ΧΙ CHAP progress, and the final triumphs of the English Reformation were not sensibly affected by his principles." The influence of Wickliffe passed away, indeed, at his death, so far as it was an influence for good. His followers were unworthy to be called religious reformers, their opposition to the established order of things in the Church being only part of that opposition which they offered to established order in general. But the spirit which had arisen among Wickliffe's followers was never laid: and when the bright light of a true Reformation began to dawn, it was at once obscured by the clouds of sectarianism which were already floating in its pathway. Wolsey During the time of Wolsey's rule, these rising and the "heretics" opponents of the Church were so far tolerated that none of them ever suffered severe punishment. They were required to abjure their heresies, and did abjure them readily enough, being, however, quite as ready to take them up again as they had been to lay them down; sometimes they were made to bear faggots in a public procession by way of penance, and to wear a faggot embroidered on the sleeve of the coat; 2 Hardwick's Hist. of the Christian Church during the Reformation, p. 180, ed. 1865. Those who recanted, or "abjured," are spoken of as suffering confessors by Foxe "the Martyrologist." A great number recanted (some of fearfully blasphemous language) in the immense diocese of Lincoln under Longland: but it is singular to observe that even Foxe could only discover seventeen such abjurers during the sixteen years, 1512-1527, in the diocese of London. He reckons about twelve as burnt for heresy throughout England during the same time, but he is uncertain about some of these, and very vague about all of them. [See Acts & Mon., book vii.] This penance was continued in the time of Edward VI. On Low Sunday 1549, a man named Champneys bore a faggot at the Paul's Cross Sermon, Coverdale being the preacher. On the following Sunday a Colchester farmer named Putto did the same, repeating the penance afterwards at Colchester. [Stow's Chronicle of the Grey Friars, London, p. 58.] XI in aggravated cases they were put in the stocks, and CHAP imprisoned. But the character of the Cardinal was too mild and gentle to impose the penalties which the law enjoined upon them, and his influence extended so widely that few, if any, authentic cases can be produced in which those penalties were inflicted with his knowledge or concurrence from the time of his advent to power to that of his fall. As has been said in the second chapter, one charge in the indictment brought against him after his fall was that he had endangered the Christian religion by his extreme leniency towards heretics, and some illustrations of that leniency will be found in the same chapter. His tolerance was not that of a good- Grounds of natured man indifferent to religion, but the patient ance spirit of a large-hearted one who could bear the revilings of foolish "doctrinaires" without retorting upon them with severity; and who, with all his strong feelings as to orthodoxy, would rather win them from their follies by wise remonstrances than give them a false glare of martyrdom by punishment. And in this he was far in advance of all other men of his age, whether they belonged to the conservative party, as did Sir Thomas More, or to the party of progress, as did Archbishop Cranmer and Bishop Latimer. his toler anti The anti-Church party seems to have possessed Organized some degree of organization under the name of "The Church Christian Brethren," and to have made its first efforts party at proselytism by circulating books in which the principles and practices of the Church of England were strongly denounced. One of its agents obtained a footing at Oxford as early as the year 1527. This was Thomas Garrett, then Curate, and ten years afterwards Rector of All-Hallows, Honey Lane (now ΧΙ Garrett's ford with antiChurch books CHAP united to St. Mary-le-Bow) and formerly Fellow of Magdalen. At Easter and Christmas, in the year A. D. 1527 named, he visited Oxford; and on his second visit he remained for several weeks, gathering a number of visit to Ox- the young men around him in meetings which were supposed to be secret, and selling them books which he had brought with him. Wolsey knew of his visit, and did not at first interfere; but eventually found it necessary, in deference to a letter from Bishop Longland, in whose diocese Oxford was, to send down commissioners to search for the books, which were forbidden by the King and the Pope. It seems, however, that he contrived means for the escape of Garrett, for a warning was given to the latter by Cole, one of the Proctors of the University, who was known to Wolsey and shortly after became his cross-bearer. Garrett left Oxford accordingly on February 18, 1527-8, but was eventually taken at Bedminster, near Bristol, and carried before Wolsey, who imprisoned him for a time, and then Commis dismissed him after a ready abjuration." The comsearch for missioners at Oxford (the chief of whom were Dr. Cottesford, Master of Lincoln, Dr. London, Warden sion to his associates Strype names the following:- distinguished divines. Strype's Ecc. Mem., i. 569, ed. 1822. Ellis' Orig. Lett., III. ii. 77. Either he got into trouble again, or his rector was also implicated: for John Whalley writes to Cromwell in 1529, "As touching the Prior of Reading, one of the prisoners in the Tower, within three days after your Mastership departed, was removed from Fryth and his fellows into Beauchamp Tower, accompanied with the parson of Honey Lane, and Christopher Coo, to be converted." Ellis' Õrig. Lett., III. ii. 163. ΧΙ of New College-a visitor of the monasteries after- CHAP wards-and Dr. Higdon, Dean of St. Frideswide) proceeded with their search, and discovering a number of young men, as already stated, who had bought Garrett's books, and more or less sympathized with their contents, they caused them to bear faggots at Oxford, and there the matter ended. 8 "White Horse" Cambridge Some four years before this, a theological party of The much greater importance was forming at Cambridge, Hote the members of which, says Strype, "flocked to- divines of gether in open streets, in the schools, and at sermons A.D. 1523 in St. Mary's and at St. Austin's, and at other disputations." The names given by him are those of Dr. Barnes, Stafford, a divinity reader, Bilney, Latimer, Dr. Thixtel, Thomas Allen, of Pembroke, Dr. Farman, President of Queen's, Mr. Took, Mr. Loude, of Bennet, Mr. Cambridge, Field, Colman, Coverdale, Bachelors of Divinity, Parnel, of St. Austin's, Thomas Arthur, Dr. Warner, Segar Nicholson, Rodolph Bradford, of King's, and Dr. Smith, Fellow of Trinity Hall. "These, and a great many more, met often at a house called the White Horse, to confer together with others, in mockery called Germans, because they conversed much in the books of the divines of Germany brought thence. This house was chosen because those of King's College, Queen's College, and St. John's might come in at the back-side, and so be the more private and undiscovered." At the time this party was first 8 There is a long-winded narrative of these transactions in Foxe, written by one Anthony Delaber. From his own account he was a very unscrupulous undergraduate, who set no value on truth though he talked loudly about "the Truth." 1822. Strype's Ecc. Mem., i. 568, ed. CHAP forming at Cambridge, in the year 1523, Wolsey had ΧΙ refused to interfere when his legatine authority was A.D. 1527 invoked, the refusal being made the forty-third lenieney towards vators charge in his indictment seven years afterwards. But when Oxford was called to account, it was necessary also to take some steps respecting CamWolsey's bridge. Bilney and Arthur were accordingly summoned before the Cardinal and his synod at the inno- Westminster, on November 27, 1527, when both of them readily abjured, and were dismissed, doubtless with an admonition as to future conduct. Barnes was also brought before the Cardinal, as has been before narrated. Latimer too was summoned, but dismissed by Wolsey with very kindly words and a general preaching license, which gave him authority to preach in any part of England. Such was the character of the "persecution" which the antiChurch party underwent at the hands of Wolsey. Some who escaped so easily then, received a very different treatment afterwards at the hands of others. Severe enforcement laws by For after the influence of Wolsey had passed away, of heresy the laws against heresy began to be enforced with Wolsey's great rigour, such as had, indeed, never been used successors before, a severity which continued in force for a third of a century, and gives a miserable character to the period. History of heresy laws A short history of these laws will not be unacceptable to the reader before entering upon the account of their practical application and subsequent modification in the last twenty years of the reign of Henry VIII. The correction of misbelievers was originally part 1" Wolsey's persecution."-Froude's Hist. Eng., i. 71. |
