History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century Volume V Part 22

[378] Ibid.

[379] Cause a boy that driveth the plough to know more of the Scriptures than he did. Ibid.

All his thoughts were now directed to the means of carrying out his plans; and desirous of avoiding conversations that might compromise them, he thenceforth pa.s.sed the greater portion of his time in the library.[380] He prayed, he read, he began his translation of the Bible, and in all probability communicated portions of it to Sir John and Lady Walsh.

[380] This part of the house was standing in 1839, but has since been pulled down. Anderson, Bible Annals, i. p. 37. We cannot but unite in the wish expressed in that volume, that the remainder of the building, now tenanted by a farmer, may be carefully preserved.

[Sidenote: TYNDALE LEAVES SODBURY.]

All his precautions were useless: the scholastic divine had betrayed him, and the priests had sworn to stop him in his translation of the Bible. One day he fell in with a troop of monks and curates, who abused him in the grossest manner. "It's the favour of the gentry of the country that makes you so proud," said they; "but notwithstanding your patrons, there will be a talk about you before long, and in a pretty fas.h.i.+on too!... You shall not always live in a manor-house!"

"Banish me to the obscurest corner of England," replied Tyndale; "provided you will permit me to teach children and preach the Gospel, and give me ten pounds a-year for my support.[381]... I shall be satisfied!" The priests left him, but with the intention of preparing him a very different fate.

[381] Binding him to no more but to teach children and to preach.

Foxe, Acts, v. p. 117.

Tyndale indulged in his pleasant dreams no longer. He saw that he was on the point of being arrested, condemned, and interrupted in his great work. He must seek a retreat where he can discharge in peace the task G.o.d has allotted him. "You cannot save me from the hands of the priests," said he to Sir John, "and G.o.d knows to what troubles you would expose yourself by keeping me in your family. Permit me to leave you." Having said this, he gathered up his papers, took his Testament, pressed the hands of his benefactors, kissed the children, and then descending the hill, bade farewell to the smiling banks of the Severn, and departed alone--alone with his faith. What shall he do? What will become of him? Where shall he go? He went forth like Abraham, one thing alone engrossing his mind:--the Scriptures shall be translated into the vulgar tongue, and he will deposit the oracles of G.o.d in the midst of his countrymen.

CHAPTER V.

Luther's works in England--Consultation of the Bishops--The Bull of Leo X published in England--Luther's books burnt--Letter of Henry VIII--He undertakes to write against Luther--Cry of Alarm--Tradition and Sacramentalism--Prudence of Sir T. More--The Book presented to the Pope--_Defender of the Faith_--Exultation of the King.

[Sidenote: LUTHER'S WORKS IN ENGLAND.]

Whilst a plain minister was commencing the Reformation in a tranquil valley in the west of England, powerful reinforcements were landing on the sh.o.r.es of Kent. The writings and actions of Luther excited a lively sensation in Great Britain. His appearance before the diet of Worms was a common subject of conversation. s.h.i.+ps from the harbours of the Low Countries brought his books to London,[382] and the German printers had made answer to the nuncio Aleander, who was prohibiting the Lutheran works in the empire: "Very well! we shall send them _to England_!" One might almost say that England was destined to be the asylum of truth. And in fact, the _Theses_ of 1517, the _Explanation of the Lord's Prayer_, the books _against Emser_, _against the papacy of Rome_, _against the bull of Antichrist_, _the Epistle to the Galatians_, _the Appeal to the German n.o.bility_, and above all the _Babylonish Captivity of the Church_--all crossed the sea, were translated, and circulated throughout the kingdom.[383] The German and English nations, having a common origin and being sufficiently alike at that time in character and civilization, the works intended for one might be read by the other with advantage. The monk in his cell, the country gentleman in his hall, the doctor in his college, the tradesman in his shop, and even the bishop in his palace, studied these extraordinary writings. The laity in particular, who had been prepared by Wickliffe and disgusted by the avarice and disorderly lives of the priests, read with enthusiasm the eloquent pages of the Saxon monk. They strengthened all hearts.

[382] Burnet, Hist. of the Reformation, (Lond. 1841, Oct.) i. p. 21.

[383] Libros Lutheranos quorum magnus jam numerus pervenerat in ma.n.u.s Anglorum. (Polyd. Virg. Angl. Hist. (Basil, 1570, fol.) p. 664.) A great many of the Lutheran books had already come into the hands of the English.

[Sidenote: PUBLICATION OF THE PAPAL BULL.]

The papacy was not inactive in presence of all these efforts. The times of Gregory VII and of Innocent III, it is true, were pa.s.sed; and weakness and irresolution had succeeded to the former energy and activity of the Roman pontificate. The spiritual power had resigned the dominion of Europe to the secular powers, and it was doubtful whether faith in the papacy could be found in the papacy itself. Yet a German (Dr. Eck) by the most indefatigible exertions had extorted a bull from the profane Leo X,[384] and this bull had just reached England. The pope himself sent it to Henry, calling upon him to extirpate the Lutheran heresy.[385] The king handed it to Wolsey, and the latter transmitted it to the bishops, who, after reading _the heretic's_ books, met together to discuss the matter.[386] There was more Romish faith in London than in the Vatican. "This false friar,"

exclaimed Wolsey, "attacks submission to the clergy--that fountain of all virtues." The humanist prelates were the most annoyed; the road they had taken ended in an abyss, and they shrank back in alarm.

Tonstall, the friend of Erasmus, afterwards bishop of London, and who had just returned from his emba.s.sy to Germany where Luther had been painted to him in the darkest colours, was particularly violent: "This monk is a _Proteus_.... I mean an _atheist_.[387] If you allow the heresies to grow up which he is scattering with both hands, they will choke the faith and the church will perish.[388] Had we not enough of the Wickliffites--here are new legions of the same kind!... To-day Luther calls for the abolition of the ma.s.s; to-morrow he will ask for the abolition of Jesus Christ.[389] He rejects every thing, and puts nothing in its place. What? if barbarians plunder our frontiers, we punish them ... and shall we bear with heretics who plunder our altars?... No! by the mortal agony that Christ endured, I entreat you.... What am I saying? the whole church conjures you to combat against this devouring _dragon_.... to punish this _h.e.l.l-dog_, to silence his sinister howlings, and to drive him shamefully back into his den."[390] Thus spoke the eloquent Tonstall; nor was Wolsey far behind him. The only attachment at all respectable in this man was that which he entertained for the church; it may perhaps be called respectable, for it was the only one that did not exclusively regard himself. On the 14th May 1521, this English pope, in imitation of the Italian pope, issued his bull against Luther.

[384] See above. Book VI. chap. iv.

[385] Ab hoc regno extirpandum et abolendum. Cardinal. Ebor.

Commissio. Strype, M. I. v. p. 22.

[386] Habitoque super hac re diligenti tractatu. Ibid.

[387] c.u.m illo _Protheo_....imo _Atheo_. Erasm. Ep. 1158.

[388] Tota ruet Ecclesia. Ibid. p. 1159.

[389] Nisi de abolendo Christo scribere destinavit. Ibid. p. 1160.

[390] Gladio Spiritus abactum in antrum suum coges. Ibid.

[Sidenote: SARCASMS OF THE PEOPLE.]

It was read (probably on the first Sunday in June) in all the churches during high ma.s.s, when the congregation was most numerous.[391] A priest exclaimed: "For every book of Martin Luther's found in your possession within fifteen days after this injunction, you will incur the greater excommunication." Then a public notary, holding the pope's bull in his hand, with a description of Luther's _perverse opinions_, proceeded towards the princ.i.p.al door of the church and fastened up the doc.u.ment.[392] The people gathered round it; the most competent person read it aloud, while the rest listened; and the following are some of the sentences which, by the pope's order, resounded in the porches of all the cathedral, conventual, collegiate, and parish churches of every county in England:[393]

"11. Sins are not pardoned to any, unless, the priest remitting them, he believe they are remitted to him.

"13. If by reason of some impossibility, the _contrite_ be not confessed, or the priest absolve him, not in earnest, but in jest; yet if he believe that he is absolved, he is most truly absolved.

"14. In the sacrament of _penance_ and the remission of a fault, the pope or bishop doth not more than the lowest priest; yea, where there is not a priest, then any Christian will do; yea, if it were a woman or a child.

"26. The pope, the successor of Peter, is not Christ's vicar.

"28. It is not at all in the hand of the church or the pope to decree articles of faith, no, nor to decree the laws of manners or of good works."

[391] c.u.m major convenerit mult.i.tudo. Ibid.

[392] In valvis seu locis publicis ecclesiae vestrae. (Ibid. p. 24.) On the doors or public places of your churches.

[393] Strype, M. I. p. 57, (Oxf. ed.) or Luther, xvii, p. 306.

The cardinal-legate, accompanied by the nuncio, by the amba.s.sador of Charles V, and by several bishops, proceeded in great pomp to St.

Paul's, where the bishop of Rochester preached, and Wolsey burnt Luther's books.[394] But they were hardly reduced to ashes, before sarcasms and jests were heard in every direction. "_Fire_ is not a theological argument," said one. "The papists, who accuse Martin Luther of slaying and murdering Christians," added another, "are like the pickpocket, who began to cry _stop thief_, as soon as he saw himself in danger of being caught." "The bishop of Rochester," said a third, "concludes that because Luther has thrown the pope's decretals into the fire, he would throw in the pope himself.... We may hence deduce another syllogism, quite as sound: The popes have burnt the New Testament, therefore, if they could, they would burn Christ himself."[395] These jests were rapidly circulated from mouth to mouth. It was not enough that Luther's writings were in England, they must needs be known, and the priests took upon themselves to advertise them. The Reformation was advancing, and Rome herself pushed behind the car.

[394] See above, Book IX, chap x.

[395] They would have burnt Christ himself. Tynd. Doct. Tr. Obedience, etc. (Park. Soc.) p. 221.

[Sidenote: HENRY WRITES AGAINST LUTHER.]

The cardinal saw that something more was required than these paper _autos-da-fe_, and the activity he displayed may indicate what he would have done in Europe, if ever he had reached the pontifical chair. "The spirit of Satan left him no repose," says the papist Sanders.[396] Some action out of the ordinary course is needful, thought Wolsey. Kings have hitherto been the enemies of the popes: a king shall now undertake their defence. Princes are not very anxious about learning, a prince shall publish a book!... "Sire," said he to the king, to get Henry in the vein, "you ought to write to the princes of Germany on the subject of this heresy." He did so. Writing to the Archduke Palatine, he said: "This fire, which has been kindled by Luther, and fanned by the arts of the devil, is raging every where. If Luther does not repent, deliver him and his audacious treatises to the flames. I offer you my royal co-operation, and even, if necessary, my life."[397] This was the first time Henry showed that cruel thirst, which was in after days to be quenched in the blood of his wives and friends.

[396] Satanae spiritu actus. (De Schism. Angl. p. 8.) Urged by the spirit of Satan.

[397] Kapps Urkunden, ii, p. 458.

The king having taken the first step, it was not difficult for Wolsey to induce him to take another. To defend the honour of Thomas Aquinas, to stand forward as the champion of the church, and to obtain from the pope a t.i.tle equivalent to that of _Christianissimus_, most Christian king, were more than sufficient motives to induce Henry to break a lance with Luther. "I will combat with the pen this Cerberus, sprung from the depths of h.e.l.l,"[398] said he, "and if he refuses to retract, the fire shall consume the heretic and his heresies together."[399]

[398] Velut Cerberum ex inferis producit in lucem. Regis ad lectorem.

Epist. p. 94.

[399] Ut errores ejus eumque ipsum ignis exurat. Ibid. p. 95.

The king shut himself up in his library: all the scholastic tastes with which his youth had been imbued were revived; he worked as if he were archbishop of Canterbury, and not king of England; with the pope's permission he read Luther's writings; he ransacked Thomas Aquinas; forged, with infinite labour, the arrows with which he hoped to pierce the heretic; called several learned men to his aid, and at last published his book. His first words were a cry of alarm. "Beware of the track of this serpent," said he to his Christian readers; "walk on tiptoe; fear the thickets and caves in which he lies concealed, and whence he will dart his poison on you. If he licks you, be careful!

the cunning viper caresses only that he may bite!"[400] After that Henry sounded a charge: "Be of good cheer! Filled with the same valour that you would display against Turks, Saracens, and other infidels, march now against this _little friar_,--a fellow apparently weak, but more formidable through the spirit that animates him than all infidels, Saracens, and Turks put together."[401] Thus did Henry VIII, the _Peter the Hermit_ of the sixteenth century, preach a crusade against Luther, in order to save the papacy.