An apologie for Iohn Wickliffe shewing his conformitie with the now Church of England; with answere to such slaunderous obiections, as haue beene lately vrged against him by Father Parsons, the apologists, and others. Collected chiefly out of diuerse works of his in written hand, by Gods especiall providence remaining in the publike library at Oxford, of the honorable foundation of Sr. Thomas Bodley Knight: by Thomas James keeper of the same.

The Answere.

THis accusation is without all peraduc̄tu••es false. For what were the landes and goods of Bishops, Cathedrall Churches, or otherwise belonging to Religious houses, which were giuen, Deo q & Eccle∣siae, were they not r Temporal, Possessions? And yet are rightfully held, according to VVickliffs tenure, by Ec∣clesiasticall Ministers; and long might they and peace∣ably enioy them for him, in as ample manner as euer they did, so long as they did see thē well imployed, ac∣cording vnto the will and purpose of the Donours, wil∣ling nothing contratie to Gods wordes. I speake of Bi∣shops lands, or lands of Cathedrall Churches▪ For as for the lands belonging to so r many Chauntries, Col∣ledges, Abbayes, Friaries, Priories, Monasteries, and other Religious Houses, he was absolutely of opinion, that it were great pietie, for Religious kings to dispos∣sesse them wholly of them, •• and giue them gentifaci∣enti iustitiam, to good and godly vses,•• and •• woulde to

God, this had beene in K. Henry the eighths minde, when he pulled downe the Monasteries, either to haue turned them into Colledges, & nurseries for learning and religion, into Hospitals, Almeshouses, Spittels, & such like religious Maisons de Dieu, or which, though I mention last, yet considering the state of the Church and the Policie of our aduersaries, I should thinke fit with the first to be recōmended vnto a Religious king, and vertuous Nobilitie, to the maintenance of a Col∣ledge of writers, Collators, Comparers, and in briefe such a Colledge, as might in short time, with good or∣ders, be able to match & perhaps overtop, al that rab∣ble of Jesuited Colledges thoroughout Christēdome. Because I haue euer beene of VVicliffes minde, in this point, that s those which are employed in cōmon affaires of the Church should haue publike maintenance & allow∣ance. But the children of this world, are wiser then we, Vt iugulent homines, surgunt de nocte Latrones, vt te••p∣sum serues, non expergiscere? If the Diuel be so readie to sow tares in our bookes, shal not we bee as readie to purge them out of our writings? should not we, be as diligent, to restore, as they are to take away, from the the workes of the ancient Fathers? I speake this, to a∣waken my selfe and others, that we may stirre vp these godly motions in the hearts of the people, if by anie meanes it may be brought to passe. Of the Cleargies promptnes & zeale to set forwarde so publike and pro∣fitable a busines, which the necessities of the times, & importunitie of our aduersaries doe in a manner •• call for at our hands, I doubt not; but alas, they that should u helpe others, are scarcely able to mainetaine them∣selues

and the outwarde state and face of the Church (which vnlesse it bee maintained with some Maiestie, and reuerence of the people will soone decay, and be disfigured) is so cleane changed, vt non cognoscas ean∣dem esse: yet well fare the Papists for mainetaining the outward discipline of their Church, though corrupted with much impietie and blasphemie. They know, that it fareth not with vs, as it did with the Christiās, in the Primitiue Church: we of the Cleargie want the gifte of miracles, to draw the people vnto vs, and the people haue not the gift of charitie, to draw vs vnto them: but this shalbe my comfort, non simale nunc, & olim sic erit.

Notes

• q

  Regum & Regno••um est rimari ra∣di••itus vtrū eleemosynae quas contule∣runt pauperi∣bus secundum formam legis diuinae Legis Ecclesiae sint expensae. De Verit. Script▪ pag. 466. Interest Regū & aliorum∣rectificare e∣leemosynas progenitorū suorū lb. 466. Da••, Ecclesia talem legem fi••ijs vel Nepotibus, ac honestioribus propinquis eius qui construxit vel do∣tauit Ecclesiam lb. pag. 455.
• r

  The law of the Realme beholdeth the thing that is giuen and pretended, that is i•• the thing, that is giuen, be of lands or goods, the determi∣nation thereof, of right belongeth in this Realme to the Kings lawes, whether it be in spiritual men or temporal, to the Church or to other, De fundamentis Legum Angliae l. 1. c. 32. It. The goods of spiritual men be Temporal in what manner soeuer they come to them, & must be ordered after the Temporal law, as the goods of ••ēporal•• men must be lb.
• r

  Non credo, quod grandis constructio Monasteriorum, & a dificiorum, velcumu∣latio Temporalium, vnigeneri, alio nobiliori depauperato fortifi•• at Rempublicam; sed infirmat- Quia (si non fallor) omnis tales dotationes generis Clericorum, omnes tales impe••ta••••nes Caenobiorum-fiūt ex turpi luc••o & questu illicito, Reipublicae infectio. lb. alias dixi, quod minus malum fore t Vt ex propriata forent omnia temporalia qui∣bus Ecclesia Anglicana est dotata, vt exeis darentur stipendia Lai••is l••teratis, necessari•• is ad officium Regis & Secula••ium dominorum. De Verit. Scrip. pag 465.
• s

  Si quis labo∣rat in negoti∣js communi∣bus. S Matris Ecclesiae, viuat de communi stipendio. De Verit, Scrip. pag. 436.
• Horatius •• Cur Patres Londini haud edidistis? Pos∣seuinus in Ap∣pend. ad Ap∣paratum.
• u

  The liuings of Byshops, & other Cler¦gie men, are so greatly im∣paired or pa∣red rather, by I knowe not whose de¦fault.