Home > Reginald Pecock

Having been ordained priest in 1421, he secured a mastership in London in 1431, and soon )ecame prominent by his attacks upon the religious position of the Lollards. In 1444 he became bishop of St Asaph, and six years later bishop of Chichester. He was an adherent of the house of Lancaster and in 1454 became a member of the privy council. In attacking the Lollards Pecock put forward religious views far in advance of his age.

He asserted that the Scriptures were not the only standard of right and wrong; he questioned some of the articles of the creed and the infallibility of the Church; he wished "bi cleer witte drawe men into consente of trewe feith otherwise than bi fire and swerd or hangement" and in general he exalted the authority of reason. Owing to these views the archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Bourchier, ordered his writings to be examined. This was done and he was found guilty of heresy.

He was removed from the privy council and he only saved himself from a painful death by privately, and then publicly (at St Paul's Cross, December 4, 1457), renouncing his opinions. Pecock, who has been called "the only great English theologian of the 15th century14th century 15th century 16th century other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. Events Renaissance affects philosophy, science and art. The New Monarchs come to power i," was then forced to resign his bishopric, and was removed to Thorney Abbey in Cambridgeshire, where he doubtless remained until his death.

The bishop's chief work is the famous Represser of over-much weeting [blaming] of the Clergie, which was issued about 1455Events February 9 Wars of the Roses: Richard, Duke of York dismissed as Protector February 23 Johannes Gutenberg prints the first Bible on a printing press May 22 Wars of the Roses: First Battle of St Albans Richard, Duke of York and his ally, Richard Nev. In addition to its great importance in the history of the Lollard movement the Represser has an exceptional interest as a model of the EnglishThe English language is a West Germanic language, originating from England. It is the third most common "first" language (native speakers), with around 402 million people in 2002. English has lingua franca status in many parts of the world, due to the mil of the time, Pecock being one of the first writers to use the vernacularThis article treats vernacular language; see also vernacular architecture. The vernacular is the standard native language of a country or locality. In previous centuries scholarly work in western Europe was typically written in Latin, so the unusual works. In thought and style alike it is the work of a man of learning and ability.

A biography of the author is added to the edition of the Repressor published by Churchill BabingtonChurchill Babington ( 11th March, 1821- 1889) was an English classical scholar and archaeologist, born at Roecliffe, in Leicestershire. He studied under Charles Wycliffe Goodwin, the orientalist and archaeologist, entering St John's College, Cambridge in for the Rolls Series in 1860. Pecock's other writings include the Book or Rule of Christian Religion, the Donet, "an introduction to the chief truths of the Christian faith in the form of a dialogue between father and son"; and the Folewer to the Donet. The two last works are extant in manuscript. His Book of Faith has been edited from the manuscript in the library of Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Cambridge in Cambridge, England. Trinity is the largest and richest of the colleges in Cambridge, and is now a home to around 600 undergraduates, 300 graduates, and over 160 Fellows., by JL Morison (Glasgow, 1909). See also John Lewis, Life of Pecock (1744; new ed., 1820).

This article incorporates text from the public domain 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica. 1911 Britannica