ADVERTISEMENT. THIS Edition of Lewis's Life of Wiclif is printed verbatim from a copy corrected by the Author, which was purchased at the sale of Sir Peter Thompson's Library, by Mr. W. Clarke, Bookseller in London, and by him sold to the Delegates of the Clarendon Press. 255613 THE PREFACE. It is the usual practice of the men of this world, who hate the light, and will not come unto it, to defame the persons and blacken the characters of those who tell them the truth. Instances of the justness of this observation we have too many in all countries and ages: but as flagrant an one as any, is what has been lately given us here at home by a pretended Presbyter of the Church of England. This man proposes to furnish the English reader with a history of the pretended Reformers. He begins with John Wiclif, John Huss, and Jerome of Prague, and assures his readers, that "when Wiclif (who, it seems, stands most "in the man's way) is dispatched, the world shall be obliged with a farther account of some more Reformers; "that they are under the curse of the Amalekites; not even an Agag shall be spared." To execute this doughty undertaking, he has, as he tells us, made English from the French original, the History of the Heresy of John Wic lif, &c: but, for what reason he knows best, he is not so kind as to let his reader know who wrote this history. Whether he knew the name of Varillas, which is infamous among even the Papists themselves for his want of even common honesty, would discredit his performance, or whatever reason he had for it, he wisely drops his author's name. But had he himself had any knowledge of the English history, he must surely have been ashamed to have been the translator of a writer, who writes in so open defiance of it; for thus he tells us very gravely," that Peter- E. Tr. p. 5. pence was a tribute exacted yearly upon every chimney P. 13. P. 18. p. 4. p. 38. p. 20, 22. p. 20. p. 29, 4. p. 27. p. 25. p. 35. "in the kingdom: that before the Conquest the laws of "England were not written laws, but conveyed down by "the tradition of the magistrates: that the privileges of "Parliament are an usurpation upon the royal authority: ❝ that the election to bishoprics, here in England, in Wic“lif's time, absolutely depended on the voices of the Chapcr ters, though the Court of Rome did often intervene." It is no wonder that a writer who could blunder at this rate should tell us, that " Thomas Arundel (who he says else"where was Archbishop of Canterbury 1386, ten years "before he was so) anathematized Wiclif, &c. in a Coun"cil at Canterbury 1377: that Wiclif was cited by the "Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London to ap66 pear before them almost a year before King Edward "III.'s death: that the Pope's schedule of nineteen "Conclusions held by Wiclif was a scroll of three er 66 rors which he had advanced: that Wiclif was de"sirous to succeed Sudbury the Archbishop of Canter"bury, and that the ministers of the Court of Rome op"posed his election: that the rebellious boors were the "followers of Wiclif: that John Ball went to seek out "Wiclif, who received him with open arms, and after two "or three conferences gave him leave to preach his doc"trine; and that Wiclif recanted before a Council held by "Archbishop Courtney at London 1382." It can be no surprise to any one to find a writer, who is so full of perpetual impostures, calling places and persons by wrong names, as Leicester, Lancaster; Swinderby, Windarby ; Wodford, Winchfort; unless these be the escapes of the translator, who calls William Wodford, John Woodford. But as gross a falsehood as any is what this fabulous and romantic writer says of the learned Sir Henry Spelman, the collector of our English Councils. Having asserted, that Wiclif being brought before his proper judges, Archbishop Courtney, &c. at London 1382, abjured all he had taught contrary to their sentiments, without exception; he adds, that " that piece [the form of abjuration] had yet "been to be found in its place among the acts of the |