turbatus est Herodes & tota Hierosolyma cum eo.  

MarginaliaSathan an enemye to all good purposes, especially to the Gospell.But especially, Sathan the Prince of darkenes, maligning the happy course and successe of the Gospell, set to his myght also, howe to empech and hynder the blessed trayuayls of that man: as by thys, and also by sondry other wayes may appeare. For at what tyme Tyndall hadde translated the fifte booke of Moyses called Deuteronomium, myndyng to prynte the same at Hamborough, he sailed therward   : MarginaliaVVilliam Tyndall loste hys bokes and copyes by shipwrack.where by the waye vpon the coaste of Hollande, he suffered shipwrake, by the which he loste all hys bookes, wrytyngs, and copies, & so was compelled to begynne all agayn a new, to hys hinderance, and doubling of his labours. Thus hauing lost by that shyppe both money, hys copyes, and tyme, he came in an other ship to Hamborough, MarginaliaMaister Couerdale a helper to Maister Tindall in the translatiō of the new Testament.where at his appoyntement M. Couerdale taryed for hym, and helped hym in the translatyng of the whole. v. bookes of Moyses, from easter tyll December in the house of a worshipful widow Maistres Margaret vā Emmerson, an. 1529. a great sweating sicknes beyng þ^e same tyme in the towne. So hauing dispatched his busines at Hāborough, he returned afterward to Antwerpe again.

[Back to Top]

Thus as Sathan is and euer hath bene an enemye to all godly endeuours, and chieflye to the promotyng and furtheraunce of Gods worde, as by this and many other experimentes may be seene: so his ministers and members folowing the like qualitie of theyr maister, be not altogether idle for theyr partes: as also by þ^e Popes chapleyns and Gods enemyes, and by their cruel handling of the sayd M. Tyndall the same tyme, both here in England and in Flanders, may well appeare.

[Back to Top]

When Gods will was, that the new Testament in the cōmon tongue shoulde come abroade, Tyndall the trāslator therof added to þ^e latter end a certain Epistle, wherin he desyred thē that were learned to amende, if ought were founde amysse  

. Wherfore, if any suche default had bene, deseruyng correction, it hadde bene the part of courtesy and gentlenes, for men of knowledge and iudgement to haue shewed their learnyng therin, and to haue redressed that was to be amended. But the spirituall fathers then of the clergye beyng not willing to haue that booke to prosper, cryed out vpon it, bearing men in hand, that there were a thousand heresies in it, and that it was not to be corrected, but vtterly to be suppressed. MarginaliaThe practise of popishe Prelates to keepe the Scripture from the people.Some said it was not possible to translate the Scripture into Englishe: some that it was not lawfull for þ^e lay people to haue it in thir mother tongue: some that it would make thē all heretikes. And to the intent to induce the temporall rulers also vnto their purpose, they made more matter, and sayd, that it woulde make the people to rebell, & rise against the king. Al this Tyndall him self in hys own prologue before the first booke of Moses declareth: and addeth further, shewing what great paynes was takē in examining that translation, & cōparing it with their own imaginations & termes, þ^t with lesse labour (he supposeth) they myght haue translated themselues a great parte of the Bible: Shewyng moreoer, that they scanned and examined euery tytle & point in the sayd translation, in such sort & so narowlye, that there was not one. i. therin, but if it lacked a pricke ouer his head, they did note it, and numbered it vnto the ignoraunt people for an heresie. So great was then the froward deuises of the Englishe Clergie (who should haue bene þ^e guydes of light vnto the people) to dryue the people from the texte and knowledge of the Scripture, which neyther they would translate themselues, nor yet abide it to be translated of others: MarginaliaThe causes why the popes clergye could not abyde the Scripture in the cōmon tonge.to the intent (as Tyndall sayth) that the world being kept still in darknes, they myght sit in the consciences of the people througth vayne superstition and false doctrine, to satisfie their lustes, their ambitiō, and vnsaciable couetousnes, and to exalte their owne honour aboue Kyng and Emperour, yea and aboue God hym selfe. Hæc ille.

[Back to Top]

The Byshops and Prelates of the realme, thus (as ye haue heard) incensed and inflamed in their mindes, although hauyng no cause, agaynst the olde and newe Testament of the Lord newly translated by Tyndall, and conspiryng together with all their heades & counsailes, how to repeale the same, neuer rested before they had brought the kyng at last to their consent. MarginaliaThe popyshe Prelates procured not only the condemnation of M. Tyndalls bokes, but also burned both them and the Testament, calling it Doctrinam perigrinā, straunge doctrine.By reason wherof a proclamation in all hast was deuised, and set forth vnder publicke authoritie: but no iust reason shewed, that the Testament of Tyndals translation, with other workes moe both of his, and of other writers, were inhibited and abandoned, as ye heard before  

, pag. 1157. Whiche was about the yeare of our Lord. 1527. And yet not contented herewith, they proceded further, how to entāgle hym in their nettes, and to bereft hym of his life. Whiche how they brought to passe, now it remaineth to be declared.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaPriuie conspiration of the Byshops agaynst M. Tyndall.In the Registers of London it appeareth manifest, how that the  

Bishops and Syr Thomas More hauing any poore man vnder Coram to bee examined before them, namely such as had bene at Antwerpe, most studiouslye woulde searche and examine all thynges belongyng to Tyndall, where and with whom he hosted, where aboutes stode the house, what was his stature, in what apparell he went, what resorte hee had. &c. All whiche thynges when they had diligently learned (as may appeare by the examinatiō of Symon Smith, and others)   then began they to worke their feates, as you shall heare by the relation of his owne hoste.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe order and maner of takyng of Tyndall, testified by Poyntz his host.William Tyndall beyng in the town of Antwerpe, had bene lodged about one whole yeare in the house of Thomas Pointz an Englisheman, who kept there an house of Englishe marchauntes  

. About whiche tyme came thether one out of Englande, whose name was Henry Philippes, hys father beyng customer of Poole, a comely fellowe, lyke as hee had bene a Gentleman, hauyng a seruaunt with hym: but wherfore he came, or for what purpose he was sent thether, no man coulde tell.

[Back to Top]

MarginaliaThe frendship of Tyndall shewed to Phillippes his betrayer.Maister Tyndall diuers tymes was desired forth to dinner &supper amongest marchaūtes: by the meanes wherof this Hēry Philippes became acquainted with hym, so that within short space M. Tyndall had a great confidence in hym,and brought hym to hys lodgyng to the house of T. Pointz, and had him also with him once or twise to dynner and supper, and further entred such frēdship with hym, that through his procurement, hee lay in the same house of the sayd Pointz: To whom he shewed moreouer his bookes and other secretes of hys study, so litle did Tyndall then mistrust thys traytour.

[Back to Top]

But Pointz hauyng no great confidence in the fellowe, asked Maister Tyndall howe hee came acquainted with thys Philippes. Maister Tyndall aunswered, that he was an honest man, handsomely learned, and very conformable. Then Pointz perceyuyng that hee bare such fauour to hym, sayd no more, thinkyng that he was brought acquainted with him by some frend of hys. The sayd Philippes beyng in the towne iij. or iiij. dayes, vppon a tyme desired Pointz to walke with him fourth of the towne to shewe hym the commodities therof, and in walkyng together without the towne, had communication of diuers thinges, and some of the kynges affaires. By þ^e whiche talke Pointz as yet suspected nothing: but after by the sequele of the matter he perceaued more what hee entended. In the meane tyme this hee well perceaued, that hee bare no great fauour, either to þ^e setting forth of any good thing, either to the procedynges of the kyng of England. But after when the tyme was past, Pointz perceaued this to be his mynde, to feele if hee could perceiue by him, MarginaliaThe Papistes will spare no coste to fulfill their malitious enterprises.whether hee might breake with hym in the matter for lucre of money, to helpe hym to his purpose: for hee perceiued before þ^t he was monyed, & would that Pointz should thinke no lesse: but by whom, it was vnknowē: For he had desired Pointz before to helpe him to diuers

[Back to Top]