The Tyndale Monument

By a public subscription among the inhabitants of the county of Gloucester, headed by the clergy, a monument has been erected on Nibley Knoll, near Wotton-under-Edge, to the memory of the martyr Tyndale, one of the first publishers of the Holy Scriptures in English. William Tyndale, or Tindale, otherwise named Hitchins, was born in 1500, on the borders of Wales, but in what county his biographers are unable to mention. In early life he studied grammar, logic, and philosophy at St. Mary Magdalen's Hall, Oxford, where there is still a painting of him, but which is not esteemed a valuable work of art. Here he imbibed the doctrine of Luther, which he privately taught to some of the junior Fellows of Magdalen College and to other scholars. His behaviour was such at the same time, both as regards morals and learning, that he not only gained a high reputation, but was admitted a Canon of Cardinal Wolsey's new college, now Christ Church. Upon making his opinions public he was compelled to retire to Cambridge, where he took a degree and pursued his studies. After a time he removed to Little Sudbury, Gloucestershire, and took up his abode with Sir John Welch, Knight, who had so great an esteem for him that he appointed him tutor to his children. Here he embraced every opportunity of propagating his new opinions, by preaching frequently in and about Bristol, and engaging in disputations with many abbots and dignified clergymen, whom he met with at Sir John's table, on the most important points of religion, which he explained in a way to which they had not been accustomed, and by references to the Holy Scriptures, which they scarcely dared to touch. Unable to confute him, they complained to the Chancellor of the diocese, who dismissed him after a severe reprimand, accompanied with the usual threatenings against heresy. Finding that this situation was no longer convenient and that his patron could not with safety continue his protection, Tyndale went to London, and for some time preached in the Church of St. Dunstan-in-the-West. Failing in his attempt to become one of the Chaplains to Dr. Cuthbert Tunstall, Bishop of London, and being sensible that his liberty was endangered by living in England and enlightening the minds of the people in... [document defective here]