forth in print, in one general volume, with the works of John Frith and Barnes, as are to be seen, most special and profitable for thy reading.

These books of Master Tindal being compiled, published, and 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 many years shut up in darkness.

At his departing out of the realm, he took his journey into the farther parts of Germany, as into Saxony, where he had conference with Luther and other learned men, in those quarters. Where, after that he had continued a certain season, he came down from thence into the Netherlands, and had his most abiding in the town of Antwerp.

The godly books of Tindal, and specially the New Testament of his translation, after that they began to come into men's hands, and to spread abroad, as they wrought great and singular profit to the godly: so the ungodly, envying and disdaining that the people should be any thing wiser than they, and again fearing, lest by the shining beams of truth, their false hypocrisy and works of darkness should be discerned; began to stir with no small ado, like as at the birth of Christ, Herod and all Jerusalem was troubled with him. But specially Satan, the prince of darkness, maligning the happy course and success of the Gospel, set to his might also, how to impeach and hinder the blessed travails of that man. For at what time Tindal had translated the fifth book of Moses, called Deuteronomy, minding to print the same at Hamburgh, he sailed thitherward: where by the way, upon the coast of Holland, he suffered shipwreck, by the which he lost all his books, writings, and copies, and so was compelled to begin all anew again, to his hindrance and doubling of his labours. Thus having lost by that ship, both money,

his copies, and time, he came in another ship to Hamburgh; where, at his appointment, Master Coverdale (bishop of Exeter) tarried for him, and helped him in translating of the whole five books of Moses.

When God's will was, that the New Testament, in the common tongue, should come abroad, Tindal, the translator thereof, in a letter at the latter end, desired them that were learned to amend, if aught were found amiss. But the bishops and prelates of the realm being incensed and inflamed in their minds, although having no cause, against the Old and New Testament of the Lord, newly translated by Tindal, and conspiring together, with all their heads and counsels, how to repeal the same, never rested before they had brought the king at last to their consent. By reason whereof a proclamation, in all haste, was devised and set forth under public authority (but no just reason shewed), that the Testament, of Tindal's translation, with other works more, both of his and of other writers, were inhibited.

Whilst he was at Antwerp, a person of the name of Philips was employed by the English bishops to gain the favour of Tindal, by pretending friendly regard to him, and so to compass his ruin; which thing was the more easy to do, for in the wily subtleness of this world he was simple and inexpert. A plan was laid for his being seized in the name of the emperor, and he was had to the castle of Filford, eighteen miles from Antwerp. Here he remained prisoner more than a year and a half. After many

disputations and examinations, at last they condemned him as a heretic, by virtue of a decree of the emperor, made at Augsburg, and shortly after brought him forth to the place of execution, and there tied him to a stake, where, with a fervent zeal

and loud voice, he cried, "Lord, open the eyes of the king of England;" and then first he was with an halter strangled, and afterward consumed with fire, in the year 1536.

Such was the power of his doctrine and the sincerity of his life, that, during the time of his imprisonment, he converted his keeper's daughter, and others of his household.

And here to end and conclude this history with a few notes, touching his private behaviour in diet, study, and specially his charitable zeal and tender relieving of the poor. First, he was a man very frugal, and spare of body, a great student, and earnest labourer, in the setting forth of the Scriptures of God. He reserved or hallowed to himself two days in the week, which he named his days of pastime, Monday and Saturday. On the Monday he visited all such poor men and women as were fled out of England, by reason of persecution, into Antwerp, and those, well understanding their good exercises and qualities, he did very liberally comfort and relieve; and in like manner provided for the sick and diseased persons. On the Saturday he walked round about the town, seeking every corner and hole where he suspected any poor person to dwell; and where he found any to be well occupied and yet overburdened with children, or else were aged or weak, those also he plentifully relieved. And thus he spent his two days of pastime, as he called them. And truly his alms were very large and great, and so it might well be; for his exhibition that he had yearly, of the English merchants at Antwerp, was very much, and that for the most part he bestowed upon the poor. The rest of the days of the week he gave wholly to his book, wherein he most diligently travailed. When the Sunday came, then went he to some one merchant's chamber or other, whither

came many other merchants: and unto them would he read some one parcel of Scripture, the which proceeded so fruitfully, sweetly, and gently from him (much like to the writing of St. John the Evangelist), that it was a heavenly comfort and joy to the audience to hear him read the Scriptures. And likewise after dinner, he spent an hour in the aforesaid manner. He was a man without any spot or blemish of rancour or malice, full of mercy and compassion, so that no man living was able to reprove him of any kind of sin or crime: albeit, his righteousness and justification depended not thereupon before God, but only upon the blood of Christ, and his faith upon the same: in the which faith constantly he died, and now resteth with the glorious company of Christ's martyrs, blessedly in the Lord, who be blessed in all his saints, Amen. And thus much of W. Tindal, Christ's blessed servant and martyr.

The following Tracts and Extracts are taken from the Edition of the Works of TINDAL, FRITH, and BARNES, bearing the Date of 1573, printed by John Daye, London.--Cum gratia et privilegio Regiæ Majestatis.

A Pathway into the Holy Scripture, made by
WILLIAM TINDAL.

I Do marvel greatly, dearly beloved in Christ, that ever any man should repugn or speak against the Scripture to be had in every language, and that of every man. For I thought that no man had been so blind to ask why light should be shewed to them that walk in darkness, where they cannot but stumble, and where to stumble is the danger of eternal damnation : either so despiteful, that he would envy any man (I speak not his brother) so necessary a thing: or so Bedlam mad to affirm, that good is the natural cause of evil, and darkness to proceed out of light, that lying should be grounded in truth and verity, and not rather clean contrary, that light destroyeth darkness, and verity reproveth all manner of lying.

Nevertheless, seeing that it hath pleased God to send unto our Englishmen, even to as many as unfeignedly desire it, the Scripture in their mother tongue, considering that there be in every place false teachers and blind leaders, that ye should be deceived of no man, I supposed it very necessary to prepare this Pathway into the Scripture for you, that ye might walk surely, and ever know the true from the false. And above all, to put you in remembrance of certain points, which are, that ye well understand what these words mean, the Old Testament, the New Testament, the law, the Gospel, Moses, Christ,