History of the English People, Volume II: The Charter, 1216-1307; The Parliament, 1307-1400Green, John Richard
History
History of the English People, Volume II: The Charter, 1216-1307; The Parliament, 1307-1400
Green, John Richard
Great Britain -- History
being revised and brought to the second form which is better known as
"Wyclif's Bible" when death drew near. The appeal of the prelates to Rome
was answered at last by a Brief ordering him to appear at the Papal Court.
His failing strength exhausted itself in a sarcastic reply which explained
that his refusal to comply with the summons simply sprang from broken
health. "I am always glad," ran the ironical answer, "to explain my faith
to any one, and above all to the Bishop of Rome; for I take it for granted
that if it be orthodox he will confirm it, if it be erroneous he will
correct it. I assume too that as chief Vicar of Christ upon earth the
Bishop of Rome is of all mortal men most bound to the law of Christ's
Gospel, for among the disciples of Christ a majority is not reckoned by
simply counting heads in the fashion of this world, but according to the
imitation of Christ on either side. Now Christ during His life upon earth
was of all men the poorest, casting from Him all worldly authority. I
deduce from these premisses as a simple counsel of my own that the Pope
should surrender all temporal authority to the civil power and advise his
clergy to do the same." The boldness of his words sprang perhaps from a
knowledge that his end was near. The terrible strain on energies enfeebled
by age and study had at last brought its inevitable result, and a stroke
of paralysis while Wyclif was hearing mass in his parish church of
Lutterworth was followed on the next day by his death.
[Sidenote: The Lollard movement]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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