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John Wycliffe was born into a century when the medieval world was coming to an end while a new world was not yet born. The Church, which had brought civilization and order to Europe, had grown in wealth, property, power … and corruption. The Crusades had ended, but France and England now turned on each other in extened combat. Kinghts in armor would fall to archer. Genghis Kahn was dead but his decendant, Tamerlane, would devastate the Asian continent. Even greater devasteion would plague Europe when the Black Death would kill 75 million by the end of the century. Exotic gifts from the Orient and mysterious tales from African empires south of the Sahara were shared by traders and explorers. Still unknown to Wycliffe’s Europe were the cultures already thriving on continents yet to be discovered in the century ahead.

1330 John Wycliffe born in Wycliffe-on-Tees

1345 Wycliffe goes to Oxford

1353 With death of his father, Wycliffe becomes lord of manor

1360 Master of Balliol College

1361 Receives Master of Arts

1361 Ordained for the See of Lincoln

1361 Rector of Fillingham in Lincolnshire

1363 Prebend of Aust

1365 Warden of New Canterbury Hall

1367 Deposed at Canterbury Hall by new Archbishop of Canterbury (Langham); appeal to Pope Urban V fails.

1368 Rector of Ludgershall

1369 Receives Bachelor of Divinity

1370 First Presentation of his doctrine on the Eucharist

1372 Receives Doctorate of Theology

1372 Enters service of the crown

1374 Appointed Rector of Lutterworth

1374 Appointed to commission to Bruges to negotiate with papal delegation

1374–1376 Devolops “dominion” theory

1377(February) Rioting ends trial at St. Paul’s
(May) Pope Gregory XI issues five bulls against Wycliffe
(December) Wycliffe agrees to “house arrest” at Oxford

1378 Queen Mother ends Lambeth trial

1379–1380 Publishes views on the Eucharist

1381 Withdraws from public to Lutterworth

1381–1384 Intense work with aides on English translation of Bible

1382 Blackfriars Synod condemns Wycliffe’s writings, followed by purge of Wycliffites at Oxford

1382–1384 Prolific writing period in both Latin and English

1382 Suffers first stroke

1384 Suffers second stroke; dies on New Year’s Eve

1415 The Council of Constance condemns Wycliffe on 267 different heresies

1428 At papal command, remains of Wycliffe dug up, burned, and scattered on river Swift

1295 England’s Model Parliament—Edward I summons bishops, knights, and burgesses from all parishes for first representative parliament

1306 England expels 100,000 Jews who remained after Edward expulsion order of 1290

(1307-1327) Edward II

1310 England’s barons force Edward II to appoint lords ordainers to help him rule

1310 Parliament rules taxation shall be imposed only by Parliament

1314 Battle of Bannockburn assures independence of Scotland—30,000 Scotsmen under Robert Bruce VIII rout 100,000 led by Edward II

1318 At Battle of Dundalk, Ireland’s Edward Bruce killed three years after being proclaimed king

1326 Queen Isabella and her paramour, Roger Mortimer, invade England and capture her husband, Edward II

1327 Edward II is killed in prison; Isabella’s 14-year-old son becomes Edward III

(1327-1377) Edward III

1330 Edward III seizes power, ends regencey of Isabella and Mortimer

1333 Battle of Halidon Hill gives Edward III revenge for his father’s defeat at Bannockburn

1337 Beginning of “Hundred Years War” between England and France—Edward III assumes title of King of France; French king Philip VI contests England’s claims to Normandy

1341 English Parliament divided into Upper House (Lords) and Lower House (Commons)

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