LOLLARDS
494
LOLLARDS
Langelaml. The real meaning of loller is one who lolls about, a vagabond; and it was equally applied, at fir^f, to the \\'ickliffites and to the lier/f/iiir/ //-{a rs .... [Beg- hiiins ((|. V. )]. But, before long, lulkr was purposelj confused with the Latin lolium, by a kind of pun. The derivation of loller from to loll rests on no slight au- thority. It is most distinctly discussed and explained, and its etymology declared by no less a person than Langcland himself, who lived at the time it came into use."
English LoUarcls. — Whatever be the derivation of the word Lollard, certain it is that bj' this name alone the followers of John Wickliffe (q. v.) were always desig- nated, who, in the early stage of the reformatory move- ments of the bold English churchman (about A.D. 13G0), consisted of the " Poor Priests" (q. v.), a class called to- gether by Wickliffe to carry the glad tidings of the (Jospel into the remotest hamlets, and to counteract the influence of the begging friars (see Beghards), who were then strolling over the country, preaching instead of the Word the legends of the saints and the history of the Trojan War (compare D'Aubigne, Hist, of the Ref- ormation, V, 91 sq.). For some time the mendicant or- ders, which had tirst entered England in the early part of the preceding century, had been the object of attack, both by the people and the clergy, for their rapacious and shameless conduct. Indeed, so much wa's the coun- try disturbed by the violence and vices of swarms of these sanctimonious vagabonds that the ancient records often speak of their arrest. Wickliffe's opposition to such a class of persons could not but have secured him the general respect and commendation of the people. Not so, however, when, to counteract the influence of the mendicants, he instituted the " Poor Priests," who, not content with mere polemics, preached the great mys- tery' of godliness, and became so greatly the favorites of the people that the clergy were threatened to be left without any attendants at their churches, preference be- ing shown to the poor priests, preaching in the fields, in some church-yard, or in the market-places. It wr.s not, however, until alter Wickliffe's appointment to the University of Oxford that any of the doctrines whi, h the Lollards as a sect afterwards maintained, and which caused his prosecution by the papists, were advocated and propagated. It is true, even as early as 1357, Wick- lirte had published a work against the covetousness of Rome (The last Age of the Church), and in 13G5 had vindicated Edward Ill's resistance to the claim of LTr- ban Y of the arrears of the tribute granted to the pa- (lacy l)y king John (see Urban V; Esgi^and); but it was not until (in 1372) he had taken the degree of D.D., and entered upon his work at Oxford University by able and em])hatic testimony against the abuses of the pa- pacy, that he drew upon himself the enmity of the Eng- lish prelates, and, in consequence, came to stand forth the advocate of reform and the leader of a movement for tliis purpose. Nor did the success of his course slacken in the least after his withdrawal from the uni- versity and his retirement to the small parish of Lut- terworth. Ever3'where those persons who had come under his intluence or been converted by his writings were busily engaged in disseminating the doctrines which he taught. His followers were to be found among all classes of the ))iipulation. Some, like the (hike of Lancaster, lord Percy, and Clifford, may have l)een attached to Wickliffe's views mainly by their po- litical sympathies, but the great mass of his adherents were such upon religious grounds. The examinations of those wlio, during the generation that followed his death (13H4), were arrested or punished as heretics, indi- cate tlie common doctrinal |)ositiou which they almost uniformly maintained. It was sulistantially identical witli that taken by Wickliffe in his writings. The su- preme authority of the Scripfures in religious matters, the rejection of transubstantiation, the futile nature of pilgrimages, auricular confession, etc., the impiety of image-worship, the identilication of the papal hierarchy
with Antichrist, the entire sufficiency of Christ as a Saviour, without the need of priestly offices in the mass, or any elaborate ceremonial — such were the points upon Avhich they were pronoiuiced heretical, and, aa such, per- secuted and condemned.
Up to 1382, through the events of the time, the great schism of the papacy, the indignation excited in Eng- land by papal encroachments, the scandalous conduct of many among the prelates and clergy, Wickliffe, as well as his follo^vers, had been left comparatively unmolest- ed, and he himself even escaped altogether. Not so, however, his followers, who were, near the time of his death, rapidly augmenting all over England. The tes- timony of Knighton and Walsingham indicates the rapid spread of Wickliffe's opinions, though there may be some exaggeration in the remark of the former to the effect that " nearly every other man in England was a Lol- lard." In 1382, however, more decided action was taken on the part of the ecclesiastics, and resulted in the con- vening of a council by archbishop Courtney. By it ten of Wickliffe's articles were condemned as heretical, and twenty-four as erroneous. The archbishop issued his mandate, forbidding any man, " of what estate or condi- tion soever," to hold, teach, preach, or defend the aforesaid heresies and errors, or any of them, or even allow them to be preached or favored, publicly or privately. Each bishop and priest was exhorted to become an " inquisi- tor of heretical pravity," and the neglect of the man- date was threatened with the severest censures of ex- communication. This measure took effect at Oxford, where the chancellor, Robert Rygge, was inclined to fa- vor Wickliffe's opinions, and the proctors, John Hunt- man and Walter Dish, were in sympathy with him. A sermon by Pliiliii Reppyngdon, which they had allowed, and in which ^\■icklif^e's views were defended, subjected them to suspicion. They were summoned before the archbishop, and with some difficulty escaped on sub- mission. The chancellor was required to put Wickliffe's adherents to a purgation or cause them to abjure, pub- lishing before the university the condemnation of his conclusions. His reply was that he durst not do it for fear of death. '• What !" exclaimed the archbishop, " is Oxford such a nestlcr and favorer of heresies that the catholic truth cannot be published ?" At the same time, by the archbishop's authority, Nicholas Hereford. Phil- ip Reppyngdon, John Ashton, and Lawrence Betlemen, whose names were associated with Wicklift'e's, ^\■ere de- nied the privilege of preaching before the university, and suspended from every scholastic act. The chancel- lor himself was addressed as " somewhat inclined and still inclining to the aforesaid conclusions so condemn- ed," and, under pain of the greater excommunication, he was enjoined to permit no one in the universitj- to teach or defend the obnoxious doctrines. The injunction of the archbishop was enforced by the command of the royal council.