Christs victory over Satan's tyranny Wherein is contained a catalogue of all Christs faithful…Christs victorie ouer Sathans tyrannie Wherin is contained a catalogue of all Christs faithfull…

THE FIFTH PART OF THE ECCLESIASTICAL History containing the Acts of Martyrs.

THE FIFT PART OF THE ECCLESIASTICALL History containing the Actes of Martyrs.

Although the Holy Ghost raised up many before Wycliffe, to vanquish the great errors which daily did prevail in the world, as Berengarius, Bruno of Aniow▪ Oklens the second, Valden: Marsilius, of Pado•: John of Gandavo: Okchammus, with divers others of that school, yet because they were not very famous nor notable, we will begin at Wycliffe, at whose time the furious fire of persecution seemed to take his original.¹

ALthough the Holy Ghost raised vp many before Wickliffe, to vanquish the great errors which daily did preuaile in the world, as Berengarius, Bruno of Aniow▪ Oklens the second, Valden: Marsilius, of Pado•: Iohn of Gandauo: Okchammus, with diuers others of that schoole, yet because they were not very famous nor notable, we will begin at Wickliffe, at whose time the furious fire of persecution seemed to take his originall.¹

1. 11371

In those great and troublous times, and horrible darkness of ignorance, what time there seemed in a manner to be no one so little spark of pure doctrine remaining, this foresaid Wycliffe, by Gods providence, sprang up, through whom the Lord would first waken, and raise up again the world, which was overmuch drowned, in the deep streams of humane traditions, when he had long time professed Divinity in Oxford, and perceiving the true doctrine of Christs Gospel to be adulterate with so many filthy inventions of Bishops, sects of Monks, and dark errors: first, he began to touch the Sacrament of the body and blood of Christ, in which he took much pains, protesting in open school that it was his purpose to call back the Church from her Idolatry in this point, but this sore could not be touched, without the great grief of the whole world: first the whole glut of Mnkes and Fryers were mad with him, fighting for their altars, paunches and bellies: after them the Priests; after them the Bishops took the matter in hand; at last when there power seemed not sufficient to withstand the truth, which then was breaking out, they ran wholl to the thunder-bolts of the Bishop of Rome, against them all: this valiant Wycliffe haply maintained the cause of the Sacrament, proving it by Scriptures, and the ancient Doctors: he refused the Doctors since the thousand years after Christ, saying, that after these years Satan was loosed, and the life of man hath been most subject to errors, and that the simple and plain truth doth appear and consist in the Scriptures, when all humane traditions must be referred: he proved most stoutly, in the Sacrament, the substance with bread, the accident not to be present. As long as King Edward the third lived, he was well enough defended by him against all there wolfish cruelty, yet in the last year of his reign, he was taken by the Bishop of Canterbury, at the instigation of the Pope, and put to silence in presence of the Duke of Lancaster, and the Lord Henry Percy, yet after by the favour of certain Noble-men he kept not long silence, but King Edward being dead, Pope Gregory never ceased to move King Richards mind, by his Letters, Bishops and Bulls, to persecute Wycliffe, and his adherents: