+Source.+--Edward Hall's _Henry VIII_. Grafton's Edition, 1548.[41]
Here is to be remembered, that at this present time, William Tindale
had newly translated and imprinted the New Testament in English, and
the Bishop of London, not pleased with the translation thereof,
debated with himself, how he might compass and devise to destroy that
false and erroneous translation, (as he said). And so it happened that
one Augustine Packington, a Mercer and Merchant of London, and of
great honesty, the same time was in Antwerp, where the Bishop then
was, and this Packington was a man that highly favoured William
Tindale, but to the bishop utterly showed himself to the contrary. The
bishop desirous to have his purpose brought to pass, communed of the
New Testament, and how gladly he would buy them. Packington then
hearing that he wished for, said unto the bishop, my Lord, if it be
your pleasure, I can in this matter do more, I dare say, than most of
the Merchants of England that are here, for I know the Dutchmen and
strangers, that have bought them of Tyndale, and have them here to
sell, so that if it be your lordship's pleasure, to pay for them (for
otherwise I cannot come by them, but I must disburse money for them) I
will then assure you, to have every book of them, that is imprinted
and is here unsold. The Bishop thinking that he had God by the toe,
when indeed he had (as after he thought) the Devil by the fist, said,
gentle Master Packington, do your diligence and get them, and with all
my heart I will pay for them, whatsoever they cost you, for the books
are erroneous and naughty, and I intend surely to destroy them all,
and to burn them at Paul's Cross. Augustine Packington came to William
Tyndale and said, William I know thou art a poor man, and hast a heap
of new Testaments and books by thee for the which thou hast both
endangered thy friends, and beggared thyself, and I have now gotten
thee a Merchant, which with ready money shall dispatch thee of all
that thou hast, if you think it so profitable for yourself. Who is the
merchant, said Tyndale. The bishop of London, said Packington. O that
is because he will burn them, said Tyndale. Yea Mary, quod Packington.
I am the gladder, said Tyndale, for these two benefits shall come
thereof, I shall get money of him for these books, to bring myself out
of debt, and the whole world shall cry out upon the burning of God's
word. And the overplus of the money that shall remain to me, shall
make me more studious, to correct the said New Testament, and so newly
to imprint the same once again, and I trust the second will much
better like you, than ever did the first: And so forward went the
bargain, the bishop had the books, Packington the thanks, and Tyndale
had the money. Afterwards, when more new Testaments were imprinted,
they came thick and threefold into England. The bishop of London
hearing that still there were so many New Testaments abroad, sent for
Augustine Packington and said unto him: Sir, how cometh this that
there are so many New Testaments abroad, and you promised and assured
me that you had bought all? Then said Packington, I promise you I
bought all that there was to be had: but I perceive they have made
more since, and it will never be better, as long as they have the
letters and stamps; therefore it were best for your lordship, to buy
the stamps too, and then are you sure: the bishop smiled at him and
said, Well Packington, well. And so ended this matter.
[Footnote 41: No reference has been given to the paging, as it is
improbable that readers will have access to the Grafton Edition.
Should there be need for further reference to Hall's Life, no
difficulty will be found, as in all editions each year has a separate
chapter.]
TWO LETTERS WRITTEN BY KING HENRY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD, FOR
THEIR OPINION IN THE CAUSE OF HIS MARRIAGE (1529).