

ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORA'E. 345 



ad monasterium ipsum spectantia, datis super hoc litteris, inter- 

 positis 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 con- 

 cesserunt; 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 delin- 

 quency ; 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 j 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 contempo- 

 rary 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 Dedmus of this writer 

 I shall conclude my letter; not only on account of the remarkable 



