But although his stature be small,
Yet men say he lacketh no gall,
More venomous than any toad.”
Tyndale probably felt this hindrance to his work far more keenly than Roye did, but he was not the man to descend to abuse. He probably closed his lips with a firmer resolve than ever to persevere in spite of all obstacles, and to thus avenge himself upon his adversaries. At Worms it would appear that Tyndale laid aside the quarto edition which had been so rudely interrupted, and that he there began to print an octavo edition of the New Testament. About the spring of 1526 the Testaments were not only ready, but they were in England, and they began at once to be circulated. They there commanded a wholesale price of thirteenpence per copy, and were retailed at about thirtypence per volume. Of course, it must be remembered that the present value of money is fifteen times more than it was at the period under consideration.
Not only had Cochlæus warned Henry and Wolsey of the intended act of atrocity, but Lee, who was King Henry’s almoner, also wrote to England to say what he had heard of Tyndale’s doings. He urged the King to persecute these criminals to the utmost, and thus to preserve his kingdom from danger. Henry required but little persuasion to become a persecutor, but the Bishops were determined to make his obedience quite sure. The Bishop of St. Asaph laid the matter before Wolsey, and he called a council of prelates to advise as to what was to be done about these dreadful books. Roye thus represents the discussion in a jingling poem that he published:—
Two priests’ servants, named Watkyn and Jeffraye, are supposed to be conversing about the Testaments, and they discourse thus:—
“Jef. But nowe of Standisshe accusacion
Brefly to make declaracion,
Thus to the Cardinall he spake:
‘Pleaseth youre honourable Grace,