Occam to all other doctors.

The chapter ends with a short discussion about a particular theory which, so far as I am aware, never had any great notoriety, and which Wyclif easily proves to be self-contradictory. It holds that the bread and wine remain after consecration, but not in their nature; they become an accident. But, Wyclif argues, if it is admitted that the white colour which they see is bread, then the nature of bread must remain. And if the bread is the Body of Christ, it is no longer an accident; if not Christ's Body, we fall into the error of Berengarius.

1 Not that he had no talent of invective. His opponents in this very volume are treated in general as wild geese, magpies, mad dogs (28, 42, 82).

INTRODUCTION. XXVII

If it is meant that the very nature of bread becomes an accident, that is absurd ; the very idea of nature implies substance: unless indeed they meant (which they do not) "becomes an accident in the minds of the faithful". They indeed hold with Wyclif that bread is Ghrist's Body; but they degrade that bread into the lowest of entities, whereas he maintains its natural perfection. This heresy, expounding Scripture against the Spirit and the interpretations of the early Fathers, is absurd in its consequences and worthy of punishment by fire (pp. 78 — 81).

Gh. VII. In this chapter Wyclif keeps closely to his plan of answering all objections drawn from authority (here Gregory and Augustine) in the same way; pointing out contradictions with other passages, explaining the sense by a distinction and (implicitly at least) appealing to Scripture: with the difference that he here denies the authenticity of the work De Eucharistia ascribed to St. Augustine, and is probably in the right; though I have not been able to identify the passage that he quotes (pp. 82 — 86). He then attacks, not without reason, the Nominalistic explanation of the text "As often as ye shall eat of that bread", making it refer to Ghrist, because the same material bread can be eaten only once. Occam's disciples, who said that every substance is in its nature individual, and universal only in the mind, would of course not admit that any one could eat the same bread several times. Wyclif and all the Realists, on the contrary, maintaining that the essence of the bread already eaten is identical with that which is to be eaten, assert that the manducation of the same bread can take place more than once. He takes great pains to prove his assertion by quotations and arguments (pp. 86 — 90); and then, setting on the responsibility of the Nominalists all the corruption of the Church, he launches into a digression concerning temporalities, arguing that the clergy should have all things in common, and refuse endowments. To the possible objection that his arguments go so far as to prove that even temporal lords ought to have all things in common, he answers boldly: So they ought (p. 91). It is clear that he neither overlooked nor shrank from the Socialistic consequences of his doctrine. [

1 There being infinite shades of Socialism, the word is not used here in any invidious sense. It is certain that Wyclif was practically a strong upholder of social order, as all his works show; and so are some Socialists at the present day.

XXVIII INTRODUCTION.

Ch. VIII. It is a Catholic doctrine that Christ's Body is present, complete in all its parts, at every point of the Host; thus being multiplied indefinitely, as many times as there are points in the Host, and as there are different parts of the world, yet all the time remaining only one Body. This can be understood, Wyclif says, in three ways: either it is dimensionally in several places, or virtually though in its own nature (p. 92, 1. i3; p. 1 ro, 1. 3 — 6); or virtually as in figure. I belive we may identify the first 'way' with the Thomist system; the second seems to coincide with the celebrated Scotist distinction, 'formalis ex natura rei'; l the third, I need hardly say, is Wyclifs opinion. The whole of the eighth cbapter is a refutation of the Thomist doctrine; the ninth is partly an attack on the system of Scotus, partly an argumentation in favour of his own, partly a return to the debate relative to absolute accidents. Whilst, however, I recapitulate the many absurdities which Wyclif ascribes to the doctrine that admits the dimensional presence of Christ in the Host, I must in mere justice observe that some of them do not exactly hit the maik; if they did, St. Thomas would be conclusively proved to be no better than an idiot. His system, however, supposes Christ, with His dimensions, to be spiritually present, like the soul of man in his body, "totum in toto, et totum in qualibet parte", and therefore without any extension other than that which the Host itself occupies. It is a complete misunderstanding to imagine that Aquinas' theory encloses the length of six feet within the narrow limits of the smallest possible particle of the consecrated elements. This quantity, these dimensions of Christ's Body, have become spiritualised, idealised so to speak, to the point of no longer occupying space at all. In a word, the force that extends is present in Christ's Eucharistic Body; but its effect — i. e. actual extension — is miraculously absent, counteracted by Divine omnipotence. Any student of St. Thomas knows that this is the right explanation of his theory. I may now point out the chief issues in this chapter. ist Every quantity, says Wyclif, is indefinitely great; if quantity is multiplied, so is its measure, space. 2nd Quality, by a like reasoning,

1 I am not sufficiently acquainted with the details of the Scotist system to know whether it applies this distinction to Chrisfs presence in the Host; but it is a convenient one, and I should think it very likely to be applied.

INTRODUCTION. XXIX

would be infinitely intensified. 3rd Negative qualities would be also infinite; v. g., the Sacrament would be infinitely dense and rare at the same time. 4th Men could be put, however distant from each other, into instantaneous communication. 5th The whole world, were it thus transsubstantiated, could be held in a man's hand; which is blasphemy. 6th The meanest of things would become God. (This wanders from the present question, being an attack. on the accident-theory.) yth Why should the Sacrament possess only dimensional quantity? Why not the other sorts: time, place, &c? And if these are also miraculously preserved, it is no longer an entity, but a collection of incongruous entities. 8th If the absolute accidents, v. g. of a man and a woman, should beget a son, and that sinfully, yet they could not sin; they might be damned, and yet cannot suffer; nor can they beget. 9th A subdeacon, if he had power to transsubstantiate bread into the world, while a priest could transsubstantiate it only into Christ's Body; wauld be higher than the priest. ioth As the world essentially depends on the whole of its matter, a priest could not celebrate Mass without destroying the world; for he would destroy the substance of bread. l iith A vacuum, abhorred by Nature, would be possible in the Host, where there is nothing present but quantity. I2th If contrary qualities can belong to the same thing in different places, a man, bilocated — existing at the same time in England and in India — might be living in England and dead in India.

Ch. IX. How then is Christ present in the Host? As the thing signified is present in the sign; the golden calf was a calf only figuratively, but this figurative entity was present in every part of the gold. So too of the brazen serpent; so too of the angels that represented the Trinity to Abraham; each of these types had its own separate and physical existence. The Sacrament is thus of a double nature, earthly and divine; not identically Christ's Body, though really so, our Lord's words being true. Thus there is but one Body, Christ's, as principally to be thought of. Its terrestrial nature is forgotten, absorbed by faith; yet we must not suppose that He is

1 Annihilation, we may here observe, is still more repugnant to Realists than to other philosophers, For, material essence being in all things absolutely identical, the smallest amount of matter destroyed implies the destruction of all matter.

XXX INTRODUCTION.

identified with the bread, 'impanated'; still less, become an accident (pp. io3 — 110). The same objection as before noticed recurs: is the world Christ's Body? Wyclif considers it prudent to believe Scripture and go no farther. Perhaps, after the Judgment, all things will be Christ — figuratively. As for bilocation, he denies its possibility; the same thing cannot be in two places at once. St. Ambrose could not have been at St. Martin's funeral and at Milan at the same time. Can the soul be at once in several places? It is doubtful; at any rate, matter cannot. True, great doctors have thought differently; but they have also contradicted one another. Wyclifs rule is to reject any proposition, not only when manifestly absurd, but when not proved by reason or revelation to be true. For that second reason, he would deny that the soul can exist in two places at once (pp. 110 to ii 5). But, it is objected, is implies identity between subject and predicate. Anything then would be identically Christ, since everything is Christ figuratively. Wyclif answers, admitting generic but denying numerical identity; the latter would be a = a, so that there can be no possible difference between the two. But Baptist is Elias, in so far as he represents him: no farther. The lowest degree of this identity is that given by natural signs, as smoke signifying fire; the next, by a super- natural institution, as the Paschal Lamb; the highest, by the miraculous coexistence of the thing signified; which is the Eucharist (pp. 1 15 — 1 18). I confess I do not see how, in Wyclifs theory, this coexistence is miraculous; but the unanimous language of the early Fathers whom he so much esteems, seems to have determined him to bring in a miracle. Ch. X. A fresh debate commences here, on the essence or quiddity of the Sacrament; with, however, few points that have not been touched upon already. The exceptions are: ist the statement that when an accident is the subject of other accidents, it necessarily becomes a substance (p. 121); which Wyclif might have developed into a much better and stronger argument; and, 2nd the answer to an objection taken from St. Thomas, concerning the Eucharistic fast. If the bread remains, how can a priest say two Ma^sses in one day, since he must say the second fasting? The difficulty is so weak that it is surprising Aquinas should have made use of it; but Wyclif avails himself of the occasion to say boldly that the great point is to fast from sin (pp. 123 — 124).

INTRODUCTION. XXXI

Ch. XI. We here come to another attack upon 'absolute acci- dents'; here again consisting mainly of repetitions. The idea of an accident able to exist apart from its substance destroys the very nature of the term accident. Wyclif takes one meaning of the word, and will not allow that they can give another to it. In any case, he says, you have to posit extension, which cannot exist by itself; what is the use then of imagining besides a quantity that can do so? Quantity is but the 'being so great' of a substance (i32 — 1 34). And if neither substantial form nor primal matter can exist alone, how can that which depends upon them do so? Abstract quality must exist in a subject, or be infinite, like the attributes of God (pp. 134 — 1 36). Names should be given to all things according to their qualities; if these accidents have all the qualities of bread, they should be called so. The arguments borrowed from the peculiar nature of quality, those against a vacuum, and those combating annihilation follow, rather more fully developed than before, but on the same plan (pp. 1 36 — 146). He closes by denouncing the pride of those who exalt themselves, under colour of magnifying God's omnipotence, and the fallacy of this assertion: The Pope admits transsubstantiation: therefore absolute accidents exist (pp. 146 — i5o).

Ch. XII. This chapter examines the different theories concerning the accidents supposed to remain in the Host. Some take it to be quantity (pp. 1 5 1 — 1 5g) ; some, a congeries of different accidents (p. 159 to the end of the chapter); and some, quality (ch. XIII). — Quantity must have a subject. It is separable from its subject, more or less. Now even inseparable accidents, such as the power of laughing in man (an instance taken from Aristotle) are not conceivable without a subject. The Sacrament is active, which quantity is not. Existing in the concrete, quantity can be neither increased nor diminished; a number, if increased, is another number by the very fact. Now we see that quantity is increased in the Sacrament. The Nominalists change both religion and the laws of Nature; they would make all things infinitely great, quantity extended within quantity ad infinitum; and the absurd hypothesis of 'compressed quantity' cannot save them. — It is still more absurd to call the Eucharist an aggregate of accidents; every reason that makes against one, makes against the whole aggregate. A collective entity is no entity at all; the Fathers

XXXII INTRODUCTION.

never mention this scandalous theory, which resembles the apotheosis of Pagan idolaters, who made a god out of nothing. The Sacrament has weight; that cannot be accounted for on the hypothesis of an aggregate of accidents. This theory makes out the Sacrament to be (even after consecration) only a sign of Christ's Body; which is the heresy of Berengarius.

Gh. XIII. Quality, as an absolute accident, is here discussed. Of all the theories, it is the least improbable; a sacrament is a form of grace, and in so far a quality; some Saints besides have favoured this opinion, which is however inadmissible. The arguments already brought to bear against quantity are conclusive here too. Quality within quality would be multiplied ad infinitum. We cannot say that the Sacrament is whiteness, heaviness, &c. but that it has them; and for that reason Aquinas made quantity the basis that has (pp. i65 — 168). If however the substance of bread failed, when passing into the substance of Christ's Body, nothing would pass. Baptism does not annihilate the convert to whom it gives a new being. How this change is conceivable it is hard to say; whether natural, as in the eduction of forms, or supernatural, as in the present case. Whatever Pope Innocent may have decided, we are not under the Old Law now, and it is not practicable for the whole world to await the Pope's decisions. He ought not to be consulted, unless he is learned in Holy Writ. It is no matter what modern doctors think; Augustine denied the possibility of absolute accidents; and these doctors have often been in error: as v. g. in the question of temporal power (pp. 168 to 177). If any accident could be absolute, it would be either empty space or time: yet neither could exist without a world existing extendedly and subject to change.

Ch. XIV. Three Nominalistic theories respecting the essence of the visible Sacrament. The Jirst says that the Host, having (like the Universals) no existence as such, except in the mind, is not Christ's Body as an actuality but in signification (in actu signato, non exercito). But then the Sacrament would be only a figure of Christ; nothing proves this theory; and any one could in that sense call himself God (pp. 186 — 187). The second asserts that the substance of bread is — i. e. has become — Christ's Body. But it were idolatry to worship bread; and bread cannot be said to become anything, when it totally

INTRODUCTION. XXXIII

ceases to exist (pp. 187 — 188). The third maintains that the Host is not, but has Chrisfs Body. But this goes against Ghrist's own words at the Last Supper (pp. 188 — 190). The chapter closes with complaints against the glossators, and a Wycliffian gloss of contrary opinions, making them coincide with his own (pp. 190 — 193).

Chs. XV. and XVI. These chapters, which we must analyse together, seem to be an answer to tracts written by four opponents, and especially to one who had made up a 'genealogy' of testimonies against him, from his time up to Christ. They are perhaps the most important in the whole book; not so much, however, the answers to the authorities quoted, as what follows, towards the end of Ch. XVI. The answers come first, and take up the whole of Ch. XV (pp. 193 — 206) and a part of Ch. XVI (pp. 206 — 217). — (1) The Doctors of the Sects are set aside : they contradict each other. (2) Grosseteste contradicts himself. (3, 4) Lombard and Comestor are contradicted by the Sects. (5, 6) Lanfranc and Guitmundus wrote against Berengarius, whose error Wyclif detests. (7, 8) Gandofilus and Paschasius are mere make- weights. (9) Arnulfus does not go into the question. (10) Bernard is mistaken. (11) Anselm can be explained. (12) Innocenfs words are not a decree de fide; even were they so, we ought not to follow them. A long debate about the Pope's authority follows, from Wyclifs usual standpoint. (i3) (Beginning of Ch. XVI, and of the second series of witnesses — writers of the first millenary) Raban Maur is inconsistent. (14) So is Bede, unless explained. (1 5) St. John Damascenus is of Wyclifs mind: his expressions point either that way or to impanation or consubstantiation, and these two last systems are not admissible. Here our author gives by the way (p. 210) his definition of transsubstantiation: a change from the exclusion of any entity but bread to Christ's sacramental coexistence. (16, 17) Urso and Isidorus may be quoted against the accident theory. (18) Ambrose seems against Wyclif in only two passages, whicb, if against him, would be in favour of Berengarius. (19) Jerome teaches that Christ's word "Hoc" means bread. Here Wyclif remarks (p. 21 3) "I have often confessed that Christ's very Body, numerically the same that was born of the Virgin .... that same body and substance is truly and really the sacramental bread, which the faithful perceive in the hands of the Priest. Yet I venture not to say that Christ's Body is identically,

De Apostasia. C

XXXIV INTRODUCTION.

substantially, corporally, or identically that bread" If the reader

has followed the explanation bere given, I think he will see that in these words there is no contradiction; they are merely the outcome of Wyclifs philosophical position. At the bottom of the same page he even admits in a certain sense that Christ is substantially present, i. e., as a substance. (20) Augustine is either inconsistent or must be explained: besides, the work quoted may spurious. (21) Gregory can also be understood in Wyclifs sense. As for (22, 2 3) Ignatius and Dionysius, they never mention accidents at all. If to these we add St. Paul, we have a second dozen of testimonies; and to crown all, Christ's words (pp. 21 3 — 217). But even the agreement of all the Fathers would amount to no more than probability, being only testimonial evidence; and they disagree (pp. 217 — 222). But how can we say that Christ's body is present just as in the Crucifix, in signo? Wyclif replies: Christ's Body, though only present in signo, is present otherwise than ut in signo (p. 223). I confess that this last distinction has puzzled me much. It seems to admit another sort of existence of Christ's Body in the Host, besides the 'sign existence'. And then Wyclif would perhaps be no more than an ordinary orthodox believer, who chooses to call by the name 'substance of bread' its visible and tangible appearances. But this again would clash with his Realistic theory. On the other hand, I am not inclined to think that he would take refuge in a mere verbal evasion of the question, though the whole of the book seems to point to that conclusion. This distinction seems hopelessly inconsistent with his former utterances. He goes on to say: Bread is not united to Christ's Body in the unity of one Person, but as nearly as possible to that union (p. 224). If I at all understand his theory, it runs thus: Every sign receives a certain figurative entity of the thing it signifies; and in proportion as the sign proceeds from a higher authority, this entity becomes more perfectly present. Our fancy may consider a lamb as the image of Christ, and it then is Christ — to a certain extent. But the Paschal lamb was much rnore so; and the highest possible perfection was reached, when Christ said of the bread: This is my Body. Thus I understand it: but then, ist, the difference would be only one of degree, not of kind: how then can Wyclif say: est tamen ibi aliter quam ut in signo? And 2nd, the authority of Christ would suffice,

INTRODUCTION. XXXV

without the miracle that Wyclif everywhere asserts. Perhaps some Wyclif student may be able to point out where my exposition falls short, if it does fall short; for after all, he may have been inconsistent. — The chapter closes (p. 224 — 233) with an appeal to the authority of several of the early Fathers, in support of Wyclifs doctrine.

Ch. XVH. This is not a debate, though it of course contains much debatable matter. It reads much like a supplement or appendix. Its principal feature is an account of the gradual additions to the Mass, and the writer's opinion of them; with much against Friars, Orders, perpetual vows, and the power of the Pope. These last being mostly repetitions of what was said before, I can dismiss them without further notice. Before examining the ceremonies of the Mass, Wyclif relates a legend about an old monk who doubted whether bread was Christ's Body, until convinced by a miracle (p. 246 — 247). He then returns to the main question, and states that the Mass at first consisted only of the Lord's Prayer and of the words of consecration, and was said in the evening. The hour was soon changed; one pope ordered the whole Psalter to be sung before Mass (this was probably the origin of the Canonical Hours); another compiled an antiphonarium and introduced the Kyrie Eleison; another brought in the Gloria in Excelsis; others were the authors of various tracts, hymns, and prefaces, and ordered the Credo and the Agnus Dei to be chanted. Wyclif by no means approves of these innovations, though his tone is very reserved. If it is a sin now to change the established form of Mass, what was it then to have changed the form that Christ established? All these rites may be aids to piety, but it would be better if we could do without them. The argument of Solomon's temple, if urged, would allow burnt-offerings in our churches. Ceremonies are too much thought of in these days, and the spirit is held of too small account (p. 247 — 25o). Wyclif, concluding De Apostasia, throws down a challenge to the Nominalists, or 'sign- worshippers'. This doctrine will be given to the public; let them also produce theirs.

If we set aside the strange distinction on p. 223, perhaps given to avoid a serious difficulty, I think we may come to the conclusion that the Realist Wyclif and the Nominalist Berengarius held objectively the same views on the Eucharist, and only varied in their manner

c*

XXXVI INTRODUCTION.

of expounding it. If the bread remained and there was only a figure of Christ in the Host, Berengarius had, consistently with his principles, to deny that this was in any sense a real presence;1 it was only nominally Christ. Wyclifs theory, on the contrary, gave reality to the figure itself. Hence there is no tergiversation nor insincerity in his protestations that it is really and even substantially Christ; nothing can be more hearty than his condemnation of Berengarius; for, condemning him, he condemns the whole philosophical school of sign-worshippers.

I think I cannot do better than to quote in conclusion some remarks made to me by Mr. Matthew, in a recent communication on the subjeCt.

uThe truth is that Wyclif would like to avoid saying how Christ's Body is present. Christ's institution makes it clear that He is in the Sacrament otherwise than by that universal immanence by which He is in all things. If his opponents would would let him, he would be content to say Christ was present sacramentally (as he does say sometimes). 'In signo' but not *ut in signo' means that although His presence is figurative, it is not simply a figure, but has a special efficacy. What that is precisely he cannot tell, and loses himself in trying to express it. He is sure that the current explanations are carnal and wrong, but does not know how to replace them. See Arnold's Select Works of Wyclif, III, 426."

.... "There is a very good summary of his view in Lechler (Germ. ed.), I, 626; but neither Lechler nor anyone else can get a satisfactory and clear exposition, for the simple reason that Wyclif did not know what it was, though he thought he knew what it was not."

.... "He would have liked .... Queen Elizabeth's quatrain: 'Christ was the Word that spake it; He took the bread and brake it; And what that Word doth make it, That I believe and take it'."

1 The writer of the article Berengarius in the Encyclopaedia Britannica says that he did not deny the real presence of Christ. But it is clear, from his whole doctrine, that he must have meant something quite different from what is meant hcre: v. g. a rcality of grace, prcscnt in the soul, &.c.

CAPITULUM PRIMUM.

A 37a Restat ulterius ponere aliud principium pro ambitu .. Apother

^ 49"heresis symoniace pertractando. Quamvis enim symonia, estabiished.

blasphemia et apostasia convertantur ad subsistendi

consequenciam, cum nemo potest peccare in unam

5 personam divinam nisi peccet in quamlibet, tamen biasphemv^and

racio huius peccati triplicis, vel pocius eius informitas, apostasy are ,. ~ . • , _ inseparable as

est diversa. Peccatur enim rn patrem (et per conse- 10 exfstence, but j quens in totam trinitatem) quando liga qua coleretur the. the^tenn'?" I 27 omnipotens pater dissolvitur: et ideo Jac. I, dicitur: different. 10 "Religio munda et immaculata aput deum et patrem, hec est,\ ]0osens the Nec est possibile quemquam incidere in mortale, nisi ^orshio sit de tanto apostaticus et per consequens blasphemus between man

TJ j. • , „ ,. . . andtheFatheris

et symoniacus. Ideo dicit decretum, 79* distinccione, a Sjn against the capitulo X: Si quis, quod papa qui solum debet deponi xhepope^when i5pro heresi (ut innuitur 40^ distinccione, capitulo Si he has broken papa) postquam ruperit ligam qua religiose debet servire bo^nd^of^ivine Christo in suo officio, quod non apostolicus sed apo- ]oneser ADostoHc staticus habeatur. but Apostate

t^ , ... . . . . . according to the

Et concordat nomen apostasie, que apostotare procurat; Decretal

20 quod fit, quandocunque persona a lege domini recedit. TjseaVpr£0fa<5f e

Et dicitur secundum grammaticos ab apos, quod est retro, this.

Prov. et stolos, missio; inde apostota, perversus refuga retro etymoiogical

VI, missus. Unde Aueustinus vocat antichristum refugam. demonstration . . °. ° . or the meaning.

12 14 Et sic loquitur scriptura Prov. VI: "Homo apostota, vir Augustinc calls A 37 .... . . 1 Antichrist a

g A inutilis, graditur ore perverso, annuit ocuhs, terit | pede, deserter. '

job. digito loquitur; pravo | corde machinatur malum et deoictimMhe xxxiv' omni tempore iurgia seminat." Et sic loquuntur scripture apostate. Ecclus de apostotare, ut patet Job XXXIV et Ecclus. X et XIX.

X, 14

XIX 2

2. perscrutando BE. 6. huius modi CD. 14. capitulo deest F.

22. per se perversus CD. 26. malum in D. 27. et omni virga E.

28. Eccles. ABCDE.

i3. Decr. Grat. ia Pars. Dist. LXXIX. c. 1. i5. Decr. Grat. ia Pars. Dist. XL. c. 6.

2 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

To know what Ad cognoscendum autem apostasiam, oportet precognos- B. aPmustykno\vVL cere religionem, cum contrarium privativum oportet what its coenoscere per suum contrarium positivum.

contrary 1. c. ° . . r r . .

religion, is. Dupliciter autem appellatur religio; primo modo meanings of thc observancia legis Christi; et illa describitur, Jacob. 1° 5 ^yord 'Rehgion'. ejus capitulo, ut alias diffuse exposui. Sic eciam vocatur

iat Observation .

of the law of miles Cornelius vir religiosus (Actuum X°) eciam ante- Examples of thc 9uam loquebatur cum Petro. Et sic indubie Ethiops . word uscd in eunuchus Candacis regine (de quo actuum VIII0) antequam vill,27 Cornehus and conversus fuerat a Philippo: quia interna dei inspiracio io

the eunuch of ,• • - -,, ■ , • ,. f

Queen Candace. rehgiositatem lllam mducit, hcet non autonsata ruerit,

Remark that approbata vel cognita ab inferiori preposito. Quod

owed his"^ docet fides scripture de istis duobus religiosis militibus,

relp8i°r t0 quorum primus factus est religiosus a Christo antequam

loquebatur Petro et secundus post religiositatem quam i5 Christus instruxit, instructus est a Philippo, non Petro; ut vel sic discamus religionem et alia opera meritoria So religion is ecclesie per se sufficienter dependere a Christo, non

indcpcndent of n . , ... . . „

Pcter, retro; et multo evidencius non a postenon Romano

much more so pontifice. De multis namque est evidens vel dubium 20

of anv later r ^

Roman" Pontiff. quod non sunt membra sancte matris ecclesie. | Et sic A 37°

eorum auctorisacio non per se pertinet ad religionem

quam Christus instituit, sed per se nuda approbacio

^t0'sbcnoulgh°to Christi et instinctus quem ipse inspirat. | Et sic legitur B 49°

foiiow Chrisfs Act. 1°, quod erant habitantes in Jerusalem Judei genere Act.

auidine; as the • - .... . . ... ' .11 :

religious men, viri reugiosi per dispersionem captivitatis ex omni11' D 0npentecost °f Senere nacionis. Et utinam non forent hodie plus

sophisticati religiosi quam illi fuerant. ^oTthc^word"8 Secundo modo vocantur religiosi qui per adinventas reiigion: sectas et tradiciones cum aliis ritibus sensibiiibus a 3o

peculiar rites by ., ,. ,. . _ . ,

which some " residuo populi distinguntur. Et tsto modo narrat magister

disrineuished hystoriarum super evangelia, quod tempore Christi tres

from the rest. secte fuerant in Judea, scilicet: Pharisei, saducei et

Essei; et narrat distincciones ac observancias quas

servabant. Isti autem vocantur sic famose religiosi, 35

w^rran?for\his^ce* ^n SCI"iptura infundabiliter ; quod nomen tocius

useofthe word. religionis quam Christus in fide scripture instituit, est

extinctum.

4. Tripliciter BE. 5. vere observancia BEF; ib. et illam describitur E; illam dcscribit B. 9 candatis regimine A. 10. dei deest F. 11. rcli- gioncm BE; rcligioriem illum C; rehgioni illum D; ib. auctorisata E. 19. non a Petro D. 22. per se deest EF. 24. inspiravit E. 26. disper- sicionem A; disposicionem E; ib. capacitatis E 28. sophistici F.

3i. ritu pro residuo E. ?2. in hystoria scolastica super E.

32. See note to Engl. Works of Wyclif, Matthew, pag. 489.

CAP. I. DE APOSTASIA. 3

C. Sed notandum est diligenter ulterius, quod religio

illa intelligi potest dupliciter: vel simpliciter, ut dicit The latter sense agregatum ex humanis ritibus et essenciali religione °,e "taken^in two quam Christus instituit; vel personaliter, ut dicit per se ™ays- Either

e ,. • ^-.i • • i- • • simpty, as an

5 religionem Chnsti et rehgionem pnvatam, de quanto aggregate of

religioni illi consonat accedentaliter adiacentem. Et isto wfth^Chri^s

vvvilmodo videtur michi scripturam loqui Act. XXVI, ubi religion or ■AAV1>-' ... r * personally, m

Paulus sic loquitur: "Secundum certissmwm sectam so far as a

nostre religionis vixi Phariseus" . Et propter aliquas obser- manreiigfon°"a

iovancias eorum laudabiles, contendunt quidam inaniter, happens to i i • i • i correspond

A 3y quod Christus | fuerat Phariseus. Non dubium Paulus with the

non sic fuit desponsatus cum illo ordine phariseico; wydtfdivides

sicut nec Nicodemus, de quo Joh. III0: vel alii sancti ,.P':ivat.e

. ' * . . ' religion mto

B 49 rehgioms lstius | , quod eo lpso quo ritus lstos adiectos simply private

i5 dimitterent, forent apostate. Et in illis religionibus an private.ta"y

privatis sunt et fuerunt multi sancti clerici et subtiles. ,. Another

. ....... ... division: men

Pnmum autem membrum lstms divisionis voco rehgionem with and men

privatam simpliciter, et secundum membrum voco reli- poTsessions.

gionem privatam per accidens. Wno are those

20 Dividitur autem religio privata aliter in possessionatos possessions.

et exproprietarios ; possessionati vero dicuntur religiosi, ' wfthout°Se

quibus sunt redditus elemosinarii perpetuo humanitus possessions. n . . .. r.f„ ... That Rehgion,

assignati; ut monachi atque canonici. Exproprietarn which now

vero sunt religiosi viventes dumtaxat de elemosina was^formeriy^

25temporali: ut fratres. Et intelligendo divisionem pre- dispossessed; r .... .. " . and vice versa.

dictam de rehgiosis pnvatis per accidens, patet quod st. Bernard

religio possessionata fuit exproprietaria et econtra. Sic m0nk™w!thSthe

enim dicit beatus Bernhardus in libello intitulato apol- members of the , ... .. . c Lhurch at

logettcum, quod ldem est ordo et eadem religio mona- jerusalem, who

3o chorum que fuit pauperum Jerusalem, tempore aposto- ^^without" y lorum. Et illi fuerunt pauperes indubie exproprietarie, possessions. habentes omnia in communi.

Est autem difficultas et dissensio, ut sepe tetigi, unde a difficulty as individuantur et distingantur ordines fratrum ab ordinibus J°e ^orderdlffer

35possessionatorum. from ^nother.

Et videtur decretalem (in 5to decreto, titulo de apo- For the Decretal . . , , , . ,. i . ,. . , seems to say

A 38" statis) mnuere, quod habitus corporahs | mdividuat et that it is the

distinguit ordines illos ab invicem. Nam ibi sic scribitur Decree^qumed.

in capitulo 1°: "Clerici qui relicto ordine et habitu suo,

2. tripliciter BEF. 6. accidenter C. io. quidam eorum E.

12. fuerat sic E. i5. regionibus B. 24. dicuntur E. 27. Sicut E. 3o. paperumA. 3i. exproprietarii CE. 38. describurD. 3g.'mdeestE.

3o. S. Bernard. Apologia ad Guillelmum. c. X. (t. 182, pag. 912, ed. Migne). 36. Decr. Gregor. IX, lib. V, tit. IX, c. 1.

1*

4 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

in apostasia tanquam laici conversantur, si in criminibus comprehensi tenentur per censuram ecclesiasticam, non Proofs that the precipimus liberari." Et ex isto videtur innui, quod | B 5oR

essential: religiosus relinquens habitum corporeum, fit eo ipso D. I. Puttuig off apostata: quod non haberet colorem, nisi habitus talis 5 garb makes an foret essencialiter ad ordinem requisitus.

II. That^which Item, inter 401" ordines mendicancium est distinccio makes a specificSpeejflca. qU[a aliter liceret sine dispensacione ab uno

essential; but transire ad alium. Sed non sic distingwerentur, si non

friars are per habitus corporales: igitur conclusio. Nam, quantum 10

S^Ctfnct'y ac* regulam> tres istorum ordinum preter fratres minores

in any order, profitentur regulam Augustini; sicud et 401" alii famosi or-

Tncl the rule dines possessionati. Opportet igitur dare aliquam differen-

^b^nthev^all1' c^am sensib^em secundum quam a populo distingwantur.

profess the Item, si quilibet talis habitus foret accidentalis ordini i5

III. If the garb vel religioni, tunc liceret homini sine auctoritate supe- essTntiai^anv ri°ris> habitu tali dimisso, alienum induere; et foret one might set confusio ordinum, cum cuilibet religioso liceret habitum

it aside at will: ...

and all the quemcunque — eciam laycalem — quocienscunque et

d wouid be^iP °iuamdiu libuerit induere atque exuere: quod videtur 20

confusion: esse contra decretalem pape (in quinto decretalium

against the De Apostatis, capitulo A nobis) ubi docetur quod abi-

It savset'that cientes habitum licet stricto carceri mancipare. Et capi-

a monk, if he tulo finali I dicitur quod monachus in apostasia recipiens A 38b have received .. ' .. . ... . -

Holy orders ahquem sacrum ordinem, eciam reconcihatus per peni- 25

Wof "oosfasv316 tenciam suo abbati, absque dispensacione Romani

cannot exercise pontificis ministrare non potest in ordine sic suscepto. sacred functions „ . ... . . .

witnout a Et prima consequencia videtur ex hoc quod, posita

dispensation tanta accidentalitate, staret servata religione vel ordine

from Rome'. in multis casibus habitum talem licenter exuere, quia 3o

ex quo stant cum ordine licet | priori precipere virtute B 5ob

obediencie, quamdiu voluerit habitum talem dimittere;

et sic de aliis casibus infinitis. Si enim inpossibile

potest cadere obedienciario sub precepto, multo magis

accidentale possibile, religioni indifferens, ymmo quod 35

potest esse meritorium et racionabiliter faciendum.

Argumcnts to In oppositum videtur quod omnis vera religio con-E. the contrary. . . . . ....

The condition sistit in anxmo, et per consequens est cuicunque habitui

do^notde^pend corPoraa inpertinens. Quis, inquam, dubitat, quin habitus upon clothing. mentis non dependet ab habitu corporali?

9. exire F. i3. ergo EF; ib. ergo dare aliam regulam B. 20. eruere A. 21. in deest E. 22. septimo nobis D. 24. vltimo E. 3i. hoc statu pro quo stant E. 38. anima F.

21. Decr. Gregor. lib. V, tit. IX, c. 5.

CAP. I. DE APOSTASIA. 5

Item, ut logici arguunt, aliter consumpta et inveterata If so, religion foret proporcionaliter talis religio, ut contingit pannorum ^"and^won? consumpcio; et, abiectis pannis, eracia mutacionis vel out as the raSs

'-' tnemsclvss

balnei, sic mutans in apostasiam incideret! Ymo cum wore out. 5 religio servatur in pannis, moveretur cum illis; et laicus in^fhe garb,6 ydiota vel asinus, habitum talem indutus, fieret ut sic wou'd belong

.... ........ to the Order.

llhus rehgionis vel ordinis.

Nec valet fingere quod oportet exuentem habitum

essencialem propter causam necessariam partibiliter in-

A 38° duere alium habitum | pro eodem tempore quo prior

habitus partibiliter est exutus; quia ordo sic vetera-

sceret et susciperet magis et minus ut induicio vel

mutacio talis habitus, cum aliis multis adducendis, que

sunt similia deliramentis puerilibus.

i5 Item iuxta istam sentenciam papa non posset dispen- Further, the

sare cum ordine, variando habitum et ritus alios cor- havePno*power

porales: consequens impossibile. Et consequencia sic to change the r . n r n . ,. garb ot an

probatur: Nichil quod est differencia essenciahs vel Order; but this . . , , , • is impossible,

passio potest vel per deum separari a subiecto rema- because he

B5ocnente, igitur evidencius papa | hoc non potest; quia can{j°J be sa,d

aliter posset in contradictoria, ultra deum. Ideo dicit powerthanGod.

Bernhardus glozator cum textu super 3° decretalium de Himself is

statu monachorum (capitulo, Cum ad monasterium) quod unable t0 take

monachum potest papa facere proprietarium, sed non essentiai

. c , ■ . , • . difference, the

25 potest racere quod simul sit monachus et propnetarius. subiect

Ex quo patet quod aliquis ritus est essencialis ordini, remaining the

preter habitum corporalem, cum quo papa dispensare cannot do what

non potest stante ordine. Sic enim limitatus est habitus contradiction.

a papa nieris canonicis, sic et variantur albi monachi The PoPe r. r . D ' . . makes many

3o a nigris in habitu, stante ordine, sic eciam mutatus est changesof garb.

habitus Carmelitarum stante eodem ordine, ut patet Vispenfes" S

notanti cronicas istius materie. Et evidencius potest ostendi conCygm"f the

per hoc quod papa dispensat cum multis ordinibus de fieshmeat.

esu carnium, eciam in refectorio; cum igitur hoc sit pro-

35 pinquius religiositati, quam habitus corporalis; multo evi-

dencius potest dispensare cum illis quo ad talem habitum.

p In ista materia non delectat fidelis contendere quia Conclusion: .... ,-. , . ,,., ^ The garb is not

est tradicio humana preter hdem scnpture. Videtur an essential.

5. moveretur struck out A; servaretur B; moneretur D. 9, 10. essen- cialem — habirum deest C. 12. induccio ACD. 16. ahos ritus E.

17. Conclusio E. 18. essencialis desst E. 23. capitulo — monasterium deest E; ib. ad modum E. 29. alibi ABD. 3o, 3i. sic — ordine

deest AD.

22, Decr. Gregor. lib. III, tit. XXXV, c. 6.

6 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

Neither tamen michi probabile, quod nec ritus, nec habitus ccre™?b ^rc"01^ corporalis sit essencialis cuicunque bone religioni vel cssential to any ordini, sed cuicunque bono religioso debet esse indifferens g°°A gooSd°n' ritus vel habitus corporalis. Sic tamen, quod non det to^beTndirTe"! nt scandalum fratribus; quia cum quocunque tali habitu 5 to all that, so posset fidelis eque bene facere opus religionis quam scandal is given Christus instituit. Ut si duo iuga ordinum fratrum to his brcthren. COmmutarent simpliciter habitus corporales et de com-

possibili meliorarentur in operibus religionis foret me- 1 B 5od lius ecclesie et placencius deo, quam est modo. 10

Solution of Ad primum trium argumentorum que fiunt in oppo- I ^B^dHyMrb situm, dicitur quod habitus corporalis est signum sen- is a sensible sibile sed per accidens quo cognoscuntur illi ordines "lfgious orders distingwi ab invicem, non causa distinccionis. Sed in- knowPn to differ: teliigendo ordinem privatum simpliciter potest dici, i5. but it is not the qUOd est unum agregatum ex religione Christi et pri-

causetlmtmakes * . ....'- . . , . . , ,

them to differ. vatis professionibus vel habitus mentis ad tales ritus

«mibines corporales vel habitus observandum; et sic habitus tales

Christ'sreligion in anima videntur obiective terminari ad genus ritus with atendency , , . .. , __ _,.

towards certain et habitus corporahs succedens pro suo tempore. Et 20

whfch^lastVarv s^c necessitantur loquentes in ista materia ponere cum

according to extensione temporis res communes, ut frater non tenetur

de essencia ordinis | habere hunc vel illum habitumA3o."

corporalem sed tenetur pro loco et tempore habere

talem, saltem adiacente possibilitate parium cum hoc 25

vovit ; et irracionabiliter solvens hoc votum, induendo

habitum alterius generis secundum leges signa queren-

cium tamquam apostota est punitus.

II. The four Ad secundum argumentum conceditur, quod isti 4or q_

orders^ot fnars or(jmes distinguntur specifice penes obligaciones et 3o

distinguished habitus mentales ad talia genera particularis observan-

obiigations and cie; sed non penes particulares habitus corporeos, nec

^'certain1 t0 Penes i^a genera distinguntur ; quia stante obligacione

practices, but et habitu mentali et eciam pereunte toto genere ritus

practices^ vel habitus corporalis, non minus distinguerentur illi 35

'former^would6 orciines, licet signa sensibilia quibus recognosceretur

distinguish ordinum illorum distinccio desint simpliciter. Et patet them evcn if ,. 1 . ~, ,. i^r„

the latter quod mmor | argumenti est ralsa, cum ordmes talesB5i

penshed. distinguntur penes obligaciones et habitus mentales;

cognoscuntur autem a populo distingui penes habitus^o

corporales. Unde sicut illa noticia est accidentalis or-

19. ostenduntur C. 24, 25. sed — talem deest C. 26. ei raciona- biliter CE. 34. eciam deest F.

^AP. I. DE APOSTASIA. 7

dini, ita sepe m illis signis populus est seductus. Et As to the rule,

patet quod regula non per se distingwit, cum regulam distinguish

Christianam fratres et possessionati omnis sexus fidelium tllcm by itsc,f> . . „ . . no more than

sacerdotes et layci prohtentur. Augustmus autem dedit the observancc

5 regulam scripture pro perfectis clericis in communi °ati dfst^ufsh

viventibus, nec curavit de specie forme, coloris vel precii ciergy from

laitv. habitus corporalis; ideo propter adiecciones talium Augustine laid

A 3ob rituum | sunt multi ordines adinventi et infiniti alii 0^[" *0 fvhfch

possunt addi; ut omnes cathedrales ecclesie et omnes the cathedral r 1 1 ■ ■ 1 1 • an" conventual

10 conventuales clenci debent ut ego estimo servare regu- ciergy ought

lam Augustini. Unde adiecta variacio et subtilizacio est t0 ^L een a malo.

Ad tercium argumentum videtur michi, quod con- m.We grant the clusio est concedenda; nam licet fratri minori in tem- "h^aJTone'' i5pore necessitatis habitum veterem proicere et novum may set the •1 i- -t~. • • r- ■ ■ 1 - i ■ Sa>"D ot nls

mduere licencia Romani pontihcis non petita, sed indui order aside,

habitum alienum abiecciorem; et limites illius generis necesYaryn and

nescit Romanus pontifex diffinire, sicut nec scit specifi- tnat without . . ,. . ,. ... asking the

care strictitudmes tstorum ordmum quas patnarche qui Popc's leave.

20 ipsos fundaverant statuerunt.

H. Ideo sepe dicit se dispensare cum ordine et aposta- Dispenses arc tando alienum peiorem instituit, ut minus degenerarent ^d^it woufdS' fratres predicatores, si cum esu carnium quilibet eorum be better to

. . . entcr the

fuerit uxoratus, quam cum predicto esu quilibet eorum secular clergy 25 fuerit civilis proprietarius. Minus eciam degenerarent, a^nst^povertv

B5ibsi quilibet eorum fo I ret factus vicarius, rector sive in the cloister.

' , ,. , , And better to

episcopus quam quod manendo penaliter claustrales change the

contra Christi pauperiem conspirarent. Et tercio minus ^of^hejr^dress1 degenerarent quicunque religiosi induendo habitum than, keeping

3o alieni coloris vel forme, quam induendo habitum pre- costly stuffs.

ciosum eiusdem coloris et forme, habitu mentali Chri-

stiani ordinis plus mutato. Ideo ad regulandum hos

ordines, necesse est regulam scripture et religionem

A 3qcsuam attendere, quia [ papa sepe in talibus decipit atque

35 decipitur. Nam, ut dictum est, papa non habet pote- statem, nisi ad edificandum ecclesiam sive statum, et sepe per suggestiones falsas et dispensaciones symoniacas facit contrarium; unde credo quod papa plus prodesset ordinibus precipiendo eis virtute obediencie annuatim

40 alternare in ritu et habitu corporali, vel melius nulli

2. illa regula E. 5, profectis E. 6. colorat E. 8. modernorum rituum CDEF. 19. parochiane E. 20. ipso C. 22. alios peiores ; alium peiorem in margine B. 23. sed E. 34. quod C; ib. decipit E. 38. plus deest ABCD.

8 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

It would be tali ritui obligari, quam sic punire religiosos propter

PoMwereto tradiciones signorum. Necesse est tamen generacionem

change all rites adulteram signa querentem, precedente peccato, in than to punish . ,-, • P , , , • •

any one on signis sacramentahbus signa ralse attendere pius signatis;

accous"g°s mere ut hodie vocantur apostate, nedum qui habitum alienum 5

Rcligious men induunt, sed qui relieiose in comitivis honestioribus are called ' ." .

apostates, oniy conversantur. unde, sicut hngitur ordo et apostasia, sic

changed^thlir fingitur sepe irracionabiliter pena gravior pro actu

garb. religioso vel apostatico stante fama, quia satrape plus

petunt apparenciam mundanam quam existenciam vere 10

religionis qua deus placaretur.

Why thc Pope Et correspondenter irreligiose puniunt. Papa eciam

oveTaU^Orders^ dicitur vendicare de privatis ordinibus regimen capitale

i» to get more atque dominium I propter tria: primo ut pecunia sediB5ic money; 2nd to ^- , , •

be praised sue copiosius cumuletur; secundo, ut nomen sue sancti- io them^^to be tat*s sophistice per illos dispersos in populo publicetur; more evidentiy et tercio, ut sua pomposa excellencia per regulacionem

great by ruhng ' .r . r . r °

over them. ordinum quibus msidet patencius promulgetur. Et hec

of pdde^makes apostasia superbie facit papam in accidentibus suis, the Pope grant scilicet colore et figura, cum religiosis temere dispen- 20

dispenses .... ... . r •

rashly. sare; dispensat enim faciendo rehgiones m toto novas,

Bll"vhichShTlth et sePe nescius illudit plebi atque ordinibus post quanti-

grants tatem in eukaristia in isto duplici genere qualitatis. Et dispenses, and . .,„. * • ,•

lays claim to sicut cece confert omnia benencia regnorum, sic dis-

aut onty. pensat et auctoritatem vendicat in religiosis qui lanam 25

induunt, propter causam triplicem assignatam.

Let him note Notaret, inquam, dictum Hugonis De Sacramentis

whwritten0onaa Parte 1 2a capitulo 5t0. "Dispensacio esse non potest ubi

dispenses; recompensacio esse non potest: dispensacio quippe nomen saying ,. r... . r r ^rr..

that there can aispendn est et detnmentum sonat quantum m tpso 3o

be "without"56 est '■> stultum ver0 est voluntarie dampnum sustinere ubi

compensation ; nullum lucrum sequitur. Ubi autem in parvo detrimen-

the word ., / . . r

coming from tum tolleratur voluntane, ut m maiore lucrum prove-

anTln^itself niat*' nec bona est dispensacio". Et post declarat, quod

meaning loss. non cadit dispensacio super lucro anime merendo bea- 35

titudinem; sed quid papa scit si commutaciones quas

facit ordinibus, faciunt ad detrimentum anime? Viden-

dum est igitur de apostasia qua a deo receditur, et illa

5. homines EF. 6. qui deesl in EF; ib. commitis F. 9. quam

pro vel F. 10. appetunt E. 12. plus puniunt EF. 16. potestatis EF. 17. per racionem E. 19 suis deest in CDE. 20. scilicet deest in E; ib. signa pro ngura E. 23. quantitatis E. 33. voluntarie tolleratur E. 34. plus pro post D.

27. Hugo a Sancto Victore, De Sacrametitis, lib. II, parte 12, c. 5 (p. 522, t. 176, ed. Migne).

CAP. I. DE APOSTASIA. 9

sola est laudabiliter punienda. Unde glossa Bernhardi And the pope

super primo capitulo de apostatis in quinto decretalium whether ttie

B 5idnarrat de apostasia triplici: scilicet perfidie inobe- | caknfeasre"ea

diencie et irregularitatis adinvente. Sed indubie omnis real dispensc

5 ponderanda apostasia est perfidie, inobediencie et irre- "osti/to "tfie

gularitatis contra religionem quam Christus instituit. sou1,

I. Nec scit papa si commutacio quam facit sit dispensacio

vel dispendiosa commutacio ad anime detrimentum,

cum prudens animus illud optime in se ipso discerneret

ioet a Christo inconsulto papa dispensacionem acciperet.

Nec dubium quin pena incarceracionis et privacionis Thc

quam inponit vocatis apostatis sit sepe illicita et regaliis ^carcerationf

reeum contraria; quia reeum est et non pape inponere commanded by , &.. ' n , . ° , r ' . r. . thePope.illegal,

legns regum penas huius modi corporales. bicut lgitur as encroachmg

i5talis incarceracio religiosorum procedit ex temeritate T\l$™ procteds

cleri presumpta, sic ista tolleracio principum quo ad *™m temerity

suos legios procedit ex culpabili eorum negligencia, ut and cuipabie

ostendi in tractatu de rege. ne&egidng.of

Ideo quererent domini regnorum qua auctoritate sic An apostatc, by

2ofaciunt religiosi sui; si auctoritate dei, ostendant locum teaching, is to

legis sue, ex quo licet eis sic facere ; si auctoritate prin- £jjda* pubfican!

Matth. cipum, debent ostendere quod licet eis auctoritatem cui St. Paul

xv*Jl»i7 talem conformiter scripture exequi, cum Christus pre- Titus the

III, 10 cipit, Matth. XVIII0, apostatam talem sic ut ethnicum et sucb.danmanf

25 publicanum relinquere. Et apostolus precipit ad Titum III0 Augustin rules . f . , . ,. , : . ' . , . . . , that such must

A 4oh hereticum huius modi devitare. | Quid lgitur comodum be 'cast out of insurgit regibus, quod consenciunt suos legios tam irre- theS°Sa?nts°f

eulariter cruciari? Aueustinus autem precipit tales a surely without °. °...,,..r , violence.

B D2a societate sanctorum proici, mdubie sine concussione | This word 3out fecerunt apostoli; sed glozatores perfidi, ut alia dicta imprisonmem sancti, sic sinistre intelligunt: proiciatur, id est, in artum °y the context. et tetrum carcerem detrudatur. Ad quid, rogo, diceret sanctus, 'eciam si ipse non abscesserit de nostra societate Return t0 main proiciatur', nisi quia talis apostata gratis cum gaudio argument: 35 societatis potest recedere et non per incarceracionem Whether inprovidam consorcium amplius contaminare. nionastic/life

Sed dubitatur, primo, si talis religio privata sit per- is more perfect

.. ' r .',.._.. °. r r, than ordinary

feccior quam communis rehgio Chnstiana : et patet quod Christianity '

Negativcd.

8. dispensa EF. i3. regum deest E; ib. contraria: illicita quidem,

quia infundabilis in Scriptura; et regaliis contraria, quia BF. 14. leges B. 16. tali E. 19. querent E. 22. cui deest F. 3o. licet E. 32. pena- liter detrudatur EF. 33. vestra BE.

2. Decr. Gregor. lib. V, tit. IX, c. 1. 28. Aug. Regula ad

servos Det, art. 7. De fraterna correctione (p. i38i of t. 32, ed. Migne).

io JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

non, ex sepe et diffuse dictis alibi. Pro quo suppono

quod religio privata intelligatur simpliciter pro agregato

ex omnibus votis et obligacionibus, quibus religiosus

astringitur, ut in tali ordine, et communis religio Christi-

ana que in scriptura sacra est expressa, ad quam omnis 5

fidelis de necessitate salutis astringitur.

i*t The general Et tunc probatur conclusio negativa; primo sic: Com-

as morcfsimple, munis Christiana religio est simplicior, necessarior et

necessary, and autoritativior : ieitur est perfeccior. Est, inquam, sim- authonsed, is ,. . ° r .' n

more perfcct — plicior, quia oportet quamcunque religionem privatam 10

Ev™ry%SrrvTte' istt superaddere; ideo solebam dicere, quod religio ipsa

religion must presupponitur ad alias, sicut forma substancialis ad for- add to this. ' rr. , ,. .

2nd More mas accidentales, et tahs est perfeccionum comparacio.

"^ifalorie' is°' ^t quod sit | necessarior, patet ; cum ista et non alia A 40° nccessary to requiritur ad salutem. Nam per istam religionem sine i5

salvation. . . . . . . .. ...

3rd More aha crevit ecclesia, per lstam rapuerunt apostoli et aln

^Ordinarv magis sancti regnum celorum et sine ista principante

Christianity was non valet alia, sed econtra; et quod sit autoritativior,

promulgated by , . , ,. /

Christ, followed patet notando rundatores rehgionum et expressiones

handed^dowruo earum in ncie scripture. Nam ex fide capimus quod omnis 20 the Aposties veritas est ex scriptura, et ut necessarior est expressior; |B 52b

now nothing of .. . , . . . . '

this is true of aliter enim autor rehgionis summe potens, sciens atque

'refirion? benivolus foret inprovidus, nisi religionem cariorem magis

exprimeret. Illa igitur quam ore sua expressit, in persona

sua servavit et apostolis atque carioribus eius discipulis 25

servandam tradidit, excedit aliam adiectam cui non

convenit laus ista.

2nd 'private' Item, religio ista privata est magis difficilis, magis

mo^difncult indigua et diffusa; igitur est minus perfecta. Consequen-

more"needy an'd cia patet ex testimonio Christi, Matth. )ilt0, comendantis 3o more complex ... . Matth

is less perfect. rehgionem suam ex hoc quod mgum suum suave est marrn-

Cl]rist'sdreHgion et onus suum leve. Ex hoc enim lex nova excedit in ' 2

is 'an easy perfeccione legem veterem; et patet de racione, cum

reason why the religio ista brevius et compendiosius attingit finem legis.

betor than^the Pienil:utio autem legis est dileccio, quam plene et breviter35

old. docet communis relieio Christiana. Et quod religio

2nd More ncedy. . . .

A privatc privata plus indiget, patet ex hoc quod ad confirmacionem

requirefpapal e^us requiritur auctorisacio papalis; ad legem autem

authorisation; Christi non sic; sed I oportet quod ipsa vitam papalem, A j.od Chnsfs religion ..,.,.' ' . r TT ? r _ • ,.,

is the si sit laudabiliSj autonset. Unde narrat Cestrensis, libro 40

athehPope's0inife,f 7' caPltulo 24, quomodo sub Innocencio III0 ordines if laudable.

5. que deest F. 7. necessaria E. 11. istam F. 20. in finc CD. 26. suo F. 26, 27. cui laus ista non convenit BEF. 28. ideo E.

3o. tenet pro patet B; ib. V'° ACD. 41. 24 deesf CD ; ib. capitulo

deest EF : ib. 24. deest F.

CAP. I. DE APOSTASIA. i r

predicatorum et minorum inceperant, et ad confirmandum Whatdifficultics eos ipse se reddebat difficilem ; sed confirmacio eorum ™J| Frandscans per Honorium IIIm immediate sequentem fiebat, ut we/e undcr

r . . . .... before they

notatur m eadem cronica; et tahter sunt alu ordmes could be

5 non prophani per Romanos episcopos confirmati. Et ^^More

diffusio privati ordinis ex hoc patet, quod vix sufficit compiex. A

r . . r . . whole hfetimc

homo per vitam suam cenmonias et ntus eius plene is hardly

cognoscere, et continue egent interpretacione et correc- le^rrTaii th°e

cione multiplici: quibus caret religio Christiana. obscrvanccs.

B 52c Item periciores privati ordinis [ sumptuose laborant Again.

et eligunt illo exui et militare sub religione simplici JfheachSOrdcr

Christiana, quod non fieret nisi illa foret perfeccior: strive to bccome

, . . , r . ., Bishops, i. e. to

lgitur conclusio. Argumentum patet de proveccionbusieave it and join

et sapiencioribus privati ordinis qui laborant ut statum refigTon^of

i5 episcopalem accipiant et per capellaniam papalem vel Christ, wbich is

alia media obedienciam in qua consisteret maior ordinis

sui perfeccio se exuant.

Nec valet dicere quod in hoc errant, cum papa And they do so

approbat et religio non inpugnat. Nam frater vel "fjhjjt'is

20 monachus nacto episcopio vivit perfeccius, quia aliter approvcd by the , . . r f . r 1 Pope and not

retrocederet m lege domini tanquam apostata: quod tam condemned by

A4iaclerus quam laycus inopinabile reputaret. | cannot°be beld

Sicut igitur episcopi eerunt vicem apostolorum, sic as wrong. 0 r- f .b j j- • Otherwise a

sunt rn statu perrectissimo quem deus drgnatus est m Friar becoming

25 ecclesia sua statuere et papa supra episcopos qui dicitur ^o^0^ an

eerere vicem Christi. Et constat quod status episcopalis apostate. 0 , . .. . . . . ^ . , r r The state of a

vel est statui rehgionis pnvate mpertinens vel repugnans. Bishop is the Nam omnes tradiciones adiecte supra legem Christi non most p^ie,ct regulariter tenetur episcopus observare; quia aliter omnes But if these

,. , . .. ,. observances

3o apostoli et omnes seculares episcopi ante lstos ordines were reaiiy a et post forent vel irregulares episcopi, vel saltem minus p^fecfion regulares quam nostri religiosi: quod est incredibile; Bishops, not i ■ i-i u * * • l beinS obliged to

non solum quia ecclesia plus approbat et canomsat observe them,

priores episcopos, verum quia in privatis ordinibus non inferiorto

35traduntur speciales regule episcopio pertinentes, sed Reiigious. apostolus in Thymotheo tradit 1 5 regulas plenius et perfeccius regulantes statum episcopi.

Tria igitur sunt, que catholicus ut fidem debet cre- 50 Catholics

dere: primum quod status episcopalis, quem Christus in "VJfVhat^a61

B 52d apostolis suis instituit, est perfeccior | quam status Bishop's state,

privati ordinis; quia plus ecclesie regulativus et anime ChrisUn His

8. dispensacione et EF. 12 foret EF ; tb. esset EF. i3. assump-

tum EF. i5. per deest F. 17. exuant reputaret EF. 22. clero

quam laico est E; ib. reputaret deest E; reputarem 0. 25. sibi pro supra E. 38. debet ut fidem E.

1 2 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

apostles is the lucrativus. Nam nimis blasfemum foret, quod aliquis

mos per ec o prrvatus or(j0 adinventus excederet primum ordinem

T° dein/hh'S I"601 Christus instituit, quia hoc foret implicare maiorem

blasphemy. prudenciam in adinvencionibus humanis quam in deo, et

per consequens extollere antichristum super omne quod 5

2nd That though dicitur deus. Secundo credimus quod licet episcopus

^an^>ffPfrcmiy degenerat a statu primevo et confundit eius noticiam,

what he should tamen status ille manet in fide scripture invariabiliter

be, his state . ...

remains the perfectus succedente universah statu prelati m moribus.

In cuius signum religiosus privati ordinis (factus epi- 10 scopus), relinquit regulam privati ordinis, ut repugnans, et intendit regule apostoli, quam secundum quod per- ficit est laudabilis, patet ex dictis alibi de quiditate

3rrt That neithcr status. Tercio credimus quod nec superior constitueret O.

coufd desfg^nate, nec populus acciperet religiosum privati ordinis in i5

nor the peoplc SUUm episcopum, nisi utrobique crederet et confiteretur could receive a r r . . , * - _,

Religious as statum quem accipit plus perfectum. Cum enim per-

^unless^they' feccio status sit dispositiva ad beatitudinem anime

believed the aquirendam et status perfeccior sit plus dispositivus,

be preferable. insanis foret omniquaque quelibet pars et caritati con- 20

be^comes a° traria, si gratis permitteret religiosum apostotare a statu

Bishop for perfecciori ad statum episcopalem (minus) perfectum. Nam pleasure, pndc r . r ....

or money, is a ecclesta debet cognoscere, quod religiosus possessionatus wiiiTnfect^the ve* exproprietarius appetens illum statum propter volup- whoie flock. tatem, fastum, vel questum seculi est symoniacus vene- 25 nosus; et per consequens benedicendo confirmando vel ordinando quemquam in sua dyocesi venenose dampnificat se et plebem. Et idem est iudicium de | suffraganeis. b 53* Conciusion : the Ideo, ut sepe dixi superius, oportet fideles contemptis confide iiirtie apostatis servare legem dei et confidere in episcopo 3o Bishop of souls. animarum.

Answer to Sed replicatur contra istud per hoc, quod religiosus

f^bjecdon. privati ordinis ] obligatur et servat quicquid Christianus A 41°

A Reiigious je iege communi servaverit, et super hoc addit per-

observes . ° . ..' r.. _r.

Chrisfslawand feccionem adinventam ; lgitur superaddit 111 perfeccioni 35

Answerfrhe religionis; et, ut dixi alias, ad hoc sunt leges ecclesie. assumption is Sed dicitur (ut sepe alias) quod falsum assumitur. Nam P.

ut dicit Sapien. IX0 deus disposuit omnia in mensura, Sap.

numero et pondere. Quod expressit Augustinus (De pro- XI, 21

i3. laudando E; laudandus F. i5. populum religiosum CE.

18. disposicio B. 19. adquerendam E. 38. disponit. 3g. Augustinus exponit E.

40. Aug. De Trinitate lib. XI, c. 11. Numerus, pondus, men- sura {p. 908, t. 42, ed. Migne).

CAP. I. DE APOSTASIA. 1 3

prietatibus trinitatis), sic quod mensura, sicut religio,

correspondeat deo patri. Cum igitur deus dedit regulam God made all

completam religionis in lege scripture, videtur quod meafure!

omnis religiosus privati ordinis deficit in observancia He £ave a ° r . . complete rule

5 illius mensure, ad quam Christianus religiosus vocatus of religion in secularis debet attendere. In ista igitur perfeccione ^And^every^' mensure excedunt omnes religiosos privati ordinis. Ideo rehgious

. . . departs

videtur simile de istis et adiciente ad parietes domus per- therefrom.

fectos de quadris lapidibus lutum et inordinatum acervum observances

iolapidum; quod licet adaugeat magnitudinem et numerum, adi1'1,?,tru1e.'j^ut

sepe tamen monstruose facit fundamenta putrescere. a heap of

0 , j , -^ j- • c i ■ rubbish round

Secundo dubitatur utrum expedicius ioret ecclesie the waiis of a non esse tales privatos ordines; et videtur quod sic, pertectbuilding.

ex dictis evidenciis: cum sapiunt inperfeccionem qua question.

r , • j • 0 , • * , Would it not be

ibcaruit primitiva ecclesia quando crevit. Sed contra lstud better, if there

instatur: primo per hoc, quod nedum sancti fundarunt were no. suf;n

. " . . " . .... orders ln the

hos ordines, sed ex illis creverunt multi gloriosi viri Church? There

, ,-r- • i • o j •.. • .. were none in

ad magnam edmcacionem ecclesie. Sed supposita veritate the first times.

B 53" du I bii, ad istud dicitur, quod evidencia non procedit; Ti5)b'e^ioJn'

I ' . . . " } These Orders,

2onam multi sancti comiserunt multas blasfemias, ymo founded by

A 4id sanctissimi citra Christum | continue peccaverunt, cum prodUced many

I. Jo. paranymphus dicat (IaJoh. i0): "Si dicimus quod peccata ^110^™™

l> ° non habemus, nos ipsi seducimus et veritas in nobis objectionproves

non est". Ideo ut docet decretum (8 distinccione, capi- many laints

25tulo: Si solus Christus audiendus est), solus Christus have done

J\ . wrong; and all

capi debet inter homines pro exemplo in vita et opere, have sinned. , , • • , , Christ alone

secundum hominem quem assumpsit vel secundum ought to be

membra sua, in quibus ut in sanctis operatus est, et exatakentas

quos ad suam sentenciam inspiravit. by.

Q. Ideo est pura fallacia, si sancti homines sic fecerunt to^say .- The}

et ordinaverunt totam suam sectam sic perpetuo facere m,en wh? .

K . regulated their

in futurum, igitur bene. Non enim est evidens Christum sect thus and

taliter ordinasse, vel membra sua movisse ad instituendum saints:

religionem huiusmodi, cum Christus ordinavit se ipsum T^jrjforehTtI1|ey

35 indui nunc veste purpurea et nunc alba, (ut patet, And when

Math. 27 et Luce 23): ymo quando misit discipulos iiis disciples to

^uce ad predicandum (Luc. X°) prohibuit eis ferre duas tunicas, take two coats,

' habere peram vel baculum vel calciamenta in pedibus, stood that he

et tamen illud intelligi voluit non perpetuo sed solum "^tjme? not°r

for ever.

8. ad parietem domos E. 8, q. perfectas D ; ib. illicitam E. 11. men- struose E. i3. ordines deest D. i5. credit E 17. religiosi E.

22 dixerimus E; diximus D. 24^ 25. capitulo deest EF. 25. solus deestE. 28. instructis E 29. inspirat E. 39. cum C; ib. pro perpetuo F.

24. Decr. Grat. I Pars. Dist. VIII, c. 9.

1 4 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. 1.

And the quando ab officio apostolico retardaret. Quod non solum

proves this. testatur vita apostolorum, qui quando expediebat ritum

Why must the istum dimiserant, sed et ordines fratrum laudabiliter

commands ot '

Benedict, v. g. illud hodie non observant. Quis igitur color si Bene-

for^eveV, when dictus Dominicus aut Franciscus sic statuit faciendum; 5

those ofChrist i^itur non licet alicui de secta sua ad contrarium were not soi1 ° And had they declinare, cum de Christo non sequitur? Nec sequitur,

beenthus,itdoes . „, . . , . ,. .

not follow that si Chnstus sic statuit ad sensum expositum, lgitur licet A 42" ^ould^mitate PatI"ibus predictis prudenter statuere | ut tota sua sectaB53° Him in that. omnes ritus observet continue quos in se religiose in- 10

St. Bartholo- D , , . / . .. . ° . ,.

mew made a venerant. Barthoiomeus enim legitur rehgiose m die

hundred cencies flexisse genua: et tamen non audebat statuere genunexions 111 °

a day; and yet post se sectam perpetuam, que sub pena apostasie et founded a sect tribulacionis severissime hoc observet. Quis igitur color: that had to do «sj patroni ordinum sic statuerant, igitur bene"? i5

hkewise, under r > _e>_

severe penalties. Sed sicut Silvester peccavit in recipiendo dotacionem be perilous to ecclesie, et tamen postmodum penitens fuit factus, sic R. even^thoueh' stat ^e Patronis predictis. Ymmo licet omnes predicti their sin were meruerunt in isto peccando venialiter, tamen pericu-

light and their , , ... , ■ , ,

merits great. losum et dampnabue est sequi vel approbare eos se- 20

cundum racionem qua sic peccaverant. Non igitur est

color concludere, quod illi prudenter vel inculpabiliter

fecerunt, secundum racionem qua in sectis suis obser-

vanciam talem perpetuam rituum statuerunt.

It was an act Et gravatur cecitas in signa colentibus, quod ultra 25 of blindness to . , . " .

amplify the rule hoc quod Augustinus patronus 111 communi statuerat

^vhidi^mentkfns '^ns ^u^ gratis voluerunt servare regulam suam, quam- neither colours, diu placuerit, gravantur alie particule et ramificantur perpetual vows, . . . ' ..... . . ..

nor prison. m ecclesia ex sancta radice vitulamma viciata. Non enim

lego in regula (beati) Augustini de professione perpetua, 3o

de colore vel figura vestium vel de incarceracione;

sed de apostate abieccione.

Answer to Quoad secundum obiectum, patet quod nichil ante-

Second part of , " . ... T , . . c .

the objection: cedenti et conclusioni concesse. Nam, ex radice mrecta

those Orders1" Pr^m^ ^dam, virtute secundi Adam | multa sancta etA42*

Granted; but it gloriosa plantaria succreverunt; sicud et occasione proves nothing. ,c .- . , .. . . , , . ,

'fehcis culpe et necessarn peccati Adam , ut loquitur

5. Francus ABCD. 7. nec sequitur deest F. 10, 11. observave-

rant B. 11. in die religiose B. 18. vnde E. 21. peccaverunt B.

27. grate E. 28. iam inficitur E. 29. in deest E ; ib. ex insecta pro ex sancta E. 34. vel B. 38. beatus E.

87. The words 'O certe necessarium Adae peccatum' . . . etc. are in the Sarum Office for Holy Sarurday (Benedictio cerei paschalis); but I have not been able to trace them to St. Gregory.

CAP. i. DE APOSTASIA. 1 5

3 53d sanctus Gregorius, multa | ecclesie comoda accreverunt; For the root et tamen radix illa fuit valde culpabilis. Et sic inter baTLd yeTthe privatos ordines possessionatorum et fratrum creverunt offshoots h°ly

. .... andglonous: as

et sunt multi sancti clerici et solemnes, quo tamen non in us, children 5 obstante regula ordinis sapit stulticiam et peccatum. -fhere have In cuius signum est inter sectas (illas) contencio, et been and, are

° . \ . ' many good men

Act. concomitatur eas detnmentum ecclesie. Tales autem among them;

x*VI>5apostolus vocat sectas (Actuum XXVI) et sic videtur scrip- ^tltlr^Ord&r

vVn turam loqui de sectis (II Reg. II); et ad Gal. Vto. Sicut is fooiish and N ' 2° . . . . — ..... . sinful.

S. ioigitur vitis suftertur a lignis mfructuosis et rosa germinat

inter spinas, sic sancti et subtiles clerici germinant in

secta minus laudabili. Sed omnes illi, ut reor, vel in

hora mortis, vel ante, percipiunt quod secta est defec-

tuosa et gravis, et non [nisi] ut facilitat ad legem

iSdomini observandam. Ideo licet et oportet ipsam dimit- The reason

tere, sicut licuit dimittere ritus quos Christus instituit. iasted so long6

Nec oportet timere de multitudine et permanencia 1S th,at n.uman

tahs secte, quia tales affecciones private indicant amorem atfections have

i- , • • , , been too strone;

lnordinatum homims ad sua, postpositis bonis com- but every

20 munibus legis dei. Quilibet enim Christianus affectaret Christian ? . . should wish

per media licita quod, facta toto humano genere magis them to be

j- . • ..- . ,-, ,. • c abolislied, that

unicordi et simih, secta sua et quehbet alia pnvata an men should A 42c foret sagaciter dissoluta; quia aliter oporteret | reli- become '°f one

giosos in diversis sectis habere licite affecciones con- 3r<1 Objection.

25 trarias et voluntati dei, quia sibi invicem repugnantes. 0ther pretetes

T. Tercio arguitur per hoc, quod papa et alii prelati "j^ appdoved

tales ordines perpetuo confirmarunt : vel igitur oportet for ever, so we „-.j- • i i i- i i -ii have either to

B .-14" ordinaciones papales | dissolvere, vel omnes lllas sectas quash the

fovere et defendere. Hic dicitur quod multi prelati sunt PoPe's deasion

. . . or to be

3o (in isto) patronis magis culpabiles, ut illi qui fovent friendly to

symoniace sectas tales. Ideo dicitur, quod papa approbat we may^say

totum quod est laudabile in sectis huiusmodi, et aliud tnat tlle Pope

" . . ' . approves onlv

contempnit; sicut, condicione tacita, confirmat illas pro what is praise-

periodo, qua deus decreverit quod durabunt; multe these^ oYders,

35 autem suborte defecerant, et alie deficient pro termino not jn.e r,est'

' r and lt tliat

noto deo; deus enim ordinavit illas secundum totum for ever means , • • , r> ^ n ■ , i so long as God

bonum ln eis succedere, prohcere et finire, sed modo wiii allow thcm

civilis dominii propter imperfectionem non intrant patriam, . x°. ex'st-

ymo cum una sit contraria alteri et deo atque ecclesie, for their

. • , • • • ,., . • . destruction is

41 oportet lpsas cessare; dicitur enim quamhbet tstarum that they are

sectarum secundum multa supposita velle omnem reli- ^^"'to^od11

8, Q. scriptura B. 9 II deesl F. 10, 11. et rosa — spinas deest F. 17. muftiplicacione CE. 18. mundificant B. 22. similitcr A. 38. in- feccionem AB. 3a. et sic pro et deo CDE. 41. sectarum deest EF.

1 6 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

and to the gionem esse de secta sua et omnia bona communia striving to draw religiosis dari singulariter secte sue; quod cum sit therns8e°vesS and contrai*ium voluntati divine et utilitati reipublice, patet

doing harm to quam inseparabile est istis privatis ordinibus proprie- the common- .... ,. ,

weaith by their tane mordmate appetere, et ordinem suum ac regulam d Thefact is8t'hat inordinate diligere. Quis enim de tali secta multis they love their mandatis dei non plus ponderat regulas secte sue?

own sect ■ . . ., . A

inordinately; patet | ex pumcionibus que emanant ex communi con- A 42"

which is^roved sensU) qUOd pauci vel nulli a tali ydolatria sunt immunes.

disproportion Quomodo igitur non fieret sibi et matri nostre utilius, 10

of their , • 1, a- j- • •

punishments quod lntellectus et aftectus, dimisso lstorum onere,

commandments occuPati forent circa celestia vel circa media utiliora

or their rules et faciliora in lege Christi expressa? Talis ieitur secta, are broken. ..— , . . * . . c.

This is sheer diftusa per ecclesiam, toret perfeccior; et signanter

I use^the^word locluor ae ydolatria, | quia qui ponderat hominem vel B 5^

idolatry since ordinacionem suam plus quam deum, vel ordinacionem to thiuk more . , , l . ... ,. .,

of a man or of suam ut sic, est ydolatra : ln quo m pnvatis ordinibus

cVod^idofatry!11111^^ Peccant, °.uia quandoque tradiciones humanas Th>rd Question. nimis preponderant.

Wnctncr vows

of perpetual Sed tercio dubitatur, si expedit ecclesie tales parti- 20 obexpedfent.re cuiares obediencias fieri sub voto perpetuo privato

Negatived: preposito. Et videtur quod non, ex racionibus factis same reasons as . ,. *„..,. ,•• ,.

above. contra pnvatos ordmes. Simihter stulticia et dei temp- God -^fo^thl tacio videtur hominem obligare se ad obedienciam Superior may cuiuscunque talis privati prepositi, sive discretus fuerit, 25

be a tool. . ^ r ,.,,.. ,

We have no sive stultus. Simihter talis obediencia non est exemplata warrant^for in scriptura ad laudem prudencie. Gum igitur in scrip- such obedience. tura sit omnis veritas et specialiter Christiana relieio, And lt savours . ,,,• • ■ ,••/-■, .

of worldiiness videtur quod obediencia sit a clericis rugienda; sapit

protessed enim civilitatem, cum professus devenit homo sui pre- 3o

religious is positi, eciam usque ad carcerem vel mortem striccius more stnctly r ,, ?„ , . ,._,,.

bound than a quam vasallus obngatur domino seculan. Tolht eciam

Yesides3' Hbertatem | merendi, ut docet Augustinus in "De que- A 43*

destroying stionibus veteris et nove legis" , capitulo 124*°; et sepe

But nothing is intricat obedienciarium cum stulto preposito. 35

obedtenafto ^1C ^ixi, quod nichil est religiosius quam obediencia

u^£oc!-;and. facta deo, ut docet decretum 8 (questione 1, capitulo

Obedience is ■

better than Sciendum) ; ymo, ut dicit Samuel I. Reg. XV. "Me- eviden[]yCrefers ^or est obediencia quam victime, et quasi ariolandi est

to this.

1. communiter CD ; data communiter BE; bona data communiter F. 8. excommunicacionibus E. 19. ponderant F. 29. quod talis EF.

3o, 3i. devovens hoc suo preposito E. 34. capitulb 124*° deest EF.

35. prepositi E. 38. quod Samuel dicit E. 3g. victima BE.

37. Decr. Grat. 2a pars. Causa VIII, qu. I, c. X.

CAP. I. DE APOSTASIA. 17

peccatum repugnare, et quasi scelus ydolatrie nolle acquies-

cere" . "Sola obediencia", inquit decretum, "est virtus

que fidei possidet meritum, sine qua quilibet esse in-

fidelis convincitur, eciam si fidelis esse videatur. "Victimis",

5 inquit, "mactatur caro aliena, sed per obedienciam mac-

B 54c tatur voluntas propria". Ubi patet | luce clarius quod

loquitur de obediencia deo debita.

X. Et patet quantum blasfemant privati prepositi, qui Jt is blasphemy . n , . , . ,. m • ■ ' Z1 for a man to

ex scnptura vel lege ecclesie vendicant sibi lstam obe- claim such

10 dienciam. Sicut enim baptisant religionem et ordinem, ° ed,ence- sic et obedienciam, et professionem, et alia quibus ex- cecant subditos. Saul enim in lege veteri et omnis fidelis sub pena dampnacionis debet taliter obedire ; sed procul hoc ab obediencia adinventa. Debet enim

osecundum religionem Christi quilibet fidelis obedire cuilibet; et melior debet esse obediencior, cum deus obedit creaturis, ut patet ex fide scripture (Josue X), et alibi diffuse prosequutus sum.

Et preter istam religiosam obedienciam est dare obe- Religious A 43b dienciam privatam ex voto vel pacto, | qualiter uxor onfy^duTto3 obedit marito et subiectus suo episcopo. Et ista obe- Cod; privatc

... r r . . obedience, due

diencia nec valet nec est servanda, nisi de quanto to man; ougin preparat ad priorem obedienciam debitam legi dei. *£ far^forthas Ideo, ut diffuse exposui, virtute istius obediencie, tene- ll 1S an, auxiliary

,,..,,, . . t0 tlle first.

20 tur subditus m casu rebellare contra niiustum prepo- There are cases situm, ut virtute istius obediencie Paulus in facie re- whthe' slubjec*Ul' Ca, stitit Petro, quia reprehensibilis erat, ut dicitur ad ouSht t0 'resist' ual- /-. 11 TT t- • • - • , • llls sllpenor.

H? , i Cjall. II. Et sic episcopi et omnis populus debet resistere For instance,

Y. pape symoniaco vel prelato tali concorditer; cum obe- '" simo^nfaca/

3odiencia debita deo sit infinitum pocior, nec est ser- PoPe orBishop.

vanda inferior obediencia, nisi de quanto instrumen-

tatur per illam ad destruendum vicia et virtutum plan-

taria inserendum. Quod si prelatus preficitur secun- Obediencc in

dum leges regis superbie ut fratres suos excellat im- without^merk

35perio et ut prospere ac voluptuose vivat in seculo; evenifthe n - A , ,. , „ .. commandis for

B 34" tunc, secundum predictam le | gem beati Gregorn, the good of the

obediencia talis, si aliquid concupiscencie de suo ha- su ,ect-

buerit, nulla est, eciam si prospera subiecto preceperit; For the will of

quia non valet nisi de quanto fit deo ad perficiendum ^b^fifst1 l°

40 quod ipse precipit. considered.

2. veritas. 9. cx lege E; ib. usurpant seu vend. B. 17. obedivit E; ib. creature E. 27. ut dicitur ad deest EF. 3i. inferiori E.

3i, 32. ministratur I). 34. et pro ut F. 38. et pro cciam E.

3g. sit BDE. 40. ad quod ipse precepit perficiendum B.

18 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. I.

Et patet quod religione secundum tradiciones homi-

num decliiiante ad seculum, periculosum et stultum

est religiosum cuicunque preposito, qui successerit pro

suo perpetuo obligari. Nam vir ex voto non copulatur

uxori simplici, nisi contractus in suo inicio fuerit con- 5

As a husband sonus legi dei: igitur multo magis non obligaret se sic cannot beioined . • c , .•.•-. i«.- -l t-.. u

to one wife cece et lnrundabihter multis uxoribus. Et multo evi-

UontSS t^s dencius | prudencia serpentina horreret religiosum obli- A 43°

according to gari sic stulto preposito, quod faciat quicquid ipse

God's law; and , ■ , ,_ , j- • ■ • 1

much less to mandavent; quod posset bene nen, quia sic solveretur 10

many wiyes: so rejj„j0 ex eleccione stulta et culpabili minus boni;

the rchgious . ° . . r . '

cannot be bound quia, prelato ignaro precipiente quod religiosus sub-

toobey whatever • . • •■• , , , ,

a superior may iectus cognoscit sibi obesse vel quo ad deum ln racione An^^no'™ t me"^ minus proficere, subditus dicitur postponere

superior melius quod deus precipit. i5

what is not Et ultra blasfeme garritur, quod virtute sompniate good for his obediencie sit melius subdito quicquid prelatus pre-

lnfenor, and the . _ _ . " . . .

latter has to ceperit. Et tunc indubie est inpeccabilis sicut deus,

believe that \>\ . c .... ... . . ,.

obedience it quia racilhme peccare poterit ln ducatu huiusmodi

becomes good, gregis sui. Ideo cecantur multi de melioracione me- 20 because . .

commanded. riti ex mandato prepositi vel ex voto; nam si secu- If so, the , • c . ■ , ,

superior needs lans ex tanto rervore cantatis meruent, ad quod est

the 0" fGod,Ilty sePe extra religionem inventam disposicior, tam lauda-

biliter vivit et securus extra talem ordinem sicut intra.

That obedience Patet ex gestis apostolorum et lege dei, que istam 25

happens to eautelam subticiunt, nec obest quod | talis observancia B ??"

service ^'no Q^^^^^^116 prodest per accidens cum deus aliter non

objection. sineret ipsam esse.

2. declinantes E. 3. successerit taliter BE. 4. non copulatur deest ¥.. 6. dei deest D; ib. ergo E. 10. potest 1£. n. culpabiliter B. 12. in- grato E. 16. et tunc B. 17. subiecto E. 18. peccabilis CD.

22. ex toto F. 23. dispositus E; disposicionem B. 24. infra EF.

26. subticuit C; substituit EF.

CAPITULUM SECUNDUM.

De Symonia Religiosorum.

Restat videre ulterius si in religione exproprietaria possunt esse symoniaci, sive apostate. Nec dubium quin illud contingit crebrius, licet apostasia sit mundo ab- 5scondita; oportet enim primum apostatam cum bono religionis apostasiam absconditam subtilius commiscere, cum scola sua crescit continue in subtilitate malicie. Suppono autem quod loquamur de religione et apo- stasia conformiter legi dei ; ut dicunt habitus tales

10 simpliciter quo ad deum. Alia autem sunt nominetenus talia et non simpliciter, cum variantur secundum hu- mana iudicia, et multiplicantur secundum hominum fantasias. Secundo suppono quod apostasia comittitur, quandocunque quis in mortali peccato ceciderit; quia

i5semper tunc dirumpens religionem domini retrocedit; et hoc sonat apostasiam, ut dicunt gramatica et decre- tum 26, questione ultima, capitulo "Non observetis." Quamvis autem omnis apostasia sit gravis in homine, tamen apostasia in religiosis et specialiter in expro-

^oprietarie viventibus est deo et ecclesie magis odibilis, quia ubi votum strictitudinis vite est deo solemnius et mundo patencius apostatatur gravius.

Et istis duobus suppositis intendo procedere, non secundum vaticinium Hildegardis vel fabulas, sed secun-

25 dum fidem scripture et secundum possibilitatem late vie apostasis. Ei sic neminem accusabo, sed dicam

Can there be

simoniacs and

apostates in a

'religion' in

which possession is not allowed? There can be, and there are, but in a hidden

manner. Before proving this, the author

notes :

First, that he is

speaking of

apostasy

according" to

the meaning

given to the

word in God's

law, not in

man's.

And. second,

that cvery

mortal sin,

being a

backsliding, is

an apostasy.

How he intends

to proceed.

ist According

to Scripture;

1. De symonia religiosorum deest ABDEF. 5. apostasiam E.

8, 9. apostata F. 14. peccato deest F. 16. gramatici B. 17. capi- tulo deest F. 21. striccius E. 24. Eldegaris ACD ; Hildegaris F.

26. sic deest E.

24. St. Hildegard (1098 — 1170) abhess of St. Rupert, near Bingen. For life and works, sce the whole of t. 197 of Migne*s edition of the Fathers. Her correspondence (145 letters) illustrates the state of the Church at the time. The Lollards often quoted her. See Matthew, W.'s E. W. pp. 1 1, 492. Buddensieg, W.'s Pol. Works, vol. I, p. 67; Trialogus p. 338. — She also wrote three books of visions, an account of ten other visions, and a curious work on Natural Science.

20 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

2nd Conditio- modos quibus contingit apostatare et annectam condi- "no^one^but8 cionem : si frater sic graditur, tunc est in lata via | B 55b pointing out the ap0State . ut conscii per dei graciam resipiscant. p

of an apostate; Potest autem totum genus apostasie fratrum reduci yi following the , . c , ■ „ rtn '

seven points ad septenarmm quem halomon recitat Prov. o10, et 12 — 14

laid down^bjj recitatur in principio huius: homo, | inquit, apostata, vir A 44R

quoted at the inutilis, ubi primo notatur terrena fragilitas retrocedens,

rtus work. dum dicitur: homo apostata; et secundo adiungitur pri-

a ostauTvir mus Srac^us apostasie, dum dicitur: vir inutilis; et tercio

inutilis. coniuneitur unio fortitudinis malicie, dum vocatur vir. IO 1" Frailty of „ . t ° . . . ^ ' _ n

man denoted ; oicut enim tota ecciesia est unus homo et persona Prov.

&-"back^lfdera mulieDris fortis, ut patet Prov. 3r, sic tota multitudo XXXI, andFirstdegree: apostatarum est una persona virilis, contra naturam uxor IO — 31

usclcssncss • • • •

dyaboli et ex fragihtate terre facihter in preceps graditur. The first sin of Primum igitur peccatum apostasie est peccatum ob- x5

apostasy is a ... . .... . , .

sin of omission; missionis, cum mpossibile sit hominem peccatum

do^wrong101 comitrerej nisi prius omittendo peccaverit, ut suppono Psalm.

without ex declaratis alibi. Ideo vocatur in psalmo 3 5, "Pes XXXV, omitting to do , . ,, .... . . , . . . , . 10

right. This is superbie. "Non veniat michi, mquit, pes superbie, et

pride^ofthe manus peccatoris non moveat me." Pro illo adduci 20 Psalmist, and potest illud Ecclesiastici "Inicium superbie hominis apo-

the 'beginning . , ,, T . . , X, 14

of pride' ot stotare a deo. Ista autem omissio exprimitur per hoc

ECAndathisUS" qu0^ apostata est persona inutilis. Gonstat quidem B.

omission is quod totus ordo fratrum subintroductus est in eccle-

signified by . , , . , .

the word siam ut suppleat derectus prelatorum et evagancmm 23 TheTorder of clericorum et per consequens ut vitam apostolorum

Friars was resuscitet in vita et opere. Quod si fuerit in officio instituted to .,. .,,.,. . ,

make up for isto mutihs, quis dampnabihus apostotat omittendo,

Prdates^an0/ ^ico, ewangelizare et veritates ewangelicas verbo et to revive the opere declarare, et usque ad mortem, si opportet, de- 3o

life of apostles. c , TT . . £/ . '

That is their rendere. Hoc lgitur est primum rratrum orhcrum, quo If^dendeilrin omisso | sequitur totum residuum esse inutile, quiaB55c that, no matter quicquid oraverint vel ministraverint, ex crimine sy-

what else they . . ,.'.,.

do, they are mome et apostasre nocet ecclesre. Symonra drco, Sirapostates.nd ^uia aP°stolicam dignitatem vendunt pro lucro tempo- 35 The devil does rali abiecto pro quo vecorditer ita tacent. Unde quia

his utmost to , , ,. . . . _,..., ,

discourage; and ayaboir est primo deterrere mrlrtes Chnstr rnducendo Matth. th|ave°foi d0hurrstvecordiam, ideo Christus Math. X° animavit eos ex xxv>

encouragement similitudine sui et augmento meriti ac ex pena servata I4 the parable of . ... „ , \ r ,. ,. , r

the talents. servo mutili ad hducralrter predrcandum. 40

3. celerius resipiscantEF. 8. dicit E. 9. vir deest EF. 10. connec- titur E; annectitur B. 16. hominem deest E. 18. oraturE. 19. "Non — pes deest F. 21. Eccles. ABD ; ib. hominis deest E. 22. per hoc

deest E. 24. est deest C. 25. suppleatur B. 28. omittendo omit- tendo CF. 38. M' 10, et alibi BF; ib. et alibi generaliter pro animavit E.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 2 1

Et revera fides modica ut granum synapis torpentes

resolveret in lacrimas pro omissis, et ad virilem satis-

faccionem genua debilia roboraret; infidelitas enim

evitat servum taliter ociantem. Si igitur vocatus es in If they aro

5 domum domini ad ewangelizandum, fac ad quid venisti. ^them^do that

Quia ut ait Crisostomus operis inperfecti: "Prudens which they are

pater familias non contentatur, quod serwus vivat et

comedat in domo ecclesie"; sed, ut ayt Gregorius : "Ser-

wum a bono opere torpentem dampnat." Si enim damp- If Christ will

,..,••,••• • condemn for

tonabit m die ludicn eciam activos pro omissione operum tne omission

misericordie corporalis, ut patet Math. XXVt0, quomodo ot works of

1 . ' r . " . corporal mercy,

credimus non agravabit penam in contemplativos, quibus what will he do

ad hoc talenta comiserat, dum ociantur in pecunia accepta omitted the

domini, cumsciunt,quoddeusinfinitum plus appreciaturVII . ^eeds of

. . ... . i . . . spintual mercy,

A 44c opera misericordie spiritualis quam opera | misericordie much more

corporalis? "Messis quidem multa, operarii autem pauci." ^Him? y

Et tercio moveret quod omnes tales ex vecordia To omit these

. . , rr- • ,• ■ ■ ■ duties is to be

omittentes lstud orncium sunt proditores veritatis magis a worse traitor

B 55d quam Scarioth; ut docet | Crisostomus omelia 45ta than Judas.

20 operis inperfecti; et ponitur in decretis XI, questione 3 :

Non licet. "Scarioth quidem abscondite prodidit verita- He betrayed tem nondum glorificatam post pauca carismata, isti yet giorified autem patenter produnt veritatem ad multorum per- Truth : ^these dicionem; et hoc post eius glorificacionem, post ewan- its glorification.

25 gelii publicacionem et tot carismatum et exemplorum salutarium accepcionem." Ideo cum omnes et singuli faciunt unam prodicionem, verisimile est quod ingra- titudo culpe sit gravior. Rccolerent, inquam, quomodo They say they

,. „ ,. K . f .... • nu ■ * * follow Christ;

dicunt et lactant se simihus sequi Chnstum, et quo- Christ came

3o modo Christus ad hoc natus est, et venit in mundum int0, thts w0l,d

y r . . . ' only to bear

jon. ut testimonium perhibeat veritati, Joh. XVIII, et tunc witnesstotruth.

XVIII, . . , r , ' , Have they not

2 possunt considerare quantum apostatando post dommum degenerated?

falsitatis degenerant. Si enim attornatus vel procurator Ifi/neg"i°renty

terreni negocii sit negligens in negocio post acceptam his earthly lord

35 mercedem, dominus eius iuste debet ipsum ut infidelem

diffidere, et ut serwum inutilem contempnere; quanto

i. torpens B. 2. et deest E. 3. roboraret deest D. 3, 4. itaque evirat F. 4. evirant E. 6. dicit F; ib. omelia operis EF; ib. Prudens E. 12. credibilius alia manu B. 14. dum E. 19. 49 EF. 21. absolute ACD. 28. culpe eorum F. 36. nequam EF.

6. The author referred to is not Chrysostom, but, as Baro- nius and Tillemont believe, an Arian posterior to Theodosius. See Migne, Patr. series Greca, t. 56, p. 601. 8. St. Greg. Lib. I. Hom. in Ev. N° 9 (p. 11 06, t. 76 of Migne). 21. Quotation

not to be found there, nor anywhere near.

22 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

How much magis rex celorum, qui dignatus est nos vocare adiu- of°gforyf in°so tores in ' causa sua, post negligenciam proditoriam

much greater a condempnabit , et eo I severius quo causa est ponde- A 44 cause, with a . r ' ' l r

reward so much rancior, quo merces preaccepta est copiosior et quo

TnTaasoUnmunch obligacio est striccior atque utilior. 5

stricter j\jec capit remissionem excusacio de oportunitate C.

obligation ! r . . . . ...

First excuse: loci et tempons, de assistencia mstrumenti sive mva-

exameple,a&c'. minis et de exemplacione precedenti contra pompam

All bad. hostis imbecillis. Ecce, inquam, nunc tempus accep-

The time to . ■* .. , . ... .

work is now. tabile, in quo pnnceps mundi huius cum mihcia sua 10

arma ubique terrarum diffuderat, et rex regum pro-

misit ecclesie, quod sibi assisteret omnibus | diebus, B 56*

And John the usque ad consumacionem seculi. Ac tercio in ista

many^martyrs causa decertarunt baptista et cuncti martires, scientes Esd'r

have bled in qUOd super omnia vincit veritas. Quomodocunque itaque tv the cause of " ,,. K _. . . ,. . , . ^ ^ _c '

Christ. palliaverit Chnstianus, negligencia vel ocium non ex- o5 — 40

No cxcusc _s • . • 1 *

possible for a cusat eum aput mdicem scrutantem corda et renes 111

Christian beforc nnah iudicio; sed adhuc ex comentis dyaboli ostenditur the Judge. . ' . . J

maior excusacio m peccatis.

Second excuse: Dicitur enim quod tota communitas servat fidem, et 20

no more non restat hostis ecclesie, quem fidelis impeteret. Sed

remains to > do; leeamus vitam Christi etapostolorum,etvideamus quantum but the hfe of ,D. . r . ' n

Christ tells us ab ipsa eciam sacerdotes nostri degenerant; et tunc habe-

p^riests^are^far mus a<^ similitudinem Christi exemplum contra prin-

trom what they cipes sacerdotum invehere. Nam iuxta testimonium 25

should be. r .. . .

Bad priests ruin beati Gregorn causa ruine populi sunt sacerdotes mali.

the t"hereforeana Et hec racio, quare Christus contra illos institit in-

Christ was portune. Revera a maximo usque ad minimum omnes always against f . ^ . . . _

them. mndeliter sunt mundo dediti; et sic | ubique terrarum A 40*

wod-ly^from sparguntur ydolatre milites principis mundi huius. Sic 3o

first to last, quod fides, spes et caritas extinguntur; nam in re idolatrous \. , ' r , . , D . . ' . .

soldiers of the dicunt hodie, quod sicud tempus exigit vanacionem

!il "''''' ad contrarium in vita presbiteri, sic oportet fidem,

spem, et caritatem variari a virtutibus prioribus quasi

They live as if contrarie, Fratres autem considerarent statum profes- 35

charitywere sionis sue, et inveherent efficaciter contra ista comenta

dying out. dyaboli. Secunda excusacio est, quod episcopalis dig- Second excuse : . . . . . 7 ^ r . r a.

Nothing shouid mtas eximit et tradiciones humane sentenciant, quod be msliops!1151 non dicatur aliquid contra tales. Sed istam blasfemiam

debent fratres destruere. Non enim est lex, sed blasfemia 40

3. sevius B. 4. tepidior ACD. 7. ministerii B; ministri F. 8. pre- cepti E. i5. Ezdre 20. Quomodocunque ita E. 17. revere E. 22. fidemE; ib. et yideamus deest ACD. 25. doctrinam B. 26. beati deest BEF.

3o. principes huius mundi E. 32. homines pro hodie EF. 36. tor-

menta E. 40. est deest AB.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 2 3

contra deum. Ipse autem reprehendit severe principes Christ blamed

sacerdotum et Scarioth; et irreligiosa dotacio non facit priestf.

dienitatem pontificum nostrorum plus inclitam, sed And ammpious

° r. ... endowment

accusans pocius magis fedat. pollutes the

B 56b Inveteratur itaque | irreligiosa sacerdotum malicia; e§ign?ty!

sic quod ex vi conswetudinis inficit magnam eccle-

siam. Nec videtur quomodo secure sanaretur ista in-

firmitas, nisi subtrahendo secundum formam quam

Christus instituit causam morbi. Fratres autem, licet The Friars,

10 ex professione et ordine coguntur illud concedere, ° ^s sef[an

tamen querentes multiplex subterfueium vecorditer retro- subterfuees, and

~ . r ° . backslide.

cedunt. Fatentur enim, quod status eorum, quia ex- They grant that

c • «. /-l ■ -.• ■!■ ■ their own lifc

propnetarius, est perreccior et vite Chnsti similior, m ;s more y^

tantum quod quotquot eciam de prelatis possessionatis , Chnsfs as

^ ^ n r. s . being without

A 45b fuerint fratres profitentur quod viverent | perfeccius, possessions.

habendo moderate et exproprietarie omnia in communi.

Et tamen, sibi ipsis contrarii, vel odiunt vel tacent And yet they

i c • c i • • liate the idea of

quod perreccius roret totum clerum vivere expropne- thewholeclergy

tarie, sicut Christus instituit atque vixit. hving so.

D. Tercia excusacio est turpior, quod si fratres ex- Third excuse:

asperarent contra possessionatos defendentes predictam cxasperateYhc

sentenciam, tunc prelati insureerent contra illos, et . pqssessioriers,

7 .r . ... their order will

pnvarentur elemosinis popuh; et sic dissolveretur sua be starved out.

religio. Ideo fertur, quod in communibus eorum con- m^their &

25 ciliis diffinitur vel quod non predicent aut foveant pre- jouncils they

. n r . . r have decided

dictam sentenciam, vel quod mvehant tacite contra not to preach

illam. In hoc enim ebulit eorum apostasia ydolatra, or tcf opposeni't. quia non propter timorem pene corporis, sed propter „ it is for

^ . . r r r r ■> r.r temporal greed

avancram temporahum apostatant contra Chnstum. that they act

3o Nonne ex fide scripture laudatur Hebreorum laycalis convictions^

relieio, quia rapinam bonorum suorum cum eaudio su^h gref? 1S Hebr « • damnable

x o ' receperunt. Ad Hebr. X. Nonne tahs avarus ex testi- idoiatry; the

' -4 . ',. , ,_, . TTT , , , verv motivethat

Col. monio apostoh ad Colocens. III0 est dampnandus ydo- Vnade the

III, 5 latra, quia stercora temporalium tanquam deum suum Phansees

. ' ^1 r . .n conspire against

35 veritati preponderat? Nonne pharisei uno consensu ex Christ.

hinc conspiraverant contra catholicam veritatem?

Non igitur posset se inhabilitare patencius ad quas- Nothing could

i3 -^c ~ _ I 1 • i i j c •.. render them

B doc cunque | elemosmas corporales vel defensionem vite, more unworthy cum dicunt, ut sic, tanquam infideles apostate, quod of &etting any

2. religiosa E. 4. excusans B. 10. cognoscuntur E. 11, 12. rece- dunt E. i5. fiunt E. 17. cum C. 21. contra predictam E. 24. nam pro idco EF; ib. quibus pro communibus B. 24, 25. consiliis. 26. tante E. 27. autem pro enim E. 32. susceperunt EF. 32, 33. vel anser secundum testimonium E; ib. Augustus secundum testimonium F. 35. prepon- derant E. 36. conspiraverant infideliter BE. 39. sint; alia manu sic B.

24 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

favor infidelium et lucrum populi est prestancior | quam A 45° As for thc salus hominum vel veritas legis dei. Et quantum ad eXOrderf thcy ° ordinis continuacionem, patet ex fide scripture et

should, testimonio sanctorum doctorum, quod cicius permite- according to . ' n , . r ,

Scripture, let rent totum mundum dissolvi, quod est plus quam 5

1 perish, ^rather omnes religiones private, antequam consentirent huius

than consent modi falsitati. to a falsehood. ,. . . ... .

Ideo rehgiosi et subtihores de fratnbus cognoscentes

istam perfidiam defendunt et detegunt tales veritates

catholicas, dicentes de apostatis ipsis contrariis illud io

psalmi II' "Dirumpamns vincula eorum et proiciamus a

Traditions or nobis iugum ipsorum". Non enim valent tradiciones vel

fiddfngtfie professiones istorum ordinum que movent quod ve-

conceaiment of ritas ewangelica sit celata; prius igitur optarent dis-

have no weight. solucionem sui ordinis perpetuo, sicut fuit tempore i5

prefer the prosperitatis ecclesie, antequam minimam veritatem

^th^o^d °f nc*e* reticerent. Hec igitur est cautela dyaboli solem-

to being siient nisare sic privatos ordines et adinvenciones hominum,

on ut diligantur et defendantur attencius quam lex dei.

Ista igitur infidelis omissio est prima apostasia quam 20

concipio contra fratres.

II. Graditur ore Secunda vero apostasia describitur per hoc quod E. perverso. ■ ...

This denotes vir. apostata graditur ore perverso; ln quo notatur

the sins of the vicium Hngwe primum inter omnia sensibilia peccata

commissionis apostatis istis competere. Sicut enim primo 25 et precipue convenit apostolis inter actus sensibiles

Three sorts of honorare deum in lingwa ad I edificacionem ecclesie, A 45d

sins to be noted . . . . .. . ' . ..

here: lying, S1C pnmo apostotatur in vicns lstis contrarns. Quamvis

flattery, and autem secundum Parisiensem sint in lingwa 14 vici- evil-speaking. , B ^

iat Lying. orum genera, sufficit tamen notare tria | genera pro B 56d the Father of presenti, scilicet mendacium, adulacionem et detrac-

lies is an cionem. apostate.

Lying in jest Mendacium autem committunt multi apostate; et per service is said consequens sequendo patrem mendacii apostotant a

to be frequent domino veritatis ; quia, ut diffuse declarat Augustinus, 35 among the . ' " . ° ■ J

Friars. mter VIII genera mendacii mendacium tocosum et of-

saying: This is ficiosum, que sunt levissima, sunt in viris qui debent

/*fir™there!&>re esse Per^ect^ ut fratres mortalia peccata. Et tamen

it is false. dicitur quod inter fratres crebrescit hoc peccatum ; in

tantum quod arguitur tanquam argumento probabili:4o

3. ordinacionem E. 14. collata D; ib. ergo E. 17. reciperent B. 20. prima et gravissima C; ib. gravissima apostasia EF. 28. si E.

29, 3o. 24 genera viciorum EF. 37. sunt deest E. 38. cum E.

39" Vitium F. 40. arguitur deest E.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 2 5

"Frater, vel scribendo vel eloquendo, auctorisat istam sentenciam ; igitur falsum"; et sic ille qui debet ponere So the Friar ori suo custodiam post iniunctum silencium contra ^^d a most' sentenciam Jacobi apostoli, in loquacitate magis effre- , hurtfui one,

. r .. ^ . y because he eoes

5 nis elabitur. Et ubi alu mendaces ex residencia paucos about sowmg

inficiunt, talis apostata, vagando per patrias, seminat

spissim mendacia.

Ideo dicit signanter sapiens, quod graditur ore per-

verso, perverso, dico, a loquela Christi virtuosa atque Note the word

ioveridica ad fabulas mundi viciosas atque falsidecas. turncdTaway

Recoleremus, inquam, quod verba sacerdotis qui debet fromChnsts

I Petr esse os domini smt ut ewangelium Christi iuxta pre-

IV, 1 1 ceptum Christi in Petro i a Petr. 4t0 "Si quis loquitur,"

A 45* libret | loquelam sic veritate sagaci quod proferat

i5 "quasi sermones dei." Et sic omne genus peccati, cum

sit contra filium potest dici mendacium.

De adulacione vero licet sit omnimodo deo odibilis, 2nd Fiattery. —

tamen adulacio in predicacionibus est magis odibilis. prindples.

Cum enim homo per predicacionem generabit principi Abominable to

20 spirituales filios, patet quod duplicitate sermonis adu- everywhere,

latorie generabit filios adulteros dyaboli. Et hinc dicit apo- worse in the

' ' stolus IIa Cor. 11°; "Non" inquit, "sumus sicut plurimi, mouth of a ii, 17 ' . 7 . • • preacher.

adulterantes verbum dei; sed ex sinceritate, sicut ex He ought to

deo, coram deo, in Christo loquimur." Ille autem cffldren" he

B 57* adulteratur verbum domini, qui populo detrahente j dbftgets

a Christi servicio ipsum induit; cum tale semen adul- children of the

terinos filios procreabit. Ille autem ex sinceritate lo- He aduUeVates

quitur predicando, qui non propter questum, vel pri- the Word ot

vatum commodum, sed pure propter honorem dei et it to turn the

3o edificacionem proximi in persona Christi loquitur. Talis ^0^ Chris^s

autem vitabit fabulas et quicquid est isti fini inper- . service.

~ \ r And he speaks

tinens; et per consequens tenebit veritatem non quam- sincereiy, who

cunque sed edificativam de deo, et tanquam cognoscens ^^fod^s^gio^y,0^

F. deum cui servit cuncta prospicere , ut dicit apo- „nol for 8ain-.„

. « . Such a one will

3Dstolus; "loquitur coram deo, et propter verba qmnque, speak five sorts

scilicet verbum fidei, verbum virtutum amplectendum, -vVords of faith

verbum viciorum fugiendum, propter aquirendum .m favour of 0 . .' r r . . n virtue, contrary

terminum vie virtutum, scihcet beatitudinem quam to vice, leading speramus, et propter fugiendum terminum viciorum, Heaven and A46bscilicet dampnacionem perpetuam quam | odimus. Dicit warnmgitaway

2. si EF. 3. stricciorem custodiam EF. 12. Christi deest F.

i3. in Petro deest E. 18. predicatioribus E. 20, 21. petet quod —

generabit deest C 21. filios deest ABC. 24. m proximo pro in

Christo CD. 35. quinque deest E. 36. virtutum pro verbum virr

tutum F. 3g. crimen vro terminnm E-

26 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

The Apostle apostolus ia Cor. XIV. "In ecclesia volo quinque verba x'tV

prefers five , ■ , . i- i A1V,IQ

lntelligible sensu meo loqui, ut et ahos mstraam, quam decem words to ten miiia verborum lineua." Hec autem quinquc verba se-

thousand m an . a ...*?•

unknown cundum cooperacionem sensus hmitat nobis apostolus, ne evagemur in verbis floridis et diffusis, que questum 5 vel fastum sapiunt, sicut faciunt qui se ipsos predicant et non Christum.

The apostle's Unde apostolus videns tales futuros in ecclesia , T- prophccv about ^, ■ ,,, • , • ,,c • •«. " • •.. u -c .. l im.

evii davs to J Thim. IV sic loquitur: "Spintus mquit, "manirestejv i i come, doctnnes jicit quod in novissimis temporibus discedent quidam io

ot devils, meii n .... . ...

speaking lies in a fide, attendentes spiritibus erroris et doctnnis demo- i>P°ciis), c. njorutrij in ypccrisi loquencium mendacium, et cauteri-

2'"1 Application atam habencium conscienciam." 1 111 autem discedunt p°rinciptes Tifd a °de, qui dimisso ewangelio preponderant tradiciones

tejcts to the hominum, sicut faciunt hodie illi, qui "coacervant sibi i5 Fnars. ' ' \

Their love of magistros prurientes auribus, a ventate avertunt audi-

traditions tum et ad fabulas convertuntur," ut loquitur aposto-

of fables, jus jja Thim. IV0 et sic discedunt a fide tam ewangeli- "t,,1.,'

whereby both . . . . D . IV, ;>

they and their santes quam ewangehsandi, et utrique duphciter : vel ivom the faftli. preponderantes | tradiciones hominum, vel fabulas extra B oy^

'Spintus' fidem scripture. Per spiritus erroris, intelliguntur illi, means those . . . r . . r ... .... .

who Hve qui spiritualiter vivunt, ut religiosi et clenci. Ilh enim

S(the religious0 ' vocantur spiritus : Luc. IX0: "Nescitis cuius spiritus or the clergy; estjs" dicit Jesus suis apostolis: et tunc sunt spiritus

who become ' . . . .

spirits of error, erroris, quando seminant doctnnam extraneam adin- 25 ^false doctrfnc* ventam, ad quam attendunt layci | ut ewangelium. Et A 46° superiores istorum vocantur demonia in ypocrisi lo- quencia. Demonia sunt, quia spiritus iuxta dicta; et mali indubie: et sic demonia. According to Unde Linconiensis dicit, quod religiosus de claustro 3o

Grosseteste, a • ,• , , • ,

monk that egressus, et speciahter de claustro antme, est cadaver leaves his mortuum, pannis funebribus involutum, de sepulchro

cloistens a dead ' r . . ' r

body wrapped egressum, a dyabolo inter homines agitatum. "Cadaver," band^s ^and inquit, "mortuum, quia corpus quod mendaciter pro-

leavmg its fttetur se mortuum quo ad mundum et sic ex carencia 35 sepulchre, . . . . n

moved by thc spiritus vivificantis est fetens mortuum quo ad deum ;

et de sepulchro egreditur, quando sic exit de claustro

in quo debuit sepeliri." Et hos dicit apostolum pro- r

phetare. IIa ad Thim. III, cum dicit quod penetrant t'Tt g '

1. duo E. 5. verbis deest F. q. alloquitur E; aloquitur B.

11. a fide deest E. i3. suam conscienciam BEF. i5. illi homines BEF. 19. uterque ABE; ib. tripliciter EF. 21. errorum C. 22. spiritualiter C. 25. errorum CE. 34, 35. quia corpus — mortuum deest EF. 35. sed pro se D. 38, dicitur E; ib. apostolus E. 39. dicens BEF.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 27

domos et captivas ducunt mulierculas. Panni autfem reli-

giosi dicuntur ex qualitate indumenta funebria. "Nec

dubium," inquit doctor "quin, si talis sit a dyabolo And he is

valde fugibiliter et horride inter homines agitatus, non devii^in person,

5 solum a persona Luciferi, sed a papa vel capitaneo as representcd

talis secte"; talis enim propter sensibilem eius paten- and the heads Psalm. . . , V/~, ,-. . ... of the ordcr.

xc g ciam vocatur psalmo XC: Demonium meridianum, Heis a

cuius doctrina est loqui in ypocrisi quia, simulando 'no°nday devir

, • , . j c , . , . simulating

sanctitatem loquitur mendacium, dum falsitatem loquitur: sanctity and ioque est scola patris mendacii. falseholfds.

G. Sed si quis remurmurat contra hunc sensum, dico Thi, prophecy

, , .. ' , of the Apostle

primo quod oportet prophetiam apostoh ut hdem must be

B - c credere, cum profiteatur quod "spiritus manifeste dicit." ^chrfstians A 4bd Secundo dico | cum apostolus dicat | tales futuros i5in tempore periculoso et in Thimoteo docet ecclesiam

huiusmodi devitare, fidelis et specialiter Theologus So aii

daret operam ad habendum sensum spiritus in dicta shouid18

prophecia apostoli. Et tercio, dico quod sive papa sive understand the

. . r . 11 ■ 1 sense ot tnese

fratres sive seculares perfecermt excellencius prophe- words, to avoid

sotatam sentenciam; illi sunt quos describit apostolus x thusMtedf0

devitandos.

Ideo, quicunque volueris eximi a dicta secta, cave a But take care

condicionibus quas describit apostolus, quia perficiendo x^t anwng6

predictas condiciones pestiferas, tu es ille refuea quem ?hem' X°"r,se!f' ... ,. . ,.',., d -1 if you fuifji tne

2o spintus sanctus predicit ecclesie rugiendum. conditions.

Tercia vero species peccati lingwe, quod est proprium 3ri» Evil

dictis apostaticis, est serpentina detraccio. Ipsi enim Ev/Pspeafers

more Luciferi delectantur mordere membra Christi deiight m biting

, . , , the members

mendacio, non quocunque, sed quod sonat denigracionem of Christ.

3o status persone quam mordent; et ut coloracius fin- thsv%avlheard gant facinus venenosum, dicunt quod sic audierant : et this or that- sic hoc referunt ut auditum, non propter caritatem quam habent ad personam quam mordent sed ut faci- nus quod concipiunt in persona quam odiunt amplius

35 dilatetur. Esto, inquam, quod talis apostota vel alius But supposing audivit a se ipso hoc venenum pestiferum; adhuc heard' ny they

examinaret fructum loquele et intencionem loquendi, ought to

.. . ,, , ,,-. TT . . examine well

antequam m taha verba supernua ebulhret. Hec lgttur whether the A 47" condicio tortuosi serpentis est a cunctis Christianis | et would^beof anv 40 specialiter exproprietariis et qui astringuntur silencio utility.

3. doctor deest E. 4. agitatus ACD. 19. extollencius C; ex-

cellerint F. 24. illas EF. 29. quomodocumque E; ib. dignitatem EF- 32. referant BE. 35. enim pro inquam B.

28 JOHANNIS WYCLIF GAP. II.

Especiaily if fugienda, quia Eccles. X° scribitur: ''Si mordeat ser- Eccles.

Onde^bound'1 pens in silencio, nichil eo minus habet qui occulte '

to silence. detrahit." Unde vocatur canis rabidus. Et hinc Augustinus,

St. Augustine's pater religionis multiplicis, fertur fecisse sibi scribi in motto.inscribed ., , d c a

in his dining- patulo mense sue. B 570

room against Quisquis amat I dictis absentum rodere vitam

evil-speakers. T • i-

Hanc mensam indignam noverit esse sibi.

Isto igitur modo species secunda apostasie committitur.

The three other Tres autem alie species possibiles inesse fratribus h.

apostasy, innuuntur dum sequitur: "Annuit oculis, terit pede,

'winkine with digito loquitur"; licet autem corporalis inconstancia 10 the eye, beating . °. ^ . ' . r . . . .

with the foot, msit apostatis, cum agitantur a malo spiritu qui m-

wlth the^fingef', ordiriate commovet omnia membra sua, tamen videtur

though literally qUod spiritus sanctus voluit in istis esse sentenciam Matth

anostates, can plus subtilem. Constat autem ex fide ewangelii (Math. VI) vi, 22

lVa figurative quod per oculos intelligitur intencio intellectus; quia i5

sense. per jntellectum dirigitur tota alia operacio cognitiva

By the eye is r . . . ° . . r . . °

meant the anime, sicut omnia membra hommis dinguntur oculo

intention rrirr.nrni;

according to COrporail.

the Gospef; for me igitur apostata facit nutum oculis, qui dimissa it directs all the . . ° .r . . ' n

movements of mtencione boni communis annuit vel assentit privato 20

To winkwith comodo, quod est maxime Christiane religionis destruc- the eye means ci0- \deo apostolus vocat tales apostatas homines se

to turn aside . r r

from generai ipsos amantes, ut patet IIa Thim. III, IIa Cor. XIII et ad g°°?nterePsLVate philiPPens- lL Et ab isto peccato impossibile vel | dif-A47b This is to be a ficile est, quod privetur privata religio. Primus igitur 25

It is almost error in intencione privata videtur, quod ad magnifi- ^any^particuiar candum privatum ordinem homines seducti in quacun-

'refigion' to be que etate fallaciter inducuntur. Videtur igitur esse stul- without this ...... ° .

sin. ticia sic obligare pueros vel quoscumque; pnmo, quia

nemenVare10n '' status religionis Christiane simplicis est undequaque 3o entrapped into perfeccior, cum tradiciones sibi adiecte sint difficiles,

the Order at r . ' . '

anyage, inorder periculose, et ex debihtate egentes confirmacione hu- ° numbaers.ltS m^3- Cum igitur quodcunque ppus meritorium potest

This is homo facere liberius extra talem ordinem privatum, ioohshness; ..... '

for Chrisfs quomodo non est stulcius tpsum mgredi ad merendum?35

plrfectnthSanntheErater igitur, qui ipsum ingressum annuit dum statum

others into perfecciorem tollit, peccat I non mediocriter contra re- B 58"

which men are r . . ' r I

induced to gulam cantatis.

enter.

1. Ecclesiastici CEF; ib. dicitur BEF. 4. sic B. 5. quis deest E; ib. absentem A; verbis B. 9. in nituntur B i3. sanctus deest E.

16. cognita B; ib. intellectu F. 17. minorajcro membra C. 20. dimisso comodo comuni E. 23. ad deest E. 28. faci-liter ABCD.

GAP. II. DE AFOSTASIA. 29

Et multo evidencius ille, qui inducit pueros per

mendacia et dona zophistica; quia ista videtur esse

temptacio mali spiritus meridiani. Item non est pru- It is imprudent

dentis dissolvere proporcionem et numerum quem deus the°propoft1on

5 voluerit in ecclesia observari, sed oblieans hominem ut ofnumbers in ...... the Church ;

sit frater vel notone vel ex # sibi dubio dissolvit hunc and he who

i- j- -nt c • 1 tries to increase

ordinem : tgitur undique peccat. Nam raciens hoc his Order's

scienter peccaret graviter; et presumens in tam sibi numbers,

r ° r either changes

ambiguo peccaret eciam, cum homo debet facere certe it, or risks

10 meritorium, dimisso ambiguo. Et hinc videtur Christum co^nfequemly

A 47° reprobasse Phariseos Math. XXIII. | "Ve vobis", inquit, sins in anycase.

Matth. "scribe et Pharisei ypocrite, qui circuitis mare et aridam ut XXIII • .

r ' faciatis unum proselitum; et cum fuerit factus, facitis

illum filium Yehenne, duplo quam vos."

i5 Quantum ad dissolucionem ordinis Christi patet ex All cannot be

fide, quod deus wult non omnes esse ewangelistas vel evaifmrs.S °'

fratres; sed quosdam laycos, quosdam unius secte, ?ome must be '7 . . lavmen, some

T r quosdam alterius, ad edificacionem ecclesie. Ideo dicit 6f different

XII i5 apostolus ia Cor XII°, "quod non expedit, sed officit 7/he whole 20 ut omne membrum corporis humani sit oculus". Quid °ody, as the

.... . apostle says,

igitur scit talis fratrifactor si dissolvit hunc ordinem, cannot be the I. et perturbat rem publicam ? Item cum ex principio re- And does this ligionis quilibet debet privatum bonum contempnere kJ™'^^'']] et bonum commune attendere, patet quod quilibet not destroy 2 5 fratrifactor debet mensurari hac regula; sed quis scit, order? L si naturalis complexio vel inpulsus spiritus in illo Doe? neknow quem obligat plus sit, ut sit frater vel religiosus alte- inspiration will

j- • ■ . •• , .'.__. . lead the man

rius ordims expropnetarn vel possessionati r Ymo si whomhewishes B 58'' vivat apostolicam vitam I in seculo, cum notum sit, ^? inf}uence

r I . ' ' . . ' rather mto his

3o quod tales seculares sunt multis claustralibus meliores ? order than into Cum igitur talis fratrifactor nescit quod bonum est And°if he deo plus complacens vel utilius sancte ecclesie, videtur should lead an

r r. . ' apostolic hte ln

quod presumptiva dei temptacio foret sic facere talem the world, c would he not

tratrem. be better there?

35 Unde quidam pueri dicuntur sagaciter respondere

temptantibus, quod vellent libenter esse religiosi illius

A 47'1 ordinis, quem | deus plus approbat et qui foret eis

plus competens ; cum ignorando veritatem in isto, pec-

carent graviter utrimque. Si enim hoc movet, "id foret

2. esse deest E. 3. prudenter ABCDE. 4. quo CD. 7. hoc

deestF; ib. undique multum BEF. 12. et deesl E. 11. reprobare F.

i5. sokicionem B; ib. Christi decst EF. 19. sufricit E. 24. privatum

pro commune C; commune Ecclesie E. 25. quid CE; ib. scit decst E.

32. vel utilius deest CD ; utile F. 33. habere E. 35. dicunt E.

37. plus deest E. 3o. utrumque C.

3o JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

Should anyone michi et ordini meo utilius, ideo est michi optacius", wouid be more statim sic motus dicitur esse in capitulo illorum om- useful to me and nmm quj querunt que sua sunt et non domini Jesu ru, .,.

my Order: . . n n n . . Jrnilip.

tiierefore I will Christi. Quod dampnat apostolus, Ad Phihpp. II0, et \\ 2\

rabout"r,"hl ' Per consequens talis non ex caritate sed invidia faceret 5

would.be talem fratrem ; cum ia Cor. XIII dicit apostolus, quod *• ^or. among those . ' )t r . ~ XIII ?

who seek their "caritas non querit que sua sunt." Et servata lsta ca-

°Christ's ritatis regula, videtur quod nullus unius ordinis pro-

mterest. curaret personam, vel lucrum suo ordini, antequam

nosceret hoc prodesse et non esse ad deterioracionem 10

cuiuscunque ecclesie. Et hec est racio quare Christus

et apostoli contentati sunt de religione communi nulli

contraria. Et apostolus propter securitatem religionis j q

cupit omnes alios vivere ut se ipsum, ut dicitur iaCor.VII. vil, 7

The umyersal Secte igitur faciunt illud bonum Christi communei3

good is set aside . . . . . . . .

by the sects, dimitti, cum unum utile uni privato ordmi sit alteri when each ,■ ,■ «, • ■ • •. , • •

seeks after a disphcens et repugnans. Abiciamus lgitur rehgiones et

particular good. utilitates privatas, quia IIa Petr. II0 "fuerunt vero etILPetr-

We ought r . ^ . . . . II 1

therefore to lay pseudo prophete in populo, sicut et m nobis erunt a!,1particu]arS magistri mendaces, qui introducent sectas perdicionis, 20

rehgions. et eum qUj ernjt eos Dominum negant, superducentes Augustine was sibi celerem perdicionem." | Regula, inquam, Augustini B 58° iieiffier^ayman non ^1 ciei"ico vel layco alicui contraria, sed prodes-

nor clerk; Sens: I ymo sicut substancie nichil est contrarium se- A 48"

there is no ' I J .... .

contrary to the cundum logicos, sed qualitati, lta videtur generalem 2? Order biuoniv ordinem nulli esse contrarium, sed privatum; qui signa to their et speciem inutiliter substituit tanquam ordini Christiano

particular r . ^ . ... .

forms. necessana. Et hec racio quare civihs proprietas 111- o\vnershipy separabiliter sapit peccatum ; nec homo debet sine pec-

aiways savours cato quicquam facere, nisi de quanto est certus ipsum 3o ot sin. ,n^. ,. ^ . r..

prodesse toti ecclesie : ut sunt opera virtutum et alia

privata, ad que est instinctus spiritus consulentis.

Suppose that Unde solebam ponere quod 401' fratres 401" ordinum four tnars, one . , . , _ n r

of each of the pro simul mtendant facere quemquam fratreni sui

intend to maice ordinis; et signatis illis 401" intencionibus, non eis est 35 some one a fmeendum, quare una earum foret licita quin per idem

memberot their ,., • .

order. et quehbet; et per consequens hnis proximus ab eis intentions ought intentus foret utilis ecclesie; et sic, quod eadem sim- aii to be for the piex persona sit simul frater istorum ordinum: quod

good oi the • r . ... . ^

Church. Now constat esse mpossibile, nisi inter lstos ordines non 40

they would result in the samc man belonging at 3. ,lon queREF; ib. domini nostri EF. 4. ad deestE. 5. facit E;

once lo tour facit et F. 7. privata E. 7, 8. caritate E. 10. esse ad deest ABCH. orders. I(. est deest DEF. i3. The JVIS- K goes 110 further. 14. sic dicitur

pro ut dicitur F. 18. 2 dicitur CD. ip- vobis. 32. instructus B.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 3 i

foret talis distinccio. Nec secundum condicionatam This is not volicionem, subintelligendo, ut dicit beatus Jacobus, ' tf1Cy Say they

Jac. <<si ,jeus voluerit," procederent licite sic ad opus, quia „sub,mit to IV, i5 . . God s will.

sic possent licite quodcunque opus nephandum com-

5 mittere. Ideo videtur temerarium cuiquam non inspirato

consulere ad statum privatum vel talem accipere; sed

in religione communi et per se operum, virtutum,

quiescere. Et patet quam temera est apostasia in fa-

ciendo fratres, non assistente spiritu consulente. Et

iotantum dictum sit de apostasia ex nutu oculi obli-

A 48'' quantis a regula | caritatis.

K« Quantum ad quartam apostasiam fratrum que po- 4"1 mark of B 58 ' ._ - .- . , • . ,,• • ,-. .. 1 ,, , 1 apostasv:

j , test in lsto verbo mtelhgi, "tent pede, patet quod | «beating with

XIII,ioPer pedem intelligitur affeccio in scriptura ut Joh. XIII. t]10 C00^'*-

i5"Qui lotus est non indiget nisi ut pedes lavet." Sic Scripturc

rr • ■ j- c .. i_u» ]«. languaee means

lgitur afleccio mordinata quam iratres habent ad tem- tl]C affections.

poralia causat in eis apostasiam multiplicem, et ydo- Thus the I Tim ■ • • . . lnordinatc

vT ' latnam. Ideo dicit apostolus, ia Thim. VI0, quod "radix artection which

' ' IO 1 .. • ]•* " .. • friars have

ommum malorum est cupiditas ; potest ectam m towards 20 fratribus esse hec ydolatria ex defectu mendicandi, ex temporai thmgs

J . causcs apostasv

derectu utendi, et ex derectu retmendi; hcet autem among them. mendicare sit licitum, tamen mendicare inordinate facit 'attackecF.1"^ apostatas. Potest enim mendicacio esse tam clamorose Ilf Fl,'st defect:

. . . n . . thcy heg when

ct mportune continuata quod eius superfluitas sit they arc not in 25 detestabilis et inverecunda. Apostoli autem innuitive To^bcgis ad maenam indieenciam mendicarunt; sed necesse .'.n<?eecJ not

n ° . . ' lllicit; but lie

est fratres, propter lrrehgiosum globum eorum atque who begs to

«1 1 •. ]• t ] 1 • cxcess becomes

uum, mdebite mendicare. Ideo causa huius an apostatc.

peccati debet primo precidi; quod perfecte fiet, si pure Mendicancy,

. ,. . . . ... ., .. clamorous,

3o viverent apostohce seiunctis suis tradicionibus adin- continual, ventis. Tunc enim foret comunitas eorum perfeccior is^not^tliaTof quam est modo. Ideo non mirum, si discrasia in morum ^h,G Aposties.

^ . . . ' The cause ot

principio, causat peccatum patencms consequenter. this can bc Mendicant autem fratres pro communitate cuius unum bv ^Aposklhc 35 membrum habet naves in mari, thesaurum iocalium „, Vlfc- ,

r ■ ,. rr ■ Tll°-V b°S tOr

atque pecuniam, que ioret commumtati diu surhciens. a community Quomodo igitur non debet subtrahi a tali communi- amHeweis ^suid tate elemosina pro consensu nefando ? Et eadem est enough moncy

.,.,.., . . ~ tor many ycars.

consideracio de fratnbus, qui episcopantur et hunt Ought not alms A48cmundo I divites, dum debent habere omnia in communi. %0%uch*td

7. virtutum deest CD. 8. quod temcraria B. 12. autem ad F.

14. ut patet B. ii). est dee.it P. 20, 21. cx defectu — retinendi

deest B. 24, 25. delectabilis ABCDF. 20. heret BCD. 3o. aposto- lici A; ib. relictis F. 32. distrasia ABD. 35. caritate CD. 35. sed D. 38. est deest F.

32 JOHANNIS WYCLIF [CAP. II.

hs second Et sic est secundus defectus mendicacionis fratrum,

take trom poor dum mendicant a paupere populo laicali plus indigo

people, and per mendacia et multiplices artes I demonii: ut patet B 5q* render them f r. '. . , . . "

por.rer still. mferius. Et tercio, dencit mendicacio propter lrreligio-

defectTthe sitatem finis intenti; ut quando in vescibilibus et or- 5

ungodiiness namentis et domibus sumptuosis terunt irreligiose mag-

intention: they nam pauperum Christi substanciam ; licet autem com-

luxuriesW munitas fratrum parce vescatur, capitanei tamen ut

substance of p-raduati et mendici validi laute vivunt, ut dicitur esse

Christ s poor. ? . . . . ... .

Though the in eorum mcepciombus et privatis convivns. Sed lsto- 10 poorly^fedf yet rum maliciam superat sumptuosa et superfiua orna-

the chiefs are menta cum domibus excessivis. Illi enim qui debent de not. ... ...

But worse than rehgione primeva habere tuguria abiecta vel casulas et

superffuity6 of oratoria, ad memorandum Christum pauperem, que their ornaments concor jent paUperibus qui doceant mundi contemptum i5 andunnecessary , , • • • , H*»l->r

houses. et quod "noii habemus hic manentem civitatem sed YTTT

to lfave^^pafaces futuram inquirimus." Illi, inquam , dicuntur habere ' and extravagant auias et domos regias ac excessivas basilicas in quan- churches. . . . ... " . ^

titate, m subtihtate et sumptuositate ac ornamenta

mundo splendencia; per hec, inquam, cultus dei con- 20 tempnitur, locus a laycis religiosis despicitur et fra- trum mundialis affeccio reseratur. Excuses: ist It Et quomodocunque glozaverint, quod hoc est ad 1S of God^ °r" honorem dei exigentis in servis suis cultum honorifi- 2nd Rich men cum nUOd mundo divites hoc requirunt, I qui dant illis A 481

have given 3 /_ , .,. , , , ',- ,•

them monev on ad hoc subsidium, vel quod hoc est utihus, quia diu-

DUrDhese °f c^us perrnansivum. Quotquot autem sunt huiusmodi ex-

ad°rnments. cusaciones in peccatis, indicant quod primeva religio

churches will est sopita, dum plus intenditur placere populo adulte-

This^onfy rinis aspectibus, quam ut mundum lugeant abiectis in 3o

proves that actibus, plus alludere eis mundanis applausibus quam their first spint ,.~ . ., ^ . . , , ,. „ r h

slumbers; edihcare eos virtutibus. Et omnino | comenta dyaboli B 59"

^more^for^the2 concludunt fratri taliter excusanti, quod deus huius

god of this seculi et favor mundi plus appreciatur ab eis, quam world than tor . . ' ... ,..*._.

Christ, or His dominus virtutum vel ex tmitacione Chnsti paupens 00

The°perfect amor dei. Et patet apostasia in defectu multiplici L. mean is the mendicandi. Medium enim virtuosum, non mundi vel

example of . . '

Christ. milonis, sed medie persone divine mundo paupens, est and^cler^ymen5 captandum. Et omnino reprobandi sunt devoti et sub- of the order tiles clerici istorum ordinum, qui non resistunt sed 40

who consent to . ... ,,,.

these abuses tavent rratribus per consensum. Illi autem sunt magis

are blamable.

1. mendicantium F. 2. indigno B; indigcnte F. 4. defecit men- dacio B. 8. per se ACD; communiter parce F. 14. qui B. 19. in pro et F. 27, 28. excusaciones tales F. 29. attenditur B. 3o. vir- tutibus pro in actibus F. 3^. appreciantur B".

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 3 3

inimici domestici; nec dubium quin ista irreligiosa

mendicacio inducit bonorum dei consumpcionem illi-

citam.

Et specialiter in isto quod omnes hii ordines et These orders - c . -i-ju -iu • o# oucht to have

o rratres singun debent omnia habere m communi. Sic allthingsin

enim habuit primitiva ecclesia quo ad sexum, etatem, common

et genus patrie differens; ergo multo magis fratres, themselves.

quos non distingwit nisi privata religio. Apostoli qui- the Primitive

dem et episcopi facti per ipsos habuerunt omnia in (Ahnrc.h'. tll0USn

1 . r « ' . the dittercnces

io communi, sicut debent habere episcopi et seculares werc much

»«.!•■ .. .. .. n „n i. •.. i l gfcater, but the

A49aclerict, ut patet ia questione 2a per multa capitula | : tViars are oniy itaque cur non fratres? Item, fratres habent super suis distinguished usibilibus pure dominium ewangelicum, non civilc ; sed particular quo ad illud omnes boni fratres vel Christiani sunt opares. Igitur debent parificari in usibus moderatis.

Suppono autem, quod dominium eorum distingwitur Can afriar who ab usu ; quomodo igitur negabit habundans in vescibi- abundance food libus vel aliis usualibus fratri eiusdem ordinis cciam *c.-> dc,liy.

anvthing he has

alienigene vel fratri alterius ordinis tam indigo et tam toanother friar ,• \ r, ■ i . i • • • who is in want?

2odignor Kevera videtur esse dei miuna et personarum

accepcio. Item, fratres iuste vendicant a clero scculari Friars rightiy

B 5qc et populo domicilium | et vescibilia quando egent; sed pco^pie food^and

maior undique debet esse communicacio fratrum quo- ,odsjnff; btir

* .... . t their needv

rumcunque adinvicem ; igitur illi sufficientes debent brethren ha"ve

25 ministrare in istis fratribus ' quibuscunque egentibus. them than they

Nec tollit particularitas ordinis vel humana institucio on the PeoP,e-

hoc vinculum caritatis; nisi forte fingantur fratres al-

Gal.V terius ordinis indigniores suffragari de alienis fratribus;

20, 21 et econtra. Cum apostolus ad Gal. Vto coniungit sectas

Soatque invidias, illud, inquam, accusat quod tradicio

religionis invente sit contra regulas caritatis.

Nec excusat parcitas limitata hiis fratribus, quia One bad excuse

IV 8 o (^secunCjum doctrinam Thobie IVto) proporcionahilitcr requireS°of ail

ad possessionem debet possessor egenis tribucre; quia tnars.

A 49b aliter evidencius pauper secula | ris, a quo fratrcs We must all

mendicant, diceret eis quod vix habet sufficienciam ?'x"e tothe Poor ' . " . accordingto our

sibi et sue familie. Et specialiter, cum licet seculari ability. Matth. facere provisiones annales, sed fratres (secundum evan- VI, 34 gelium Matthaei VIto) non debent pro crastino pravidere.

7. ditferens decst omnes MSS. 18. vel pro eciam F. 10. vel deestY. 19, 20. tam indigno et tam indiguo B; et tam indigno ACD. 27. fin- gatur ACD. 28. indigniori F. Jo. quod deest D.

11. Decr. Grat. C" I. quaest. II. passim.

34 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. IT.

Nec obest cunctis ordinibus fratrum habere omnia in

communi, cum totum genus cleri debet sic habere,

superiores in dies ad moderatam vite mensuram et in-

feriores superhabundans temporalium provide mini-

in hopc of gain, strando. Unde accusaret fratres non modicum, quod 5

rich to luxurics, conferant propter retribucionem temporalem mundi

which they dcny Jiyitibus eciam ministrallis refocillacionem lautam in

to thcir own . ...

brcthren. vescibilibus et domicilio et negent hoc fratribus et iustis aliis plus egenis. Another bad Sed contra istud instatur per hoc quod iuxta istam 10 M. excu.se: Fnars sentenciam liceret fratri unius ordinis cohabitare et

ot ditferent . .......

orders may not vesci cum fratre alieni ordinis, eciam in presencia pro-

live togcther, or , • • , . ,. . .

ail distinctions Pni ordims plus mdigentis: consequens apostaticum ot orders wouid et Jistinccionis destructivum. Hic videtur, quod sic

be destroyed. ' '

arguens legeret factum apostoh | (ad Gal. II0) et tunc B dq'1 concederet conclusionem, nedum tanquam catholicam, Gal. sed a divisione sectarum irreligiose inductam ad uni- ' ^ tatem ewangelicam reductivam; sic quod omnes or- But what harm dines fratrum sint unus ordo. Licet autem tam fratres WOUjn that? C quam alii cognoscant istam sentenciam, tamen tacitur- 20 nitate conscnsus dampnabiliter permittunt tradiciones humanas superexcrescere regulas caritatis. We come to Sicut enim insolubile | aput logicos tribus modis A 49° conclusions. suboritur; primo modo, quando dimissa significacione 1« by givmg a recta communi antiqua significacioni novelle intenditur : 25

new . .

signification to ut patet in ista: uSor dicit falsum . Secundo modo, as °"Socrates quando solemnisatur tradicio humana ac si per se faceret (meaning an [us ut deus, sicut patet de obediencia servorum post

mdividual) tells . ' » . ^

a faisehood"; condicionem communem adicctam ; et tercto modo a"mere human quando contradiccio tacite innuitur; ut patet in casu 3o custom into je pertransicione pontis. Sic peccatum insolubiliter

divine nght; * . ' . . .'

as in the case redarguit eos qui volunt tpst mtendere: pnmo ex vi

and >,Vvvlicn ^'°cls professionis private, dimissa communi religione

there is a antiqua, ut patet, in religione novella, secundo humane

hvpothesis . t .' . r t o >

fmplying legis institucio ac si ipsa per se lustincet, ut io Now^ha-e110" a Patet m eleccionibus, eciam de papa; et tercio, in new sense is omni peccato seducitur peccator putans bonum quod

given to 'religion'.

3. iudices pro in dies F. i3. indigentibus B. 14. distinccionis

ordinum CDK ; egentis F. 17. ad missionem B; ib. inducta CD.

21. assensus B; ib. dampnabili BF. 25. invente novelle BF. 26. isto B. 27. ac per se CD. 28. de deest F. 3o. tacenter (■'. 35. confusio vel conficcio pro institucio ABCD.

26. Sor, or Sortes. is short for Socrates, a name very much employed by medieval logicians for any individual whatever.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 3 5

officit, et tamen insolubiliter admittenti casus peccati 2nd Human is

concluditur. Theologi igitur debent radicitus casus wjti, divine law

istos detegere, ne fundamentum falsum exuperet veri- a"d 3rd ri8nt ° ' . . r . and wrong are

tatem. In tercio vero membro huius blasfemie patet supposed* 5 quod fratres ydolatre reservant sibi temporalia, innuendo se in ipsis plus confidere quam in deo. Et tantum hic de 4a blasfemia.

5ta vero blasfemia notatur in 5'° verbo : "digito lo- 5th mark ot quitur", non intelligendo quod religiosi claustrales lo- "speakhig^wiih iocuntur ludicra cum adinvencionibus signorum, post thc finger". B ^°a iniunctum silencium, sed intelligendo | per "digitum" po- By the hnger is vt,tX' testatem agendi, modo quo loquitur scriptura (Exod. Vlll). powerofacting, A 4qd "Digitus dei est hic": hoc est, | potestas singularitef afTm Scriptare : operandi. Sic, inquam, pseudofratres blasfemant in po- God" is here. i5testate spirituali presbiteri pro pecunia de simplicibus acquirenda. Potest autem blasphemia fratrum in ista materia potestative loquencium in tria dividi. Primo First menciendo de absolucione a pena et a culpa, vel de concerning'

induleenciis, aut aliis ficticiis machinatis. Et de isto induigences, D ' . . . . . . absolution, &c.

20 expeditum est alibi. Nam periculum est in prelatis qui Danger to ultra fundamentum scripture blasfeme magnificant di- prciates who_

. . ... exaggerate thcir

gitum suum in tsto; penculum eciam est in fratribus power in this

N. qui istam blasfemiam excitant et defendunt; et tercio, Danger totviars

periculum est in simplicibus qui infideliter confidunt who defend

25 et laborant in talibus. Fides, inquam, ortodoxa docet Danger to

, .-., • . , • • . . simple persons

quod a Chnsto secundum meritum recipiet contntus w_{0 tlrust in

absolucionem vel indulgenciam, cui prelatorum nostro- AbsoM:on

rum concessio est inpertinens vel repugnans. Imper- given by a

tinens dico, quia mereatur homo et conteratur aput ist^mmateriai:

3o deum quantumcunque abscondite, et secundum hoc Lct a man

" ^ . _■■'_, . repent, and that

habebit a deo tantam indulgenciam, sicut si cum hoc ha-will be enough. , -ii i_ ii r\ 5 ^ ^-i_ If alms-giving

buerit a papa mille bullas. Quod si a raro contingentibus, &c _. incYease

contricio et devocio et meritum hominis provocentur 'lis ^0,11011',,

r ' . thcn Ood will

per hoc quod dat populo vel prelato elemosinam vel grant him

35 laborat non infideliter circa illam, tunc tale ministerium in nu0f,enoet' '

promovet ut habeat de tanto a deo indulgenciam ^of!*"1"1^- :

ampliorem. Et dico indulgencias tales repugnare quan- putting trust in , . j • r • i* vain things,

doque, quia sepe vane sperando m frivohs, spes que __ope _n christ

A 5oaforet unita in Christo dispergitur et cum labore inutili | ,s dimwished.

40 stultus consumitur; sic quod raro vel nunquam talis

remissio vel indulgencia fit ad bonum.

21. blasfeme CF. 24. ct inutiliter BF. 34. quod — elemosinam

vel deest B. 36. a deo de tanto G.

3*

36 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP- IL

Hecond Secundo loquitur super digito magnilicando sua sacra-

TheyPmagnifv meuta que | lucrum sapiunt, ut celebraciones peniten- B bo1'

those of thcir c}as et sepulturas, que ex sanctitate ordinis habent functions which r . ' *

savourof lucre; robur ; et tstam matenam egregie tractavit sanctus

^penances^nd5' Richardus episcopus Ardmacanus, et noverunt rectores 5

funerals. ej sacerdotes rurales quomodo per istam machinam

sua stipendia subdole subtrahuntur.

Third Et tercio loquitur super digito suo, non dei, sub-

^Tliev^gei = tilius confederando sibi laycos conventiculis fraudulentis

confederates spargendo in huiusmodi testificacionem litteras frater- 10 among lavmen T . . , . _,, ... ...

by their nitatis; sic quod mstar Phanseorum dilatant phuateria

C°and aThiPrd-CS et magnificant fimbrias, ut dicit Ghristus Matth. XXIII. xxni;

Orders. Sicut enim philateria erant carthule in quibus Pharise- - So they make ... . . ... .

broad their orum magistraha sunt mscnpta, sic littere tales quo

P 'ctcCneS' at^ numerum et pretensionem spiritualis suffragii dila- i5

tantur, et ultra Phariseos ad seduccionem populi sunt

The signate. Magnificant autem fimbrias, quia in colore et

sP")iifyCt]ette'rs figura vestimentorum suorum ponunt tantam vim numi-

of fraternity. nis quod abiectissimum fratrem, servitorem, vel colli- Tliey magnify ^ . '.....

thcirfringes, in gatum tanquam rimbriam suo ordini rn sanctitate et 20

'the meanest1 religione magnificant ultra quemcunque sanctum qui

friar, above any fUerit inpertinens secte sue. Et ita ut svmoniace pre-

baint, howcver . . J l

great, if not of dicant statim post sermonem ad hoc aptatum colligendo tlc ' er' pecuniam vel sibi equivalens, sic vendunt talem

fraternitatem pro annuo redditu et confederacione fra- 25 A convincing ternitatis illicita modis subdolis de | fendenda. CausaA5ob thPis°is donc for autem talium facta pro temporali lucro ex hoc con- lucre, is: take vincitur, quod, subtrahendo in re et spe hoc lucrum,

away tlic hope . * ... '

of gain, and subtrahitur hoc simulatum spintuale suffragium et patet theihelp'istUal subdola symonia. Patet eciam racione multiplici blas- 3o

withdrawn : concealed simony.

1. sub AB. 8. Sed pro et F. 21. quantumcuncjue B. 25. fraternitatem spiritualem CEF; sic per talem fraternitatem spiritualem pro B.

5. Richard Fitz Ralph (1347) two or three of whose works, enumerated by Ware, have been printed, and whose tract "De Pauperie Salvatoris" is now being published by the Wyclif Societv, was neither beatified nor canonised, except by the Wyclifites. See S.E.W. (Arnold) III., 281. Engl.W. ofW., p. 128, and note as to his miracles on p. 507. The only 'Beatus' of that name was Richard, abbot of Saint-Vannes de Verdun (1004); the only saint, Saint Richard, bishop of Chichester (1244). i3. Letters of admission to the Third-Order. Silvera (opuscul. 38) assigns the tjate 1221 to the first foundation of a Third-Order, by St. Francis of Assisi.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 3 7

femia; primo, in hoc quod magnificant infideliter et These foolish

infundabiliter signa sua; secundo, in hoc quod fingunt "^know;1 l°

ex cultu sienorum per se adesse meritum fratrifacto; et *-tliat theirsect 0 j . .... has no ment

B 6oc tercio, m hoc quod promittunt et vendunt | participium that can win

5 sui meriti, quod deo est proprium: et hoc pro comodo

temporali. Talia, inquam, conventicula possent faciliter

perturbare rempublicam ex comparacionibus dignitatum ;

talis autem stultus cognosceret quod vix aut minus

habet ipse cum tota secta sua scintillam meriti ad

10 beatitudinem consequendam. Consideret secundo, quod II. that God

deus dividet dignis suis de communione meriti sine feserving

taxacione merentis et sic propter presumpcionem istam servants

,, .... ... . commumon in

blasfemam ht mdignus, et quihbet sibi consenciens, ut all merits sibi vel alii mereatur. Magnificemus itaque fideliter Thern^yYancT i5istum articulum fidei, communionem sanctorum, quod that such

..... . . presumption

secundum distrtbucionem deo propriam consequitur renders them dignitatem et meritum quo ad deum. ^veH^as^those113

O. Sed ad colorandum istud obicitur: Quilibet potest wl'° consent to

... sharing their

quicquid suum est vendere et donare; meritum lgitur merits with 20 suum potest frater donare, sic quod donatarius faciat obiectkms: recompensam. Ad istud areumentum Symonis respon- IstT° give away

, . . , . . . or sell one s

detur negando assertum, quia meritum hommis est sic own, i. e. merit, in manu dei et condicione connexum, quod repugnat AnltveT^merit eius translacionem fieri tali pacto: de quo alibi. cannot be deait

... r, ,, with thus.

A 5oc Secundo, obicitur per hoc | quod ex fide unus potest 2,id To share mereri alteri; nec repugnat isti merito quod ipsum oniJanothert is^ ' participans eratis retribuat elemosinam corporalem ; allowable; so is

Qai L r . . r to give corporal

VT g tgitur factum tale est licitum. Unde ad Gal. VI° mandat alms.- now this apostolus "Gommunicet autem is qui cathechizatur 1S d p]ace.ta>es 3o verbo ei qui se cathechizat in omnibus bonis". Nam propter talem retribucionem promerens libencius mere- retur. Nec aliter quisquam conduceret oratores. Hic Ansrver .• The dicitur, quod verum assumitur et verum annectitur, This^is Uali°f/iai sed istis non pertinet, quod quis vendat meritum ex- jakes piace, ise

. n . . n .. false. For ther

35 presse vel tacite. Ideo nimirum contractus talts vel is a compact, paccio est deo odibilis. Oportet igitur notare primo, "xp^es^ancT quod opus sit de genere eorum que deus instituit ad <*«*■ is illicit. edificacionem ecclesie; oportet secundo notare quod B 6od modus operandi sit licitus ; | et oportet tercio pensare 40 quod occasio data de fratris scandalo subtrahatur.

5. deo deest B. q sanctificata pro sua scintillam F. 10. conside- raret F. 14. itaque deest F. i5. hde C; ib. communione C. 16. do- mini B; ib. censetur. 18. tolerandum F; ib. istum articulum obicitur

sic B. 20. donatorius C. 22. assumptum BF. 24. eius translaeioni tali fieri B. 3o. se deest F. 32. Hic verum F.

38 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

These 'lctters Talis autem cartha fraternitatis non exemplatur in are con^dcmned scriptura, sed multipliciter innuitur reprobata tanquam

by Scripturc. SUperflua et nociva; modus autem tacite vendendi me- And the sale of . r . ' ...

merit has no ritum caret colore, cum nec sit subiectum potestati

TheYnstance fratris, quod opus suum sit meritum, nec quod alter 5 of money given merito suo supposito ipso participet. Ideo secus est de

to 'oratory- . , rr . * . . . .

priests'does not lsto et de conduccione presbiten vel oratons, quia pofnt1": there^is ibidem labor corporalis et stipendium ad hoc neces-

in that case a sarium limitatur. Hic autem gracia — et sic deus — fixed amount ot . . ° . . ..

bodily labour vendi presumitur, quod est omnino lnordinatum, cum to

aj3ut hcre^grace aeus ^cet Slt hominis, tamen vendi non potest cum non

— i. e. God - potest ab homine singulariter possideri, cum oportet

ipsum dominative et equivoce haberi | a qualibet crea-A5od

Thc Church is tura . tota autem ecclesia vendi potest, cum dicitur

'bought with a ' ,„„ _ . . ,, TT

greatprice'; ia Cor. VI0: Precio magno emptt estis . Homo eciam 15

himsel/to the potest vendere animam suam dyabolo, ymo se ipsum !• Cor-

devil, and to in servum civilem, sed deus cum gracia et aliis sibi ' the state too, as .. . ....._ ,

a slave; but proprns caret racione emibilis. Regnum tamen celorum

G&c' cannoVbe' a aeo venditur et a servo suo emitur secundum racio- possessed nem, qua a deo distingwitur : et sic wult apostolus eum 20

cxclusivcly und . .

are thus qui cathecizatur (hoc est, in fide instruitur) commum- St Ul"au7 wisiies care cum iwformante tam bonis corporalibus quam

the spiritual spiritualibus: quod fit si virtuose ministrat ei tempo- tcnchcrs to

rcceive enough ralia necessaria ad hoc opus, ut docet apostolus tosupportthcm. ^a Qor jx). Quod si alter eorum errat ex affeccione sin- 25

gulari in cambio, tunc non communicat in omnibus I- Cor.

• -IX

bonis. Ideo statim annectit apostolus: "Nolite errare, „ '

deus non irridetur, que enim seminaverit homo, hec et

metet"; quasi diceret: contractus talis non est utilis

coram deo; quia ut paulo ante dicit, "unusquisque onus 3o

It is foolish to suum portabit." Ideo stultum est hominem mercari

answerabfefor cum alienis peccatis vel | obligari ut pro peccatis alterius B 61*

another's sins, ex h.0c libere respondeat coram deo. Quamvis autem as thc Friars r .

do; for thc omnes dampnandi et specialiter prelati respondebunt

though^they Pro Peccatis suis et aliis, tamen correspondenter quo 35

havc to answer aj SUUm demeritum, ut dicit apostolus, dampnabuntur.

for other .. ' r \ /

pcople, are only Sed tercio mstatur ad colorandum hoc ractum per P.

^dr^own01" hoc quod licet conducere eciam oratores pro opere

misdeeds. corporali; licet igitur dare fratribus ut annuatim et III. Ifmoneycan r D ... .„ . ^ ..

be given to specialiter post mortem hominis notincatam rratnbus^o oratory priests on account of

5. mcritorium BF. 11. sit deest ABCD ; ib. non potest deest C.

12. tamcn C. 17. dco F. 21. cathezizatur C. 23. fit deest C.

24, 25. Apostolus i" deest F. 28. enim deest F. 3i. homini B.

32. per pcccatum AB. 33. libcrc A; ib. rcspondens B. 37. colorando B; colendum F. 40. notificatum B.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 3g

solempnisent eius exequias : Pro tali igitur labore cor- their bodily

!• I • i _ iT- labour, the samc

A 5i»porali | possunt accipere pecuntam gratis datam. Hic mav b'e otfered

dicitur quod in istis factis sunt tot palliaciones dyaboli, t(? P"a'"s; lo<" 7... . .... . . mstancc, to

quod infinitis modis sophistican potest symoniace scola cclcbratc

rp ,- • • n • . _ • , _ funeral ritcs.

0 sua. Tahs lgitur palliator caveret primo ne det scan- Answcr:

dalum erroris fratri suo, dicendo sibi quod non temere Beforc all

. . . . things, \vc

confidat m aheno mento sed ex vi communionis sanc- must takc carc torum, proporcionabiliter ut ipse se ipsum dignificat stumbhng- per graciam prevenientem, sic communicabit et meritis blocks to our

iotocius ecclesie. Sic quod est in potestate dei et super potestatem fratris, ut alius communicet secum in me- rito; et carthe ac talia sacramenta inducta sunt nedum inpertinencia sed blasfeme inhabilitantes undique ad merendum.

i5 Et preter hec sunt multe conspiraciones illicite in There are many

contractu abscondito; ideo odiunt fratres, ut in lucem ""^ ^°'sc1118!'

veniant, cum favor unius secte contrariatur alteri. Si , "nderstood

' ..... . bargains wluch

igitur placet benefacere tstts sectis, tribuatur eis ab- thc Friars do

solute seorsum elemosina, ut dissolvantur colligaciones comeTtoNhc

20 inpietatis et reducantur ad perfeccionem relieionis light; sect

r . . . _ conspirmg

pnmeve. Sic enim habebuntur utihus oratores, et fientagainst sect, &c.

mi_ ■!■ 1 i- 1 It were bettcr to

ts multa milia missarum, vel auud opus pre- ,rjvc a|ms t0

ponderans ubi iam utrimque tollitur communicacio in ?^ch separatcly,

r * . . . ir at all, to avoid

B oi" merendo. Servet, mquam, homo | legem Christi et such intrigues.

-5 zelet pro ea, destruendo novitates infundabiles, que proceeds from

surrepunt, et habebit totam ecclesiam multiplicius, false analogics

. rr ■ • • r- i- wltll which

efficacius, et affectuosius oratncem. Unde tsta lnfidelis simpictons are

ymaginacio de adiutorio merendi, propter similitudinem wpocrites^ adiutorii corporalis, excecat simplices per yppocritas se-

3oducentes: et tantum hic de ista apostasia.

Q. Sexta et septima includuntur in hiis verbis: "pravo Last marks of

corde machinatur malum et omni tempore iurgia se- fntdgifes' and

minat." Radix autem communionis huius apostasie est sowmg of

., . quarrels.

mordinata machinacio propnetana lntellectus. Machi- The root of

35 natur enim, quid foret sibi vel persone agregate mon- 0]^'y coansider

struose, hoc est toti secte sue, utilius; et dimissa lege the adyantage ' . . ' . . ' . ° of their scct.

dei ac utihtate communi ecclesie lllud studiose prose-

quitur. Nec dubium quin ista sit prava intencio, quia This intention

machinatur perficere malum culpe; nichil enim deo p^crverse.

40 communi, preponderanti bona communia, magis con-

trarium, quam, illo bono contempto, privato et pla-

i3. blasphemie F; ib. inhabitantes B. 18, 19. absconditc; absolute in marg. F. 19. collaciones F. 39. cnim cst F.

40 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

a scct sins cenciori comodo plus inniti. Sicut enim persona agre- t^covetousncss Sata> °.ue est secta religionis possessionate, peccat gra- and worldliness vjus intensive et extensive in avaricia et moribus mun-

than the samc . ....

numbcr of danis quam totidem persone simphces disperse, quarum indlvfduais. quelibet sit nimis mundo dedita, sic est de persona 5 For sin, as lirc, secte exproprietarie in comparacione ad tot heremitas

does tlic more . r r . , • _ • ^

harm in ypocntas, quia culpa more lgnis nocet mtensius cum

PTsmo"aS fuerit congregata. Ut notemus unum cenobium mona-

concentrated. chorum, quod excessive in persona propria, in sump-

tuosa ac superrlua familia, et adiacente extra comitivam, 10

consumit mundialiter bona pauperum; et notemus

totidem rectores quorum quilibet inordinate consumit

bona pauperum: et constat quod | nullus eorum perB6ic

se tenet tam inordinatam | et excessivam domum totA5il

Bothmonksand peccatis implicitam. Cum igitur omnes et singuli i5

theC'oods^oa/the monacru perpetrant totum peccatum id ex consensu ne-

poor; but the phario, dum placet eis, et pompant de opere, vel sal-

worse^cach tem non sufricienter corripiunt nec recedunt, patet quod

consenting to qUiiibet illorum monachorum peccat intensius et dif-

For that rcason fusius quo ad seculum, quam aliquis talis rector. Et 20

the first monks kjj^ creao spiritum sanctum movisse primo sanctos livcd alonc, like * .....

John Baptist. monachos vivere instar baptiste vitam solitariam sive

monasticam. Sic enim vixit Ieronimus et multi sancti

patres ante tempus sancti Benedicti. Communitas enim

prona ad mundum machinatur peius et exequitur for- 25

cius malum culpe, quam faceret una persona simplex

et per se posita.

Objection: Et si obicitur quod Christus qui vixit in communiR.

Cwith His^' cum fratribus est perfeccior quam baptista, dicitur quod

Disciplcs; but defectus talis similitudinis excecat plurimos; nam 3o He was morc -,. . .... , . . .

perfect than Chnstus scivit eligere paucos quos voluit; et scivit esse

<4K°?w"rB-a£hrist aa^ societatem talem ydoneos; prelati vero hodie hoc

knew how ignorant. Christus eciam scivit secundum optimum 10 choosc the . ,. . , . . .. ,

fcw whom He magistenum discipulos suos mstruere et a vicns coher-

1'1\nVci!ristt' cere ut maturati spersim seminentur per mundum ad 35 instructcd His edificacionem ecclesie; abbates vero nostri, et alii pre-

disciples in the , . ... „ .

very best way, lati possessionati, in lsto omniquaque dehciunt. Et HDcn^and0 terc'° maxime, quia Christus voluit se et XII vivere

dispcrse them tantum exproprietarie, quod nec habebant proprium attcrwards in , . .,. , . . , ...

theworld: domicilium, nec bona m communi vel propna lpsis 40

^Abbo^ancT secundum humanam prudenciam limitata; sed omnino

1'rclates do nothing of thc

sort. 1. inmiti 1). 5. minus ACD. 8. agtfresata B. 16 illud BF.

27. et deest F. 28. dico pro quod F. 35. maturatim spassim Cl) ;

sparsim B.

CAP. II. DE APOSTASIA. 4'

A 5i.d contrarium est in conventibus monachorum. I Ideo re- Christ and the • • , . • , . ^, • '■ |, ■• twelve had no

spiciendo ad vitam modernam et vitam Christi collegu property;

verecundarentur facere huiusmodi argumenta. Prius monks do not

live so.

B6idenim vixerunt sancti I vitam heremiticam, sed non ad The first

c . ,• • , hermits wcrc

o perfeccionem apostohcam contigerunt; secundo vero iess pcrfect tlian

collecti per beatum Benedictum vixerant minus sancte, J*e AP°stics; r _ . ' the next group,

sed servantes vitam exproprietariam et alias condiciones under

apostolicas maturarunt se sic in sanctitate quod ecclesie stiiiiess; but so

vicine gaudebant de illis habere episcopos. Sed tam- j!0"^ as jh^y

ioquam magi pharaonis in tercio signo deficiunt, dum endowmcnts

... , ... _ they were cood.

excessive quia symoniace appropnant sibi redditus et But now they ecclesias; et tamquam corwus de archa egrediens in- seize uPon

' " -° . revenues and

vento cadavere sunt plus culpabiliter mundo dediti churches, and

,• , ,-.. , are worsc than

quam aliqui seculares. Et correspondenter rn conven- secuiars.

i5tibus fratrum est malum multiplex aggravatum; nam

tota secta machinatur media ad colorandum apostatas ;

et propter multitudinem acceleranter exequitur accu-

mulando sibi indebite bona pauperum. Nec sufficit una So also of the

simplex persona, eciam in causa iusta, prosequi contra n0 private

2oillos; colligantur enim cum dominis et dominabus, cum Person> be his ..... . . . cause ever so

blasfemia confessionis, cum liga adulacionis et cum just, can stand

participio ypocritice devocionis. Cum autem persona tHey^use every

talis secte excedit personam simplicem in peccato tali, influcncet9Saui . . r r . r . their point.

quo ad multiplicitatem, quo ad peccati gravitatem, et How periious 25 quo ad induracionem, ac omnia membra talis secte such^bod^y conparticipant ex consensu, patet quantum est pericu- wnen. cac.h

. .... ... ... mcmber is

lum coniungi tah corpori. Si, mquam, candens mvidia responsible for

vel complacencia adulatoria fuerit in tali secta ad !

A 52aquamcunque I personam extrinsecam, dicitur quod in-

3o trinsecus corrodunt ut canes per verba detrahencia; ex- They backbite

r . ' within the

tnnsecus denigrant ut fornax per machinamenta men- Order, and dacia. Et ut pars eorum sit forcior, non est matrimo- me ewit out nium, divorcium, vel alia mundialis causa, quin se

B 62Bintro | mittant, quasi rectores negocii tacite vel expresse.

S. 35 Nec obest quod multi sunt sancti et subtiles clerici There are inter eos, quia Christus et apostoli ex generacione pes- saints 'among sima processerunt; ymo inter infidelissimas sectas multi „ tl?cm; but

.r ' J . . . . Chnst and His

sancti proruperant. Exercicium lgitur sciencie expen- disciples came mentalis plus viget inter dyabolos ; et exercicium vir- rom race0^6^6

io. defecerunt B. 16. coroborandum F. 27. cadens C. 3i. ma- china B. 33. se deest CF.

3g. This seems to allude to the charge of sorcery, more directly made elsewhere (see Buddensieg's Polemical Works of W., p. 700), to which the Friars' ardour for experimental science exposed them. See Brewer's preface to Monumenta Franciscana, XLIV, XLV.

42 JOHANNIS WYCLIF CAP. II.

Dcvils arc tutum, corripiendo, parcum est in illis sectis. Quod *" ^Thcy^ in'an si uicti sancti et subtiles eorum desperaverint propter

cxperimcntai maliciam induratam, prudenter aufugiunt; prudenter seicncc; and . . ' r ° , ,

therc are few dico, quia aliter tamquam apostate occiduntur vel per-

CYCTClSCS OT • • t^t * • ■ —

virtue among petuo carceri mancipantur. Nec est noticie m experte o

them. numerare machinaciones malas, que fiunt ex talibus When their ' ^

saints and apostatarum conventibus.

arein^desMir Unde quidam comparat eos aucis silvestribus, que

of their conereeantur ereealiter sine numero limitato, penetrant hardness ot , , , , • ,•

hcart, they Hy aerem volando ad modum tnanguh, repente assunt 10 tr?fntakenm areUt segetes consumentes, in temporibus gelidis inpinguantur,

slain or et jn aura placente vel dissona irreeulariter formant lmpnsoned for . r. . ° .

life, as voces. "Sic , mquit, fratres contra naturam domesticorum

T^ieir^evli udei tanquam fere gregaliter congregantur, nec conver-

machinations santUr nisi subdole cum aucis domesticis, nec limitatur i5 are countless. . ' . , ,

They are said eorum conventibus numerus consonus | edihcacioni ec- A 32"

t0 gecse;W1 clesie; secundum apostolum, 'penetrant domos' in sim-

destroying thc plicitate trianguli, dum bini primo penetrant cuius

geese dcstroy binarii, gravior persona primo penetrat et consequenter

on°sin'as tiMym binario dat ingressum; ubi fuerit distribucio tempo- 20

coid; babbimg ralium assunt prompte, non solum conereeando semina

lrreligiously. / r '«,.,. , , , c-

with gooscfike corporaha, sed semen hdei dissipando; quando rerri-

screams. gescit caritas multorum cum fetore temporalium inpin-

gwantur, ut dicit commune proverbium :

Dum peccatum regnat 2 5

in secretis cameris | bursa fratrum pregnat; B 52b

et demum irreligiose garriunt, tam in tempore prospero

quam in adverso." In isto siquidem circulari numero am-

bulant predicti apostate, ad quos sermo iste dirigitur.

Wyclif appcals Ideo conhdo de bonis sociis, qui michi conhdenter 3o

t0among thc b m causa dei astiterant, quod non sibi conscii usque in

Friars, who are fjnem assistent, quia nichil illis et dictis apostatis; sed

not apostatcs, .... „ , ,

to hclp him in cum gaudio suscipient et conhrmabunt deteccionem dCtbadnnien?SC eorum) ut et caucius caveantur, et insultus eorum ex He wiii bc multorum iuvamine micius sufferantur. Nec videtur 35

bctter ablc to . , ,