Reginald Pecock
Encyclopedia
Reginald Pecock was an English prelate, Scholastic
, and writer.
, and was educated at Oriel College, Oxford.
Having been ordained priest in 1421, Pecock secured a mastership at Whittington College, London in 1431. On 14 June 1444 he was consecrated as Bishop of St Asaph
, and Bishop of Chichester
on 23 March 1450. In 1454 he became a member of the privy council. He joined the debate on primitive Christian doctrine in his Repressing of over mich wyting [blaming] the Clergie, 1449, and Book of Faith, 1456. These were both more cogent than the Lollard tenets, and sought to stay the Lollard movement by setting aside ecclesiastical infallibility, and taking the appeal to Scripture and reason alone. It was principally Pecock's appeal to reason and his attack on the primacy of episcopal authority for which he was deprived in 1458.
In attacking the Lollards Pecock put forward the following religious views: 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
.
Pecock 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
, 4 December 1457), renouncing his opinions. Pecock, who has been called "the only great English theologian
of the 15th century," was then forced to resign his bishopric in January 1459, and was removed to Thorney Abbey
in Cambridgeshire, where he doubtless remained until his death about 1461.
The bishop's chief work is the famous Represser of over-much weeting [blaming] of the Clergie, which was issued c. 1449-1455. In addition to its great importance in the history of the Lollard movement the Represser has an exceptional interest as a model of the English of the time, Pecock being one of the first writers to use the vernacular
. In thought and style alike it is the work of a man of learning and ability.
A biography of Pecock is added to the edition of the Repressor published by Churchill Babington
for the Rolls Series
in 1860.
Scholasticism
Scholasticism is a method of critical thought which dominated teaching by the academics of medieval universities in Europe from about 1100–1500, and a program of employing that method in articulating and defending orthodoxy in an increasingly pluralistic context...
, and writer.
Life
Pecock was probably born in WalesWales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, and was educated at Oriel College, Oxford.
Having been ordained priest in 1421, Pecock secured a mastership at Whittington College, London in 1431. On 14 June 1444 he was consecrated as Bishop of St Asaph
Bishop of St Asaph
The Bishop of St Asaph heads the Church in Wales diocese of St Asaph.The diocese covers the counties of Conwy and Flintshire, Wrexham county borough, the eastern part of Merioneth in Gwynedd and part of northern Powys. The Episcopal seat is located in the Cathedral Church of St Asaph in the town of...
, and Bishop of Chichester
Bishop of Chichester
The Bishop of Chichester is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Chichester in the Province of Canterbury. The diocese covers the Counties of East and West Sussex. The see is in the City of Chichester where the seat is located at the Cathedral Church of the Holy Trinity...
on 23 March 1450. In 1454 he became a member of the privy council. He joined the debate on primitive Christian doctrine in his Repressing of over mich wyting [blaming] the Clergie, 1449, and Book of Faith, 1456. These were both more cogent than the Lollard tenets, and sought to stay the Lollard movement by setting aside ecclesiastical infallibility, and taking the appeal to Scripture and reason alone. It was principally Pecock's appeal to reason and his attack on the primacy of episcopal authority for which he was deprived in 1458.
In attacking the Lollards Pecock put forward the following religious views: he asserted that the Scriptures were not the only standard of right and wrong; he questioned some of the articles of the creed
Creed
A creed is a statement of belief—usually a statement of faith that describes the beliefs shared by a religious community—and is often recited as part of a religious service. When the statement of faith is longer and polemical, as well as didactic, it is not called a creed but a Confession of faith...
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
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, Thomas Bourchier, ordered his writings to be examined. This was done and he was found guilty of heresy
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
.
Pecock 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
St Paul's Cross
St Paul's Cross was a preaching cross and open air pulpit in the grounds of Old St Paul's Cathedral, City of London.-History:...
, 4 December 1457), renouncing his opinions. Pecock, who has been called "the only great English theologian
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
of the 15th century," was then forced to resign his bishopric in January 1459, and was removed to Thorney Abbey
Thorney Abbey
Thorney Abbey was on the island of Thorney in The Fens of Cambridgeshire, England.- History :The earliest documentary sources refer to a mid-7th century hermitage destroyed by a Viking incursion in the late 9th century. A Benedictine monastery was founded in the 970s, and a huge rebuilding...
in Cambridgeshire, where he doubtless remained until his death about 1461.
The bishop's chief work is the famous Represser of over-much weeting [blaming] of the Clergie, which was issued c. 1449-1455. In addition to its great importance in the history of the Lollard movement the Represser has an exceptional interest as a model of the English of the time, Pecock being one of the first writers to use the vernacular
Vernacular
A vernacular is the native language or native dialect of a specific population, as opposed to a language of wider communication that is not native to the population, such as a national language or lingua franca.- Etymology :The term is not a recent one...
. In thought and style alike it is the work of a man of learning and ability.
A biography of Pecock is added to the edition of the Repressor published by Churchill Babington
Churchill Babington
Churchill Babington was an English classical scholar, archaeologist and naturalist, born at Rothley Temple, in Leicestershire....
for the Rolls Series
Rolls Series
The Rolls Series, official title The Chronicles and Memorials of Great Britain and Ireland during the Middle Ages, is a major collection of British and Irish historical materials and primary sources, published in the second half of the 19th century. Some 255 volumes, representing 99 separate...
in 1860.
Works extant
- The repressing of over mich wyting [blaming] of the Clergie [1449]; by Reginald Pecock; Ed. by Churchill Babington; London, Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts, 1860.
- The Book of Faith(1456), ed. J. L. Morison, (Glasgow, 1909).
- The Donet, ed. E. V. Hitchcock, (London, 1921).
- The Follower of the Donet, ed. E. V. Hitchcock (Oxford, 1971).
- The Repressor of Over Much Blaming of the Clergy, ed. C. Babington, (2 vols, London, 1860).
- The reule of crysten religioun, by Reginald Pecock ... now first edited from Pierpont Morgan Ms. 519, by William Cabell Greet; London, H. Milford, Oxford University Press, 1927; & New York, 1971); Millwood, N.Y., Kraus Reprint, 1987.