WYCLIFFE, Joni, the Father of the Reforma tion, not only in England, but in all Europe, was born about the year 1324. His surname was de rived from the village or parish of Wycliffe, the place of his birth, six miles from Richmond, York shire, of which his family were proprietors from the Conquest till the year 1606. He was early destined for the church, and entered Queen's College, Ox ford, in the seventeenth year of his age. He after wards removed to Merton College, in the same uni versity, which latter institution could boast of some of the most eminent characters of that period. He soon indeed became as distinguished as any of them. Not only did he become eminent as a dialectician, and mastered all the intricacies of the Aristotelian system, but he applied himself to the study of the sacred volume; a practice equally uncommon and despised: he perused with equal assiduity the writ ings of the Fathers; and so profound and minute was his acquaintance with the Christian system, that he was honoured with the title of Evangelical Doctor. This knowledge soon led to important re sults: even at first it disclosed to him the corrupt and hollow character of popery, and induced him to manifest little respect either for that hierarchy or for its ministers. This became evident from his first publication, entitled "The Last Age of the Church," which appeared in 1356; and soon after wards, in his dispute with the mendicant friars, who had interfered with the discipline and privileges of the university. From defending this seminary, he proceeded not only to attack these coenobites, but the church to which they belonged; and the more he read and meditated on this subject, the more clearly he perceived the abominations of popery. The cause of the university was carried before par liament, before which court Wycliffe advocated in person the views which he had espoused; and though he was successful there, yet, on appeal to the pope, the mendicants obtained a dispensation in their favour. Not long after this the pope made encroachments on the independence and preroga tives of the Anglican church, by conferring the richest benefices of the kingdom, not solely on foreigners, but on mere children. Parliament took up the question; and commissioners being nomi nated to confer with the pope on the subject, Wy cliffe was appointed one of them. These commis sioners were not permitted by his holiness to repair to the papal residence, but delegates'were appointed to meet them at Bruges. The embassy terminated
unfavourably to the English nation, but it enabled 'Wycliffe to trace more fully the corruption of the Romish hierarchy, and to inspect more nearly the fountain from which they flowed. On a subsequent occasion, the parliament of England consulted Wy cliffe on a question of a similar nature, namely, whether, in case of necessity, and as the means ot' the defence of the country, the king was entitled to detain its treasure, and to forbid contributions to the pope, even under pain of the censure of his holiness. This question he fearlessly answered in the affirmative, supporting his view in a disquisi tion equally candid, learned, and judicious.
Meanwhile his merits had not gone unrewarded. In 1361, he had been elevated by the university to be master of Baliol College; about the same time he was presented to a rectory in the church, and in 1365 raised to the wardenship of Canterbury Hall; from which last situation he was ejected on an ap peal to the pope; a circumstance which probably urged him more zealously to oppose that tyranny of which he was himself a victim. He was after wards appointed Professor of Divinity, and pre sented with the rectory of Lutterworth; situations conferred on him by the king. He resided at his rectory, and most zealously performed the duties of a parish minister there, except during the session of college, when he as faithfully devoted himself to the discharge of his academical functions. His opinions, expounded and enforced both in the pulpit and his place as professor of divinity, rapidly spread, and, in spite of ancient prejudices or igno rance, became popular, and were imbibed by per sons of the greatest rank and influence. In the meantime he was the object of the most rancorous persecution on the part of the church, urged on by the pope; proceedings of which an account cannot here be given. Under every circumstance, he dis played the utmost fortitude, and an unflinching regard to sound doctrine. On one occasion, when labouring under a dangerous malady, some mendi cant friars entered his chamber, in order to induce him to recant what they regarded as heresy. They knew little of the man with whom they had to do. Lifted up in hed by his servants, and emaciated as he was, he cried with a loud voice,—" I shall not die but live, and yet declare the evil deeds of the friars." In 1382 he was driven from Oxford, but his rectory still remained to him, to which he re tired.