REYNOLD PECOCK.

THIS prelate is said to have been born some where in Wales, which, however, is inferred only from the circumstance of his having been a presbyter of the diocese of St. David's. Of his parentage, as well as of the exact place and time of his birth, we are ignorant; but as he is supposed to have died about the year 1460, at the age of 70, his birth will fall about the year 1390.

He was educated at Oriel College, Oxford, where he particularly applied himself to rhe toric and moral philosophy, though it is said, chiefly with the view of rendering them subservient to the study of theology. He became fellow of Oriel, in 1417, and in 1420, was ordained deacon and priest. In 1425, he took his batchelor's degree, and quitted the university. His reputation for learning and eloquence, now recommended him to the notice of Humphry, duke of Gloucester, then protector of the kingdom, who invited him to

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court; in which situation, he added greatly to his fortunes and consideration. In 1431, he was made master of the college of St. Spirit and St. Mary, in London, founded a little before by sir Richard Whitington.

About this time he commenced his examination of the celebrated controversy between the Catholics and Lollards, which occupied the larger portion of his time and talents, for the space of 20 years. In 1444, he was promoted to the bishopric of St. Asaph, and took his degree of doctor of divinity. From St. Asaph, he was translated, in 1449, to the bishopric of Chichester.

In the period in which Pecock lived, the dispute between the papists and Wicliffites ran high, concerning the superior antiquity of their respective tenets; as well as on various other points of doctrine. Wicliffe, as we have seen, was a powerful antagonist to popish superstition. Pecock, though a sincere advocate of popery, discovered on all occasions a wish to accommodate. He was a candid and moderate, and at the same time an able opponent of the Wicliffites, whom he zealously endeavoured to reconcile to the catholic church; and strange as it may appear, he had the hope

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of being able to accomplish this by bringing the points in dispute to the test of reason. this view, he found himself under the necessity of making many important concessions. In particular, he allowed, that priests were fallible men; and consequently, might be mistaken. But the shibboleth of a true churchman, in those times, was, his insisting on the authority of the church, and the infallibility of its decisions. Hence, those concessions, instead of being ratified by the catholics, excited their implacable rancour. For his attempt to reclaim dissenters, he was represented as encouraging them; was reproached as a heretic, and treated as an enemy to that church, which he sincerely and strenuously laboured to defend. Unfortunately, the good bishop wanted firmness; and he was terrified by persecution, into a dishonourable abjuration of those opinions, which he believed to be true. But the machinations of his enemies did not end here. In 1458, he was deprived of his bishopric, and confined in the abbey of Thorney, in the isle of Thorney, in Cambridgeshire, and denied the use of pen, ink, and paper; and of all books, except a Bible, and a few books of devotion.

In this situation he wasted the inconsiderable remnant of his life.

Since, according to the bishop's own account, he spent more than twenty years in writing controversial books against the Lollards, his publications are too numerous to admit even of a catalogue in this place. Those who have the curiosity to know their titles, with a concise account of each, may consult his Life, written by Lewis, chap. 7. He wrote many volumes, both in Latin and English. No less than fourteen, three in folio, and eleven in quarto, were burnt at St. Paul's, as containing heretical doctrines. I shall make particular mention only of two; from the first of which I shall select my extracts. This book, entitled "The Repressor," contains a defence of the catholic clergy, against the objections of the Wicliffites, and was published in 1449. The plan of it shall be given in the bishop's own words:

I shall (says he,) justify eleven governancies of the clergy, which some of the common people unwisely and untruely judgen and condemnen to be evil. Of which eleven governancies, one is, the having and using of images in churches; and ano

ther is, pilgrimage in going to the memorials, or the mind-places of saints, and that pilgrimages and offerings mowe be done well, not only so of laymen, but rather of priests and of bishops. And this shall I do by writing of this present book in the common people's language, plainly and openly and shortly, and to be cleped "The Repressing," &c. And he shall have five principal parts. In the first of which parts shall be made, in general manner, the said repressing; and in general manner proof to the eleven said governancies. And in the ii. iii. iv. and v. parts, shall be made, in special manner, the said repressing, and in special manner the proof of the same eleven governancies.

In the first part of this work, he attacks the main principle of the Over-blamers, or, as he afterwards calls them, the Bible-men, “which holden them so wise by the Bible alone." According to the bishop, some of these maintained that "no governance is to be holden of christian men, the service or the law of God, save it which is grounded in holy scripture of the New Testament." Whereas, others of them affirmed that "no governance is to be