ECCLESIASTICAL HISTORY 



trace, largely spent in the work of his diocese, and its record is somewhat full. 

 He exercised the office of the Palatinate with the completeness which the 

 Lancastrians were likely to allow. In his diocese some of the most important 

 of his acts are perhaps those concerned with heresy. The bishop's intimate 

 acquaintance with the religious movements of the day naturally led him to 

 be eager in repressing any erroneous tendency. It has, perhaps, been gene- 

 rally thought that the north of England was quite untouched by LoUardy. 

 This is certainly not strictly the case, though we must be careful not to 

 interpret monitions and mandates beyond their proper value. 



One of the Nevilles of Raby, who died in 1389, had been a Lollard 

 leader.^" As early as 141 4, and expressly on account of the spread of heresy 

 throughout the kingdom, the bishop orders the prior and the priors of cells 

 to hold solemn processions during Lent, in which the citizens are to join, 

 praying God to protect His Spouse the Church from the insults of the 

 heretics, to confirm the people's faith, to confound the heretics. The letter 

 is to be read every Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday, either during mass or 

 in sermotie}'^ It was perhaps his solicitude for the welfare of his flock 

 which led Langley to seek a proctor for his appearance at the great 

 Continental Councils of 1414 and 14 16.'" An entry of 141 8 speaks of 

 prospective danger to the realm and Church.'^' Our next evidence is 

 about 1422, when a Carmelite prior named Boston has to revoke some 

 error which he maintained as to offering candles at Candlemas. Other 

 articles were exhibited against him which have not survived. The case was 

 not decided at once.'" In the winter of 1428-9 letters were written round 

 to the prior of Durham and to others warning them against the errors of 

 Wycliffe and of Huss.'^" It must, however, be admitted that these documents 

 fail to prove the presence of aggressive Lollardy in the bishopric in Langley's 

 time. Later traces will occur further on. 



Cardinal Langley issued a variety of enactments which, as they multiply 

 in the register, strike the reader's attention. It is probably not fancy to 

 regard as more than formal the repeated injunctions and provisions to promote 

 education, reverence towards things sacred, kindliness to the poor and 

 afflicted.'" His will proves his zeal for education ; the repeated help 

 extended to the injured shows his kind disposition ; the erection of the font 

 in the Durham Galilee for the children of excommunicated persons does the 

 same. But Langley's name has been handed down in the bishopric rather as 

 a builder.'^^ He restored the Galilee of the cathedral, and completed the 

 cloisters. He also rebuilt the great north gate of the castle, which had 

 perished since Norman days, and this new work lasted until 18 18, when it 



'" Sir William de Neville, son of Ralph, fourth Baron Neville of Raby, and victor at Neville's Cross ; 

 cf. Diet. Nt:t. Biog. sub voce. 



"' Epis. Reg. Langley, fol. 66. On fol. 6j d. a form of abjuration of heresy is provided. 



'•' Ibid, sub annis. '^ Ibid. fol. loo. 



"' Ibid. fol. 52, 55. The abjuration took place in 1426, when Boston had become prior of the 

 Carmelite house at Newcastle. 



™Ibid. fol. 153-8. 



'" Indulgences abound for help to debtors, to those who have received injury from fire or flood, to the 

 blind, to widows. There are monitions for theft, cruelty to animals, cutting down trees, S;c 



'" One will of 1427 (Reg. Langley, fol. 137) is liturgically important. John Newton, late rector of 

 Houghton, leaves to his church a whole legend of the Sarum Use and three processionals of Sarum Use. On 

 fol. 220 is the will of a dean of Auckland, who leaves a Missal Usus Ebor. in bequest. Chambre, in Tres 

 Scriftores (Surtees Soc), is our original authority for Langley's buildings. 



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