Even a well-meaning and conscientious Bishop of Chichester, Reginald Pecock, was accused of heresy in 1457–8. He was forced to resign and recant because he chose to defend the Church against Lollardy by privileging reason over the authority of scripture and the Fathers of the early Church; moreover, contrary to Gerson, he questioned the value of preaching without the laity doing their own reading to reinforce the message from the pulpit.
