' My Lorde of Canterbury wrote to the Bisshopp letters for his parte . . . Bisshopp
Stokesley . . . made this answer, " I mervaile what my Lorde of Canterbury meaneth,
that thus abuseth the people in gyving them libertie to reade the Scriptures, which
doith nothing els but infecte them with heryses. I haue bestowed neuer an hower
opon my portion nor neuer will. And therfore my Lorde shall haue his boke againe,
for I will neuer be gyltie to bring the symple people into errour "... Mr. Lawney stode
by hearyng my Lorde [of Canterbury] speake somoche of the Bisshopps vntowardnes,
saied, "I can tell your G-race whie my Lorde of London will not bestowe any labour or
payne this wey. Your Grace knoweth well (quod Lawney) that his portion ys a pece
of Newe Testament, and than he being persuaded that Christe had bequeth hym
nothing in his Testament, thought it mere madnes to bestowe any labour or payne
where no gayne was to be gotten, and besides this it ys The Actes of the Apostells,
whiche were symple poore felowes, and therfore my Lord of London disdayned to haue
to do with any of thair Actes." ' [1535.] [Harl. MS. 422, f. 87 b.]

93. Thomas Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, to [Thomas

Cromwell], thanking him —

'that your Lordeship at my requeste hath not only exhibited the Bible [the
translation of 1537, known as Matthew's Bible] which I sent vnto you, to the kinges
Maiestie, but also hath obteigned of his Grace that the same shalbe alowed by his
auctoritie to be bowghte and redde within this realme. My Lorde, for this your
payne taken in this bihalf I giue vnto you my most hartie thankes, assuryng your
Lordeship for the contentacion of my mynde, you haue shewid me more pleasour
herin, than yf youhadd giuen me a thowsande pownde.' Dated, Ford, 13 Aug. [1537].
