The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-06-24
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Although the reign Of Henry ". was marked
by increased bitterness on the part OF politcal
parties and by the COMMENCEMENT OF inter-
n"cine war, there was no turn IN the toe OF
heresy. On two occasions the representa-
tives Of the shlres. assuming a. was usual the
leadership Of the lower house. proposed that
the King should seize the tnmnoraiities OF the
Church and apply them to relieve t~aSatioh.
to aid the poor and endow new lords ara
knights. II proposed. In other words, That
Henry ". should ~forestall Henry VIII. OBJ
viously. this was a sign Of Increased lollard
influence over tho gentry, for they had never
put forward any such proposal In the days
when John Of Gaunt attempted to stir Parlia-
ment against Church property with n view to
his own designs. The expression OF opinion
must have been genuine, for such movements
were no longer instigated by any party In ths
Lords. and were actually discouraged by the
courts. In retaliation, the Church party, with
the aid Of the royal family, passed statutes for
tho suppression Of heresy. The acquiescence
Of the Commons In such measures was twice
secured. although in another Parliament. In
nlCI tuf ntTttitN nv 'D uDl'i manu- 'Hp
knights retitioned for the relaxation Of the
prosecuting law. Evidently the Lollardry
Of the House of Commons was n luctuatlng
quantity. In iaOl the statute concerning the
burning Of heretics was directed against the
progress OF doctrinal heresy on the complaint
Of the Bishops that their own officers without
State help were unable TO restrain I.ollardry.
In pursuance Of this statute. William Sawtrey
p.aa h,,,rnI tnr taa,biry TINT "oftor tha onn-
s~ecration by the priests. there remaineth true
material bread" During the next few
years a number Of prosecutions for heresy
took place, yet all those OF which we have
records resulted in reoantatlons. No vigorous
assault was made on the IOllard party, for
the lords and gentlemen who adhered TO II
were left untouched. Though Archbishop
Arundel was in earnest, and though the King
and his son were only too eager to help. they
were probably not a little afraid of the knights
Of the shires and other powerful supporters
Of the heretics. In i4iO, however, an artisan
named John Badly was burned to death in
Smithfeld Market. with Prince Henry. after
ward Henry v, looking on. because he would
not swerve from his opinion that Christ sit
ting at supper could not give his disciples his
living body 20 eat" When Henry V. was
seated on the throne q step was taken which
sbovad ,h,, tho now King intended To crush
Iolordry , and for nil nan wos a.
Ioct.d as victim whose fall would proye that
ronk wealth honor long nublic service and
even tho Kings personal friendship would no
LONGER suffice TO protcct A hereto from the
staLa Sir lohn OIdcastle was n KNIGHT Of
good family and estate in West Hereford
shire who in the early vears OF Henry VS.
rol.n. had earned tho gratitude OF the new
dynasty nv his activity in maintaining order
A. Roval Commissioner on the Welsh border.
In ,,oa he Ind married for his third wife Joan.
heiress Of Lord Gotham of Kent, and thereby
on q into uossession of estates and castles on
ths shores OF the Thames and the Modvnv.
In this district. e1posed 20 the eve OF the world
far more than in his ancestral home among
the western mountains. he offered the Same
open protection to yollardry. and made his
new domqin another nest Of heretics.
When the Bishops cited him TO appear in the
spiritual court. he refused 10 obey, But. when
| tho Kings writ for his arrest arrived. he sur
rendered. Having on his trial denounced the
misuse of images and pilrrimaSes. and having
rejected both Observation-Disclosures and tbe
NECESSITY of auricular confession. he was pro-
| claimed Il harasc. and handed oy,r "a tlv, saou.
lar Arm. A Louard uprising followed. and Sir
! John Oldoo.tle escaped. taking refuge in hs
| native district and the Welsh mountains be-
yond. where he lurked for three years longer.
| until he WINS cant,Ired hanged as a traitor and
| burned as a hereto. ONLY one knight besides
Sir John Oldoastle. and no person of higher
rank WINS impllo,ted in the abortive rising. a
| fac, remarkable. since. IN To that time lords
and knights had been considered tho strength of
Iollordry. Although. however. many OF the ,pper
| classes had baen influenced by the doctrines of
the sect and although many continued TO nurse
dislike Of the wealth. i~nsolence and oyergrovn
privileges of the clergy. until these feelings
broke out effectively in the time of Henry VIII,
there were found in the fifteenth century hut
few gentleman ready TO share the lot NJ a nro-
.cr,hed and rebel marty. TIL wvcliNbt. -.
Uglon hecame almost exclusivelv On. for On.
Lover cla.se. IN tho country and for the tr,ds..
men in towns. Thu lords. courtiers and knight.
gradually withdrew their patronage. psrtlv
becopse thev had no wish IN sba,a OIdc.stI...
martvrdom and partlv beoauss thev ssIaor,
encountered ,uony tho r,inist.rs ~ N. 90.
snv one who was socially their eoual or .dno..
| t,on,,lv THAR s,nerjor IL ,s not N n. ar
nosed howeyer that during tha Aftaenth con.
t,,rv Louardry had snv connection With 40
| clalIsm or social upheayals. II AT the tim. =,
| tho eosants' Rising In ia, .nv a, m. Ion.rd
nrsoch.rs ml.renre.sntinr Wvol,0.,s orin-
ions had ATTACHED Law nropsrtv th.v ..or
oeasad IN do 40 Mr. Trsvely,n h.. .1.wn.L
reports ~ the procoedinr. .,,,r.t .oor.. .,
vau..d. ,ho itnus II-u. -.