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history that an appeal had been made to the people instead of the
scholars。〃 Religion was to be made rather a matter of practical life than of
dogma or of ritual。 The 〃poor priests〃 in their cheap brown robes became a
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mighty religious force； and evoked opposition from the Church powers。 A
generation after Wiclif's death they had become a mighty political force in
the controversy between the King and the Pope。 As late as 1521 five
hundred Lollards were arrested in London by the bishop。＇1＇ Wiclif's
purpose； however； was to reach and help the common people with the
simpler； and therefore the most fundamental； truths of religion。
＇1＇ Muir； Our Grand Old Bible； p。 14。
The other movement which marks Wiclif's name concerns us more；
but it was connected with the first。 He set out to give the common people
the full text of the Bible for their common use； and to encourage them not
only in reading it； if already they could read； but in learning to read that
they might read it。 Tennyson compares the village of Lutterworth to that of
Bethlehem； on the ground that if Christ； the Word of God； was born at
Bethlehem； the Word of Life was born again at Lutterworth。＇1＇ The
translation was from the Vulgate； and Wiclif probably did little of the
actual work himself； yet it is all his work。 And in 1382； more than five
centuries ago； there appeared the first complete English version of the
Bible。 Wiclif made it the people's Book； and the English people were the
first of the modern nations to whom the Bible as a whole was given in
their own familiar tongue。 Once it got into their hands they have never let
it be taken entirely away。
＇1＇ 〃Not least art thou； thou little Bethlehem In Judah； for in thee
the Lord was born； Nor thou in Britain； little Lutterworth； Least； for in
thee the word was born again。〃 Sir John
Oldcastle。
Of course； all this was before the days of printing； and copies were
made by hand only。 Yet there were very many of them。 One hundred and
fifty manuscripts； in whole or in part； are extant still； a score of them of
the original version； the others of the revision at once undertaken by John
Purvey； Wiclif's disciple。 The copies belonging to Edward VI。 and Queen
Elizabeth are both still in existence； and both show much use。 Twenty
years after it was completed copies were counted very valuable； though
they were very numerous。 It was not uncommon for a single complete
manuscript copy of the Wiclif version to be sold for one hundred and fifty
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or two hundred dollars； and Foxe； whose Book of Martyrs we used to read
as children； tells that a load of hay was given for the use of a New
Testament one hour a day。
It would be difficult to exaggerate the influence of this gift to the
English people。 It constitutes the standard of Middle English。 Chaucer and
Wiclif stood side by side。 It is true that Chaucer himself accepted Wiclif's
teaching； and some of the wise men think that the 〃parson〃 of whom he
speaks so finely as one who taught the lore of Christ and His apostles
twelve； but first followed it himself； was Wiclif。 But the version had far
more than literary influence； it had tremendous power in keeping alive in
England that spirit of free inquiry which is the only safeguard of free
institutions。 Here was the entire source of the Christian faith available for
the judgment of common men； and they became at once judges of
religious and political dogma。 Dr。 Ladd thinks it was not the reading of the
Bible which produced the Reformation； it was the Reformation itself
which procured the reading of the Bible。＇1＇ But Dr。 Rashdall and
Professor Pollard and others are right when they insist that the English
Reformation received less from Luther than from the secret reading of the
Scripture over the whole country。 What we call the English spirit of free
inquiry was fostered and developed by Wiclif and his Lollards with the
English Scripture in their hands。 Out of it has grown as out of no other one
root the freedom of the English and American people。
＇1＇ What Is the Bible？； p。 45。
This work of Wiclif deserves the time we have given it because it
asserted a principle for the English people。 There was much yet to be done
before entire freedom was gained。 At Oxford； in the Convocation of 1408；
it was solemnly voted： 〃We decree and ordain that no man hereafter by his
own authority translate any text of the Scripture into English； or any other
tongue； by way of a book； pamphlet； or other treatise； but that no man read
any such book； pamphlet； or treatise now lately composed in the time of
John Wiclif 。。。 until the said translation be approved by the orderly of the
place。〃 But it was too late。 It is always too late to overtake a liberating idea
once it gets free。 Tolstoi tells of Batenkoff； the Russian nihilist； that after
he was seized and confined in his cell he was heard to laugh loudly； and；
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when they asked him the cause of his mirth； he said that he could not fail
to be amused at the absurdity of the situation。 〃They have caught me；〃 he
said； 〃and shut me up here； but my ideas are out yonder in the streets and
in the fields； absolutely free。 They cannot overtake them。〃 It was already
too late； twenty years after Wiclif's version was available； to stop the
English people in their search for religious truth。
In the century just after the Wiclif translation； two great events
occurred which bore heavily on the spread of the Bible。 One was the
revival of learning； which made popular again the study of the classics and
the classical languages。 Critical and exact Greek scholarship became again
a possibility。 Remember that Wiclif did not know Greek nor Hebrew； did
not need to know them to be the foremost sc