§ 43. THE LOLLARDS. 349
the subject fairly in his Lollardy, 1. 101-117, Capes, pp. 125-128, F. D. Matthew, in Eng. Hist. Rev., 1895, and Bigg, Wayside Sketches, p. 127 sq., take substantially the position taken by the author. Gasquet was preceded by Lingard, Hist, of Eng., IV. 196, who laid stress upon More's testimony to offset and disparage the honor given from time immemorial to Wyclif in connection with the English Bible.
How can a controversialist be deemed fair who, in a discussion of this kind, does not even once refer to Wyclif 's well-known views about the value of a popular knowledge of the Scriptures, and his urgency that they be given to all the people through plain preaching and in translation ? Dr. Gasquet's attitude to " the strange personality of Wyclif " may be gotten from these words. Old Eng. Bible, p. 88 : " Whatever we may hold as Catholics as to his unsound theological opinions, about which there can be no doubt, or, as peace-loving citizens, about his wild revolutionary social theories, on which, if possible, there can be less," etc.
The following are two specimens of Wyclifs versions : — MATT. VIII. 23-27. And Jhesu steyinge vp in to a litel ship, his disciplis sueden him. And loo ! a grete steryng was made in the see, so that the litil ship was hilid with wawis ; but he slepte. And his disciplis camen nigh to hym, and raysiden hym, sayinge. Lord, saue vs : we perishen. And Jhesus seith to hem. What ben yhee of litil feith agast? Thanne he rysynge comaundide to the wyndis and the see, and a grete pesiblenesse is maad. Forsothe men wondreden, sayinge : Whatmanere man is Ae this, for the wyndis and the see obeishen to hym.
ROM. VIII. 5-8. For thei that ben af tir the fleisch saueren tho thingis that ben of the fleisch, but thei that ben af tir the spirit felen tho thingis that ben of the spirit. For the prudence of fleisch : is deeth, but the prudence of spirit: is liif and pees. For the wisdom of fleische is enemye to God, for it is not suget to the lawe of God : for nether it may. And thei that ben in fleisch : moun not please to God.
§ 43. The Lollards.
Although the impulse which Wyclif started in England did not issue there in a compact or permanent organization, it was felt for more than a century. Those whoadopted his views were known as Wycliffites or Lollards,, the Lollards being associated with the Reformer's name by the contemporary chroniclers, Knighton and Walsingham, and by Walden.^ The for-
1 In 1382 Repyngdon was called Lollardus de secta Wyclif, and Peter Stokes was referred to as having opposed the " Lollards and the sect of Wyclif," Fasc, 296. Knighton, II. 182, 260, expressly calls the Wycliflaans Lollards, Wycliviani qui et Lollardi dicti sunt.
350 THE MIDDLE AGES. A.D. 1294-1517.
mer term gradually gave way to the latter, which was used to embrace all heretics in England.
The term Lollards was transplanted to England from Holland and the region around Xlolo^ne. As early as 1300 Lollard heretics were classed by the authorities with the Beghards, Beguines, Fratricelli, Swestriones and even the Flagellants, as under the Church's ban. The origin of the word, like the term Huguenots, is a matter of dispute. The derivation from the Hollander, " Walter Lollard," who was burnt in Cologne, 1322, is now abandoned. 1 Contemporaries derived it from loHum, — tares, — and referred it to the false doctrine these sectarists were sowing, as does Knighton, and probably also Chaucer, or, with reference to their habit of song, from the Latin word laudare, to praise. ^ JThe most natural derivation is from the Low German, lullefL or einlulleny to sing to sleep, whence our Engliah lullaby. None of the Lollard songs have come down to us. Scarcely a decade after Wyclif's death a bull was issued by Boniface IX., 1396, against the " Lullards or Beghards " of the Low Countries.
The Wycliffite movement was suppressed by a rigid inquisition, set on foot by the bishops and sanctioned by parliament. Of the first generation of these heretics down to 1401, so far as they were brought to trial, the most, if not all, of them recanted. The 15th century furnished a great number of Lollard trials and a number of Lollard martyrs, and their number was added to in the early years of the 16th century, ^ctive measures were taken by Archbishop Courtenay ; and under liis successor, Thomas, earl of Arundel, the full force of persecution was let loose. The warlike bishop of Norwich, Henry
1 Fredericq, I. 172. A certain Matthew, whose bones were exhumed and burnt, is called Mattseus LolL-urt. Fred., I. 250. For documents associating the Lollards with other sectarists, see Fred., I. 228, II. 182, 133, III. 40, etc.
2 So Jan Hocsem of Li^ge, d. 1348, who in his Gesta pontiff. Leodiensiicm Buys, eodema7ino (1309) qnidarn hypncrUcc gyrovagi qui LoUardisive Deumlaudantes vocabnntiir, etc. Fred., I. 154. Chaucer, in his Prologue to the Shipman^ s Tale, says: —
This loller here wol prechen us somewhat He wolde sowen some difficulte Or sprenge cokkle in our cleue com.