The Great Testimony to John Wickliff
by the University of Oxford
A Treatise of Baptism
By Henry Danvers, 1674

That the special good Will and Care we bear to John Wickliff sometime Child of this University, moving and stirring in us, we do with one Mind, Voice and Testimony, witness all his Conditions and Doings throughout his whole Life, to have been most sincere and commendable; whose honest Manners and Conditions, Profoundness of Learning, and most redolent Renown and Fame, we desire the more earnestly to be notified and known unto all the faithful; for that we understand the maturity and ripeness of his conversion, his diligent Labours and Travels, to send to the Praise of God, the help and safeguard of others, and the profit of the Church.

Wherefore we signifie by these Presents, that his Conversation, even from his youth, unto the time of his Death, was so praise-worthy and honest, that never at any time was there any spot or opposition noised of him; but in his Answering, Reading, Preaching and Determining, he behaved himself laudably, and as a stout and valiant Champion of the Faith, vanquishing by the force of Scripture, all such who by their willful begging, blasphemed and slandered Christ's religion, &c. And who amongst all the rest of the University, had written in Logick, Philosophy, Divinity, Morals, and the Speculative sort, without peer.

The knowledge of all which we desire to testifie and deliver forth, to the intent that the Fame and Renown of this Doctor may be the more evident, and had in reputation amongst them into whose hands these present letters Testimonial will come.

In Witness whereof, we have caused these our Letters Testimonial to be Sealed with our Common Seal, at Oxford, in our Convocation-house, the 5th of Octob. in the Year of our Lord 1406.

This Wonderful Testimony was the more to be admired, being given forth in the time of hot Persecution under Henry the Fourth.

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[From A Treatise of Baptism, pp. 296-298. Transcribed and scanned by Jim Duvall.]

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