WITH regard to this tract, as with many that follow, I can give no decided opinion as to authorship. I find it monotonous and poor in style, but in substance it contains nothing that may not be Wyclif's, while there is so much of his characteristic teaching that it must be by one of his intimate disciples if not by himself. The reference to Bishop Spencer's crusade (p. 8) shows that it was written about 1383. In some parts it very much resembles the Fifty Heresies and Errors of Friars, printed by Mr. Arnold, No. XXIV. Compare especially pp. 14, 15, with Chapter XVII. of the Fifty Heresies (S. E. W. III. 280).
There is a lively description in Chap. III. of the tricks of the friars, which agrees well with Chaucer's description of his friar, whose
typet was aye farsed full of knyfes And pynnes for to give faire wyfes.
The touch about their making friends with women by giving them pet dogs (p. 12) is, so far as I know, peculiar to this tract.
Copied from the Corpus MS. X., and collated with the Dublin MS. AA.
| CHAP. I. | Christ commands us to flee the leaven of Pharisees, who belonged to a singular religion. The Religious of these days are like them. |
| II. | Proofs of hypocrisy. Their pride, envy, persecution of true preachers, covetousness, self-indulgence, and unchastity. |
| III. | How they offend against each of the Ten Commandments. |
| IV. | How they do the contrary of the works of bodily mercy. |
| V. | How they do the contrary of the works of spiritual mercy. |
| VI. | How they fail in Faith, Hope, and Charity. |
| VII. | The duty of exposing their wickedness. |
| VIII. | Cowardice and falseness prevalent among all classes. Faults of priests. |
| IX. | Faults of Lords. |
| X. | Faults of Commons. |
| XI. | The faults of the Religious are much the worst. |
