WICLIF'S APOLOGY. "Oh Lord God! sithin (since) at the beginning of faith, so many men translated into Latin, and to great profit of Latin men; let one simple creature of God translate into English, for profit of Englishmen, For, if worldly clerks look well their chronicles and books, they shoulden find that Bede translated the Bible, and expounded much in Saxon, that was English, either (or) common language of this land in his time. And not only Bede but King Alfred, that founded Oxenford, translated in his last days, the beginning of the Psalter into Saxon, and would more if he had lived longer. Also, Frenchmen, Bemers (Bohemians) and Britons han the Bible and other books of devotion and exposition translated into their mother language. Why shoulden not Englishmen have the same in their mother language? I cannot wit. No, but for falseness or negligence of clerks, either for (or because) our people is not worthy to have so great grace and gift of God, in pain of their old sins." For this noble labor which he completed in 1380, he received abuse without measure from the priests. The following is but a mild specimen of Papal rage: "This Master Joh Wiclif translated out of Latin into English, the Gospel which Christ had intrusted with the clergy and doctors of the church, that they might minister it to the laity and weaker sort, according to the exigency of times and their several occasions. So that by this means the Gospel is made vulgar, and laid more open to the laity, and even to women who could read, than it used to be to the most learned of the clergy, and those of the best understanding. And so the Gospel jewel, or evangelical pearl, is thrown about and trodden under foot of swine." Even in the third year of Henry V. (1415), it was enacted by a parliament held in Leicester, "that whoever they were that should read the Scriptures in their mother tongue," (which was then called Wiclif's learning), "they should forfeit land, cattle, body, life, and goods, from their heirs forever, and be condemned for heretics to God, enemies to the crown, and most arrant traitors to the land." So much might be quoted which is appropriate to a consideration of John Wiclif from a literary standpoint that it is difficult to draw the line between his own apologies, defenses, etc., and the attacks, defences and criticisms pro and con, of those who have written about him. His own writings on the All-sufficiency of the Scriptures are able and unique in their way. Not having room for all phases of his treatment at the hands of his contemporaries, we think our readers would prefer a sample of his much (dis) cussed translation. So here is the first appearance in English, of the Sermon on the Mount. MATTHEW, CHAP. V. And Jhesus seynge the peple, went up into an hil; and whanne he was sett, his disciplis camen to him. And he openyde his mouthe, and taughte hem; and seide, Blessid be pore men in spirit; for the kyngdom of hevenes is herun. Blessid ben mylde men; for thei schulen weelde the erthe. Blessid ben thei that mournen; for thei schal be coumfortid. Blessid ben thei that hungren and thirsten rightwisnesse: for thei schal be fulfilled. Blessid ben merciful men: for thei schul gete mercy. Blessed ben thei that ben of clene herte: for thei schulen se God. Blessid ben pesible men: for thei schulen be clepid goddis children. Blessid ben thei that suffren persecucioun for rightwisness; for the kyngdom of hevenes is hern. Ye schul be blessid whanne men schul curse you, and schul pursue you: and schul seye al yvel agens you liyinge for me. Joie ye and be ye glade: for your meede is plenteous in hevenes: for so thei han pursued also prophetis that weren before you. Ye ben salt of the erthe, that if the salt vanishe awey wherynne schal it be salted? to nothing it is worth over, no but it be cast out and be defoulid of men. Ye ben light of the world, a citee set on a hill may not be hid. Ne men teendith not a lanterne and puttith it undir a bushel: but on a candlestik that it give light to alle that ben in the hous. So, schyne your light bifore men that thei see your gode workis, and glorifie your fadir that is in hev enes. Nyle ghe deme that I cam to undo the lawe or the prophetis, I cam not to undo the lawe but to fulfille. Forsothe I say to you till hevene and erthe passe, oon lettre, or oon title, schal not passe fro the lawe til alle thingis be don. Therefore he that brekith oon of these leeste maundementis, and techith thus men, schal be clepit the leest in the rewme of hevenes but he that doth, and techith, schal be clepit greet in the kyngdom of hevenes. The reader has, of course, paralled every line of the above with the modern version so familiar to all, and noted the striking peculiarities of this most interesting specimen of literary antiquity. But the slightest reflection will also reveal the power of persistence on the part of the sentiment. It seems to matter not whether the sacred truths are clothed in the fashionable garments of modern linguistic weave, or dressed in the musty rags of ancient homespun, the sublime character of the divine teaching shines out with such brilliancy that the heart gets the full force of the message, no matter how the head finds it attired. Contemporary with John Wiclif in England was John Barbour of Scotland. He was Archdeacon of Aberdeen, and but little is known of his personal history. He wrote a poem entitled "Bruce," which is a metrical history of Robert the First, (1306-1329), and it has been quoted with high praise by the most distinguished Scotch historians and critics. It is an APOSTROPHE TO FREEDOM. "A! fredome is a nobill thing! Na ellys nocht that may him plese, Is yearnyt our all othir thing. Na he, that ay hase levyt fre, May nocht knaw weill the propyrte, So much might be quoted which is appropriate to a consideration of John Wiclif from a literary standpoint that it is difficult to draw the line between his own apologies, defenses, etc., and the attacks, defences and criticisms pro and con, of those who have written about him. His own writings on the All-sufficiency of the Scriptures are able and unique in their way. Not having room for all phases of his treatment at the hands of his contemporaries, we think our readers would prefer a sample of his much (dis) cussed translation. So here is the first appearance in English, of the Sermon on the Mount. MATTHEW, CHAP. V. And Jhesus seynge the peple, went up into an hil; and whanne he was sett, his disciplis camen to him. And he openyde his mouthe, and taughte hem; and seide, Blessid be pore men in spirit; for the kyngdom of hevenes is herun. Blessid ben mylde men; for thei schulen weelde the erthe. Blessid ben thei that mournen; for thei schal be coumfortid. Blessid ben thei that hungren and thirsten rightwisnesse: for thei schal be fulfilled. Blessid ben merciful men: for thei schul gete mercy. Blessed ben thei that ben of clene herte: for thei schulen se God. Blessid ben pesible men: for thei schulen be clepid goddis children. Blessid ben thei that suffren persecucioun for rightwisness; for the kyngdom of hevenes is hern. Ye schul be blessid whanne men schul curse you, and schul pursue you: and schul seye al yvel agens you liyinge for me. Joie ye and be ye glade: for your meede is plenteous in hevenes: for so thei han pursued also prophetis that weren before you. Ye ben salt of the erthe, that if the salt vanishe awey wherynne schal it be salted? to nothing it is worth over, no but it be cast out and be defoulid of men. Ye ben light of the world, a citee set on a hill may not be hid. Ne men teendith not a lanterne and puttith it undir a bushel: but on a candlestik that it give light to alle that ben in the hous. So, schyne your light bifore men that thei see your gode workis, and glorifie your fadir that is in hev enes. Nyle ghe deme that I cam to undo the lawe or the prophetis, I cam not to undo the lawe but to fulfille. Forsothe I say to you till hevene and erthe passe, oon lettre, or oon title, schal not passe fro the lawe til alle thingis be don. Therefore he that brekith oon of these leeste maundementis, and techith thus men, schal be clepit the leest in the rewme of hevenes but he that doth, and techith, schal be clepit greet in the kyngdom of hevenes. The reader has, of course, paralled every line of the above with the modern version so familiar to all, and noted the striking peculiarities of this most interesting specimen of literary antiquity. But the slightest reflection will also reveal the power of persistence on the part of the sentiment. It seems to matter not whether the sacred truths are clothed in the fashionable garments of modern linguistic weave, or dressed in the musty rags of ancient homespun, the sublime character of the divine teaching shines out with such brilliancy that the heart gets the full force of the message, no matter how the head finds it attired. Contemporary with John Wiclif in England was John Barbour of Scotland. He was Archdeacon of Aberdeen, and but little is known of his personal history. He wrote a poem entitled "Bruce," which is a metrical history of Robert the First, (1306-1329), and it has been quoted with high praise by the most distinguished Scotch historians and critics. It is an APOSTROPHE TO FREEDOM. "A! fredome is a nobill thing! Na ellys nocht that may him plese, Na he, that ay hase levyt fre, May nocht knaw weill the propyrte, |