of a revolution in religion, which was disseminated even in foreign countries, and raised an opposition to the papal authority, which generated a spirit of investigation that was never entirely suppressed; and, although kept in a state of depression, occasionally was the source of much alarm to the court of Rome; and, finally, operated as an example to those illustrious men who undertook the great work of reformation in the sixteenth century.

He soon gained a multitude of proselites amongst the most enlightened of the English clergy; and what was of essential service to the cause he maintained was, his acquiring disciples and protectors amongst the first personages in the kingdom, particularly the Lord Henry Percy, Marshal of England, and John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster.

This illustrious champion, of truth and liberty, went so far as to call the pope Antichrist; he denied his supremacy, and exposed his tyranny and extortions in the strongest colours; he denied the real presence, and the authority of the bishops to inflict temporal punishments upon religious offenders; he condemned the worshipping of saints and images, and not only exhorted the laity to study the scriptures, but translated the Bible into English for general use.

His sentiments exposed him to the greatest persecution of the clergy, many bulls were published against him, and he was forced to appear before his superiors; but being protected by two such powerful persons, his enemies were unable to punish him. In vain did the Pope and clergy denounce vengeance against him; in vain did his enemies destroy his works and condemn his doctrines; all those attempts were ineffectual: his followers became so numerous as to constitute a strong party, who separated in form from the church of Rome, and who had such confidence in their numbers, and the power and dignity of their protectors and patrons, as boldly to propose their system to the consideration and reception of parliament. In spite of the malignity of his enemies, this illustrious man

lived in peace, and quietly closed a life which had been spent in attempting to emancipate his countrymen from the most intolerable oppressions, at his rectory of Lutterworth, in the year 1384.

Among the followers of Wickliffe, Peter Pateshull distinguished himself, and was a zealous defender and propagator of the doctrines of that illustrious reformer; but he was forced to fly into Bohemia, and there he became very famous among the disciples of John Huss.

Nicholas Hereford and John Ayshton, were two persons who professed and preached the new doctrines. Ayshton was forced at length to desert them. Hereford refused at first to retract his opinions, but at length consented to shut himself up in a convent of Carmelites, where he died.

Dr. Philip Rapyngdon was a famous supporter of the doctrines of Wickliffe, but at length was induced to recant and become a zealous persecutor of the Lollards, and he, in course of time, became a bishop, and afterwards was raised to the dignity of a cardinal.

The writers on the opposite side, or the adversaries of the Lollards were very numerous; the principle of them were, John Sharpe, a philosopher and divine, and the author of several treatises; John Swafham, a Carmelite Friar, who afterwards became bishop of Bangor; Richard Lavingham, monk of Ipswich, and an eminent logician.

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Dimock and Binham distinguished themselves on the same side.

The schism in the church, at this period, concerning the election of a pope, the competitors for which dignity were Clement the Seventh, and Urban the Sixth, was the subject of much controversy in Europe; among the English writers who exerted their talents on the subject, were, Thomas Palmer and John Colden.

Although the Historians of this period were very numerous, yet few of them were eminent for their abilities.

Of all of them Matthew Paris was the most illustrious. His Historia Major, is a very full History of England, from the conquest to 1259, and he was the author of an abridgment of the Historia Major, called Historia Minor; he likewise wrote the lives of the two Offa's, kings of Mercia, and of the twenty-three first abbots of St. Albans. No historian who has recorded the transactions of his countrymen in his own time, can be compared with this learned monk for intrepidity; he censures in the plainest language, the follies and vices of persons of the highest rank, and though a monk, he has painted the avarice and tyranny of the see of Rome in the strongest colours. His historical labours, in short, will be read with pleasure by every lover of English history and antiquities.

Walter of Coventry, has been praised for the fidelity of his narrations, particularly by Leland.

Thomas Wikes drew up a chronicle of English affairs, beginning with the conquest and ending with the death of Edward the First, which is clear and full in many parts.

Ralph Higden has taken from many of our best historians; but although a plagiary, he has preserved in his Polychronicon, many remains out of ancient chronicles now wholly lost or mislaid. It is divided into seven books, the first, describes all countries in general, particularly England, the other six comprise a concise account of civil history from the ereation, to the year 1357.

The chronicle which goes under the name of John Brompton, begins from the conversion of the Anglo Saxons, and ends with the death of King Richard the First. The author is very full in his collections for the Saxon times, and gives us many of their laws at large.

Matthew of Westminster wrote a short chronicle from the creation to the year 1307, called Flowers of History, the first part of which is said to be an exact transcript of a work of Matthew Paris.

Matthew's work was continued by other persons, particularly by Adam de Merimuth to the year 1380.

Walter Hemmingford composed a history of England, from the conquest to 1308, this work is composed with great care and exactness, and considering the time in which it was written, the style is not undeserving of praise.

John de Trekelowe and Henry de Blaneford, both wrote histories of the reign of Edward the Second, which are valuable, as they contain many curious particulars, which could not elsewhere be found.

Nicholas Trivet, a dominican Friar of London, was the author of historical annals, called, Les Gestes des Apostoiles, Empereurs è Rois, from the year 1130 to 1307. This history he had compiled with great care and attention. He was a man of considerable learning, and a volumnious writer on various subjects in philosophy and divinity, and was the author of a commentary on Seneca's tragedies.

Robert de Avesbury composed a history of England, in his own time, on the acts of Edward the Second and Third. This work is valuable both for the sincerity, with which it is written and the original papers it contains.

Henry Knyghton composed a history, beginning with the conquest ending in the year 1395.

William Thorn was the author of a chronicle of all the counties, bishoprics and abbeys, in England, &c.

Another historical writer of the present period, was Sir John Froissart. He had (although a Frenchman,) received his education, in the court of Edward the Third, and was likewise in the court of his successor Richard the Second. His work is a general history of the affairs of France, Spain and England, as well as other parts of Europe. This history he wrote in French, which at that time was the court language of England. His view of the reigns of Edward the Third and Richard the Second, is a very valuable work, and his account of English transactions, is particularly interesting, as from his residence in the country, he was perfectly well acquainted on the subject of what he relates, and (in the opinion of archbishop Nicholson,) his narrations are plain and honest, and the same

prelate thinks that, perhaps, no writer gives a beiter account of those two reigns than Sir John Froissart!

William Pakington, secretary to the black prince, wrote a chronicle of English transactions from the reign of John to 1320.

The other historical writers of this period, were Peter Henham, Sir Thomas de la More, Ralph Baldock, William Rishanger, Thomas Stubbs and John de Fordan.

Poetry. The next object worthy of particular attention is the state of poetry, during the present period.

It will appear upon examination that our early poetry, from the beginning of the last period, to about the year 1200 had made no very rapid improvement. Yet as we proceed we shall find the language losing much of its ancient barbarism and approaching more nearly to the dialect of modern times.

In the reign of King Edward the First, the character of our poetical compositions began to be considerably changed, either fictitious adventures were then substituted by the minstrels in the place of historical or traditionary facts, or reality was disguised by the misrepresentations of invention, and a taste for ornamental and even exotic expression, gradually prevailed over the rude simplicity of the native English phraseology, this change which had been growing some time, was partly occasioned by the introduction and increase of the tales of chivalry.

It was in the reign of Edward the Second, or about that period, that the metrical romances chiefly flourished, and though the poetry of them was in general very rude, they often exhibited gleams of imagination, and many of them had passages which were touched with a rude but expressive pencil.

Of the English poets, the first whose name occurs is Robert of Gloucester, a monk of that abbey. He has left a poem of considerable length, which is a history of England in verse from the imaginary Brutus to his own time. This composition appears to have been written about the year 1280.