Christs Victory over Satans Tyranny, Book 6 · Part 20 – Part 21
The life and storie of M. William Tindall.
FIrst, he was Schoolemaster to one Master Welch, and for translating certain religious books into English, and for arguing with a certain Priest that often vsed to his Masters house, and confounding diuers points of their religion by the word of God, he was pursued & glad to go out of the Realme into Germany, and there translated the Bible into English, & compiled diuers other books, & s…nt them into England; wherby the dore and light vntounto the Scriptures was daily more and more opened, which before was many years closed in darknesse: from thence he went to A…twarp, and had his abiding there, and was lodged about a yeare in the house of one Thomas Poynets an English man, which kept a house of English Merchants: then came thither one Henry Philips, hauing a seruant waiting on him. M. Tindall became acquainted with him, and had great confidence in him, and had him often to dinner and supper with him, and got him a lodging in M. Poynets house.
At length Philips w…nt to the high Court of Bruxelles to betray M. Tindall and procured to bring from thence with him the Procurator generall, with oth…r Officers, which was not done with small charges, from whom soeuer it came. After, Philips returning, would hauehave M. Tindall▪ to dine with him: then hee desired M. Tindall to lend him fortie shillings, which he did: he told Philips he could not di…e with him, for he was bid forth to dinner, and he should goe with him. And going forth to d…nner, Philips hauing appointed the officers in the way, he gaue them a signe that this was he they should apprehend: then they took him and brought him to the Procurator generall▪ who sent him to the Cas…le of Filford, and the Procurator generall went to Poynets house, and sent away all that was there of M. Tindals.
The said Poynets and certain Merchants went ouer into England, and got letters from the Co…ncell for M. Tindals deliuery; vponupon the deliuery wherof to the Councel of Bruxelles, M. Tindall should hauehave bin deliuered vntounto him: which when Philips vnderstood, he accused Poynets …o be an heretick, and a receiuer of such, & caused him to be apprehended & kept 13. or 14. wéeks in prison; but he escaped by night and got into England: but M. Tindall was condemned; and the same morning as he was had to the fire▪ he deliuered a letter to the chiefe Kéeper of the Castle, which the Kéeper himselfe brought to Poynets house, who compared him to be fellow to the Apostles being in prison, both for his conuersation and conuerting and preaching to the peo…le.
M. Tindall hearing by certaine Merchants what wonderfull feats a Iugler did, he desired th…m that he might be present also at supper to see him play his parts: accordingly the supper was appointed, and the Merchants, with Tindall, were there present. The Iugler being desired to vtt…r his cunning, sh…wed all that he could do, but all was in vaine: at last, with his labour, sweating and toyle, he saw nothing would go forward, he confessed there was some man present at supper which dis…urbed his doings. For his letters that he wrote, I refer thée to the book at large if thou dispose to sée them.
The Lord Cromwell, 1536keeper of the Kings priuie Seale, Uicegerent of all the Kings iurisdiction eccl…siasticall, sent out certa…n iniunc…ions by the K…ngs authorit…, for the preaching th… word of God, for the b…tter publishing of the kings suprema…, against idols, & … on pilgrimage▪ & trus…ing in saints, and to abrogate diuers holy-daies▪ and for reformation to be had in diuers oth…r ecclesiastical matters.
In the begi…g of this year the most noble and worthy Lady Queen Anne of Bullen,1537 28. He…. 8 after she had liued Q…ne three …ears, was cast into the Tower, together with her brother the Lord Rochford, and diuers others which shortly after were executed.
The words of the Queene at the time of her death.
Good Christian people, I ame come hither to die; I am iudged therto by the law, therefore I will not speake against it: I pray God preserue the King, for there was neuer a gentler Prince, and to me he was euer a good soueraigne: and I r…quire eueryevery one to iudge the best of my cause; so … take my leaue of the world, and of you all, desiring you to pra… …or me. Then she kneeled down, and said, Into thy hands I commend my soule, Iesus receiue my soule, diuers times, vntill her head was striken off.
Fiue burned in Scotland.
SEauen years after Patrick Hamelton aforesaid, there were fiue burned in Edenborough the chief Citie in Scotland; two were Dominican Friers, one Priest, one Cannon, and one Gentleman, adiudged by the Archbishop of S. Andrewes, Petrus Chappe…anus, and the Franciscan Friers, whose labour is neuer wanting in such matters.