The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs, and principall teachers of this Churche of England collected and compiled in one tome togither, beyng before scattered, [and] now in print here exhibited to the Church. To the prayse of God, and profite of all good Christian readers.

The Martyrdome and burning of William Tyn∣dall in Brabant, by Filford Castell.

[illustration]

Lord opē the K. of Englāds eyes.

Here foloweth the historie and discourse of the lyfe of William Tyndall out of the booke of Actes and Monumentes Briefly extracted.

FOr somuch as the lyfe of W. Tyndall au∣thor of this treatise immediately folowing, is suffi∣ciently & at large discoursed in the booke of Actes and Monumentes, by reason whereof we shall not néede greatly to intermedle with any new repetition ther∣of, yet notwithstanding because as we haue takē in hand to collect and set forth his whole workes togi∣ther, so we thought it not vnconuenient, to collecte likewise some briefe notes concerning the order of his lyfe and godly conuersation that both his tea∣ching, & lyuing going togither, as the one may edifie by doctrine, so the other may profit by example. First touching the birth and parentage of this blessed Martyre in Christ, hée was borne in the edge of Wales, and brought vp from a childe in the vniuersitie of Oxforde, where hée by long continuance grew, and encreased aswell in the knowledge of tongues, and

other liberall artes, as especially in the knowlege of Scriptures, whereunto his mind was singularly addicted: Insomuch that hée liyng in Magdalene hall, read priuelye to certaine studentes, and felowes of Magdalene College, some percell of Diuinitie, in∣structing them in the knowlege, and trueth of the Scriptures. Whose maners also and * 1.1 conuersation being correspondent to the same, were such that all they which knewe him, reputed, and estéemed him to bée a man of most verteous disposition, and of a life vnspotted. Thus hée in the vniuersitie of Oxford encreasyng more and more in lear∣ning, and procéeding in degrées of the schooles, spiyng his tyme, remoued from thence to the Ʋniuersitie of Cambridge, where after hée had likewise made his abode a cer∣tayne space, and béeing now farther rypened in the knowledge of Gods worde, lea∣uing that vniuersitie also, hée resorted to one M. Welshe a knyght of Glocester sheare and was there schoole master to his children, and in very good fauour with his master. This gentleman, as hée kept a very good ordinary commonly at his table, there resor∣ted vnto him many tymes sondry Abbottes, Deanes, Archdeacons, with other diuers Doctours, and great beneficed men: Who there togither with M. Tyndall sittyng at the same table, did vse many tymes to enter communication and talke of learned men as of Luther and Erasmus, and of diuerse controuersies, and questions vpon the scrip∣ture. At which time M. Tyndall, as he was learned, & wel practised in Gods matters, so he spared not to shew to them simply, and playnely his iudgement in matters as he thought. And when as they at that tyme did varie from Tyndall in opinions, and iudg¦ment, he would shewe them the booke, and lay playnely before them the open, and ma∣nifest places of the scriptures to confute their errours, and to confirme his sayinges. And thus continued they for a season, reasoning, and contending togither diuers and * 1.2 sondry tymes, till at the length they waxed wery of him, and bare a secret grudge in their hartes against hym.

Not long after this it happened that certaine of these great Doctours had inuited M. Welshe, and his wife to a banket, where they had talke at will and pleasure, vtte∣ring their blindnes, and ignoraunce without any resistaunce, or gayne saying. Then M. Welshe, and his wife comming home, and calling for M. Tyndall, beganne to rea∣son with him about those matters, wherof the Priestes had talked before at their ban∣ket. M. Tyndall aunswering by Scriptures mainteyned the trueth, & reproued their false opinions. Then sayd the Lady Welshe, a stoute and wise woman (as Tyndall him selfe reporteth) well sayd she, there was such a Doctour which may dispend a C. l. & an other CC. l. and an other CCC. poūdes. And what, were it reason thinke you that we should beléeue you before them? M. Tyndall gaue her no aunswere at that tyme, nor also after that (because he saw it would not auayle) he talked but litle in those matters. At that tyme he was about the translation of a booke called. Enchiridon militis Christiani. Which being translated he delyuered to his Master and lady: Who after they bad read, and well perused the same, the doctourly Prelates were no more so of∣ten called to the house, nether had they the Chere nor countenaunce when they came, as before they had, which thing they well marking, and perceiuing, and supposing no lesse but it came by the meanes of Tyndall, refrayned thē selues, and at the last vtterly withdrewe them selues, and came no more there.

As this grewe on, the Priestes of the countrey clustering togither, beganne to grudge, and storme against Tyndall, rayling at him, in houses, and other méeting pla∣ces. Of whom Tyndall him selfe in his first Prologue before the first booke of Moses, testifieth in his owne wordes, and reporteth that hée suffered much in that countrey by a sort of vnlearned Priestes, being full rude and ignoraunt (sayth hée) God knoweth, which haue séene no more Latyn then that onely which they reade in their Porteasses, and Missalles (which yet many of them can skarsely reade) except it bée Albertus de Se∣cretis * 1.3 mulierum, in which yet, though they bée neuer so sorely learned, they pore daye, and night, and make notes therein, and all to teach the mydwifes (as they say) and al∣so an other booke called Lynwood, a Booke of Constitutions to gather tythes, mortu∣aryes, Offeringes, Customes, and other pillage, which they call not theirs, but Gods part, the duetie of holy Church, to discharge their consciences with all. For they are

bound that they shall not deminishe, but encrease all thinges to the vttermost of their powers which perteineth to holy Church. Thus these blinde, and rude Priestes floc∣king togither to the Alehouse (for that was their preaching place) raged and rayled a∣gainst him, affirming that his sayengs were heresy: addyng moreouer vnto his say∣enges of their owne heades, more then euer hée spake, and so accused him secretly to y^t Chauncelour, and other of the Bishops officers.

It folowed not long after this, that there was a sitting of the Byshops Chaūcelour appointed, and warning was geuen to the Priestes to apere, amōgest whom M. Tyn∣dall was warned to bée there. And whether hée had any misdoubt by their threatenings or knowledge geuen him, that they would lay some thinges to his charge, it is vncer∣teyne: But certaine this is (as hée him selfe declareth) that hée doubted their preuy ac∣cusations, so that hée by the way in going thitherwardes, cryed in his mynde hartely vnto God to geue him strength to stand fast in the trueth of his worde.

When the tyme came of his apperaunce before the Chaūcelour, hée threatened him greuously, reuiling and rating him as though hée had béene a dogg, and layed to his * 1.4 charge many thinges, whereof no accuser could yet bée brought forth (as commonly their maner is, not to bring forth the accuser) notwithstanding that the Priestes of the countrye the same time were there present. And thus M. Tyndall after those ex∣aminations escaping out of their handes, departed home, and returned to his Master againe.

There dwelt not farre of a certaine Doctour that had béene an olde Chauncelor be∣fore to a Bishop, who had béene of olde famyliar acquaintaunce with M. Tyndall, and also fauoured him well. Ʋnto whom M. Tyndall went and opened his mynde vpon diuers questions of the Scripture: For to him hée durst bée bolde to disclose his harte. Ʋnto whom the Doctour sayd: Doe you not knowe that the Pope is very Antechrist, whom the Scripture speaketh of? But béeware what you say: for if you shall bée per∣ceaued to bée of that opinion, it will cost you your life: And said moreouer, I haue beene an officer of his, but I haue geuen it vp, and defye him, and all his workes.

Not long after M. Tyndall happened to bée in the company of a certeyne deuine re∣counted for a learned man, and in commoning and disputing with him, hée droue hym to that issue that the sayd great Doctour burst out into these blasphemous wordes, and sayd, we were better to bée without Gods lawe, then the Popes. M. Tyndall hearing * 1.5 this and beeing full of Godly zeale, and not bearing that blasphemous saying, replyed agayne and sayd: I defie the Pope and all his lawes, and farther added, that if God spared him life ere many yeares, hée would cause a boy that driueth the plough to know more of the Scripture then hée did.

After this the grudge of the Priestes encreasing still against Tyndall, they neuer ceased barki••g, and rating at him, and layd many sore thinges to his charge, saying y^• hée was an heretick in sophistry, an hereticke in logique, and an hereticke in Diuinitie: And sayd moreouer vnto him, that hée bare hymself bolde of y^• Gentlemē there in y^• coū∣try, but notwithstanding shortly hée should bée otherwise talked withal. To whom M. Tyndall aūswering againe thus said: it was not the place hée stuck vpō: hée was cōtēted they should bring him into any countrey in all England, geuing him x. l. a yeare to liue with, and bynding him to no more but to teach children and to preach.

To bée short M. Tyndall beeing so molested and vexed in the countrey by y^• Priests was constrayned to leaue that Countrye, and to séeke another place: and so comming * 1.6 to M. Welshe hée desired him of his good will, that hée might depart from hym, saying thus vnto him: Syr I perceaue I shall not bée suffered to tarye long here in this coun∣trie, neither shall you bée able (though you woulde) to kéepe mée out of the handes of the spiritualitie, and also what displeasure might growe to you by kéeping mée God know∣eth: for the which I should bée right sory. So that in fine M. Tyndall with y^• good will of his Master departed, and eftsones came vp to London, and there preached a while according as hée had done in the countrye béefore. At length hée béethought hym selfe of Cutbert Tunstall then Byshop of London, and especially for the great commendatiō of Erasmus, Who in his annotations so extolleth him for his learning, thus casting

with him selfe, that if hée might attayne into his seruice, hée were a happy man. And so comming to Syr Henry Gilforde the kinges Controller, and bringing with hym an oration of Isocrates, which hée had translated out of Gréeke into Englishe hée desy∣red him to speake to the sayd Byshop of London for hym: which hée also did, and willed * 1.7 him moreouer to write an Epistle to the Byshop and to goe him selfe with him: which hée did likewise, and deliuered his Epistle to a seruaunt of his named William Heble∣twhait, a man of his olde acquaintaunce.

But God, who secretly disposed the course of things, saw y^• was not best for Tyndals purpose, nor for the profite of his Church, and therefore gaue him to fynde litle fauour in the Bishops sight. The aunswere of whome was this, that his house was full: hee had moe then hée could well fynde, and aduised him to séeke in Londō abroad where he sayd he could lacke no seruice &c. And so he remayned in London the space almost of a yeare, beholding and marking with him selfe the course of the world and especially y^e Demeanour of the preachers, how they boasted them selues, & set vp their auctoritie & kingdome: Beholding also the pompe of the Prelates, with other thinges that greatly misliked him. Insomuch, as he vnderstoode not onely to be no roome in y^e Bishops house for him to translate the new Testament: but also that there was no place to doe it in all England. And therefore fynding no place for his purpose within the Realme, and hauing some ayde and prouision, by Gods prouidence ministred vnto him by Humfrev Mommouth Merchaunt, who after was both Shirife and Alderman of London, and by certaine other good men, he tooke his leaue of the Realme, and departed into Ger∣many. Where the good man being inflamed with a tender care and zeale of his countrey refused no trauell, or diligence, how by all meanes possible; to reduce his bretheren & Countrymen of England to the same tast and vnderstanding of Gods holy worde, and veritie which the Lorde had endued him withall.

Where vpon he considering in his minde, & partly also conferring with Iohn Frith thought with him selfe no way more to conduce thereunto, then if the scripture were * 1.8 turned into the vulgare speeche, that the poore people might also see the simple and playne worde of God. For first, he wisely casting in his minde, perceiued by experiēce how that it was not possible to stablish the lay people in any trueth, except the Scrip∣ture were so plainlye layd before their eyes in their mother tongue, that they might see the processe, order, and meaning of y^• text: For els whatsoeuer trueth should be taught them, these enemies of the trueth would quench it agayne either with apparaūt reasōs of Sophistrye, and traditions of their awne making, founded without all ground of Scripture: Either els iugglyng with the text, expounding it in such a sence, as impos∣sible it were to gather of the text, if the right processe, order and meaning thereof were seene.

Agayne right well he perceaued, and considered this onely, or most chiefly to be the cause of all mischiefe in the Church, that the Scriptures of God were hydden from the * 1.9 peoples eyes: For so long the abhominable doinges and Idolatries mainteyned by the Pharasaicall Clergie, coulde not be espyed, and therefore all their labour was with might a••d mayne to keepe it downe, so that either it should not bee read at all, or if it were, they woulde darken the right sence, with the myst of their Sophistry, and so en∣tangle them which rebuked, or despised their abhominations, with argumentes of phi∣losophy, and with worldly similitudes, and apparant reasons of naturall wisedome: and with wresting of Scripture vnto their awne purpose, contrary vnto the processe, order, and meaning of the text, would so delude them in deskanting vpon it with allego∣ryes, and amaze them, expounding it in many sences layed before the vnlearned laye people, that though thou felt in thy heart, and were sure that all were false that they sayd, yet couldest thou not solue their subtile ryddells.

For these and such other considerations, this good man was moued (and no doubts styrred vp of God) to translate the Scripture into his mother tongue, for the publique vtilitie and profit of the simple vulgar people of his coūtrey: First setting in hand with the new testament, which he first translated about the yeare of our Lord. 1527. Aftrr y^t he tooke in hand to translate the olde testament, finishing the v. bookes of Moses, with

sondry most learned and godly prologues prefixed before euery one of them most wor∣thy to be read, and read againe of all Christians, as the like also he did vpon the new testament.

He wrote also dyuerse other woorkes vnder sondry titles, among the which is that most worthy monument of his intuled the obedyence of a Christian man, wherein with singular dexteritie he instructeth all men in the office, and duetie of Christian obediēce, with dyuerse other treatises as may apere in the contentes of this booke.

So soone as these bookes were compiled, and made by William Tyndall, and the same were published and sent ouer into England, it can not bee spoken what a dore of light they opened to the eyes of the whole Englishe nation, which before were many yeares shut vp in darknes.

Now these godly bookes, and specially the new Testament of William Tindals translation beyng spred abroad and come into many mens handes, as they wrought singular profitte to the godly: so the vngodly enuying and disdayning that the people * 1.10 should be any thing wiser then they: and agayne, fearing least by the shyning beames of trueth, their false hypocrisie and workes of darcknes should be discerned: began to stirre with no small adoe, lyke as at the byrth of Christ, Herode and all Ierusalē were troubled wyth hym, so the Papistes made open exclamation agaynst this godly man, and published hym opēly in all their sermons to be an hereticke, and that all his bookes were none other but damnable heresies, and sought by all the meanes they might, how to empeach and hynder that godly man in his blessed trauayles.

But to returne to the story. After that William Tyndall had translated the fifth booke of Moses called Deuteronomium, and he mynding to print the same at Ham∣borough, sayled thitherward: and by the way vpon the coast of Holland, he suffered shipwracke, and lost all his bookes, writinges, and copyes: and so was compelled to be∣ginne all agayne an••we, to his hynderaunce and doublyng of his labours. Thus ha∣uyng lost by that ship both money, his copyes and tyme, he came in an other shippe to Hamborough, where at his appointment M. Couerdale taryed for hym, and helped hym in the translatyng of the whole fiue bookes of Moses. And after hee returned to Andwarp, a••d was there lodged more then one whole yeare in the house of Thomas Pointz, an English man, who kept a table for Englishe marchauntes. About which tyme, an Englishe man whose name was Henry Phillips, whose father was customer of Poole, a comely man, and séemed to be a gentleman. This man sodainely entred in∣to * 1.11 the great loue and fauour of William Tyndall, who greatly commended his curtesie and learning, and in the ende fell into famylier loue and acquaintaunce with him. And Thomas Pointz their host espying such great loue and familiaritie to be betwéene M. Tyndall and this Philippes, which vnto hym was but a mere strainger, did much mer∣uell thereat, and fell into a gelousy, and suspition that this Phillipes was but a spye, and came but to betraye M. Tindall, wherefore on a time, the a fore sayd Thomas Poyntz asked M. Tyndall how he came acquainted with this Phillipes: M. Tyndall aū∣swered that he was an honest man, handsomely learned, and very conformable. Then Pointz perceauing that he bare such fauour vnto him, sayd no more, thinking that hee had béene brought acquainted with him by some frende of his. The sayd Phillipes being in the towne iij. or iiij. dayes did then depart to the Court at Bruxelles, which is from Andwarp x••iiij. myles and did so much there that he procured to bring from thence with him to Andwarp the procuror generall, which is the Emperours attorney with certaine other officers. And first the sayd Phillipes seruaunt came vnto Poyntz and de∣maunded of him whether M. Tyndall were there or not, for his master would come and dyne with him. And foorthwith came Phillipes and asked Poyntz wife for M. Tyn¦dall and she shewed him that he was in his chamber, then sayd he, what good meate shall we haue to dinner for I entend to dyne with you, and she aunswered they should haue such as the market would geue. Then went phyllipes straight vp into M. Tyn∣dales chamber, and tolde him that by the way as he came he had lost his pursse, and therefore prayed him to lend him xl. shillings, which he foorthwith lent, for it was easie inough to be had of him if he had it. For in the wilie subtilnes of this world, he was

simple and vnexpert.

Then sayd Phillipes you shall be my gest here this day. No, sayd▪ Tyndall, I got forth this day to dynner, and you shall goe with me and be my gest where you shall be welcome. And when dynner tyme came M. Tyndall and Phillipes went both forth to∣gither. And at the going forth of Poyntz house was a long narrow entrey, so that ij. coulde not goe on a front. Tyndall would haue put phillipes before him, but Phillipes would in no wise, but put Tyndall béefore him, for that hée pretended to shew greate humanitie. So Tyndall being a man of no great stature went before, and Phillipes a tall person folowed behinde him, who had set officers on either syde of the dore vpon ij. seates, which beeing there might sée who came in the entrye. And comming through y^e sayd entrye, Phillipes pointed with his finger ouer M. Tyndales head downe to hym, that the officers which sat at the dore, might see that it was hée whom they should take, as the officers that tooke Tyndall afterward tolde the a fore sayde Poyntz, and sayd that they pit••ed to sée his simplicitie when they tooke him. But Tyndall when hée came * 1.12 nere the dore espied the officers and woulde haue shronke backe: nay sayd Phill••ipes by your leaue you shall goe forth, and by force bare hym forward vpon the officers. And assone as the officers had taken him, they forthwith brought him vnto the Emperours attorney, or procurour generall, where hée dyned. Then came the procurour generall to the house of Poyntz, and sent away all that was of Tyndales, aswell his bookes as other thinges: And from thence Tyndall was had to the Castell of filforde, xviij Eng∣lishe myles from Andwarpe, where hée remayned prisoner more then a yeare and a halfe, and in that meane tyme, came vnto him diuerse lawyers, and Doctours in Diuinitie, aswell fryers as other with whom hée had many conflyctes: But at the last Tyndall prayed that hée might haue some Englishe Deuines come vnto him, for the maners and Ceremonies in religion in Douch land (sayd hée) did much differ from the maners and Ceremonies vsed in England. And then was sent vnto hym dyuerse Deuines from Louayne whereof some were Englishmen: and after many examinati∣ons, at the last they condemned him by vertue of the Emperours decrée made in the as∣sembly at Ausbrough, and shortly after brought him forth to the place of execution, and there tyed him to a stake, where with a feruent zeale, and a loud voyce hée cried, Lord * 1.13 open the eyes of the King of Englande, and then first he was with a halter strangled by the hangman, and afterward consumed with fier. In the yeare of our Lord. 1536.

Such was the power of his doctryne, and the sinceritie of his lyfe, that during the tyme of his imprisonment, which (as aforesayd) endured a yeare and a halfe, hée con∣uerted his kéepers Daughter, and other of his housholde. Also such as were with him conuersaunt in the Castell reported of him, that if hée were not a good Christian man, they could not tell whom to trust. The Procurour generall the Emperours attorney * 1.14 béeing there, left this testemony of him, that he was Homo doctus, pius et bonus. that is a learned, a good, and a godly man.

The worthy vertues, & doinges of this blessed martyr (who for his painfull traueles and singular zeale to his countrey may be worthelye called in these our dayes, an A∣postle of England) it were long to recite. Amongest many other, this one thing, bee∣cause it semeth worthy of remembraunce, I thought good to shew vnto you. There was at Andwarp on a tyme, amongest a company of merchauntes as they were at sup∣per a certaine iuggeler, which thorough his Diabolicall inchauntmentes, or Art Ma∣gicall, woulde fetch all kinde of Ʋyandes and wine from any place they would, and set it vpon the table incontinent before them, with many other such lyke thinges. The fame of this iuggeler being much talked of, it chaunced that as M. Tyndall heard of it he desired certeine of the merchauntes that he also might be present at supper to sée him playe his partes. And to be short, the Supper was appoynted and the merchauntes with Tyndall were there present. Then was the iuggler called foorth to play his feates and to shew his conning, and after his wonted boldnes began to vtter all ••hat he coulde * 1.15 doe, but all was in vayne. At the last with his labour, sweating, and toyling, when he sawe that nothing would goe forward, but that all his inchauntmentes were voyde, he was compelled openly to confesse that there was some man present at supper which

disturbed, and letted all his doinges. So that a man euen in the martyrs of these our dayes can not lack the myracles of true fayth, if myracles were now to be desired.

And here to ende and conclude this history with a fewe notes touching his priuate behauiour in dyet, study, and especially his charitable zeale, and tender releuing of the poore: Fyrst he was a man very frugall, and spare of body, a great student and earnest laborer, namely in the setting forth of y^• Scriptures of God. He reserued or halowed to hym selfe ij▪ dayes in the weeke, which he named his dayes of pastime, and those dayes were Monday the first day in the weeke, and Satterday the last day in the weeke. On the Monday he visited all suche poore men and women as were fled out of England by reason of persecution into Antwarp, and those well vnderstanding their good exercises and qualities he did very liberally comfort and relieue: and in like maner prouided for the sicke and deseased persons. On the Satterday he walked round about the towne in Antwarpe, seeking out euery Corner, and hole where he suspected any pooreperson to dwell, (as God knoweth there are many) and where he found any to he well occu∣pied, and yet ouerburdened with children, or els were aged, or weake, those also hée plentefully releued. And thus he spent his ij. dayes of pastime as he cauled them. And truelye his Almose was very large and great: and so it might well bee: for his exhibiti∣on that he had yearely of the Englishe merchauntes was very much, and that for the most part he bestowed vpon the poore as afore sayd. The rest of the dayes in the weeke he gaue hym wholy to his booke where in most dillgently he traueled. When the Son∣day came, then went he to some one merchaunts chamber, or other, whether came ma∣ny other merchauntes: and vnto them would he reade some one percell of Scripture, eyther out of the olde testament, or out of the new, the which proceded so frutefully, sweetely and gentely from him (much like to the writing of S. Iohn the Euangelest) that it was a heauenly comfort and ioy to the audiēce to heare him reade the scriptures: and in likewise after dinner, he spent an houre in the aforesayd maner. He was a man without any spot, or blemishe of rancor, or malice, full of mercy and compassion, so that no man liuing was able to reprooue him of any kinde of sinne or cryme, albeit his righteousnes and iustification depended not there vpon before God, but onely vpon the bloud of Christ, and his fayth vpon the same: in the which fayth constantly he dyed, as is sayd at Filforde, and now resteth with the glorious campa∣ny of Christes Martyrs blessedly in the Lord, who be blessed in all his saintes Amen. And thus much of W. Tyndall, Christes blessed seruaunt, and Martyr.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Tyndall a vertuous and godly man.
• * 1.2

  Wilfull ma∣lice agaynst opē trueth.
• * 1.3

  The au∣thors that Popishe Pristes doe studie.
• * 1.4

  Vniust dca¦ling of the Papistes,
• * 1.5

  Notorious blasphemy of a Papist.
• * 1.6

  Tyndall remoueth from M. Welshe.
• * 1.7

  Tyndall sueth to be with Ton∣stall By∣shop of London, but coulde not ob∣tayne.
• * 1.8

  The Scrip¦ture in the vulgare tongue, a speciall ma∣nifesting of the trueth.
• * 1.9

  Ignoraūce of Scrip∣ture cause all mischife & erroures in religion.
• * 1.10

  The repro∣bate are al∣wayes of∣fended at y^e trueth.
• * 1.11

  Henry Phillippes a wicked and dissem∣bling Iu∣das.
• * 1.12

  Tyndals simplicitie pitied of the officers.
• * 1.13

  Tyndals godly zeale to his Prince.
• * 1.14

  A testimo∣ny of Tyn∣dals godly life, euen by his aduer∣sarye.
• * 1.15

  The fayth of Tyndall shewed by a manifest myracle.