Whole Works, Biblical prologues · Old Testament
¶ The Preface of maſter William Tyndall, that he made before the fiue bookes of Moſes, called Geneſis. An. 1530. Ianua. 17.
WHen I had tranſlated the newe Teſtamēt, I added an Epiſtle vntounto the latter ende, In which I deſired them that were learned, to amend if ought were found amiſſe. But our malicious and wylie hypocrites, whiche are ſo ſtubburne, and hard harted in their wicked abhominations, that it is not poſſible for thē The reaſon that the papiſtes make agaynſt the tranſlation of the ſcripture into Engliſh.to amend any thing at all (as we ſee by daylye experience, when both their lyuynges, and doyngs are rebuked with the trouthe) ſaye, ſome of them that it is impoſſible to tranſlate the Scripture into Engliſhe, ſome that it is not lawfull for the lay people to hauehave it in their mother toūg, ſome that it would A ſubtile ſhift of the popes clergy to couer their euill.make them all heretickes, as it would no-doubt from many thynges whiche they of long tyme hauehave falſely taught, and that is the whole cauſe wherefore they forbid it, though they other clokes pretende. And ſome or rather eueryevery one, ſay that it would make them riſe agaynſt the king, whom they them ſelues (vntounto their damnation) neuer yet obeyed. And leſt the temporall rulers ſhould ſee their falſehode, if the Scripture came to lyght, cauſeth thē ſo to lie.
And as for my tranſlation in which they affirme vntounto the lay people (as I hauehave heard ſay to be I wotte not how many thouſand hereſies, ſo that it can How the Papiſtes were vexed with Tindals tranſlation of the new teſtament.not be mended or correct, they hauehave yet taken ſo great payne to examine it, and to compare it vntounto that they would fayne hauehave it, and to their owne imaginations and iugglyng termes, and to hauehave ſomewhat to rayle at, and vnderunder that cloke to blaſpheme the truth, that they might with as litle labour (as I ſuppoſe) hauehave tranſlated the moſt part of the Bible. For they which in tymes paſt were wont to looke on no more ſcripture thē they foūd in theyr Duns, The Papiſtes ſhamed not to wreſt the ſcriptures.or ſuche like deuiliſhe doctrine, hauehave yet now ſo narowly loked on my trā ſlation, yt there is not ſo much as one I therin if it lack a title ouer his hed, but they hauehave noted it, & nomber it vntounto ye ignoraunt people for an hereſy. Finally in this they be all agreed, to driue you from the knowledge of the Scripture, and that ye ſhall not hauehave the text therof in the mother toūg, and to kepe the world ſtill in darkeneſſe, to the entent they might ſit in the conſciences of the people, thorow vayne ſuperſtition and falſe doctrine, to ſatiſfie their filthy luſtes, their proude ambition, and vnſatiable couetouſnes, and to exalte their owne honour aboue Kyng and Emperour, yea, and aboue God hym ſelfe.The Papiſtes hauehave wrought wonderfully to hauehave ſuppreſſed y• ſcripture.
A thouſand bookes had they leuer to be put foorth agaynſt their abhominable doynges and doctrine, then that the Scripture ſhould come to light. For as long as they may keepe that down, they wil ſo darken ye right way with the miſt of their ſophiſtry, & ſo tā gle thē yt either rebuke or deſpiſe their abhominations, with Argumentes of Philoſophie, and with worldly ſimilitudes, and apparent reaſons of naturall wiſedome: and with wreſtyng the Scripture vntounto their owne purpoſe cleane contrary vntounto the proceſſe, order and meanyng of the text, and ſo delude them in deſcantyng vpō it with allegories, and amaſe them, expoundyng As owles abide not the brightnes of the day, ſo cannot the papiſts abide the lyght of the goſpell.it in many ſenſes before the vnlearned lay people (when it hath but one ſimple litterall ſenſe whoſe light the owles can not abide) that thoughe thou feele in thine harte, and arte ſure how that all is falſe that they ſay, yet couldeſt yu not ſolue their ſubtle rydles.
Whiche thyng onelyonly moued me to tranſlate the new Teſtament. Becauſe I had perceaued by experience, howe that it was impoſſible to ſtabliſhe the What firſt moued W. Tyndale to tranſlate y• Scripture into englſſhlaye people in any truth, excepte the Scripture were playnely layd before their eyes in their mother toung, that they might ſee the proceſſe, order and meanyng of the text: for els what ſoeuer truth is taught them, theſe enemies of all truth, quench it agayn, partly with the ſmoke of their bottomleſſe pitte, wherof thou readeſt Apocalipſis, ix. that is, with apparāt reaſons of ſophiſtry, and traditions of their owne makyng, founded without grounde of Scripture, and partely in iugglyng with the texte, expoundyng it in ſuch a ſenſe, as is impoſſible to gather of the text, if thou ſee the proceſſe, order and meanyng therof. And euē in the Byſhops of Londons houſe, I entented to hauehave done it. For This biſhop of Lō don was then Tunſtall, which afterward was biſhop of Durhamwhen I was ſo turmoyled in the coū trey where I was, that I could no lē ger there dwell (the proceſſe whereof were to long here to rehearſe) I this wiſe thought in my ſelfe, this I ſuffer becauſe the Prieſtes of the countrey be vnlearned, as God it knoweth, there are a full ignoraunt ſorte whiche hauehave ſene no more Latin, then that they read in their Porteſſes and Miſſales, which yet many of them can ſcarcely read (except it be Albertus de ſecretis mulierū, in which yet, though they be neuer ſo ſorily learned, they poore day and night, and make notes therein, & all to teach the mydwiues as they ſay, and Linwode a booke of conſtitutions to gather tithes, mortuaries, offeringes, cuſtomes, and other pillage, whiche they call not theirs, but Gods part, and the duety of holy church, to diſcharge their conſciences with all: for they are boūd that they ſhall not diminiſhe, but encreaſe all thyng vntounto the vttermoſt of The popes chaplens pulpet, is the al…houſetheir powers) & therfore (becauſe they are thus vnlearned thought I) when they come together to the Alehouſe, whiche is their preachyng place, they affirme that my ſayinges are hereſie. And beſides that they adde to of their own heades, which I neuer ſpake, as the maner is to prolōg the tale to ſhort the time with all, and accuſed me ſecretly to the Chauncellour, and other the Chriſtes apoitles dyd mekely admoniſh, but the Popes ſectaryes dyd braule and ſkold.Byſhops officers. And in dede when I came before the Chauncellour, hee threatned me greuouſly, and reuiled me, and rated me as though I had ben a dogge, and layd to my charge, wherof there could be none accuſer brought forth (as their maner is not to bryng forth the accuſer) and yet all yt Prieſtes of the coūtrey were the ſame day there.
As I this thought, the Byſhop of London came to my remembraunce Parcialitie ſometyme in men of great learnyng.whom Eraſmus (whoſe toung maketh of litles gnattes great Elephants, and lifteth vp aboue the Starres whoſoeuer geueth him a litle exhibition) prayſeth excedyngly amōg other in his annotations on the new Teſtament for hys great learnyng. Then thought I, if I might come to this mans ſeruice, I were happy. And ſo I gatte me to London, and thorow the acquaintance of my maſter, came to Syr Harry Gilford the Kynges graces Controller, and brought hym an Oration of Iſocrates, whiche I had tranſlated out of greeke into Engliſh, & deſired hym to ſpeake vntounto my Lorde of London for me, whiche hee alſo dyd as he ſhewed me, and willed me to write an Epiſtle to my Lord, and to go to hym my ſelfe whiche I alſo dyd, and deliuered my Epiſtle to a ſeruaunt of his own, one William Hebilthwayte', a man of myne old acquaintaunce. But God (which How Tindale was deceaued.knoweth what is within hypocrites) ſaw that I was begyled, and that that counſayle was not the next way vntounto my purpoſe. And therfore he gatte me no fauour in my Lordes ſight.
Whereupon my Lord aunſwered me, his houſe was full, he had mo then he could well finde, and aduiſed me to ſeeke in Londō, where he ſayd I could not lacke a ſeruice, And ſo in London I abode almoſt a yeare, and marked the courſe of the world, and heard our praters, I would ſay our Preachers, how they boaſted thēselues and theyr hye authoritie, and beheld the pompe of our Prelates, and how buſie they were (as they yet are) to ſet peace and vnite in the world (thoughe it be not poſſible for them, that walke in darkeneſſe, to continue long in peace, for they cā not but either ſtomble or daſh themſelues at one thyng, or an other yt ſhall Roome enough in my Lordes houſe for belly chere, but none to tranſlate the new teſtament.cleane vnquiet all together) and ſawe thynges wherof I deferre to ſpeake at this tyme, & vnderſtode at the laſt not onelyonly that there was no rowme in my Lord of Londons Palace to tranſlate the new Teſtamēt, but alſo that there was no place to do it in all Englād, as experience doth now openly declare.
VnderUnder what maner therfore ſhould I now ſubmit this booke to be corrected and amended of them, whiche can Tindale could get no place in the biſhop of Londōs houſe.ſuffer nothyng to bee well? Or what proteſtation ſhould I make in ſuch a maner vntounto our Prelates thoſe ſtubburne Nimrothes whiche ſo mightely fight againſt God, and reſiſte hys holy ſpirite, enforcyng with all crafte and ſutletie to quench yt lyght of the euerlaſtyng Teſtament, promiſes, and appointement made betwene God and vsus? and heapyng the fierce wrath of God vpō all Princes and rulers, mockyng them with falſe fayned names of hypocriſie, and ſeruyng their luſtes at all pointes, and diſpenſyng with them euē of the very lawes of God, of which Chriſte hym ſelfe teſtifieth Mathew 5. That not ſo much as one title therof may periſh or be broken. And of whiche the Prophet ſayth Pſalme. cxviij. Thou haſt commaunded thy lawes to bee kept meod, that is in Hebrew excedyngly, with all diligence, might and power, and hauehave made thē ſo mad with their iugglyng charmes, and craftie perſuaſiōs, that they thinke it a ful ſatiſfactiō for all their wicked lyuing, to torment ſuch as tell them trouth, and to burne yt word of their ſoules health, and ſlea who ſoeuer beleue thereon.
Notwithſtandyng yet I ſubmitte this booke, and all other that I hauehave Tyndals ſubmiſſion is to all ſuch as ſubmit themſelues to God.either made or tranſlated, or ſhall in tyme to come (if it bee Gods will that I ſhall further labour in his harueſt) vntounto all them that ſubmit them ſelues vntounto the word of God, to be corrected of them, yea and moreouer to be diſalowed and alſo burnt, if it ſeme worthy, when they hauehave examined it with the Hebrue, ſo that they firſt put forth of their owne trāſlatyng, an other that is more correct.