HE life of JOHN WICK-
LIFF. View of the state of
England, at the period in which he
appeared, 11. his birth, 21. his ap-
plication to his ftudies, ibid, his ra-
tional method of studying the Scrip-
tures, ibid. his conteft with the beg-
ging Friars, 22. chofen Warden of
Canterbury-Hall, 23. oppofes the
Pope's claim of tribute-money from
England, 25, elected Divinity Pro-
feffor at Oxford, ibid. opposes the
errors of Popery, 26, 27. is protected
by the Duke of Lancaster, 28. fent
on an Embaffy to the Pope, 29. is
made Rector of Lutterworth, 30.
the Pope fends five Bulls into Eng.
land against him, 32. articles exhi-
bited against him, 34. his opinions
condemned, 40. his death, and cha-
racter, 42. account of his opinions,
43. and his works, 52.
II. The life of WILLIAM OF
WYKEHAM, Bishop of Winchef-
ter. His birth, 53. his education, 54.
employed by King Edward III. 55.
his numerous preferments, 56, 57.
made Bishop of Winchester, 59. and
Lord Chancellor, 60. his fpeech to
the Parliament, 61. removed from
the Chancellorship, 62. founds his
Colleges, 66. articles of impeach.
ment brought against him, 69. pro-
hibited from coming within twenty
miles of the Court, 71. takes his
place at the convocation, 73. re-
ceives his pardon, 74. his attachment
to the worship of the Virgin Mary,
79. again appointed Chancellor, 86.
his death, go. account of his will,
91. his character, ibid.
III. The life of JOHN GOWER.
His education, 95. intimacy between
him and Chaucer, 96. the moral ten-
dency of his works, 97. makes á
confiderable figure in his profeffion,
98. his character vindicated, 99.
Icfes his fight, 101. his death, ibid.
account of his works, 104.
IV. The life of GEOFFREY
CHAUCER. His birth, 109. his
education, ITO. travels through
France and the Low Countries,
ibid. enters himfelf of the Middle
Temple, ibid. appears at Court, 111.
his marriage, ibid. is made Gentle-
man of the King's Privy Chamber,
and has a penfion affigned him, 112.
his manner of living at Woodstock,
113. goes to Genoa, to negociate
with the Doge and Senate, ibid. is
made Comptroller of the Cuftoms in
the port of London, ibid. attacks
the vices of the Clergy, 115. falls
into misfortunes, 117. account of
his fons, ibid. is obliged to fly into
Hainault, 118. returns into England,
119, is imprisoned, ibid, but released
foon after, and retires to Woodstock,
120. has feveral grants from the
King, 123. his death, 124. description
of his perfon, 125. his character, 126.
account of his works, 131.
V. The life of Sir JOHN OLD
CASTLE, Lord Cobham. His birth,
138, has marriage, 139. makes fome
attempts towards a reformation of
the Church, ibid. difperfes the works
of Wickliff among the common pec-
ple, 140. oppofes the tyranny of Ri-
chard II. ibid. a profecution com-
menced against him for Herefy, 154.
the King exhorts him to retract his
errors, 155. he waits upon his Ma-
jefty with a confeffion of his faith,
156. is committed to the Tower, 157.
his examination before Archbishop
Arundel and the Clergy, 159. his fpi-
rited behaviour, 160. fentence of ex-
communication pronounced against
him, 163. efcapes out of the Tower,
165. is hanged and burned, 167. his
character, ibid. obfervations on the
treatment which he received from the
Romish Clergy, 167.
VI. The life of HENRY
CHICHELY, Archbishop of Can-
terbury. His birth, 169. his educa-
tion, ibid. is made Bishop of St. Da
vid's, ibid. is fent on an Embassy to
France, 170. is made Archbishop of
Canterbury, 171. his fpeech to en-
gage Henry V. to undertake a war
against France, 174. goes over into
France, 178. returns to England
again, and exercifes the power of
ecclefiaftical cenfures against Lord
and Lady Strange, ibid. appointed
one of the Commiffioners to treat of
a peace between England and France,
180. diftinguishes himself by his zeal
against Herefy, 181. founds a Col-
lege at Higham Ferrers, 187, falls
under the difpleafure of the Papal
See, 189. a difpute between him and
Cardinal Kemp about precedency,
193. founds All Souls College, 194.
his death, and character, 196.
VII. The life of JOHN TAL-
BOT, Earl of Shrewsbury. His
birth, 197. his fummons to Parlia-
ment, ibid, his marriage, ibid. com-
mitted to the Tower, ibid. made
Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, ibid. is
prefent at the fiege of Caen, 198.
recovers the city of Mans from the
French, 199. takes the town of La-
vai, and goes to the fiege of Orleans,
ibid. diftinguishes himself there, 200.
his intrepid behaviour at the battle of
Patay, 204. is taken prisoner, ibid. is
exchang'd for Xaintrailles, 205. re-
fumes his command in France, ibid.
makes himself mafter of several
sowns, ibid, takes St. Dennis, 206.
and Pontoife, 208. raises the fiege of
Crotoy, 209. ravages Picardy, and
takes feveral towns in Normandy,
ibid. relieves the garrison of Meaux,
210. relieves the garrifon of Pontoife
three feveral times, 211. is created
Earl of Shrewsbury, 212. returns to
England, 213. appointed one of the
Plenipotentiaries for treating of a
peace with England, ibid. his brave
attack upon the French troops at St.
Hillary, 215. appointed Governor of
Guienne, 217. makes himself master
of the city of Bourdeaux, ibid. is
killed, together with his fon Lord
Lifle, at the battle of Chastilion, 219.
his character, ibid.
VIII. The life of RICHARD NE-
VIL, Earl of Warwick. His birth,
221. accompanies his father, the Earl
of Salisbury, into Scotland, ibid. bis
marriage, ibid. lis magnificence and
hofpitality, 225. takes up arms in fa-
vour of the Duke of York, 226.
commands the vanguard of the York-
ifts at the battle of St. Alban's, ibid.
he is made Governor of Calais, 228.
and High Admiral of England, ibid.
takes fome fhips at fea, 230. defeats
and deftroys one of the King's fleets,
233. enters London with a large
army, 234. an inftance of his gallant
behaviour, 238, appointed to treat of
a marriage between King Edward
IV. and the Lady Bona of Savoy,
241. is difgufted, 242.. has an inter-
view with the King of France, 244.
takes up arms against King Edward,
246. takes him prifoner, 247. has an
interview with him in Westminster
Hall, 248. caufes Henry VI. to be
proclaimed, 252. releafes him out of
his confinement in the Tower, 254,
appointed Regent of the kingdom,
in conjunction with the Duke of
Clarence, 254. killed at the battle of
Barnet, z6o. his character, ibid.
IX. The life of Sir JOHN FOR,
TESCUE, His birth, and education,
262. is made Serjeant at Law, 264.
and Chief Justice of the King's
Bench, ibid. is obliged, in conte-
quence of his attachment to the
Houfe of Lancafter, to retire out of
England, 265. his return, 267. hig
death, 270. account of his works,
266, 268, 271.
X. The life of Sir THOMAS
LYTTLETON, 273. Is made one of
the Judges of the Court of Common
Pleas, ibid. and a Knight of the
Bath, 274. his death, 277.
XI. The life of ANTHONY
WIDVILLE, Earl RIVERS, 279.
He is made prisoner by the Earl of
Warwick, and carried to Calais, 279.
his marriage, 280, his folemn en-
counter with the Baftard of Bur-
gundy in Smithfield, 281. attends
King Edward to Holland, 283. made
Governor of Calais, 284. is put to
death at Pontefract, 290. his charac-
ter, 291. account of his works, ibid.
XII. The life of MARGARET,
Countess of Richmond and Derby,
298. Her birth, ibid. and marriage,
ibid. the measures taken by her in fa-
vour of her fen the Earl of Rich-
mond, 300. her piety, 304. and bene-
volence, 305. her munificent founda-
tions, 306, her death, ibid.
XIII. The life of WILLIAM
WARHAM, Archbishop of Canter-
bury, 308. his birth and education,
ibid, fent on an Embaffy to the Arch-
duke Philip, ibid. made Bishop of
London, 312, translated to the See of
Canterbury, 313. elected Chancellor
of the University of Oxford, 314.
his proceedings against Herefy, 315.
his conteft with Wolfey, 317. his
death, 322. and character, 322--325.
XIV. The life of WILLIAM
GROCYN, 326. His birth and edu.
cation, ibid, travels into Italy, ibid.
teaches Greek at Oxford, ibid. his
death, 328.
XV. The life of Dr. THOMAS
LINACRE, 330. His birth and edu
cation, ibid. travels into Italy, ibid.
created Doctor of phyfic at Oxford,
331. applies himself to the study of
Divinity, 332. and enters into holy
orders, ibid. establishes the College
of Physicians, 333. his death and
character, 334. account of his works,
335.
XVI. The life of JOHN FISHER,
Bishop of Rochester, 337. his birth
and education, ibid. takes the degree
of Doctor in Divinity, ibid, appoint-
ed Chaplain to the Lady Margaret,
338. made Bishop of Rochester, ibid.,
preaches and writes against Luther,
339. he is twice in imminent danger
of his life, 344. adjudged guilty of
mifprifion of treafon, for concealing
the fpeeches of Elizabeth Barton,
348. condemned for refusing to take
the oath required by the act of fuc-
ceffion, 354. for which he was be.
headed, ibid. his character, 356. ac-
count of his works, 358.
XVII. The life of Dean COLET,
361. His birth, ibid. his education,
362. enters into holy orders, ibid. tra-
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into France and Italy, 363. his
temperance and moderation, 365.
cultivates an acquaintance with Eraf-
mus at Oxford, 367. made Dean of
St. Paul's, 376. account of fome of
his fentiments, 377. he founds St.
Paul's fchool, 383. attempts made by
fome of the Clergy to ruin him, 381,
386, 388. his death, 391. his cha-
racter, 392. account of his works,
396. and of his remarkable fermon
preached before the Convocation, 397.
XVIII. The life of Sir ANTHONY
FITZHERBERT, 403. Account of
his works, 404. and of two of his
defcendants, 405.
XIX. The life of JAMES BEA-
TON, Archbishop of St. Andrews,
408. His birth, ibid. is made Provost
of Bothwell, ibid. High Treasurer of
Scotland, ibid. Bishop of Galloway,
ibid. and Archbishop of Glafgow,
ibid. he is made High Chancellor of
Scotland, 409. joins the party of the
Duke of Albany, ibid. is reproved by
Bishop Douglas for wearing armour,
410. is obliged to take shelter in a
church, 411. protected by Bishop
Douglas, ibid. is made Archbishop of
St. Andrews, ibid. his cattle plun-
dered, 413. is concerned in fome per-
fecutions of the Proteftants, ibid.
his death and character, 415.
XX. The life of JOHN SKEL-
TON, 417. Account of his works,
419.
XXI. The life of ALEXANDER
BARCLAY, 421. Account of his
works, 422,
The LIFE of JOHN WICK LIFF.
HE friends of truth, and of liberty, will ever hold in the highest eftimation thofe illuftrious men, who in times of danger and of difficulty, of ignorance, error, and fuperftition, have dared to make a noble ftand against the ufurpations of Ecclefiaftical Tyranny, undaunted by the dangers which fur rounded them. Amongst thefe worthies JOHN WICKLIFF deferves the most diftinguished notice; as his unwearied labours, and the manly spirit which he exerted, in oppofing the numerous errors and corruptions of the Romish church, aided by that fuperior penetration and fagacity, which he difcovered in a barbarous and unlettered age, firft paved the way for that Refor mation, of which we now enjoy the happy effects.
At the period in which this juftly celebrated Reformer lived, the corruptions of the church of Rome were arifen to an amazing height. The condition of the greater part of the laity was fuch, in England, in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, that to those who live in a better and more enlightened age, it muft appear amazing that mankind fhould ever have been funk into fuch a degree of ftupidity, ignorance, and fuperftition. The religion of Jefus, in itfelf plain, rational, and confiftent, unincumbered with trifling and fuperftitious ceremonies, and calculated to promote the best interefts of mankind, was fo obfcured and disfigured, that fcarce any traces of its original beauty were difcernible. Instead of being employed to advance those excellent ends, to which it was fo admirably calculated, it was, by the artifices of wicked and defigning priests, made an inftrument of fraud, injustice, and oppreffion.
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