A compendious old treatise/ showing/ how that we ought to have the scripture in english/  
¶ Thexcusacyon of the treatise  

Though I am old/ clothed in barbarors weed  
Nothing garnished with gay eloquency  
Yet I tell the troth/ if ye list to take heed  
Against their froward/ furious frenzy  
Which reckon it for a great heresy  
And unto lay people grievous outrage  
To have god's word in their native language.   

Enemies I shall have/ many a shorn crown  
With forked caps and gay croosies of gold  
Which to maintain their ambitions renown  
Are glad lay people in ignorance to hold  
Yet to show the verity/ one may be bold  
All though it be a proverb daily spoken  
Who that telleth troth/ his head shallbe broken    depiction of four women at fountain  

¶ Unto the Reader.  
GRace and peace: not that the world giveth/ but from god the father and our saviour jesus Christ with increase of the holy sprit be with the and all that thirst the truth. Amen.  
considering the malyciousnes of our prelatzes and their adherentes which so furiously bark against the word of God/ and specially the new testament translated and set forth by Master William Tyndale/ which they falsely pretend to be sore corrupt. That ye may know that it is not Tyndales translation that moveth them but only the inward malice which they have ever had against the word of God. I have here put in print a treatise written about the year of our lord a thousand four hundred. By which thou shalt plainly perceive/ that they would yet never from the beginning admit any translation to the lay people/ so that it is not that corrupt translation that they withstand. For if that were true the idle bellies would have had leisure I nowgh to put forth another well translated. But it is their own mischievous living that moveth them according as christ said john three Every man that worketh evil hateth the light/ ner cometh to the light lest his works should be reproved. etc.  
Thus mayst thou see that because their works 〈◊〉 ●●ght and not because it is evil translated/ 〈◊〉 furiously resist the word of god which is the true light. For yet was there never none translated but other with falsehood or tyranny they put it down. Wherefore I exhort the reder not to consider and note the words but the manner. And pray to god to send the ruler's hearts to understand the truth and further the same and the god of all comfort be with the Amen.   

¶ This treatise more than an. C. year old  
Declareth how hour prealatis do far a miss  
Which of froward presumption are so bold  
To forbid the word of god in english  
For as the prophet sayeth blessed he is  
That exerciseth himself diligently  
In scripture night and day continually 
Psal. i.    

FOr to make upon Anticrist I take figure of king Antioch of whom god's law speaketh in the book of Machabeijs/ for right as king Antioch came in the end well nigh of the old law/ and brent the books of gods law/ and compelled the people to do maumentry. So now Anticrist the king of clergy that linen worse than heathen priests brennerh now nigh th'end of the new law and thevangely of Christ that is nigh the end of the world to deceive well nigh all the world and ●●●●●ue the servants of god. For now god shal● 〈◊〉 we who will stand by his law for Satins 〈◊〉 prophets say is now unbonde and hath been CCCC. yeris and more for to in habit ower clergy/ as he did the clergy of the old law/ but now with much more malice. 
Ye may see it is no novelteis that the bishops burn the gospel.  For as they dampened Chryst so now ower bishop damn and burn god's law/ for because it is drawn into ower mother tongue. etc. It ought to be and we saved should be as we shall prove by open evidence thorough god's help. First we take witness of Boetius de disciplina scolarium/ that saith that children should be taught in the books of Seneke. And Bede expoundeth this sainge/ and saith that children in virtues should be taught. For the books of Seneke been morals and for they be not taught thus in there youth they continue still evil mannered and be unable to conceive the subtile science of truth saying/ the wise man is as a clean mirror new pullisshed. 
Read Robin hood say our masters.  Wisdem shall not enter into a wicked soul. And moche is hereof the sentence of Bede. And Algasell in his logic saith/ the soul of man is as a clean mirror new pullysshed in which is sayne lightly the image of virtue. And for the people hath not cunning in youth they have dark souls and blinded with ignorance/ so that they proffyt not in virtue/ but in falseness and malice and other vices and moche is there of the matter. sithen heathen philosophers wolden the people to profit in natural science/ how moche more should christian clerks will the people to profit in science of virtues/ for so would good. For when the law was given to Moses in the mount of Synay/ god gave it to his people in their mother tō●● of Ebrue/ that all the people should understand 〈◊〉 ●nd commanded Moses to read it to them until they understood it/ and so he did as it is plain Deutero. xxxi. And Esdras also red it in their mother tongue/ fro morrow until none as it is plain in the first book of Esdras Cap. viii. And he red it apertly in the street & the ears of the people were intentysly gevyn thereto/ in so much that the people fell into great weeping for the miskeping of the law. Also god's law saith Deuter. xxxij. that fathers should make the law known to their sons and the sons that should be borne of them should rise and teach these things to their sons. And the holy apostle saint Peter in the fourth chapter of his first book speaketh after this manner/ saying. Who so ever speak/ speak he as the words of god: and every man as he hath take grace of knowing/ so minister he forth to other men It is written plainly in the book of noumbres the eleventh chapter. When the prophet Moses had chosen seventy elder men/ and the sprit of god rested on them and they prophesied. Two men besides them/ Eldad/ and Medad/ prophesied in the tents/ and joshua the minister of Moses said to Moses'/ forbed though them. 
moses letted no man to prophesy.  And Moses said what enviest thou for me? Who shall let that all the people prophesy/ if god give them his spirit? Also it is red in the gospel that saint John evangelist said unto Christ/ lord we shall forbid 〈◊〉 that casteth out spiryttes in thy name/ which followeth not us. 
Luc. ix  And Christ said do not forbid/ for who so is not against us is with us. And unto the same agreeth well the prophesy of Iohe● which saint Petre preaching to the jews strongly alleged as Luke reciteth in the second chapiter of the acts of the apostles saying after this manner. That god now in the last days shall shed out his spirit upon every flesh.  
For god sayeth your sons and daughters should prophecy/ and your young men shall see visions. 
But they say only master doctor can understand the scripture  And upon whit sunday god gave knowledge of his law to diverse nations with out any exceptions in their mother tongue/ by the understanding of one tongue. And of this it is notabyll sithen the lay people in the old law had their law in their mother tongue/ that the lay english people in the new law have it as all other nations hath/ sith Christ bought us as he did other and hath gevyn to us the same grace as to other. For saint Peter. Actu. xi. was reproved for he had baptized Cornelij/ and his fellows that were heathen men. And Peter answered and said. If god have gevyn the same grace to them that he hatheto us/ who am I that may forbid god? As who saith it lieth not in the power of men. Than who art thou that forbyddest the people to have gods law in their mother tongue? we say that thou art Anticrist himself. For Paul saith i Corin. x. I will every man to speak with tongues/ more for sooth to prophesy/ also he saith how shall he say Amen upon thy blessing that wortes not what thou sayest. Apon this saith doctor Lyre. If the people understand the prayer of the priest it shall the better be lad unto god/ and the more devoutly answer Amen. 
Here your own master Lyre if ye will not here Paul.  Also Paul saith in the same chapter. I will rather fyve words to be spoken to the understanding of men then ten thousand that they understand not. And lxx doctors with other more before the incarnation of Christ translated the bible out of Hebrew into Greek. And after the ascension many translated all the bible in diverse languages/ as into spanyshetunge frenshetunge/ and all main/ italy and by many years have had it. It was hard of a worthy man of almain that the same time was a fleming whose name was james Merland which translated all the bible into flemyshe. For which deed he was somonned be fore the pope of great malice. And the book was take to examination. And truly he approved it. And then it was delyverd to him again into confusion of all his enemies. Wurshupfull Bede in his first book called de gestis Anglorum. chapter. iij. rellyth that saint Oswolde the King of Northumberland asked of the skottes an holy bishop Aidan to preach to his people/ and the king himself interpreted it in English to the people. sithen this blessed dead of this King is alowede of all holy Church/ why not now ought it as well to be allowed a man to read the gospel in english to the people/ sithen that saint Paul saith if ower gospel be hid/ it is hid in them that shallbe dampened. 
A fearful saying.  And he saith also he that knoweth not shall not be known of good. And therefore venerabilis Bede led by the spirit of good translated a great part of the bible into english. Whose originals been in many abbeys in yngland. And Cistercienc. li. v. ca xxiv. saith that the ewangely of john was drawn into english by the foresaid Bede which ewangely of john and other gospels been yet in many places of so old english that scant can any english man read them. For this Bede reigned in the year of owen lord god vij hundred and xxxij Also Cisterciencis. li. vi. ca i. saith that king Alred ordained open schools of diverse arts in Oxford and he turned the best laws into his mother tongue and the psal ●er also/ he reyhgned in the year of hour lord god viii. hundred lxxiij And saint Thomas saith super libr●● politicorum expounding this word barbarus/ the barbarus is he that undstondyth not that hereadyth in his mother tongue. Wherefore the apostle saith if I know not the virtue of that voice to whom I speak I shallbe to him barbarus/ that is to say/ he undstandeth not what I say/ ne I what he saith And so all though priests that undstonden not what they readyn by their mother tongue be called barbarus/ & therefore Bede did draw into english liberal arts lest english men should be come barbarus/ hec Thomas. Also Lincoln. saith in a sermon that begynnyth/ Scriptum est delenitis. If any pressed say he can not preach/ one remedy is/ resign he up his bunfyce. 
Resign in no wise but upon a good pension  Another remedy if he will not thus/ record he in that week that naked text of the sunday gospel that he have the gross story & tell it to the people/ that is if he vndstond latin/ & do he this every week in the year he shall profit moche. For thus preached ower lord saying/ john vi The words that I speak to you be spirit & life. If he do not understand latin go he to one of his neighbours that undstondeth/ which will charctably expone it to him/ and thus edify he his floke. Upon this argueth a great clerk & saith/ if it be lawful to preach that naked text to the people/ it is also leeful to write and read it to them. Also sire William Thorisby archebishope of York did do draw a treatise in english by a worshipful clerk whose name was ●●●●ryke/ in the which were contained the articles of belief/ the vij deadly sins/ the vij works of mercy/ the ten commandments. 
The same treatise is ī● church over against London stone at this hour  And sent them in small pagynes to the comm●n people to learn it and to know it/ of which yet many a copy be in yngland. Also Richerd the hermit of Hampole drew into english the psalter with a gloze & the lessons of dirige and many other treatyces/ by the which many english men have been greatly edified And they be cursed of good that wolden let the people to be lewder than they be. But many men now be like unto the friends of Hiob/ that whiles they enforced to defend god they offended in him grievously. And though such as be slain do miracles/ n●●●●theles they been stinking matters. This saith Richerd the heremyt expounding this verse/ Ne auferas de oremeo verbum veritatis usque quaque. 
This prophesy of Christ must be fulfilled take heed  And Christ saith that men should deem themself to do great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 service to god in killing of his people. Arbitratur se obsequium prestare deo. etc. Also a man of London whose name was Wyring hade a bible in english of northern speech which was sayne of many men & it seemed to be. CC. years old. Also it is known to many men in the time of king Richerd the two that into a parliament was put a bill by th'assent of two archbishops & of the clergy to adnulle the bible that time translated into english with other english bookee of thexposition of that gospels which when it was hard & sayne of lords & of the commons. The duke of lancaster john answered there to tyght sharply saying this sentence/ we will not be refuse of all other nations. For sith they have gods law which is the law of ower belief in there own language/ we will have ours in english who so ever say nay. 
●●pocrisie is the nature of all bishops.  And this he afric with a great oath. Also Thomas Arundel ar●●●bysshoppe of Caunterbury said in a sermon at west mester/ or that burying of Queen/ Anne/ that it was more joy of her than of any woman that ever he knew For she an alien borne had in english all the. 〈◊〉 gospels with the doctors upon them. And he said that she had sent them to him to examine/ and he said that they were good and true. And he blamed in that sermon sharply the negligence of the prelates/ and other men/ In so much that he said that he would leave up the office of Chancellor and forsake worldly business/ and give him to fulfil his pastoral office/ for that he had seen/ and red in though books. 
Never trust bishop as long as he keepeth his possessions  And after this promise he became the most cruel enemy that might be against english books. And therefore as many men say god smote him with a cruest ' death as he did also Rycherd fleming bishop of lyncolne. And yet ower bishops been so indurate and so far strayed from god that they have no grace one to beware of another/ but proudly against all reasons and evidence of gods laws/ and doctor's sentences/ they bren gods wordethe which hath brought this realm to undoing for ever but if gods grace be the more/ 
Where is that ancient blood that was in england in these days.  for this cruel dead is cause of pestilence/ hunger's/ wars/ and that also this realm shallbe conquered in short time/ as saint Edward the king and confessor prophesyethe in his book that begynnith thus/ Sanctus Edwardus rex vidit spiritualibus oculis. ercete. And therefore it were good to the King and to other lords to make some remedy against this constitution of Antichrist that saith it is unlawful to us english men to have in english gods la●●●●d therefore he brennythe and sleythe them that ●●●●teyne this good dead/ 
Et nunc reges intelligite erudimini qui iudicatis rerram.  and that is for default that the king and lords known not ne will not knowether own office in meantenance of god & his law. For as saint Austen saith the King with his knights representyn the godhead of Christ and priests the manhood of Christ/ Rex est vicartus divinitatis/ et sacerdos est vicarius Christi humanitatis/ hec Augustinus in de questionibus veteris et noue legis. ca. xci. And if the king would desire to know perfectly his office/ he may find men to show to him books that truly and perfectly shall inform him to do his office to the pleasance of god. But this can not he learn of bishops for they inform him after Antichristes' law and ordinance for his laws now reignen. 
Bishop's will not ache against their God their belly.  Yet against them that say the gospel in english would make men to err/ wore they well/ that we find in latin language more he retykes then of all other languages/ for the decree. saith xxiiij xciij. Quidam autem heretici/ that there be founden sixty latin heretics. And if men should hate any language for heresy than must they hate latin But good forbid that any language should be hated for heresy sithen many heretics were of the disciples of the apostles. For saint john saith they have gone out of us but they were not of us. And Paul saith it behovythe heresies to be/ 
How Antichrist is cause of all heresies.  & antichrist maketh many more heretics than there should be for he stoppythe so the knowing of gods law/ & punisheth so them that he knoweth that have it/ that they dare not comen thereof openly to have true information/ and this maketh lay men that desiren & loven to know gods law to go to gy●●●● in pryvyte/ and conceyven by their own w●●●●● many times heresys the which heresies in 〈◊〉 time should be destroyed/ if men might have free comening openly/ and but if this may be hade moche of the people shall die in heresy/ for it lieth 〈◊〉 in Antichristes' power to destroy all english books/ for as fast as he brennethe/ other men shall draw/ and thus the cause of heresy and of the people that dieth in heresy is the frowardness of bishops that will not suffer men to have opyn comouning and free in the law of good and therefore they be cowntable of as many souls as dyen in this default/ and are traitors to good in stopping of his law the which was made in salvation of the people. 
Is not this turning the roots of the trees upward?  And now they turn his law byther cruel constitutions into damnation of the people as it shallbe proved upon them at the day of doom for gods law saith/ Stabunt justi in magna constancia adversus eos qui se angustianerunt/ et qui abstulerunt labores eorum. etc. For that that other men laborem they brennen/ 
Read Sapien vi. and seven.  and if hour clergy would study well this lessen of sapience to that end/ they should mow read therein their own damnation/ but if they amend this default with other defaults. saith not the holy man Ardemakan in the book of questions that the wurshupfull sacrament of the altar may be made in each comen language: For he saith so diden the apostles. But we covett not this/ but that Antichrist give us leave to have the law of ower believe in english. Also they that have commoned moche with the Jews/ say that they have in every land that they be borne in/ the bible in their mother tongue/ that is Hebrew. And they be more practise therein than any men/ ye 〈◊〉 the lewd men as the priests. But it is red in their synagogues amongs the people of their priests to fulfil their priests office and to the edification of the poraile/ that for worldly business and slew the may not study it. Also the four evangelistes wrote the gospel in divers languages/ as Mathewe in jury/ Mark in Italy/ Luke in Achaie/ and john in Asie. And all these wrote in the languages of the same countries'/ also Thobye saith Chap. xiii. that good disperged/ spread/ or scaterid that jews abroad among the heathen people that they telling unto they in the merveylles of god: they should knew that there were none other good/ but good of Israel. And good ordained his people to believe his law written among them in their mothertounge/ ut pater. Goe xvij. and Exo. xiii. In so much the book of judithe is written in Called speech/ ut peter per Hieronimum in prologo eiusdem. Also the books of Daniel/ and of Esdre been written in Called/ ut pater per Hieroni. in prologis eorunden/ also the book of johelis in Arabyke and Sire speech/ ut pater per Hieroni. in prologo eiusdem. Also Ezechiest the prophet prophesied in Babylon/ and left his prophesy under the mother tongue of Babylon/ ut pater per Hieronimum in prologo eiusdem Also the prophesy of isaiah is translated into the tongue of Ethiope/ as Hierom. concludyth in primo prologo Gene. Then sithen the dark prophesies were translated amongs the heathen people that they might have knowledge of good and of the incarnation of Christ/ moche more it ought to be translated to english people that have received the faith and bounden themself to keep it upon pain of damnation/ 
Mat. xxviij.  sithen Christ commanded his Apostles to preach his gospel 〈◊〉 all the world and exceptid no people nor lanage. Also Origen translated the bible out of Hebrew into Greek with help of other in the year of hour lord God. CCxxxiiij. Also Aquila translated it in the time of Adrian the emperor in the year of our lord. C. xxiv./ also Theodosion transla it in the time of themperowreemperor Contede luij year after Aquila/ also Simacus translated it in the time of themperowreemperor Serene xxx year after Theodosion eight year after Simacus it was translated the auctor unknown in the time of Alexander the emperor/ And Jerome translated it into latin/ ut in cronicis Cistercienc. li. ij. ca xxxij. And after that jerom had translated it into latin/ he translated moche to women of the bible. And to the maidens Eustochia and Paula/ he translated the books of joshua of judicum and Ruth/ and Hester/ and Ecclesiastes/ jeremy/ isaiah and Daniel/ and the twelve prophets/ and the vij canonyke epystylles ut pater in prologo corundem. And so all men may see here by jeron that it was never his intent to bind the law of god under his translation of latin but by his own deed gevythe leave to translate it into every speech for jerom wrytythe in his lxxviij epistle to this man Atleta/ that he should inform his daughter in the books of the old law and the new/ Also in his .lxxv. epistle he wrytythe to the virgin Semetriadis/ that she should for to increase herself in virtue read now upon one book/ and now/ upon another. And he specifiethe unto her that she also read the gospel/ and the epistylles of the Apostles. And thus Thenglyshe men desire to have the law of good in english/ 
But my lords say that 〈◊〉 maketh me heretics & perverteth souls.  sithen it ●s called the law undefiled conuertyng souls in to cleanness/ lex dni immaculata convertens animas/ but Antichrist saith that it is corrupt with literal letter that it slayeth souls taking his authority of Paul/ that saith/ litera occidit spiritus audem vivificat. That is the Lettre of the ceremonies of the old law slayeth the jews/ and them that now usen them/ but the spirit of the new law quykenethe true Cristen men/ sithen Christ saith my words been spritte and life. Also we take ensample of holy virgins to love to read the gospel as they diden/ as Ratheryn/ Cecyle/ lucy Agnes/ Margaret/ which alleged the holy gospel to the infidels/ that slew them for the keeping thereof. Of these foresaid authorities it is proved lawful/ that both men and women lawfully may read and write gedes law in their mother tongue/ and they that forfenden this they show themselves heyers and sons of the first tormentors/ and worse/ for they shown themselves the very disciples of Antichrist/ which hath and shall pass all the malice of tyrants that have been before in stopping and perverting of gods law which dead engendrythe great vengeance to fall in this realm/ but if it be amended For Paul saith Roma. 1. The wrath of good is showed from hevyn upon cruelness and unrightfulness of these men that with holden the truth of good in unright wysnes/ Revelatur enim ira dei super omnem impictarem et iniusticiam hominum eorum qui veritatem dei in iniustitia detinent. Now good of his mercy give unto ower king/ and to ower lords grace of true understanding to amend this default principally and all other/ than shall we 〈◊〉 we easily to be amended. For until it be amend●● there shall never be rest and peace in this realm Who that fyndythe or redythe this letter put it forth in examination & suffer it not to be hid or destroyed/ but multiplied for no man knoweth what profit may come thereof. For he that compiled it/ purpo●yth with gods help to maintain i unto the death/ if need be. And therefore all christian men and women/ pray that the word of god may be unbound/ and delivered from the power of Antichrist/ and run among his people.  
Amen.   

¶ Emprented at Marlborow in the land of Hessen/ be my Hans Luft/ in the year of hour lord M. CCCCC. and. XXX.