Bull when it came to be exhibite vnto their handes, by the Popes messenger aforesayd: the proctors and maysters of the Vniuersitie ioyning together in consultation, stood lōg in doubt deliberating with themselues, whether to receiue the Popes Bull with honour, or to refuse and reiect it wyth shame.MarginaliaThe masters of Oxford doubt whether to receiue or reiect the Popes Bull.

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I cannot here but laugh in my minde to behold the authours of this story whom I follow: what wondrings and maruels, they make at these Oxford men, for so doubting at a matter so playne, so manifest of it selfe, (as the say) whether the popes Bull sent to them frō Rome was to be receaued or cōtrary. Which thing to our monkish writers seemed then suche a prodigious wonder, that they with blushing cheekes are feyne to cut of the matter in the middest with silence.

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The copy of this wilde Bull, sent to them from the Pope, was this.  

MarginaliaThe Popes mad Bull sent to Oxford. WE are compelled not onely to meruell, but also to lament, that you considering the Apostolicall seate hath geuen vnto your vniuersitie of Oxford so great fauour and priueledge; and also for that you flow as in a large sea in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures, and ought to be champions and defenders of the ancient and Catholicke fayth, (without the which there is no saluation) by your great negligence and slouthe, will suffer wylde cockle, not onely to grow vp among the pure wheate of the florishing field of your Vniuersitie, but also to waxe more strong and choke the corn. Neither haue ye anye care (as we are enformed) to extirpe and plucke the same vp the the rootes, to the great ble- blemishing of your renowmed name, the perill of your soules, the contempt of the Church of Rome, and to the great decay of the auncient fayth. And further (which greueth vs) the encrease of that filthy weed was more sharpely rebuked & iudged of in Rome then in England where it sprang. Wherefore let there be meanes sought by the help of the faithful, to roote out the same. MarginaliaThe Pope cōplayning of Iohn Wickliffe.Greuously it is come to our eares, the one Iohn Wickliffe, parson of Lutterworth in Lincolne dioces, a professour of diuinitie (would god he were not rather a maister of errours) is runne into a kinde of detestable wickednes, not onely and openly publishing, but also vomiting out of the filthy dungeon of his brest, diuers professions false and erroneous conclusions, and most wicked and damnable heresies. Whereby he might defile the faythfull sorte, and bring them from the right path headlong into the way of perdition ouerthrow the state of the Churche, and vtterly subuert the secular policy. Of which his mischieuous heresies, some seem to agree (onely certayne names and termes chaunged) with the peruerse opinions, and vnlearned doctrine of MarginaliaMarsilius Patauinus, Ioan. de Ganduno, noted.Marcelius of Padua, & Iohn of Gandune, of vnworthy memory: whose bookes were vtterly abolished in the realme of England, by our predecessour of happy memory Iohn 22. Which kingdome doth not onely florishe in power, and aboundance of faculties, but is much more glorious and shyning in purenes of fayth. Accustomed alwayes to bring forth men excellentlye learned in the true knowledge of the holye scriptures, ripe in grauitie of manners, men notable in deuotion, and defenders of the Catholicke fayth. Wherefore wee will and commaunde you by our writing Apostolicall, in the name of your obedience, and vpon payne of priuation of our fauour, indulgences and priueledges graunted vnto you and your vniuersitie, from the sayd see Apostolicall: that hereafter ye suffer not those pestilent heresies, that those subtile and false conclusions and propositions, misconstruing the right sense of fayth and good workes (howsoeuer they terme it, or what curious implication of wordes soeuer they vse) any longer to be disputed of, or brought into question: Least if it be not withstoood at the first, and plucked vp by the rootes, it might perhaps be to late hereafter to prepare medicins when a greater number is infected with the cōtagion. MarginaliaHere the wilde Bull striketh.And further, that ye apprehend immediately or cause to be apprehended the sayd Iohn Wickliffe, and deliuer him to be deteyned in the safe custodie of our well beloued brethren, the Archbishop of Caunterbury, and the byshop of London or eyther of them. And if you shall finde any gaynesayers, corrupted wyth the sayde doctrine (whiche God forbid) in your sayd vniuersitie wythin your iurisdiction, that shall obstinately stand in the sayd errours: that then in lyke manner ye apprehend them, and committe them to safe custodie, and otherwise to doe in this case as it shall appertayne vnto you: So as by your carefull proceedynges herein, your negligence past concernyng the premisses, may now fully be supplyed and recompensed with present diligence. Whereby you shall not onely purchase vnto you the fauour and beneuolence of the seate Apostolicall, but also great re-ward and merite of almightie God.

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Yeuen at Rome at S. Maries the greater. xi. Kalend. of Iune, and in the seuenth yeare of our consecration.  

MarginaliaSimon Sudburie Archb. of Cant. W. Courtney bishop of London. ¶ Beside this Bull sent to the Vniuersitie of Oxford, the sayd Pope Gregory directed moreouer his letters the same tyme to the Archbyshoppe of Canterbury Symon Sudbury: to the Byshoppe of London named William Courtney, with the conclusions of Iohn Wickliffe therein inclosed, commaūdyng them, by vertue of those his letters  

Apostolicall, and straitly enioyning them to cause the sayd Iohn Wickliffe to be apprehended, and cast in prison: And that the king and the nobles of England should be admonished by them, not to geue any credite to the saide Iohn Wickliffe, or to his doctrine in any wise. &c.

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MarginaliaThree sundry letters of the pope to one person, about one matter. ¶ Beside this Bill or Bull of the Pope, sent vnto the Archbyshop of Cāterbury and to the Byshop of London, bearyng the date. 11. Kalend. Iuni. and the 7. yeare of the raigne of the Pope: I finde moreouer in the sayd story, two other letters of the Pope concernyng the same matter, but differyng in forme, sent vnto the same Byshops, and all bearyng the same date both of the day, yeare, and moneth of the raigne of the sayd Pope Gregory. Whereby it is be supposed, that the Pope either was either was very exquisite and solicitous aboue the matter, to haue Wickliffe to be apprehēded which wrote three diuers letters to one person, and all in one day, about one businesse: or els that he did suspect the bearers thereof, the scruple wherof I leaue to the iudgement of the Reader.

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Futhermore beside these letters writtē to the Vniuersitie, and to the Byshops, he directeth also an other Epistle bearyng the same date vnto kyng Edward (as one of my stories sayth) but as an other sayth, to the kyng Richard, whiche soundeth more neare to the truth, forasmuch as in the 7. yeare of Pope Gregory the xi. which was the yeare of our Lord. 1378. Kyng Edward was not aliue. The copy of his letters to the kyng here followeth.  

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MarginaliaThe Popes letter to King Richard agaynst I. Wickliffe. VNto his welbeloued sonne in Christ, Richard the most noble kyng of England health. &c.

The kyngdome of England which the most highest hath put vnder your power and gouernaunce, beyng so famous and renowmed in valiancy and strength, so aboundaunt and flowyng in all kynde of wealth and riches: but much more glorious resplendent and shynyng through the brightnesse and clearenesse of all godlynesse and fayth: hath accustomed alwayes to bryng forth men endued with the true knowledge and vnderstandyng of the holy Scriptures, graue in yeares, feruent in deuotion, and defenders of the Catholicke fayth: The which haue onely directed and instructed their own people through their holesome doctrine and preceptes into the true path of Gods commaundementes, but also as we haue heard by the report and information of many credible persons (to our great grief & hart sorow) that Iohn Wickliffe Parson of Lutterworth, in the Dioces of Lincolne, professor of diuinitie (I would to God he were no author of heresie) to be fallen into such a detestable and abhominable madnes: that he hath propounded and set forth diuers and sundry conclusions full of errours and cōteinyng most manifest heresie, the which do tende vtterly to subuert and ouerthrow the state of the whole Churche. Of the whiche, some of them (albeit vnder coloured phrase and speache) seeme to smell and fauour of peruerse opinions, and the foolishe doctrine of condemned memory of Marsilius of Padua, and Iohn of Ganduno,  

whose bookes were by Pope Iohn the 22. our predecessour, a man of most happy memorye reproued and condemned. &c.

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¶ Hetherto gentle reader, thou hast heard how Wickliffe was accused by the Byshop. Now you shall also heare the Popes mighty reasons and argumentes, by the which he did confute him to the kyng. It followeth.

MarginaliaHere is prisoning, but no teaching. Therefore, for so much as our Reuerend brethren the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Byshop of London haue receiued a speciall commaundement from vs by our authoritie, to apprehend and committe the forenamed Iohn Wickliffe vnto prison, and to transporte his confession vnto vs: If they shall seeme in the prosecution of this their businesse to lacke your fauour or helpe, we require and most earnestly desire your maiestie euen as your most noble predecessors haue alwayes bene most earnest louers of the Catholicke fayth (whose case or quarell in this matter, is chiefly

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