bishop Islip, in the room of one Wodeball, whom the Archbishop difmiffed for tubulent and factious behaviour, with three of the scholars, who were regulars, and had zealously taken part with the warden. them to put their trust in a scrap of parchment, and the prayers of hypocrites. He did not however yet avowedly question any doctrine of the church, A but he took care to lead his adverfaries into logical and metaphyfical difputations, accuftoming them to hear novelties, and to bear contradiction ; he bewildered them with learned arguments on the form of things, on the increase of time, on space, fubftan e, and identity; and he artfully, but cautiouffy, intermixed fome new opinions in divinity. But Wicliff was fcarce established in his wardenship, before the Archbishop died, and was fucceeded by Langham, Bishop of Ely. Langham had fpent his life in a cloyfter, having been first a Monk, and afterwards an Abbot;-the ejected regulars therefore instantly ap- B plied to him to be re-inflated; and Langbam was fo well inclined to their caufe, that he not only ejected Wicliff, but the regular fcholais, and fequeitered their revenues. From fo flagrant a piece of injuftice, Waliff appealed to the Pope: The Pope found it critical; and therefore referred it to a Cardinal: The Archbishop was cited; he put in his plea; and, accufation and anfwer being often repeated, the bufine's would have been protracted to great length, if an accident had not brought it to a speedy conclufion. Edward the Third, who was now D King of England, had for fome time witheld the tribute which his predecellors, from the time of King John, had paid to the Pope; and his parlia ment had determined, that fuch tribute ought never to have been paid; advifing the King, when the Pope threatened, not to fubmit. But while the King and Parliament were thus calling in queflion the Pope's authority, the clergy, efpecially the regulars, preached and wrote zealouf ly in its defence. Thefe advocates were anfwered by Wicliff, with fuch trength as turned the fcale against them; but, foon after the publication of this book, Wicliff was informed, that the fuit at Rome was determined against him. But, notwithstanding his difappointment, he continued at Oxford, where his friends procured him a Benefice; and foon after, having taken a Doctor's degree, he was elected Proteflor of Divinity. He now continued his attack upon the monaftic clergy, in his public lecTures, and imputed the decay of religion to their fcandalous lives, and dangerous doctrines; alledging, that they had nothing in them but temporal advantages; and that, instead of enforcing the neceffity of a good life, they entertained the people with idle tales, and lying miracles, and taught E F At length, finding he had a trong party in the fchools, and that he was littened to with attention, he ventured gradually to difplay his opinions. He began by invalidating all the writings of the Fathers after the 10th century: He traced many of the fpeculative corruptions from their origin, and fhewed their gradual increase as they defcende i through the ages of ignorance and fuperftition; he pro ceeded to the ufurpations of the Pope, fpeaking with great freedom, and fupporting his pofitions with a ftrength of reafoning far fuperior to the learning of thofe times. A violent clamour was immediately railed against him; and the Arch bishop profecuting him with great vi gour, he was at length deprived and filenced. At this time the King, Edward the IIId, was fo much impaired, both in body and mind, that the whole adminiftration of affairs was in the hands of his fon, the Duke of Lancaster, commonly called John of Gaunt," This prince had made the clergy his enemies, as well by his principles as his conduct; he had free notions in religion, and he had made fome ef, forts to curb the exorbitance of eccle, fiaftical power. For this reason, the clergy were continually provoking him, and he let flip no oppertunity of bringing them into the fame contempt with others, in which he held them Ghimfelf The Duke therefore patronifed Wicliff, refcued him from the hands of his enemies, took him into his confidence, and treated him with particular kindness. About this time an embally was fent to the Pope, in confequence of petitions from parliament, in very warm terms, against the giving all church priferments, even rectories & vicarages, to foreigners who refided abroad. And the Bishop of Bangor and Wichiff were at the head of this embally. The embally fo far fucceeded, that it was agreed the Pope fhould no longer difpofe of any benefices in the church of England: But the negociation was A tedious, and gave, Wicliff a ftill worfe opinion of the court of Rome, with refpeet to its doctrine, miniftry, and defigns, than he had before. When he returned, he was more vehement in his lectures against its infallibility, ufurpation, pride, avarice, and tyranny; and he was the first that gave, the B Pope the name of Antichrif. In the mean time be was frequently, at court, where he continued in great credit with the Duke of Lançafter, who gave him the rectory of Lutterworth in Leicestershire, a good benefice, which rendered him independent without eminence, and was therefore lefs likely to ftimulate the malice of his enemies, and lefs expofed him to it. But he was fcarce settled in his parish, when they took advantage even of his retirement, to perfecute him with freth vigour. His principal adverfary was Courtzey, Bishop of London, an inflamed bigot: and having got letters from Rome, he cited Wicliff to appear before him at St Paul's. Wielf immediately applied to the Duke, and the Duke, to give him countenance, attended him to his trial, and engaged Percy, Earl-Marshal of England, to accompany them. D 1. F a bill to deprive London of its privileges; upon which the corporation met, and the populace affaulted the Houfes of the Duke and the Earl Marfbal, who both left the city with precipitation. These tumults, which continued fome time, put a stop to al proceedings against, Wicliff, who remained at quiet for the reft of King Edward's reign. The Prince died in 1377, and was fucceeded by his grandion, Richard the IId, then only eleven years old, The Duke of Lancafler having now loft his power, the regency being put into coinmiffion, a new perfecution was commenced by the Bishops against Wicliff; and articles of accufation having been dispatched to Rome, the Pope feat over no less than five bulls, three directed to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of London, a fourth to the University of Oxford, and a fifth. to the King; the Bishops he required to examine, whether Wicliff really held the herefies of which he was accused; and if he did, to imprifon him, or cite him to appear at Rome within three months., Hitherto the Pope had been impli citly obeyed by all the potentates in Christendom; but Wicliff had by this time diffufed fuch a fpirit of liberty, that the University would not fo much as receive the bull; and the Regency joined with the Parliament, to make their contempt of it as notorious as. poffible, by appealing to Wicliff for the determination of a queftion in which the Pope was a party. The court of France, taking the advantage of the minority, was making great preparations to invade England; and as more money than could easily be raised was wanted to put it into a ftate of defence, it was debated by par. liament, whether, upon fuch an emergency, the money collected for the use of the Pope might not be applied to the fervice of the nation. The expediency of the meafure was acknowG ledged; and it was agreed, both by the Regency and Parliament, that Wicliff thould determine whether it was lawful. They found the court fitting, and a great croud affembled: The arrival of fuch perfonages occafioned no little difturbance in the church; and the Bishop of London, piqued to fee Widlif fu attended, told the Duke, that if he had known what iturbance he would have made, he fhould have been stopped at the door. This produced a quarrel between them; and the Duke, being haughty and paffionate, at laft faid to a perfon who stood near him, loud enough to be heard by others, that, rather than take fuch ufage from the Bishop, he would pull him out of the church by the hair of his head. These words fpreading among the crowd, produced a great ferment; and voices were heard from every part, crying, that the Bishop thould not be infulted. This confufion put an end to all bunnefs, and the court broke up H without having taken one step in the bufinefs for which it was held. The Duke went directly to the house of peers, and that very day preferred Wicliff determined as they intended and expected he should: but tho' he gratified them, he provoked the Bifhops to proceed against him under the authority of the bulls, with yet greater vehemence. The Duke of Lancafter, however, fent the Bishop of London a peremptory order, forbidding him to imprison Wielif; he therefore cited him before a provincial fynod at Lambeth, fending a copy of the heretical articles of which he was accused, and requiring him to explain them. Wicliff appeared and delivered in a paper, in which he explained them fo as to exculpate himfelf from the charge of Herefy, but in a fense so forced and unnatural, and in fo unmanly a ftrain of complement, that, it mhult be confeffed, exhibit this celebrated Reformer in a very unfavour able light. It was not, however, fatisfactory to the fynod; but the populace, who were not fo nice, and who had profited by Wicliff's determination, with refpect to the application of the Pope's money, fo as to lighten their taxes, cried out, that he fhould fuffer no injure. At this junctury Sir Lewis Clifford, a gentleman about the court, entered the chapel, and, in an authoritative manner, forbid the Bishops to proceed to a definitive sentence; & then retired. The Bishops, taking it for granted that he came properly authorized, which however does not appear, were thrown into fome confufion, and the tumult at the door increafing, they diffolved the affembly, without performing any other judicial act, than forbidding Widliff to preach the doctrines that had been objected to, any more. To this prohibition, however, he paid very little refpect, going about bare-footed, in a long frieze gown, and preaching every where occafionally to the people, without the leaft referve. It has been fuggefted by his advocates, that, by this zeal, he might intend to atone for his want of fincerity in his written answer. Juft at this crifis, 1378, the Cardi. nals being diffatisfied with Pope Urban VI. pretended to find a flaw in his election, and chose Clement the VIIth in his ftead. The contests between thefe two venerable Vicegerents of Jefus Chrift, which deluged Europe with blood, gave Wicliff a new theme against Popery ; and be published a tract, fhewing how little credit was due to either party : This was eagerly read by all forts of people, and greatly contributed to undermine Popery. of the most eminent citizens of Ox. ford, to acquaint him, that, hearing he was at the point of death, they thought proper to put him in mind of the many injuries he had done them, and to admonifh him, for his foul's fake, to retract his calumnies, and make them fuch fatisfaction as was in his power. Wicliff, furprized at this folemn meffage, raised himself in his bed, and with a ftern countenance cried out, I fball not die, but live, to deB clare the evil deeds of the Fryars. The unexpected force of his expreffion, & the sternnefs of his manner, it is faid, drove away the Fryars in confufion. D E Soon after his recovery, he began his great work, the tranflation of the Bible into English; and immediately published a tract, in which he fhewed the neceffity of putting the word of God into the hands of the people; from which, he faid, every Christian might gather knowledge enough to make him acceptable to God. As to comments, he declared he knew none equal to a good life, for, fays he, He that keepeth righteousness, bath the true underfanding of holy writ. When his Bible was published, it was eagerly procured and read, and gave much fatisfaction to good men. Some have contended, that Wicli was not the firft tranflator of the Bible into English; but he was certainly the firft that tranflated the whole together, tho' others might have given detached parts. It does not however appear, that Wicliff understood Hebrew; he collected what Latin Bibles he could, and having from thefe made one correct copy, he tranflated from that. He af terwards examined the best commentators, particularly Nicholas Lyra, and from them inferted in his margin those paffages in which the Latin differed from the Hebrew. In his tranflation he is literally exact, but in his other works his language is wonderfully elegant for the times in which he lived. His fcrupulous adherence to the mere literal fenfe, fometimes betrayed him into abG furdity; for he trandates Quid nobis es tibi, fefu fili Dei, thus: What to us, and to thee Jefus the fon of God. About the end of the year, he was feized with a dangerous distemper, and was waited upon by an extraordinary H deputation: The Begging Fryars, whom he had before fo feverely treated, fent four of their order, with four A great clamour was raised against this book by the clergy, and they brought a bill into parliament to fupprefs it, alledging that it would be the ruin of all religion. Their zeal, however, only made it more generally read, and in the height of their clamour Wic At this answer, the Archbishop took new offence, and preferred a bill in parliament to enable fheriffs to imprifon preachers of herefy. This bill was thrown out, but the Archbishop Aobtained the King's licence by letters patent for the fame purpose. if went ftill further, and attacked the doctrine of transubstantiation, a doc. trine fo extravagantly abfurd, that the miracle it pretends is scarce more wonderful than that rational creatures fhould believe or pretend to believe it. It was never heard of till about the year 820, when it was broached by one Pafchafe Radbert, a wild enthufaft, and was received at once, unaided by prejudice, and zealously patronifed by the church, as well adapted to imprefs mankind with an awful B and fuperftitious horror. Wicliff offered to defend his refutation of this doctrine in the schools, but the religious would not fuffer any fuch queftion to be debated. Wicliff then printed and publifhed his refutation, upon which, Dr Barton, then vice-chancellor of Oxford, called the heads of the univerfity together, and they condemned Wicliff's doctrine as heretical, and threatened him and his hearers with imprisonment, and excommunication. D Wicliff was greatly mortified at be. ing thus treated at Oxford, which till now had been his fanctuary, and immediately appealed to the duke of Lancafter, from the vice-chancellor's fentence, but his credit declining, and Wicliff and his followers having been eprefented as the fomentors of Wat Tyler's fedition, the duke deferted him, probably fearing his attachment E to him would render him still more unpopular; and when Wicliff urged him with religious motives, he anf. wered coolly, that of thofe things the church was the best judge, and admonished him to quit his novelties, and fubmit quietly to his ordinary. It had been usual for the King to grant Letters Patent of the fame kind, upon special occafions, but Ricbard being unpopular, and there being many difciples of Wicliff among the people, a great clamour was raised on this occafion, members of parliament were instructed by their conftituents, and the king was petitioned to revoke his licenfe, and the king being in want of money complied. It happened unfortunately for Wie- p liff, that Courtney, the bishop of London, his old perfecutor now became archbishop of Canterbury in the room of Simon of Sudbury, whom Tyler's rab. ble murdered during the infurrection. By this prelate Wilff was cited to the monaftry of Grey Fryars, but he refufed to appear, alledging that he was G exempt from epifcopal jurifdiction as a member of the university, and the univerfity declaring that they would fupport their member in favour of their privilege, the archbishop was fatisfied. The Archbishop, however, obtained other Letters Patent directed to the university, and requiring her to expel all who held Wicliff's opinions, or in whole cuftody his books fhould be found. With thefe letters, the university after some struggle, was obliged to comply. The court however met on the appointed day, and condemned fome of H Wiel's opinions as erroneous, and fome as heretical. This determination with the reasons was published, and Wyliff answered it. The univerfity, however, was, by this measure, thrown into the utmost confufion; all ftudy was at an end, and the animofity between the two parties ran fo high, that they diftinguifhed themselves by badges, and could fcarce be reftrained from publick violence. It does not appear, whether Wichi was or was not brought to any account in confequence of these proceedings, but it is certain, that he quitted the profeffion chair, and took his final leave of the university, which, till now, he feems to have vifited once a year. Thus far the unwearied precaution of the Archbishop prevailed, the feeds however were scattered, though the root was drawn, Wicliff's opinions were propagated with great fuccefs, and if you met two perfons on the road, you might be fure one was a follower of Widlif About this time, the conteft bétwen the two parties continuing, a Bull came into England in favour of Urban, promifing plenary indulgence to all that would take up arms against his rival. 156 Curiofities found at Pompeii.-Remedy for the Stone. He was ftruck with a palfy foon after the Part of a Letter from a Gentleman at THE nume HE antiquities which have been found at Pompeii are very rous; and many of the paintings, ftaTues, and mofaics are capital. The B chambers which were painted are preferved. None of them have windows, and the light they received was by the doors, which are of a very tall proportion. At Herculaneum two galleries have been discovered, ornamented with paintings. A curule chair was found in each gallery, one of them gilt. At Averfa, 20,000 pieces of gold coin, each of the value of fix Carlins [half a crown] have been dug up. All of them are Saracenical; and they were "claimed by the Fifcal, on behalf of the King. At Brundifi, a hundred Rotoli [weight about 33 ounces English] of Roman filver denarii, were lately difcovered. Thefe denarii begun with Septimus Severus, and went down to Philip, the fon. The King had 75 of the Ratoli. C D E At Pefto, many fmali curious Etrufcan vafes have been dug up. The lat autumn feveral English ladies went thither to view the antiquities of that place; and afterwards the Princefs Francavilla, with other company. Mr Bruce, a Scots gentleman, has caufed the three Bafiliche remaining there to F be defigned; and Signor Ricciardelli, who was not long ago in England and Ireland, has defigned and painted as much of that city, its walls, towers, buildings, as could be reprefented in one picture. Mr URBAN, B EING a constant reader of your Magazine, am defirous, through your channel, to offer to the public (for the benefit of all those who are afflicted with that dreadful difeafe the one and gravel) the following remedy, which was communicated to me by a gentleman of America, My cale was fo bad I was fcarce able to walk acrofs my room; and when I turned in my bed, could find the ftone roll round my bladder, which caufed Exquifite pain: I was fo much dif G fpirited as to have given up all hopes of cure, (for I had tried the foap, and many other remedies) till I was die rected, by the aforefaid gentleman, to drink a glass of cold spring-water, (about a quarter of a pint) the moment I rofe in the morning, and the fame the last thing before I went into bed at night. I followed this advice, and after a little trial found myself better, and, by a continuance, am fo entirely freed from that disorder, that I can ride over the ftones from one end of the town to the other, or ufe any fort of exercife, without the leaft pain or obstruction. What is become of the ftone I fo long felt in my bladder I know not, but fuppofe it diffolved, and came away, by the great quantity of fand voided at fundry times; for it is cerAs I am tain I have none there now. often troubled with the gout, I ab- Mr URBAN, Na treatife on parish rates, lately I published; after enquiring, by whom the faid rates fhould be made; who are to be taxed, and for what.It is propofed to confider in the next place, how and in what manner, and what the rule of taxation. And in this point it is obferved, that the ftatute of the 43d of Elizabeth is quite filent. Perhaps the reafon no mention is made of the rule of taxation in that ftatute of Elizabeth, might be becaufe it was done before, in the 23d of lien. VIIIth, Ch. 5. Sel. 3. where it is enacted, that perfons are to be taxed after the quantity of their lands, by ibe number of Acres and Perches, after the rate of every persons Portion or Profit, Whether this was the foundation of the practice, which has been in ufe time out of mind, of taxing by an equal valuation per acre or fore, according to the nature and quality, of the land; and whether it does not confirm, and ought not to establish that ancient practice, is recommend ed to the ferious confideration of al A B. parties concerned. Some |