Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse

An apology for Lollard doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe. Now first printed from a manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. With an introduction and notes by James Henthorn Todd.

wan he fond in þe temple þe properte of þe temple, he went out; for þe bigging stod þat man had reysid, but þe holines þat God had ordeynid was fallen; þe temple of man is biggid of stonis of faire composicoun, but þe temple of God is þe congregacoun of men leuing religiously. A man deliþ [in] þe bigging of wallis, but God in þe conuersacoun of seynts. Þe prophet seiþ, Lord, I haue [Dauid, Ps. xxvo.] louid þe fairnes. Wilk fairnes? Not þis þat diuersite of schining marbles maken, but þis þat þe barianns of gracis of louing me makiþ; þat fairnes delitiþ þe flesch, but þis quekeniþ þe soule; þat for a tym desceyuiþ and iapiþ þe ȝee, but þis biggiþ þe vnder|stonding perpetual. Þis seiþ he. Þerfor it semiþ good, spedi, and meritori, þat þe kirk be honorid, neuerþeles not to mikil nor super|flue, ne curiously, nor proudly, for glory of þe world, noiþer in biggings, noiþer in liȝts, noiþer in instruments, nor minstris ne|cessarijs in to vse þer of; but honestly and mesurabli honorid and kepid in alle þings, and mikil honestliar þan it is nowe in mani placis; and specialy þat feyris nor markets had no place in þe kirk, in solempne tymis, wan men schuld tent to preyers and to Goddis seruys; and þat in silk tyme men tent not to idil talis, foul spechis, harlotries, bakbityngis, or conuenticlis, purposing iuel, as þeft, or manslawt, or swilk oþer; so no synnis were vsid in þe kirk; þat þe house of God be not maad a den of þefis. Þus schuld þe kirk be honorid; but in þe quek gostly kirk, þat is þe congrega|coun of cristun men, auȝte honestly to be honorid, first in vertuis, and vertuis dedis, good maneris, and ritful warks, clensid of alle crimis and dedis forbeden hem in holi writt, and feiþful doctors, and ordinaunce of þe kirk; and þus schuld God haue a gloriouse kirk, þat is now pollutid and fylid wiþ many vnleful þings. Wheþer is it not writun in þe lawe of þe kirk þus? Forsoþ it is an horrible [Decretal.] þing þat in sum kirkes is witnessid marchaundis to haue place; so þat ani þing be askid for bischoppis, abbots, or oþer personis, to be putt in þer segis, or prestis to be induyd, or inled in kirks, or for sepulturis, or exequies, diriges of þe dead, or blessingis of wed|dings,
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Title
An apology for Lollard doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe. Now first printed from a manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. With an introduction and notes by James Henthorn Todd.
Author
Wycliffe, John, supposed author. d. 1384.
Canvas
Page 50
Publication
London,: Printed for the Camden Society, by J.B. Nichols,
1842.
Subject terms
Lollards

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"An apology for Lollard doctrines, attributed to Wicliffe. Now first printed from a manuscript in the library of Trinity College, Dublin. With an introduction and notes by James Henthorn Todd." In the digital collection Corpus of Middle English Prose and Verse. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/acm9160.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed May 16, 2025.
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