An abridgement of the book of acts and monuments of the ChurchAn abridgement of the booke of acts and monumentes of the Church

The pope suddenly marvelling at the strangeness of the song, and understanding that they were Englishmen, and that they came not empty handed: willed them to be called in. Cromwell there showing his obedience, and offering this jolly Junkets: such as kings & Princes only used (said he) in the Realm of England to feed on: desired that to be accepted in good part, which he & his companions, as poor Suitors unto his Holiness, had there brought, and presented, as Novelties meet for his recreation. Pope Julius so liked their Junkets, that he desired to know the making of their dainties: And understanding their suites, without any more ado, stamped both their pardons, both the greater and the […] ⟨p. 47⟩England: the king also wrote in like manner to Boner his Ambassador, to assist the doers thereof in all their reasonable suites: whereto the king of France gave licence, & Boner showed himself very diligent about the work.¹ So the book was printed even to the last part, & then was quarrels picked to the printer, who was sent for to the inquisitors of the faith, & there charged with certain articles of heresy. Then were sent for the Englishmen that were at the cost & charge thereof, Richard Grafton and Whitchurch, & the corrector Miles Coverdale, but having warning what would follow, the Englishmen posted away, leaving behind them their Bibles to the number of 2500. called the Bibles of the great volume, and never recovered any of them, saving the Lieutenant criminal sold four great dry fats of them to an Haberdasher, to lap in caps, and those were brought again: but the rest were burnt at the place called Maulbert in Paris. But notwithstanding the loss, after they had recovered some part of the foresaid books, and were comforted, and encouraged by the L. Cromwell, the same men went again to Paris, and there got the presses, letters, and servants of the foresaid printer, and brought them to London, and there they became printers themselves, (which before they never intended) and imprinted out the said Bible in London, and after that printed sundry impressions of them, but yet not without great trouble and loss, through the hatred of Stephen Gardiner, and his fellows.²

The pope sodainly marueiling at the strangenes of the song, and vnderstanding that they were Englishmen, and that they came not emptie handed: willed them to be called in. Cromwel there shewing his obedience, and offring this iolie Iunkets: such as kings & Princes onely vsed (said he) in the Realm of Englande to féede on: desired that to be accepted in good part, which he & his companions, as poore Suters vnto his Holinesse, had there brought, and presented, as Nouelties méete for his recreation. Pope Iulius so liked their Iunkets, that he desired to know the making of their daynties: And vnderstanding their suites, without any more adoe, stamped both their pardons, both the greater and the