ANTIQUITIES OF SELBORNE. 339 



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 concesserunt ; 

 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 

 proprietatum monasterii studeas legitime revocare," &c. 



The conduct of the religious had now for some time been gene- 

 rally 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 delinquency ; 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 ths 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; 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 boldly ridiculed their ignorance and profligacy. The 

 most remarkable of these were Chaucer, and his contemporary 

 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 prediction therein 

 contained, which carries with it somewhat of the air of a prophecy ; 

 but also as it seems to have been a striking picture of monastic 

 insolence and dissipation ; and a specimen of one of the keenest 

 pieces of satire now perhaps subsisting in any language, ancient or 

 modern. 



