THE STORY OF ENGLISH EDUCATION. 265 



lision on the subject. The crown, moreover, as in the Ferenclon 

 schools case, decided in 1344, absolutely declined to admit ecclesiastical 

 patronage over the grammar schools of England. From about this 

 same date the absolutism of the church over education was threatened 

 in various directions. 



The 'Black-Death' of 1348-9 had the result of driving foreign 

 priests from the land. After the terrible ravages of the dread pesti- 

 lence had been smoothed away by the hand of time, we find that one 

 of the lasting economic results was the fact that priests of English 

 birth and speech served the churches and schools. We know this 

 from contemporary documents. John de Trevisa tells us that im- 

 mediately after the 'Black Death' John Cornwaile, master of grammar, 

 'ehaunged the lore in gramer scole and construccioun of Frensche 

 in to Englische'; and by the year 1385 'in alle the gramere scoles 

 of Engelond, children leueth Frensche and construeth and lerneth an 

 Englische.' The influence of Eome was diminished by the growth 

 of a purely national English priesthood. At this very time the Lol- 

 lard movement dealt a new blow at papal power. John Wyclif 

 entirely repudiated Eoman Catholicism, and his ideas rapidly perme- 

 ated the country. Many Lollard schools were founded, while great 

 and successful efforts were made by Wyclif 's followers to protestantize 

 the existing grammar and parochial schools. The revolt was so ef- 

 fective that by statute in 1401 and by the constitutions of Archbishop 

 Clarendon in 1408, Lollard schools and Lollard schoolmasters were 

 suppressed with violence, and for the space of some fifty years were 

 apparently exterminated. In the meantime the Commons, possibly 

 through fear of Eome or of Lollardy, or both, determined if possible 

 to stop the spread of education among the unfree classes. The Articles 

 of Clarendon more than two centuries before had forbidden villeins to 

 become clerks without the permission of their lord and special manorial 

 customs to the same effect were not unusual. The Commons determined 

 to strengthen if possible these old feudal, customs — originally designed 

 to preserve for the lord of the manor the labor of his hind — and in 

 1391 petitioned King Eichard II. to ordain and command that hence- 

 forward no neif or villein should send his children to the schools for 

 the purpose of enabling them to alter their social status by the acquisi- 

 tion of 'clergy.' Such a retrograde movement was impossible. Even 

 in the twelfth century the serf had been able to struggle by means 

 of education into a higher class,* and it was impossilDle now to close 

 the door. The king, therefore, and boldly, rejected the petition, and 

 in a few years the first statute of education, setting forth the right 

 of man to education, became law. This act, passed in 1406 (7. Hen. 

 IV. c. 17), declared that 'every man or woman, of what state or con- 



* See the de nugis curialium (Distinc. 1, Cap. X.), by Walter Map (fl. 1180 

 A.D.). 



