Biography of Bishop Reginald Peacock 1395-1461

A Brief Latin Chronicle. 1457. And these and many other frivolous and heretical assertions found scattered in his [Bishop Peacock's (age 62)] books, and publicly presented and attributed to him at Lambeth before the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury (age 39), bishops, doctors, and the clergy assisting there, Reginald did not deny having dictated, held, and spread through himself and his heralds, and having infected many others with the same. Therefore, those heresies and many others were diligently and maturely examined there and were condemned by Lord Thomas, the Archbishop of Canterbury, bishops, doctors, and the rest of the clergy, and many of his heretical books were publicly burned; some in Oxford during a general procession, and some in the cemetery of Saint Paul's Cathedral Church, London. Where also the same Reginald on Sunday during the sermon time publicly abjured, anathematized, renounced all such perverse and heretical dogmas in writing, and subjected himself to canonical correction. Hence he was deprived of the bishopric of Chichester and was assigned to a private or solitary life. Many, however, infected by his pernicious doctrine, remained in error.

Has et quam plures alias asserciones frivolas et hereticas in ejus libris sparsim inventas, et publice apud Lambyth coram Domino Cantuariensi Archiepiscopo, episcopis, doctoribus et clero inibi assistentibus prelatas et sibi objectas, non negavit se dictus Raginaldus dictasse, tenuisse, ac per se et suos precones propalasse, et alios quam plurimos eisdem infecisse. Examinate igitur diligenter et mature ibidem dicte hereses, et alie quam plurime, per Dominum Thomam Cantuariensem archiepisopum, episcopos, doctores, et reliquum clerum damnate sunt, et multi de libris ejus hereticis publice combusti sunt; quidam Oxon. in processione generali, quidam autem in cimiterio ecclesie Cathedralis Sancti Pauli, London. Ubi et idem Raginaldus dominico die tempore sermonis omnia hujusmodi dogmata perversa et heretica publice in scriptis abjuravit, anathematizavit, abrenunciavit, canoniceque correccioni se subjecit. Unde et episcopatu Cicestrensi privatus, vite private seu solitarie adjudicatus est. Multi tamen ejus doctrina pestifera infecti, permanserunt in errore.

A Brief Latin Chronicle. 1457. In the year of our Lord 1457, there was a certain Reginald Pecock (age 62), a Welshman by nationality, a doctor of sacred theology, and the Bishop of Chichester, indeed famous for his intellect and knowledge, and in his early age considered of good governance and of reputable fame. However, later on, instigated by the Devil and relying too much on his own intellect, becoming almost forgetful of his own salvation and that of others, he set aside, or rather almost rejected, his former innocence, and in many respects despised the Catholic faith, the sanctions and sayings of the holy doctors and fathers, even considering the supreme truth of the sacred scripture as almost worthless, and in many cases elevated human reasoning above all these things. Hence, just like a second Lucifer, esteeming and exalting himself above others, he revived certain old pernicious heresies that had been condemned and added quite harmful new ones, many of which, both because of their enormity and because of the scandal they might cause to the weaker brethren, I deem it safer to commit to silence than to speak of them. He held most insolent views about the most divine Eucharist, and wrongly cited Saint Dionysius on his behalf, who, however, wrote clearly to the contrary. He disparaged the divine ecclesiastical offices arranged by the holy fathers, and long used in churches by many men of holy and approved life for the praise of God and the salvation of the faithful; he omitted four articles of the most holy creed, etc.

Anno Domini millesimo cccc°.lvij° extitit quidam nomine Raginaldus Pokok, nacione Wallicus, sacre theologie doctor, et Cicestrensis episcopus, ingenio quidem et scientia satis clarus, et in primeva etate reputatus boni regiminis, et honeste fame; hic tamen posterius, instigante Diabolo, proprio nimis innitens ingenio, proprie salutis et aliorum factus quasi immemor, postposita, imo quasi fere rejecta, priori innocencia, et in multis fide spreta catholica, santorum doctorum et patrum sanctiones et dicta, imo scripture sacre supereminentem veritatem quasi pro vili habens, dictamen rationis humane in multis extulit super hec omnia. Unde sic, velut secundus Lucifer supra ceteros estimans se et extollens, veteres quasdam pestiferas hereses damnatas renovavit, novasque satis noxias superadjecit, quarum multas, tum propter earum enormitatem, tum propter aliorum infirmorum scandalum, silencio committendas esse sacius estimo quam dicendas. De Eukaristia divinissima protervissime sensit, et Sanctum Dionisium pro se allegavit, qui tamen Dionisius plane in contra scripsit. Ecclesiastica divina officia per sanctos patres disposita, et a multis sanctis probateque vite viris a diu in ecclesiis usitata ad Dei laudem et fidelium salutem, vilipendit; quattuor articulos simboli sacro-sancti omisit, &c.