Bibles of the English Reformation: William Tyndale's Bible to the King James Version

 As William Tyndale was burned at the stake, he cried again and again until his neck was broken by the strangling rope of the executioner, ''Lord open the king of England's eyes, Lord open the King of England's eyes!'' Tyndale was dead, though his Bible translation was not, and it was as least as influential in England, quite certainly more in fact, than was Martin Luther's Ninety-Five Theses was in Germany. Tyndale saw himself as a martyr, and as one fighting for something far greater than life itself: the acceptance of the English Bible by all English people, not just clergy, but also the everyday working peasant.
 What followed Tyndale's death was another remarkable story of Henry VIII transforming the Church of England more and more into Protestantism, and away from Roman Catholicism. Soon Saint Thomas Moore, now widely held as a Catholic martyr, would be beheaded for not approving of the king's divorce from his first wife. Roman Catholics and Protestants alike would be forced to submit or face capital punishment by order of the king. Those that denied Transubstantiation, were likewise killed.
 Henry VIII was a remarkable man. His character was selfish, yet pious, and he is as colorful as a bird from the Amazon Forest. Henry would have nothing be seen as higher than him, not a papacy, nothing. Whatever one's view of him personally, he greatly contributed to the history of the English Bible.

 Myles Coverdale finished out The Tyndale Bible, and from his own  Bible translation would be The Great Bible of Henry VIII. The Great Bible would be the first authorized version of the English Bible, succeeded later by the Bishop's Bible. Called great for it's size, The Great Bible was a major step in putting English Versions of the Bible in churches throughout all the land.
 Meanwhile, more reformed versions of the Bible took place. Several Editions were made of The Geneva Bible, used heavily by Calvinists, which was full of notes that attacked the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church.
 Perhaps most striking to the 16th century versions of the English Bibles was The Douay Rheims Bible. Brought on by Roman Catholic monks that had fled England from Protestant Persecution, the Douay Rheims was the first complete Roman Catholic Bible in England. Not to be confused with the later Challoner Bible, The Douay Rheims was translated directly from The Latin Vulgate, and implied Protestants as the enemy of the church by it's English translation of Ephesians chapter 6, which says that they wrestle not against principalities and protestants.
 As influential however as all these English Bibles were, a much more influential English Bible would influence and change the world as none of them had done yet.  It's name dear readers is too significant to briefly mention here, for it is the masterpiece of English Literature.