Page:John Wycliff, last of the schoolmen and first of the English reformers.djvu/34

 These three sentences, it may be observed, are the most valuable piece of evidence which we possess—beyond what may be gathered from occasional references to himself in Wyclif's works—as to his personal characteristics and physical appearance; and they are confirmed by all the side-lights which we are able to obtain of him.

Wyclif's temper in controversial argument was by no means always equable and to say this is only to admit that he had the temper and the method of his day. He takes himself to task in one of his books, on The Truth of Holy Scripture (written in 1379), for his shortcomings in this respect. "In order that there may be no lack of material," he says, "for the strife which my censors have raised over me, I will say that I have adopted out of the Scriptures a threefold rule of life. First, that I should cleanse myself by taking more diligent heed concerning the charge which is brought against me, that I too readily impart a sinister, vindictive zeal into my legitimate line of argument—if I may be said to have any. As for the imputation of hypocrisy, hatred, and rancour under a pretence of holiness, I fear, and I admit it with sorrow, this has happened to me too frequently, by reason whereof I deserve to suffer much greater blame than has yet been cast upon me. Whilst I importune my God with prayer in respect of my spiritual faults, which it is for God alone to know, I will strive more diligently to be on my guard henceforth about the other matter. Secondly, whilst the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, he