500 Readings in European History 209. State- ment of the views of Wycliffe's followers. Contrast between the life led by the pope and Christ's life. and the wiin that is thes ; for thei ben not thes in kynde. . . . And thus a mous etith not Cristis bodi alyif he ete this sacrament ; for the mous failith goostli viit, to chewe in him this bileve. Shortly after Wycliffe's death his followers drew up a reply to the charges brought against the " pore Cristen men." The first charge is discussed as follows : Furste, that this pope Urban tho sixte beres not strength of Seint Petur in erthe, but thai affermen hym to be tho son of Anticriste, and that no verrey pope was sith tho tyme of Silvester [I] pope. Here Cristen men seyne pleynly, that whatever pope or other preste, in maner of lyvynge or techynge or lawis-mak- ynge, contrarius Crist, is verrey Anticrist, adversary of Jesus Crist, and of his apostlis, ande of alle Cristen pepul. See inwardely, alle ye Cristen pepul, tho meke life of Jesus Crist, pore and symple to the worlde, and ful of brennynge charite, and puttynge hym selfe to penaunce and travayle in prechynge and prayinge, and willeful [= voluntary] sched- ynge of his precious blode, for to make pes and charite and for to save mennes soules. Ande sees ye tho open lyif of popes, how proude thai bene, that Cristen kyngus schal kysse ther fete, and with ther fote thai schal kroune tho emperoure, ther lorde and founder, ande that emperours, barfot, leden openly, as men sayne, ther bridelis, and that all men that schal with hem speke schul kisse ther fete, and calle hem moste holy faderis, and moste blessid and moste mercyful and gracius. And loke whether this be contrarie to Cristis mekenes, that weysche his disciplis feete, and coome not for to be served but to serve other men, and to gif hys lyife for redempcioun of mony. And he coome not to seche his owne glorie by manned, but in alle thingus to do tho wille of his Fadir of heven. Tho secunde tyme, See ye Cristen peple, tho willeful poverte of Jesus Crist, how he hade nougt by worldly lord- schipe one howse where he mygt reste his heved, but lyved
