Conrad: a tale of Wiclif and Bohemia

Preface

J N sending forth this first volume of the second series of Church History Stories I have to thank my readers for their very favorable reception of the first series. To the writer each age attempted to be portrayed has such peculiar difficulties in the way of giving a fair picture of it as a whole, especially within the limits of a short story, that it seems failure rather than success must follow upon every effort in the handling of such multiform and cumbrous materials as history presents.

This is especially the case in the period now taken up and presented to the reader in “ Conrad.” The mixture of political and religious feeling that characterized the struggles for freedom in this dawning

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age of the world’s history — the efforts of the Church to purify herself of the corruptions that were a scandal and reproach, and yet to crush out the dangerous heretical tendencies that were every-where cropping up — the struggles of Church and State to maintain their hold upon the peoples of Europe, and keep them still in the blindness of ignorance, in which they had been content to sleep for ages — all these varied motives and agencies were at work at one and the same time.

The sleeping giant, “ Society,” was rousing at last, and its despotic keepers were in alarm for their own power lest, waking, it should burst their bonds and fetters and turn and rend them. For ages, too, the Church had been asleep — sinking deeper and deeper into lethargy concerning her work in the world, and into the quicksands of luxury and vice. Once she had been the helper of the helpless, the

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protector of the poor against their oppressors ; but now she had forgotten her high mission, and joined hands with the oppressor. Kings and emperors did the bidding of the Church, that the Church might help them to crush the struggles of the people for liberty ; while to strengthen herself the Church was glad to make any alliance, be it ever so despicable, or to promote wars and tumults, that the thoughts of men might be turned away from that which intimately concerned each one of them — how they should come to the knowledge of God and the salvation he has provided in Jesus Christ for^all men.

In preparing this volume I am very deeply indebted to Mosheim’s “ History of Christianity;” Milman’s “Latin Christianity;” Vaughan’s and other “ Lives ** of Wiclif; Anderson’s “Ladies of the Reformation ; ” Chaucer’s “ Canterbury Tales,” and a “ Life of Chaucer;’’ Mass-

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ingberd, Hallam, and Mackintosh’s “History of England Foxe’s “ Book of Martyrs,” and several other works.

If from these dry bones of history I have been able to present to my readers any living picture from which lessons of courage and faith and hope and love may be drawn, and by the help of God’s Holy Spirit blossom again in their lives, then the prayers and hopes of the author will be fulfilled, and reader and author may rejoice together in thanksgiving to God for his most precious gifts.

Contents

Chapter Page

I. A Royal Wedding n

II. The Strangers 22

Chapter I. A Royal Wedding

IT was a gay and animated scene upon which the sun looked down one bright cold day in January, 1382 ; and the little village of Charing, not far from the royal palace of Westminster, was crowded with a merry throng who came wending their way through the fields of Holborn, or along the road by the river bank, but all bent on the same errand — to see the wondrous plays and magnificent pageants, and join in the festivities that every one was welcome to partake of on this, the wedding-day of their sovereign, King Richard II.

Of course, the main topic of conversation was the bride — her beauty, accomplishments, and piety ; and, foreigner though she was, and deeply as all foreigners were hated by the English as a nation, it seemed that she had already won for herself a place in the hearts of her people.

“ Ah, this is a bright day for England, neigh-

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bor ! ” exclaimed an old man in a leather jerkin, whose brown horny hands proclaimed his work in the smithy.

His companion grunted, “ It might have been if brave Wat Tyler had gained for us all he asked ; but look ye, it is not for naught the conduits and fountains have been filled with wine and ale again and again by King Richard. But Englishmen will not always submit to be amused like children and slaves, as they are ; they are beginning to think for themselves, and to feel that the chains gall, and — ”

" Faith now, neighbor, cease thy grumbling, for this day at least, when our good lord the king would have all men merry as himself,” interrupted his friend.

“ Ha, merry, forsooth ! He would have us drink of his wine because he knoweth that when the wine is in the wit leaketh out, and he would fain keep us a nation of witless villains,* who dare not ask wherefore new taxes are imposed, or why the king should fix every man’s wage.”

“Nay, but thou hast no cause to grumble at thy wages ; thou hast thy full fourpence a day, like any master mason or carpenter ; wherefore, then, dost thou complain ?”

“ Because I would fain buy or rent a small

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plat of land, even as I would have been a yeoman could I have tilled the soil and tended mine oxen without doing body service for it to the lord of the land.”

“ Then ’tis the body service and not the wages thou art complaining of, and I am somewhat of thy opinion in that matter.”

“ If thou art any better than the hammer that thou wieldest thou must be of the same opinion, for are we not all of us in slavery ? The men of the towns doubtless have more privileges than the villains ; but they cannot buy or sell at any fair or mart they please, and our wives may not wear an inch of Flemish broadcloth, and — ”

“ Nay, if thou art going to bring women and their whimsies about cloth into thy quarrel with the king thou wilt never come to an end of thy complainings. We must be patient, neighbor ; our fathers were content with things as we find them, and I say again, this is a bright day for England.”

“ When she is still a nation of slaves, and brave Wat Tyler lies in a dishonored grave ? ”

“ I was not speaking of the sorry insurrection of last year, or even of the king, but of our good Queen Anne. Tis of her all men are talking, and many have cause to talk, too ; for 'tis to her that many owe their lives, and that

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they are abroad this day instead of pining within prison walls. Didjt thou not hear the story of how she went down on her knees before the king to beg for the general pardon of all rebels, and the king in his great love could in nowise refuse her request ? ”

“ Ah, but, ’tis said, too, she is no friend to Holy Church, but favoreth these Lollards, like the queen mother and the Duke of Lancaster,” rejoined the mason.

“ Well, I have naught to say against the Lollards ; they are a peaceable people, honest and — ” “ Peaceable,” exclaimed the other, “ when they rail against Holy Church, and say that men should read the Scriptures for themselves, and judge what is done by the Church ! ”

“And wherefore should we not judge for ourselves in the matter of religion as in other things ? ” asked a man in a bright pink tabard and a broad white collar.

The mason stared, wondering whether he was the herald or pursuivant of some great lord, who would report all he had heard to his master ; but he soon saw that the man wore no armor beneath the short gay tunic, neither was it embroidered with coat of arms or ensign of any sort, and so gossips breathed more freely.

After a few minutes’ silence the man repeated his question, and this time in a louder tone, as though he wished all the crowd to hear it : “Wherefore, I say, should not a man judge for himself in matters of religion ? Are we not as able to do this as an idle, ignorant priest, or a lazy, begging friar ? We would not heed them in matters of business or daily work, and what know they more than we — at least, more than we can learn if we will ? ”

Many in the crowd looked shocked, while not a few applauded the bold speech ; but a nun who stood near, eager as any to see the fun, and displaying a bright ribbon of gold tissue over her black serge dress, turned her angry face toward the man and said, “ Thou art overbold to teach thy Lollardism to this crowd ; but the Church will crush the evil heresy even yet.” And then she moved away from his contaminating presence, while a general move in the crowd and a loud shout from those in front turned every body’s attention toward what was going forward.

“ The fountains are pouring forth right goodly drinks ! ” exclaimed one.

“ Ha, ha ! here is wine and ale for all comers ; every man can be his own drawer, and none say him nay,” shouted another voice in the crowd.

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Of course, every one was eager to press forward to the fountains just set flowing with strong ale and wine, and there was a good deal of pushing and screaming ; but on the whole the crowd was very good tempered, and as they drew nearer the palace gates there were other attractions provided besides the wine and ale fountains. There were minstrels and mummeries and mountebanks, besides a grand tournament, and in the fields of the nunnery close by there were mystery plays, and games of various kinds going on in which all were welcome to join.

It was a merry, motley throng that was gathered round the scattered buildings of the convent and the church close by, where a “ glutton mass ” had been provided for the refection of the hungry, while from the branches of the bare, leafless trees that inclosed this rich domain of the Church floated pennons and banners of every color and device.

Beneath the trees walked parties of nuns chatting gayly to some young knight or noble lord, for as yet the rule was not imperative upon nuns to keep within the walls of the convent ; and, although this was their home — or, rather, abiding place, for the sweet, sacred name of “ home ” is almost desecrated by being applied to such institutions — they still mingled rather

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freely with the world. Monks and noble ladies, in their new-fashioned high-peaked head-dresses, and courtiers in parti-colored dresses and shoes a yard long, all mingled with the crowd, while the gay and glittering trappings of the horses lent an additional splendor to the moving panorama.

Our two old friends, the blacksmith and mason, had been separated for a time, and when they met again the first had taken an old lady under his protection. By her dress it was easy to see that she was a foreigner, and the rough boys and ’prentice lads, bent upon extracting fun from every thing that came in their way, had teased the old lady sadly until the blacksmith had interfered on her behalf.

She thanked him in broken English, and said she would go home again, but that her little grandson would be disappointed if she failed to tell him all about the shows and pageants when she went back.

“ Then thou shalt see them all, good dame, if a stout arm can aid thee,” said the blacksmith.

“ And our little Conrad shall himself thank thee for thy kindness to an old woman,” she replied, as she accepted his proffered help to reach a good position for seeing all that was going on.

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“ Tut, tut ; but wherefore did not thy Conrad come to take care of thee himself?” asked the blacksmith.

The old woman smiled for a moment, but it was quickly followed by a sigh as she said : “ Our Conrad is a child, but if he were not he would not be able to come here like other boys, for he is sorely crippled, and cannot even stand upright. He will never learn the use of his feet, I fear ! ” she added.

“ Poor little lad ! ’twere well if his journey of life were a short one an it be with so much suffering. I will come and see him to help thy memory about this day’s gay doings if it will please the child.”

“ He will be right pleased to talk to thee. We lodge in the house of one Hugh Ryland, in the lane that goeth toward Holborn fields, .hard by the Temple-house.”

“ What, the cottage that stands near the gate of my Lord Bishop of Lincoln’s Inn ?”

“ Yes, that is Hugh Ryland’s cottage ; and our Conrad will be right glad to see thee, for thou wilt be able to tell him more than I can of the shows and mummeries.”

“ I know the spot, and will come erelong, and — ” but his speech, was here interrupted by his former companion, the mason, being pushed

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against bis elbow, and the next minute another small party of friends had edged their way to his side.

“ Lollards ! ” whispered the mason, looking keenly at the new comers.

But the blacksmith did not heed the whisper. “ ’Tis pleasant to see the face of a friend in a crowd like this,” he said, as he welcomed them to the little sheltered nook he had discovered.

“ ’Tis a brave sight,” said one, looking round.

“ Ha, and ’tis a brave day for England,” said the blacksmith, heartily.

“ ’Tis true, then, that the new queen will show favor to our reformer, Master John of Wiclif,” said one in a lower tone.

“All men think so, for ’tis well known that she is a diligent reader of the holy Scriptures, and favored some in Bohemia who hold views like Master Wiclif’s.”

But, cautiously as the blacksmith had spoken, his new acquaintance had heard his words, and she drew away from him as far as possible, while a look of hatred and disgust was darted toward the small party of friends who had been called Lollards. She had only just learned the meaning of that word ; but to learn it was to hate it with a more rancorous hatred than even the bishops and clergy felt against Wiclif himself.

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“ I thought we had left the evil thing behind us — that it was far, far away from this England, and that, coming here, I might save the child from the pestilent heresy of his — ” and there the old woman stopped, and, forgetting where she was, she covered her face with her hands, and groaned as if in bodily pain.

“ Faith, and art thou ill, good dame ? ” asked the blacksmith, who had heard the woman moan.

“ Nay, nay, ’tis naught ; attend to thy friends and heed not me,” said the old woman, half angrily, and trying to push her way through the crowd to get away from such objectionable company.

“ The crowd is too much for thee, I trow, good dame,” said one of the men ; “ I fear thou wilt not be able to reach home just yet.”

“ I will e’en try,” said the woman shortly, for she was determined to get rid of her present company, though she fell a victim to the ’prentices’ persecution in consequence.

But the crowd was too great, and too eager to maintain its present position, to allow her to push her way through, so she was reluctantly compelled to accept the help of the blacksmith’s stalwart arm again, and, even with him to champion her, it was some time before she could reach a spot where she could, without

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rudeness, tell him that she no longer needed his help. By that time his kindness had so far won upon her that, in spite of the strong suspicion she still entertained of his leaning toward Lollardism, she could not but thank him, and say Conrad would be glad to see him, although she hoped that he would forget her, and all she had told him about her grandson, before the next day.

It was useless for her to think of getting more than a passing glimpse at the shows now that she was left alone ; and, wearied with the pushing, squeezing, and all the din of music, shouting, and laughter, she was glad to turn her steps toward the quiet lane where she lived.

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Chapter II. The Strangers

IN a small wooden tenement whose overhanging stories threatened to fall upon the heads of every passenger the blacksmith carried on his trade of an armorer, while in an adjoining shed the more humble work of a blacksmith was carried on.

Master Filpot was reckoned to be a well-to-do citizen, shrewd and prudent, though rather eccentric ; but his friend and gossip, Master Trueman, the mason, was ready to doubt every thing but the eccentricity this evening; for he had called in to drink a horn of ale and discuss the last item of news about the lord mayor and the improvements he was introducing in the city government, when, to his astonishment, he found him preparing to go out.

“ Faith, but thou must be tired of thy life to venture forth at this hour. Why, ’tis near five of the clock, and almost dark. Where art thou going ? ”

“ Not far ; but I want to see the little knave whose grandame was with us yesterday,” said the blacksmith.

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“ Nay, but, if I mistake not, the dame wants none of thee, for I saw she fooked with little favor on thy friends, the Lollards.”

“Who told thee they were Lollards, Ned Trueman?” asked the blacksmith, a little confused.

“ Nay, who but Lollards would speak of the heretic Wiclif as a ‘ reformer ? ’ We know that he hath called the holy father ‘ Antichrist/ and * the most worldly priest of Rome,’ and yet—”

“ Nay, but what hath all that to do with the little knave who wants to hear about the brave doings of yesterday ? ” interrupted the blacksmith.

“ Naught but this, that thou wilt be befooled for thy pains at going, for the dame hateth all Lollard ways, I trow.”

But the blacksmith still went on with his preparations for going out, and when he was ready and had lighted his lantern, asked his old friend to go with him.

The mason shrugged his shoulders, grunted and grumbled, but finally set out toward the Bishop of Lincoln’s palace.

They had to pick their way very carefully, for it was almost dark, and the ill-kept roads were full of ruts and holes, while at every dark corner

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they peered cautiously round for fear of thieves springing out upon them.

They reached their destination at last, however, with no worse accident than two or three slight falls ; but when the cottage door was opened Master Trueman found himself in the company of the same little party of friends whom he had stigmatized as “ Lollards ” a short time before.

The blacksmith laughed at his evident confusion. “ Nay, nay, be not afraid, Master Trueman,” he said ; “ these friends have but met to talk how they might help our worshipful lord mayor in his efforts to rule righteously this city, and gain for all men more true liberty.”

At the word “ liberty ” the cloud that had suddenly come over the mason’s face as suddenly vanished, and he readily accepted the seat that was offered him ; though how men could talk about liberty or any thing else without a horn of strong ale at their elbows he was at a loss to know, for as he glanced round the room he saw at once that these men were not drinking.

As soon as his friend was seated the blacksmith turned toward the host. “What of thy lodgers, Hugh Ryland ; who are they ? ” he asked.

“ I know little about them, but that they came

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from Bohemia in the train of the queen. One of the great duke’s henchmen brought them hither, for the little knave, Conrad, is weakly, and ’twas thought the fresh air from Holborn fields would be of more service to him than all the balsams of the leech.”

“ And his grandame, what of her ? ”

Before answering Hugh Ryland shrugged his shoulders, and then whispered something in his friend’s ear.

The blacksmith looked concerned, and glanced toward Trueman as he said, “Thou must be cautious, Hugh, until we know how things may be.”

“ The lord mayor will protect us,” said Hugh ; “ he is himself — ”

But the blacksmith held up his finger warningly. “ I will see this little knave now if thou wilt show me the way,” he said, and he groped his way up the narrow winding stairs after Hugh Ryland.

The best rooms in the house had been taken for the old lady and her little charge, and various comforts had been sent since from the palace ; but to our nineteenth century notions of comfort the place would still seem bare, dirty, and miserable.

The walls were hung with faded tapestry, and

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the floor was strewn with rushes ; but in the place of sweet herbs being sprinkled with them, fish bones and remnants of meat and pastry were freely distributed among them, and, the last layer having been scattered over many previous ones, the air of the room was close and offensive. There was no fire, and as it was bitterly cold, and the little pale face, lying on the wooden bolster of the couch, looked pinched and blue, while the large wistful-looking eyes seemed preternaturally bright and eager as they turned toward the door as it opened.

The next minute, however, a look of disappointment came over the sweet, pale face, and tears dimmed the blue eyes. “ I thought it was my mother,” he murmured as the blacksmith came forward.

The old lady, who was sitting near the boy’s couch, rose in stately fashion, but there was no warmth of welcome in her greeting.

“ Conrad, this is thy visitor,” she said, turning toward the boy, and setting the dim oil lamp on an oak chest near the couch, and then, placing a stool for their visitor, she retired into the shadow at the farther end of the room. The child tried to raise himself on his elbow as he thanked the blacksmith for coming to see them, and Filpot then had time to look at the delicate features.

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and he wondered more than ever who this child could be. He spoke English very fairly, and told him that he was anxious his grandmother should go and see the games, because she had not been out since their arrival at the cottage, and his mother was afraid she would be ill if she did not go out more.

“ Who is your mother ? ” asked the blacksmith.

The child looked surprised at the question. “ Do you not know that we are Bohemians, and that my mother has been in the service of the Princess Anne ? — no, she is the queen now, my grandame says,” corrected the boy.

“ Yes, she is the queen of England now, my little knave,” said the blacksmith.

“ Yes, but we knew her as the Princess Anne, sister of King Wenceslaus, and my mother has served her ever since she was a little girl. She is not a great lady, like some of the court ladies, or else she would not love a poor little thing like me ; but being just a poor — ”

“ Hush, Conrad,” said a commanding voice out of the dusky shadow.

“ But mother says we are poor, although she is an attendant of the queen,” persisted Conrad.

The blacksmith, to turn the conversation, asked the boy how long he had been lame.

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“ I have never been able to walk yet, but I shall now very soon, my grandame saith ; for we have heard to-day of two ways of being cured, and one is sure to make me well.”

“What are they?” asked the blacksmith.

“Why, there is the wonderful spring of Holywell. Many miracles of healing have been performed there for those who are true and devout followers of holy Church, my grandame hath heard ; and then in this city of London, the prior of the Monastery of Holy Trinity hath given certain cottages hard by Houndsditch for poor bed-ridden folks, who can do naught but pray ; and any going to see them on a Friday, and relieving their necessities, will surely be cured by their prayers.”

“ And thou art anxious to go to Holywell and Houndsditch, I trow,” said the blacksmith.

“ Thou, too, dost think I shall be cured ! ” said the boy, eagerly.

“ Nay, I cannot tell. This water hath, of a certain, some medicament in it, for I have heard of folks being cured by it ; but of the other — ”

“ Then holy Church hath blessed this spring, and made it a well of healing to her faithful children,” said the old woman eagerly.

The blacksmith turned toward the shadowy part of the room where Conrad’s grandmother still sat.

“Nay, good dame ; I said not that the Church had aught to do with it, except in the way of taking toll and tithe of those who drink the water. God himself hath given it certain healing powers, I doubt not ; but whether it can cure lameness, I know not.”

“ Thou hast never heard of such being cured by it ? ” asked the boy a little anxiously.

“ Nay, ’tis of sickness and rheums I have heard people have been cured, but still I say not that it cannot cure thee if thou couldst go thither.”

“ O, I will, I must go,” said the boy, and he turned restlessly on his straw-stuffed couch, as if anxious to set off at once. After a few minutes’ pause, he said,

" My grandame could go and ask all these folk at Houndsditch to pray for me ; my mother would give her silver pennies for each of them. Think you not that their prayers and the holy water together would make me strong like other boys ? ”

The blacksmith wished he could give the little lad some hope, but he had no faith in the miracles that were falsely said to be wrought by this water ; and as to the prayers of the feeble

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folk of the priory, though he would by no means dissuade any from a charitable work, still he doubted not that this was used by the priests to lead men to trust in the prayers of others instead of going themselves to God for what they needed.

He said something of this to little Conrad, but the boy quickly interrupted him. “ Thou dost think that because we came from Bohemia we are not faithful children of holy Church, and therefore God will not help us,” he said.

“ Nay, nay, my little lad ; many of God’s faithful servants are in Bohemia, I trow.”

“We are true to holy Church,” said the old lady in a stately tone. “ We consort not with those who despise her and speak evil of the pope.”

“ Well, well, good dame, I have naught to accuse thee of in this matter ; if thou dost read the Scriptures thou dost know — ”

“ The Scriptures,” interrupted the boy ; “ dost thou mean the Bible ? ”

“Yes, ’tis God’s word, as doubtless thou knowest.”

“Nay, my mother did but mention it once — that the Princess Anne spent some hours each day in the study of this book, and she would fain have me learn to read it, too,”

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“When did she say this?” burst forth the old woman, starting from her seat and speaking in an angry tone.

“Nay, grandame, why shouldst thou be angry ? If this book be good for the Princess Anne it were surely good for me.”

“ Good for thee ! ” almost shrieked the old lady ; “ it hath cursed thee and thy father and mother too. The reading of this book which the Church hath forbidden will work sore woe to Bohemia and England, too, if it be not stopped.”

“ Nay, nay, good dame, speak not so. Hast thou seen the book for thyself ? ”

“ Ah ! many times have I seen it in a hand that is well-nigh wasted away by this time, I trow.”