Now bicause such as obteined this fauour, inioied great liberties,
manie were glad to bestow largelie, to be so preferred, the frier
being redie to admit those that offered most. Among other, one Peter
Pateshull, a frier of the Augustines order, was made by him the popes
chapleine, a man not vnlearned, and one that fauoured Wicliffes
doctrine, and therevpon forsaking his priuate profession, gaue himselfe
to a publike trade of life, which might séeme to him more holie,
commendable, and sure. Herevpon, he tooke vpon him to preach against
his owne order, namelie in a sermon which he made in saint Christophers
church in London. He inueied so earnestlie against the abuses and
heinous crimes which the friers, sometimes his brethren, vsed to put in
practise, that it was an horror to heare. There were present an hundred
at the least of Wicliffes opinion at his sermon. Now in the meane while
that he so laid foorth what he knew against his late brethren, some
persons there were that ran to the Augustine friers, and declared the
whole matter; wherevpon a dozen of the hardiest and lustiest fellowes
among them came to the church, where this Pateshull was preaching, and
hearing what was said, they began to be sore mooued, insomuch that one
of them more zealous in his religion than the other, stepped foorth,
and gainesaid those things which the preacher proponed.
[Sidenote: A libell by frier Pateshull against his brethren.]
When the Wicleuists perceiued this, they set vpon him that so
disquieted the congregation, and laieng hands on him, threw him downe,
trode him vnder their féet, and lent him manie a good buffet: and
chasing all the other friers awaie, they were fullie bent to haue
killed them, and set their house on fier, crieng out with lowd voices;
“Let vs destroie these murtherers, let vs burne these Sodomits, and
hang vp such traitors of the king and realme.” And running thus with
such a furious noise and outrage, they purposed verelie to haue set
fire on the friers lodgings, but that through the humble praier of
frier Thomas Ashborne, and one that was his fellow, being reputed for
two good men, and doctors of diuinitie, they were staied. The comming
also of one of the shirifes of London holpe much to appease them, so
that by his persuasion, they returned home to their houses. But Peter
Pateshull, being mainteened among them, was counselled, sith he was
interrupted in his sermon, to set downe in writing all such matters
as he was about to intreat of, & what he knew further. He therefore
deuised a libell, in which he accused diuerse of his brethren, of
murthering sundrie of their fellowes.
And for more proofe to be giuen to his saiengs, he told the names
of them that were made awaie, and the names also of the murtherers,
and shewed where those that were murthered were buried. He affirmed
further, that the said friers his brethren of late, were Sodomits
and traitors, both to the king and realme, and manie other things he
declared (too too bad) in that his writing or libell which he fastned
vpon the church doore of S. Paule in London, that the more confusion
might thereby redound vnto his late brethren, the friers aforesaid.
In the beginning of the same libell he protested, that he was got
foorth of the diuels dungeon, and through the grace of God escaped from
amongst wicked and filthie persons; by reason whereof, and for that he
was an auoucher of the veritie, he said, he was sure to suffer great
aduersities at the friers hands, if they might laie hold on him. But he
thanked pope Vrbane, for that through his grant he had obteined such
libertie, that by help of his fréends, he might lawfullie withdrawe
himselfe from the hands of his enimies.
[Sidenote: The fauourers of frier Pateshull.]
There were diuerse men of good worship that mainteined this Pateshull,
and caused a |781| transcript of this libell to be written foorth,
affirming all to be true that was therein mentioned. Amongst other that
thus fauoured this cause, were diuerse knights, as sir William Neuill,
Sir Lewes Clifford, sir Iohn Clanbowe, sir Richard Sturrie, and sir
Thomas Latimer, and the chéefest of all was one sir Iohn Montacute,
who caused all the images to be taken downe and set aside in corners,
which Iohn Aubreie, and his successour sir Alane Buxhull, or any their
ancestors had set vp in their chappell of Cheneleie. ¶ About the same
time, the duke of Ireland sought to be diuorsed from his lawfull wife,
a trim yoong ladie, daughter to the ladie Isabell, that was one of
king Edward the third his daughters; and tooke to wife one Lancegrone
a Bohemer one of the quéenes maids; by reason whereof, great occasion
of slander and reproch grew, and diuerse lords, speciallie the duke of
Glocester, that was vncle to the ladie that was forsaken, tooke great
displeasure herewith. But sith the king allowed of all the duke of
Irelands dooings, the duke of Glocester dissembled such iniuries doone
to his neece for the time, till opportunitie might serue to reuenge the
same.
[Sidenote: Dissention betwixt the king & the nobles.
1388.