The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

VII. Relentless Suppression of the Lollards

The story of the Lollards is a moving one. Wyclif’s “poor priests,” clad in russet robes of undressed wool, without sandals, purse, or scrip, went forth from place to place with pages of Wyclif’s Bible, tracts, and sermons. Their number increased, and they became a power in the land. The effort to suppress Lollardy was relentless. As early as 1387 commissioners were appointed in many parts of the kingdom to search out and seize the books and tracts of Wyclif and his followers, and send them to the council. All persons were forbidden to defend, maintain, or teach, openly or privately, the opinions set forth in these books, or to keep, copy, buy, or sell them, under pain of imprisonment and forfeiture of all their property. Many were apprehended, compelled to abjure, or to suffer imprisonment and even death for defiance. The bishops’ registers disclose intense activities along this line. PFF2 100.3

The contest that had developed between the English Government and the papal court was continued. The clergy were alarmed. The Lollards were threatened, and the pope urged their uprooting. Arundel had succeeded to the archbishopric in 1396. At a council in London eighteen conclusions from Wyclif’s Trialogus were condemned. The university was directed to remove all Lollards, and Wyclif’s “errors” were censured to the number of three hundred. Then Henry IV, in 1399, forbade preaching, teaching, or holding anything contrary to the Catholic faith, and demanded that all heretical books be delivered up within forty days—and those who refused to comply were to be burned alive. PFF2 101.1

Under this provision William Sawtree was burned alive at Smithfield in 1401 and the Lollards were persecuted with unceasing severity. In 1408 constitutions were made by Arundel again prohibiting the perusal of Wyclif’s writings. In 1411 forty-five articles attributed to Wyclif were condemned in London. And in 1415 Henry V and the primate Chicheley proceeded against the Lollards with even greater severity. All officers had to take an oath to destroy Lollardy. Lord Cobham was one of the first victims, as noted. In 1416 Inquisitors were appointed in every parish to search out persons suspected of heresy. Then the Council of Constance sat, and forty-five conclusions from Wyclif’s writings were condemned as false, heretical, and erroneous. His bones were ordered to be dug up and cast upon a dunghill. This sentence was not executed, however, until 1428 when Pope Martin V sent renewed orders to Fleming, bishop of Lincoln. ¹¹⁹ Such were the tribulations of Lollardy. PFF2 101.2