Page:White - The natural history of Selborne, and the naturalist's calendar, 1879.djvu/367

Rh ad monasterium ipsum spectantia, datis super hoc litteris, interpositis juramentis, factis renuntiationibus, et penis adjectis, in gravem ipsius monasterii lesionem nonnullis clericis et laicis, aliquibus eorum ad vitam, quibusdam vero ad non modicum tempus, & aliis perpetuo ad firmam, vel sub censu annuo concesserunt; quorum aliqui dicunt super hiis a sede aplica in communi forma confirmationis litteras impetrasse. Quia vero nostra interest lesis monasteriis subvenire [He the Pope here commands] ea ad jus et proprietatem monasterii studeas legitime revocare,” etc.

The conduct of the religious had now for some time been generally bad. Many of the monastic societies, being very opulent, were become voluptuous and licentious, and had deviated entirely from their original institutions. The laity saw with indignation the wealth and possessions of their pious ancestors perverted to the service of sensuality and indulgence, and spent in gratifications highly unbecoming the purposes for which they were given. A total disregard to their respective rules and discipline drew on the monks and canons a heavy load of popular odium. Some good men there were who endeavoured to oppose the general delinquency; but their efforts were too feeble to stem the torrent of monastic luxury. As far back as the year 1381, Wickliffe’s principles and doctrines had made some progress, were well received by men who wished for a reformation, and were defended and maintained by them as long as they dared, till the bishops and clergy began to be so greatly alarmed, that they procured an act to be passed by which the secular arm was empowered to support the corrupt doctrines of the Church; but the first Lollard was not burnt until the year 1401.

The wits also of those times did not spare the gross morals of the clergy, but bodily ridiculed their ignorance and profligacy. The most remarkable of these were Chaucer, and his contemporary Robert Langelande, better known by the name of Piers Plowman. The laughable tales of the former are familiar to almost every reader; while the visions of the latter are but in few hands. With a quotation from the Passus Decimus of this writer I shall conclude my letter; not only on account of the remarkable