CHAPTER I.

RELIGIOUS ASPECTS OF ENGLAND.

A CENTURY and a half had now elapsed since Wickliffe gave England her first Bible. During this whole period, the Church, backed by the State, had made it a steady aim to root out the tendencies which he had implanted in the common English mind. Yet, at the beginning of the sixteenth century, we find them still existing in all their living energy among the Lollards. The "voluntary system" had proved adequate to the perpetuation of an order of devoted, working ministers, "willing to endure all things for the elect's sake;" men, who from pure love for souls, made a joyful sacrifice of worldly gain and ease, and went forth, at the hazard of their lives, to preach the Gospel to the poor. Many shires of England were acquainted with the toil-worn, weather-beaten forms of these humble apostles of Bible piety; and about the time of Henry VIII's accession, numerous little congregations of "Brethren in Christ," (so they called themselves,) were existing in different parts of the kingdom as the fruit of their labors.

Being almost wholly from the lower classes, and taught by former persecutions to observe the greatest caution and secrecy, the timid flock had grown and multiplied undetected by their powerful foes.

At this period, they seem to have enjoyed a fresh access of spiritual life. Thomas Mann, one of their preachers, who died for heresy in 1518, is reported in the bishop's record of his trial as "confessing that he hath turned seven hundred people to his religion; for which he thanketh God." Such was their increase in zeal and numbers, that they could no longer escape observation. They were tracked to the lonely, unfrequented spots where they met under cover of night to worship God; neighbor was made spy on neighbor; husbands and wives, parents and children, brothers and sisters, were beguiled or forced to bear witness against each other. The Lollards Tower again echoed with the clanking of chains; the rack and the stake once more claimed their victims. But those dark days of tears and blood have left a precious memorial for after times, furnished by the very hands which were striving to blot' this pestilent sect' from the face of the earth. From the registers of the bishops, before whom those accused of heresy were tried, has been gathered a long list of lowly martyrs and confessors who, but for these cruel persecutors, would never have been heard of out of the plebeian sphere in which they were born. Nor do we need any better testimony than is furnished by these records, to the purity both of their doctrines and their lives. A simple, blameless people, full of love and good works, there was nothing to be found against them "save in the matter of the law of their God."

What strikes one with most surprise, in these humble

Christians, is the identity of their views at once with those of Wickliffe and his immediate followers, and with those afterwards known as the distinguishing traits of Protestantism. But the solution is easy. It was because they all drew from one and the same source, THE INSPIRED WORD OF GOD. Through their whole history, the living preacher and the written Scripture had gone hand in hand. There is abundant evidence, not only that Wickliffe's version was still preserved among them, but that they had numerous copies of it in whole or in part, which were diligently read by the families of common laborers and mechanics.

One of the most common charges against the Lollards of this period, was the possession of some portion of Wickliffe's Bible, and the ability to read it, or to repeat from it by heart. Among those "troubled" as suspected heretics, between the years 1509 and 1517, five persons were charged with having met together secretly to read "certain chapters of the Evangelists in English, containing in them,"-such was the sentence of the learned Bishops-" divers erroneous and damnable opinions and conclusions of heresy." One Christopher Shoomaker, burnt at Newbury, was accused of having gone to the house of John Say, and "read to him out of a book, the words which Christ spake to his disciples." In 1519, seven martyrs were burned in one fire at Coventry, "for having taught their children and servants the Lord's prayer and Ten Commandments in English." The register of Longland, Bishop of Lincoln, for the single year 1521, contains a list of some hundred names, most of whom were accused for reading or repeating portions of the Scriptures in the English language. Jenkin Butler accused his own brother of reading to him a certain book of Scripture, and persuading him to hearken

to the same. John Barrett, goldsmith of London, was 'troubled' for having recited to his wife and maid the Epistle of James without book. John Thatcher was accused of teaching Alice Brown this saying of Jesus:'Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.' Thomas Philip and Lawrence Taylor were cited for reading the Epistle to the Romans and the first chapter of Luke in English. "Cuthbert, Bishop of London, sitting judicially in the chapel within his palace, at London, ministered in word against John Pykas," who confessed' that about five years last past, at a certain time, his mother, then dwelling at Bury, sent for him, and moved him that he should not believe in the sacraments of the church, for that was not the right way. And then she delivered to him one book of Paul's Epistles in English, (manuscript); and bid him live after the manner and way of said Epistles and Gospels, and not after the way the church doth teach.' John Tyball was accused before this same bishop, of having had certain of Paul's Epistles after the old translation.' In 1529, John Tukesbury, a respectable citizen and leather merchant, of the city of London, confessed to having in his possession a manuscript copy of the Bible, and that he had been studying in the Holy Scriptures from the year 1512.'

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Their supply of Bibles was indeed scanty, compared with that enjoyed since the introduction of the press; but the lack was made up by an earnestness which could overcome all obstacles. We must not judge of these awakened minds and hearts, by the general standard of their class at the time. Was only a single copy owned in a neighborhood, these hard-working laborers and mechanics would be found together, after a weary day of toil, alternately reading and