The co[n]futacyon of Tyndales answere made by syr Thomas More knyght lorde chau[n]cellour of Englonde

More.

If the settyng of the cyrcūstaunce make all well inoughe he nedeth not mych to care what worde he chaunge•••• nor how. For he maye set suche cyrcumstaunces of 〈…〉〈…〉 de∣uyce / that he maye make men perceyue w••at h•• meaneth. For so he maye translate the worlde in to •• ••o••eball yf he ioyne therwyth certeyne 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and saye this rownderollynge foteball that 〈…〉〈…〉 vppon 〈…〉〈…〉 sayle vppon, in the people whereof there is no 〈…〉〈…〉 stabylyte, and so forth a greate longe tale / wyth 〈…〉〈…〉staunces

[ A] he myght as I say make any worde vnderstanden as yt lyke hym selfe, what so euer the worde byfore sygny∣fyed of yt selfe. But surely the worde congregacyon wyth the circunstaunces in the texte: wolde not haue serued whē he translated yt fyrste to make the englyshe reader to take it for the chyrch / no more then idolys for ymages, or ymages for idoles as he translateth in lykewyse, or repentynge for doynge penaūce whych he chaungeth to. But ma••y he hath added vnto his translacion such circūstaunces synnys, that the order of pre••thed is ryght nought / but that euery man, woman, and chylde is as very a preste as a preest in dede / & that euery man & woman may consecrate the body of Criste and say masse as well as any preste, and here confessyon & assoyle as well as maye a preste / and that there is no dyffe∣rence [ B] bytwene other folke and prestes, but all one congrega¦cyon and company wythout any diffeerce saue an appoynte¦ment to preache / and also that the comen knowen people of all crysten realmes, clergye, laye people, and all, be not the chyrche nor be no parte of the chyrche, bycause they vse sa∣cramentes and ceremonyes and diuine ser••yce in chyrches / but that the chyrch is a secrete congregacyon of vnknowen chosen heretikes, scatered abrode in corners, and studyenge to destroye the chyrche.

These circumstaunces in dede make men to {per}ceyue and vnderstande, what Tyndale meaneth by thys worde con∣gregacyon put in hys t••anslacyon in the stede of chyrche. And they p••••cyue clerely by these cyrcum••••aunces, that he chaunged that worde of purpose to set forth those he••esyes [ C] of hys wythall / as boldely as he now sayth ••ay. But all his glose is therin that he wyll saye he taketh than for none he∣resyes. But on the tother syde all good faythfull people do, and therfore they call y^e chyrch the chyrch styll, and wyll not agre to ch••••nge the olde chyrch for his new congregacyon, but burne vppe his bokes that so calle•• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 & who so wold so begynne to call yt, wold and well myght begynne to call 〈◊〉〈◊〉 hereteque, for his de••ytynge in the imi••••cyon of here∣ty••••••••, and his euyll appetyte to sp••ke after an heretyques 〈◊〉〈◊〉

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