An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

but God by a small occasion, did lightly overthrow their devises, for the day of examination being come, a certain personage of the Princes Court of no great noble birth, named Lewis Clifford, entering in among the Bishops, commanded them that they should not proceed in any definitive sentence against John Wycliffe. By which words, they were amazed, and durst not proceed: and thus escaped Wycliffe the second time:¹ and was by them clearly dismissed with a certain declaration made of his articles, and protestation, that he would, while he lived, maintain the law of Christ: and if through ignorance, &c. John Wycliffe was greatly supported by the Londoners:² by whose means he escaped the hands of the Bishops the second time: and proceeded, publishing, and preaching the trueth: whom also it greatly helped, because in the same year, or the next following, Gregory the Pope dyed.³ After whom ensued such schism betwixt two Popes, that it continued in the Church nine and thirty years, till the time of the council of Constance: ⁴the occasion of which schism, was through the pride of Urban the sixth. From whom (about the same cause) of his Cardinals, the most part, and other Princes shrank, and set up another French Pope against him, named Clement, ⁵who reigned eleven years: and after him, Benedictus 13. ⁶that reigned six and twenty years. Again, of the contrary side, after Urbanus 6. succeeded Boniface 9. Innocentius 8. Gregorius 12. ⁷Alexander 5. John 13. in this order: Urban 6. eleven years, and eight months. Boniface 9.14. years & 9. months.⁸ Antipopes, Clement 11. years. Benedictus the 13. 26. years. Pope, Innocentius the 8. two years. Gregorius the 12. two years, 7. months. Alexander 5. 11. months.