There Cochlæus made a more important discovery than that of Rupert's manuscripts. Byrckman and Quentel having invited him one day to meet several of their colleagues at dinner, a printer, somewhat elevated by wine, declared in his cups, (to borrow the words of Cochlæus):[533] "Whether the king and the cardinal of York wish it or not, all England will soon be Lutheran."[534] Cochlæus listened and grew alarmed; he made inquiry, and was informed that _two Englishmen_, learned men and skilled in the languages, were concealed at Cologne.[535] But all his efforts to discover more proved unavailing. [533] Audivit eos aliquando inter pocula fiducialiter jactitare. (Ibid. p. 125.) He heard them one day confidently assert in their cups. [534] Velint nolint rex et cardinalis Angliæ, totam Angliam brevi fore Lutheranam. Ibid. [535] Duos ibi latitare Anglos eruditos, linguarumque peritos. Ibid. [Sidenote: THE SECRET BETRAYED.] There was no more repose for the dean of Frankfort; his imagination fermented, his mind became alarmed. "What," said he, "shall England, that faithful servant of the popedom, be perverted like Germany? Shall the English, the most religious people of Christendom,[536] and whose king once ennobled himself by writing against Luther,--shall they be invaded by heresy?... Shall the mighty cardinal-legate of York be compelled to flee from his palace, as I was from Frankfort?" Cochlæus continued his search; he paid frequent visits to the printers, spoke to them in a friendly tone, flattered them, invited them to visit him at the canon's; but as yet he dared not hazard the important question; it was sufficient for the moment to have won the good graces of the depositaries of the secret. He soon took a new step; he was careful not to question them before one another; but he procured a private interview with one of them,[537] and supplied him plentifully with Rhine wine:--he himself is our informant.[538] Artful questions embarrassed the unwary printer, and at last the secret was disclosed. "The New Testament," Cochlæus learnt, "is translated into English; three thousand copies are in the press; fourscore pages in quarto are ready; the expense is fully supplied by English merchants, who are secretly to convey the work when printed, and to disperse it widely through all England, before the king or the cardinal can discover or prohibit it.[539]... Thus will Britain be converted to the opinions of Luther."[540] [536] In gente illa religiosissima vereque Christiana. Ibid. p. 131. [537] Unus eorum in secretiori colloquio revelavit illi arcanum. (Cochlæus. p. 131.) One of them in a private conference revealed the secret to him. [538] Rem omnem ut acceperat _vini beneficio_. Ibid. [539] Opus excussum clam invecturi per totam Angliam latenter dispergere vellent. Ibid. [540] Ad Lutheri partes trahenda est Anglia. Ibid.