William Tyndale
We have now to enter into the story of the good martyr of
God, William Tyndale; which William Tyndale, as he was a
special organ of the Lord appointed, and as God's mattock to
shake the inward roots and foundation of the pope's proud
prelacy, so the great prince of darkness, with his impious
imps, having a special malice against him, left no way
unsought how craftily to entrap him, and falsely to betray
him, and maliciously to spill his life, as by the process of
his story here following may appear.
William Tyndale, the faithful minister of Christ, was born
about the borders of Wales, and brought up from a child in
the University of Oxford, where he, by long continuance,
increased as well in the knowledge of tongues, and other
liberal arts, as especially in the knowledge of the
Scriptures, whereunto his mind was singularly addicted;
insomuch that he, lying then in Magdalen Hall, read privily
to certain students and fellows of Magdalen College some
parcel of divinity; instructing them in the knowledge and
truth of the Scriptures. His manners and conversation being
correspondent to the same, were such that all they that knew
him reputed him to be a man of most virtuous disposition,
and of life unspotted.
Thus he, in the University of Oxford, increasing more and
more in learning, and proceeding in degrees of the schools,
spying his time, removed from thence to the University of
Cambridge, where he likewise made his abode a certain space.
Being now further ripened in the knowledge of God's Word,
leaving that university, he resorted to one Master Welch, a
knight of Gloucestershire, and was there schoolmaster to his
children, and in good favor with his master. As this
gentleman kept a good ordinary commonly at his table, there
resorted to him many times sundry abbots, deans,
archdeacons, with divers other doctors, and great beneficed
men; who there, together with Master Tyndale siting at the
same table, did use many times to enter communication, and
talk of learned men, as of Luther and of Erasmus; also of
divers other controversies and questions upon the Scripture.
Then Master Tyndale, as he was learned and well practiced in
God's matters, spared not to show unto them simply and
plainly his judgment, and when they at any time did vary
from Tyndale in opinions, he would show them in the Book,
and lay plainly before them the open and manifest places of
the Scriptures, to confute their errors, and confirm his
sayings. And thus continued they for a certain season,
reasoning and contending together divers times, until at
length they waxed weary, and bare a secret grudge in their
hearts against him.
As this grew on, the priests of the country, clustering
together, began to grudge and storm against Tyndale, railing
against him in alehouses and other places, affirming that
his sayings were heresy; and accused him secretly to the
chancellor, and others of the bishop's officers.
It followed not long after this that there was a sitting of
the bishop's chancellor appointed, and warning was given to
the priests to appear, amongst whom Master Tyndale was also
warned to be there. And whether he had any misdoubt by their
threatenings, or knowledge given him that they would lay
some things to his charge, it is uncertain; but certain this
is (as he himself declared), that he doubted their privy
accusations; so that he by the way, in going thitherwards,
cried in his mind heartily to God, to give him strength fast
to stand in the truth of His Word.
When the time came for his appearance before the chancellor,
he threatened him grievously, reviling and rating him as
though he had been a dog, and laid to his charge many things
whereof no accuser could be brought forth, notwithstanding
that the priests of the country were there present. Thus
Master Tyndale, escaping out of their hands, departed home,
and returned to his master again.
There dwelt not far off a certain doctor, that he been
chancellor to a bishop, who had been of old, familiar
acquaintance with Master Tyndale, and favored him well; unto
whom Master Tyndale went and opened his mind upon divers
questions of the Scripture: for to him he durst be bold to
disclose his heart. Unto whom the doctor said, "Do you not
know that the pope is very Antichrist, whom the Scripture
speaketh of? But beware what you say; for if you shall be
perceived to be of that opinion, it will cost you your
life."
Not long after, Master Tyndale happened to be in the company
of a certain divine, recounted for a learned man, and, in
communing and disputing with him, he drove him to that
issue, that the said great doctor burst out into these
blasphemous words, "We were better to be without God's laws
than the pope's." Master Tyndale, hearing this, full of
godly zeal, and not bearing that blasphemous saying,
replied, "I defy the pope, and all his laws;" and added, "If
God spared him life, ere many years he would cause a boy
that driveth the plough to know more of the Scripture than
he did."
The grudge of the priests increasing still more and more
against Tyndale, they never ceased barking and rating at
him, and laid many things sorely to his charge, saying that
he was a heretic. Being so molested and vexed, he was
constrained to leave that country, and to seek another
place; and so coming to Master Welch, he desired him, of his
good will, that he might depart from him, saying: "Sir, I
perceive that I shall not be suffered to tarry long here in
this country, neither shall you be able, though you would,
to keep me out of the hands of the spirituality; what
displeasure might grow to you by keeping me, God knoweth;
for the which I should be right sorry."
So that in fine, Master Tyndale, with the good will of his
master, departed, and eftsoons came up to London, and there
preached a while, as he had done in the country.
Bethinking himself of Cuthbert Tonstal, then bishop of
London, and especially of the great commendation of Erasmus,
who, in his annotations, so extolleth the said Tonstal for
his learning, Tyndale thus cast with himself, that if he
might attain unto his service, he were a happy man. Coming
to Sir Henry Guilford, the king's comptroller, and bringing
with him an oration of Isocrates, which he had translated
out of Greek into English, he desired him to speak to the
said bishop of London for him; which he also did; and willed
him moreover to write an epistle to the bishop, and to go
himself with him. This he did, and delivered his epistle to
a servant of his, named William Hebilthwait, a man of his
old acquaintance. But God, who secretly disposeth the course
of things, saw that was not best for Tyndale's purpose, nor
for the profit of His Church, and therefore gave him to find
little favor in the bishop's sight; the answer of whom was
this: his house was full; he had more than he could well
find: and he advised him to seek in London abroad, where, he
said, he could lack no service.
Being refused of the bishop he came to Humphrey Mummuth,
alderman of London, and besought him to help him: who the
same time took him into his house, where the said Tyndale
lived (as Mummuth said) like a good priest, studying both
night and day. He would eat but sodden meat by his good
will, nor drink but small single beer. He was never seen in
the house to wear linen about him, all the space of his
being there.
And so remained Master Tyndale in London almost a year,
marking with himself the course of the world, and especially
the demeanor of the preachers, how they boasted themselves,
and set up their authority; beholding also the pomp of the
prelates, with other things more, which greatly misliked
him; insomuch that he understood not only that there was no
room in the bishop's house for him to translate the New
Testament, but also that there was no place to do it in all
England.
Therefore, having by God's providence some aid ministered
unto him by Humphrey Mummuth, and certain other good men, he
took his leave of the realm, and departed into Germany,
where the good man, being inflamed with a tender care and
zeal of his country, refused no travail nor diligence, how,
by all means possible, to reduce his brethren and countrymen
of England to the same taste and understanding of God's holy
Word and verity, which the Lord had endued him withal.
Whereupon, considering in his mind, and conferring also with
John Frith, Tyndale thought with himself no way more to
conduce thereunto, than if the Scripture were turned into
the vulgar speech, that the poor people might read and see
the simple plain Word of God. He perceived that it was not
possible to establish the lay people in any truth, except
the Scriptures were so plainly laid before their eyes in
their mother tongue that they might see the meaning of the
text; for else, whatsoever truth should be taught them, the
enemies of the truth would quench it, either with reasons of
sophistry, and traditions of their own making, founded
without all ground of Scripture; or else juggling with the
text, expounding it in such a sense as it were impossible to
gather of the text, if the right meaning thereof were seen.
Master Tyndale considered this only, or most chiefly, to be
the cause of all mischief in the Church, that the Scriptures
of God were hidden from the people's eyes; for so long the
abominable doings and idolatries maintained by the
pharisaical clergy could not be espied; and therefore all
their labor was with might and main to keep it down, so that
either it should not be read at all, or if it were, they
would darken the right sense with the mist of their
sophistry, and so entangle those who reguked or despised
their abominations; wresting the Scripture unto their own
purpose, contrary unto the meaning of the text, they would
so delude the unlearned lay people, that though thou felt in
thy heart, and wert sure that all were false that they said,
yet couldst thou not solve their subtle riddles.
For these and such other considerations this good man was
stirred up of God to translate the Scripture into his mother
tongue, for the profit of the simple people of his country;
first setting in hand with the New Testament, which came
forth in print about A.D. 1525. Cuthbert Tonstal, bishop of
London, with Sir Thomas More, being sore aggrieved, despised
how to destroy that false erroneous translation, as they
called it.
It happened that one Augustine Packington, a mercer, was
then at Antwerp, where the bishop was. This man favored
Tyndale, but showed the contrary unto the bishop. The
bishop, being desirous to bring his purpose to pass,
communed how that he would gladly buy the New Testaments.
Packington hearing him say so, said, "My lord! I can do more
in this matter than most merchants that be here, if it be
your pleasure; for I know the Dutchmen and strangers that
have brought them of Tyndale, and have them here to sell; so
that if it be your lordship's pleasure, I must disburse
money to pay for them, or else I cannot have them: and so I
will assure you to have every book of them that is printed
and unsold." The bishop, thinking he had God "by the toe,"
said, "Do your diligence, gentle Master Packington! get them
for me, and I will pay whatsoever they cost; for I intend to
burn and destroy them all at Paul's Cross." This Augustine
Packington went unto William Tyndale, and declared the whole
matter, and so, upon compact made between them, the bishop
of London had the books, Packington had the thanks, and
Tyndale had the money.
After this, Tyndale corrected the same New Testaments again,
and caused them to be newly imprinted, so that they came
thick and threefold over into England. When the bishop
perceived that, he sent for Packington, and said to him,
"How cometh this, that there are so many New Testaments
abroad? You promised me that you would buy them all." Then
answered Packington, "Surely, I bought all that were to be
had, but I perceive they have printed more since. I see it
will never be better so long as they have letters and
stamps: wherefore you were best to buy the stamps too, and
so you shall be sure," at which answer the bishop smiled,
and so the matter ended.
In short space after, it fortuned that George Constantine
was apprehended by Sir Thomas More, who was then chancellor
of England, as suspected of certain heresies. Master More
asked of him, saying, "Constantine! I would have thee be
plain with me in one thing that I will ask; and I promise
thee I will show thee favor in all other things whereof thou
art accused. There is beyond the sea, Tyndale, Joye, and a
great many of you: I know they cannot live without help.
There are some that succor them with money; and thou, being
one of them, hadst thy part thereof, and therefore knowest
whence it came. I pray thee, tell me, who be they that help
them thus?" "My lord," quoth Constantine, "I will tell you
truly: it is the bishop of London that hath holpen us, for
he hath bestowed among us a great deal of money upon New
Testaments to burn them; and that hath been, and yet is, our
only succor and comfort." "Now by my troth," quoth More, "I
think even the same; for so much I told the bishop before he
went about it."
After that, Master Tyndale took in hand to translate the Old
Testament, finishing the five books of Moses, with sundry
most learned and godly prologues most worthy to be read and
read again by all good Christians. These books being sent
over into England, it cannot be spoken what a door of light
they opened to the eyes of the whole English nation, which
before were shut up in darkness.
At his first departing out of the realm he took his journey
into Germany, where he had conference with Luther and other
learned men; after he had continued there a certain season
he came down into the Netherlands, and had his most abiding
in the town of Antwerp.
The godly books of Tyndale, and especially the New Testament
of his translation, after that they began to come into men's
hands, and to spread abroad, wrought great and singular
profit to the godly; but the ungodly (envying and disdaining
that the people should be anything wiser than they and,
fearing lest by the shining beams of truth, their works of
darkness should be discerned) began to sir with no small
ado.
At what time Tyndale had translated Deuteronomy, minding to
print the same at Hamburg, he sailed thitherward; upon the
coast of Holland he suffered shipwreck, by which he lost all
his books, writings, and copies, his money and his time, and
so was compelled to begin all again. He came in another ship
to Hamburg, where, at his appointment, Master Coverdale
tarried for him, and helped him in the translating of the
whole five books of Moses, from Easter until December, in
the house of a worshipful widow, Mistress Margaret Van
Emmerson, A.D. 1529; a great sweating sickness being at the
same time in the town. So, having dispatched his business at
Hamburg, he returned to Antwerp.
When God's will was, that the New Testament in the common
tongue should come abroad, Tyndale, the translator thereof,
added to the latter end a certain epistle, wherein he
desired them that were learned to amend, if ought were found
amiss. Wherefore if there had been any such default
deserving correction, it had been the part of courtesy and
gentleness, for men of knowledge and judgment to have showed
their learning therein, and to have redressed what was to be
amended. But the clergy, not willing to have that book
prosper, cried out upon it, that there were a thousand
heresies in it, and that it was not to be corrected, but
utterly to be suppressed. Some said it was not possible to
translate the Scriptures into English; some that it was not
lawful for the lay people to have it in their mother tongue;
some, that it would make them all heretics. And to the
intent to induce the temporal rulers unto their purpose,
they said it would make the people to rebel against the
king.
All this Tyndale himself, in his prologue before the first
book of Moses, declareth; showing further what great pains
were taken in examining that translation, and comparing it
with their own imaginations, that with less labor, he
supposeth, they might have translated a great part of the
Bible; showing moreover that they scanned and examined every
title and point in such sort, and so narrowly, that there
was not one i therein, but if it lacked a prick over his
head, they did note it, and numbered it unto the ignorant
people for a heresy.
So great were then the froward devices of the English clergy
(who should have been the guides of light unto the people),
to drive the people from the knowledge of the Scripture,
which neither they would translate themselves, nor yet abide
it to be translated of others; to the intent (as Tyndale
saith) that the world being kept still in darkness, they
might sit in the consciences of the people through vain
superstition and false doctrine, to satisfy their ambition,
and insatiable covetousness, and to exalt their own honor
above king and emperor.
The bishops and prelates never rested before they had
brought the king to their consent; by reason whereof, a
proclamation in all haste was devised and set forth under
public authority, that the Testament of Tyndale's
translation was inhibited-which was about A.D. 1537. And not
content herewith, they proceeded further, how to entangle
him in their nets, and to bereave him of his life; which how
they brought to pass, now it remaineth to be declared.
In the registers of London it appeareth manifest how that
the bishops and Sir Thomas More having before them such as
had been at Antwerp, most studiously would search and
examine all things belonging to Tyndale, where and with whom
he hosted, whereabouts stood the house, what was his
stature, in what apparel he went, what resort he had; all
which things when they had diligently learned then began
they to work their feats.
William Tyndale, being in the town of Antwerp, had been
lodged about one whole year in the house of Thomas Pointz,
an Englishman, who kept a house of English merchants. Came
thither one out of England, whose name was Henry Philips,
his father being customer of Poole, a comely fellow, like as
he had been a gentleman having a servant with him: but
wherefore he came, or for what purpose he was sent thither,
no man could tell.
Master Tyndale divers times was desired forth to dinner and
support amongst merchants; by means whereof this Henry
Philips became acquainted with him, so that within short
space Master Tyndale had a great confidence in him, and
brought him to his lodging, to the house of Thomas Pointz;
and had him also once or twice with him to dinner and
supper, and further entered such friendship with him, that
through his procurement he lay in the same house of the sait
Pointz; to whom he showed moreover his books,a nd other
secrets of his study, so little did Tyndale then mistrust
this traitor.
But Pointz, having no great confidence in the fellow, asked
Master Tyndale how he came acquainted with this Philips.
Master Tyndale answered, that he was an honest man,
handsomely learned, and very conformable. Pointz, perceiving
that he bare such favor to him, said no more, thinking that
he was brought acquainted with him by some friend of his.
The said Philips, being in the town three or four days, upon
a time desired Pointz to walk with him forth of the town to
show him the commodities thereof, and in walking together
without the town, had communication of divers things, and
some of the king's affairs; by which talk Pointz as yet
suspected nothing. But after, when the time was past, Pointz
perceived this to be the mind of Philips, to feel whether
the said Pointz might, for lucre of money, help him to his
purpose, for he perceived before that Philips was monied,
and would that Pointz should think no less. For he had
desired Pointz before to help him to divers things; and such
things as he named, he required might be of the best, "for,"
said he, "I have money enough."
Philips went from Antwerp to the court of Brussels, which is
from thence twenty-four English miles, whence he brought
with him to Antwerp, the procurator-general, who is the
emperor's attorney, with certain other officers.
Within three or four days, Pointz went forth to the town of
Barois, being eighteen English miles from Antwerp, where he
had business to do for the space of a month or six weeks;
and in the time of his absence Henry Philips came again to
Antwerp, to the house of Pointz, and coming in, spake with
his wife, asking whether Master Tyndale were within. Then
went he forth again and set the officers whom he had brought
with him from Brussels, in the street, and about the door.
About noon he came again, and went to Master Tyndale, and
desired him to lend him forty shillings; "for," said he, "I
lost my purse this morning, coming over at the passage
between this and Mechlin." So Master Tyndale took him forty
shillings, which was easy to be had of him, if he had it;
for in the wily subtleties of this world he was simple and
inexpert. Then said Philips, "Master Tyndale! you shall be
my guest here this day." "No," said Master Tyndale, "I go
forth this day to dinner, and you shall go with me, and be
my guest, where you shall be welcome."
So when it was dinner time, Master Tyndale went forth with
Philips, and at the going forth of Pointz's house, was a
long narrow entry, so that two could not go in front. Master
Tyndale would have put Philips before him, but Philips would
in no wise, but put Master Tyndale before, for that he
pretended to show great humanity. So Master Tyndale, being a
man of no great stature, went before, and Philips, a tall,
comely person, followed behind him; who had set officers on
either side of the door upon two seats, who might see who
came in the entry. Philips pointed with his finger over
Master Tyndale's head down to him, that the officers might
see that it was he whom they should take. The officers
afterwards told Pointz, when they had laid him in prison,
that they pitied to see his simplicity. They brought him to
the emperor's attorney, where he dined. Then came the
procurator-general to the house of Pointz, and sent away all
that was there of Master Tyndale's, as well his books as
other things; and from thence Tyndale was had to the castle
of Vilvorde, eighteen English miles from Antwerp.
Master Tyndale, remaining in prison, was proffered an
advocate and a procurator; the which he refused, saying that
he would make answer for himself. He had so preached to them
who had him in charge, and such as was there conversant with
him in the Castle that they reported of him, that if he were
not a good Christian man, they knew not whom they might take
to be one.
At last, after much reasoning, when no reason would serve,
although he deserved no death, he was condemned by virtue of
the emperor's decree, made in the assembly at Augsburg.
Brought forth to the place of execution, he was tied to the
stake, strangled by the hangman, and afterwards consumed
with fire, at the town of Vilvorde, A.D. 1536; crying at the
stake with a fervent zeal, and a loud voice, "Lord! open the
king of England's eyes."
Such was the power of his doctrine, and the sincerity of his
life, that during the time of his imprisonment (which
endured a year and a half), he converted, it is said, his
keeper, the keeper's daughter, and others of his household.
As touching his translation of the New Testament, because
his enemies did so much carp at it, pretending it to be full
of heresies, he wrote to John Frith, as followeth, "I call
God to record against the day we shall appear before our
Lord Jesus, that I never altered one syllable of God's Word
against my conscience, nor would do this day, if all that is
in earth, whether it be honor, pleasure, or riches, might be
given me."
Foxe's Book of Martyrs, Chapter XII.
With permission from James H. Dearmore jhdearmore@mymail.net http://www.gospelweb.net/foxe12.htm