[1] [2] [3] [4] [5] This yeare was a bull sent from the pope vnto the vniuersitie of Oxenford,1 [...]78 to apprehend Iohn Wic|liffe, parson of Lutterworth in Leicestershire, with|in the diocesse of Lincolne.Iohn Wick|liffe. Also, there were other bulles to the same effect, sent vnto the archbishop of Canturburie, and to the bishop of London. Likewise to the king were letters directed from the pope, to re|quire his fauour against the said Wickliffe, so gree|uouslie was the pope incensed against him, and not without cause, for if his conclusions in doctrine tooke effect, he well perceiued his papisticall authoritie would shortlie decaie. As for the popish cleargie, to them not onelie the sect but also the name of Wick|liffe was so odious, that in recording his opinions and sectaries, they excéed the bounds of all modestie, aggrauating such reports as they infer concerning him or his with more than hyperbolicall lies: as ap|peereth by that long and tedious discourse which he wrote, that compiling certeine annales intituled De euentibus Angliae, prefixeth this verse in the front of his volume, in letters of red vermilon, as desiring to haue his name notoriouslie knowne to the world;

Hen. de Knigh|t [...]n canon. abbat. Leicest. in anna|li [...]. de Rich. secundo.Autoris nomen capitales litterae pandunt:

He (I say) in that copious treatise hauing spoken as maliciouslie & viperouslie as he might both of Wick|liffes life, which he concludeth to be lewd; of his opi|nions, which he auoucheth to be hereticall; and of his fauourers and followers, to whom (at his pleasure) he giueth vnreuerent epithets (all which to prosecute at length, as by him they are in ample sort laid downe, would but detect the mans malignitie, and procure an ouerthrow of credit to be attributed vnto his declarations) he maketh vp his mouth with a tristichon of poeticall imitation, to bring Wickliffe and his adherents into perpetuall obloquie and de|famation, saieng as followeth in verse and prose;

Si totum membrana solum, calamus nemus omne,

Et Thetis encaustum, scriptor & omnis homo,

Istorum facinus scribere non poterunt.

Maledictus conuentus eorum, quoniam pertinax, propterea Deus destruat eos, in finem euellat, & emigrare faciat de tabernaculis fidelium suorum, & radicem eorum de terra regni; & hoc videant iusti, & laetentur; vt dicere pos|sint; Ecce populus qui se exaltauit super electos doctores Do|mini, & sperauit in multitudine vanitatis suae: confun|dantur & pereant cum doctrina eorum in aeternum, &c.

But of Wickliffes life and doctrine to read at large, I remit the reader to the acts and monuments of the church, published by maister Iohn Fox: and now will we returne to matters of state and policie. There went foorth this yeare a verie great nauie of ships to the sea, vnder the guiding of the earle of Buckingham, the duke of Britaine, the lord Lati|mer, the lord Fitz Walter, sir Robert Knolles, and other valiant capteins,The nauie setteth foorth, and is beaten backe by tem|pest. meaning to haue intercep|ted the Spanish fléet that was gone to Sluse in Flanders, but thorough rage of tempest, and contra|rie winds, they were driuen home, although twise they attempted their fortune: but sir Hugh Caluer|lie, deputie of Calis, slept not his businesse,Exploits doone by sir Hugh Cal|uerlie. dooing still what displeasures he could to the Frenchmen. Shortlie after Christmasse, he spoiled the towne of Estaples the same daie the faire was kept there, to which a great number of merchants of Bullougne were come to make their markets, but the sellers had quicke vtterance, for that that might easilie be cari|ed awaie, the Englishmen laid hands on, and caused the owners to redéeme the residue with great sums of monie, which they vndertooke to paie; or else sir Hugh threatned to haue burnt all that was left, to|gither with the houses.