1-156-922 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

First page of St Matthew's Gospel from William Tyndale's English New Testament, 1525. Tyndale (c1494-1536) set out to translate the Bible into common English. Because his translation was unauthorised by the Church, and his support for the Reformation, Tyndale was forced to work on his project in Germany. Printed in Cologne in 1525, Tyndale's New Testament was the first English translation to take advantage of the new medium of printing, enabling it to have a wide distribution. It was banned by the authorities however, and Tyndale was burned at the stake at Vilvorde, Belgium in 1536.