History of the Reformation in the Sixteenth Century Volume V Part 17

When Erasmus published this work, at the dawn, so to say, of modern times, he did not see all its scope. Had he foreseen it, he would perhaps have recoiled in alarm. He saw indeed that there was a great work to be done, but he believed that all good men would unite to do it with common accord. "A spiritual temple must be raised in desolated Christendom," said he. "The mighty of this world will contribute towards it their marble, their ivory, and their gold; I who am poor and humble offer the foundation stone," and he laid down before the world his edition of the Greek Testament. Then glancing disdainfully at the traditions of men, he said: "It is not from human reservoirs, fetid with stagnant waters, that we should draw the doctrine of salvation; but from the pure and abundant streams that flow from the heart of G.o.d." And when some of his suspicious friends spoke to him of the difficulties of the times, he replied: "If the ship of the church is to be saved from being swallowed up by the tempest, there is only one anchor that can save it: it is the heavenly word, which, issuing from the bosom of the Father, lives, speaks, and works still in the Gospel."[271] These n.o.ble sentiments served as an introduction to those blessed pages which were to reform England. Erasmus, like Caiaphas, prophesied without being aware of it.

[271] In evangelicis litteris, sermo ille clestis, quondam e corde Patris ad nos profectus. (Erasm. Leoni, Ep. p. 1843) That heavenly word in the Gospel, formerly sent to us from the bosom of the Father.

[Sidenote: DEMAND OF ERASMUS.]

The New Testament in Greek and Latin had hardly appeared when it was received by all men of upright mind with unprecedented enthusiasm.

Never had any book produced such a sensation. It was in every hand: men struggled to procure it, read it eagerly, and would even kiss it.[272] The words it contained enlightened every heart. But a reaction soon took place. Traditional catholicism uttered a cry from the depths of its noisome pools, (to use Erasmus's figure).

Franciscans and Dominicans, priests and bishops, not daring to attack the educated and well-born, went among the ignorant populace, and endeavoured by their tales and clamours to stir up susceptible women and credulous men. "Here are horrible heresies," they exclaimed, "here are frightful antichrists! If this book be tolerated it will be the death of the papacy!"--"We must drive this man from the university,"

said one. "We must turn him out of the church," added another. "The public places re-echoed with their howlings," said Erasmus.[273] The firebrands tossed by their furious hands were raising fires in every quarter; and the flames kindled in a few obscure convents threatened to spread over the whole country.

[272] Opus avidissime rapitur ...... amatur, manibus teritur (Er. Ep.

557.) The work is most eagerly seized.... it is embraced, it is clasped in the hands.

[273] Oblatrabant sycophantae. (Erasm. Ep. p. 329.) The slanderers howled.

This irritation was not without a cause. The book, indeed, contained nothing but Latin and Greek; but this first step seemed to augur another--the translation of the Bible into the vulgar tongue. Erasmus loudly called for it.[274] "Perhaps it may be necessary to conceal the secrets of kings," he remarked, "but we must publish the mysteries of Christ. The Holy Scriptures, translated into all languages, should be read not only by the Scotch and Irish, but even by Turks and Saracens.

The husbandman should sing them as he holds the handle of his plough, the weaver repeat them as he plies his shuttle, and the wearied traveller, halting on his journey, refresh him under some shady tree by these G.o.dly narratives." These words prefigured a golden age after the iron age of popery. A number of Christian families in Britain and on the continent were soon to realize these evangelical forebodings, and England after three centuries was to endeavour to carry them out for the benefit of all the nations on the face of the earth.

[274] Paraclesis ad lectorem pium. Consolation to the pious reader.

The priests saw the danger, and by a skilful manuvre, instead of finding fault with the Greek Testament, attacked the translation and the translator. "He has corrected the Vulgate," they said, "and puts himself in the place of Saint Jerome. He sets aside a work authorized by the consent of ages and inspired by the Holy Ghost. What audacity!"

And then, turning over the pages, they pointed out the most odious pa.s.sages: "Look here! this book calls upon men to _repent_, instead of requiring them, as the Vulgate does, _to do penance_!" (Matt. iv. 17.) The priests thundered against him from their pulpits:[275] "This man has committed the unpardonable sin," they a.s.serted; "for he maintains that there is nothing in common between the Holy Ghost and the monks--that they are logs rather than men!" These simple remarks were received with a general laugh; but the priests, in no wise disconcerted, cried out all the louder: "He's a heretic, an heresiarch, a forger! he's a goose[276] ... what do I say? he's a very antichrist!"

[275] Quam stolide debacchati sunt quidam e suggestis ad populum.

(Erasm. Ep. p. 1193.) How stupidly some of them raved to the people out of their pulpits.

[276] Nos clamitans esse grues (_cranes_) et bestias. (Ibid. p. 914.) Calling out that we are cranes and brutes.

[Sidenote: THE PRIEST'S ATTACK AT COURT.]

It was not sufficient for the papal janissaries to make war in the plain, they must carry it to the higher ground. Was not the king a friend of Erasmus? If he should declare himself a patron of the Greek and Latin Testament, what an awful calamity!... After having agitated the cloisters, towns, and universities, they resolved to protest against it boldly, even in Henry's presence. They thought: "If he is won, all is won." It happened one day that a certain theologian (whose name is not given) having to preach in his turn before the king, he declaimed violently against the _Greek_ language and its new interpreters. Pace, the king's secretary, was present, and turning his eyes on Henry, observed him smiling good humouredly.[277] On leaving the church, every one began to exclaim against the preacher. "Bring the priest to me," said the king; and then turning to More, he added: "You shall defend the Greek cause against him, and I will listen to the disputation." The literary tribunal was soon formed, but the sovereign's order had taken away all the priest's courage. He came forward trembling, fell on his knees, and with clasped hands exclaimed: "I know not what spirit impelled me." "A spirit of madness," said the king, "and not the spirit of Jesus Christ."[278] He then added: "Have you ever read Erasmus?" "No, Sire." "Away with you then, you are a blockhead." "And yet," said the preacher in confusion, "I remember to have read something about _Moria_," (Erasmus's treatise on _Folly_).--"A subject, your majesty, that ought to be very familiar to him," wickedly interrupted Pace. The _obscurant_ could say nothing in his justification. "I am not altogether opposed to the Greek," he added at last, "seeing that it is derived from the Hebrew."[279] This was greeted with a general laugh, and the king impatiently ordered the monk to leave the room, and never appear before him again.

[277] Pacaeus in regem conjecit oculos.....Is mox Pacaeo suaviter arrisit. Erasm. Ep. p. 914.

[278] Tum rex: ut qui inquit, spiritus iste non erat Christi sed stult.i.tiae. Ibid.

[279] Graecis, inquit, literis non perinde sum infensus, quod originem habeant ex lingua hebraica. Ibid. p. 347.

[Sidenote: LABOURS OF ERASMUS.]

Erasmus was astonished at these discussions. He had imagined the season to be most favourable. "Every thing looks peaceful," he had said to himself; "now is the time to launch my Greek Testament into the learned world."[280] As well might the sun rise upon the earth, and no one see it! At that very hour G.o.d was raising up a monk at Wittemberg who would lift the trumpet to his lips, and proclaim the new day. "Wretch that I am!" exclaimed the timid scholar, beating his breast, "who could have forseen this horrible tempest!"[281]

[280] Erant tempora tranquilla. (Erasm. Ep. 911.) The times were tranquil.

[281] Quis enim suspicaturus erat hanc fatalem tempestatem exorituram in orbe? Erasm. Ep. 911.

Nothing was more important at the dawn of the Reformation than the publication of the Testament of Jesus Christ in the original language.

Never had Erasmus worked so carefully. "If I told what sweat it cost me, no one would believe me."[282] He had collated many Greek MSS. of the New Testament,[283] and was surrounded by all the commentaries and translations, by the writings of Origen, Cyprian, Ambrose, Basil, Chrysostom, Cyril, Jerome, and Augustine. _Hic sum in campo meo!_ he exclaimed as he sat in the midst of his books. He had investigated the texts according to the principles of sacred criticism. When a knowledge of Hebrew was necessary, he had consulted Capito and more particularly colampadius. _Nothing without Theseus_, said he of the latter, making use of a Greek proverb. He had corrected the amphibologies, obscurities, hebraisms, and barbarisms of the Vulgate; and had caused a list to be printed of the errors in that version.

[282] Quantis mihi const.i.terit sudoribus. Ibid. 329.

[283] Collatis multis Graecorum exemplaribus. Ibid.

"We must restore the pure text of the word of G.o.d," he had said; and when he heard the maledictions of the priests, he had exclaimed: "I call G.o.d to witness I thought I was doing a work acceptable to the Lord and necessary to the cause of Christ."[284] Nor in this was he deceived.

[284] Deum testor simpliciter existimabam me rem facere Deo gratam ac rei christianae necessariam. Ibid. 911.

[Sidenote: EDWARD LEE.]

At the head of his adversaries was Edward Lee, successively king's almoner, archdeacon of Colchester, and archbishop of York. Lee, at that time but little known, was a man of talent and activity, but also vain and loquacious, and determined to make his way at any cost. Even when a school-boy he looked down on all his companions.[285] As child, youth, man, and in mature years, he was always the same, Erasmus tells us;[286] that is to say, vain, envious, jealous, boasting, pa.s.sionate, and revengeful. We must bear in mind, however, that when Erasmus describes the character of his opponents, he is far from being an impartial judge. In the bosom of Roman-catholicism, there have always existed well-meaning, though ill-informed men, who, not knowing the interior power of the word of G.o.d, have thought that if its authority were subst.i.tuted for that of the Romish church, the only foundation of truth and of Christian society would be shaken. Yet while we judge Lee less severely than Erasmus does, we cannot close our eyes to his faults. His memory was richly furnished, but his heart was a stranger to divine truth: he was a schoolman and not a believer. He wanted the people to obey the church and not trouble themselves about the Scriptures. He was the Doctor Eck of England, but with more of outward appearance and morality than Luther's adversary. Yet he was by no means a rigid moralist. On one occasion, when preaching at the palace, he introduced ballads into his sermon, one of which began thus:--

"Pa.s.s time with good company."

And the other:--

"I love unloved."

[285] Solus haberi in pretio volebat. (Ibid. 593) He wished that himself alone should be esteemed.

[286] Talis erat puer, talis adolescens, talis juvenis, talis nunc etiam vir est. Ibid. 594.

We are indebted to Secretary Pace for this characteristic trait.[287]

[287] State Papers, Henry VIII. etc. i. p. 10, pub. 1830.

During the sojourn of Erasmus in England, Lee, observing his influence, had sought his friendship, and Erasmus, with his usual courtesy, had solicited his advice upon his work. But Lee, jealous of his great reputation, only waited for an opportunity to injure it, which he seized upon as soon as it occurred. The New Testament had not been long published, when Lee turned round abruptly, and from being Erasmus's friend became his implacable adversary.[288] "If we do not stop this leak," said he, when he heard of the New Testament, "it will sink the ship." Nothing terrifies the defenders of human traditions so much as the word of G.o.d.

[288] Subito factus est inimicus. (Erasm. Ep. 746.) Suddenly he became unfriendly.

[Sidenote: LEE'S MANIFESTO.]

Lee immediately leagued himself with all those in England who abhorred the study of Scripture, says Erasmus. Although exceedingly conceited, he showed himself the most amiable of men, in order to accomplish his designs. He invited Englishmen to his house, welcomed strangers, and gained many recruits by the excellence of his dinners.[289] While seated at table among his guests, he hinted perfidious charges against Erasmus, and his company left him "loaded with lies."[290]--"In this New Testament," said he, "there are three hundred dangerous, frightful pa.s.sages ... three hundred did I say? ... there are more than a thousand!" Not satisfied with using his tongue, Lee wrote scores of letters, and employed several secretaries. Was there any convent in the odour of sanct.i.ty, he "forwarded to it instantly wine, choice viands, and other presents." To each one he a.s.signed his part, and over all England they were rehearsing what Erasmus calls _Lee's tragedy_.[291] In this manner they were preparing the catastrophe: a prison for Erasmus, the fire for the Holy Scriptures.

[289] Excipiebat advenas, praesertim Anglos, eos conviviis faciebat suos. (Ibid. 593.) He received strangers, especially Englishmen, and attached them to himself by his banquets.

[290] Abeuntes omni mendaciorum genere dimittebat onustos. (Ibid.) He sent them away loaded with every kind of lies.

[291] Donee Leus ordiretur suam _tragaediam_. (Erasm. Ep. 913.) Until Lee should begin his tragedy.

When all was arranged, Lee issued his manifesto. Although a poor Greek scholar,[292] he drew up some _Annotations_ on Erasmus's book, which the latter called "mere abuse and blasphemy;" but which the members of the league regarded as _oracles_. They pa.s.sed them secretly from hand to hand, and these obscure sheets, by many indirect channels, found their way into every part of England, and met with numerous readers.[293] There was to be no publication--such was the watchword; Lee was too much afraid. "Why did you not publish your work," asked Erasmus, with cutting irony. "Who knows whether the holy father, appointing you the Aristarchus of letters, might not have sent you a birch to keep the whole world in order!"[294]

[292] Simon, Hist. crit. du. N. Test. p. 246.

[293] Liber volitat inter ma.n.u.s conjuratorum. (Erasm. Ep. p. 746.) The book flitted to and fro among the hands of the conspirators.

[294] Tibi tradita virgula totius...o...b..s censuram fuerit mandaturus.

Ibid. p. 742.

The _Annotations_ having triumphed in the convents, the _conspiracy_ took a new flight. In every place of public resort, at fairs and markets, at the dinner-table and in the council-chamber, in shops, and taverns, and houses of ill-fame, in churches and in the universities, in cottages and in palaces, the league blattered against Erasmus and the Greek Testament.[295] Carmelites, Dominicans, and Sophists, invoked heaven and conjured h.e.l.l. What need was there of Scripture?