the true Latine
tonge. Throughout the medieval period, certain Latin
authors were known continuously. Chaucer (c1343–1400) read Ovid, Virgil,
Statius, Juvenal, and some Cicero and Seneca (Sandys 2.219). But between
1333 and 1433, major Latin works were recovered by humanists searching
through monastery libraries. For example, Poggio Bracciolini (1380–1459)
discovered several orations of Cicero and a complete copy of
Quintilian's Institutio Oratoria in
Transalpine monasteries during recesses of the Council of Constance
(1414–18). (Sandys 2.25–27). Whereas Virgil had been the favored
classical author of the Middle Ages, e.g. of Dante (1265–1321), Cicero
had more influence on the Renaissance. Tyndale praises Virgil
as chief of poets, "Tully" as chief of orators (Obedience H6v).
The blynd Papistes are enemyes to all good learnyng and
knowledge .[1573]
tirens or
virgill. In all his writings, Tyndale mentions only three
classical poets: Terence (195/85 to 159 BC);Virgil (70–19 BC), and Ovid
(43 BC to AD 18). There are general references to Virgil here and in Obedience H6v, to the Trojan Horse from
Aeneid 2.58–259 in Prelates G4v, to a proverb from Aeneid
2.354 in Answer 153/3, to avarice from Aeneid 3.56–57 in Testament of
Tracy (B2). There is a general reference to Ovid in Obedience R5, to Remedia
Amoris in Prologue to Numbers (Mombert 395/27–28;TOT 197), to
the mother of Meleager (Metamorphoses 8.451–525)
in the Prologue to Jonas (TOT 633). Sidenotes in Matthew's
Bible, probably not by Tyndale, contain a reference to Pliny the Elder
(AD 23/4–79), Natural History 13.7 pace
Judges 9 (TOT 357), to Josephus
(AD 37—c100), Jewish Antiquities 7.12
pace 2 Sam. 23 (TOT 456), and a general
reference to Josephus
pace 2 Kings 8 (TOT 514).
] Judges
] 2 Samuel
] 2 Kings
them] [1573], then [1531]
dare] day [1573]
.xx. thousand
prestes curattes. Haigh (5) estimates that there were 2.5
million people in England and Wales in the
early 1530s. Of these, 50,000 or 2% of the
population were ordained, with 40,000 diocesan priests and 10,000 monks
and friars. (Haigh's estimate of 10,000 priests in religious communities
is close to another tally of 9169 at the end of the period between 1500
and 1534, [A5v, “monkes / freres / blacke / whit / pied / grey” and commentary note]). Tyndale's figure of 20,000 curates who could not
translate the PN into English would equal 40% of the clergy.
Ignoraunt Priestes.[1573]
fiat . . .
terra. Matt. 6.10, Luke 11.2.
Matt. 6.10, Luke 11.2