17S 



Newton are equally evasive. Here they are, in the language ana spelling in 

 ■which they appear in the register : — 



" Ye XII article is yis yt cure Byshopp piites to me yt y mony tymea 

 and ofte haue come, he sais, to a desert wode clei^ed derwoldeswode of his 

 diocese, and yr in a chapell noght halwed but acurset, sheperdeshulke be myn 

 owne foly, he sais, haue pfsumet to syng but rayr to curse in contempta 

 of ye keyes ; here to y say y* yis is falsly put ui^on me of hem y* tolde yow yis 

 for hit is a chapel where a prst synges c'ain dayes in ye yere wt gret 

 solempnitee and ctes y song neur y' ynne seth y was born yu to yis world." 



" Te XIII article is yis yt y schuld also pfsume to syng in an unhalwet 

 phapel yt stondes in ye park of neuton bisides ye toua of leyntwardy of 

 his same dioceses. Trewly y wot not where y* place stondes." (Reg. Trefnant). 



Swynderby attended personally at Bodenham, on the day apppinted "about 

 six of the clock, " and road his protest and answers to the articles "before all 

 the multitude of faithful Christian people." 



They were by no means satisfactory. The Bishop evidently felt that he 

 had been taken at an unfair advantage. He did not know Swynderby's power. 

 He had summoned a large congregation and came himself to hear a retrac'ation, 

 but instead of this had to listen to the defence of the Lollard doctiines by their 

 most eloquent advocate. The Bishop did not like it, but he could not help 

 himself. In his report he goes on to say, with caieful precision, ""WTiich 

 thing being done, the same 'William (without any more with him) did depart 

 from our presence, because that we, at the instance of certain noble personages, 

 had promised to the same William free access ; that is, to wit, on that day for 

 the exhibiting of these answers, and also free departing without prefixing of any 

 term, or without citation, or else any other offence or harm in body, or in goods." 



The Bishop, however, lost but little time in preparing a formal citation 

 for him. Five days after one was issued, dated July 5th, 1391, from " our house 

 fit "Whitborn." "And because," says the Bishop, "the said William Swynderby 

 ponceals himself and cannot be served personally with it we have caused him to 

 be publickly cited in the places where the said William had been accustomed to 

 officiate." It, therefore, is addressed "to his dear sons our dean of Leamster, 

 to the parsons of Croft, Almaly and Whitney, and also to the vicars of Kington, 

 Eardersley, Wiggemore, Monmouth, Clifford, and of St. John's Altar in our 

 Cathedral Church of Hereford," &c., &c., charging them "to cite or cause to 

 be cited peremptorily, and under the pain of excommunication, William Swyn- 

 derby, pretending himself to be a priest," &c., "to appear at North Lodebury 

 on the 20th of this present month of July." (Reg. Trefnant). 



Swynderby heard of it quickly, and though he did not appear himself, he 

 Bent a servant with " a certain schedule of paper, made like an indenture, to 

 excuse him." He was then ordered to appear on the 29th of July in the church 

 of Ponsley, or Pontesbury. He did not appear there, and was pronounced 

 <' obstinate," and the 8th of August was appointed for him to appear at Cleoburr 



