he appearance of the Scriptures brought dismay to the authorities of the
church. They had now to meet an agency more powerful than Wycliffe,--an
agency against which their weapons would avail little. There was at this
time no law in England prohibiting the Bible, for it had never before been
published in the language of the people. Such laws were afterward enacted
and rigorously enforced. Meanwhile, notwithstanding the efforts of the
priests, there was for a season opportunity for the circulation of the
word of God.

Again the papal leaders plotted to silence the Reformer's voice. Before
three tribunals he was successively summoned for trial, but without avail.
First a synod of bishops declared his writings heretical, and winning the
young king, Richard II., to their side, they obtained a royal decree
consigning to prison all who should hold the condemned doctrines.

Wycliffe appealed from the synod to Parliament; he fearlessly arraigned
the hierarchy before the national council, and demanded a reform of the
enormous abuses sanctioned by the church. With convincing power he
portrayed the usurpations and corruptions of the papal see. His enemies
were brought to confusion. The friends and supporters of Wycliffe had been
forced to yield, and it had been confidently expected that the Reformer
himself, in his old age, alone and friendless, would bow to the combined
authority of the crown and the mitre. But instead of this the papists saw
themselves defeated. Parliament, roused by the stirring appeals of
Wycliffe, repealed the persecuting edict, and the Reformer was again at
liberty.

A third time he was brought to trial, and now before the highest
ecclesiastical tribunal in the kingdom. Here no favor would be shown to
heresy. Here at last Rome would triumph, and the Reformer's work would be
stopped. So thought the papists. If they could but accomplish their
purpose, Wycliffe would be forced to abjure his doctrines, or would leave
the court only for the flames.

But Wycliffe did not retract; he would not dissemble. He fearlessly
maintained his teachings, and repelled the accusations of his persecutors.
Losing sight of himself, of his position, of the occasion, he summoned his
hearers before the divine tribunal, and weighed their sophistries and
deceptions in the balances of eternal truth. The power of the Holy Spirit
was felt in the council-room. A spell from God was upon the hearers. They
seemed to have no power to leave