You mentioned the 15th century and a farmer....VERY few people in the 15th century could read anything...They had nothing to read.....until the Catholic Gutenberg invented the printing press, most peopple in the world had never even SEEN a book muchless read one...
If no one could READ the Bible, why were so many copies SOLD as soon as it was translated by Tyndale?
Oh?
It appears that your understanding of HISTORY is faulty; TOO.
https://www.google.com/search?q=invented+the+printing+press&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADRA_enUS475&gws_rd=ssl
Actually close to 10% could read .. by the reformation it was getting close to 40% ...but you know they all had ears and could hear the scriptures if read in their native tongue ..(NOT LATIN) ..
But just like today..how many practicing RC's rewad the scriptures ?? Those that go to church have snippets read to them ..thats about it