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chivalry, in Edward, must be extremely pleafing to every one, as it makes that Monarch appear in his true character. If rage and indignation at the delay of the furrender of "Calais to him, had not for a moment put a "violence upon his difpofition, his crown of cc pearls would have been for Eustache de St. Pierre, or Jean de Vienne."

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EDWARD THE BLACK PRINCE.

"EDWARD, Prince of Wales," fays Montagne, " that English Prince who governed "Guienne for fo long a time, a perfonage whofe "condition and whofe fortune had always fome "diftinguifhed points of grandeur, had been

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very much offended by the inhabitants of the "city of Limoges; and, taking the town by "ftorm, could not be wrought upon by the "cries of the people, of the women and of the "children, who were given up to flaughter, imploring his mercy, and throwing themselves "at his feet, till proceeding farther in the town, "he perceived three French Gentlemen, who " with an incredible degree of courage were "alone sustaining the fhock of his victorious army. His confideration and respect of fuch distinguished valour, immediately blunted the edge of his refentment, and he began, by granting

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"granting the lives of thofe three perfons, to spare the lives of all that were in the town."

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Froiffart has preferved the names of these three brave men: "They were," fays he, "Meffieurs Jehan de Villemur, Hugues de la "Roche, and Roger de Beaufort, son of the "Count de Beaufort, Captains of the town. "When they faw," adds the Chronicler, "the "misery and the destruction that was preffing

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upon themselves and their people, they said, "We shall be all dead men, if we do not defend "ourselves: let us then fell our lives dearly, as "true Chevaliers ought to do: and these three "French Gentlemen did many feats at arms. "When the Prince in his car came to the spot "where they were, he observed them with great

pleasure, and became foftened and appeafed by "their extraordinary acts of valour. The "three Gentlemen, after having fought thus "valiantly, fixing their eyes upon their swords, "faid with one voice to the Prince and the "Duke of Lancaster, " My Lords, we are yours; 66 you have conquered us; difpofe of us according "to the law of arms."-" By Heaven," replied "the Duke of Lancaster, "we have no other in"tention, Meffire Jehan, and we take you as our "prifoners."-And fo," adds Froiffart, "these "noble Chevaliers were taken, as I have been « informed." Livre 1. c. 289.

"The

"The moft common method," fays Montagne, "to foften the hearts of those whom we "have offended, is, when they have the power 56 to revenge themselves in their hands, by feeing us at their mercy, to move them by our fub"miffion to pity and commiferation. Some. times, however, bravery, constancy, and refo"lution, though directly contrary methods, have "produced the fame effect."

RICHARD THE SECOND.
[1377-1399.]

JOHN WICKLIFFE.

"WICKLIFFE," faid Luther, "attacked the "morals and the rites of the Church of Rome. "The Monks, particularly thofe of the Mendi"cant Order, seem to be the great objects of his "fatire. He charges, in one of his Tracts, the "Freres, that is, the Fryars, with holding fifty "herefies, and many more, if men would feek "them well out. He opposed very much the "giving tithes, unless to thofe who officiated at "the Altar. He attacked the Pope's fupremacy, "and the doctrine of tranfubftantiation. In his "MS. Treatife, Why Poor Priests have no "Benefices,'

"Benefices,' he fays, And if Lords fhallen "prefent Clerks to Benefices, they wolen have

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commonly gold in great quantity; and holden "their curates in their worldly office, and fuffren "the wolves of Hell to ftrangle men's fouls; fo "that they have much gold, and their office don "for nought, and their chapels holden up for vain glory and hypocrify; and yet they wolen not

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present a clerk able of kunning of God's laws, "and good life and holy enfample to the people, "but a kitchen-clerk, or a penny-clerk, or wife "in building cafties, or worldly doing, tho he "kanne not read well his Sauter, (Pfalter,) and "knoweth not the Commandments of God, ne "Sacraments of the Church. And yet fome "Lords, to colouren their fimony, wole not take "for themselves, but kerchiefs for the lady, or a "tun of wine. And when fome Lords wolden "prefent a good man, and able for love of God. "and Christian fouls, then fome Ladies ben means "to have a dancer, a tripper or tapits, or hunter or hawker, or a wild player of fummer's "gamenes, for flattering and gifts going betwixte; " and if it be for dancing in bed fo much the "worse."

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Wickliffe tranflated the Bible into English, and was fo voluminous a writer, that Lubinio Lepus, Bishop of Prague, burnt two hundred

volumes

volumes written by this extraordinary perfon, which belonged to fome of the heretical Noblemen of Bohemia.

Courtenay, Bishop of London, cited Wickliffe to appear before him at Paul's, to give fome account of the new opinions which he held. Wickliffe came attended by the Duke of Lancafter and the Earl Marshall. The crowd was fo great, that the Lord Marshall was obliged to make use of his authority to get Wickliffe through it. The Bishop, displeased at seeing him fo honourably attended, told the Lord Marshall, "that if he "had known beforehand what maestries he would "have kept in the church, he would have stopped “him out from coming there." The Duke of Lancaster, indignant at this threatening language, told the Bishop, "that he would keep fuch "maestries there, though he said nay.” Wickliffe, as usual, was ftanding before the Bishop and the rest of the Commiffioners, to hear what things were laid to his charge, when the Lord Marshall defired him to fit down; telling him, that as he had many things to answer to, he had need of a soft seat to be at his ease. The Bishop replied, "that he should not fit there; for," added he," it is neither according to law nor "reason, that he who was cited to answer before "his Ordinary (the Lord Pope) fhould fit down during

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