Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Historical Account Of The Life Of William Of Wykeham.
and the abbots of St . Austin in that city , which had been carried so high , that the abbots had shut their gates against the archbishop , and opposed his entrance with armed force , because he Avas coming to visit the bodies of some saints buried there , without permission ; this abbot insisting that he was not subject to the archbishop ' s jurisdiction . Wykeham seems to have been an advocate for the doctrines of popery that Avere opposed by Wicklilfe ; but he appears to have been
an enemy to the severity with Avhich the followers of WicklifFe Ave re persecuted . This persecution , hoAvever , as Dr . Lowth has obsewed , by dispersing the Wickliifites , scattered the seeds of reformation more Avidely ; and the harvest , though it might suffer some delay , became , at last , more plentiful . In the year 1386 the kingAvho was then no more than twenty
, , years of age , though he was in the tenth year of his reign , had lived in too riotous and dissolute a manner , and had taken into his councils such evil advisers , that the parliament petitioned him that fourteen persons Avhoni they named , one of whom was Wykeham , should be of his great council , invested with full powers to examine the estate and government ; to enter his courtsand cite personsand determine
, , every thing as" it should seem best to them for the profit and honour of the king , and good of the people ; that any six of them , with the great officers of state , should be impowered to act , and that their resolutions should be determined by a majority . This petition , after much difficulty , AVBS granted ; but the king , at the close of the
parliament , declared that the ro 3 'al prerogative should be still maintained . Wykeham took care to have as little share as possible in the execution of the powers lodged in this council , though they appear , hoAvever extraordinary , to have been , at that time , the only expedient that could possibly prevent the ruin both of the king and kingdom ; and the next year the king , having formally declared himself of age , and able to govern his houshold and kingdomdischarged all who
, had been appointed officers under him by parliament ; aud , probably , as a reward for his inactivity , gave the great seal to -W ykeham . Wykeham , however , seems to have used his utmost endeavours to soften and correct the king ' s measures ; and the speech chat he made to the parliament , which Avas called upon this change , was well calculated to soothe and quiet the minds of the people , though not
Avithout some Mattery to the king ; of whom , he says , that he resolved to govern dispeople stilt better , if better might be . He was , however , so sensible of the danger of his situation , that , as soon as the necessary forms of opening the parliament were over , he , and , as supposed by his advice , the treasurer , and all the lords of the council , prayed the king in parliament to be discharged from their offices ;
to which the king consented : and they then required openly , that if any person would complain of any thing unduly done by them , he should declare it to the king in parliament . On the next day the commons declared , that they had , on diligent inquiry , found all things to be very well done , aud the king then re-insured them all . In the next parliament , Avhich was held at Westminster the 12 th
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Historical Account Of The Life Of William Of Wykeham.
and the abbots of St . Austin in that city , which had been carried so high , that the abbots had shut their gates against the archbishop , and opposed his entrance with armed force , because he Avas coming to visit the bodies of some saints buried there , without permission ; this abbot insisting that he was not subject to the archbishop ' s jurisdiction . Wykeham seems to have been an advocate for the doctrines of popery that Avere opposed by Wicklilfe ; but he appears to have been
an enemy to the severity with Avhich the followers of WicklifFe Ave re persecuted . This persecution , hoAvever , as Dr . Lowth has obsewed , by dispersing the Wickliifites , scattered the seeds of reformation more Avidely ; and the harvest , though it might suffer some delay , became , at last , more plentiful . In the year 1386 the kingAvho was then no more than twenty
, , years of age , though he was in the tenth year of his reign , had lived in too riotous and dissolute a manner , and had taken into his councils such evil advisers , that the parliament petitioned him that fourteen persons Avhoni they named , one of whom was Wykeham , should be of his great council , invested with full powers to examine the estate and government ; to enter his courtsand cite personsand determine
, , every thing as" it should seem best to them for the profit and honour of the king , and good of the people ; that any six of them , with the great officers of state , should be impowered to act , and that their resolutions should be determined by a majority . This petition , after much difficulty , AVBS granted ; but the king , at the close of the
parliament , declared that the ro 3 'al prerogative should be still maintained . Wykeham took care to have as little share as possible in the execution of the powers lodged in this council , though they appear , hoAvever extraordinary , to have been , at that time , the only expedient that could possibly prevent the ruin both of the king and kingdom ; and the next year the king , having formally declared himself of age , and able to govern his houshold and kingdomdischarged all who
, had been appointed officers under him by parliament ; aud , probably , as a reward for his inactivity , gave the great seal to -W ykeham . Wykeham , however , seems to have used his utmost endeavours to soften and correct the king ' s measures ; and the speech chat he made to the parliament , which Avas called upon this change , was well calculated to soothe and quiet the minds of the people , though not
Avithout some Mattery to the king ; of whom , he says , that he resolved to govern dispeople stilt better , if better might be . He was , however , so sensible of the danger of his situation , that , as soon as the necessary forms of opening the parliament were over , he , and , as supposed by his advice , the treasurer , and all the lords of the council , prayed the king in parliament to be discharged from their offices ;
to which the king consented : and they then required openly , that if any person would complain of any thing unduly done by them , he should declare it to the king in parliament . On the next day the commons declared , that they had , on diligent inquiry , found all things to be very well done , aud the king then re-insured them all . In the next parliament , Avhich was held at Westminster the 12 th