When I had translated the New Testament,
I added a pistle
>> note 1 unto
the latter end, in which I desired them
that were learned to amend if ought were
found amiss. But our malicious and wily
hypocrites which are so stubborn and hardhearted
in their wicked abominations that it is
not possible for them to amend anything
at all (as we see by daily experience when
their both livings
>> note 2 and
doings are rebuked with the truth) say,
some of them, that it is unpossible to
translate the scripture into English, some
that it is not lawful for the lay people
to have it in their mother tongue, some
that it would make them all heretics — as
it would no doubt from many things which
they of long time have falsely taught,
and that is the whole cause wherefore they
forbid it, though they other cloaks
>> note 3 pretend.
And some, or rather every one, say that it would make them rise against the
King, whom they themselves (unto their damnation) never yet obeyed. And lest
the temporal rulers
>> note 4 should
see their falsehood if the scripture came to light, causeth them so to lie.
And as for my translation in which they
affirm unto the lay people (as I have heard
say) to be I wot
>> note 5 not
how many thousand heresies, so that it
cannot be mended or correct, they have
yet taken so great pain to examine it,
and to compare it unto that they would
fain
>> note 6 have
it and to their own imaginations and juggling
>> note 7 terms,
and to have somewhat to rail at, and under
that cloak to blaspheme the truth, that
they might with as little labor (as I suppose)
have translated the most part of the Bible.
For they which in times past were wont
to look on no more scripture then they
found in their Duns
>> note 8 or
such like devilish doctrine, have yet now
so narrowly looked on my translation, that
there is not so much as one "i" therein,
if it lack a tittle over his head, but
they have noted it, and number it unto
the ignorant people for an heresy. Finally
in this they be all agreed, to drive you
from the knowledge of the scripture, and
that ye shall not have the text thereof
in the mother tongue, and to keep the world
still in darkness, to the intent they might
sit in the consciences of the people, through
vain superstition and false doctrine, to
satisfy their filthy lusts, their proud
ambition, and unsatiable covetousness,
and to exalt their own honor above King
and Emperor, yea, and above God himself.
A thousand books had they liefer
>> note 9 to
be put forth against their abominable doings
and doctrine, than that the scripture should
come to light. For as long as they may
keep that down, they will so darken the
right way with the mist of their sophistry,
and so tangle them that either rebuke or
despise their abominations with arguments
of philosophy and with wordly
>> note 10 similitudes
and apparent reasons of natural wisdom.
And with wresting the scripture unto their
own purpose clean contrary unto the process,
order, and meaning of the text, and so
delude them in descanting
>> note 11 upon
it with allegories, and amaze
>> note 12 them
expounding it in many senses before the
unlearned lay people (when it hath but
one simple literal sense whose light the
owls cannot abide), that though thou feel
in thine heart and art sure how that all
is false that they say, yet couldest thou
not solve their subtle riddles.
Which thing only moved me to translate the
New Testament. Because I had perceived by
experience, how that it was impossible to
stablish the lay people in any truth, except
the scripture were plainly laid before their
eyes in their mother tongue, that they might
see the process, order, and meaning of the
text. For else whatsoever truth is taught
them, these enemies of all truth quench it
again, partly with the smoke of their bottomless
pit
>> note 13 whereof
thou readest Apocalypse 9 — that
is, with apparent reasons of sophistry
and traditions of their own making, founded
without ground of scripture — and
partly in juggling with the text, expounding
it in such a sense as is impossible to
gather of the text, if thou see the process,
order and meaning thereof.
And even in the Bishop of London's house
I intended to have done it. For when I was
so turmoiled in the country where I was that
I could no longer there dwell (the process
whereof were too long here to rehearse),
I this wise thought in myself: this I suffer
because the priests of the country be unlearned,
as God it knoweth there are a full ignorant
sort which have seen no more Latin than that
they read in their portesses and missals,
>> note 14 which
yet many of them can scarcely read (except
it be Albertus's De secretis mulierum,
>> note 15 in
which yet, though they be never so sorrily learned, they pore day and night
and make notes therein and all to teach the midwives as they say, and Lindwood,
>> note 16 a
book of constitutions to gather tithes, mortuaries,
>> note 17 offerings,
customs, and other pillage, which they call, not theirs, but God's part
and the duty of holy church, to discharge their consciences withal — for
they are bound that they shall not diminish, but increase all thing unto
the utmost of their powers), and therefore (because they are thus unlearned,
thought I) when they come together to the alehouse, which is their preaching
place, they affirm that my sayings are heresy. And besides that they add
to of their own heads which I never spake, as the manner is to prolong the
tale to short the time withal,
>> note 18 and
accuse me secretly to the Chancellor and other the Bishop's officers.
And indeed when I came before the Chancellor, he threatened me grievously,
and reviled me and rated me as though I had been a dog, and laid to my charge
whereof there could be none accuser brought forth (as their manner is not
to bring forth the accuser), and yet all the priests of the country were
that same day there. As I this thought, the Bishop of London came to my remembrance,
whom Erasmus (whose tongue maketh of little gnats great elephants and lifteth
up above the stars whosoever giveth him a little exhibition
>> note 19)
praiseth exceedingly among other in his annotations on the New Testament
for his great learning. Then thought I, if I might come to this man's
service, I were happy. And so I gat me to London, and through acquaintance
of my master came to Sir Harry Milford the King's Grace's Controller,
and brought him an oration of Isocrates which I had translated out of Greek
into English, and desired him to speak unto my lord of London for me, which
he also did as he showed me, and willed me to write a pistle to my lord,
and to go to him myself which I also did, and delivered my pistle to a servant
of his own, one William Hebilthwayte, a man of mine old acquaintance. But
God which knoweth what is within hypocrites saw that I was beguiled, and
that that counsel was not the next way unto my purpose. And therefore he
gat me no favor in my lord's sight.
Whereupon my lord answered me, his house
was full, he had mo
>> note 20 than
he could well find, and advised me to seek
in London, where he said I could not lack
a service. And so in London I abode almost
an year, and marked the course of the world,
and heard our praters — I would say "our
preachers" — how they boasted
themselves and their high authority, and
beheld the pomp of our prelates and how
busied they were, as they yet are, to set
peace and unity in the world (though it
be not possible for them that walk in darkness
to continue long in peace, for they cannot
but either stumble or dash themselves at
one thing or another that shall clean unquiet
all together), and saw things whereof I
defer to speak at this time, and understood
at the last not only that there was no
room in my lord of London's palace
to translate the New Testament, but also
that there was no place to do it in all
England, as experience doth now openly
declare.
Under what manner therefore should I now
submit this book to be corrected and amended
of them, which can suffer nothing to be well?
Or what protestation should I make in such
a matter unto our prelates, those stubborn
Nimrods
>> note 21 which
so mightily fight against God and resist
his holy spirit, enforcing with all craft
and subtlety to quench the light of the
everlasting testament, promises, and appointment
made between God and us? And heaping the
fierce wrath of God upon all princes and
rulers, mocking them with false feigned
names of hypocrisy, and serving their lusts
at all points, and dispensing with them
even of the very laws of God, of which
Christ himself testifieth (Matthew 5) that
not so much as one tittle thereof may perish
or be broken. And of which the prophet
sayeth (Psalm 118): Thou hast commanded
thy laws to be kept "meod", that
is in Hebrew "exceedingly," with
all diligence, might, and power, and have
made them so mad with their juggling charms
and crafty persuasions that they think
it full satisfaction for all their wicked
living, to torment such as tell them truth,
and to burn the word of their soul's
health, and slay whosoever believe thereon.
Not withstanding, yet I submit this book
and all other that I have other made
>> note 22 or
translated, or shall in time to come (if
it be God's will that I shall further
labor in his harvest) unto all them that
submit themselves unto the word of God,
to be corrected of them — yea, and
moreover, to be disallowed and also burnt,
if it seem worthy when they have examined
it with the Hebrew, so that they first
put forth of their own translating another
that is more correct.