Joannes Bale Ep. Ossoriensis, 1552.

Præter vitam quam vere Apostolicam Vuiclevus duxit, ingenio, facundia, atque eruditione multiplici, omnes in Anglia commilitones longo intervallo superabat. Unde ipsum æternus Pater, anno post Servatorem natum 1360, per suum Spiritum suscitavit, ut in mediis errorum tenebris, ac locustarum Tartarearum seu hypocritarum obscurationibus, pro sua veritate staret, magnanimus Christi pugil; fieretque adversus ejus infestissimos hostes, Antichristos, insuperabilis Ecclesiæ columna.

Nicholas Harpsfield, Archdeacon of Canterbury, 1554. Ingenio sane fuit acri atque acuto, sed nimis vehementi atque populari.

Lucas Osiander.

Anno Christi 1370 Joannes Wiclef in Anglia multa scribere cœpit contra Pontificia dogmata: ideoque inter Hæresiarchas numeratus est; non tamen per omnia sincerus. Fuit in Anglia circa A. D. 1383 vir quidam doctus Jo. Wicleff, theologus et Ecclesiæ pastor, qui non tantum vitiosos mores et scelera Pontificum Romanorum et Cleri Pontificii (ut alii boni viri dudum antea fecerunt) taxavit; sed ipsam etiam doctrinam Pontificiam et multos errores Pontificiorum reprehendit, et Verbo Dei contraria esse scriptis suis publicis demonstravit. Qui tamen ejus libri non per omnia sunt puri, non enim habuit tum coætaneos qui potuissent eum (sicubi longius extra metas progressus fuisset) fraterne admonere.

Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Joannes Wicliffe Sacræ Theologiæ Professor, et Ecclesiæ parochialis de Lutterworth in Leycestriæ comitatu Rector, multa in Romanam Curiam, consuetudinemque Oxonii disputavit, eadem e suggestu coram populo ac proceribus sæpe prædicavit. Huic Lancastriæ Dux, et e plebe permulti adhærere cœperunt. Gregorius autem Papa veritus ne ejus suasione Angli deficerent; ad Regem, Archiepiscopum, Episcopos et Oxoniensis Academiæ Cancellarium acriter scripsit, ut eum aut coercerent, aut prorsus abscinderent.

Lanquette's Chronicle continued by William Cooper. Witcliffe about this time [1366] was famous in Englande: who for speaking against the usurped power of the Romaine Bishop, and other enormities then accustomed in the Churche, was called an hereticke.

Carionis Chronicon.

Initium disputationum harum [de tyrannide Pontificia; avaritia, luxu, superbia sacerdotum; de votis, impuro cælibatu, &c.] fecerat paulo ante Wicleffus in Anglia circiter annum 1372.

Joannis Funccii Chronologia.

A. D. 1368. Joannes Wicleffius circa hæc tempora in Anglia Papatum falsitatis convincit.

Henrici Gutberti Chronologia.

Joannes Wicleffus Anglus circa annum Christi 1370, mores Pontificis et Pontificiæ Ecclesiæ dogmata graviter reprehendit, atque adeo ipsum Pontificem Antichristum appellare ausus est. Quamobrem publice in Schola Oxoniensi hæresiarcha est proclamatus. Dogma ejus præcipuum fuit, Extra Biblia in rebus spiritualibus non esse quærendam veritatem.

Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury.

John Wiclef was a singular instrument of God in his time to set forth the truth of Christ's Gospel. But Antichrist, that sitteth in God's temple boasting himself as God, hath by God's sufferance prevailed against many holy men, and sucked the blood of martyrs these last years.

About this time, A. D. 1394, was that cursed heresie of Johan Wyclyfe in England which heresie infected moche people. And under the habit of a lambe hydynge wolvyshe crueltee haad purposed to subverte all the state of the Churche. And the sclaunderous scysme whiche was in this evyll tyme was a greate helpe and socoure too them.

Fabian.

In this yere, 8 Ric. II. about this time began the heresy of John Wyckliffe in England, the which was greatly avaunced by mean of the scisme in the Churche hanging at those dayes betweene twoo Popes sytting at ones.

Jean Crispin.

Wicleff commence l'aube du jour la predication de l'Evangile. Jean Wicleff Anglois homme de grand esprit florissoit en ce temps: et commença de tirer, comme d'une nuict profonde, la verité de la doctrine du Fils de Dieu. Il avoit estudié en l'Université d'Oxone, et estoit parvenu à tel degré d'erudition qu'il estoit estimé le plus excellent entre les theologiens. En ses leçons avec la pureté de la doctrine qu'il enseignoit il touchoit aussi vivement les abus de la Papalité tellement que les locustes, assavoir les moins mendians, s'eleverent contre luy: mais le Seigneur luy donna pour protecteur le Roy Edouard du regne duquel il eut asses grand liberté en sa profession. Richard, successeur du dict Edouard, le persecute et le bannit: mais comme un vray champion du Seigneur, il demeura toujours constant jusques à la mort: Ses Conclusions, ses livres, et sa doctrine demonstrent les dons et graces que Dieu luy avoit conferées.

John Speed.

If we cast our eie on the Reformed Churches in Christendome, and with them on Luther, Husse, and Jerome of Prague, they will all confesse they first took their light from the learned Wicliffe of Oxford: the lampe of whose sacred knowledge hath illumined not only all the corners of this kingdom, but also all those foreign states whom it hath pleased God to deliver from the thraldom and vengeance of Babylon. Many lewd opinions, by misconstruction, (as his books yet extant evince,) are fathered upon him.

Johannes Forbesius.

Orthodoxam Catholicæ antiquitatis doctrinam (de cultu imaginum] defendit in Anglia Joannes Wiclif circa annum Domini 1372.- proximo post Innocentium seculo, illud [decretum Lateranense de Transubstantiatione] oppugnavit Joannes Wic

lif.

Thomas Brightman.

Hi tres sunt Angeli quorum primus illi celebres viri fuerunt qui circiter annum 1300 exorti sunt: Ockamus, Marsilius Patavinus, Joannes de Ganduno, Arnoldes de Villa Nova, Dantes, Petrarcha, ac imprimis Joannes Wicklefus Anglus, cujus uberior erat doctrina quam reliquorum, altiusque penetravit et eas radices egit, ut nunquam ab eo tempore potuerit extirpari.

John Jewel, Bishop of Salisbury.

As for John Wickleffe, John Husse, Valdo and the rest, for ought I know, and I believe, setting malice aside, for ought you know, they were godly men. Their greatest heresy was this, that they complained of the dissolute and vicious lives of the Clergy, of worshipping images, of feigned miracles, of the tyrannical pride of the Pope, of Monks, Friers, pardons, pilgrimages and purgatory, and other like deceiving and mocking of the people; and that they wished a reformation of the Church.

William Camden.

Hujus [emporioli Lutterworth) Ecclesiam rexit ille celeberrimus Joannes Wickliffe; vir ingenio subacto, et sacris literis versatissimus, qui cum calamum in Pontificiam autoritatem, et Romanam Ecclesiam strinxisset, non solum gravissime exagitatus erat dum viveret: sed etiam anno post mortem quadragesimo primo in corpus sævitum fuit, quod Senensis Concilii mandato exhumatum erat et exustum.

Lancelot Andrews, Bishop of Ely, 1610.

Multa de Wiclefo mentitur Waldensis more Lyncei inquisitores vestri videre sibi videntur quæ præter eos nemo (invidia scilicet oculorum aciem, ut fit, adjuvante) nusquam enim in operibus ejus reperta, quæ manuscripta apud nos sunt; edenda merito in lucem, ut hæc, ut aliæ non paucæ calumniæ diluantur.

John Tillotson, Archbishop of Canterbury.

And yet during that degeneracy of so great a part of the Christian Church, and the prevalency of Antichrist for so many ages, some few in every age did appear who did resolutely own the truth, and bear witness to it with their blood: but these did almost stand alone and by themselves, like a few scattered sheep, wandering up and down in a wide wilderness. Thus, in the height of Popery, Wicliffe appeared here in England; and Hierome of Prague, and John Huss in Germany and Bohemia.

Anthony a Wood.

Johannes de Wickliffe, vel Wycleve, exercitatissimus fuit philosophus, et clarissimus theologus; excellentis et plane divini ingenii, immensa et pene innumera doctrinæ monumenta post se reliquit.

Johannes Cluverius.

Illis temporibus [A. D. 1369.] Joannes Taulerus interioris sapientiæ præco, et Joannes Wiclefus Anglus liberioris puriorisque Theologiæ Doctor, Pontificiæ superstitionis subversor, Franciscus Petrarcha melioris literaturæ instaurator enituere.

Henry Wharton, Vicar of Minster in the Isle of Thanet. Joannes Wiclefus natione Anglus, in septentrionali insulæ parte natus, Oxonii in Collegio Mertonensi educatus, cujus primum Scholaris, dein Socius fuit, Collegii Cantuariensis ac Ваliolensis præfecturæ tandem admotus: philosophus insignis, theologus omnibus numeris consummatissimus; nec minus vitæ sanctimonia et morum castitate, quam doctrina eximius. Theologiam scholasticam ad unguem edoctus, imprimis vero Occami, Lincolniensis, atque Armachani studiosus lector; postquam Doctoratus insignia tulisset, Theologiam in Academia Oxoniensi publice professus est; demum Ecclesiæ de Lutterworth in provincia Lecestrensi Rector factus.

Lawrence Echard, Archdeacon of Stow.

About this time [1377] the famous Dr. John Wicliffe, a man of an acute wit, profound learning, and great judgment, publickly maintained several material points and propositions, in the University of Oxford, against the Church of Rome; particularly against the Pope's supremacy, the infallibility of the Church, and transubstantiation.