CHAPTER III.

DECISION OF THE KING IN COUNCIL AGAINST THE NEW DOCTRINES. HIS INTENTION TO HAVE THE SCRIPTURE TRANSLATED, TO GIVE TO HIS PEOPLE, WHEN HE SHOULD SEE THAT THEY WERE FIT TO RECEIVE THE SAME. LATIMER'S LETTER TO THE KING, PERSUADING HIM TO GRANT THE FREE USE OF THE BIBLE TO HIS SUBJECTS. PROGRESS OF THE REFORMATION. RESOLUTION OF THE CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY WITH REGARD TO PROMULGATING THE SCRIPTURE IN ENGCOVERDALE DE

LISH.

ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST.

TERMINES TO TRANSLATE IT.

THESE and the like representations made the king anxious to take some more effectual step towards checking the Lutheran publications, which were now pouring into the kingdom. And as he judged some solemn and decisive measure was necessary, beyond that of merely issuing a prohibitory proclamation, in order that the people might be convinced that these works were not forbidden without a cause; he summoned the principal bishops, and a number of the most learned of the two universities, and putting several of these publications into their hands, he desired them to examine them, and report upon them. And in order to confer a greater air of impartiality on their de cision, free liberty, we are told, was given to every

man to speak according to his learning and his conscience, without any reproach or blame to be imputed to him for anything he there might say, whose person soever it touched, and without any necessity to agree with the majority, but only to say what his own learning and conscience could maintain and justify.

Accordingly, on the 24th of May, they gave in their report before the king in full council, sitting in the star chamber. They unanimously agreed, that these books contained many detestable and damnable heresies, being of such sort that they were like briefly to corrupt a great part of his people, if they might be suffered to remain in their hands any space; and also that the scripture corrupted by William Tyndal and others, was not only untruly translated, but also contained prologues and prefaces which were heretical, and which railed against the bishops uncharitably. And, in order to support their opinion, they made numerous extracts from these books.

The king, therefore, by their advice and counsel, determined that all such publications should be absolutely prohibited; and that the people might be better acquainted with his mind in this respect, a form of a bill was devised to be read by the preachers in the churches, informing them of the steps taken, and warning them against having or keeping any such books. Those named were, "Th' obedience of a "cristen man; The summe of Scripture;" The reve

a

Very likely the work mentioned post, in the list of works, art. 17, as being by Coverdale.

“lation of Anticriste; The supplication of beggers; "Mammona; The matrymony of Tyndall; The "Newe Testament in Englisshe of the translation "whiche is nowe prynted;" and all other books by the same authors, or to which the authors dare not, or do not put their names.

66

Archbishop Warham published his letters testimonial at the same time,' giving an account of these proceedings, in which there is the following clause: And "forasmuch that it was reported unto the kings highnes, that there is engendered an opynyon "in diverse of his subjects, that it is his duetie to "cawse the Scripture of God to be translated into Englishe tonge to be communicate unto the people; "and that the prelates and also his highnes doo

86

66

wronge in denying or letting of the same; his high"nes therefor willed every man there present in the "said assemble, freely and frankly to shewe and

86

66

open unto him what might be proved and confirmed

by Scripture and holy doctours in that behalf, to "th' entent that his highnes, as he there openly pro"testid, myght conforme himself thereunto, mynding "to doo his dutie towards his people, as he wolde

66

they shulde doo their duties towards him. In "whiche matier after Scriptures declared, holy doc"tours and auctors alleged, and red, and all thinges

66

sayde might be on both sidys, and for bothe par"ties spoken, deduced, and brought furthe; fynally "it appered, that the having of the hole Scripture

Ex reg. Warham, fol. 188, (a) printed in Wilk. conc. M. B. See note C.

D

in Englisshe is not necessarye to cristen men, but "that without having any suche Scripture endevoring "themself to doo well, and to applye their myndes "to take and followe such leassons as the precher "techith theym, and soo lerned by his mowthe, may "aswell edifye spiritually in their soules, as if they "had the same Scripture in Englishe; and like as "the having of Scripture in the vulgar tongis, and "in the common peoples handes, hath ben by holy "fathers of the churche heretofore in some tymes thought mete and convenient; soo at another tyme "it hath ben thought to holy fathers not expedient "to be communicate amongs them.

66

66

"Wherein forasmuche as the kings highnes, by th❜ "advise and deliberation of his counceill, and the agrement of great learned men, thinkith in his "conscience that the divulging of this Scripture at "this tyme in Englisshe tonge, to be committed to "the people, considering such pestilente books, and "so evill opynyons as be nowe spred amonge them, "shulde rather be to their further confusion and de"struction then the edification of their soules; and "that as holy doctours testifie upon suche like con"siderations, the semblable hath been doon in tymes past, it was thought ther in that assemble to all “and singuler in that congregation, that the kings highnes and the prelats in soo dooing, not suffering "the Scripture to be divulgid and communicate in "the Englishe tonge unto the people at this tyme, "doth well, and I also think and judge the same, "exhorting and moving you, that in consideration

66

66

66

66

66

66

"his highnes did there openlye saye and protest, that "he wolde cause the Newe Testament to be by “lerned men faithfully and purely translated into Englishe tonge, to th' entent he might have it in "his handes redy to be gevyn to his people, as he might se their manners and behavour mete, apte, "and convenient to receyve the same, that ye will soo detest thes perniciouse boks, so abhore thes "heresies, and newe opynions, soo declyne from arrogancy of knowlege and understanding of Scripture "after your fantasies, and shewe your selfe in the “meane tyme without grudging or murmeryng, perswading unto your selfe the very truth, which is "this, that ye cannot require or demande Scripture "to be divulged in th' Englishe tonge, otherwise "then upon the discretions of the superiours, soo as "whensoever they think in their conscience it may "doo yowe good, they may and doo well to geve it "unto you, and whensoever it shall be seen other"wise unto them, they do amisse in suffering you to "have it."

66

This is the first time that the grand question of whether or not the Scripture ought to be put into the hands of the common people, was publicly mentioned ; but as we shall have occasion farther on to treat more fully on this subject, we will pass it by for the present. We have, however, given the clause at length, as it is curious on this account.

It will be seen by this clause, that it is distinctly affirmed that the king intended to have the New Testament translated into English, in order to have it