William Tyndale

by James J. Ellis

Wyatt repeats this story with some interesting variations, for he says that Anne was “but newly come from the King, when the Cardinal came in with the book in his hands to make complaints of certain points in it that he knew the King would not like of. And withal to take occasion with him against those that countenanced such books in general, and especially women, and as might be thought with mind to go farther against the Queen more directly, if he had perceived the King agreeable to his meaning. But the King, that somewhat afore disliked the Cardinal, finding the notes the Queen had made, all turned the more to hasten his ruin which was also furthered on all sides.”

So that the Cardinal in reality digged a pit and then stumbled into it; and Henry for once in his life read and admired the faithful setting forth of truth! Alas that Tyndale’s own obedience should be unto death! But so it proved to be with him.

In 1530 Tyndale left Marburg and returned once more to Hamburg. During the same year he also published another book, which he entitled “The Practice of Prelates.”

In this book occurs the famous similitude, which we here subjoin:—

“And to see how our holy father the pope came up, mark the ensample of an ivy-tree: first it springeth out of the earth, and then awhile creepeth along by the ground till it findeth a great tree; then it joineth itself beneath alow into the body of the tree, and creepeth up a little, and a little, fair and softly. And, at the beginning, while it is yet thin and small, that the burthen is not perceived, it seemeth glorious to garnish the tree in the winter, and to bear off the tempests of the weather. But in the mean season it thrusteth roots into the bark of the tree to hold fast withal, and ceaseth not to climb up till it be at the top, and above all. And then it sendeth his branches along by the branches of the tree, and overgroweth all, and waxeth great, heavy, and thick; and sucketh the moisture so sore out of the tree and his branches, that it choketh and stifleth them. And then the foul stinking ivy waxeth mighty in the stump of the tree, and becometh a seat and a nest for all unclean birds, and for blind owls which hawk in the dark, and dare not come at the light.

“Even so the bishop of Rome, now called pope, at the beginning crope along upon the earth, and every man trod upon him in this world. But as soon as there came a Christian emperor, he joined himself into his feet and kissed them, and crope up a little with begging, now this privilege, now that; now this city, now that; to find poor people withal, and the necessary ministers of God’s Word. And he entitled the emperor with choosing the pope and other bishops, and promoted in the spiritualty, not whom virtue and learning, but whom the favour of great men, commendeth; to flatter, to get friends and defenders, withal.

“And the alms of the congregation, which was the food and patrimony of the poor and necessary preachers, that he called St. Peter’s patrimony, St. Peter’s rents, St. Peter’s lands, St. Peter’s right; to cast a vain fear, and an heathenish superstitiousness into the hearts of men, that no man should dare meddle whatsoever came once into their hands, for fear of St. Peter, though they ministered it never so evil; and that they which should think it none alms to give them any more (because they had too much already) should yet give St. Peter somewhat (as Nebuchadnezzar gave his god Baal), to purchase an advocate and an intercessor of St. Peter, and that St. Peter should, at the first knock, let them in.

“And thus, with flattering and feigning, and vain superstition, under the name of St. Peter, he crept up and fastened his roots in the heart of the emperor, and with his sword climbed up above all his fellowships, and brought them under his feet. And as he subdued them with the emperor’s sword, even so by subtilty and help of them (after that they were sworn faithful) he climbed above the emperor, and subdued him also, and made stoop unto his feet, and kiss them another while. Yea, pope Cœlestinus crowned the emperor Henry the Fifth, holding the crown between his feet. And when he had put the crown on, he smote it off with his feet again, saying that he had might to make emperors, and put them down again.

“And he made a constitution that no layman should meddle with their matters, nor be in their councils, or wit what they did; and that the pope only should call the council, and the empire should but defend the pope, provided always that the council should be in one of the pope’s towns, and where the pope’s power was greater than the emperor’s; then, under a pretence of condemning some heresy, he called a general council, where he made one a patriarch, another cardinal, another legate, another primate, another archbishop, another bishop, another dean, another archdeacon, and so forth, as we now see. And as the pope played with the emperor, so did his branches, his members, the bishops, play in every kingdom, dukedom, and lordship: inasmuch that the very heirs of them, by whom they came up, hold now their lands of them, and take them for their chief lords. And as the emperor is sworn to the pope, even so every king is sworn to the bishops and prelates of his realm; and they are the chiefest in all parliaments; yea, they and their money, and they that be sworn to them, and come up by them, rule altogether.

“And thus the pope, the father of all hypocrites, hath with falsehood and guile perverted the order of the world, and turned the roots of the trees upward, and hath put down the kingdom of Christ, and set up the kingdom of the devil, whose vicar he is; and hath put down the ministers of Christ, and hath set up the ministers of Satan, disguised, yet in names, and garments, like unto the angels of light and ministers of righteousness. For Christ’s kingdom is not of the world; and the pope’s kingdom is all the world.”