Part 26 (1/2)
Maude was startled. Was the charge true--that she was no longer a ”Catholic,” but a Lollard? And if so, in what did the change consist of which she was herself unconscious?
That afternoon, when she sat down to read to the Dowager as usual, Maude asked timidly--
”Madam, under your Ladys.h.i.+p's good leave, there is a thing I would fain ask at you.”
”Ask freely, my maid,” was the kindly answer.
”Might it like you to arede me, Madam, of your grace--in what regard, and to what greatness, the Lollards do differ from the Catholics?”
The Dowager smiled, but she looked a little surprised.
”A short question, forsooth, my maid, the which to answer shortly should lack sharper wit than mine. But I will give thee to wit so far as I can. We do believe that all things which be needful for a Christian man to know, be founden in G.o.d's Word, yclept Holy Scripture: so that all other our differences take root in this one. For the which encheson [reason] we do deny the Pope to have right and rule over this our Church of England, which lieth not in his diocese, neither find we in Holy Scripture that the Bishop of Rome should wield rule over other Bishops; but that in every realm the King thereof should be highest in estate over the priests as over any other of his subjects. Wherefore likewise we call not upon the saints, seeing that Holy Scripture saith 'oo G.o.d and a Mediatour is of G.o.d and of men, a man, Crist Jesu:' neither may we allow the holy bread of the blessed Sacrament of the Altar to be the very carnal flesh of our Saviour Christ, there bodily present, seeing both that Paul sayeth of it 'this breed' after that it be consecrate, and moreover that our own very bodily senses do deny it to be any other matter. So neither will any of us use swearing, which is utterly forbid in G.o.d's Word; neither hold we good the right of sanctuary, ne the power of the Pope's indulgence, ne virginity of the priesthood--seeing that no one of all these be bidden by Holy Scripture.”
The old lady paused, and cut off her loose threads before she continued, in a rather more constrained voice.
”Beyond all these,” she then added, ”there be other matters wherein certain of us do differ from other. To wit, some of us do love to sing unto symphony [music] the praise and laud of G.o.d; the which othersome (of whom am I myself) do account to be but a vain indulgence of the flesh, and a thing unmeet for its vanity to be done of G.o.d's servants dwelling in this evil world. Some do hold that childre ought not to be baptised, but only them that be of age to perceive the signification of that holy rite: herein I see not with them. Likewise there be othersome that would have the old prayers for to abide, being but a form of words; while other (of whom be I) do understand such forms to be but things dead and dry, and we rather would pray unto our Lord with such words as He in the instant moment shall show unto us--the which (nowise contaking [reproaching] other) we do nathless judge to be more agreeable with Holy Scripture. But wherefore wouldst know all this, my maid?”
Maude's answer was not a reply according to grammar, but it showed her thoughts plainly enough. She had been carefully comparing her own inward convictions with the catalogue as it proceeded. She certainly could see no harm either in infant baptism or sacred music: as to the question of forms of prayer, she had never considered it. But on all the other points, though to her own dismay, she found herself exactly in agreement with the description given by the Dowager.
”Then I _am_ a Lollard, I account!” she said at last, with a sigh.
”And what if so, my maid?” quietly asked the old lady.
”Good Madam, can I so be, and yet be in unity with the Catholic Church?”
said Maude in a tone of distress. ”Methinks 'tis little comfort to be not yet excommunicate, if I do wit that an' holy Church knew of mine errors, she should cut me away as a dry branch. And yet--” and a very puzzled, troubled look came into Maude's face--”what I crede, I crede; ne can I thereof uncharge [disburden] me.”
”My maid,” said the Dowager earnestly, looking up, ”the true unity of the Church Catholic is the unity of Christ. He said not 'Come into the Church,' but 'Come to Me.' He that is one with Christ cannot be withoutenside Christ's Church.”
No more was said at that time; but what she had heard already left Maude's mind in a turmoil. She next, but very cautiously, endeavoured to ascertain the opinions of her mistress. Constance made her explain her motive in asking, and then laughed heartily.
”By Saint Veronica her sudary, what matter? Names be but names. So long as a man deal uprightly and keep him from deadly sin--call him Catholic, call him Lollard--is he the worser man? There be good and ill of every sort. I have known some weary tykes [really, a sheep-dog; used as a term of reproach] that were rare Catholics; and I once had a mother that is with G.o.d and His angels now, and men called her a Lollard.”
Evidently Constance's practical religion was summed up in the childish phrase--”Be good.” An excellent medicine--if the patient were not unable to swallow.
Maude tried Bertram next, and felt, to use her own phrase, more ”of a bire” [confused] than ever. For she found him nearly in the same state of mind as herself, but advanced one step further. Convinced that the true meaning of Lollardism was plain adhesion to Holy Scripture, he was prepared to accept the full consequences. He had not only been thinking for himself, but talking with Hugh Calverley: and Hugh, like his father, was a Lollard of the most extreme type.
”It seemeth me, Mistress Maude,” he said boldly, ”less dread to say that the Church Catholic must needs have erred, than to say that G.o.d in His Word can err.”
”But the whole Church Catholic!” objected Maude in a most troubled voice. ”All the holy doctors and bishops that have ever been--yea, and the very Fathers of the Church!”
”'Nyle ye clepe to you a fadir on erthe,'” replied Bertram gravely.
”But, Master Lyngern, think you, the Holy Ghost dwelleth in the priests, and so He doth not in slender folk like to you and me.”
”Ay so?” answered he, with a slight curl of his lip. ”He dwelleth in such men as my Lord of Canterbury, trow? Our Lord saith the tree is known by his fruits. It were a new thing, mereckoneth, for a man to be indwelt of the Holy Ghost, and to bring forth fruits of the Devil.”
”But our Lord behote [promised] to dwell in His Church alway,” urged Maude, though she was arguing against herself.
”He behote to dwell in all humble and faithful souls--they be His Church, Mistress Maude. I never read in no Scripture that He behote to write all the Pope's decretals, nor to see that no Archbishop of Canterbury should blunder in his pastorals.”
”But the Church, Master Lyngern--_the Church_ cannot err! Holy Scripture saith it.”