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1077 [1076]

K. Henry. 8. The story and doinges of W. Tyndall, Martyr.

that as he was in the Castle prisoner, there was much writyng, and great disputation to and fro, betwene hym & them of the Vniuersitie of Louaine (whiche was not past ix. or x, myles from the place where he was prisoner) in such sort, that they all had enough to do, and more thē they could well weld, to aunswere the authorities and testimonies of the Scripture, whereupon hee most pithely grounded hys doctrine.

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Of Iudas that betrayed Christe, it is written, that hee returned the money agayne to þe Phariseis, and afterwarde dyd hange hym selfe.MarginaliaGods iudgement vpon Philippes the betrayer of Tyndall. So Philippes this miserable traytour, after he had bene receaued of Tyndall, and borrowed money of hym, and yet betrayed hym and pursued hym to death  

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In the 1563 edition, Foxe declared that Phillips was burned at the stake; in later editions this was changed to his being devoured by lice. In fact, Phillips died of natural causes in 1542.

: albeit he reioysed a while after that he had done, yet the saying so goeth, that he not long tyme after enioyed the price of innocent bloud, but was cōsumed at last with lyce.

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The worthy vertues and doynges of this blessed Martyr, who for hys paynefull trauailes, and singular zeale to his countrey, may be called in these our dayes, an Apostle of England, it were long to recite. Amongest many other, this because it semeth to me worthy of remembraunce, I thought not in silence to ouerpasse, whiche hath vnto mee credibly bene testified by certeine graue Marchauntes, and some of them also such as were present the same tyme at þe facte, and men yet alyue. The story whereof is this.

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There was at Antwerpe on a tyme, amongest a company of Marchauntes as they were at supper, a certaine iuggler, which through his diabolicall inchauntements or Art Magicall, would fetch all kyndes of viandes, & wyne from any place they woulde, and set it vppon the table incontinēt before them, with many other such lyke thyngs. The fame of this iuggler beyng much talked of, it chaunced that as M. Tyndall heard of it, hee desired certaine of the Marchauntes, that he myght also be presēt at supper, to see him play his partes.

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To be brief, the supper was appointed, and the Marchauntes with Tyndall were there present. Then þe iuggler beyng required to play his feates, and to shew his cunnyng, after his wonted boldnes began to vtter all that hee could do, but all was in vayne.MarginaliaThe power of Gods saintes against the deuill. At the last, with hys labour sweatyng and toylyng, when he saw that nothyng would goe forward, but that all hys enchauntmentes were voyde, he was compelled openly to confesse that there was some man present at supper, which disturbed and letted all hys doynges. So that a man euen in the Martyrs of these our dayes can not lacke the miracles of true fayth, if miracles were now to be desired.

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MarginaliaW. Tyndals workes looked for to be all set out in one volume. As concernyng þe workes and bookes of Tyndall, which extende to a great number, thou wast tolde before (louyng reader) howe the Printer hereof myndeth by the Lordes leaue, to collect them all in one Volume together, & put them out in print. Wherefore it shall not greatly at this tyme bee nedefull to make any seuerall rehearsall of them.

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And as touchyng his translation of the new Testament because his enemies dyd so much carpe at it, pretendyng it to be so full of heresies, to aunswere therefore to their sclaūderous tongues and lying lyppes, thou shalt heare and vnderstand, what faythfull dealyng, and sincere conscience he vsed in the same, by the testimonie & allegation of hys owne wordes, writtē in hys Epistle to Iohn Frith as foloweth:MarginaliaThe faithfull dealing of Tyndall in translating the newe testament. I call God to recorde agaynst the day wee shall appeare before our Lord Iesus, to geue a reckenyng of our doings, þt I neuer altered one sillable of Gods word agaynst my conscience, nor would do this day, if all that is in earth, whether it be honour, pleasure, or riches might be giuen me. &c.

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And as ye haue heard Tyndals owne wordes thus protestyng for him selfe: now let vs heare likewise the faythfull testimonie of Iohn Frith, for Tyndall hys deare companiō and brother, thus declaryng in hys aunswere to M. More, as foloweth.

The testimony of Iohn Frith in his booke of the Sacrament concerning William Tyndall.

MarginaliaThe testimony of Iohn Frith, for Tyndall. ANd Tyndall I trust  

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These passages can be found in The whole workes of W. Tyndale, John Frith and Doct. Barnes, ed. John Foxe, STC 24436, p. 118.

liueth, well content with such a poore Apostles lyfe, as God gaue hys sonne Christe, and hys faythfull Ministers in thys worlde, whiche is not sure of so many mites, as ye be yearely of poundes, although I am sure that for his learnyng and iudgement in Scripture, he were more worthy to be promoted, then al the byshops in England. I receaued a letter from hym, whiche was written since Christmas, wherin among other matters he writeth this:MarginaliaThe wordes of Tyndall written to Iohn Frith. I call God to recorde agaynst the day we shall appeare before our Lorde Iesus to geue a reckenyng of our doynges, þt I neuer altered one sillable of Gods worde agaynst my conscience, nor woulde doe this day if all that is in earth, whether it bee honour pleasure, or riches might be geuen me.

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Moreouer I take God to witnesse to my conscience, þt I desire of God to my selfe in this worlde, no more then þt without whiche I can not kepe his lawes. &c. Iudge Christian reader whether these words be not spoken of a faythfull cleare innocent hart. And as for his behauiour, is such that I am sure no man can reproue him of any sinne, howbeit no man is innocent before God, which beholdeth þe hart. This muche out of Frith.

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And thus beyng about to conclude and finishe with the lyfe and storye of Williā Tyndall, it shalbe requisite now þt the reader do heare some thyng lykewise of his supplication made to the kyng, and nobles of the realme, as they are yet extant in his workes to be sene, and worthy in all ages to be marked,MarginaliaEx Lib. Tind. præxis Prælatorum. the tenour whereof tendeth to this effecte as foloweth.

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Tyndals supplications to the kyng, nobles, and subiectes of England.  
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It is Foxe who calls these passages from the conclusion Tyndale's 'Practice of Prelates' a supplication. Tyndale does not mark these passages out in any manner.

MarginaliaTyndals supplicatiō to the king and states of England. I Beseche the kynges most noble grace, well to consider all the wayes, by the whiche the Cardinall, and our holy Byshops haue led hym since hee was first kyng, and to see whereunto all the pride, pompe, and vayne boast of þe Cardinall is come, and howe God hathe resisted hym and oure Prelates in all their wyles. We hauing nothing to doe at all haue medled yet with all matters, and haue spent for our Prelates causes, more then all Christendome, euen vnto the vtter beggeryng of our selues, and haue gotten nothing but rebuke and hate among all nations, and a mocke and a scorne of them, whom we haue most holpē. For þe Frenche men (as the saying is) of late dayes made a playe, or a disguising at Paris, in whiche the Emperour daunsed with the Pope, and the Frenche kyng, and weryed them: the kyng of England sitting on a hye bench, and lookyng on.MarginaliaThe king of England payes for all. And when it was asked why hee daunsed not, it was aunswered, that he sat there, but to pay the minstrels their wages. As who should say, wee payd for all mens dauncyng. We monyed the Emperour openly, and gaue the Frenche kyng double, and treble secretly: and to the Pope also. Yea and thoughe Ferdinandus had money sent openly to blynd the world withall, yet the saying is through all Dutchland that we sent money to the kyng of Pole. &c.

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MarginaliaThe second petition of Tyndall. Furthermore I beseche hys grace also to haue mercy of his owne soule and not to suffer Christ and his holy Testament to be persecuted vnder hys name any longer: that the sword of the wrath of God may bee put vp agayne, whiche for that cause, no doubt, is most chiefly drawne.

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MarginaliaThe third petitiō of Tyndall. Thyrdly, my petition is to his grace, to haue compassion on hys poore subiectes, that the realme vtterly perishenot with the wicked counsayle of our pestilent Prelates. For if his grace, whiche is but a man, shoulde dye, the Lordes & commons not knowyng who hath most right to enioy the crowne, the realme could not but stand in great daunger.

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MarginaliaThe fourth petition of Tyndall.
Limitation of succession to the crowne.
My fourth sute and exhortation is to all the Lordes tēporall of the realme, that they come and fall before þe kinges grace, and humbley desire his maiestie, to suffer it to be tryed, who of right ought to succede: And if hee or see fayle, who next, and who thyrd. And let it be proclaymed openly: and let all the Lordes temporall be sworne therto, and al the knyghtes and squyers and gentlemen, and the commons aboue xviij. yeares olde, that there be no strife for the succession. If they trye it by the sword, I promise them, I see no other likelyhode but it will cost the realme of England. &c.MarginaliaI pray God thys be not a prophecie agaynst England.

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MarginaliaThe fifte petitiō of M. Tyndall. Further, of all the subiectes of England this I craue, that they repent. For the cause of euill rulers is the sinne of the subiectes as testifieth the Scripture. And the cause of false Preachers is, that the people haue no loue vnto the truth, sayth Paule in the 2. Chapter of the 2. Episte to the Thessalonians  

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1 Thess. 4:2.

. We be al sinners an hundred tymes greater then al that we suffer. Let vs therfore eche forgiue other, remembryng that greater sinners, the more welcome if we repent accordyng to the similitude of the riotous sonne  
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I.e., the prodigal son; see Luke 15:11-32.

Luke. xv. For Christ dyed for sinners & is theyr Sauiour, and hys bloud theyr treasure to pay for theyr synnes. He is that fatted calfe whiche is slayne to make them good cheare withall, if they will repent and come to their father agayne: and hys merites is the goodly rayment to couer the naked deformities of their synnes.

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Finallye if the persecution of the kynges grace and of other temporall persons conspiryng with the spiritualtie, be of ignoraunce, I doubt not but that their eyes shall be opened shortly and they shall see and repent, and god shall shew them mercy. But if it be of a set malice against the truth, and of a grounded hate, agaynst the law of god, by the reason of a ful consent they haue to sinne and to walke in theyr olde wayes of ignorauncie, wherunto beyng now paste all repentaunce, they haue vtterlye yelded themselues, to followe wyth full luste wythout bridle or snaffle, which is the sinne agaynst the holy Ghost: then ye shall see euen shortly,

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that
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