false harlote, I quite me to him: But come he more for such cause before me (or we depart) I shal know w^t whō he holdeth. But I say tho thee: which are these holy men and wise, of whom thou hast taken thine information?

MarginaliaA worthy commendation of master Iohn Wickliffe.And I sayd. Syr, Maister Iohn Wickleff was holdē of full many men, the greatest clerke that they knew thē liuing, and therewith he was named a passing ruely mā, and an innocent in his liuing: and herefore, great men cōmoned oft with him, and they loued so his learning, that they writ it, and busily enforced them to rule them selues there after. Therefore Syr, this foresayd learning of M. Iohn Wickleff, is yet holden of ful many men & women, the most agreable learning vnto the lyuing and teaching of Christ and of his Apostles, and most openly shewing & declaryng how the churche of Christ hath been and yet should be ruled and gouerned. Therfore, so many men & women couet this learnyng and purpose, through Gods grace, to conforme their lyuing lyke to this learning of Wickleffe. MarginaliaMaister Iohn Aston.Maister Iohn Aston taught and write accordingly, and ful busely, where, and when, and to whō that he might, and he vsed it him selfe right perfitely vnto his lyues end. MarginaliaPhillip Rampington, Nicholas Herford, Dauy Gotray, Iohn Puruay.And also Philip of Rampington while he was a Chanon of Lecester, Nicolas Hereford, Dauy Gotray of Pakryng Monke of Byland and a Maister of diuinitie, and Iohn Puruay and many other whiche were holden right wise men and prudent, taught and write busely this foresayd learnyng, and confirmed them thereto. And withall these men, I was oft right homely and communed with them long tyme and oft: and so before all other men I chose willingly to be infourmed of them and by them, and specially of Wickleffe him selfe, as of the most vertuous and godly wyse man that I hearde of or knewe. And therfore of him specially and of these men I tooke the learnyng þ^t I haue taught: and purpose to lyue there after (if God wil) to my liues end. For though some of these men be contrary to the learnyng þ^t they taught before, I wote wel that their learnyng was true whiche they taught: and therefore with the helpe of God I purpose to holde and to vse the learnyng whiche I heard of thē, while they sat on Moses chaire, and specially while that they sat on þ^e chaire of Christ. But after the workes that they now do, I wil not do with Gods help. For they feyne, and hyde, and contrary þ^e truth, which before they taught out plainly and truly. For as I know wel, when some of these men haue been blamed for their sclaunderous doyng: they graunt not þ^t they haue taught a misse or erred before tyme, but that they were constrayned by payne to leaue to tell out the soth, and thus they chuse now rather to blaspheme God, then to suffer a while here persecution bodely, for sothfastnesse that Christ shed out his harte bloud for.

And the Archbyshop sayd. That learning that thou callest truth and southfastnes, is open slaunder to holy church, as it is proued of holy church. MarginaliaThe testimony for Wickliffe, out of the mouth of hys own aduersary.For albeit, that Wickleff your Autour was a great clarke, and though that many men held hym a perfect liuer: yet his doctrine is not approued of holy church, but many sentences of hys learning are damned as they well worthy are. But as touching Philip of Rampington, that was first chanon, and after Abbot of Lecester, which is now byshop of Lincolne: I tell thee, þ^t the day is commen, for which he fasted the euen. MarginaliaMany such vigils haue oure popish kalendare.For neyther he holdeth now, nor will holde, the learning that he taught, whan he was a chanon of Lecester. For no byshop of thys land persueth now more sharply them that hold thy way, thā he doth.

MarginaliaRepington became a persecuter, after he was made bishop.And I sayd. Sir full many men and women wondereth vpon hym, and speaketh him mekle shame, and holdeth hym for a cursed enemie of the truth.

And the Archbishop said to me. Wherfore tariest thou me thus here with such fables, wilt thou shortlye (as I haue sayd to thee) submit thee to me or no?

And I sayd, Sir I tell you at one worde, I dare notfor the dread of God submit me to you, after the tenour and sentence that ye haue aboue rehearsed to me.

And than as if he had been wroth, he sayd to one of hys clarkes. Fetch hither quickly, the certification that came to me frō Shrewsbury vnder the Bailiues seale, witnessing the errours and heresies, which thys Losell hath venemously sowen there.

Then hastely the clarke toke out and layd forth on a cupbord, diuers rolles and wrytings, among which there was a litle one, which the clarke deliuered to the Archbishop. And by and by, the Archbyshop red thys roll conteyning thys sentence.

The third sonday after Easter, the yeare of our lord 1407. William Thorpe came vnto þ^e towne of Shrewsbury, and thorow leaue graūted vnto hym to preach: MarginaliaThe sacrament after consecration, material bread.He sayd openly in S. Chaddes church in hys sermon, that the sacrament of the aultar, after the consecration, was materiall bread. MarginaliaArticles obiected against W. Thorpe.And that Images, should in no wyse be worshipped. And that mē should not go on pilgrimages. And that priestes haue no title to tithes. And that it is not lawfull for to sweare in any wyse.

And whan the Archbyshop had red thus this rolle, he rolled it vp agayne, and sayd to me. Is thys wholesome learning to be among the people?

MarginaliaHolesom inough for mans soule though not for your kitchin.And I sayd to hym. Sir I am both ashamed on their behalfe, and right sorowfull for them that haue certified you these thynges thus vntruely: for I preached neuer, nor taught thus, priuely nor apertly.

And the Archbishop said to me, I will geue credence to these worshipfull men which haue written to me, and witnessed vnder their seales there among thē. Though now thou deniest thys, wenest thou that I will geue credence to thee? Thou Losell, hast troubled the worshipful comminaltie of Shrewsbury, MarginaliaO Shrewsbury, thou hast a cause to repent thee, in that thou wouldest not receyue the truth, whē it was offered thee.so that the Bailiues and comminaltie of that towne haue writtē to me, praying me that am Archbishop of Cant. primate & Chauncellor of England, that I will vouchsafe to graunt them: that if thou shalt be made (as thou art worthy) to suffer open iouresse for thyne heresies, that thou may haue thy iouresse openlye there among them: So that all they whom thou and such other Losels haue there peruerted, may thorowe feare of thy dede, be reconciled agayn to the vnitie of holy church. MarginaliaThe Romishe church must bee stablished, by persecuting of true preachers.And also, they þ^t stand in true fayth of holy church, may thorow thy dede be more established therin. And as if this asking wel pleased the Archbishop, he sayd. By my thrift, this hartie prayer, and feruent request, shal be thought on.

But certainly, nother þ^e prayer of the men of Shrewsbury, nor the manassing of the Archbyshop, made me any thyng afrayd. But in rehearsing of this malice, and in the hearing of it, my hart greatlye reioysed, and yet doth. I thanke God for the grace, that I then thought, and yet thinke shall come to all the church of God here thorow, by the speciall mercifull doing of the Lord. MarginaliaA sure trust in Gods truth, confoundeth the malice of tyrantes.And as hauing no dread of þ^e malice of tirantes, by trusting stedfastly in the helpe of the Lord, with full purpose for to knowledge the sothfastnes, and to stand therby after my cunning and power: MarginaliaIf the touch stone might try: truth should bee knownI said to the Archbishp, Sir if the truth of Gods worde myght nowe be accepted as it should be, I doubt not to proue by likely euidence, that they that are famed to be out of the faith of holy church in Shrewsbury, and in other places also, are in the true faith of holy church. MarginaliaThe description of the right christians in Shrewesbery.For as their wordes sound, & theyr workes shew to mans iudgement (dreading and louing faythfully God) their will, their desire, their loue, and their busines are most set to dread, to offend God, and to loue for to please him in true and faythfull keping of his commaundementes. MarginaliaThe catholikes of Shrewesbury.And again, they that are sayd to be in the fayth of holy church in Shrewsbury and in other places, by open euidence of their proud, enuious, malicious, couetous, lecherous, and other foule wordes and workes: nother know, nor haue will to know, nor to oc-