Actually in England, it was highly illegal—a death penalty offence, to have the bible in the vernacular—which is why Wycliff’s followers, the Lollards, (who influenced Hus) were severely persecuted.
Such persecution for vernacular bibles was not universal in Europe it is true—but in English history, it was very true.
In fact, Henry VIII—yes the one who broke with Rome—had the translater of the 1st English bible translated from Greek and Hebrew, one William Tyndale, executed in Belgium no less, where he was in hiding—for the “crime” of translating the bible.
>> Actually in England, it was highly illegal—a death penalty offence, to have the bible in the vernacular <<
Ahh... no. Not at all. Wycliff was funded by the British Parlaiment. The origin of the “bible is illegal” legend is that the Tyndale bible was prohibited, not because it was in the vernacular, but because it contained patently false claims in the interlinear notes.
Not only was the bible in English NOT prohibited, but Catholics gave their lives to bring the Douay-Rheims bible into England.