BRIBES AND BAIT; OR, THE FLY WHO WOULD NOT ENTER THE SPIDER'S WEB
“The fairest action of our human life
Is scorning to avenge an injury;
For who forgives without a further strife,
His adversary's heart to him doth tie.
And 'tis a fairer conquest, truly said,
To win the heart than overthrow the head.”
—LADY CAREW.
“Hope is like the sun, which as we journey towards it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us.”—DR. SMILES.
“Scarcely can we fix our eyes upon a single passage in this wonderful Book which has not afforded comfort and instruction to thousands, and been met with tears of penitential sorrow, or grateful joy, drawn from eyes that will weep no more."—DR. PAYSON.
ATTEMPTS TO INDUCE TYNDALE TO RETURN TO ENGLAND—THE INTERVIEW IN THE MEADOW—TYNDALE'S PATHETIC APPEAL AND HIS NOBLE OFFER.
IN England, Thomas Cromwell, the hammerman, had succeeded Wolsey in the supreme direction of affairs. So long as he possessed the King's ear, the Reformers were secure of at least one friend, and Henry himself was prosperous and successful so long as he followed the guidance of his great Minister.
Cromwell was a politician and not a Reformer, but all his instincts were in favor of those who pleaded for an overthrow of the Papal corruptions and tyranny. It is true that in pursuing his purpose Cromwell now and then adopted measures that cannot be defended, but his policy was, after all, that which, if pursued systematically instead of spasmodically, would have secured the independence and prosperity of the realm. Cromwell took Latimer into his favor, and endeavored to employ his preaching talents in the furtherance of his designs. He now endeavored to induce Tyndale to return home to England, hoping possibly that the great translator would also co-operate with him in working out his plans. Stephen Vaughan, one of the English envoys to the Low Countries, was the messenger who was employed for this purpose; and at Cromwell's instance he wrote three letters to three different places whence he supposed they might reach Tyndale.
This was in the year 1530; and the result of Vaughan's inquiries into the whereabouts and doings of the Reformer was a high appreciation on his part both of Tyndale's abilities and character. "The man is of greater knowledge than the King's Highness doth take him for," wrote Vaughan to Cromwell, "which well appeareth by his works. Would God he were in England!”
Tyndale probably did not take the same view of the case as Vaughan, for about this time his brother John in England was sentenced by the Star Chamber to be exhibited in Cheapside upon horseback with his face to the horse's tail. John Tyndale was further compelled to pay a considerable fine, and this punishment was inflicted because he had sent money and letters to his brother William Tyndale, and had, moreover, committed the further enormity of receiving and selling Testaments!
Tyndale had means of obtaining information as to all these doings in England, and he was therefore somewhat skeptical as to the good faith of Vaughan. At last he consented to meet the English envoy, and accordingly an interview took place between them " without the gates of Antwerp, in a field lying nigh to the same. At our meeting, Do you not know me?' said this Tyndale. I do not well remember you,' said I to him. My name is Tyndale,' said lie. But, Tyndale,' said I, fortunate be our meeting.' Then said Tyndale, Sir, I have been exceeding desirous to speak with you—I am informed that the King's Grace taketh great displeasure with me for putting forth of certain books which I lately made in these parts, but especially for the book named 'The Practice of Prelates,' whereof I have no little marvel, considering that in it I did but warn his Grace of the subtle demeanor of the clergy of his realm towards his person, and of the shameful abuses by them practiced, not a little threatening the displeasure of his Grace and weal of his realm; in which doing I showed and declared the heart of a true subject, which sought the safeguard of his Royal person, and weal of his commons, to the intent that his Grace, thereof warned, might, in due time, prepare his remedies against the subtle dreams. If for my pains therein taken—if for my poverty—if for my exile out of my natural country, and being absent from my friends—if for my hunger, my thirst, my cold, the great danger wherewith I am everywhere compassed—and finally, if for innumerable other hard and sharp sicknesses which I endure, not yet feeling their asperity, by reason I hoped with my labors to do honor to God, true service to my Prince, and pleasure to his commons —how is that his Grace, this considering, may either by himself think, or by the persuasions of others be brought to think, that in this doing I should not show a pure mind, a true and incorrupt zeal, and affection to his Grace?
“’Was there in me any such mind when I warned his Grace to beware of his Cardinal, whose iniquity he shortly after proved? Doth this deserve hatred? Again, may his Grace, being a Christian prince, be so unkind to God, which hath commanded His Word to be spread throughout the world, to give more faith to wicked persuasions of men, who, contrary to that which Christ expressly commandeth in His Testament, dare say that it is not lawful for the people to have the same in a tongue that they understand; because the purity thereof should open men's eyes to see their wickedness? As I now am, very death were more pleasant to me than life, considering man's nature to be such as can bear no truth.'”
At a second interview Tyndale went further, and said, "with water in his eyes," as Vaughan observed, "If it would stand with the King's most gracious pleasure to grant only a bare text of Scripture to be put forth among his people, like as is put forth among the subjects of the Emperor in these parts, and of other Christian princes, be it of the translation of what person soever shall please his Majesty, I shall immediately make faithful promise never to write more, nor abide two days in these parts after the same; but immediately to repair into his realm, and there most humbly submit myself at the feet of his Royal Majesty, offering my body to suffer what pain or torture, yea, what death his Grace will, so that this be obtained. And till that time I will abide the asperity of all chances, whatsoever shall come, and endure my life, in as much pains as it is able to bear and suffer.”
A third time Vaughan met Tyndale, and again the envoy attempted in vain to induce him to venture back into England. Tyndale knew Henry too well to do so, and he was providentially kept from making this rash experiment, for his work was not as yet finished.
It is somewhat difficult to believe, with Demaus, that King Henry was quite honorable in approving or in permitting these negotiations. The almost unanimous opinion of all, until quite recently, was, that Henry was at least a consenting party to Tyndale's murder. To a man like Henry the life of Tyndale was but of little moment; and, from his treatment of others, it is probable that, had Tyndale ventured to return home, even with the promised security of the Royal word, he would have suffered the fate that befell many good men about this time. The rumors that reached Tyndale from time to time would make him chary of trusting Henry's promise; and at the very period that Vaughan was endeavoring to persuade Tyndale to confide in the King, Tyndale knew that a fierce persecution was raging in England against those who did not believe and act in religious matters as the King and Convocation were pleased to appoint.
For example, Tyndale would have heard that William Tracy, a Gloucestershire gentleman, and a former friend of his, had just before died, and that his will, instead of the usual invocation of Mary and of the saints, began thus:—
“First, and before all other things, I commit myself to God and His mercy; believing, without any doubt or mistrust, that by His grace, and the merits of Jesus Christ, and by the virtue of His passion and His resurrection, I have, and shall have, remission of all my sins, and also resurrection of body and soul, according as it is written: I 'believe that my Redeemer liveth, and that in the last day I shall rise out of the earth, and in my flesh shall see my Savior; ' this my hope is laid up in my bosom. And, touching my soul, this faith is sufficient, as I suppose, without any other man's works or merits. My confidence and belief is, that there is but one God, and one Mediator between God and man, which is Jesus Christ; so that I take none in heaven nor in earth to be mediator between me and God, but only Jesus Christ. All others be but petitioners for receiving of grace, but none are able to give influence of grace, and, therefore, I will not bestow any part of my goods with an intent that any man should say or do anything to help my soul, for therein I trust only in the promises of Christ. And touching the distribution of my temporal goods, my purpose is, by the grace of God, to bestow them to be accepted as the fruits of faith, so that I do not suppose that my merit shall be by the good bestowing of them, but my merit is the faith of Jesus Christ only, by whom such works are good. And we should ever consider that true saying, that a good work maketh not a good man, but a good man maketh a good work; for faith maketh a man both good and righteous; `for a righteous man liveth by faith, and whatsoever springeth not of faith is sin'" (Rom. 14).
This will was condemned by Convocation as "proud, scandalous, contradictory, impious, and heretical," and it was decreed that Tracy's body should be exhumed and cast out of consecrated ground as a heretic.
This dishonor to the dead was not the only proof of active hostility that the clergy and King manifested, for even the living were compelled to feel their vengeance. No wonder is it, when he heard of such things as the martyrdom of Bilney and of others, that Tyndale feared to return to England, even if he had the guarantee of the King's word. And yet he declared that he was ready to do so if only the King would permit a translation of the Scriptures to be circulated in England; to secure this boon for his fellow-countrymen Tyndale was quite content to die. Alas! the Bible was not to be as yet circulated in England.