The Oxford Reformers: John Colet, Erasmus, and Thomas More

by Frederic Seebohm

[200], [309-311]
Latimer, William, on the ‘Novum Instrumentum,’ [398]
Lee, Edward, [470], [504]
Leo X., a friend of Erasmus, and inclined to peace, [268].
His intellectual sensualism, [321].
Patronises the ‘Novum Instrumentum,’ [336].
His Indulgences, &c., [418] et seq.
Censure of Erasmus on, [433]
Lilly, William, in companionship with More, [146], [149], [152], [181].
His grammar, [148].
Master of St. Paul’s School, [215], [250], [466].
Had travelled in the East, [150], [250].
Had a large family, [464], n.

Linacre at Florence, [14].
At Oxford, id.
Erasmus admires him, [116].
Translation of Proclus’ ‘De Spherâ,’ [85].
His Latin Grammar, [216].
Letter of Erasmus to, [185]
Lollards attend Colet’s sermons, [222].
Many abjure, id.
Some burned, [223]
Lorenzo de’ Medici, [9], [11], [14], [17], [18], [20], n., [59]
Louis XII. of France, [259].
At war with Henry VIII.; loses Tournay, &c., [272].
Alliance with England.
Dies, [308]
Lupset, disciple of Colet’s, [504]
Luther reads the ‘Novum Instrumentum,’ [402], [407].
His early history and rigid Augustinian standpoint, [404], [472].
Erasmus’s opinion of, [478], [479].
Finds out he is a Hussite, [484], [485].
The Reform of, contrasted with that of the Oxford Reformers, [492], [497]
Lystrius, Gerard, [303].
Adds notes to the ‘Praise of Folly,’ [312], [313], [420]
Machiavelli, his School of Politics.
‘The Prince’ and its maxims, [323], [324], [368], [369]
Mahometanism.
See [Turks]
Macrobius, quoted by Colet, [57].
Mentioned, [10], [58], [59]
Martins, Thierry, printer at Antwerp, [167], n.
At Louvain, [366], [379], [389], [419], n., [455], [458], [481]
Maximilian, [259], [482]
Melanchthon, Ode on Erasmus, [401], [402].
Erasmus’s appreciation of, [476-478]
More, Thomas, his early history, [23].
Fascinating character, [25].
Comes to Oxford, [25].
His father’s strictness, [26].
Erasmus meets him in London, [113].
Erasmus falls in love with him, [114], [116].
Visits royal nursery with Erasmus and Arnold, [134].
His legal studies, [27], [142].
Oxford friends join him in London, id.
Lectures on St. Augustine’s ‘De Civitate Dei,’ [143].
Reader at Furnival’s Inn—enters Parliament, [143], [144].
Procures the rejection of part of a subsidy, [145].
Offends Henry VII., [145], [146].
Seeks retirement, id.
In lodgings near the Charterhouse, [147].
Colet’s influence on him, [148].
He studies Pico’s Life and Works, [151-158].
Erasmus visits him, [181].
His satire upon monks and confession, id.
Unrelenting hatred of the King’s avarice and tyranny—his epigrams, [182].
Leaves the Charterhouse—marries, [159], [160].
His home in Bucklersbury and three daughters, [193].
Connection with Henry VIII., [190-192].
His practice at the bar, and appointment as undersheriff, id.
Erasmus visits him and writes the ‘Praise of Folly’ at his house, [193].
More on Colet’s school, [251].
Epigrams against French criticisms on the war, [260].
Public duties, [256], [338].
Writes History of Richard III., id.
His first wife dies, id.
His practice at the bar—second marriage, [337].
Sent on an embassy, [343].
Second book of ‘Utopia,’ [346-365].
Introductory book to, [378-390].
Attempt of Henry VIII. to make him a courtier, [380].
Visit to Coventry—strange frenzy there, [414-418].
Second embassy, [427].
Enters Henry VIII.’s service, [429].
At the court of Henry VIII., [458].
Letter to the University of Oxford, [459].
A monk attempts his conversion—More’s reply, [470-475].
His character and domestic life, [497-502].
Opinion of character of Colet, [504].
Date of More’s birth, note on, [Appendix C].
Works of, [App. F]
Morton, Cardinal, zeal for reform, and against heretics, [8].
More’s connection with, [24], [256], [386]
Moses, Colet’s views on; his account of the Creation, [46] et seq.
Colet urges Erasmus to lecture on Moses or Isaiah, [128], [131]
Mountjoy, Lord, [94], [115], [134], [165], [170], [205], [295], [469], [471]
Neo-platonists, [9-13], [39], [41], [61], [77], [158], [159]
Origen, the works of, Colet studies, and prefers to those of Augustine, [16].
Erasmus studies, [169].
His method of allegorical interpretation, [174], [445]
Original sin, allusion to, [403], [492]
Oxford Reformers of 1498.
(See ‘[Colet],’ ‘[Erasmus],’ and ‘[More].’)
Difference between their standpoint and that of Luther and all Augustinian Reformers, [492-497].
Nature of the Reform urged by, [506].
Result of its rejection, [507-509]
Parliament of 1503-4.
Subsidy opposed by More in, [145].
Of 1514, [279].
Of 1515, complaints of results of Henry VIII.’s extravagance and the wars, [338].
Levy taxes on labourers, [268]; and interfere with wages, [340-341].
Statute on pasture-farming, [341].
Rigid punishment of crimes, id.
Eight years without a Parliament, [346]
Pico della Mirandola, influenced by Savonarola, [19].
Death of, [18-20].
His ‘Heptaplus,’ [19], n., [59].
More translates his life and works, [152-158].
His faith in Christianity, and in the laws of nature, [154].
On prayer, [154].
On the Scriptures, [155].
Study of Eastern languages, [156].
His verses, [157].
On the love of Christ, [152-157]
Platonic Academy, [9], [13], [17], [19]
Plotinus, [10], [14], [16], [41]
Pole, De la, [133]
Politian, [14], [18]
Pomponatius, sceptical tendencies of, [323]
Popes, satire of Erasmus on, [201], [426].
Colet on, [74], [75]
Proclus, [10]
Pyghards, of Bohemia.
See [Hussites]
Radulphus (who?), Colet’s letters to, [41-57]
Reuchlin, mention of, [301].
Erasmus supports, [307].
His ‘Pythagorica,’ &c. Colet’s opinion of, [411], [413]
Rhenanus, Beatus, [303], [304], [311], [312], [392], [432], [457]
Sacrifice, Colet’s views on, [39], [206].
Of Cain and Abel, conversation on, [97] et seq.
Sadolet, secretary to Leo X., [321]
Sapidus, John, escorts Erasmus to Basle, [302]
Savonarola, influence of, [17-22].
Do. on Colet (?) id. and [37], n.
Whether any connection between his views and Colet’s, id.
Indirect connection with the Oxford Reformers through More’s translation of Pico’s life and works, [158], [159]
Saxony, Frederic, Elector of, protects Luther, [477-483].
His noble conduct on election of Charles V., id.
Schlechta’s, Johannes, of Bohemia, correspondence with Erasmus, [485-491]
Scriptures, position of study of, at Oxford, [2].
Do. plenary inspiration, [29].
Interpretation textarian, id.
Theory of ‘manifold senses,’ [31], [121-124].
Aquinas on do., [30], [122].
Tyndale’s account of, [30], [31].
Scriptures practically ignored, [14].
Colet’s mode of interpretation (see [Colet]).
The theory of accommodation, [52-57].
‘Manifold senses,’ Colet on inspiration, [124].
Valla’s ‘Annotations,’ preface of Erasmus, [177].
Pico on the Scriptures, [155].
Colet translates portions of, [155].
Dorpius maintains verbal inspiration of Vulgate version, [315].
Eck also, [435].
Erasmus rejects it, [317], [331], [436], [443].
Advocates translation of, into all languages, [327].
Method of study of, [329], [445].
Difference between the Oxford and the Wittemberg Reformers on the inspiration of, [492-497]
Servatius, prior of Stein monastery, Holland, correspondence with Erasmus, [295], [299]
Sherborn, Robert, Bishop of St. David’s, [138]
Spalatin, George, writes to Erasmus, [402]
St. Andrews, Archbishop of, under Erasmus’s tuition, [184].
Killed in battle of Flodden, [272]
St. Bertin, Abbot of, [165].
Letters of Erasmus to, [280].
Erasmus visits, [299]
St. Paul’s School, founded by Colet, [209].
Salaries of masters, [209].
Cost of, to Colet, [210].
Completion of, [250].
Jealousy against, [251].
Statutes of, [463-466]
Sweating sickness, [458], [461]
Taxation, of clergy, for Henry VIII.’s wars, [247].
Amount of a ‘tenth,’ id. n.
Of labourers, [340].
War taxes, [339].
Erasmus on, [374-376].
Amount of a ‘fifteenth,’ [145]
Tunstal, More on an embassy with, [343].
Erasmus writes to, [503]
Turks, five times as numerous as Christians, [6], n.
Threaten to overwhelm Christianity, [6].
Defeat of the Moors in Spain, [7]
Tyndale, describes position of Scripture study at Oxford, [3], n.
Estimate of number of Mahometans and Christians, [6], n.
On the scholastic modes of Scripture interpretation and the theory of ‘manifold senses,’ [31].
At Oxford before Colet leaves, [136].
Studies Scriptures there, id.
Translates the ‘Enchiridion,’ [174]
United brethren, of Bohemia.
See [Hussites]
Utopia, contents of second book of, [347-365].
Introductory book of, [378-390]
Valla, Laurentius, Erasmus studies the works of, and writes the preface to his Annotations of, [177]
Vere, Marchioness de, aids Erasmus, [164-167]
Volzius, abbot of monastery at Schelestadt, Erasmus’s letter to, [439]
Walsingham, pilgrimage to, [269-272].
Erasmus visits, [273-275]
Warham, Erasmus visits, [184], [205].
Gives Erasmus a pension, [205].
Defends Erasmus against Fitzjames, [254]
Wars, Colet’s sermons against Henry VIII.’s, [261], [264], [468].
Erasmus against, [203], [280], [311].
More’s ‘Utopian’ opinions on, [351]
Winchcombe, Kidderminster, Abbot of, Colet’s letter to, [45]
Wolsey, begins continental wars, [223].
His rapid promotion, [229].
Archbishop of York, [306].
Installed Cardinal, [343].
Lord Chancellor, [346]
Ximenes, zeal for reform, and against dissent, [7]
Zisca, John, [486]

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Footnotes

[1] Mr. Lupton’s volume (Bell and Daldy, 1869) has a double interest. Apart from the interest it derives from its connection with Colet, it is also interesting as placing, I believe, for the first time, before the English reader, a full abstract of two of the Pseudo-Dionysian writings, to which attention has recently been called by Mr. Westcott’s valuable article in the Contemporary Review.

[2] To avoid any charge of plagiarism I may also state, that a portion of the materials comprised in this volume has been made use of in articles contributed by me to the North British Review, in the years 1859 and 1860.

[3] Where not otherwise stated, all references to these letters and to the collected works of Erasmus (Eras. Op.), refer to the Leyden edition.

[4] See note on the date of More’s birth in [Appendix C].

[5] Of the First Edition. This has since been published by Mr. Lupton.

[6] In a letter written in the winter of 1499-1500, Colet is spoken of as ‘Jam triennium enarranti,’ &c. See Erasmus to Colet, prefixed to Disputatio de Tædio et Pavore Christi, Eras. Op. v. p. 1264, A. Colet was in Paris, apparently on his way home from his continental tour, soon after the publication of the work of the French historian Gaguinus, De Orig. et Gest. Francorum. (See Eras. Epist. xi.) The first edition, according to Panzer and Brunet, of this work, was that of Paris. Prid. Kal. Oct. 1495. Colet may thus have returned home in the spring of 1496, and proceeded to Oxford after the long vacation. Erasmus states, ‘Reversus ex Italia, mox relictis parentum ædibus, Oxoniæ maluit agere. Illic publice et gratis Paulinas Epistolas omnes enarravit.’—Op. iii. p. 456, B.

[7] He was ordained deacon December 17, 1497. Knight’s Life of Colet, p. 22 (Lond. 1724), on the authority, doubtless, of Kennett, who refers to Reg. Savage, Lond.