n their overflowing zeal for the Apostolic See,
they would raise a subsidy in aid of the war then being carried on
against the heretics in Bohemia. Among those who had fallen under
suspicion of heresy, and who were watched with jealous vigilance by
the ecclesiastical authorities, was one William Taylor, who had
proceeded to his degree of Master of Arts in one of the Universities,
and had been admitted into the order of priest in the church. Taylor
was cited to appear before the consistory; and on Monday, February 12,
1420, he confessed before Archbishop Chicheley that in the time of his
predecessor (Arundel) he had been suspected of heresy; and for not
appearing, or for not answering to the charge brought against him, he
had been excommunicated, and had remained under that sentence for
fourteen years.[300] Upon his expression of sorrow and repentance, he
was commanded to appear on the following Wednesday at Lambeth, where,
in the great chapel, he received the pardon of the church on (p. 406)
certain stipulated conditions. He was bound by solemn promises, and by
an oath on the Gospels (thrice repeated), not to offend again; and he
promised to appear in person or by his proctor at the next
convocation, there to confess his penitence. He was then set at
liberty.

[Footnote 300: William Taylor had been cited March
9th, 1409, when he treated the citation with
contempt.--Archbishop's Register.]

Taylor, however, was not long allowed to remain unmolested. Agreeably
to the call of the sovereign Pontiff at Rome, and the peremptory
injunctions of his metropolitan, agreeably also (as it too evidently
appears by the sequel) to his own views of duty, Philip Morgan, Bishop
of Worcester, denounced the same William Taylor in full convocation,
May 5, 1421, as a person vehemently suspected of heresy. The King was
then in London, but was on the eve of leaving the kingdom; and fully
occupied in preparing to proceed forthwith to wipe off the disgrace
which had fallen on the English arms, and to restore confidence to his
troops, then much depressed by the unexpected discomfiture of their
countrymen, and the death of the Duke of Clarence in battle. On
Saturday, May 24, Taylor was put upon his trial, being produced before
the court as the Bishop of Worcester's prisoner, who had caused him to
be arrested. Of the three opinions savouring of heresy, (errorem et
haeresin sapientes,)