¶ Which thinge onlye moved me to translate the new testament. Because I had perceaved by experyence/ how that it was impossible to stablysh the laye people in any truth/ excepte y^e scripture were playnly layde before their eyes in their mother tonge/ that they might se the processe/ ordre and meaninge of the texte: for els what so ever truth is taught them/ these ennymyes of all truth qwench it ageyne/ partly with the smoke of their bottomlesse pyite wherof thou readest apocalipsis .ix. that is/ with apparent reasons of sophistrye & traditions of their awne makynge/ founded with out grounde of scripture/ and partely in iugglinge with the texte/ expoundinge it in soch a sense as is impossible to gether of the texte/ if thou see the processe ordre and meaninge therof. ¶ And even in the bisshope of londons house I entended to have done it. For when I was so turmoyled in the contre where I was that I coude no lenger there dwell (the processe wherof were to longe here to reherce) I this wyse thought in my silfe/ this I suffre because the prestes of the contre be vnlerned/ as god it knoweth there are a full ignorant sorte which haue sene no more latyn then that they read in their portesses and missales which yet many of them can scacely read (excepte it be Albertus de secretis mulierũ in which yet/ though they be never so soryly lerned/ they pore day and night and make notes therin and all to teach the mydwyves as they say/ and linwod a boke of constitutions to gether tithes/ mortuaryes/ offeringes/ customs/ and other pillage/ which they calle/ not theirs/ but godes parte and the deuty of holye chirch/ to discharge their consciences with all: for they are bound that they shall not dimynysh/ but encreace all thinge vnto the vttmost of their powers) and therfore (because they are thus vnlerned thought I) when they come to gedder to the alehouse/ which is their preachinge place/ they afferme that my sainges are heresy. And besydes y^t they adde to of thir awne heddes which I never spake/ as the maner is to prolonge the tale to shorte the tyme with all/ and accuse me secretly to the chauncelare and other the bishopes officers/ And in deade when I cam before the chauncelare/ he thretened me grevously/ and revyled me and rated me as though I had bene a dogge/ and layd to my charge wherof there coude be none accuser brought forth (as their maner is not to bringe forth the accuser) and yet all the prestes of y^e contre were y^t same daye there. As I this thought the bishope of london came to my remembrance whom Erasmus (whose tonge maketh of litle gnattes greate elephãtes and lifteth vpp aboue the starres whosoever geveth him a litle exhibition) prayseth excedingly amonge other in his annotatyons on the new testament for his great learninge. Then thought I/ if I might come to this mannes service/ I were happye. And so I gate me to london/ & thorow the accoyntaunce of my master came to sir harry gilford the kinges graces controller/ ãd