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.

hired plowman in to serueys to dwel wiþ him, to do ani dede, and feiþfully to serue to him in to þat werk, and þat seruaunt obliche him to do so, ȝefing feiþ to þis; if he felle not aftir in dede and tyme aftir his hiȝt and couenaund, but goþ a wey þer fro, and leuiþ to wirke, and doþ contrarily directly, and in to þe harme of his maistir, it is certayn þan, þowe he be his seruaunt of dette and oblisching, naþles he is not his seruaunt in filling of werk, and so not in dede; but raþer aduersari, fals trespasor, and traytor. And þus it semiþ in þe propos. If ani chosun of God himselue, and of þe puple, in to pope, or prelate, and ordend in to vicar of Crist to his office in ȝerþe, and he hiȝt it; whan he filliþ not in dede, but doþ contrarily to his behest in degre, he semiþ not to be þe vicar of Crist in dede. And so, þowe he be his vicar vp degre and dignite, and oþer tyme in dede, wan he doþ þe dedis of þe office, þerfor þe pope ioi not, or ani prelat, or oþer in þe nam of dignite or of state, wan it is not to perpetual blis to þe soule. But al dred more lest þei geit þer of harme to þe soule, and tymung for defaut of trespase; for þi þat in swelk þe synne aggregiþ bi resoun of þe degre; for þus it is writun, Joi þu not of þe vnpitouse [Ecclus. xvio.] sonis, if þe drede of God is not befor hem; for better is oon dredan God, þan a þowȝand vnpitouse. And better to die wiþ out barnes, þan to lef vnpitouse barnis aftir. And efte þus seiþ Crist; Joi ȝe not for spiritis are sogetis to ȝowe, but joi ȝe þat ȝor namis [Luc. xo.] are writun in heuen. And eft seiþ þe gospel, Makiþ worþi frutis of [Matt. iiio.] penaunce, and wil ȝe not sei wiþin ȝor self we haue þe fadir Abra|ham, for God is miȝti of þe stonis to reise þe sonis of Habraham; for now is þe axe sett to þe rote of þe tree, þerfor ilk tree þat makiþ not good fruȝt, schal be kyt doun, and cast in to þe fire. And eft Jerom seiþ; It is not liȝt to stond in þe place of Petir and [Jerom.] Poule, and hold þe chaur of hem þat regnun wiþ Crist; for þer of it is seid; þei are not þe sonis of seyntis þat holdun þer placis, but þei þat vse þer werkis. An Gregor seiþ, We þat are prestis how [Gregor.]
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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 4
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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