Tyndale's The New Testament, 1526

William Tyndale famously declared, 'the boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the scripture than [an educated man]'. Though forbidden by the Church to translate the New Testament into English, Tyndale's determination resulted in it finally being printed in Germany in 1526. Smuggled into English ports in bales of cloth, the book was a monumental success. The direct, common language of many of its verses has resonated down the centuries and, in time, contributed significantly to the text of the King James Version.