YALE
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY

DRAWJ^ -O /-: ,V c?A-4 C^J*: n m'

MEMORIALS /// OF THE
RIGHT REVEREND FATHER IN GOD,
MYLES COVERDALE,
SOMETIME LORD BISHOP OF EXETER;
¦WHO FinST
TRANSLATED THE WHOLE BIBLE INTO ENGLISH :
TOGETriER -WITH
DIVERS MATTERS RELATING TO THE
PROMULGATION OF THE BIBLE,
IN THE
REIGN OF HENRY THE EIGHTH.

LONDON:
SAMUEL BAGSTER, 15, PATERNOSTER ROW;
AT THE WAREHOUSE FOR BIBLES. NEW TESTAMENTS, PRAYER BOOKS, PSALTERS, ANU
CONCORDANCES, IN ANCIENT AND MODERN LANGUAGES.
noAAoi i*tv Ovrftvif rXonratt laa i' \9avarQtaiv,

MDCCCXXXVIII.

[ON DON :
RIDER, FRINTEB,
14. Bartlioloiiicw CIosp

C^5SX MSI

PREFACE.

The life of one of our early Reformers, a man,
celebrated as being the first -who translated the
whole Bible into our mother tongue,* and who is
not less to be admired for his piety and learning,
than for his many excellent qualities of heart and
mind, cannot, it is conceived, prove altogether un
interesting; particularly as the incidents of his
eventful career are intimately connected with that
remarkable period of our history, the aera of the
Reformation.

* A reprint of this important translation of the Bible, which
was brought out in the year 1535, is now in the press, and
will be published on the day of the Queen's Coronation. The
valuable copy of the first edition used by the printer, was from
the rich and extensive library at Kensington Palace. The loan
was granted to the Publisher by the royal owner in the same
liberal and gracious manner in which every request is met
that has for its object the diffusion of knowledge, and the ad
vancement of literature. This Bible of Coverdale and the
reprinted Testaraent of Tyndal are two of the most valuable
and curious works, that modern enterprise has ever ventured to
offer to the notice of the public. a 2

IV PREFACE.
It was on searching for particulars of Coverdale's
life, that the total absence of any thing like a satis
factory or consistent account of him, first suggested
to the author the idea of the present work ; and he
was the more confirmed in this design, when he
found how erroneous were the views generally enter
tained, respecting the measures adopted by King
Henry the Eighth, with regard to the promulgation
of the Scriptures in English. He has therefore
tried to supply these wants by as complete a memoir
of Coverdale, and as correct an account of the mea
sures taken by the government of that period, to
suppress or put forth the Bible, as the materials that
existed would enable him to do.
With regard to the list that he has given of
Coverdale's works, contained in the Appendix, it is
to be observed that, as must ever be the case with
old and rare books, little opportunity has offered of
verifying the existence of many of them ; but the
precaution has been adopted of citing the authority
for each book, and the reader may therefore judge
for himself, as to the degree of credit to be attached
to each statement.
Inner Temple,
May, 1838.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

The Birth-place of Coverdale not known. — Is educated at Cam
bridge, in the Monastery of the Augustins.- — State of Learning
at the University. — Commencement of Reformed Doctrines. —
Cromwell, afterwards Earl of Essex, an early Patron of Cover-
dale. — Dr. Barnes, the Master of the Augustin Priory, his
Arrest. — Coverdale professes the New Tenets. — Recantation of
one Topley, iu which he states that Coverdale was the means
of leading him into Heresy. — Coverdale therefore, for fear of
Persecution, determines to leave England . . 1
CHAPTER IL
Tyndal's New Testament published. — Prohibition of it by the
Bishop of London. — Writings of Sir Thos. More against it. —
Halle's Account of the Burning of this Translation. — Cover-
dale goes to Antwerp, and assists Tyndal in translating the
Pentateuch. — Proceedings in England against Tyndal's New
Testament and the Writings of the Reformers. — Severe Pro
clamation of the King against. — Bishop of Norwich desires
further Authority to suppress Heresy in his Diocese . . 14

VI CONTENTS.

CHAPTER III.
Decision of the King in Council against the New Doctrines. — His
Intention to have the Scripture translated, to give to his people,
when he should see that they were fit to receive the same. —
Latimer's Letter to the King, persuading Mm to grant the free
use of the Bible to his Subjects. — Progress of the Reformation. —
Resolution of the Convocation of the Clergy with regard to pro
mulgating the Scripture in English. — Arguments for and
against. — Coverdale determines to translate it. . . 31

CHAPTER IV.
Coverdale publishes his Translation of the whole Bible.— Dedica^
tion to the King. — Uses topics most likely to have weight with
Henry. — Finds fault with the ambition of the Pope. — Extols
the Scripture. — Gives his reason for dedicating this Translation
to the King. — In judging of the Language and Topics of this
Dedication, difference to be boi-ne in miud, between the
kingly office in those days and the present. — Prologue to the
Reader. — Coverdale excuses his own insufficiency. — Explains
the dififerent Books in the Bible. — Exhorts the Reader to ap
proach the Scripture in a proper mind. — Date of this Bible,
apparent inconsistency of that given at the end, with the com
mencement of the dedication . , . .50

CHAPTER V.
Coverdale's Bible.— Whether put forth by tlie King's Authority or
not. — Arguments for and against.— Apparently at one time had
obtained the King's sanction.— Which afterwards was neitiier
confirmed nor withdrawn. — Specimen of this Translation . 69
CHAPTER VI.
Matthew's Bible published.— Grafton's Letters to Lord Cromwell
concerning it.— The Clerg-y inucli offended at this Edition, on
account of the Piologue ;(ud Prefaldiy Piici-s attaohed to it.—

CONTENTS. Vll

Coverdale superintends the printing of another Bible at Paris. —
His Letters to Lord Cromwell. — The whole Impression of the
Bible is suddenly seized on, and Coverdale himself narrowly
escapes the Inquisition. — This Bible proceeded atresh with, and
published in 1539. . . ... 80
CHAPTER VII.
Latin and English New Testament by Coverdale 'synistrally'
printed iu London. — Dedicated to King Henry. — Preface to
Reader, evidently not by Coverdale. — An authorized Copy by
Coverdale printed at Paris. — Dedicated to Lord Cromwell. —
Complains of former Edition. — But excuses the Printer on
account of his good intentions. — Preface to the Reader.— Some
of the Psalms translated into verse and published by Coverdale.
— Specimen of his Versification . . .94
CHAPTER VIII.
Steps taken in England for the promulgation of the Scripture. —
Injunctions of Cromwell, as Vicar-General, for the setting up of
a Bible in every Parish Church. — Declaration of the King to be
read by the Curates in the Churches, that it was his Majesty's
pleasure and command, thatthe Bible should be sincerely taught
and openly laid forth in every Parish Church. — The Bishops
persuade the King to take measures against the importation
from abroad of Reformed Doctrines. — Act of the Six Articles.
— Fall of CromweU. — Consequent decline of the Reformed
Party . . . . . 106
CHAPTER IX.
Proclamation of the King, commanding the Bible to be set up in
the Churches, carelessly obeyed. — Complaints against the Trans
lations of the Bible, with a view probably to have them called
in. — Act limiting the reading of the Bible to certain classes. —
The King justifies the passing of this Act iu the " Erudition of
any Christian Man." — Proclamation prohibiting several Trans-

Vlll CONTENTS. PAGE
lations of the Bible, and other works of the Refoi-mers. —
Decline of that party towards the latter end of Henry's
reign ........ 121
CHAPTER X.
Accession of Edward the Sixth favourable to Reformed Doc
trines. — Coverdale, who had resided in Germany, comes over to
England. — Is made Almoner to the Dowager Queen. — Accom
panies Lord Russell in his Expedition against the Rebels, and
preaches in the West of England. — Is made Coadjutor to the
Bishop of Exeter, and afterwards succeeds to that See. — Is
named one of the Commissioners to examine and search after
the Anabaptists and the Contemners of the Common Prayer, and
is also joined in the commission to revise the Ecclesiastical Laws.
— His faithful discharge of his Episcopal functions . . 136
CHAPTER XI.
Accession of Queen Mary. — Coverdale deprived of his Bishoprick,
and summoned before the Council. — Interposition of the King
of Denmark in his favour. — His Letters on the subject. — Cover-
dale, after much delay, permitted to depart into Denmark —
From whence he proceeds into Germany. — Is reinstated in his
former Benefice at Bergzabem. — Afterwards joins the Congre
gation at Geneva ...... 155
CHAPTER XIL
Accession of Queen Elizabeth.— Coverdale returns into England.
— Officiates at the Consecration of Archbishop Parker. — Does
not resume his Bishoprick, from Religious Scruples. — Grindal's
Letter about Coverdale not having met with due Preferment. —
He is however afterwards presented to the living of St. Magnus,
which he does not enjoy long. — His Letters to the Secretary of
State concerning his inability to pay first-fruits. — Is admitted to
thc degree of Doctor of Divinity ' per gratiam,' by thc Univer
sity of Cambridge. — His Death.— Epitaph. . . .167

CONTENTS. IX
PAGE
APPENDIX.
No. I.— Letter from Coverdale to Cromwell . . 193
No. II. — A Letter from Grafton to Cromwell . . . 194
No. III. — A Letter from Coverdale and Grafton to Cromwell . 195
No. IV. — A Letter from Coverdale, Grafton, and Grey to Crom
well . . . . . . . .196
No. V. — A Letter from Coverdale and Grafton to Cromwell . 198
No. VI. — A Letter from Coverdale to CromweU . . . 199
No. VII. — Parallel Passages from the Pentateuch by Tyndal, in
1530, and the Bible by Coverdale, in 1535 . . . 200
No. VIII. — Parallel Passages from the first printed Translations
of the New Testament, taken from the second chapters of the
Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, and St.
John ........ 203
No. IX. — The Latin Texts of Coverdale's Testaments . . 213
No. X. — A Bibliographical List and Notices of the several Edi
tions of Coverdale's Works ..... 215

In consequence of an addition made to the List of Works, in the Appendix,
after part of the impression had been worked oflf, the following errata require
to be noticed. Page 94, u. (a), for Art. 13, read Art. 15.
99, n. (e), for Art. 11, read Art. 14.
103, II. (f ), for Art. 15, read Art. 18.
 (g). for Art. 11, read Art. 14.
149, n.(m), for Art. 9 and 10, read Art. 11, 12, and 13.

ORIGINAL GRANT OF COAT ARMOUR

MYLES COV E R D A L E,
1--H0M
THE MS. IN THE COLLEGE Or AKMS, LONDON.

OiDus Xri 1-iDELiiius has pntes Iras inspecturis aut audituris
GILBERTUS DETHICK als garter miles principalis herauldus et
primarius Rex Annor inclitissimi ordinis garterii salutem. Equitas vult
et racio postulat qd homines virtuosi laudabilis dispocitionis et vite hono-
rabilis sint p cor merita honorati et remunerati in suis psonis existentes
in hac vita mortali tam brevi et transitoria et in quolibet loco honoris p
ceteris exaltati demonstrando signa et exempla virtutis honoris ac etiam
humanitatis videlicet ea intencione ut p eorum exempla alii magis
conentur vitam suam in actibus operibusq clarissimis exercere quibus
assequantur et impetrent famam antique nobilitatis et ideo Ego pdcus
Gilbertus als garter non solum ex divulgata fama verum etiam ex meo
ceterorumq fidelium fide dignor testimonio sum veraciter instructus et
informatus qd Rdus in Xro pr Milo Coverdalus Exonien Epus diu in
virtute claruit et pseveravit et in oibus suis actibus et moribus adeo
bene sobrie discrete atq honorifice se gessit adeo ut mereat' et dignus
sit in omnibus locis honoris admitti numerari et recipi in numeru et con
sortium alioru veterum et illustriuni viro
rum. Quo circa ob memoriam ejus tante
virtutis et dignitatis p auctem et ptatem
mihi Gilberto officioq meo p illm dn mm
Regem sptr concess annex et attribut
ordinavi pfato Miloni epo andicto scutum
cum insigniis honoris sicut hie gallice
declarabitur Cest a scavoir de goules et
dor quartele endente p fesse troys fleurs
et troys roses entrecha-nges du champ
ut latins in scuto hie depicto apparet
HABEND & TENENDU cidm Miloui et ut ille in his ornatus sit ad ejus
honorem inppetuu In cujus Rei testimoniu has pntes Iras manu mea

subscripsi ac sigillum meu una cu sigillo officii mei Regis arnioru his
pntibus apposui. Dat primo die mens Septemb Anno Regi Regis Ed
wardi sexti Dei gracia Anghe Francie et Hibnie Regis &c.
*„* There is no exemplification of the coat attached, nor Is tbe date of
the year affixed to this grant. It was discovered in an un-indexed volume
in the College of Arms, by the Rev. R. H. Barham, who kindly furnished it
for this work, together with the literal translation which follows.
(translation.)
To all Christian people who may see or hear of these presents,
Gilbert Dethick, otherwise Garter, Knight, Chief Herald, and Principal
King at Arms of the most renowned Order of the Garter, sends health.
Justice wills and reason requires that men of virtuous and praise
worthy disposition and honourable life, should for their deserts be
honoured and rewarded in their own persons while yet in this mortal
life, so brief and transitory, exhibiting signs and examples of virtue,
honour, and also of courtesy ; to wit, with the intent that through then-
examples others may the more endeavour to pass their lives in actions
and deeds of the best repute, whereby they may acquire and attain the
reputation of antient nobility. Wherefore, I the aforesaid Gilbert,
otherwise Garter, being, not only by common fame, but also by my own
knowledge and by the testimony of divers credible and trustworthy
persons truly instructed and infonned that the Reverend Father in
Christ Myles Coverdale Bishop of Exeter hath long been eminent for
and continued in virtue, and in all his actions and manners hath borne
himself fairly, soberly, discreetly, and honourably, so that he deserveth
and is worthy to be admitted, accounted, and received into the number
and society of other antient and iUustrious persons.
Wherefore for a memorial of his so great virtue and worth, by the
authority and power to me the said Gilbert, and to my office, by our
illustrious Lord the King especially given, annexed and granted, I have
ordained to the said Myles, the Bishop aforesaid, a shield with insignia
of honour such as shall be here in the French language declared.
That is to say of gules and or quarterly indented by fess three flowers
and three roses counterchanged of the field as more plainly in the
shield here depicted doth appear, to have and to hold to him the said
Myles, and that he may in them be adorned to his honour for ever.
In witness whereof I have subscribed these presents with my hand,
and also to these presents have affixed my seal together with the seal
of my office of King at Arms.
Given the first day of the month of September in tlie Year of our Lord
King Edward the Sixth by the grace of God of England France and
Ireland King.

MEMORIALS OF
MYLES COVERDALE,
BISHOP OF EXETER.

CHAPTER I.
THE BIRTH-PLACE OF COVERDALE NOT KNOWN.  IS EDUCATED
AT CAiMBRIDGE, IN THE MONASTERY OF THE AUGUSTINS.—
STATE OF LEARNING AT THE UNIVERSITY.  COMMENCE
MENT OF REFORMED DOCTRINES.  CROMWELL, AFTERWARDS
EARL OF ESSEX, AN EARLY PATRON OF COVERDALE.  DR.
BARNES, THE MASTER OF THE AUGUSTIN PRIORY, HIS
ARREST. ^  COVERDALE PROFESSES THE NEW TENETS.  RE
CANTATION OF ONE TOPLEY, IN WHICH HE STATES THAT
COVERDALE WAS THE MEANS OF LEADING HIM INTO
HERESY.  COVERDALE THEREFORE, FOR FEAR OF PERSE
CUTION, DETERMINES TO LEAVE ENGLAND.
Myles Coverdale, the subject of the present
work, was born in the year mcccclxxxviii, in the
county of York. His early life is little known ;
and who or what were his parents cannot now be
ascertained. That no account should be handed down to us of
the parentage and birth of this eminent man, will be
matter of little surprise, when we observe how care
lessly and superficially events, that now seem to us

I MEMORIALS OF
of the highest importance, are treated by the early
chroniclers and biographers. And what may be a
still stronger reason for this neglect is, that, as the
first notice taken of him mentions him to have been
a monk of the Augustine order, it was probably not
easy, even for his contemporaries, except from his
own relation, to give any light as to the place of his
birth, or who were his parents.
When a person devoted himself to a monastic life,
he was regarded as a being cut off from the world.
Its cares, and pains, and tumults, were not to disturb
the mind of him, who was consecrated to the service
of his God. He was to be superior to the frailties of
human feelings; and because the heart would still
fondly turn to thoughts of joy and pleasure, every
method to alienate his affections from worldly things,
and to break the ties that associations and recollec
tions would necessarily strengthen, was had resort, to.
With this view, the monk, on entering the convent,
formally renounced the name that he had hitherto
been known by, and assumed a new one, which was
such as suited the fancy or inclination of each in
dividual. There is little doubt, therefore, that Coverdale was
a personal, not an inherited name ; and as all writers
agree in stating that he was born in Yorkshire," it
may not be unfair to presume that he took his name
from the place of his birth, and that, as the learned
Mr. Whitaker suggests,* we are therefore justified in
" Bale, Hooker, Godwin, Fuller, Strype, Vc.
'' History of Richniondshire, vol. i. p. 1().

MYLES COVERDALE. 6
assuming him to have been a native of the district of
Coverdale, in Richmondshire.
He was brought up at the convent of the Augus-
tines at Cambridge, of which order he professed him
self a brother.' Cambridge at that time was in a
state of lamentable ignorance. No polite literature
was there known or encouraged. The reading of the
ancient Latin authors was confined to a very few, and
Greek and Hebrew were languages scarcely heard of
Indeed, when some began to study these languages,
in order to understand the Scriptures in the original,
the ignorant monks actually preached against them,
calling Greek a language newly discovered, — ^the
cause of all the heresies, — and Hebrew a language
lately started up, the learners of which turned
Hebrews.'' Nothing, in fact, was taught at Cam
bridge but the learning of the schools, a crabbed
philosophy, which neither rendered the mind more
expanded, nor was of any practical utility to the
possessor. The commencement of the reformation in Cam
bridge was amongst a few learned men. The dis
putes in Germany concerning matters of religion had
awakened the attention of all Europe ; and the
writings of the reformers which were now brought
' This convent shared the general fate, on the dissolution of the con
vents in 1539. Its site was pointed out by Carter, (History of Cambridge,
p. 17) in 1753, as being that spot of ground, which lay between Free-
school Lane and Slaughter-house Lane ; having St. Thomas's Lays
on the north. Pease HUl on the south, Free-school Lane on the east,
and Slaughter-house Lane on the west.
'' Hody de Bibl. text. orig. lib. iv. p. 465.
b2

4 MEMORIALS OF
into England and eagerly perused, began to gain
ground. Although those who kept these books were
obliged to use all secrecy, to avoid being punished
as heretics ; yet the study of the Scriptures in their
original language was thought to be open to all men,
^nd they who had sufficient knowledge were very
..-diligent in studying them. But even this was ob
jected to ; for Erasmus tells us, that not only was
much opposition made to his publishing the New
Testament in its original language, but that one col
lege' in particular, at Cambridge, absolutely forbad
the use of it. " These," says he, " object to us the
" feigned authority of synods, and magnify the great
" peril of the Christian faith, and the danger of the
" church, which they pretend to support with their
" shoulders, that are much fitter to prop a waggon.
" And these clamours they disperse among the igno-
" rant and superstitious populace, with whom, having
" the reputation of being great divines, they are very
" loth to have their opinions called in question, and
" are afraid that when they quote the Scripture wrong,
" as they often do, the authority of the Greek and
" Hebrew verity should be cast in their teeth, and
" that, by-and-by, appear to be a dream, which was
" by them given out for an oracle." "
The facility of disseminating doctrines which was
afforded by the recent introduction of the art of
printing, was one of the great means of furthering
the Reformation. So alarmed were some of the
ignorant and bigoted priests at the rapid strides of
¦¦ Lewis's transl. Bible, p. 65, incorrectly numbered as p. 71.

MYLES COVERDALE. 5
intellectual advancement, which were by this means
on every side manifesting themselves, that one of
them, the vicar of Croydon, is said to have thus
expressed himself, in a sermon which he preached
at Paul's Cross: — "We must root out printing, or \J
" printing will root out us."-^
We can easily imagine what an astounding dis
covery it must have been for men brought up in a
strict adherence to a particular form of religion, to find
on a sudden that their faith was misplaced, and that
the religion which they had professed, and the strict
tenets of which they had held, was not that which
would lead them into the path of eternal salvation.
To find that they could no longer conscientiously
observe those rites and ceremonies which the Roman
church, more than any other, so rigidly demanded,
must have placed them in a most perplexing situation.
The number of those whose minds began to be en
lightened in matters of religion was so limited, their
influence so slight, that at first to have openly braved
the power of a persecuting and unrelenting church,
could have served no purpose. They therefore kept
their opinions concealed; and, except among them
selves, none suspected that the tenets they were
obliged outwardly to profess, were so opposed to those
they really held. But at the same time they neglected
not to obtain converts, and they held private meet
ings for the discussing and setting forth of their
religious opinions.
f Fox's Acts and Monuments, quoted in Lewis's transl. Bible, p. 54,
incorrectly numbered as p. 70.

O MEMORIALS OF
They generally assembled at a house called the
White Horse, which was close to St. John's College.
And this place was chosen as most convenient, because,
as Fox tells us,^ they who were of King's College
and of Queen's College could enter at the back pri
vately, and without being discovered.
Among their number was Dr. Barnes, the prior or
master of the house of the Augustines, a man of
great piety and erudition. He had studied at Lou
vain, and had there imbibed most probably, some of
the opinions of the reformers, although he did not
openly manifest them till afterwards. To his efforts,
and to those of his scholar, Thomas PameU, Cam
bridge was greatly indebted for the revival of learn
ing, particularly the study of the Holy Scriptures.
Many who were afterwards distinguished divines,
were amongst the number of his pupils.
It was the good fortune of Coverdale to be under
the care and guidance of so excellent a man, whose
example and precepts doubtless aided in forming those
qualities which were afterwards so distinguishable in
the person of our bishop ; although we are informed
the pupil made such progress, that in time he far
surpassed the master, who, incapable of the mean
jealousy which ordinary minds might have felt under
similar circumstances, nobly confessed his inferiority
to one whom he had taught himself, but fi-om whom
he was afterwards willing to receive instruction in
return. e Acts and Monuments, \o\. ii. p. 517, cd. 1641. This is the
edition used througliout this work.

MYLES COVERDALE. 7
CromweU, afterwards Earl of Essex, was, it would
appear, a great patron of Coverdale, from a very early
period. There is a letter extant'' from Coverdale,
addressed to " the ryzt wyrschypfuU, and hys most
" syngulare good Mastyr, Mastir Cromwell," written
by him whilst at Cambridge. In it he calls to
Cromwell's mind a conversation that they had toge
ther " at Mastyr Moory's howse, upon Easter eve,"
in which Cromwell had testified his gracious dispo
sition towards him. He therefore entreats him by
the " tendyr love of God, and for the fervent zeale
" that he has to vertu and godly study," to give him
his help at the present time. For " now," says he, " I
" begyne to taste of Holy Schryptures; now (honour
" be to God) I am sett to the most swete smell of holy
" lettyres, with the godly savour of holy and awncyent
" Doctoures, unto whose knowlege I can not attayne,
" -vvithout dyversyte of bookys, as is not unknowne
" to your most excellent wysdome. Nothyng in the
" world I desyre, but books as concerning my lernyng ;
" they onse had, I do not dowte, but AUmyghty God
" schall perfourme that in me, whych He, of Hys most
" plentyfiiU favour and grace, haith begone." He
then assures Cromwell that he will be ordered by him
as concerns his behaviour, and also as concerns what
ever his wisdom may suggest, relative to the educa-
cation and instruction of others. This letter is dated
" from the Augustyns, this May day," and is sub
scribed, " Your chyld and beedman in Jesu Chryst,
Frere Myles Covdale."
'' MS. Chapt. Ho. Westm. Bundle C. See Appendix, No. I.

8 MEMORIALS OF
There is no date of the year attached to this letter,
as is rarely the case with letters of this period, but
it is most probable that it was written before 1514.
In that year. Tanner, in the short, imperfect, and
incorrect account which he gives us of Coverdale,
says, that he took priest's orders at Norwich, before
John, Bishop of Chalcedon.'
It would appear from the above letter that, in the
conversation that Cromwell had had with Coverdale,
he had found it necessary to caution him against too
openly or prematurely expressing himself on matters
relative to religious tenets, and that Coverdale had
accordingly promised to follow his advice. How
long he continued to do so, we shall see hereafter.
Coverdale's name is mentioned as one of those
who used to attend the meetings of the reformers at
the White Horse,* and who were in mockery styled
Germans, because they discoursed much about the
opinions and works of the German divines. The
house where they met, says Fox, was also sometimes
called Germany, merely by way of mockery and
contempt.' These meetings continued for some time, until at
last. Dr. Barnes, emboldened by his zeal, or the num
ber of his converts, preached openly against the
• Biblioth. Brit. Hib. sive de Script. He gives the date MDXCIV.,
but the C is evidently an error of the printer. Tanner quotes no autho
rity; but as he names the place where, and the person by whom, the
title was conferred, it is most likely that he had some data to go upon,
although the present writer has not been able to discover what.
' Stry. Parker, book i. cliap. 1. Eccl. Mem. \ol. i. p. 368.
' Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 617.

MYLES COVERDALE. 9
Roman Catholic doctrines, and particularly against
the pride and state that the haughty Wolsey, as
legate and cardinal, caused to be kept up."' The first
Sunday that he ever preached for the truth was, says
Fox, on the Sunday before Christmas day, and for this
" he was immediately accused of heresy by two fel-
" lows ofthe King's Hall."" It was now shown be
yond a doubt what would be the measures used with
regard to those who maintained reformed opinions,
when one of its chief members was thus singled
out as a heretic. But whether it was that they
thought that a display of their number and learning
might prevent any harsh measures being used to
wards Barnes; or whether, their zeal and devotion
could no longer be concealed, certain it is, that this
measure made them altogether break their prudent
secrecy. They met together in public places, disputed
openly, and attended sermons at St. Mary's and at
the Augustines, which were against Roman Catholic
doctrines and observances." Of course the Roman
Catholics resented this, by preaching in defence of
their religion ; and they thus went on preaching the
one against the other, until within six days of Shrove
tide, when suddenly came down a sergeant-at-arms
from London, " and arrested Dr. Barnes openly in
"" The pomp and wealth of the ecclesiastics were the favourite sub
jects of the anathemas of the reformers.
» Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 517. Fox does not mention the date
of this circumstance, but he intimates, in his History of Wolsey, that it
was about the year 1526.
" Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 618. Strype.

10 MEMORIALS OF
" the convocation house, to make all other afraid.'"" A
search was then made in the rooms of certain persons
for prohibited books. Those who were suspected of
having them, were in number about thirty, and doubt
less Coverdale, as the friend and pupil of Barnes,
was one of them. However, matters were so well
managed, that they had intimation of the intended
search from Dr. Farman, of Queen's, and had time
to convey away or conceal the whole of them, so that
not a single one was seized.
Barnes was taken up to London. He was not
deserted even in this great perU by his fidend and
pupil, Coverdale, who accompanied him, and re
mained with him, and wrote for him. When Barnes
was brought before Wolsey, he showed himself so
unbending, that, but for the intercession of Fox and
Gardiner, he would have been committed to the
Tower. On the next morning he was taken before
the Chapter, sitting at Westminster, and without
hearing, committed to the Fleet, and the warden
strictly charged that no man should speak to him.
On the Saturday following, he underwent a threaten
ing and harassing examination before the Chapter,
which ended in the ordinary alternative being offered
to him, either to abjure or to burn. "VMiil^t he was
in a state of agony, determining himself to win the
crown of martyrdom, " Fox and they persuaded him
" rather to abjure than to burn, because (they said)
" he should do more good in time to come, and with
'' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 618.

MYLES COVERDALE. 11
" divers other persuasions which were mighty in the
" sight of reason. and foolish flesh." He accordingly
did abjure, and performed a degrading penance at St.
Paul's, at which the Cardinal attended with great
pomp. He was afterwards confined as a prisoner
for some time, and would, for some fresh offence that
he had given, have been burnt, had he not escaped
abroad.' Coverdale was naturally of an enthusiastic tempera
ment, regulated however by piety and devotion ; for
we are told by one who was his contemporary, and who
studied at the same time with Barnes at Cambridge,'^
that whilst "others dedicated themselves in part only,
" he gave himself wholly up to propagating the truth
" ofthe gospel." He had here however in the example
of his master and friend, a proof of the fate which,
sooner or later, would befal him, if he still persisted
in the course he was now pursuing. All the reward
he could expect in this world would be persecution
and suffering. But these severities, which would have
cowed and terrified a more apprehensive and timid
disposition, seemed but to arouse the native energy
and loftiness of his mind; and, throwing aside as
worthless all earthly interests and considerations, he
resolved to seek only that which was most acceptable
in the sight of his God and his conscience. He found
now that no middle course was left him to follow.
1 Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 519. Dr. Barnes was after
wards condemned and burned for heresy in Lon don, to which place he had
returned from the continent, and where, for some time, Henry treated
him with great favour. He was burned on the 20th of July, 1640.
•• Bale, de Script. lUustr. cent. 5. ed. 1648.

12 MEMORIALS OF
He must either openly profess his reformed doctrines,
or else at once renounce them. The former alter
native was the only one that he felt he could follow,
and he adopted it accordingly. He laid aside his
habit of a monk, assumed that of a secular priest,
and having abandoned his convent and order, went
about preaching at different places, and arguing, -with
the view to convert those whom he met, from the
Roman Catholic doctrines.
In the commencement of 1528, we find that he was
at Bumsteed in Essex, of which Richard Fox had the
cure. One Thomas Topley, an Augustine friar of
Stoke Clare, who was then doing duty for Fox at
Bumsteed, was induced, partly by the perusal of cer
tain books of the reformed doctrine, and partly by
means of Coverdale and Richard Fox, to cast off
both his order and his habit, and to go as a secular
priest. He was however informed against, and taken
before Cuthbert, Bishop of London, and under the
usual threat of being burnt in case of refiisal, com
pelled to abjure. He there stated that having read
a book of Wicliff's, which he found at Fox's, he was
much perplexed in mind " untU he heard Sir Myles
" Coverdale preach, and then his mind was sore with-
" drawn from that blessed sacrament, insomuch that
" he took it then but for the remembrance of Christ his
" body." He further stated, " that in Lent last past,
" as he was walking in the fields at Bumsteed, with
" Sir Myles Coverdale, who had preached the fourth
" Sunday in Lent at Bumsteed, they did commune
" together of Erasmus's works, and also upon confes-

MYLES COVERDALE. 13
" sion ; the which Sir Myles Coverdale said and did
" hold, that it was sufficient for a man to be contrite
" for his sins betwixt God and his conscience, without
" confession made to a priest : which opinion the re-
" spondent thought to be true, and did affirm and
" hold the same at that time. Also he stated that at
" the said sermon made by the said Myles Coverdale
" at Bumsteed, he heard him preach against wor-
" shipping of images in the church, &c."'
From Coverdale's name being thus mentioned in
so public a manner, it was clear that he could no
longer remain in England. As the Bishop's attention
had thus been so pointedly directed to him, as to one
who was going about corrupting the weak and the
credulous, and disseminating heretical and blasphe
mous doctrines, it did not require much foresight to
see that if he once got into his hands, he could not
escape except on the usual alternative of abjuring or
burning. He therefore determined to make his
escape from England; and as Germany and the
Northern States were the only safe parts to which
those of the reformed religion could betake them
selves, he resolved on proceeding thither ; particu
larly as through the means of Barnes, or his own
reputation for learning and letters, he was favour
ably esteemed by Tyndal,' who was then abroad
engaged in translating the Scriptures into English.
• Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 323.
' Offer's Life of Tyndal, attached to the reprint ofhis New Testament.

CHAPTER II.

TYNDAL S NEW TESTAMENT PUBLISHED.  PROHIBITION OF IT
BY TIIE BISHOP OF LONDON.  WRITINGS OF SIR THOS. MORE
AGAINST IT.  HALLe's ACCOUNT OF THE BURNING OF THIS
TRANSLATION.  COVERDALE GOES TO ANTWERP AND ASSISTS
TYNDAL IN TRANSLATING THE PENTATEUCH.  PROCEEDINGS
IN ENGLAND AGAINST TYNDAL's NEW TESTAMENT AND THE
¦WRITINGS OF THE REFORMERS.  SEVERE PROCLAMATION OF
THE KING AGAINST.  BISHOP OF NORWICH DESIRES FURTHER
AUTHORITY TO SUPPRESS HERESY IN HIS DIOCESE.

And now to look back a short period. In the
year 1526, the whole of the New Testament was
published in English for the first time." William
Tyndal translated it, and about 1500 copies of this
impression were issued from the press." He dared
not print it in England, but brought it out at Ant
werp, from whence it was sent over into England.
Several writers who have engaged in the history
of our early printers, have expressed much surprise
» Copy in the Baptist Museum, Bristol. Imperfect one at St. Paul's.
Mr. Bagster has published a reprint of this scarce and curious work.
" Fox's Acts and Monuments, quoted in Lewis's transl. Bible, p. 61,
incin-rectly numbered as p. 77.

MYLES COVERDALE. 15
that amongst the many valuable books they brought
forth, none of them should have undertaken the most
valuable of all, — the Bible. Sir Thomas More has,
however, thus accounted for it. He says that by rea
son of the penalties ordered by Archbishop Arundel's
constitution, " though the old translations that were
" before Wycliff's days remained lawful and were in
" some folkys handys had and red, yet he thought no
" printer would lyghtly be so bote to put any byble in
" print at hys owne charge — and their hange upon a
" doubtfuU try all whyther the fyrst copy ofhis trans-
" lacyion was made before Wycliffs dayes or synnes.
" For yff yt were made synnys yt must be approued
" byfore the pryntyng." Which approbation, Sir
Thomas More gives us to understand, was not then
to be obtained."
The constitution here referred to, was decreed by
Archbishop Arundel at a convocation of his pro-vince
in 1408, about twenty-four years after the death of Dr.
Wicliff, against whose followers it was chiefly directed.
It began by reciting, that it was a dangerous thing,
as St. Jerome himself had testified, to translate the
text of the holy scripture from one idiom into another,
for that in these translations the same sense was not
easily retained in all ; in proof of which, St. Jerome
himself, although he was inspired, had averred that
he had often erred : and it therefore enjoined, that no
one should thereafter translate any text of holy scrip
ture into English, by way of a book, little book, or
" Dyaloges, fol. 49, col. 1, ed. 1629.

16 MEMORIALS OF
tract ; and that no such book, little book, or tract,
should be read, either in public or in private, that
was composed lately in the time of John Wicliff, or
since his death, unless such translation were first ap
proved of by the diocesan of the place, or if necessity
should so require, by the provincial council ; on pain
of offenders herein suffering the punishment of encou
ragers of heretics.''
At the same time that this New Testament by
Tyndal was printed, there were published many other
books written by the reformers. Some contained
attacks upon the bishops, and other high ecclesias
tical dignitaries, and against the Pope and popish
superstitions ; whilst the rest were fiUed with disputes
and dissertations on points of religion. These, to
gether with the New Testament, were very indus
triously circulated, and as greedily bought up and
read ; " as," remarks Lewis, "it is in the nature of
" man to incline to what is forbidden, and vehemently
" to desire whatever is denied him." Cardinal Wolsey
and the bishops did all they could to suppress these
books, and to prevent the king from hearing of them ;
but when that could no longer be hindered, they met
together to consult on the best means for effectually
stopping their further circulation, and a commission
was agreed upon to be given out to forbid their being
read, which was done accordingly.
The prohibition sent out by Cuthbert Tonstal,'
against the New Testament, in pursuance of this re-
^ Ex reg. Arundel, ii. fol. 10. const, vii. printed in Wilk. cone. M.B.
' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 284. Dated Oct. 23 1526.

MYLES COVERDALE. 17
solution, is curious, as showing the specious pretence
on which it was founded.
He says, " By the duty of our pastoral office we
" are bound diligently with all our power to foresee,
" provide for, root out, and put away all those things,
" which seeme to tend to the perill and danger of our
" subjects, and specially the destruction of their soules.
" Wherefore we having understanding, by the report
" of divers credible persons, and also by the evident
" appearance of the matter, that many children of ini-
" quity, maintainors of Luther's sect, blinded through
" extreame wickednesse, wandring from the way of
" truth and the Catholike fayth, craftily have trans-
" lated the new Testament into our English tongue,
" intermedling therewith many hereticall articles, and
" erronious opinions, pernicious and offensive, seducing
" the simple people, attempting by their wicked and
" perverse interpretations to prophanate the Majesty
" of the Scripture, which hitherto hath remained un-
" defiled, and craftily to abuse the most holy word of
" God, and the true sense of the same, of the which
" translation there are many bookes imprinted, some
" with glosses, and some without, containing in the
" English tongue that pestiferous and most pernicious
" poyson dispersed throughout all our Diocese of
" London in great number : which truly without it
" be speedily foreseene, without doubt will conta-
" minate and infect the flock committed unto us with
" most deadly poison and heresy, to the grievous perill
" and danger of the soules committed to our charge,
" and the offence of God's divine Majesty."

18 MEMORIALS OF
He therefore commands every one, on pain of
being excommunicated, and of being suspected of
heresy, to bring to his vicar-general all such books as
contain the translation of the New Testament in the
English tongue, within thirty days after the date
thereof This prohibition, however, seems not to have had
much effect, for a second, and then again a third edi
tion of the New Testament, were printed within a
very short space of time after printing the first. The
Bishop of London, however, did all in his power to
prevent their being read. He preached against them
at St. Paul's, and in his sermon there, told the people
that there were no fewer than two thousand texts
either mistranslated, or the sense of which was per
verted. With what success, we may learn from one of
his hearers '.^ "Moreover, I was at Paul's Cross, when
" the New Testament, imprinted of late beyond the
" sea, was first forefended, and truly my heart la-
" mented greatly, to hear a great man preaching
" against it, which shewed forth certain things that
" be noted for hideous errors to be in it, that I, yea
" and not I, but likewise did many others think
" verily to be none. But (alack for pity) malice can-
" not say well. God help us all, and amend it."
The bishop was not more successfal in another
method which he used to suppress them, as we shall
see presently.
Severe proceedings were at the same time taken
^ Lambert. See his Answer to the Bishops' articles. Fox's Acts and
Monuments, vol. ii. p. 416.

MYLES COVERDALE. 19
against those who imported or brought them over ;
and amongst others, John Tyndal, the translator's
brother, and Thomas Patmore, merchants, were, for
this offence, obliged to do penance by riding with 5^
their faces to their horses' tails to the Standard in
Chepe, with the books fastened thick about them,
pinned or tacked on to their gowns or cloaks, and
there burning them with their own hands.
" But," says Lewis,* " as these forcible means had
" not their end to hinder people's reading this transla-
" tion of the Holy Scripture in their mother tongue,
" but rather served to raise their curiosity, and set
" them against those who caused these holy books to
" be burnt, as being too rigorous and cruel ; it was
" therefore thought proper that something should be
" done to satisfy the people of the reasonableness of
" these proceedings."
The bishop, on this occasion, applied to Sir Thomas
More, a man of great learning and piety, but un-
happUy very bigoted, to write against this translation
and other books ; " because," said he, " you are in our
" vernacular tongue, as in Latin, equal to a Demos-
" thenes ; and you are always wont to be in every
" society a sharp assertor of the Catholic verity." He
therefore gave him a license to read all the heretical
books lately brought over, for the purpose of contro
verting the doctrines maintained in them.''
Sir Thomas More, as if determined not to forfeit
-^ Transl. of Bible, p. 67.
" March 7, 1528. Reg. Tonstal. fol. 138, printed in Appdx. to Bur
net's Hist, of the Reform, vol. i. No. 6.
c 2

20

MEMORIALS OF

his right to the title of a Demosthenes, accordingly
wrote very violently against these publications. Tyn
dal, in 1530, put forth a biting answer, in which, after
defending himself from the charges of mistranslation
and wilful error, he said, that he verily believed,
" that as Judas betrayd not Christ for any loue that he
" had vnto the hyghe Priestes, Scribes and Phariseis,
" but onely to come by that wherfore he thirsted:
" eue so M. More (as there are tokens euidet) wrote
" not these bookes for any affectio that he bare vnto
" the spiritualty or vnto the opinions which he so
" barely defedeth, but to obtaine onely that which he
" was an hungred for."
Halle ' tells us a very odd story about the New
Testament, which it may interest the reader to have
in his own quaint words, and we have not there
fore scrupled to give it at length : —
" The .xxj. yere of Kyng Henry the .viij. Here is
" to be remembred, that at this present tyme, WUlya
" Tyndale had newly translated and imprinted the
" Newe Testament in Englishe, and the Bishop of
" London, not pleased with the translacion thereof,
" debated with hymself, how he might compasse and
" deuise, to destroye that false and erronious transla-
" cion, (as he saied). And so it happened that one
" Augustine Packyngton, a Mercer and Merchant of
" London, and of a greate honestie, the same tyme
" was in Andwarp, where the Bishope then was, and
" this Packyngton was a man that highly fauored
¦ Chron. fol. clxxxvj. ed. 1548. See Note A.

MYLES COVERDALE. 21
" William Tindale, but to the bishop vtterly shewed
" hymself to the contrary. The bishop desirous to
" haue his purpose brought to passe, commoned of the
" New Testamentes, and how gladly he would bye
" them. Packyngton then hearyng that he wished
" for, saied vnto the bishop, my Lorde, if it bee your
" pleasure, I can in this matter dooe more I dare sale,
" then moste of the Merchauntes of Englande that are
" here, for I knowe the Dutche men and stiaungiers,
" that haue bought theim of Tyndale, and haue theim
" here to sell, so that if it be your lordshippes pleasure,
" to paye for them, for otherwise I cannot come by
" them, but I must disburse money for theim, I will
" then assure you, to haue euery boke of them, that is
" imprinted and is here vnsolde. The Bishop thinkyng
" that he had God by the too, when in deede he had
" (as after he thought) the Deuell by the fiste, saied,
" gentle Master Packyngton, do your diligence and
" get them and with all my harte I will paie for them,
" whatsoeuer thei cost you, for the bokes are erro-
" nious and naughtes, and I entende surely to destroy
" theim all, and to burne theim at Paules Crosse.
" Agustine Packyngton came to Willyam Tyndale
" and saied, Willyam I knowe thou arte a poore man,
" and hast a hepe of newe Testamentes and bokes by
" thee, for the whiche thou hast bothe indaungered
" thy frendes, and beggered thyself, and I haue now
" gotten thee a Merchaunt, whiche with ready money
" shall dispatche thee of all that thou hast, if you
" thynke it so profittable for your self Who is the
" Merchant said Tindale ? The bishoppe of London

22 MEMORIALS OF
" saied Packyngton, O that is because he will burne
" them saied Tyndale, ye Mary q. Packyngton, I am
" the gladder said Tyndale, for these two benefites
" shall come therof, I shall get money of hym for these
" bokes, to bryng myself out of debt, (and the whole
" worlde shall crie out vpon the bumyng of Goddes
" worde). And the ouerplus of the money, that shall
" remain to me, shall make me more studious, to
" correct the said Newe Testament, and so newly to
" Imprint the same once again, and I trust the second
" will muche better like you, then euer did the first :
" And so forward went the bargain, the bishop
" had the bokes, Packyngton had the thankes, and
" Tyndale had the money.
" Afterward when mo newe Testamentes were
" Imprinted, thei came thicke and threfold into Eng-
" lande, the bishop of London hearyng that stUl there
" were so many Newe Testamentes abrode, sent for
" Augustyne Packyngton and saied vnto him: Sir
" how commeth this, that there are so many Newe
" Testamentes abrode, and you promised and assured
" me, that you had bought al ? then said Packyngto,
" I promes you I bought all that then was to bee had ;
" but I perceiue thei haue made more sence, and it
" will neuer bee better, as long as thei haue the letters
" and stampes, therefore it wer best for your lorde-
" shippe, to bye the stampes to, and then are you
" sure: the bishop smiled at hym and saied, well
" Packyngton well, and so ended this matter.
" Shortly after it fortuned one George Constatine,
" to be apprehended by sir Thomas More, whiche

MYLES COVERDALE. 23
" then was lorde Chauncellor of England, of suspicio
" of certain heresies. And this Constantine beyng
" with More, after diuerse examinacions of diuerse
" thynges, emong other, Master More saied in this
" wise to Constantine. Constantine I would haue
" thee plain with me, in one thyng that I will aske
" of thee, and I promes thee I wUl shewe thee fauor,
" in all the other thynges, whereof thou art accused
" to me. There is beyond the sea, Tyndale, Joye,
" and a great many mo of you, I knowe thei cannot
" Hue without helpe, some sendeth theim money and
" succoureth theim, and thy self beyng one of them,
" haddest parte thereof, and therefore knowest from
" whence it came. I praie thee who be thei that thus
" helpe them ? My lorde q. Constatine, will you that
" I shal tell you the truthe ? Yea I praie thee q. my
" Lorde. Mary I wUl q. Constantyne, truly q. he it
" is the Bishoppe of London that hath holpen vs, for
" he hath bestowed emong vs, a greate deale of money
" in New Testamentes to burne theim, and that hath
" and yet is our onely succoure and comfort. Now
" by my trothe q. More, I thynke eue the same, and
" I said so muche to the bishop, when he went about
" to bye them."
But to return to Coverdale. He went over to
Hamburgh, where he had made an appointment to
meet Tyndal. The latter was detained beyond the
time agreed on, by shipwreck, but at last he arrived,
in the beginning of the year 1529. Coverdale then
assisted him with the translation of part of the Old
Testament, that is to say, with the whole of the five

24 MEMORIALS OP
books of Moses. He staid there with Tyndal, from the
Easter till December, in the house of " a worshipful
" widow, (as Fox calls her,*) Mistress Margaret Van
" Emmerson." During this time, there was a great
sweating sickness in the town. This translation was
printed in the following year, at " Malborow (Mar-
bourg) in the land of Hesse." '
Tyndal then returned to Antwerp ; and if we are
to believe Fox,'" who says Coverdale was in Denmark
during this time he was abroad : — it was most likely
that he went there ; and we may well suppose from
the conduct of King Christian, with respect to
him afterwards, that he was favourably received, and
already held in some estimation. How long he staid,
or vrhere he went afterwards, tUl 1535, is not known.
In that year, he brought out his translation of the
whole Bible ; and although it has no name of place
or publisher printed in it, it is generally supposed,
from a resemblance of the type to that used in the
printing house of Christopher Froschover at Zurich,
to have been printed there." Coverdale was most
likely on the spot to superintend the publication of
it ; and therefore we may reasonably conclude, as the
Bible was printed in the October of 1535, that he
was at Zurich, at least as early as the commencement
of that year. But in order to well understand under
' Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 364.
'Copies: British Museum. — Sion College. — Bodleian. — Baptist
Museum, Bristol. — Pub. Lib. Cambridge. — Lambeth Library. — Duke
of Sussex. — Earl of Jersey. From the copy belonging to tlie Duke of
Sussex it is reprinted in Roman characters, 1838.
"' Acts and Monumcnus, vol. iii. p. 182. " See Note B.

MYLES COVERDALE. 25
what encouragement, and upon what grounds, he put
forth this translation, we must return to what was
going on in England.
Books against the pride and luxury of the bishops,
and discussing and disputing points of religion, to
gether with the New Testaments, continued to be
brought into the realm ; where they were not only
circulated, but some persons were even bold enough
to openly preach and inculcate the doctrines thereby
maintained. The Bishops, finding that their own
authority did not suffice for their suppression, applied
to the king ; and they had the address to engage that
monarch to their views, by an artful use of those
topics, that were most likely to have weight with him.
They insinuated that those who wrote these books,
were men jealous of all authority ; that if they once
got rid of that of the bishops, they would not rest
long tUlthey had also got rid of that of his majesty ;
that these attacks upon ecclesiastics and Roman
Catholic doctrines were only a prelude to seditious
attempts against their sovereign ; and that when men
had once dared to set the authority of those above
them at defiance, there could no longer be any limit
set to their encroachments. They instanced the dis
turbances in Germany, which had taken place through
the means of Muncer and other sectaries ; and they
persuaded his majesty, that the best way to avert
similar evils, was at once to put down, by a severe
proclamation, all such publications, and all sup
porters of them.
The king lent a ready ear to these suggestions, for

26 MEMORIALS OF
he was not very favourably disposed towards the Ger
man reformers, and he could not forget the little
show of courtesy, with which Martin Luther had
treated him, in his answer to that work, which had
acquired for Henry the illustrious title of " Defender
" of the Faith." But what probably weighed with
him the most was a dread of the restless, innovating
spirit which characterised the reformers, and which
he was anxious to prevent from springing up amongst
his own subjects.
He was accordingly prevaUed on to issue forth a
proclamation against these books, and the preachers
of the doctrines contained in them."
It recited, that his majesty's progenitors had made
many devout laws, statutes, and ordinances, for the
maintenance and defence of the true Cathohc faith
of Christ's religion; and that the king, considering
that by the corruption and mahce of indiscreet
preachers, and by certain heretical and blasphemous
books, lately made by the disciples and maintainers
of Martin Luther and other heretics, his majesty's
subjects might probably become corrupted ; " like a
" most gracious prince, of his blessed and virtuous dis-
" position, for the incomparable zeal which he had to
" Christ's religion and faith, and for the singular love
" and affection that he bore to all his good subjects of
" this his realm, and especially to the salvation of their
" souls," had thought it good to command, that all such
laws, statutes, and ordinances be put in execution.
" Anno 1529. Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 287 et seq.

MYLES COVERDALE. 27
He therefore willed, that no one should write,
print, or keep any books contrary to the Catholic
faith of holy church ; or preach without license, or
utter false doctrine ; on penalty of suffering such fine
and imprisonment, as the bishop of the diocese in
which the offence should be committed, should think
proper. And furthermore, that no one should publish or
keep any book " against the faith Catholic, or against
" the holy decrees, laws, and ordinances of holy
" church ; or in reproach, rebuke, or slander of the
" king, his honourable council, or his lords spiritual
" or temporal," as they would avoid the king's high
indignation and displeasure.
Fox says, that the bishops, having procured this
" fierce and terrible proclamation" to be set forth,
" had that now, which they would have : neither did
" there lack, on their part, any study unapphed, any
" stone unremoved, any corner unsearched, for the
" dUigent execution ofthe same. Whereupon ensued a
" grievous persecution and slaughter of the faithful.'"'
Well might Fox call this " a fierce and terrible
" proclamation," for the most unlimited authority that
ever was heard of, was hereby given to the bishops to
fine and imprison whomsoever they pleased. How
difficult a thing was it to decide, what was doctrine
against the Catholic faith of the holy church; and
how easy was it for the bishops to include in that
description every offence they chose ; seeing that they
'> Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. u. p. 289.

28 MEMORIALS OF
alone could be judges of whether it was against the
true doctrine or not. It is hard to conceive a more
unjust and tyrannical power than the one hereby con
ferred, since the term of imprisonment, and the amount
of fine, were left entirely to the bishops' discretion.
But it would seem that notwithstanding, it had not
the effect desired, for in the foUowing year, 1530, a
fourth Dutch edition of the New Testament of Tyn
dal's translation was printed, and soon sold off.' This
edition was full of errors, they having no Enghsh
man to correct it.
Great numbers (says Halle') of the New Testa
ments, translated by Tyndal, Joy, and others, had in
the last four years been brought into the realm ; and
the common people got hold of them, and read them
secretly, in spite of the hinderance of the clergy, who
punished all who read, studied, or taught the same
with great severity. But inasmuch as they were so
numerous, the clergy applied to the Lord Chancellor,^
(who leaned much to the spiritual men's side) to
punish them; and he accordingly imprisoned and
punished a great number ; by which great disputes,
murmurs, and discontents arose.
Nix, Bishop of Norwich, in a letter that he wrote
to Warham, Archbishop of Canterbury, on the 14th of
May, 1530,' tells him that he is much troubled with
» Lewis's Transl. Bible, p. 73.
"¦ Chron. fol. clxxxxii. b. ed. 1548.
' Sir Thomas More. Fox tells us of several instances of cruelty, that
this otherwise exceUent man committed with regard to heretics.
' Orig. Cott MS. Cleop. E. > . fol. 360.

MYLES COVERDALE. 29
those that keep " these Arronious boks in engleshe,"
and that teach others to give credence to the same.
He says he has done all he can to suppress them,
but that it passed his power or any spiritual man's
to do it. For divers say openly, that the king wills
that they shall have these books. He says that he
has desired the Abbot of Hide to show these matters
to the king, and to pray him to send his letters down
under his seal, that it may be seen, that it is not his
pleasure, that such books should be read or taught.
And some, he adds, are bold enough to assert that by
Michaelmas next, they trust there will be more that
believe of their opinions, than they that believe the
contrary. He adds, that since the Abbot of Hide
departed, which was on Monday last, he has had
much trouble about these matters ; " and they say
" that where so mever they go they here say that the
" kings pleasure is the new testament in ingleshe
" shulde go forth, and me shuld haue it, and Rede
" it. And from that opynion I cane no wise induce
" them, but I had greter auctorite to punyshe them,
" thah I haue."
He tells the Archbishop, however, that as yet this
may be well remedied in his diocese ; for that the
gentry and common people are not greatly infected,
but only the merchants, and such as have their
abiding not far from the sea. But, he says, if these
matters are suffered to run on, " I think they shall
" vndoe vs all." He adds that the Abbot can shew
him of a curate, a well-learned man in his diocese,
who has exhorted his parishioners to believe con-

30 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.
trary to the Catholic faith: and that he has heard
that out of a certain college at Cambridge, called Gun
well Hall, there has never come a clerk lately, but
that " sauerith of the friaige panne though he speke
" neuer so holely."
It would seem curious to conceive how the bishop
could complain of not having sufficient authority,
when we recollect the proclamation, that was issued
only the year before, which put so great a power
into his hands. But it would seem, on attentively
examining the letter itself," that the bishop had the
New Testament chiefly in his eye; and it might
very well be questioned, whether, under that procla
mation, he had a right to prohibit it. Besides, he
says in his letter, that those who had them said that
it was the king's pleasure they should have them ;
and he therefore probably feared to take any steps
against men so confident, and who very likely would
have openly resisted his authority, all the whUe,
however, professing the utmost submission to the
king's will.
" In one part of the letter, the words " the saide boks" are erased, and
" the new testament in ingleshe" inserted in their place.

CHAPTER III.

DECISION OF THE KING IN COUNCIL AGAINST THE NEW DOC
TRINES,  HIS INTENTION TO HAVE THE SCRIPTURE TRANS
LATED, TO GIVE TO HIS PEOPLE, WHEN HE SHOULD SEE THAT
THEY WERE FIT TO RECEIVE THE SAME.  LATIMER's LETTER
TO THE KING, PERSUADING HIM TO GRANT TIIE FREE USE OF
THE BIBLE TO HIS SUBJECTS.  PROGRESS OF THE REFORMA
TION.  RESOLUTION OF THE CONVOCATION OF THE CLERGY
WITH REGARD TO PROMULGATING THE SCRIPTURE IN ENG
LISH.  ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST.  COVERDALE DE
TERMINES TO TRANSLATE IT.

These and the like representations made the king
anxious to take some more effectual step towards
checking the Lutheran publications, which were now
pouring into the kingdom. And as he judged some
solemn and decisive measure was necessary, beyond that
of merely issuing a prohibitory proclamation, in order
that the people might be convinced that these works
were not forbidden without a cause; he summoned the
principal bishops, and a number of the most learned
of the two universities, and putting several of these
publications into their hands, he desired them to
examine them, and report upon them. And in order
to confer a greater air of impartiality on their de
cision, free liberty, we are told, was given to every

32 MEMORIALS OF
man to speak according to his learning and his con
science, without any reproach or blame to be imputed
to him for anything he there might say, whose per
son soever it touched, and without any necessity to
agree with the majority, but only to say what his
own learning and conscience could maintain and
justify. Accordingly, on the 24th of May, they gave in
their report before the king in full councU, sitting in
the star chamber. They unanimously agreed, that
these books contained many detestable and damnable
heresies, being of such sort that they were like briefly
to corrupt a great part of his people, if they might
be suffered to remain in their hands any space ; and
also that the scripture corrupted by WUliam Tyndal
and others, was not only untruly translated, but also
contained prologues and prefaces which were hereti
cal, and which railed against the bishops uncha
ritably. And, in order to support their opinion, they
made numerous extracts from these books.
The king, therefore, by their advice and coun
sel, determined that all such publications should be
absolutely prohibited ; and that the people might be
better acquainted with his mind in this respect, a
form of a bill was devised to be read by the preachers
in the churches, informing them of the steps taken,
and warning them against having or keeping any
such books. Those named were, " Th' obedience of a
" cristen man; The smnme of Scripture;" The reve-
•¦ Very likely the work mentioned post, in the list of works, art. 17, as
being by Coverdale.

MYLES COVERDALE. 33
" lation of Anticriste ; The supplication of beggers ;
" Mammona; The mati-ymony of Tyndall; The
" Newe Testament in Englisshe of the translation
" whiche is nowe prynted ;" and all other books by
the same authors, or to which the authors dare not,
or do not put their names.
Archbishop Warham published his letters testi
monial at the same time,' giving an account of these
proceedings, in which there is the foUowing clause :
And ''forasmuch that it was reported unto the
" kings highnes, that there is engendered an opynyon
" in chverse of his subjects, that it is his duetie to
" cawse the Scripture of God to be ti-anslated into
" Englishe tonge to be communicate unto the people ;
" and that the prelates and also his highnes doo
•• -WTonge in denying or letting of the same ; his high-
" nes therefor wUled every man there present in the
" said assemble, fi-eely and frankly to shewe and
'¦ openimto him what might be proved and confirmed
'• by Scripture and holy doctours in that behalf, to
" th' entent that his highnes, as he there openly pro-
" testid, myght conforme himself thereunto, mynding
'¦ to doo his dutie towards his people, as he wolde
'¦ they shulde doo their duties towards him. In
" whiche matier after Scriptures declared, holy doc-
•¦ tours and auctors alleged, and red, and all thinges
" sayde might be on both sidys, and for bothe par-
" ties spoken, deduced, and brought furthe ; fyoiaUy
" it appered, that the having of the hole Scripture
» Ex reg. Warham, fol. 188, (a) printed in WUk. cone. M. B. See
note C.

34 MEMORIALS OF
' in Englisshe is not necessarye to cristen men, but
' that without having any suche Scripture endevoring
' themself to doo well, and to applye their myndes
' to take and foUowe such leassons as the precher
' techith theym^ and soo lerned by his mowthe, may
' aswell edifye spiritually in their soules, as if they
' had the same Scripture in Englishe ; and like as
' the having of Scripture in the vulgar tongis, and
' in the common peoples handes, hath ben by holy
' fathers of the churche heretofore in some tymes
' thought mete and convenient ; soo at another tyme
' it hath ben thought to holy fathers not expedient
' to be communicate amongs them.
" Wherein forasmuche as the kings highnes, by th'
' advise and deliberation of his counceill, and the
' agrement of great learned men, thinkith in his
' conscience that the divulging of this Scripture at
' this tyme in Englisshe tonge, to be committed to
' the people, considering such pestUente books, and
' so evill opynyons as be nowe spred amonge them,
' shulde rather be to their further confusion and de-
' struction then the edification of their soules ; and
' that as holy doctours testifie upon suche like con-
' siderations, the semblable hath been doon in tymes
' past, it was thought ther in that assemble to all
' and singuler in that congregation, that the kings
' highnes and the prelats in soo dooing, not suffering
' the Scripture to be divulgid and communicate in
' the Englishe tonge unto the people at this tyme,
' doth well, and I also think and judge the same,
' exhorting and moving you, that in consideration

MYLES COVERDALE. 35
" his highnes did there openlye saye and protest, that
" he wolde cause the Newe Testament to be by
" lerned men faithfully and purely translated into
" Englishe tonge, to th' entent he might have it in
" his handes redy to be gevyn to his people, as he
" might se their manners and behavour mete, apte,
" and convenient to receyve the same, that ye will
" soo detest thes perniciouse boks, so abhore thes
" heresies, and newe opynions, soo declyne from arro-
" ganey of knowlege and understanding of Scripture
" after your fantasies, and shewe your selfe in the
" meane tyme without grudging or murmeryng, per-
" swading unto your selfe the very truth, which is
" this, that ye cannot require or demande Scripture
"to be divulged in th' Englishe tonge, otherwise
" then upon the discretions of the superiours, soo as
" whensoever they think in their conscience it may
" doo yowe good, they may and doo well to geve it
" unto you, and whensoever it shall be seen other-
" wise unto them, they do amisse in suffering you to
" have it."
This is the first time that the grand question of
whether or not the Scripture ought to be put into the
hands of the common people, was publicly mentioned ;
but as we shall have occasion farther on to treat more
ftdly on this subject, we will pass it by for the pre
sent. We have, however, given the clause at length,
as it is curious on this account.
It will be seen by this clause, that it is distinctly
affirmed that the king intended to have the New
Testament translated into English, in order to have it
d2

36 MEMORIALS OF
ready in his hand to give to his people, when he should
see fit ; and Halle also tells us to the same effect ;'
that he commanded the bishops, that with the as
sistance of the learned men of the five universities,
they should cause a new translation to be made, so
that the people should not be ignorant in the law of
God. But Halle adds, that notwithstanding the
bishops did nothing herein.
It would appear, however, that either HaUe was
mistaken with regard to the king's having actually
commanded the bishops to set about a translation, or,
which is not unlikely, that Henry afterwards changed
his mind ; for in a proclamation, that, besides the bUl
to be read by the preachers and the letters of War
ham, he caused to be set forth about this time,'' he
says, after stating that it was clearly determined he
was not obliged to give the people the Scripture in
English :
" All be it yf it shall hereafter appeare to the
" Kings highnes that his said people do vtterly aban-
" don and forsake all peruerse, erronious, and se-
" ditious opinions, w**" the newe Testament and the
" old, corruptly translated into the English tonge;
" nowe being in printe : And that the same bokes and
" all other bokes of heresie aswell in the french tonge
" as in the Duch tonge, be clerely exterminate and
" exiled out of this Realme of England for euer : his
" highnes entendeth to provide, that the holy Scrip-
" Chron. fol. clxxxxii. b. ed, 1548.
'' In June. Cott. M.S. Cleop. E. v. no. 66. See also the title of it
in the Ust of Bartlielet's works, in Dibd. Typ. Ant. vol. 3.

MYLES COVERDALE. 37
" ture shalbe by great lerned and catholique psons,
" translated into the English tonge yf it shall then
" seeme to his grace convenient so to be."
This was a vague promise, with but a slight pros
pect of fulfilment. By this proclamation, besides the
books before mentioned, he prohibited under the most
severe penalties, any one from having any portion of
the Scripture in English in print, or copied out of the
books in print, or even any portion of the Scripture
in French or Dutch; and he commanded that no
one should print any book in English concerning
holy Scripture, not before printed, unless such book
should be allowed by the ordinary of the diocese
where it was printed ; and that the printer should
set thereunto his own name, and also the name of the
examiner who allowed the book, as he would other
wise answer to his majesty at his uttermost peril.
This clear manifestation of the king's mind, with
regard to not allowing the Scripture to be published
at present, was, it may be imagined, very discourag
ing to the Reformers ; although they did not hesitate
to regard it, not so much as the result of the king's
own private inclinations on the subject, as of the in
terested and crafty persuasions of the bishops. Seve
ral persons in London were taken up and punished,
for keeping books prohibited by this proclamation ;
and Latimer wrote the king a long letter, on the first
of December, the chief purport of which was, to per
suade him to grant to his subjects the free use of the
Bible. He excuses those who were punished for dis
obeying his Majesty's proclamation, (who, it might

38 MEMORIALS OF
be said, " like as they regarded not this, would not
" regard other his grace's laws, statutes, and ordi-
" nances,") by hinting, that they took the proclama
tion not so much to proceed from his majesty, as
from the bishops.
" For what marvel is it that they, (meaning the
" bishops,) being so nigh of your councU, and so
" familiar with your lords, should provoke both your
" grace and them to prohibit these books, which be-
" fore, by their own authority, have forbidden the
" New Testament, under pain of everlasting damna-
" tion ; for such is their manner, to send a thousand
" men to hell, ere they send one to God ; and yet the
" New Testament (and so I think by the other) was
" meekly offered to every man, that could and would,
" to amend it, if there were any fault."
He attacks, pretty severely, the bishops for their
pride and luxury ; and inveighs against pope's par
dons, dispensations, and indulgences. Those who
are curious to see this letter, may find it at full in
Fox's Acts and Monuments.'
In the mean time, the Reformation, although in an
indirect way, had been advancing in England.
Henry had applied to the pope for a divorce from
his queen, Catharine of Arragon, who had been
married to his brother Arthur. It is not our purpose,
and it would indeed be foreign to the nature of this
work, to examine into the circumstances which led to
this application, or to detail the threats, and intimi-
' Yo], iii. p. 47!), ct seq. .Sco note D.

MYLES COVERDALE. 39
dation, and bribes, which the emperor Charles used
with the pope to make him deny it; sufficient is it
to remark that Henry, irritated at the denial of a
request which he had much at heart, and guided by
the advice of Cranmer, after patiently submitting to
the deceitful delays of the court of Rome, determined
at last to take the opinion of the most celebrated
universities in Europe, on the question of whether
the pope could grant a dispensation for a marriage
with a brother's widow, or not. Having obtained a
favourable answer from most of them, he caused
Cranmer, recently promoted to the archbishoprick of
Canterbury, to pronounce a solemn divorce between
him and Catharine. Such a step as this, committed
in open defiance of the pope's authority, accompanied
as it was by other circumstances of a similar tendency,
necessarily brought on an open rupture between Eng
land and the court of Rome. For, from questioning
the pope's authority in this particular instance, men
began to debate about what right he had to any
jurisdiction at all in England ; and bills to forbid the
pajrment of first fruits, and to prevent appeals to the
court of Rome, were successively passed in parlia
ment. Men had very generally, for some time past,
been complaining of the usurpations of the ecclesi
astics, and finding the opportunity convenient at pre
sent, they took advantage of it to pass bills for the
regulating of mortuaries, against the exactions for
the probates of wills, against non-residence and
pluralities, and against churchmen's being farmers of
lands. And at the same time, they threw out very

40 MEMORIALS OF
severe invectives in the house, without almost any
opposition being made to them, against the ambition,
avarice, and endless encroachments of the priests.
The clergy also, at the convocation which was
held in 1531, were prevaUed on to acknowledge that
" the king was the protector and supreme head of
" the church and clergy of England ;" although they
contrived to clog this admission by the following
clause added to it : " in so far as is permitted by the
" laws of Christ." This was not gained without much
difficulty, and only while they were under the fear of
a penal statute, which the king held over their heads,
the statute of provisors ; the pains of which, it was
alleged, they had incurred, in submitting to the
legatine court established by Wolsey.
Proceeding gradually, the parliament, in a subse
quent session, abolished all bulls and dispensations.
Bishops were to be appointed by the king alone,
without any necessity for palls, bulls, or provisions.
The law of heresy was moderated : speaking against
the pope's authority, was no longer to be deemed
such. Monasteries were subjected to the ^^sitation
and government of the king alone. Convocations were
to be summoned by him alone ; no new canons were to
be made without his approbation ; and commissioners
were to be appointed to abrogate such, already exist
ing, as might be against his royal prerogative.
A bishop inculcated the doctrine, every Sunday, at
Paul's Cross, that the pope had no authority beyond
the bounds of his own diocese, and the convocation
that met at this time voted to the same effect. This

MYLES COVERDALE. 41
vote passed almost unanimously, and the bishops
took out new commissions, in which all their autho
rity, spiritual and temporal, was expressed to be
derived from the king, and to be held only during his
pleasure. The act of parliament, constituting the
king the supreme head of the church of England, '^
was passed soon after. And thus, in an incredibly
short space of time, the whole authority of the church
was transferred from the pope to the king, and this
in so orderly a manner, that not the slightest dis
turbance ensued from it.
This was all very gratifying to those of the re
formed tenets, who trusted that these measures were
but preludes to a change in the religion, which they
ardently desired.
In the mean time, " on the 17th of Mareh, 1533,
" the convocation of the province of Canterbury met.
" Among other things done by it, it was decreed that
" the holy Scripture should be translated into the
" vulgar tongue, and the laity prohibited contending
" about articles of the faith and the holy Scripture ;
" but I do not find (says Lewis) that the former part
" of this decree was executed at this time." ^
In the same year, Tyndal, in a letter that he wrote
to his learned friend, John Frith, tells him that
" George Joye, at Candlemas, being at Barrow (a
" town ten miles from Antwerp), printed two leaves of
" Genesis, in great form,* and sent one copy to the
/ 26 Hen. 8. c. 1.
e It seems doubtful whether there was such a decree as this, or
whether it is not an error of Mr. Lewis's. See note E.
i. e. " large type."

42 MEMORIALS OF
" king, and another to the new queen, with a letter to
" N. to deliver them, and to purchase license that he
" might so go through all the Bible. Out of this
" (says Tyndal), is sprung the noise of the new
" Bible ; and out of this is the great seeking for
" English books at all printers and bookbinders in
" Antwerp, and for an English priest that should
" print." This chanced, he adds, the 9th of May.'
" This was written (says Lewis) about the begin-
" ning of 1533, and by the new queen is, I suppose,
" meant Anne Boleyn, and this perhaps may be that
" fragment which Mr. Wanley said he had,* and which
" seemed to him to be part of an entire Bible, and to
" be older than Coverdale's Bible, printed in 1535."
A bill was passed in the commons, in February,
1534, to make laws with respect to the importing
into the kingdom of books printed abroad. It was
sent up to the lords, amended, and passed by them,
and sent back to the commons ; but what became of
it afterwards we have not been able to ascertain,
although it is certain that it was not passed into a
law.' Even the exact nature of it, we cannot find out.
The convocation of the clergy of the province of
Canterbury having now met again, Cranmer, who
the year before was promoted to the see of Canter
bury, moved that there might be a translation made
of the whole Bible into English. Accordingly, on
the 19th of December, 1534, the following resolu
tions were agreed to unanimously by both houses: —
Namely, that archbishop Cranmer should make
' I'ox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 369.
* Biblic. Lilci-a. no. 4. p. }I1. ' l,(uds' Journals.

MYLES COVERDALE. 43
instance with the king, that he should order and
decree that all his subjects, in whose possession were
any books of suspected doctrine, particularly in the
vulgar tongue, printed abroad, should be admonished,
and required to bring them in within three months
to certain persons by the king for that purpose ap
pointed, under certain pains and penalties to be by
him also appointed.
And that further, his majesty would vouchsafe to
decree, that the sacred Scripture should be translated
into the English tongue by certain honest and
learned men named for that purpose by his majesty,
and should be delivered to the people according to
their learning.
And furthermore, that the king would vouchsafe
to prohibit, on certain pains, that any of his majesty's
lay subjects should presume in future to publicly
dispute, or in any manner brawlingly contend, con
cerning the Catholic faith or the articles of faith, or
the sacred Scripture, or its meaning.'"
The progress of reformed opinions had now be
come so great, that the clergy felt obliged to make
some concessions to it for their own safety. Awed,
perhaps, by the power and royal favour which Cran
mer enjoyed, they, at his instance, consented to peti
tion the king, that the Scriptures should be translated
into the English tongue, and the free use of it allowed
to the people. But they clogged this concession by
the three important petitions, which have just been
'" Cott MS. Cleop. E. v. fol. 339. b.

44 MEMORIALS OF
mentioned: first, that all books of suspected doc
trine should be called in, and their publication pro
hibited; secondly, that the Scriptures should be
translated by certain persons to be named by the
king ; and thirdly, that the laity should be prohibited
disputing about the Catholic faith, or the meaning
of Scripture.
By the first measure, they would for the present
effectually put a stop to all means of furthering or
publishing reformed opinions.
By the second, as it was almost certain that those
chosen for the task would be taken from the clergy,
they could reasonably hope that a majority at the
least of the translators would be of their way of
thinking, and that therefore they might make a
translation which would support their religious tenets
and observances ; but that if they should faU in this,
they might at least easUy delay and impede the pro
gress of the work, till those engaged in the task had
become disgusted and careless, or untU the people
were tired with expectation.
And by the third, even when the translation was
at last finished and given to the people, whatever
inconsistencies might be perceived between its holy
precepts and their practice, were to be passed by
unnoticed ; for the laity were to be prohibited, under
certain penalties, from disputing about the Catholic
faith, or even the meaning of any part of Scripture :
therefore, if the church chose to understand a parti
cular passage in a constrained sense, favourable to
their own practice, those who dared to intimate their

MYLES COVERDALE. 45
difference of opinion on that subject, were to be
silenced by penalties and punishments.
Whilst they thus cunningly contrived to render any
concession that might be wrung from them, perfectly
nugatory, they had at the same time all the appear
ance of being fully wUling to allow to the people the
free use of the Scripture, with this only proviso, that
the translation should be a correct one. Cranmer no
doubt perceived the effect of these petitions, and
therefore forbore to present them, and so the matter
dropped. But although they gained for the time their point
thus far, in making the resolutions agreed on of no
avail, they had by their acquiescence established a
principle, which was not long in producing good
effects ; for they had thus openly allowed, that, even
in the opinion of the clergy, the Scripture, when
properly translated, was a fit book to be put into the
hands of the people.
The maintainers of the Roman Catholic religion
had always, on the contrary, asserted that the Bible
was not a fit book to be put into the hands of the
common people, who, it was said, by their ignorance,
stupidity, and the little leisure they had from their
several avocations, were necessarily incapacitated from
judging for themselves in abstruse and difficult points
of doctrine ; that even in temporal concerns, which
they might much more easily comprehend, the laws,
happily for themselves and others, had in a great
measure deprived them of the right of private judg
ment, by laying down rules for their conduct and

46 MEMORIALS OF
behaviour; and that in theological questions they
ought much the less to be suffered to meddle, seeing
that even learned divines themselves were sometimes
at fault : that the sacred writ was in some parts con
fessedly obscure, giving rise to many difficulties, and
involving many apparent contradictions ; and that to
put it thus into the hands of those who had not the
ability, and if they had the alnlity, had not the time
to weigh well and examine the true meaning, was
indeed only putting doubts in their mind, implanting
scepticism, and sowing heresy : '^ that the poetical
" style in which a great part of it was composed, at
" the same time that it occasioned uncertainty in the
" sense, by its multiplied tropes and figures, was
" sufficient to kindle the zeal of fanaticism, and
" thereby throw civil society into the most furious
" combustion ; and that a thousand sects must arise,
" which would pretend each of them to derive its
" tenets from the Scripture, and would be able, by
" specious arguments, or even without specious argii-
" ments, to seduce silly women and ignorant mechanics
" into a belief ofthe most monstrous principles.""
By however sanctioning this principle, they had
tacitly acquiesced in the reasoning of those who sup
ported the new religion, who contended that the
word of God ought to be open to all ; that the Scrip
ture had been given to every man for his instruction ;
that the only requisite for understanding it, was to
read it with a pious and humble spirit ; and that those
' Hume, (ll. xxxi.

MYLES COVERDALE. 47
who, under various pretences, wished to keep it from
the multitude, were only actuated by the desire of
hiding their own evil practices, which they knew an
examination into Scripture would expose.
Concerning this resolution of the convocation,
Strype says, without however mentioning the date,
that Cranmer was determined that a translation of
the Bible should be published, and that the way he
managed was this : — He took an old translation of
the New Testament (Tyndal's) to begin with. This
he divided into nine or ten parts, which he sent to
the best learned of the bishops and others, desiring
them to make a perfect correction of them, and when
they had done so, to restore them to him at Lambeth
by a certain time. One of these parts (the Acts of
the Apostles) was, it seems, sent to Stokesly, bishop
of London. When the day fixed was come, they all
sent their portions to the archbishop, except Stokesly,
and the archbishop sending to know why he had not
sent in his part like the rest, Stokesly returned the
following answer : — " I marvel what my lord of
" Canterbury meaneth, that thus abuseth the people,
" in giving them liberty to read the Scriptures, which
" doth nothing else but infect them with heresy. I
" have bestowed never an hour upon my portion, nor
" never will ; and therefore my lord shall have this
" book again, for I will never be guilty of bringing
" the common people into error." " Mr. Lewis adds,
" and here this good design stopped, as far as I can
" learn, for the present." ''
° Stry. Cranm. p. :!4. ' Transl. of Bible, p. 91.

/
V

48 MEMORIALS OF
It would appear that even some of the bishops,
who were opposed to the principle of the Bible being
translated, were awed or influenced by interest into a
compliance with Cranmer's projects, as in a letter
from Gardiner, bishop of Winchester, to CromweU,
of which the date is uncertain,' he says, " Neverthe-
" less I have as gret cause as any man, to desire rest
" and quiet, for the helth of my body : wherunto I
" thought to have entended, and to absteyne from
" bookes and wryting, having finished the transla-
" tion of Saynt Luke and Saynt John, wherin I have
" spent a gret labour." '
Emboldened by the general opinion, which now
seemed to be -without any doubt, in favour of a trans
lation of Scripture being made, provided it were
only correct ; and encouraged by a promise that was
made to him, that the cost of it would be borne by
others, Coverdale was led to give his time to pre
paring a translation of the whole Bible for the press.
He was also no doubt further induced by seeing, on
the report having been spread that there was one
printing at Antwerp, how many appUcations had
been made for it. He perceived that the people were
anxious to search out the truth for themselves ; and
diffident as he might be of his own powers for the
task, he yet undertook it, hoping that it might lead
those who were more able, to give their attention to
it. He would, however, most probably not have
undertaken it at all, had not Tyndal about this time
' MS. Chapt. Ho. Westm. Bundle C. ^ See note F.

MYLES COVERDALE. 49
fallen into trouble, as he intimates that Tyndal him
self had the intention of finishing his translation of
the remaining books of the Old Testament, which
would then have comprised the whole Bible. He
gives no clue as to those who had offered to bear the
cost of this work ; but it is not unlikely, that Crom
well, as on other occasions, so also on this, was one
of his chief supporters, if indeed he were not the
sole one.

CHAPTER IV.
COVERDALE PUBLISHES HIS TRANSLATION OF THE WHOLE BIBLE.
 DEDICATION TO THB KING.  USES TOPICS MOST LIKELY TO
HAVE WEIGHT WITH HENRY.  FINDS FAULT WITH THE
AMBITION OF THE POPE.  EXTOLS THE SCRIPTURE.  GIVES
HIS REASON FOR DEDICATING TIIIS TRANSLATION TO THE
KING.  IN JUDGING OF THE LANGUAGE AND TOPICS
OF THIS DEDICATION, DIFFERENCE TO BE BORNE IN MIND,
BETWEEN THE KINGLY OFFICE IN THOSE DAYS AND THE
PRESENT.  PROLOGUE TO THE READER.  COVERDALE EX
CUSES HIS OWN INSUFFICIENCY.  EXPLAINS THE DIFFERENT
BOOKS IN THE BIBLE.  EXHORTS THE READER TO APPROACH
THE SCRIPTURE IN A PROPER MIND.  DATE OF THIS BIBLE,
APPARENT INCONSISTENCY OF THAT GIVEN AT THE END, WITH
THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE DEDICATION.
/• In 1535, accordingly, Coverdale published his
''translation of the Bible in a small folio." This was
/ the first edition of the whole Bible in English ever
\^ printed.* It has no name of place or printer, but the
opinion now generally received is, as has been before
mentioned, that it was printed at Zurich, in the house
of Christopher Froschover ; and this opinion is
founded on the resemblance of the types, which are
" Copies : Brit. Mus. — Bodleian. — Public Libr. Cambr. — Sion CoU.—
AU Souls CoU.— Lambeth Libr. —Bapt. Mus. Bristol.— Duke of Sussex.
— Earl of Jersey.
* This volume has been reprinted, verbatim, in Roman type, by the
publisher of this work, 1838.

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE. 51
of a peculiar form, to those generally found in the
works of that printer.'
This Bible has a dedication to the king, and a
prologue or preface to the reader. The dedication is
thus headed : " Vnto the most victorious Prynce and
" oure most gracyous soueraigne Lorde, kynge Henry
" the eyght, kynge of Englonde and of Fraunce, lorde
" of Irlonde, &c. Defendour of the Fayth, and vnder
" God the chefe and suppreme heade of the Church
" of Englonde. The ryght s iust administracyon of
" the lawes that God gaue vnto Moses and vnto
" Josua: the testimonye of faythfulnes that God gaue
" of Dauid : the plenteous abundaunce of wysdome
" that God gaue vnto Salomon : the lucky and pros-
" perous age with the multiplicacyon of sede whiche
" God gaue vnto Abraham and Sara his wyfe, be
" gene vnto you most gracyous Prynce, with your
" dearest iust wyfe, and most vertuous Pryncesse,
" Queue Anne,'' Amen."
He begins it, by comparing the Pope to a Jewish
bishop, called Caiphas. Caiphas, he says, taking
Christ for an impostor, had said it was better to
put him to death, than that the people should perish,
not knowing that he said true therein, for that the
death of Christ was necessary for the salvation of
mankind. In like manner, the pope had called his
majesty the Defender ofthe Faith, not thinking that
he would in very deed defend " the Fayth, yee euen
" See Note B.
¦* Some copies have " Queen Jane." Concerning this difference, see
post, page 68.
E 2

52 MEMORIALS OF
" the true fayth of Christ, no dreames, no fables, no
" heresie, no papisticaU inuencions, but the vncor-
" rupte fayth of Gods most holy worde, which to set
" forth (praysed be the goodnes of God, and increace
" youre gracyous purpose) your hyghnes -with youre
" most honorable councell, applyeth aU his studye
" and endeuoure."
The pope, says he, keepeth the word of faith secret,
" lest his owne Decretales 5 Decrees, his owne lawes
" and constitucions, his owne statutes and inuencions
" shulde come to none effecte : lest his intoUerable
" exactions and vsurpacions shulde lose theyr
" strengthe : lest it shulde be knowen what a thefe
" and murtherer he is in the cause of Christ, and
" how haynous a traytoure to God and man in de-
" fraudynge all Christen kynges and prynces of theyr
" due obedience : lest we youre graces subiectes
" shulde haue eyes in the worde of God, at the last
" to spye out his crafty conueyaiice and iuglynges:
" and lest men shulde se, how sore he and his false
" Apostles haue deceaued all Christendome, specyally
" youre noble realme of Englonde."
He says, that the pope is afraid that kings and
princes should become well acquainted with the
Scripture, lest they should again assume that au
thority, which he has for so many years usurped from
them. " For the scripture (both in the olde testa-
" ment and in the new) declareth most aboutdauntly
" that the office, auctorite, and power geuen of God
" vnto kynges, is in earth aboue all other powers : let
" them call the seines Popes, Cardynalles, or what so

MYLES COVERDALE. 53
" euer they will, the worde of god declareth them (yee
" and commaundeth them vnder payne of dampna-
" cion) to be obedient vnto the temporall swerde : As
" in the olde Testament all the Prophetes, Prestes and
" Leuites were. And in the new Testament Christ
" d his Apostles both were obedient them selues, and
" taught obedience of all men vnto theyr prynces ad
" temporall rulers : which here vnto vs in the worlde
" present the persone of God, and are called Goddes
" in the scripture, bycause of the excellecy of theyr
" office. And though there were no mo auctorities
" but the same, to proue the peminence of the tem-
" poraU swerde, yet by this the scripture declareth
" playnly, that as there is nothyng aboue God, so is
" there no man aboue the kynge in his realme but
" that he onely vnder God is the chefe heade of all
" the cogregacyon and church of the same. And in
" token that this is true, there hath ben of olde anti-
" quite (and is yet vnto this daye) a louynge cere-
" monye vsed in your realme of Englonde, y' wha
" your graces subiectes reade your letters, or begynne
" to talke or come" of your hyghnes, they moue theyr
" bonettes for a signe a token of reuerence vnto your
" grace, as to their most soueraigne lorde and heade
" vnder God. which thyng no man vseth to do to
" eny bysshoppe."
He then instances Aaron, Eleazar, and others, who
were obedient to their princes, but who yet spared
not to rebuke them when they forsook the path of
' i. e. " commune."

54

MEMORIALS OF

the Lord; " as Johan Baptyste durst saye vnto Kynge
" Herode : It is not lawful for the to take thy bro-
" thers wyfe."-''
He then dilates still further on the obedience due
to kings, and concludes ; " Innumerable places mo
" are there in scripture, which hynde vs to the obe-
" dience of oure prynce, and declare vnto vs, that no
" man is nor can be lawfully excepte from the same :
" but that all the mynisters of Goddes worde are
" vnder the teporal swerde : s Prynces onely to owe
" obedience vnto God 5 his worde."
He then observes, the many injuries the pope has
done unto all princes, and particularly unto this
realm ; how until now he did thrust his head into
the imperial crown of his highness (as he doth yet
with other noble princes); how shamefully he had
treated his grace's noble ancestor, king John ; how
he had stolen his grace's money for pardons, benefices,
and bishopricks, not to mention his picking Peter's
pence out of the kingdom ; how he had deceived the
souls of his grace's subjects " with his deuelyshe
" doctrynes and sectes of his false religions ; " how he
had caused the bloodshed of his grace's subjects for
books of the Scripture ; and how he had made the
bishops of the realm obstinate and disobedient to his
grace. He says, the cause of all this has been, even the
ignorance of the word of God, which, untU his grace's
time, had been shut up, cast aside, and clean put out
f There was no doubt a secret allusion iu this to Coverdale's approval
of the divorce between the king and Catharine of Arragon.

MYLES COVERDALE. 55
of remembrance. He compares the king unto Josias,
who " comaunded stray tly (as youre grace doth) that
' the lawe of God shulde be redde and taught vnto
' all y" people."
He praiseth the Scripture, which, he says, "is the
' cause of all felicite, it bryngeth all goodnes with it,
' it bryngeth lernynge, it gedreth vnderstondynge, it
' causeth good workes, it maketh chyldren of obedi-
' ence, breuely, it teacheth all estates theyr office and
' duety. Seynge then that the scripture of God
' teacheth vs euery thynge sufficiently, both what we
' oughte to do, and what we oughte to leaue vndone :
' whome we are bounde to obey, and whome we
' shulde not obeye : therfore (I saye) it causeth all
' prosperite, and setteth euery thyng in frame : and
' where it is taught and knowen, it lyghteneth all
' darkenesses, coforteth all sory hertes, leaueth no
' poore man vnhelped, suffreth nothynge amysse
' vnamended, letteth no prynce be disobeyed, per-
' mytteth no heresie to be preached: but refourmeth
' all thinges, amedeth that is amysse, and setteth
' euery thynge in order."
Considering therefore, the inestimable treasure that
God's word is, and trusting that God would bring his
" symple and rude laboure herin to good effecte," see
ing that others had been moved by the Holy Ghost
to undertake the cost of it, he was emboldened to
labour in the same. He continues : " Agayne, con-
" syderynge youre Imperiall maiestye not onely to be
" my naturall soueraigne liege Lorde ts chefe heade of
" y' church of Englode, but also the true defender

56 MEMORIALS OF
" and maynteyner of Gods lawes, I thought it my
" dutye and to belonge vnto my allegiaunce, whan I
" had translated this Bible, not onely to dedicate this
" translacyon vnto youre hyghnesse, but wholy to
" commytte it vnto the same : to the intent that yf
" any thynge therin be translated amysse (for in
" many thynges we fayle, euen whan we thynke to
" be sure) it may stode in youre graces handes, to
" correcte it, to amende it, to improue it, yee ts cleane
" to reiecte it, yf youre godly wysdome shall thynke
" it necessary. And as I do with aU humblenes sub-
" mitte myne vnderstondynge and my poore transla-
" eyon vnto y"' spirite of trueth in your grace, so make
" I this protestacyon (hauyng God to recorde in my
" coscience) that I haue nether -wrested nor altered
'' so moch as one worde for the mayntenaiice of any
" maner of secte : but haue with a cleare conscience
" purely ts faythfuUy translated this out of fyoie sundry
" interpreters, hauyng onely the manyfest trueth of
" the scripture before myne eyes."
He then compares the king to Moses, for having
brought us " out of this olde Egypte from the cruell
" handes of our spirituall Pharao ; " and unto David,
unto whom the Jews were not more bounden, " for
" subduynge of greate Goliath and all theyr enemyes,
"as we are to your grace, for delyuerynge vs out of
" oure olde Babylonycall captiuyte."
He concludes: "For y" which delyueraunce and
" victory I beseke oure onely medyatoure Jesus
" Christ, to make soch meanes for vs vnto his hea-
" uenly father, y* we neuer be vnthankfiiU vnto him

MYLES COVERDALE. 57
" ner vnto youre grace : but that we euer increace in
" the feare of him, in obedience vnto your hyghnesse,
" in loue vnfayned vnto our neghbours : and in all
" vertue that commeth of God. To whom for y' de-
" fendynge of his blessed worde (by your graces most
" rightfuU administracyon) be honoure and thankes,
" glory and dominyon, worlde without ende. Amen."
The language and topics in this dedication, were no
doubt dictated by the wish that Coverdale had, to
convince King Henry, that those who favoured the
new religion were not contemners of regal authority;
that so far from being promoters of disturbances and
seditions, which was insinuated to the king, they
were supporters of his power against the pope and the
clergy ; and that whilst they advocated the freedom
of God's word, they inculcated, as a primary duty,
obedience to the king.
But some have found much fault with this dedica
tion. They say, that it is couched in a tone of sub
missive flattery, highly unbecoming a Christian
reformer; that it is nothing but a cloying sweet
offered to the king, to engage him to allow the pub
lication of the Bible in his dominions; and that
although so good an end was to be obtained, the
means employed tell not to Coverdale's credit. It is
not our purpose to enter into any discussion, as to the
above observations, as every reader must be the best
judge for himself of their correctness; but it certainly
must be confessed that those topics, and those alone,
which were the most likely to gratify Henry's pride,
and influence his prejudices, were made use of

/

58 MEMORIALS OF
In judging, however, in this matter, it must be
observed, that the difference between the kingly
office in those days and in ours, is very great. The
veneration, the reverential respect, the blind and un
limited obedience, which were then paid to the king ;
the uncertain extent of his prerogative ; all concurred
in making the king of England, in those days, a very
different person from the king in our own. " No
" prince in Europe," says Hume,^ " not even the pope
" himself in his own dominions, where he united both
" the civil and ecclesiastical powers, was possessed of
" such absolute authority as Henry." The particular
disposition, too, of Henry, is also to be considered
with regard to this matter. He was frank, open, and
generous ; but of an ungovernable temper. The
slightest opposition offered to him, irritated him ex
cessively ; and, as Wolsey told Sir WUliam Kingston,'
" rather than miss or want any part of his will, he
" would endanger the one-half his kingdom." The
consequence was, that both parties, those who favoured
the reformed, and those who favoured the Roman
Catholic doctrines, vied with each other in paying
him the most deferential submission. They hoped,
by their unlimited compliance, to gain him over to
their views ; and they each feared that by the slightest
opposition to his will, they might irritate against
them a monarch, with whom interest and policy had
little weight, in comparison with the gratification of
his passions.
e Hist. ch. xxxi.
'' Cavendish's Life of 'Wolsey, p. 113, ed. 1641.

MYLES COVERDALE. 59
Coverdale's dedication must therefore be considered
with a due regard to these circumstances, under which
it was written ; and we must also bear in mind, that
the language in those days used towards superiors,
or the king, was in a very different style to what we
are now accustomed.
In his prologue, addressed to the Christian reader,
he begins thus : " Considerynge how excellent know-
" lege and lernynge an interpreter of scripture oughte
" to haue in the tongues, and ponderyng also myne
" owne insufficiency therin, ts how weake I am to
" perfourme y° office of a translatoure, I was the
" more lothe to medle with this worke. Notwith-
" stondynge whan I cosydered how greate pytie it
" was that we shulde wante it so longe, cs called to
" my remembraunce y' aduersite of them, which were
" not onely of rype knowlege, but wolde also with all
" theyr hertes haue perfourmed y* they beganne, yf
" they had not had impediment : considerynge (I
" saye) that by reason of theyr aduersyte it coulde
" not so soone haue bene broughte to an ende, as
" oure most prosperous nacyon wolde fayne haue had
" it : these and other reasonable causes consydered, I
" was the more bolde to take it in hande. And to
" helpe me herin, I haue had sondrye translacions,
" not onely in latyn, but also ofthe Douche inter-
" preters : whom (because of theyr syngular gyftes
" ts speciali diligence in the Bible) I haue ben
" the more glad to folowe for the most parte, ac-
" cordynge as I was requyred. But to saye the
" trueth before God, it was nether my laboure ner

60 MEMORIALS OF
" desyre, to haue this worke put in my hande : neuer-
" theles it greued me y* other nacyos shulde be more
" plenteously prouyded for with y'= scripture in theyr
" mother tongue, then we : therfore whan I was in-
" stantly requyred, though I coulde not do so weU as
" I wolde, I thought it yet my dewtye to do my best,
" and that -with a good wyll."
He says that some men think, that many translar
tions cause a diversity of faith, and a division amongst
the people of God ; but he asks, whether in olden
time they were not approved of, and instances Vul-
garius,' Chrysostom, Tertullian, St. Jerome, and
others, who had each a separate translation ; if they
therefore did good in other languages, why should
they do evU in ours? He thinks that "we haue
" greate occasyon to geue thankes vnto God, that
" he hath opened vnto his church the gyfte of in-
" terpretacyon i of pryntyng, and that there are now
" at this tyme so many, which with soch diligece and
" faithfulnes interprete y' scripture to the honoure of
" god and edifyenge of his people, where as (lyke as
" whan many are shutynge together) euery one doth
" his best to be nyest the marke. And though they
" can not all attayne therto, yet shuteth one nyer
" then another, and hytteth it better then another,
" yee one can do it better the another, who is now
" then so vnreasonable, so despytefriU, so enuyous, as
" to abhorre hhn y* doth all his dUigence to hytte
" y° pi'ycke, and to shute nyest it, though he mysse
' It is not known of whom Coverdale here intended to speak, as
there is no such name among the Fathers.

MYLES COVERDALE. 61
" (s come not nyest the mark ? Ought not soch one
" rather to be commeded, and to be helped forwarde,
" that he maye exercyse him selfe the more therin ?
"For the which cause (acordyng as I was desyred) I
" toke the more vpon me to set forth this speciali
" translacyon, not as a checker, not as a reprouer,
" or despyser of other mens translacyons (for amonge
" many as yet I haue founde none without occasyon
" of greate thankesgeuynge vnto god) but lowly 5
" faythfuUy haue I folowed myne interpreters, ts that
" vnder correccyon. And though I haue fayled eny
" where (as there is noman but he mysseth in some
" thynge) loue shall constyrre all to y" best without
" eny peruerse iudgment. There is noman lyuynge
" y* can se all thyilges, nether hath god geuen eny
" man to knowe euery thynge. One seyth more
" clearly then another, one hath more vnderstondyng
" then another, one can vtter a thynge better then
" another, but noman ought to enuye, or dispyse
" another. He that can do better then another,
" shulde not set him at naught y' vnderstondeth lesse:
" Yee he that hath ¦y' more vnderstondyng, ought to
" remembre that the same gyfte is not his but Gods,
" and y' God hath geue it him to teach 5 enfourme
" the ignoraunt. Yf thou hast knowlege therfore
" to iudge where eny faute is made, I doute not but
" thou wilt helpe to amende it, yf loue be ioyned
" with thy knowlege. Howbeit wherin so euer I
" can perceaue by my selfe, or by the informacyon
" of other, that I haue fayled (as it is no wonder) I
" shall now by the helpe of God ouerloke it better ts
" amende it."

62 MEMORIALS OF
The next sentence is a beautiftil and appropriate
piece of advice, to those who read the Scriptures.
"Now wU I exhorte the (who so euer thou be y'
" readest scripture) yf thou fynde oughte therin
" y* thou vnderstondest not, or that apeareth to be
" repugnaunt, geue no temerarious ner haystye iudg-
" met therof: but ascrybe it to thyne awne ignor-
" aunce, not to the scrypture, thynke y' thou vnder-
" stondest it not, or y' it hath some other meanynge,
"or y' it is happyle ouersene of y" interpreters, or
" wronge prynted. Agayne, it shall greately helpe
" y" to vnderstonde scripture, yf thou marke not onely
" what is spoken or wrytten, but of whom, ts vnto
" whom, with what wordes, at what tyme where, to
" what intent, with what circumstaunce, consyderynge
" what goeth before, and what foloweth after. For
" there be some thynges which are done ts wrytte,
" to the intente y* we shulde do lykewyse : as whan
" Abraham beleueth God, is obedient vnto his worde,
" a defendeth Loth his kynsman from violent wronge.
" There be some thynges also which are wrytte, to
" the intente y* we shulde eschue soch lyke. As
" whan Dauid lyeth with Urias wyfe, ts causeth him
" to be slayne. Therfore (I saye) whan thou readest
" scripture, be wyse cs circumspecte : cs whan thou
" commest to soch straunge maners of speakynge 5
" darke sentences, to soch parables ts similitiides, to
" soch dreames or vysions as are hyd from thy vnder-
" stondynge, comytte them vnto God or to the gyfte
" ofhis holy sprete in them y' arc better lerned then
" thou." As to commending the Scripture, he says that it

MYLES COVERDALE. 63
is far above his praise, and therefore, he thinks it
better to be silent. He exhorts the reader, to live
after the law of God a godly life, which is "the
" greatest prayse y* thou canst geue vnto his doc-
" tryne." As to the corrupt and evil conversation of some,
that outwardly profess to follow God, he tells the
reader, that he must not let that withdraw his mind
from the love of the truth. "Call to thy remem-
" braunce how louynge ts mercifriU God is vnto
" the, how kyndly and fatherly he helpeth the in all
" trouble, teacheth thyne ignoraunce, healeth the in
" all thy sycknesse, forgeueth the all thy synnes, fedeth
" y°, geueth the drynke, helpeth y" out of preson, nor-
" ysheth the in straunge countrees, careth for the, ts
" seyeth y' thou wante nothynge. Call this to mynde
" (I saye) ts that earnestly, and consydre how thou
" hast receaued of god all these benefites (yee and
" many mo then thou canst desyre) how thou art
" bounde lykewise to shewe thy selfe vnto thy negh-
" boure as farre as thou canst, to teach him yf he
" be ignoraunt, to helpe him in all his trouble, to
" heale his sycknes, to forgeue him his offences, and
" that hartely, to fede him, to cherish him, to care
" for him, and to se y* he wante nothyng: And on
" this behalfe I beseke the (thou y' hast y' ryches
" of this worlde, and louest God with thy harte) to
" lyfte vp thyne eyes, and se how greate a multitude
" of poore people renne thorow euery towne : haue
" pitie on thyne awne flesh, helpe them with a good
" harte, and do with thy councell all that euer thou

64 MEMORl.\LS OK
" canst, that this vnshamefast bopgyngc maye be put
" downe, tliat these ydle folkes maye be set to laboure,
'' ts that soch as are not able to gt-t theyr lyuynge,
" maye be prouyded for. At the leost thou y' art of
" councell wilh soch us arc in auctoryte, geue thein
" some occasyon to cast theyr lieadcs togetlier, and
" to make prouysyon for the poore. Put the in
" remembraunce of those noble cityes in other coun-
" trees, that by the auctoryte of theyr prynces haue so
" rychely ad well prouided for theyr poore people, to
" the greate shame 5 deshonestye of vs, yf we
" lykewyse receauynge y° worde of Got, shewe not
" soch lyke frutes therof"
He then describes the purport of each book in the
Old Testament ; and concerning the book of Kings
he says, after showing what is related therein: —
"Thus wente it with tht" in the olde tyme, and euen
" after y" same maner goeth it now -with vs : God be
" praysed therfore, adgrauntt^ vs of his fatherly mercy,
" that we be not vnthankfuU : lest where he now
" geueth vs a Josaphat, an Ezechias, yee a very Josias,
" he sende vs a Pharao, a Jeroboam, or an Acliab."
" Now where as the most famous interpreters of all
" geue sondrye iudgmentes ofthe texte (so farrc as it
" is done by y" sprete of knowlege in the holy goost)
" me thynke noman shulde be offeiuled there at, lor
" they referre theyr doinges in mekeues to the sprete of
" trueth in the congregaryon of god : ts s\irc I am,
" that there commeth more knowlege and vntlerstond-
" inge ofthe scripture by theyr sondrie translacyons,
" then by all th(^ gloses of oure sophisticall doctours.

MVLES (COVERDALE. ()5
" For that one inter[)reteth somthynge obscurely in one
" place, the same translatetli another (or els he him
" selfe) more manifestly by a more playne vocable of
" the same meanyng in another place. Be not thou
" offended therfore (good Reader) though one call a
" scrybe, that another calleth a lawyer: or elders, that
" another calleth father ts mother : or repentaunce,
" that another calleth pennaunce or amendment. For
" yf thou be not disceaued by mens tradicios, thou
" shalt fynde no more dyuersite betwene these termes
" then betwene foure pens and a grote." He says that
in this translation accordingly, he has sometimes
rendered it one way and sometimes the other, without
any avoidance or shunning of particular words.
" Now to conclude : for so moch as all the scrip-
" ture is wrytten for thy doctryne a ensample, it
" shalbe necessary for the, to take holde vpon it, whyle
'' it is offred the, yee and with ten handes thankfully
" to receaue it. And though it be not worthely
" ministred vnto the in this translacyon (by reason of
•¦ my rudnes) Yet yf thou be feruet in thy prayer,
" God shal not onely sende it the in a better shappe,
" by the mynistracyon of other that beganne it afore,
" but shall also moue the hertes of them, which as
" ) et medled not withall, to take it in hande, and to
" bestowe the gifte of theyr vnderstondynge theron,
" as well in oure language as other famous inter-
" preters do in other languages. And I praye God,
" that thorow my poore ministracyon here in, I ma}'e
" geue them that can do better, some occasyon so to
" do : exhortyng the (most deare reader) in the meane
F

66 MEMORIAL.^ OF
" whyle on Gods behalfe, yf thou be a heade, a
" Iudge, or ruler of y'' people, that thou let not the
" boke of this lawe departe out of thy mouth, but
" exercise thyselfe therin both daye and nyghte, and
" be euer readyng in it as longe as thou lyuest: that
" thou mayest Ierne to feare the Lorde thy God, tl
" not to turne asyde from the commaundement, nether
" to the right hande ner to the lefte : lest thou be u
" knower of personnes in iudgmet, and wrest the
" righte of the straunger, of the fatherles or of the
" wedowe, and so y" curse to come vpon the. But
" what office so euer thou hast wayte vpon it, and
" execute it, to the mayntenaunce of peace, to the
" welth of thy people, defendynge the lawes of God,
" and the loners therof, and to the destruccyon of the
" wicked. " Yf thou be a preacher, and hast the ouersighte of
" the flocke of Christ, awake and fede Christes shepe
" with a good herte, ts spare no laboure to do them
" good, soke not thy selfe, ts bewarre of fylthy lucre,
" but be vnto y" flocke an ensample, in y"^ worde, in
" c5uersacyon, in loue, in feruentnes of y" sprete,
" and be euer readynge, exhortynge, is teachynge in
" Gods worde, that the people of God renne not vnto
" other doctrynes, and lest thou thy selfe (whan thou
" shuldest teach other) be founde ignoraunt therin.
" And rather then thou woldest teach the people eny
" other thynge then Gods worde, take the boke
" in thyne hande, cs reade the wordes eue as they
" stonde therin (for it is no shame so to do, it is more
" shame to make a lye). This I saye for soch, as are

MYLES COVERDALE. 67
" not yet experte in the scripture, for I reproue no
" preachyng without the boke as longe as they saye
" the trueth.
" Yf thou be a man that hast wyfe and chUdre,
" first loue thy wyfe, acordynge to the ensample of the
" loue, wherwith Christ loued the cogregacion, and
" remembre that so doynge, thou louest euen thy
" selfe : yf thou hate her, thou hatest thine awne
" flesh : yf thou cherishe her and make moch of
" her, thou cherisest ts makest moch of thyselfe :
" for she is bone of thy bones, ts flesh of thy flesh.
" And who so euer thou be that hast children, bryng
" them vp in the nurtour and informadon of the
" Lorde. And yf thou be ignoraunt, or art other-
" wyse occupied laufiiUy that thou canst not teach
" them thy selfe, then be euen as diligent to seke a
" good master for thy childre, as thou wast to seke
" a mother to beare them: for there lieth as great
" weight in the one as in y° other. Yee better it
" were for the to be vnborne, then not to feare God,
" or to be euel brought vp. which thynge (I meane
" bryngynge vp well of children) yf it be diligently
" loked to, it is the vpholdinge of all comon welthes :
" and the negligence of the same, the very decaye of
" all realmes."
He finishes by exhorting the reader to practise
himself well in the word of God, " and be not onely
" an outwarde hearer, but a doer therafter."
The reader, we hope, will pardon the length of the
above extracts, for the sake of having in them, a good
specimen of Coverdale's writings.
f2

68 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.
In the last page, it is stated to be " Prynted in the
" yeare of oure Lorde M.D.XXXV. and fynished
the fourth daye of October. ' INIr. Lewis, however,
describes the copy of the Bible' which he exammed,
as mentioning in the preamble to the dedication, the
king's dearest just wife, queen Jane, instead of queen
Anne.* This is a plain inconsistency vrith the state
ment in the last page, as it is certain that the king
did not marry queen Jane, tUl the 10th of INIay. 1536,
consequently more than half a year after the date of
finishing the Bible. But if we suppose, as J\Ir. Cot
ton is incUned to think, that the preliminary pieces
of this Bible were printed in England, we can easUy
account for part having been pubUshed in queen
Anne's time, and part in queen Jane's.'
' Sion College. ' See ante, p. 61. ' See note G.

CHAPTER V.

COVERDALE S BIBLE.  WHETHEll PUT FORTH BY THE KINGS
AUTHORITY OR NOT.  ARGUMENTS FOR AND AGAINST. 
APPARENTLY AT ONE TIME HAD OBTAINED THE KING's
SANCTION.  WHICH AFTERWARDS WAS NEITHER CONFIRMED
NOR WITHDRAWN.  SPECIMEN OF THIS TRANSLATION.

Whether or not this translation was issued by
the king's authority and approbation, appears hitherto
to have been a matter of some doubt. Mr. Lewis is
of opinion that it was ; and he instances, in support
of this view, a passage in a little MS. book of devo
tions, preserved in the family of Francis Wyat, Esq.,
of Boxley, in Kent." This book, as the tradition of
the family goes, was the present of Anne Boleyn to
her maids of honour. The passage referred to is to
the following effect : — " Grante us, most mercyful
" father, this one of the greatest gyftes that ever thowe
" gavest to mankynde, the knowledge of thie holy
" wille and gladde tidinges of oure saluation, this
" greate while oppressed with the tyranny e of thy
" adversary of Rome and his fautors," ts kepte close
' Hist. Transl. Bible, p. 97. » « Favourers."

70 MEMORIALS OF
" vndre his Latyne Lettres, and now at length pro-
" mulgate puhlyshed and sette at lybertie by the grace
" poured into the harte of thy supreme power our
" prince, as all Kinges hartes be in thie hande, as in
" the olde Lawe dydest use lyke mercye to thie people
" of Israeli by thie hie Instrument the good King
" Josia, whiche restored the temple decayed to his
" former beawtie, abolyshed all worshippynge of
" Images and Ydolatrye, and sette abrode the Lawe
" by the space of many hundred yeres befor cleane
" oute of remembraunce."
He adduces, as a further proof of the correctness
of his opinion, a clause in the injunctions," issued by
Lord Cromwell, in 1536, conceming matters of reli
gion, which is as follows : —
" Item, That every Parson or Proprietary of any
" Parish Church within this realme, shaU, on this side
" the Feast of St. Peter ad Vincula, next comming, pro-
" vide a booke of the whole Bible, both in Latine, and
" also in English, and lay the same in the Quire, for
" every man that will to looke and read thereon, and
" shall discourage no man from the reading of any part
" of the Bible, either in Latine or English ; but rather
" comfort, exhort, and admonish every man to read
" the same as the very word of God, and the spirituall
" food of man's soule, whereby they may the better
" know their duties to God, to their soveraigne Lord
" the King, and their Neighbour ; ever gently and
" charitably exhorting them, that using a sober and
¦¦ Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 388, Collier's Eccl. Hist.

MYLES COVERDALE. 71
" a modest behaviour in the reading and inquisition
" of the true sense of the same, they doe in no wise
" stiffely or eagerly contend or strive one with another
" about the same, but referre the declaration oftbose
" places that be in controversie to the judgement of
" them that be better learned."
He observes upon this clause, that the translation
of Coverdale must be the one here meant, as it was the
only one of the whole Bible then extant in English.''
The testimony of Fulke, a contemporary of Cover-
dale's, is also corroborative of Lewis's opinion. He
says,' " I my selfe, and so did many hundreds beside
" me, heare that reuerend father, M. Doctor Couer-
" dale, of holy and learned memorie, in a sermon at
" Paules Crosse, vpon occasion of some slaunderous
" reportes, that then were raysed againste his transla-
" tion, declare his faithfull purpose in doing the same,
" which after it was finished, and presented to K.
" Henry the eight, of famous memorie, and by him
" committed to diuerse bishops of that time to pervse,
" of which (as I remember) Steuen Gardiner was one:
" after they had kept it long in their handes, and
" the King was diuerse times sued vnto for the pub-
" lication thereof, at the last being called for by the
" King him selfe, they redeliuered the booke: and
' ' being demaunded by the King what was their iudge-
" ment of the translation, they aunswered that there
" were many faultes therein. Well, said the King,
" but are there anye heresies maintayned thereby ?
¦* Hist. Transl. Bible, p. 104. ' Defence of Transl. Bible, p. 4.

72 MEMORIALS OF
" They answered that there was no heresies that they
" could finde, maintained thereby. If there be no
" heresies, sayd the King, then in Gods name let it goe
" abroad among our people. According to this iudge-
" ment of the King and the Bishops, M. Couerdale
" defended his translation, confessing that he did now
" him selfe espie some faultes, which if he inight
" reuiew it once oner againe, as he had done twise
" before, he doubted not but to amend : but for any
" heresie, he was sure there was none maintained by
" his translation."
On these evidences, several authors have con
curred in assuming, that this Bible was circulated
by the king's authority.
It has been contended, on the other side, that the
evidence of the MS. Manual of Devotions, merely
rests on the credit of a tradition, which may have
substituted the name of queen Anne for queen Jane ;
and that it is worthy of little consideration, if unsup
ported by more weighty proofs : that the testimony
of Fulke is also deficient, inasmuch that Coverdale
might refer to one of the subsequent translations, in
which he was engaged: and that, to come to the
main proof, on which this opinion is grounded,
namely, the clause in the injunctions of 1536, com
manding the Bible to be set up in every church,
which would appear at first sight to be conclusive in
favour of this opinion, as there was clearly no other
translation of the whole Bible at that time, and to
Coverdale's alone, therefore, could such a clause
refer ; this testimony can be overthrown most com-

MYLES COVERDALE. 73
pletely ; for there is, in point of fact, no such clause '
at all in the injunctions themselves, in the authentic
copy, as it stands in Cranmer's register.-'^ There is
no such clause in Burnet, who copied from the
register ; and therefore the only authority for it, ,
is Fox, who is not so accurate as to induce one to'\
take his testimony against the authenticated copy of
the instrument itself As Mr. Jenkyns properly
suggests,^ Fox no doubt took it from a draft of the
injunctions, which was afterwards amended.
Mr. Jenkyns also adds, that it is not to be sup
posed that Cranmer would have thanked Cromwell
so warmly, or have been so much rejoiced as he was
when Cromwell procured the Bible, commonly called
Matthew's, to be allowed by his majesty's authority,
in 1537,'' had the king, little more than a year
before, granted his license to an earlier edition. He
would hardly have magnified Cromwell's merit to so
great a height, if there had been already a Bible in
the hands of the people, and allowed by the king's
authority.' And now, having given the arguments on the one
side and on the other, we shall state, that it seems
very possible that Coverdale's Bible was sanctioned
by the king's authority, although only for a short
time. For a contemporary of Coverdale's, a writer
of undoubted credit, tells us,* that " through the

'¦ Fol. 97, b. e Remns. of Cranm. vol. i. p. 200, n. i.
* See his letters on this subject, post, pp. 81 and 82.
' Remns. of Cranm. pref. p. xxvii.
* Ant. Eccl. Brit. p. 385, ed. 1572.

74 MEMORIALS OF"
" intercession of queen Anne, the king at last granted
" that English Bibles might be printed and placed
" in every church, where the people might read
" them. Which concession of the king," adds that
writer, " did not then take effect, because, shortly
" after,' queen Anne was beheaded."
Here is at once an easy solution of all these ap
parent contrarieties. The tradition ofthe MS. Book
of Devotions being given by queen Anne, is without
doubt quite correct. Coverdale's statement of Henry's
conduct -with regard to his Bible, as related by
Fulke, did refer to this Bible, for Henry did for a
time approve of it. Fox's copy of the injunctions
was taken from one, which was actually drawn out.
But when the queen fell into disgrace, all her ad
herents, and all that she supported, became no longer
tolerable to the king. The injunctions, which
although drawn up, were not probably issued, were
suppressed, and new ones published in their place.
Coverdale, with the change, lost his interest at
court; or rather, those who supported him were afraid
to revive the mention of a work, of which the unfor
tunate queen had been a promoter and chief mover :
they were contented, therefore, rather to let the work
find its own way unmolested, than to run the chance
of having it suppressed, if they solicited the king to
give it his authority. The same reasons, that pre
vented Coverdale's translation from being again pre
sented for the "king's notice, did not hold good for
' She was beheaded on the lilth Ma\, 1536.

MYLES COVERDALE. 75
another edition; and accordingly we find the edition
of 1537 presented to the king, and obtaining the
king's approbation. The joy exhibited in Cranmer's
letters will then appear nothing more than what
would naturally be raised in the mind of that great
man, when he found that what he considered the
only true measure to enlighten the people was really
at last effected.
Mr. Jenkyns also brings forward as another proof
that Coverdale's Bible was not authorized by the
king,'" that in June, 1536, the convocation again
prayed the king, " that he would indulge, unto his
" subjects of the laity, the reading of the Bible in
" the English tongue, and that a new translation of
" it might be made for that end and purpose." "
This, however, does not disprove that Coverdale's
Bible was, at one time, allowed and approved of by
the king, although the allowance was afterwards
withdrawn. By the convocation praying for a new
translation, it would appear, as Coverdale himself
said in his sermon at Paul's Cross, that his version
was objected to, on account of the errors, which, it
was alleged, it contained.
On the whole, the following would appear to be
the real circumstances of the case : that Coverdale
was encouraged to print the Bible by some of those
about the court, who had influence with queen Anne :
that a few copies only were at first circulated, in
order that the king's license might be procured, and
'" Remns. of Cranm. pref. p. xxvii.
" Heylyn, quoted in Lewis's Transl. of Bible, p. 102.

f

76 MEMORIALS OF
the rest printed with the words stating such license
in the title page : that they were submitted for the
king's perusal, who consulted the bishops on the
subject: that they told him there were many errors
in them ; but that he, influenced and persuaded by
the queen, and finding, even by the bishops' confes
sions, that there were no heresies maintained in them,
gave orders that injunctions should be made, com
manding them to be set up in the churches : that in
the mean while, and before these injunctions were
publicly issued, queen Anne fell under the king's
displeasure : that the Bible having thus lost its chief
supporter, those around the king ventured to repre
sent the danger of issuing a translation that was full
of errors : that the king, easUy swayed by his
humour, and having no one to uphold his original
intention, allowed the injunctions to be altered : that
thus Coverdale's translation was suffered to fall to
the ground, being neither prohibited nor sanctioned :
and that the remainder were issued fi-om the press
with the substitution of queen Jane, instead of queen
Anne, both because it might have prejudiced the
sale, the mention of the king's " dearest iust wyfe,
" and most vertuous Pryncesse, Queue Anne," and
because that queen Jane might thereby be induced
to interest herself in its support.
Having thus examined into how far Coverdale's
Bible was authorized by the king's sanction, let us
now proceed to say a few words about its publication.
All those who are engaged in tracing the rise and
progress of the reformed religion in England, must

MYLES COVERDALE. 77
look back to this period with considerable interest.
The first grand step towards leading men into the
right path, was at length, owing to the perseverance,
the learning, and the zeal of Coverdale, accomplished.
The word of God could now be perused by those
desirous of instruction, in a language they could
understand. It was no longer confined to the learned
and the studious few; but the most ignorant and
uninstructed could now derive from it those rules of
conduct for their guidance in the path of right, for
which they were before obliged to resort to men only
less ignorant than bigoted and superstitious ; to men,
whose interest it was to prevent them from the exer
cise of a free or rational judgment; to men, who
inculcated less a real practice of religion, than an
absurd devotion to its forms.
It is impossible to say, if Coverdale had not pub
lished this Bible, how long a time would have elapsed
before some one else would have undertaken it!
Although we may not doubt, but that few were as
well qualified as him for the task; yet it is not to be
supposed that in the then state of men's minds, many
years could have elapsed, without some one under
taking so important and necessary a work for the
furtherance of true religion and devotion. Cover-
dale's merit is however not the less on this account,
and we owe him indeed a deep debt of gratitude, and
may fairly assert, that to him we are mainly indebted
for the many editions, which subsequently were pub
lished, and for which the king's approbation and
license were at last obtained.

78 MEMORIALS OF
As to the merit to which this translation, as a pure
and faithful one, is entitled, U is not the intention of
the present writer to enter into any discussion; and
indeed it would scarcely be called for, after the ex
pressed opinions of so many learned scholars on the
subject. Mr. Whittaker has shown, in a most com
plete and satisfactory manner, that the Hebrew text
is by Coverdale, most faithfully and ably translated,
and the sense most consonant to the original always
adopted." A late eminent divine,'' who, whatever
peculiar views he may have entertained on certain
subjects, is universally allowed to be a man of much
learning and judgment, scruples not to affirm, that
this translation is one of more merit, and is more
according to the original, (such as Coverdale had it,)
than the present authorized version, which is com
monly read in the churches.'
As a specimen of this translation, we here insert
the ten commandments : — -
EXODUS, Chap. XX.
Deut. 5. a. ^ And the LORDE spake all these wordes, and sayde : I
' Exo. 14. c. am the LORDE thy God, which *haue brought the out
of the londe of Egipte from y' house of bondage,
* Deu. 4. c. Thou shalt haue none other Goddes in my sight*
and Z . b. Xhou shalt make the no grauen ymage ner eny symilitude,
nether of it that is aboue in heauen, ner of it that is be-
neth vpon earth, ner of it that is in tlie water \Tider the
earth. Worshipe them not, and serue them not : for I the
Nau la i '
Exo. 34. a. LORDE thy God am a* gelouse God, vysitinge y" synne
Deu. 7. b. of the fathers vpon the children, vnto y* thirde and fourth
° Hist, and Crit. Enq. p. 51- 5S.
•" Dr. Geddes, in his answers to queries, Vo. « Sec Note H.

Gene, 2.

MYLES COVERDALE. 79
generacion, of them that hate me : And do mercye vpo
many thousandes, that loue me, and kepe my commaunde-
mentes.
Leui. 19. c. J3 Thou shalt not take the name of y' LORDE thy God
liccU. 23. b. in vayne.* For the LORDE shal not holde him vngiltie,
that taketh his name in vayne.
Exo. 23. b. Remembre the Sabbath dale, that thou sanctifie it.
34. c. 35. a. gj^g dayes shalt thou laboure and do all thy worke : But
Eze 20 b vpon the seuenth daye is the Sabbath of the LORDE thy
God : thou shalt do no maner worke in it, nether thou, ner
thy Sonne, ner thy doughter, ner thy seruaunt, ner thy
mayde, ner thy catell, ner thy straunger that is within thy
gates. For in sixe dayes the LORDE made heauen and
earth, and the see, and all that ther in is, and rested vpon
the seuenth daye : therfore the LORDE blessed the
seuenth daye, & halowed it.
Matt. 15. a. Honoure thy father and thy mother, that thou mayest
Ephe. 6. a. j^^^ ^^^^^ ^^ ^-^^ j^^^^g^ ^^,^^^^ ^j^^ LORDE thy God shal
geue the.
C Thou shalt not kyll.
Thou shalt not breake wedlocke.
Thou shalt not steale.
Thou shalt beare no false wytnesse agaynst thy negh-
boure.
* Ro. 7. b. Thou shalt not* lust after t^ neghbours house.
and lo. b. Thou shalt not lust after thy neghbours wife, ner his
seruaut, ner his mayde, ner his oxe, ner his Asse, ner all
that thy neghboure hath.

CHAPTER VI.

MATTHEW S BIBLE PUBLISHED.  GRAFTON S LETTERS TO
LORD CROMWELL CONCERNING IT.  THE CLERGY MUCH
OFFENDED AT THIS EDITION', ON ACCOUNT OF THE PROLOGUE
AND PREFATORY PIECES ATTACHED TO IT.  COVERDALE
SUPERINTENDS THE PRINTING OF ANOTHER BIBLE AT PARIS.
 HIS LETTERS TO LORD CROMWELL. — THE WHOLE IMPRES
SION OF THE BIBLE IS SUDDENLY SEIZED ON, AND COVERDALE
HIMSELF NARROWLY ESCAPES THE INQUISITION.- — THIS BIBLE
PROCEEDED AFRESH WITH, ,1ND PUBLISHED IN 1.539.

In 1537, another Bible was printed, of a larger
and different type than that of Coverdale's, and on
larger paper." It is commonly called Matthew's
Bible, because in the title page it is stated to be
translated by Thomas Matthew ; but it is now pretty
generally understood that this was a fictitious name,
and merely designed to obviate any prejudice that
might have been conceived against it, had it been
mentioned who were the real trar^slators of it. Mr.
Lewis says, that this translation was taken as far as
' Copies ; Brit. Mus. — Lambeth. — Bodleian. — St. Paul's. — Christ
Church.— Baliol Coll.— All Souls Coll.— Earl of Bridgewater. -Earl
of Pembroke.— Bapt. Mus. Bristol. — Mr. Tutet.— .Mr. Offor. — Mr.
Bagster.

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE. 81
it would go of Tyndal's, and the rest by Coverdale.
Rogers was the superintendent,'' and Lewis says, he
thinks that Cranmer was one of the curators. Fox
and Strype say, it was published at Hamburgh ;
Mr. Wanley thought at Paris ; and Mr. Lewis says, it
is plain that the types are German, and that it was
very probably printed at Marbourg, in the province
of Hesse, where the Pentateuch and the Practice of
Prelates were printed, and where Rogers was the
superintendent." It has a dedication to the king, and
on the title page, in red letters, " Set forth with the
" Kinges most gracyous licece."
Grafton and Whitchurch were the persons at whose
cost this work was published ; and as soon as it was
finished, Cranmer sent a copy of it to Lord Cromwell,
telling him, that in his opinion, it was very well done.
And he prayed him, inasmuch as there had been
great pains taken in setting it forth, and since it was
dedicated to the king, that he would exhibit it unto
his grace, and obtaiii of him, if possible, a license
that the same might be sold and read of every person,
without danger of any act, proclamation, or ordinance,
heretofore granted to the contrary, until such time that
they the bishops should set forth a better translation,
which he thought would not be "till a day after
" Domes day." And he assured Cromwell, that al
though in the mean time, he might " suffre some
" snubbes, many sclandres, lyes, and reproches," for
' Fox's Acts and Monuments, >ol. ii. p. 516. I'ox gives a most
erroneous and imperfect account of this Bible.
• Hist. Transl. Bible, p. 108.

82 MEMORI.\LS OF
the interest he took in setting forth God's word;
yet that one day he would be fiUly requited for it.
This letter was dated the 4th of August.''
On the 1 3th of the same month, he wrote again
to Lord CromweU,' saying that he understood that
his lordship had not only exhibited the Bible to the
king, but had also obtained the king's license that it
inight be read and bought in his realm. For the
pains he had taken in this matter, he begged his lord
ship to receive his most hearty thanks, assuring him
that he had done him a greater pleasure than if he
had given him a thousand pounds ; and he doubted
not that, besides God's reward for this high and ac
ceptable service that he had done to God and the
king, his name would be for ever handed down to
posterity. That as for himself, his lordship might
reckon him his bondman for the same, and so
also he might, he made bold to say. his lordship of
Worcester, (Latimer.)
On the 28th of the same month, in another letter
that he wrote to Lord Cromwell, so overjoved was
he, that he could not forbear again adverting to this
subject, and thanking his lordship anew for what he
had done in setting forth the Bible.'
The same day, Grafton addi'essed a letter to Lord
Cromwell, accompanied by six Bibles, which he sent,
he said, according to his lordship's desire, and which
'' Orig. MS. Chapt. Ho. A\'estni. Printed in the Slate Papere, vol. i.
pt. 2, no. xciv.
' Orig. Cott. MS. Cleop. E. v. fol. 329 b.
/¦Orig-. Colt. .MS. Cleop. E. v. fol. -.M-J.

MYLES COVERDALE. 83
he made bold to desire his acceptance of, as his simple
gift, for the pains he had taken in setting forth God's
word. He told his lordship, that by " moving his
" most gracious prince to the allowance and licensing
" of such a work, he had wrought such an act
" worthy of praise, as ever was mentioned in any
" chronicle in this realm." Yet, he said, notwith
standing, there were many who would not believe
" that it had pleased the king's grace to license it to
" go forth ; " and he therefore requested that his
lordship would give them a license under his privy
seal for it. He doubted not that his lordship would
be earnest therein, as it was for the advancement of
God's word, and he was sure that their lordships of
Canterbury, Worcester, and Salisbury, would give
many thanks for the same. He had directed his
servant, he said, to wait for an answer.*
His lordship, it seems, apprehensive, were he to
do so, of the handle that he might thus give to his
enemies against him, in case the translation should
afterwards be found fault with, sent back for answer,
that he did not think he would need a license ; at
the same time, desiring him to send some more of
his Bibles.
Grafton accordingly did so, accompanying them
with a long letter, in which he set forth the expense
and labour he had been at in printing them. He
informed his lordship, that there were several Dutch
men within the realm, who designed to reprint his
' Orig. Cott. MS. Cleop. E. v. fol. 330. See Appendix, No. 2.
G 2

84 MEMORIALS OF
Bible in a smaller type ; and thus, not being at any
expense, but taking all his work ready done, they would
be able to undersell him. Their work would, no
doubt, as others they had published, have as many
errors in it as texts ; for they were too covetous to pay
a learned man ^20 or J40 for correcting it. He
therefore prayed his lordship, that he would procure
him the king's privilege, that none should print them,
till all that he had printed (1500 copies) had been
sold off; which he said he did not think would be
for three years ; and that he should not find him un
thankful for it, and he dared to say his Lord of Can
terbury, and other his most special friends, would be
much bounden to him for the same. For he had set
his whole venture on these Bibles, and if he was
hindered in the selling of them, it would be his utter
ruin. But that if this privilege could by no means
be obtained, " That yet for as moche as it hath
" pleased the kynges highnes to ly cence this worke
" to go abroade and that it is the moost pure worde
" of god which teacheth all true obedyence a re-
" proueth all scismes S contencyons. And the lacke
" of this worde of the allmyghtie god is the cause of
" all blyndenes and supsticion, yt maye ¦ therfore be
" coihaunded by yo' lordship in the name of o' most
" gracyous prynce, that euy curat haue one of them
" that they maye learne to knowe god 5 to instruct
" their paryssheiis." And that every abbey " of tlie
" papisticaU sorte" should be compelled to have six, to
be placed in six several places, for the whole convent
and resorters thereto to read therein. And he said

MYLES COVERDALE. 85
that even in the Bishop of London's diocese alone,
there would be no small nuraber thus disposed of
" For," says he, " I know that a small comyssyon
" wyll cause my lorde of Canto'^bury Salsbury l
" Worsetter to cause yt to be done thorow their
" dyocesse, ye and this shuld cease the whole scisme
" a contencyon that is in the realme, which is some
" callyng them of the olde and some of the new,
" now shuld we all folow one god, one boke 5 one
" learnynge. a this is hurtfuU to no man but proffyt-
" able to all men." He concluded by heartily
wishing that his lordship might overcome all his
adversaries of the papistical sort.*
It does not appear what answer Lord Cromwell
returned to this letter ; but it is most probable that no
privilege was granted to him, as no record of any is
to be found.
Whether or not the injunctions, published in the
following year by Lord Cromwell, as vicar-general,'
had reference to this edition of the Bible, cannot now
be well ascertained. But it appears that Grafton's
fear that others might reprint his translation, was
realized; for in the same year (1537) there was
another edition of it in folio,* published by some other
printer. The setting forth of this Bible of Matthews, we
are told, did not a little offend the clergy ; namely,
" the Bishop of Winchester and his fellows," both

* Cott. MS. Cleop. E. v. p. 325.
' See post, p. 106-7. * Bapt. Mus. Brist,

86 MEMORIALS OF
for the prologues, and more particularly, " because in
" the same book was one special table collected of
" the common places in the Bible, athe Scriptures for
" the approbation of the same, and chiefly about the
" supper of the Lord a marriage of priests, a the
" mass, which there was said not to be found in the
" Scripture.'" The consequence was that Henry was now often
applied to that a new version of the Bible might be
printed,'" without any prologues or annotations, which
they said were only made vehicles of heretical and
defamatory matter;" and accordingly he committed
the care of this to Lord CromweU." CromweU,
either wishing to make amends to Grafton for the
denial of his former request, or thinking him to be
the best person to whom so important a work could
be intrusted, appointed him and his partner, Edward
Whitchurch, to print a Bible, which, for correctness
and superiority of workmanship, was to surpass any
before undertaken.
At this time the paper, which was to be had in
Paris, was much better than what could be procured
in England; and the workmen too, in the former
place, were more experienced and skilful, and in
greater number. These considerations induced Graf
ton to think of printing it at Paris.
Where Coverdale had been in the mean time, since

Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 616.
Herb. Hist. Hen. VIII. p. 495. ed. 167-J.
Lewis's Hist. Transl. Bible, p. 120. " Herbert, ibid.

MYLES COVERDALE. 87
the publication of his Bible at Zurich, in 1535-6,
we have no means of ascertaining ; and the first if
mention we have of him again, is now in a letter,
which he addressed jointly with Grafton to Lord
CromweU.' This letter was dated from Paris, the 23rd of June,
and informed Lord Cromwell that they had entered
upon his work of the Bible, of which they sent him
two specimens : one on parchment, of which there
would be only two copies ; namely, for the king's
grace, and for his lordship ; and the other, on paper,
of which all the rest would be. The paper, they told
him, was the best in France, and the print, no doubt,
would be to his liking. They confessed the charge cer
tainly was great, and "they most humbly required
his favourable help at that present, with whatsoever it
should please his good lordship to let them have.''
They said, they doubted not but that this Bible would
" be not only to the glory of God, but a singular plea-
" sure also to his good lordship the causer thereof,
" and a general edifying of the king's subjects."
" For they followed not only a standing text of the
" Hebrews, with the interpretation of the Chaldea -W
" and the Greek, but they set also in a private table
" the diversity of readings of all texts, with such
" annotations ; in another, singularity of opinions,
" as all checkings j reproofs." They humbly desired
his lordship's favourable letters, to defend them
from the papists, directed either to the Bishop of
' Chapt. House, Westm. Bundle C. See Appendix, No. 3.

88 MEMORIALS OF
of Winchester,' or to whomsoever his lordship
should think most expedient. For that " they were
" daily threatened, and looked to be spoken withal,
" as the bearer could further inform his lordship ;"
but how they would be used, as then they knew not.
They said, they were the bolder to trouble his lordship,
seeing that it would make them the abler to perform
his lordship's work; for other refuge had they none,
under God and their king, save his lordship.
In compliance with their request, CromweU pro
cured of Henry his letters to the French king,
Francis the 1st, desiring him to permit and license
a subject of his, to print the Bible in EngUsh within
the university of Paris.'' At the same time, the king
wrote to his ambassador at Paris, who was then
Edmund Boner, bishop of Hereford,^ directing him
to aid and assist the parties concerned in the work in
all their reasonable demands. The which bishop,
Fox tells us, outwardly shewed great friendship to
Coverdale, Grafton, and Whitchurch, and particularly
to Coverdale. He would insist upon their being
almost daily at his table, both at dinner and supper ;

1 Gardiner, the king's ambassador at Paris.
"- Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 515, incorrectly numbered,
as p. 513.
' Fox here says. Boner was the ambassador at Paris; while in the pre
ceding letter, Gardiner is mentioned. Gardiner was some time in 1538
recalled from Paris, to be employed on other business, and Boner was
then appointed to this office in his stead; but the exact time is not known
when this change took place : however, if we are to trust Fox in the
above statement, it must have heen in the latter end of June, or begin
ning of July,

MYLES COVERDALE.

89

and took so great an interest in the progress of the
work, that he would often go to the printer's house,
where it was printing, and partake of the dinners
which the Englishmen there had, which he paid for ;
Httle minding, as it seemed, the cost thereof When
afterwards he was appointed to the bishoprick of
London, he sent for Grafton, and made him great
promises of how he would promote the word of God
in his diocese, and said to him, " I wiU have of your
" Bibles set up in the church of Pauls, at least, in
" sundrie places, six of them; a I wUl pay you honestly
" for them, a give you heartie thanks.'"
On the Qth of August, Coverdale, with Grafton and
WUliam Grey, addressed another letter" to Lord
Cromwell, in which they said as the work was getting
on, they had thought it their bounden duty to forward
to his lordship certain leaves thereof, and that from
time to time, as it was finished, they would send the
rest. They then explain the meaning of the marks
they had used in different parts of it.
On the 12th of September, Coverdale and Grafton
wrote again to his lordship," recommending to- his
favourable notice the suit of Francis Regnault, a
Frenchman, concerning some English primers, &c.
which he had printed, and which the company of
stationers would not allow him to seU in England.
As he was the man at whose office the Bible was

' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 515.
" Chapt House, West. Bundle C. See Appendix, No. 4.
" In Coverdale's handwriting. MS. Chapt. Ho. Westm. Bundle C.
See Appendix, No. 5.

90 MEMORIALS OF
printing, they hinted that the work would not fare
the worse, if his lordship would further his request.
They added, that the Bible was getting well forward,
and within a few months, by the grace of Almighty
God, would draw to an end.
On the Sth of December, Coverdale sent a letter "
to Lord Cromwell, begging to know his lordship's
pleasure, concerning the annotations of the Bible,
whether he should proceed in them or not. " Pity
' it were, said he, that the dark places of the text
' (upon the which he had always set a hand ^)
' should so pass undeclared. As for any private
' opinion or contentious words, as he would utterly
' avoid all such, so would he offer the annotations
' first to his Lord of Hereford ; to the intent that he
' should so examine the same, afore they were put
' in print, if it were his lordship's good pleasure
' that he should do so." — " And whereas his said
' Lord of Hereford was so good unto them as to
' convey this much of the Bible to his good lordship,
' he humbly besought the same, to be the defender
' and keeper thereof: to the intent that if those men
' proceeded in their ' cruelnesse' against them a con-
' fiscated the rest ; yet that, at the least, might be
' safe by the means of his lordship, whom God the
' Almighty evermore preserve to his good pleasm'e."
What Coverdale here feared, soon took place ; for
Regnault, the printer, was, onthe 17th of this month,'

Orig. Harl. MS. cod. 604, p. 9S. Sec Appendix, No. 6.
Cott. MS. Cleop. E, \. fol. .326.

MYLES COVERDALE. 91
cited to appear before the Inquisition, and was there
charged with heresy, for printing the sacred writ in
a vulgar tongue, whereby people were led into errors
of faith and belief And then the Englishmen con
cerned in this work, were sent for ; but they, having
some warning of what would follow, " posted away
" as fast as they could to save themselves, leaving ,
" behind them all their Bibles, which were to the
" number of 2500."" These were seized and con
demned, and delivered over to the lieutenant-criminal
to be burnt, " in a place of Paris (like Smithfield),
" called Haulbert Place." The cupidity of this
officer, however, induced him to sell " four great
" dryfats of them to a haberdasher, to lay caps in,"
which were afterwards bought again, but the rest
were burned. " But notwithstanding the said losse
" after they had recovered some part of the foresaid
" books, and were comforted and encouraged by the
" Lord Cromwell, the said English men went again
" to Paris, and there got the Presses, letters, and
" Servants, of the foresaid Printer, and brought them
" to London, and there they became Printers them-
" selves (which before they never intended), and
" printed out the said Bible in London ; and after
" that printed sundrie impressions, but yet not with-
" out great trouble and losse, for the hatred of the
" Bishops, namely, Stephen Gardiner and his fellows,
" who mightily did stomack and maligne the printing
" thereof" '
1 Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 516. Id. ibid.

92 MEMORIALS OF
This Bible was accordingly finished and published
in London, in April, 1539.° It is a large folio, and
is often called Cranmer's Bible, because some copies
have Cranmer's prologue in them ; but it seems
doubtful whether, in such cases, the prologue is not
that of the real Cranmer's Bible of 1540, bound up
in the edition of 1539. This view seems the more
likely, as there is no mention of the prologue in the
title-page of the edition of 1539, which there is in
that of 1540.
There is a letter from Cranmer to Lord CromweU,
in the MSS. in the Chapter House at Westminster,'
in which he begs, if his majesty has seen and
allowed the preface which he wrote to the Bible,
that it may be given unto the printer to print. The
date of this letter is the 14th of November, but
whether of 1538 or 1539, cannot be clearly ascer
tained; although, from one or two circumstances, it
would appear that the latter date is most probably
the correct one.
In a preface from the setters forth of this edition,
there is the following passage : " We haue also (as
" ye maye se) added many handes both in the
" mergent of thys volume, and also in the texte, vpon
" the which, we purposed to haue made in the ende
" of the Byble (in a table by them selues) certen
" godly annotacions : but for so moche as yet there

» Copies : Brit. Mus. — Lambeth. — St. Paul's. — Baliol Coll. — Line.
Coll.— St. John's Coll. Cambr.— Bapt. Mus. Bristol.— Dr. Coombe.
» Bundle C.

MYLES COVERDALE. 93
" hath not bene suffycient tyme minystred to the
" Kynges moost honorable councell, for the ouersyght
" and correccyon of the sayde annotacyons, we will
" therfore omyt them, tyll their more couenient
" leysour. Doynge nowe nomore but beseake the
" moost gentle reader, that whe thou commest at
" soche a place where a hande doth stande (or any
" other where, in the Byble) and thow canst not
" attayne to the meanynge and true knowledge of
" that sentence, then do not rashly presume to make
" any pryuate interpretacyon therof : but submyt
" thy selfe to the iudgement of those that are godly
" learned in Chryst Jesu. To the which Jesu with
" the father and holy ghost be honoure and prayse
" foreuer. Amen."
Although they were thus prevented from making
any annotations, the marks served the purpose of 1/
pointing out those texts to notice, which, Stiype
says, were such " as did more especially strike at
" the errors and abuses of the Romish church." "
" Life of Cranmer, p. 82.

CHAPTER VII.

LATIN AND ENGLISH NEW TESTA.MENT BY COVERDALE 'SYNIS
TRALLY' PRINTED IN LONDON.  DEDICATED TO KING
HENRY.  PREFACE TO READER, EVIDENTLY NOT BY COVER-
DALE.  AN AUTHORIZED COPY BY COVERDALE PRINTED AT
PARIS.  DEDICATED TO LORD CROMWELL.  COMPLAINS OF
FORMER EDITION.  BUT EXCUSES THE PRINTER ON AC
COUNT OF HIS GOOD INTENTIONS.  PREFACE TO THE
READER.  SOME OF THE PSALMS TRANSLATED INTO VERSE
AND PUBLISHED BY COVERDALE.  SPECIMEN OF HIS VER
SIFICATION.

In the mean time, a New Testament, in Latin and
English, had been published by James Nicholson,
in the Lent of 1538.° The English was of Cover-
dale's translation, and it was dedicated by him " To
" the moost noble, moost gracious, and oure moost
" dradde soueraigne lord Kynge Henry y"" eyght,
" kynge of Englade and of Fraunce. ac. Defender
" of Christes true fayth, a vnder God the chefe and
' Copies: King's Library. — Bodleian, imperfect. This edition is
very rare. There was another edition, however, by the same printer.
See List of Works, Art. 13.

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE. 95
" supreme heade of the churche of Englande, Ire-
" lande. ac."
He tells the king: " Consyderynge (moost gra-
" cious Soueraigne) how louyngly, how fauourably,
" and how tederly your hyghnesse hath taken myne
" infancy a rudenesse in dedicatynge the whole bible
" in Englysh to your moost noble grace. And
" hauyng sure experience also how benygne and
" gracious a mynde your hyghnes doth euer beare to
" all the that in theyr callyng are wyllynge to do
" theyr beste : It doth eue animate a encorage me
" now lykewyse to vse the same audacite towarde
" your grace." And this, he adds, " (doutles) is one
" of y° chefest causes why I do now with moost
" hiible obedience dedicate a offre this translacid of
" y^ new Testamet vnto your moost royall maiestye."
He says he cannot but perceive how necessary it
is, that even those who seek nothing but the glory
of God, should commit themselves to the king's
gracious protection. For the enemies of God's word
cease not yet " to pycke quarels, a to seke out new
" occasions, how they may depraue a synistrally
" interprete our wel doynges. And where as w* all
" faythfulnes we go about to make our brethren
" (youre graces louynge subiectes) participante of the
" frutes of oure good wylles, they yet not regardynge
" what profite we wolde be glad to do them, reporte
" euell of vs, sklaunder vs, and saye the worste of
" vs : Yee they are not ashamed to affirme, that we
" intende to peruerte the scripture, and to condemne
" the commune translacion in Latyn, whych cos-

96 MEMORIALS OF
" tumably is red in the church : where as we pur-
" pose the cleane contrary. And because it greueth
" them that your subiectes be growen so farre in
" knowlege of theyr dewtye to God, to youre grace,
" a to theyr neghboures, theyr inwarde malyce doth
" breake oute in to blasphemous a vncomlye wordes,
"in so much that they cal your louynge a faythfuU
" people, heretikes, new fangled fellowes, English
" biblers, coblers of diuinite, fellowes of the new
" fayth. ac. with such other vngodly sayenges."
How needful a thing then is it, he adds, that they
should put themselves under his grace's protection !
without which, they would be indeed as " Orphanes,
" and vtterly desolate of comforte."
And he says, to show how little he despises the
common translation in Latin, called St. Hierom's,
which is the one read in the churches, or any other,
he has here set it forth : and this, " not so much for
" the clamorous importunyte of euell speakers, as to
" satisfye the iust request of certayne your graces
" faythfuU subiectes. And specially to induce and
" instructe such as can but Englishe, a are not
" learned in the Latin, that in coparynge these two
" textes together, they maye the better vnderstonde
" the one by y' other. And I doute not but such
" ignoraunt bodies as (hauynge cure and charge of
" soules) are very vnlearned in the Latyn tunge,
" shall trough thys smal laboure be occasioned to
" atteyn vnto more knowlege, and at the leest be
" costrayned to saye well of the thynge, whyche
" here tofore they haue blasphemed. The ignorauce

MYLES COVERDALE. 97
' of which men yf it were not so exceadyng great,
' a man wolde wonder what shulde moue the to
' make such importune cauillacions agaynst vs. It
' is to be feared, that frowardnesse and malice is
' myxte with theyr ignorauce. For in as much as in
' our other translacions we do not foUowe thys olde
' Latyn texte word for word they cry out vpo vs :
' As though al were not as nye the truth to traslate
' the scripture out of other languages, as to turne it
' out of the Latyn. Or as though the holy goost
' were not the authoure of his scripture aswell in '
' the Hebrue, Greke, French, Dutche, and in Eng- ^
' lysh, as in Latyn. The scripture g worde of
' God is truly to euery Christe man of lyke worthy-
' nesse and authorite, in what language so euer the
' holy goost speaketh it. And therfore am I, and
' wyl be whyle I lyue (vnder youre moost gracious
' fauoure and correction) alwaye wyllynge and ready
' to do my best aswel in one translation, as in
' another." He observes that the present translation in Latin
is so faulty and erroneous, that it would be " a godly
" a gracious dede, yf they that haue authorite, know-
" lege, and tyme, wolde (vnder youre graces cor-
" rectio) examen it better after the moost auncient
" interpreters and moost true textes of other lan-
" guages. For certaynly, in coparynge dyuerse J
" examplers together, we se, that in many places
" one copye hath eyther more or lesse then another,
" orels the texte is altered from other languages."
In conclusion he says : " To geue other men occa-
H

98 MEMORIALS OF
" sion now to do theyr l)est, and to expresse ray good
" wyll, yf I could do better, I haue for the causes
" aboue rehearsed, attempted thys smal laboure, sub-
'• myttynge (with all hmnblenesse and subiection) it
" and all other my lyke doinges, to your graces moost
" noble Maiestye. Not onely because I am bounde
" so to do, but to the intent also that through youre
'¦ moost gracious defence, it maye haue the more
" fredome amonge your obedient subiectes, to the
" gloiy of the euerlastynge God."
There is also a preface to the reader, but as this
seems, both from the style and sentiments, evidently
not from Coverdale's pen (although portions of it
may have been), and as it contains nothing of par
ticular interest or curiosity, we have not deemed it
necessary to give any description of it here.
This work was, it seems, as Coverdale styled it,
'¦ synistrally piynted and negligently corrected." Graf
ton tells us, that a stranger brought a copy of it to
Paris, and that when Coverdale had examined it.
" he found his name added thervnto as the trans-
\ " lato\ with thewhich he neuer had to do, nether
^ '¦ sawe he it before it was full prynted and ended."'
This, however, seems to be a mistake or exaggera
tion of Grafton's, as we shall afterwards see by
Coverdale's own statement. Grafton, therefore, at
his request, reprinted it at Paris ; " although," as he
said, " he had ynough to do besyde." Fox says, that
it was Boner, that caused the printers to undertake
» Letter from Grafton to Cvomwcll, Cult. MS. Cleop. E. v. fol. ;!-28.
Dated December 1 (I.V^-^).

MYLES COVERDALE. 99
this Paris edition, and that he bought a great many
of them himself, and gave them away also among
his friends." This edition was issued fr-om the press
before the beginning of December, 1538.''
It was dedicated " To the ryght honorable lorde
" Cromwell : lorde preuye seale, vice-gerent to the
" Kynges hyghnesse, concernyng all his iurisdiccion
" ecclesiasticall within the realme of Englande."
He begins, " I was neuer so wyllinge to laboure
" and trauayll for the edifyeng of my brethren (right
" honorable a my singular good lorde) but I am, and
" pui-pose to be while I lyue, by gods grace, euen as
" readye to amende a redresse anye maner of thynge,
" that I can espye to be ether synistraUy prynted, or
" neghgently correcte. And no lesse do I esteme it
" my dewtye to amende other mens fautes, then yf
" they were myne awne. Trueth it is, that this last
" lent I dyd with all hublenesse directe an Epistle
" vnto the kynges most noble grace : trustinge, that
" the boke (wher vnto it was prefixed) shulde after-
" warde haue bene aswell correcte, as other bokes
" be. And because I coulde not be present my selfe
" by the reason of sondrye notable impedimetes)
" therfore in asmoch as the new testament, which I
" had set forth in English before,' doth so agree with
" the latyn, I was hartely well contet, that the latyn
' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii. p. 315, incorrectly numbered as
p. 513.
'' Copies : St. Paul's.— Bapt. Mus. Bristol. — Dr. Coombe and Her
bert had both copies.
' He probably here alludes to the New Testament mentioned further
ou, p. 103, and in List of Works, Art. 11.
11 2

100 MEMORIALS OF
" and it shulde be set together : Prouyded allwaye,
" that the correctour shulde foUowe the true copye
" of the lat}'n in anye wyse, and to kepe the true a
'• right Englishe of the same. And so doynge I
" was cotet to set my name to it. And euen so I dyd :
" trustinge, that though I were absent a out of the
"lande, yet all shuld be well: And (as God is
" my recorde) I knew none other, tiU this last Julye,
" that it was my chaiice here in these parties at a
" straungers hande, to come by a copye of the sayde
" prynte. Which whan I had perused, I founde,
" that as it was disagreable to my former translacion
" in English, so was not the true copye of the latyn
" texte obserued, nether the english so correspondent
" to the same, as it ought to be : but in many places
" both base, insensyble, a cleane contrary, not onely
" to the phrase of oure language, but also from the
" vnderstondyng of the texte in latyn. " He there
fore sets forth this corrected edition, though, as he
says, " my businesse be greate ynough besyde ;" and
he humbly offers it to his lordship •• according
" to the dewtye that I owe vnto youre lordshippes
" office, in the iurisdiction ecclesiasticaU of oure
" most noble kynge ; " — " besechinge you. that
" (where as this copye hath not bene exactly fol-
" lowed afore) the good hart and wyll of the dears
" maye be considered, a not the necligence of the
" worke : Specially, seing they be soch men : which
" as they are glad to prynt and set forth any good
" thyng, so wyll they be hartely well content, to haue
" it truly correcte, that they them selues of no malyce

MYLES COVERDALE. 101
" ner set purpose haue ouersene. And for my parte
" (though it hath bene damage to my poore name) I
" hartely remitte it, as I do also the ignoraunce of
" those, which (not long agoo) reported, that at the
" prynting of a right famous mans sermon, I had
" depraued the same, at the doyng wherof I was
" thirtie myle from thence, neither dyd I euer set
" peiie to it, though I was desyred."
And " as concernyng this texte of latyn, because
" it is the same that is red in the church, a therfore
" comoly the more desyred of all men, I do not doute,
" but after that is examined of the lerned (to whom
" I most hartely referre it) it shall instructe the
" ignoraut, stoppe the monthes of euell speakers, a
" induce both the hearers and readers to fayth a good
" workes :" which if it so come to pass, " then haue
" I my hole desyre, a all the gaynes that I seke
" herin." And in conclusion he says : " I might haue dedi-
" cate vnto youre lordshippe some other litle treatise,
" touchinge some parte of the admynistracid of the
" comen welth (as prudence, policye, or some other
" pryuate vertue). But for asmoch, as in the new
" testament is conteyned the very pith and sub-
" staunce of all vertue, and the paterne of all good
" gouernauce : Cohdering also that youre lordshippe
" doth aduaunce nothig so moch as the true wor-
" shippe of God, the kynges honour, the welth of
" his realme, a increace of all vertu (which this new
" testamet doth teach) I thought no thing meter to
" sende vnto you, the that which ye daylie occupied

102 MEMORIALS OF
" with all, a that all youre chefe studye a pleasure
" is m.
In his preface to the reader, he thus expresses
himself: " Thys translacion (most deare reader)
" haue I wyth a right good wyll set forth for thy
" edifyeng, trustyng that yf thou vse it well, it shall
" moue the to increace, and growe in all soch
" verteous wayes, as allmyghtie God hath begonne
" in the. And where as it hath not bene set forth
" vnto the heretofore so exactly and in all poyntes so
" perfectly as myght haue bene, I praye the conster
" all to the best, and blame neyther the prjTiter ner
" me, consydering, that we beare no worse mynde
" vnto the, then thou doest to thy selfe.
" And for my parte, I wyll desyre nothinge of the
" agayne, but that (as thou art graciously lycensed
" by the goodnes of God in oure prynce, to reade
" and enioye thys and all the other partes of the
" lyuely worde of God) thou wylt so embrace it,
" folowe it, and practise it in thy daylie lyuinge, that
" thou euen marye thy selfe to the fi-utes of the holy
" goost therin : And so to vse it, that thou be sober
" in the knowlege therof, not onely avoyding all con-
" tencion and strife. But also wyth all hmnblenesse,
" a vnder correction to requyre of them (that be
" lerned in scripture) the true sense and vnderstond-
" ing of soch places, as vnto the be yet darke and
" obscure." And he says, " As touching thys texte in latyn,
" and the style therof (which is red in the church,
" and is comeuly called. S. Hieroms translacio)

MVLES COVERDALE. 103
" though there be in it many and sondrye senteces,
" wherof, some be more then the Greke, some lesse
" then the Greke, some in maner repugnaunt to the
" Greke, some contrary to the rules of the latyn
" tonge and to the ryght order therof, (as thou
" mayest easely perceaue, yf thou copare the diuer-
" syte of the interpreters, together) yet for asmoch
" as I am but a pryuate man and owe obedience vnto
" the hyer powers, I referre the amendment and
" reformacyon her of vnto the same, and to soch as
" excell in auctorite and knowlege. Onely in thys
" one thyng thus bolde I am (vnder correction) that
" where as the Greke andthe olde awncient authours
" reade the prayer of oure lorde in the xi Chapter of
" Luke after one maner, leauyng out no peticion of
" the same, I folowe their lecture, though sondrye
" copies of the vulgar translacion do the contrary,
" omittyng two peticions therof"
In conclusion, he desires the reader to take this
translation in good part, and to consider that many
different translations act as commentaries the one
upon the other, explaining, opening, and illustrating
difficult passages.
There was another edition of this last work pub
hshed in 1539; or rather it would appear that it
was part of this same edition, with only a reprinted
title-page.-'^ Coverdale's translation of the New Testament also
came forth separately in 1538.*^
' See List of Works, Art. 15. « See List of Works, Art. 11.

104 MEMORIALS OF
Several of the Psalms were turned by Coverdale
into English verse, and published with musical
notes.'' What was the exact date of this publication
is not known, but it must have been prior to 1538.
In his lines to his book, on sending it into the world,
he says : —
" Be not ashamed I warande the
" Though thou be rude in songe and ryme
" Thou shalt to youth some occasion be
" In godly sportes to passe theyr tyme."
We give the following Psalm at length, as a speci
men of Coverdale's talents at versification.

PSALM CXXXVII.
At the ryvers of Babilon
there sat we downe ryght hevely
Euen whan we thought upon Sion
we wept together sorofully
for we were in soch hevynes
y' we forgat al our merynes
and left of all our sporte & playe
on the willye trees y' were therby
we hanged up our harpes truly
And momed sore both night & day.
2.
They that toke us so cruelly
and led us bounde into pryson
requyred of us some melody
with wordes full of derision
when we had hanged our harpes awaye
this cruell folke to us coulde saye
Copy, thc only one known to exist, iu Queen's Coll. Oxford.

MYLES COVERDALE. 105
Now let us hear some mery songe
Synge us a songe of some swete toyne
as ye were wont to synge at Sion;
where ye have lerned to synge so longe.
3.
To whom we answerd soberly
beholde now are we in youre honde
how shulde we under captivite
synge to the lorde in a straunge londe
Hierusalem. I say to the
Yf I remembre the not truly
My honde playe on the harpe nomore
Yf I thynke not on the alwaye
Let my tonge cleve to my mouth for aye
and let my loose my speache therfore.

Yee above all myrth and pastaunce
Hierusalem I preferre the
Lorde call to thy remembraunce
The sonnes of Edom ryght strately
In the daye of the destruccion
which at Hierusalem was done
for they sayd in their cruelnes
Downe with it, downe with it, desti-oye it all
Downe with it soone, that it may fall
Laye it to the grounde all that there is.

O thou cite of Babilon
Thou thyselfe shalt be destroyed
Truly blessed shalbe that man
which even as thou hast deserved
Shall rewarde the with soch kyndnesse
As thou hast shewed to us gyltlesse
which never had offended the
Blessed shall he be that for the nones
Shall throwe thy chyldren agaynst the stones
To brynge the out of memorie.

CHAPTER VIII.

STEPS TAKEN IN ENGLAND FOR THE PROMULGATION OF THE
SCRIPTURE.  INJUNCTIONS OF CROMWELL, AS VICAR-GE
NERAL, FOR THE SETTING UP OF A BIBLE IN EVERY PARISH
CHURCH.  DECLARATION OF THE KING TO BE READ BY
THE CURATES IN THE CHURCHES, THAT IT WAS HIS MAJESTY's
PLEASURE AND COMMAND, THAT THE BIBLE SHOULD BE
SINCERELY TAUGHT AND OPENLY LAID FORTH IN EVERY
PARISH CHURCH.  THE BISHOPS PERSUADE THE KING TO
TAKE MEASURES AGAINST THE IMPORTATION FROM ABROAD
OF REFORMED DOCTRINES.  ACT OF THE SIX ARTICLES. —
FALL OF CROMWELL.  CONSEQUENT DECLIJJE OF THE RE
FORMED PARTY.

But now to turn our attention to the steps that
had been taken in England with regard to the pro
mulgation of the Scriptures. Lord Cromwell, as
vicar-general, had, in the month of September,
1538/ issued certain injunctions to the clergy,'
amongst which were the following clauses : —
" Stow's Aunals.
' Ex reg. Cranm. fol. 99. b. printed in Wilkins' Cone. M. B. They
are there improperly classed under the year 1536. These injunctions
are also printed in Fox's Acts and Monimients, vol. ii. p. 389.

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE. 107
" Item, that ye shall provyde on this side the feast
" of  next commyng, one boke of the whole
" Bible of the largest volume in Englyshe, and the
" same sett up in summe convenyent place within the
" said churche that ye have cure of, whereat your
" parishners may most commodiouslye resort to the
" same and rede yt; the charges of whiche boke
" shal be ratablie bom between you the parson, and
" the parishners aforsaid, that ys to say, the one half
" by yowe, and th' other half by them.
" Item, that ye shall discorage no man pryvely or
" apertly from the readinge or hearing of the same
" Bible, but shall expresslye provoke, store, and ex-
" horte every parsone to rede the same, as that whyche
" ys the verye lively worde of God, that every chris-
" ten man ys bownde to embrace, beleve, and fol-
" lowe, yf he loke to be saved ; admonyshinge them
" neverthelesse, to avoid all contention and alterca-
" tion therin, and to use an honest sobrietye in the
" inquisition of the true sense of the same, and
" referre th' explication of obscure places to men of
" higher jugement in Scripture."
He also ordered that the Lord's prayer in English
should be read, and that they should examine their
parishioners therein, and in the creed.
Whether this injunction referred to Matthew's
Bible, or to the one that was then printing in Paris,
and which, as we have seen, was expected soon to be
finished, cannot be ascertained ; for as the day is not
named in the injunctions, we cannot tell whether it
was one sufficiently distant, to have rendered it

108 MEMORIALS OF
probable that the Paris edition would be before then
published. The king at the same tirae, gave out a
royal declaration," which the curates were requested
to read in their several churches ; informing the
people, that it had pleased the king's majesty to
permit and command the Bible, being translated into
their mother tongue, to be sincerely taught by them,
and to be openly laid forth in every parish church.
As the following part is somewhat curious, it is
given word for word.
" And if at any tyme by reading any Doubt shall
" come to any of yo° touching the sense and meanyng
" of any pte thereof. That thenne not geving to
" moche to yo' owne mynds fantazies and opinions
" nor having thereof any open reasonyng in yo' open
" Tauernes or Alehowses, ye shall haue Recourse to
" suche lerned men as be or shalbe auctorised to
" preache and declare the same, Soo that avoyding
" all contentions and disputacons in such Alehowses
" and other places vnmete for suche conferencs and
" submytting yonr opinions to the Judgements of
" suche lerned men as shalbe appoynted in this
" behaulf, His grace may wel pceyue that yo° vse
" this most hiegh benefyte quietly and charitably
" euy of yo" to the edefying of himself his mef and
" famylye in al thinges aunswering to his hieghnes
" good opinion conceyued of yo"" in thadvauncemet
" of vtue and suppressing of vice w*out failing to vse
" suche discrete quietnes and sober moderatyon in
' MS. Cott. Cleop. E. v. fol. 327, without date, but assigned by
Strype, in his Life of Cranmer, to the year 1538.

MYLES COVERDALE. 109
" the premisses as is aforesaid As ye tender his gracs
" pleas' and intend to avoyde his hiegh indignacon
" and the pill and daunger that may ensue to yo" and
" eiiy of youe for the contrary."
Cranmer also, who, the see of Hereford being
vacant, held a visitation in it in this year, published
some injunctions to the parsons, vicars, and curates,
commanding them to procure the Bible, or at least
the New Testament, in Latin and English, and to
study it diligently, and to prevent no one from read
ing the same ; but rather encourage them, to the end
that they might reform their lives, and learn their
duty.'' But we are told that many of the priests opposed
these measures as much as they could. " They read
" confusedly the word of God, and the injunctions
" set forth and commanded by them to be read ;
" humming and hawing, and banking thereat, that
" scarce any could understand them." — " They bad
" their parishioners, notwithstanding what they read,
" being compelled so to do, that they should do as
" they did in times past, to live as their fathers ;
" and that the old fashion is the best : and other
" crafty and seditious sayings they gave out among
"them."' Notwithstanding, however, Strype tells us, that
" it was wonderful to see with what joy this book of
" God was received, not only araong the learneder
¦1 Stry. Cranm. p. 70.
' Id. ibid. Strype quotes Cott. MS. Cleop. E. vi. p. 222, but there
is nothing of the sort there.

110

MEMORIALS OF

" sort, and those that were noted for lovers of the
" reformation, but generally all England over, among
" all the vulgar and common people ; and with what
'• greediness God's word was read, and what resort
" to places where the reading of it was. Every
" body that could, bought the book, or busily read
" it, or got others to read it to them, if thev could
" not themselves, and divers more elderly persons
•• learned to read on purpose." '
And with the reading of the Bible, reformed
opinions began to spread. iMen naturallv expected to
find, in the commands of the sacred writ, an authority
for every part of that religion in which they had
been brought up; and when, on the contrary, they
found many important ceremonies and tenets, which
were not only unsanctioned by, but as the opinion of
some went, were perfectly contrary to the spirit of
Scripture, they at first murmured, and then openly
questioned the propriety of their observing them any
longer: and this they did, not in private places or
meetings, but openly, publicly, in the taverns, and
in all their assemblies. These discussions were so
disagreeable to the bishops, and so clearly involving,
sooner or later, a contempt of their authority, that
they made fi-equent complaints of them to the king ;
and they alleged that the number of books that were
printed abroad, and suffered to be imported into the
realm, Avere the principal cause of them. Henry.
who was extremely jealous lest his subjects should
' Life of Cvannun-, p. 61

MYLES COVERDALE. Ill
presume to judge for themselves in matters of reli
gion, and probably proceed to question his right to
form rules for their spiritual guidance, lent a ready
ear to these complaints ; and accordingly, in Novem
ber, 1538, he issued the following proclamation,^ by
which he commanded : —
That no one should, without the king's license,
import, sell, or publish any English books printed
abroad ; on pain of forfeiture of all their goods and
chattels, and imprisonment during the king's plea
sure :
That no one -within the realm should print any
book in English, unless the same were first allowed
by some of the king's privy council, or such other as
his grace should appoint ; and having such allowance
that the words " cu privilegio Regali," were not to
be put without adding, " ad imprimendu solu ; "
and that moreover the whole, or at least the effect of
the license should be printed therein in the English
tongue :
That no one should print or import fi'om abroad
" any boks of dyvyn scripture in the English tong
" w* any annotacons in the margyn or any prologe or
" addytions in the Calendar or table except such
" annotacons were first vieued examyned and allowed
" by the kings hieghnes or such of his counsaile or
" other as it should please his Ma"' to assigne therto,
" but oonly the playn sentence and texte w* a table
" or Repertory instructing the reader to fynde redely
e MS. Cott. Cleop. E. v. fol. 340. b, See Note I.

112 MEMORIALS OF
" the chapito's conteyned in the said booke and
" theffects therof: "
That every book translated into the English
tongue, should have the plain name of the translator
thereto affixed ; on pain of the printer being fined and
imprisoned at the king's pleasure, or else the trans
lator to suffer as if he were the printer :
And that no person within the realra should print
any book of Scripture, unless examined and aUowed
by the king's highness, or one of his privy councU,
or by a bishop of the realm, whose name was to be
expressed therein; on pain of losing all their goods
and chattels, and suffering imprisonment during the
king's pleasure.
The rest of this proclamation is against Anabap
tists and other sectaries, desiring them to depart out
of the realra within ten days after proclamation
raade ; and it enjoins that none argue concerning the
holy sacrament, nor against other rites and ceremo
nies not yet abrogated and annulled by his grace;
and that no priests marry ; and that those who have
already done so, be expelled fi-om their cures and
benefices. In Fox's copy, there is also a further
clause, concerning the abolishing of Thomas a
Becket's day, and for annulling his canonization.
We may conclude that this proclamation did not
answer the king's intentions ; for on the 14th of
November, 1539, he issued his letters patent,'' ad
dressed to all printers and sellers of books and other
» Pat. 31. Hen. 8. p. 4. m. 15. Rym, Feed. See Note J.

MYLES COVERDALE.

113

his subjects ; by which he inforraed them " that
" beyng desirous to have our People at tymes con-
" venyent geve theymselfes to th' atteynyng of the
" knoulege of Goddes Worde," in order the better to
honour him and keep his commandments, and do
their duty towards their prince; and considering
that the best means to effect so good an end was to
grant them the free and liberal use of the Bible in
their maternal English tongue : yet forasmuch as a
diversity of translations might breed manifold incon
veniences, if wilful and heady folk conferred there
upon, his majesty had thought it fit to appoint, that
no one should attempt to print " any Bible in the
" English Tonge of any maner of Volume, duryn the
" Space of Fyve Yeres next ensuyng after the Date
" therof; " unless they were licensed thereunto by
the Lord Cromwell.
Several editions of Cranmer's Bible were printed
in 1540, and the following year. The one printed in
1541, is expressed to be overseen by Tonstal and
Heath, bishops of Durham and Rochester. This
was in obedience to the king's injunctions of Novem
ber, 1538 : and we presume that the reason why the
edition of 1540, also, is not expressed to be overseen
by any one, is, that at that time Cromwell was alive,
and in favour, and therefore his allowing it was
sufficient. In 1540, Cromwell, who had been for some time
regarded by the king with secret displeasure, expe
rienced the cruel reverse of fortune which always
attended those who were favourites of this king.

114 MEMORIALS OF
From a low station he had been raised to the highest
posts in the kingdom; and yet neither the sudden
ness nor eminence of his elevation had betrayed him
into the vices, so common under similar circum
stances — ingratitude and haughtiness. He was affable
and courteous to all ; and more than one instance is
recorded of his grateful remembrance in prosperity,
of benefits conferred upon him, when he was in a
less elevated situation.
He was early inclined to the reformed religion,
and from his prudent and wise conduct, and his great
credit with the king, he was able to render it most
efficient services. The ministers of king Henry
were of a motley description. The Duke of Norfolk,
who had great authority in the council, and Gardiner,
bishop of Winchester, were both zealous supporters
of the ancient religion. Cranmer and Cromwell
were for the new. Queen Anne Boleyn, and queen
Jane Seymour, who succeeded the former in Henry's
affections, favoured the new. The king's interests
sided with the latter party ; whUst his prejudices
were strongly engaged for the forraer. Both parties
were obliged, while dealing with this imperious
monarch, to feign an entire submission and perfect
adherence to whatever he thought best ; but the one
sought always to break off all connection between
him and the see of Rome, and to destroy the power
and privileges of the ecclesiastics ; while the other
endeavoured to counteract these projects, and to
discourage and put down the followers of the new
tenets.

MYLES COVERDALE.

115

Cromwell had long had at heart the project of
suppressing aU the monasteries, and thus striking at
the very roots of the great power and influence of
the Roman Cathohcs ; but this was a dangerous step
to take, and requUed much caution. Wolsey had
succeeded in suppressing some of the smaUer monas
teries, and endowing with their revenues the two
coUeges he had founded at Oxford and Ipswich.
Cromwell, who was then in the service of the car
dinal, was one of those chiefly engaged in this busi
ness, and some complaints of him were forwarded to
the king, which much angered him, as we may learn
from a letter his secretary addressed to Wolsey on
this occasion." However, when the king had become
afterwards much less scrupulous about these matters,
and when the immense riches and revenues of the
convents tempted his cupidity, he did not hesitate to
avail himself of Cromwell's assistance. A bill had
been passed, as we have before noticed, to confer on
the king alone the -risitation and government of all
the monasteries. Accordingly, in pursuance of this
power, Cromwell, who had been made vicar-general,
a new office, by which the whole of the king's autho
rity over the church was delegated to him, appointed
commissioners to visit and report on the state of the
convents. For some time past, complaints of the enormities
and abuses of these religious societies were loudly
made ; and the report, which was undoubtedly framed

Printed in the collection of State Papers.
i2

116 MEMORIALS OF
with a wish to make them as bad as possible, ftdly
justified thess complaints. Nrithing could exceed the
vice and wickedness there said to be carried on ; but
the king wished only to proceed by degrees, and as the
smaUer monasteries were those, where these abuses
were said chiefly to exist, being less exposed to the
general eye, a bUl therefore was introduced into par
liament to suppress only aU such as did not possess
a revenue of more than two hundred pounds per
annum.* Three hundred and seventv-sis monasteries
were suppressed by this act, and their revenues and
property granted to the king.
This was a victory gained over the adherents of
the ancient religion, inasmuch as it clearly involved
an assertion of the falsity of the doctrine of pui^toiy.
For since these monasteries were chiefly founded by
religious persons for the purpose of saying masses for
the souls of their deceased relations and friends, that
were in purgatory, it woiUd have been the height of
impiety to have taken away the money intended for
so sacred a purpose, had it been true that these
masses could have avaUed them any thing. It was
therefore equivalent to a declaration on the part of
the government, that they did not believe in the
existence of purgatory.
Shortly after CromweU proceeded by his authority
as vicar-general, to do away with many of the holi
days, and to prohibit pUgrimages. images, and reUques :
and he ordered that the incumbents of parishes should
» 27 Hen. Vlll c. a«

MVLES COVEMDAM-:.

17

Ki^t apart a portion of thtiir income for rcjjairs, and
lor tfie Hiipport of (ixhiljitiontirs, and the poor of their

DariHii.

It may be easily conceived with what disposition
Uic, adherentH ofthe ancit^nt faith looked on all these
proctHidingH, and th(! (!vil ('.yv, with which they re
garded ('roiriwell, as tb(! chief cause of them.
S(!vcral iiiKiirnuitionH wen; the coiiKcquence, which
wen; however put down without much diniciifty ; and
lU'.ury, iriore firmly established in his authority by
UicK(! unKiicccKsful att(',ini)lK, and impelled by his
avarice, and the, wants occusioiu^d by his proliist; (sx-
travaga,iic(',dclcriniii(!d on KiipprcKKiiig thc rest of tfic
tnonaKlcricM. This was acc(»inpliKh(nl soon after;
partly by threats and intiiriidation, and partly by
liribcH und fair words. Men saw it was ustiless to
(!()iit('nd against thti king, and most of the charters
W(^r(! Burrtiiidcred to liirri on one prettincc, or anotlu^r.
SoiiK! were, not sorry to lluis get rid of vows which
lli(!y had probably rcpenttul of making, and many with
fortssiglithad busied theinselves in K(!ciiringpro[)crty to
maintain thcm,whcn thc, dissolution should takci phicc.
Thus alt()g(!th(!r, at different times w(^ri' suppressed
six hiiiidrtid and forty-live inoiiaKtcrics, lu^sidcs ninety
col]('g(!H, two thousand thrtn; hundrtid aud seventy-
four chantries and free chapels, and a. hundred and
ten h()K])italH ; tht; ri!V(!nue of the whole araounting
to one hundred ajid sixty-one thousand one hundred
pounds.' CromweU, notwithstanding his great moderation
' Herbert Speed.

118 MEMORIALS OF
and prudent conduct, had by his sudden rise, and his
being the chief mover in these matters, made himself
numerous enemies. And as he was obliged by reason
of the king's impetuous temper, to acquiesce in what
was contrary to his sentiments, he was looked on
with a feeling of distrust even by the reformers.
In the mean time the new religion had been further
encouraged by the result of the resolution of the con
vocation, which met in 1536. They had after some
debate decided on certain articles of faith ; and al
though the majority of the clergy were against the
reformed opinions, yet were they so awed by the new
power assuraed by the king, and influenced by Crom
well, Cranmer and others, that they conceded in
these articles, in many important points, to the re
forraers. In fact there was so rauch concession on
both sides, that when the articles were signed, there
was hardly any who really believed the whole of
them. The reform went too far for the Romanists,
and not far enough for those of the new doctrines.
But the Act of the Six Articles,"" which passed in
1540, and which they justly enough termed "the
" bloody bill," as much depressed the cause of the re
formers. As a specimen of its enactments, the grand
doctrine ofthe real presence was raaintained in the first
article ; and death by burning, and the sarae forfeiture
as in cases of treason, were the penalties : and lest
persons might be compelled by fear to abjure, that
escape was taken away from them, for no recantation
was allowed. '" 31 Hen, VIII. c. M.

MYLES COVERDALE. 119
And yet at the same time, with the other hand, as
if not to let the Romanists consider themselves too
secure, the Bible was given to the people to read, by
the king's comraand.
Cromwell, as far as he could, sheltered the pro
testants from the operation of this act; but as he did
not live long after, they were soon exposed to all its
fury. It is said by some historians, that the king's dislike
to Queen Anne of Cleves, whose raarriage Crorawell
had been the chief promoter of, made him conceive a
resentment against Cromwell, which, with his usual
impetuosity he waited not for a just cause to gratify ;
but availing himself of his servile parliament, the tool
of his passions, he caused a bill of attainder to be
passed against Cromwell, and accordingly onthe 28th
of July, he was brought to the scaffold and beheaded.
The charges against him were those of heresy and
treason ; but the proofs were so glaringly defective
and absurd, that even the parliament hesitated to
condemn him, but fear and influence made them
consent. By his death, as there was no one in the council of
sufficient abUity or interest to take the part of the
reformers, the Duke of Norfolk and his party gradu
ally gained the ground in the king's councUs, which
they had before lost. The consequence was, as we
shaU find, that the reformed religion met with no
support, but, on the contrary, with much opposition,
towards the latter end of Henry's reign. Had Crom-
weU lived much longer, and the reformed doctrines

120 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.
gone on progressively gaining ground, it is not im
probable but that Coverdale might have retumed
from his exile, to enjoy, in his native country, the
fruits of his endeavours to awaken her from the
superstitious cereraonies, and ignorant credulity, into
which she had fallen.

CHAPTER IX.

PROCLAMATION OF THE KING, COMMANDING THE BIBLE TO BE
SET UP IN THE CHURCHES, CARELESSLY OBEYED.— COM
PLAINTS AGAINST THE TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE, WITH
A VIEW PROBABLY TO HAVE THEM CALLED IN.  ACT LIMIT
ING THE READING OF THE BIBLE TO CERTAIN CLASSES. 
THE KING JUSTIFIES TIIE PASSING OF THIS ACT IN THE
" ERUDITION OF ANY CHRISTIAN MAN." — PROCLAMATION
PROHIBITING SEVERAL TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE, AND
OTHER WORKS OF THE REFORMERS.  DECLINE OF THAT
PARTY TOWARDS THE LATTER END OF HENRy's REIGN.

Before we proceed to follow Coverdale's move
ments abroad, we will shortly mention the most im
portant matters, with regard to the promulgation of
the Bible, that occurred before the accession of King
Edward. On the 6th of May, 1541, the king published a
proclamation," which recited that the king had sent
« Regist. Bonner, fol. 21.— MS. Colt. Cleop. E. v. fol. 337. Strype,
in his life of Cranmer, p. 84, loosely states this proclamation to be made
in 1540, and Lewis and Newcome and others follow him ; but we have
not heen able to ascertain the existence of any prior proclamation in
1540, and this present one beyond a doubt was printed in 1541. See
the title of it, in the description of Grafton's books, in Dibd. Typ. Ant.

122 MEMORIAL.'? OF
forth certain injunctions, commanding the Bible to be
set up in every parish church, to the intent that every
of the kings majesty s loving subjects, minding to
read therein, might bv occasion thereof, not only
consider and perceive the great and ineffable omni
potent power, promise, justice, mercy, and goodness
of Almighty God ; but also learn to observe thereby
God's commandments, and to obey their sovereign
lord and high powers, and to exercise godly charity.
and to use themselves according to their vocations in
a pure and sincere Christian life, without murmur or
grudgmg: And then strictly enjoined, that none should read
the said Bibles with loud and high voices, in time of
I the celebration of the holy mass, and other divine
' services used in the church ; nor that any of his lay
subjects, reading the same, should presume to take
upon them any common disputatiom argument, or
exposition of the mysteries therein contained, but only
reverently read the same for their own edification.
It further recited, moreover, that his highness had
^ been informed that, notwithstanding his former in
junctions in that behalf, there were many parish
churches stiU without Bibles, at which his highness
marveUed not a little ; and then enjoined, that a Bible
should be speedUy procured for every parish church,
under penalty of a fine of 40*. for every month after
AU Saints" day then next, that they should be without
one. And by the same proclamation, the price ofthe
Bibles, of the largest volume, was fixed at l"2o-\ bound.
and lO.s'. imbound.

myles COVERDALE. 123
About this time, Bonner set up six of the Bibles
allowed by Tonstal and Heath, in the church of
St. Paul's,* accompanied with the following injunc
tions to those that read them : ' —
•' That whosoever came hither to read, should pre-
" pare himself to be edified and made better thereby :
that he should join thereunto his readiness to obey
the kings injunctions made in that behalf: that he
bring with him discretion, honest intent, charity, re
verence, and quiet behaviom- ; that there should be
no such number meet together as to make a multi
tude : that no exposition be made thereupon, but
what is declared in the book itself: and that it be
not read with noise in time of divine service, or that
any disputation or contention be used at it. "
A writer of that period, in a little h-act he addressed
to his majesty ,¦* informs us how neghgently the king's
injunctions were performed, with regard to the setting
up the Bibles in the parish churches. " When your
" highness," savs he, " gave commandment that the
" bishops should see that there were in every parish
¦• church one Bible, at the least, set at liberty ; so that
" every man inight freely come to it and read therein
'• such things as should be for his consolation : many
'' would pluck it either into the quire, or else into
•¦ some pew, where poor men durst not presume to

» Coll, Eccl. Hist. vol. ii. p. 184.
¦ Slrv. Cranm. p. 84. Xewcome classes these injunctions under the
year 1540.
¦* Entitled 'The Supplication of the poor Commons." A.D. 1546.
Fox's Acts and ilonuments, quoted by Lewis, p. 143.

124 MEMORIALS OF
" come : yea there was no smaU nuraber of churches
" that had no Bible at aU. And yet not sufficed with
" the withholding it from the poor of their own
" parishes, they never rested tUl they had a com-
" mandment from your highness, that no manof what
" degree soever he were, should read the Bible in the
" time of God's service."
Not a great whUe after CromweU's death, com
plaint was again raade to the king, of false interpre
tations in the Scripture, and of the marks and hands
annexed to the text, and even of the preface in Cran
mer's Bibles. Grafton was sent for, and first of aU
charged with printing ]Matthew"s Bible; "but he
" being fearful of trouble, made excuses for himself
•¦ in aU things." Then he was asked, what notes he
had purposed to make to the great Bible, And he
said he knew of none, for his purpose was to have
engaged learned men to make them ; but that when
he perceived the king's majesty, and his clergy, not
wUUng to have any, he proceeded no further. But
these excuses did not prevent him from being com
mitted to the Fleet ; from whence he was let out at
the end of six weeks, on entering into a bond not to
print or sell any more Bibles, untU the king and
clergy should have agreed on a translation.'
Probably alluding to this time, the author of the
tract before quoted from,' says : " That the poor
" Commons heard say, that the bishops proffered his

' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii, p. 516.
' " The Supplication of the poor Commons."

MYLES COVERDALE. 125
" highness, that if he would please to call in the Bible
" again, forasmuch as it was not faithfiilly translated
" in all parts, they would oversee it, and within seven
" years set it forth again ; but that if they might have
" gotten in the Bible for seven years, they could have
" trusted, that by that time, either the king would
" have been dead, or the Bible forgotten, or they
" themselves out of his highness's reach, so that he
" should not have had like power over them as he
" had now."
" When," continues this writer, " his majesty
" appointed two of the bishops (Tonstal, bishop of
" Durham, and Heath, bishop of Rochester,) to over-
" look the translation of the Bible, they said they had
" done his highness's commandments therein, yea,
" they set their hands thereunto. But when they
" saw the world somewhat like to wring on the other
" side, they denied it, and said they never meddled
" therewith, and caused the printer to take out their
" names, which were erst set before the Bible to
" certify aU men, that they had dUigently perused it,
" according as the king had commanded." " Nay,"
" he adds, " that it was reported that Thomas Crom-
" well, late earl of Essex, was the chief doer or prin-
" cipal actor in authorizing the English Bible, and
" not the king, but as led by him; and that therefore
" it was a common reflection made on it, that the
" Bible was of a traitor's setting forth, and not of the
" king's." On the 12th of March, 1542, the king " for certain
causes convenient." granted to one Antony Marlar,

126 MEMORIALS OF
haberdasher of London, the exclusive privUege of
printing the Bible, for the space of four years, next
ensuing the date of his letters.^ This Marlar had
made the king a present of a copy of the edition of
Cranmer's Bible, printed in 1540. It was a most
magnificent gift, printed on vellum, and richly U-
luminated.'' As a return probably for it, the above privilege was
granted to him ; but it does not appear that he
derived any advantage from it, as he neither printed
any Bible himself, nor caused any to be printed.
Perhaps it was only another way, under the pretext
of an exclusive privUege, of prohibiting any more
Bibles from being printed.
In the beginning of the year 1542, the convoca
tion of the province of Canterbury met, and a review
of the translation of the Scriptures was there pro
posed. However, on one pretence or another, they
delayed it so long, that at last Cranmer told them,
that it would be taken out of their hands, and sent to
the universities. To this they made much objection,
alleging that matters were carried there by a majority
of young men of immature judgment. The matter
seems here to have dropped.'
Complaints were made to the parliament, which
met on the 22nd of January, in the following year.
" that the liberty granted to the people in having in
" their hands, the books of the Old and New Testa-

j Pat. 33. Hen. S.p. 7. m. 2. Rym. Fad.
* It is now in the Brit. Mus. ' Cidl. Eccl. Hist. vol. ii. p. 185.

MVLES CDX ERDALE. 127
" ment, had been much abused by many false glosses
'' and interpretations, which were made upon them,
" tending to the seducing of the people, especially
" of the younger sort, and the raising of sedition
" within the realm." *
Accordingly an act was passed,' by which it was
recited, that notwithstanding his majesty had allowed
them to have the New and Old Testament in their
hands ; yet that many seditious people, arrogant and
ignorant persons, intending to subvert the true know
ledge and understanding of the Holy Scriptures, " had
" taken upon them not only to preach, teach, declare,
" and set forth the sarae by words, sermons, disputa-
" tions, and arguments ; but also by printed books,
" printed ballads, plays, rhymes, songs, aud other
" fantasies, subtUely and craftily instructing his high-
" ness's people, and specially the youth of this his
" realm, unti'uly and otherwise than the Scripture
" ought or should be taught, declared, or expounded,
" and contrary to the very sincere and godly meaning
" of the same: whereupon diversity of opinions,
" sayings, variances, arguments, tumults, and schisms
" had sprung and risen among his said subjects
" within this his realm."
It was therefore enacted, that all such books, &c.
and " all manner of books of the Old and New Tes-
" tament in English, being of the crafty, false, and
" untrue translation of Tyndal," and all books coii-
' .lohn.son, Hisl. Transl. Bible, p. 51.
' .•)! and 35 Hcii. VIII. cap. 1.

V

128 MEMORIALS OF
trary to the doctrines set forth, or to be set forth by
the king, should be abolished, on pain of the severe
punishment therein provided.
" Provided always that the Bibles and New Tes-
" taments in English not being of Tyndal's transla-
" tion, should stand in force and not be comprised
" in this abolution ; " but that all annotations or
preambles therein should be cut off or blotted out,
except summaries and chapters. *"
It was also enacted that no person should openly
read or teach the Scriptures : with a pro-viso, that
this should not extend to prohibit the reading the
Scriptures in the private family of any nobleman,
gentleman, or merchant, being householders.
" And where the king's majesty of his most
" gracious and blessed disposition had theretofore
" caused to be set forth the Bible and New Testament
" in the English tongue to be read by his loving sub-
" jects, to the intent that they might the better know
" their duty to Almighty God and to his Majesty,
" and also increase in virtue for the wealth of their
" souls ; albeit his Majesty's said most godly purpose
" and intent had taken good effect amongst a great
" multitude of his subjects, and especially amongst
" the highest and most honest sort, according to his
" highness's good expectation thereof; yet forasmuch
" as his highness perceived that a great multitude of
" his said subjects, most specially of the lower sort,
" had so abused the same, that they had thereby
" This in part accounts for the many mutilated copies that are to be
found in our collections.

MYLES COVERDALE. 129
" grown and increased in divers naughty and erroneous
" opinions, and by occasion thereof fallen in great
" division and dissension among theraselves, to the
" great unquietness of this realra and other his Majesty's
" dorainions." It was therefore further enacted " that
" no woraen, nor artificers, apprentices, journeymen,
" serving-men (of the degree of yeotnen or under),
" husbandmen, nor labourers, should read, to them-
" selves or any other, privately or openly, the Bible
" or New Testament in English :" proviso that all
other persons, than those just named, and every noble
woman and gentlewoman raight read it privately.
Power was also given to the king, to alter this act
at his pleasure.
Strype tells us, that Cranmer strongly opposed the
passing of this act ; and that notwithstanding all the
efforts of the bishop of Winchester aiid his party,
who wished to prevent every one from reading the
Scripture, he obtained " by his persuasion with th6
" King and the Lords," that the above exceptions in
the case of the higher classes should be made." And
the arguraents in favour of this were, that their minds
were better adapted by education to comprehend the
difficulties of the Scripture, and that they had also
more leisure and opportunity, if doubts should arise
in, their minds, to solve them by conferring with
learned persons, than the common people, who if they
read what they could not understand, had no time nor
learning sufficient to clear up the- difficulty. " And
« Stry. Cranm. p. 99.
K

130 MEMORIALS OF
" the king," says Strype," "was the rather inclined to
" this, because he being now to go abroad, upon a
" weighty expedition, thought it convenient to leave
" his subjects at home as easy as inight be."
To justify in some measure the passing of this act,
the king thus speaks to his subjects in the prefece to
a book called " A Necessary Doctrine and Ervdition
" for any Christen man," pubUshed soon after the
passing of this act, and " sette furthe by the kynges
fiaaiestie of Englande, ac."
" ' We by the helpe of god and his worde, haue
" trauayled to purge and dense our realme from the
" apparant enormities of superstition, wherein by
" openyng of goddes trueth, with settyng fiirth and
" publishyng of the scriptures, our labours (thankes
*' be to god) haue not ben void and firustrat.' But
" considering that God hath ordered sorae sort of
" raen to teach other, and some to be taught : and,
" that for the one part which should teach other, is
" necessary, knowlege, by true exposition of the
" Scriptures according to the apostolical doctrine re-
" ceived and maintained from the beginning ; and
" ' the hauing, reading, and studyinge of holy scrip-
" tuxe, is not onely conuenient, but also necessary :
" But for the other part of the churche ordained to
" be taught, it ought to be demed certainly that the
" readyng of the olde and new testament is not so
" necessary for al those folkes, that of duty they ought
" and be bound to read it, but as the prince and the
* Life of Craum. p. 99.

MYLES COVERDALE. 131
"-pohcy of the realme shal thinke conuenient, so
" to be toUerated or taken from it. Consonant
" whervnto the poUtike law of our reahne hath now
" restrained it from a great raeyny, esteming it suffi-
" cient for those so restiained, to here d truly here
'¦• away the doctrin of scripture taught by the preach-
" ers, and so imprint the lessons of the sarae, that
¦• they may obserue and kepe them inwardly in their
" hart, and as occasion serueth, expresse them in
" their dedes outwardly.'"
It would appear, however, that the king, do what
he would, could not prevent the people from arguing
about matters of reUgion. In a speech he made to
his parUaraent in person,' on the occasion of his pro
roguing them on the 24th of December, 1545, he
says : " And although you be permitted to reade holy
" scripture, and to haue the worde of God in your
" mother toungue, you must -vnderstande that it is
'• licensed you so to doo, onely to informe your awne
" conscience, and to instruct your chUdre and faraely,
'• 1 not to dispute and make scripture, a raUyng and
" a tauntyng stocke against Priestes and Preachers
" (as many light persones do.) I am very sory to
" knowe and here, how unreuerently that moste pre-
" cious iuell the worde of God, is disputed, rimed,
" song, and iangeled in euery Alehouse and Taueme,
" cotiary to the true meanyng and doctryne ofthe same.
" And yet I am euen asmuche sory, that the readers of
" the same, folow it in dooyng so faintly and coldly."

P Halle'sChron.fol, 261,b. ed, 1.548.
k2

\

132 MEMORIALS OF
On the 6th of July, 1546, the king issued his
proclamation,' in which, after reciting that the king,
" understanding how, under the pretence of expound-
" ing and declaring the truth of God's scripture, divers
" lewd and evill disposed persons had taken upon
" them to utter and so we abroad, by bookes imprinted
" in the English tongue, sundrie pernicious and de-
" testable errours and heresies ; not onely contrary to
" the laws of this realm, but also repugnant to the
" true sense of God's Law and his Word : by reason
" whereof certaine men of late, to the destruction of
" their ownebodies and soules, and tothe eviU example
" of others, had attempted arrogantly and maliciously
" to impugne the Truth, and therewith trouble the
" sober, quiet, and godly Religion, united and estab-
' ' lished under the King's maj estie in this his Realme : "
It was commanded, that no one should import, buy,
sell, or keep the text of the New Testament of Tyn
dal's or Coverdale's translation in English, nor any
other than was permitted by act of parliament, made
in the 34th and 35th years of his Majesty's reign;
nor should import, buy, &c. " any manner of books
" printed or written in the EngUsh tongue, which
" were or should be set forth in the names of Frith,
" Tyndal, Wicliff; Joy, Roy, BasU, Bale, Coverdale,
" Turner, Tracy, or any of them, or any other
" book or books, containing matter contrarie to the

« Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. ii, p. 587. — Wilk. Cone. M. B.
vol. iv. p. I, — See also the title of this proclamation in the account of
Berthelet's Worts, in Dibd. T\-p. Ant. vol. iii.

MYLES COVERDALE. 133
" said Act made in the yere 34 or 35 ; " but should
deliver up the same ; and no officer should inquire
who it was that delivered them up, but only burn
thera directly. The penalty for any one acting in
contravention to the above proclamation, was, to
suffer imprisonraent and punishment of his body at
his Majesty's will and pleasure, and likewise such fine
and imprisonment, as his Majesty or four of his
council should determine.
And fiirthermore it was strictly forbidden on the
pains aforesaid, that any one should bring in English ^
books, concerning any raatter of Christian religion,
from abroad, without his Majesty's license.
It would appear that some men considered, or
feigned to consider, this proclamation as not extending
to prohibit the Bible, or the Old Testament, or parts
of it translated by the above-named reformers, but
literally only the New Testament. For instance, the
author of " the Supplication of the Poor Commons,"
says concerning this proclamation, speaking of the
bishops ; " But when the king had devised a procla-
" mation for the burning of certain translations of
" the New Testament, they were so bold as to burn
" the whole Bible, because it was of those men's
" translations." '
Thus may we see how the reformed religion towards
the latter end of Henry's reign, gradually lost the
ground which it had before gained ; as far, we mean,
as the permission to publish matters of religion went.
' Fox's Acts and Monuments, quoted in Lewis's Trans. Bible, p. 143.

)

134 MEMORIALS OF
The Romanists at length acquired an undisputed
ascendancy in the councils of the king. Working on
the easy temper of Henry, by continual solicitations
and artful persuasions, they prevailed on that monarch
to have the Bible prohibited to all the common people,
that is to say, to the nation at large ; and not content
with that, they procured all the translations, that were
within the means of ordinary persons, to be caUed
in and forbidden, and also all religious books of what
kind soever, on pain of an indefinite punishment.
The grand motive that seems to have actuated
Henry, on all occasions, with respect to the publication
/of the Bible, was a jealousy of his own power being
interfered with. It was only necessary to suggest to
that irritable monarch that the people by reading the
Bible would be led to religious disputes, and from
thence to a defiance of the temporal authorities ; and
to instance the distiirbances that had taken place in
Germany on that account, as what were likely to be
the consequences of a similar indulgence in England;
and he was willing at once to put a stop to the read
ing of the Bible. Then came the opposite party, and
assured him 'that these were interested suggestions
on the part of the Romanists, who were aware that
if the people once got the Bible to read, they would
no longer pay that unlimited obedience which they
had hitherto done, to the ecclesiastical power (some
times even in opposition to the temporal) ; but they
would pay it where they would find by the scripture
that alone it was due, namely, to their sovereign lord
and king : and he was then as willing to set it forth.

MYLES COVERDALE. 135
This is the only true reason for that vacUlating con
duct which characterised Henry's reign in this respect.
If we are to look at his own prepossessions on one
side or the other, it seeras not iraprobable that he was
rather favourable to its publication than otherwise.
Towards the latter part of his reign, the Romanists,
however, got the ascendancy ; and they had not much
difficulty in gaining their object with a king, who, as he
approached his grave, was more excitable and more
violent than ever.
It is very likely that the Bibles were removed from
most of the churches ; for as the common people
might not read them, and the better classes were
supposed to be able to have them of their own, there
was no longer any use for them : and this seems the
more probable, inasmuch as the first act of Edward's
government on his accession, was to order that a Bible
ofthe largest volume should be set up in every church ;
which, it is almost unnecessary to observe, would
hardly have been done, had they been already there :
although it is true that it might only have reference to
a few churches, which perhaps had not complied with
the forraer injunctions in the preceding reign. But
although the Romanists did at last procure the Bible
to be prohibited to the lower classes, they could not
prevent what had already been done : the people had
read it, and the subsequent prohibitions, even in all
their severity, could not hinder some from stUl keep
ing copies of it. They had, therefore, only covered
over the fire, which would break forth with redoubled
strength, the moment an opening presented itself

CHAPTER X.

ACCESSION OF ED-WARD THE SIXTH.  FAVOURABLE TO RE
FORMED DOCTRINES.  COVERDALE, WHO HAD RESIDED IN
GERMANY, COMES OVER TO ENGLAND.  IS MADE ALMONER
TO THE DOWAGER QUEEN.  ACCOMPANIES LORD RUSSELL IN
HIS EXPEDITION AGAINST THE REBELS, AND PREACHES IN
THE WEST OF ENGLAND.  IS MADE COADJUTOR TO THE
BISHOP OF EXETER, AND AFTERWARDS SUCCEEDS TO THAT
SEE.  IS NAMED ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS TO EXAMINE
AND SEARCH AFTER THE ANABAPTISTS AND THE CONTEMN
ERS OF THE COMMON PRAYER, AND IS ALSO JOINED IN
THE COMMISSION TO REVISE THE ECCLESIASTICAL LAWS. 
HIS F.\ITHFUL DISCHARGE OF HIS EPISCOPAL FUNCTIONS.

On king Henry's death, it was very soon evident
what accession of strength, the reformers had gained
by that event.
Somerset, who in contravention to the king's wUl
had assumed the office of protector, much favoured
the new opinions in religion ; and he took care that
all those who were employed in the instruction, and
about the person of the young king, should be of the
sarae way of thinking as himself The young prince
showed a great disposition for learning, particularly

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE. 137
in all theological matters, and he was soon imbued
deeply with the new religious principles.
The lord chancellor, Wriothesly, afterwards earl
of Southampton, was the only one in the council of
ability or inclination to oppose Soraerset; but an
imprudent step that he raade, shortly gave Somerset
the mastery over him.
Somerset was besides supported by Cranmer ; and
as all the measures he took were with the latter's
advice and council, he was the less likely by any
precipitate or ill-timed proceeding to hurt the cause ;
since the prudence and moderation of that excellent
prelate raade him averse to any thing of violent
change, well judging that such would never be so
lasting, as one that should be brought about gra
dually, and be moderate in its provisions.
The consequence was, that one by one, the differ
ent points were settled and ascertained ; and the re
formation, such as it is enjoyed at present, was
almost entirely completed in England."
And though Somerset was afterwards attainted
and disgraced, to the great joy of the enemies of the
new tenets, they gained little by the change; as
Warwick, who led the council in his place, not having
any great leaning either way, was determined to
follow whichever was most to his interest : and find
ing that the young king was deeply impressed with
a conviction of the truth of the new doctrines, he
soon manifested his intention of countenancing them.
" Hume, ch. xxxiv.

138 MEMORIALS OF
He accordingly put such slight upon the earl of
Southampton, who had assisted him in the overthrow
of Somerset, that the latter retired in disgust from
the councU ; and Warwick, unopposed, proceeded in
the same line of conduct, as far as religion was con
cerned, which Soraerset had pursued.
But now to return to Coverdale. When the pro
gress of the Bible was stopped at Paris, he went
into Germany, and for some time resided at Tubingen,
which university conferred on him the degree of
Doctor of Divinity.' He had of course no settled
means of support, but what his own exertions could
procure : and we are told that he subsisted, partly,
by the raoney he received for his labours in trans
lating and correcting the Scripture ; partly, by teach
ing young chUdren ; and partly, by the liberaUty of
one who, as long as he lived, was always his good
friend, the Lord CromweU." We raay reasonably
suppose that he had now obtained some fame abroad,
among the Protestant princes, for his zeal in the
study of the holy writings through so many difficul
ties ; and that many befriended a man so learned and
so pious.
He understood perfectly weU, we are told, the
Dutch tongue ; ^ and the duke of Deux-Ponts, there
fore, presented hun to the benefice of Bergzabern, a
town in his duchy, three leagues south-west of Lan-
' Godwin, de Praesul. p. 476. ed. 1616. ' Hoker. Catal. Bps. Exon.
'' The writers of that period by this term, sometimes meant the High
Dutch, or German, and sometimes the Low Dutch, or what we now
exclusively term Dutch.

MYLES COVERDALE. 139
dau.' There he continued, till the death of Henry
the Eighth, and the accession of Edward the Sixth,
gave those of the reformed religion once more the
ascendancy in the government.
While he was abroad at this time, but at what
exact period has not been ascertained, he married one
of two sisters, of which his friend, Macchabseus
Alpinus,-'' a Scotchman by birth, but filling a high
station in Denmark, married the other.* Her Chris
tian name alone is known, Elizabeth. She was, says
a contemporary of his,'' " a most sober, chast, and
" godlie matrone." Whether he had ever any children
by her, how long she lived, and when she died, are
questions that cannot be answered. She was alive
during the time of his filling the see of Exeter, but
after that time no further mention is made of her.
Strype says that " she was bom in those parts,"
speaking of Germany and Denmark;' but on what
authority, except that of probability, this assertion is
grounded, we have not been able to discover.
It may not be amiss to observe in what sort of
estimation Coverdale was held at this time. Bale,
who frequented the Sophisters' school at Cambridge,
in company with Barnes, has given us an account of
Coverdale, in his lives of illustrious writers, which
may well be regarded as a faithful one, coming as it

' Hoker. Catal, Bps. Exon. See also a letter from Martyr to
Bullinger, printed in Burnet's Hist, of Reform.
/ This name unlatiuized, we conjecture would be M' Alpine.
f Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. iii. p. 182.
'' Hoker. Catal. Bps. Exon. ' Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. p. 464.

140 MEMORIALS OF
does frora a person who, if he had not opportunities
of seeing Coverdale hiraself, was intimate with those
who knew him perfectly. He says that " as a young
" man, he was always of a most friendly and open
" disposition, and of a most gentle spirit. Unlike
" others, he gave himself wholly up to propagating
" the truth of Christ's gospel, and raanifesting its
" glory. And this," he says, " clearly appears in his
" version of the Bible, in which he spent no finit-
" less labour, to the great profit of the Christian
" common weal. The Spirit of God which was pre-
" sent in all for the ministry of his word, to restrain
" the wickedness of the times, and which in some
" was like a powerful wind, overturning rocks and
" mountains, was in him even as a gentle breath of
" air, infusing vigour into irresolute and wavering
" minds. For his style," he adds, " is sweet and
"smooth: it flows gently along; it raoves, in-
" structs, and delights one."* After an enumeration
of his works, he says, " and many other things he
" published, full of learning and piety." He then
states, that he returned to his country after vU.' years'
exile, " poor in this world, but rich in the grace of
" Christ." It was no wonder, then, such being the reputation
in which he stood, that on his return to England, he
was graciously received at court, and appointed by
the queen Catherine to be her almoner.'" This lady
' De Script. lUust. cent. 5. ed. 1548.
' This is a misprint for " xvii." years.
"¦ MS. Coll. of Arms. I. 16. F. 98, quoted in Biogr. Brit

MYLES COVERDALE. 141
was much attached to the reformed doctrines, and
her attendants consisted of the most celebrated for
learning and piety of the reformed party. Park-
hurst, afterwards bishop of Norwich, in Elizabeth's
time, was asked by one of his fiiends, why he abode
so much at court ; and he answered by pointing out
such men as Coverdale, Huiccius," and Aylmer, with
whom he associated there, and exclaimed, " O Dii !
" viros quos nomino ! " °
In September, 1548, the queen died at Sudley
Castle, in Gloucestershire, the seat of her third hus
band, Lord Seymour, of Sudley, whom she married
so soon after Henry the Eighth's death, that Hume
remarks, that had she become imraediately pregnant
therefrom, it might have been doubtful to which
husband the child belonged.'' Coverdale, we are
told, officiated at her funeral, in the chapel belonging
to the castle, and preached a sermon on the occasion.
In it he openly warned his auditors, " that there
" shulde none there thinke, seye, nor spread abrode,
" that the offeringe which was there don, was don
" anye thing to proffytt the deade, but for the poore
" onlye ; and also the lights which were caried and
" stode abowte the corps, were for the honnour of
" the parson, and for none other entente nor pur-
"pose."'

" Or " Huic,'' as Strype calls him. He was physician to king
Henry, and afterwards to the queen dowager, and a man of learning.
" Stry. Ann. of Reform, vol. ii. p. 234.
f Hist, of Engl. ch. xxxiv.
« MS. Coll. of Arms, I. 16. F. 98.

V

142 MEMORIALS OK
On the breaking up of the queen's establishment,
on her decease, Coverdale came to London.
On the 27th of AprU, in the following year, several
Anabaptists, says Stow,' were tried before the arch
bishop of Canterbury, Thurlsby, bishop of West
minster, and others, in our Lady chapel of St. Paul's
church, in London; and on the Sunday after their
next meeting, being Low Sunday, Myles Coverdale
preached at Paul's Cross, and one of the above-men
tioned Anabaptists, named Champenes, did penance
there. About this time several insurrections, arising
chiefly from the distressed state of the lower classes,
in consequence of the conversion of arable land into
pasture,' broke out in different parts of the kingdom.
They were almost all quelled without difficulty,
except that which sprung up in Devonshire (in
July) ; and this was the more formidable, inasmuch
as the priests, who joined in it, had the address to
mix up religious prejudices and grievances with their
other demands.
The king's council, at the same time that they took
measures to put the insurrection down by force of
arms, were determined not to omit any milder means
of effecting the same purpose. When, therefore,
they sent Lord Russell against the rebels, they ap-
¦¦ Chron. p. 596. ed. 1631. See Note K.
' A writer of that period complains bitterly, that men should starve,
in order that sheep should feed. Even in Sir Thomas More's time, this
was practised to so great an extent, that he says in his Utopia, that a
sheep in England had become a more ravenous animal than a lion or a
wolf ; for it devoured ^^ hole villages, cities, and provinces.

MYLES COVERDALE. 143
pointed Coverdale and others, who were to attend
hira, and who, by sober exhortations, grounded on
God's word, (which the people were little acquainted
with,) were to incline them to obedience, and keep
them in their duty towards their prince.'
The letters from the council to the preachers, re
quiring them to attend Lord Russell's expedition,
informed them, that though what the council required
was but what their duty owed ; yet the council would
see that they should be requited for their services in
this affair."
This mission, it would seem, was a dangerous one ;
for a writer of a later period," after maintaining that
those of the reformed opinions were as loyal, if not
more so, than other men, says : " For proffe hereoff,
" yff you call to remembrance, who hazardid his liffe
" with that olde, Honorable Erie off Bedford when
" as he was sent to subdue the popishe rebells off the
" weste, yow shall finde that none off the clergie
" were hastie to take that seruice in hande, but onely
" olde father Couerdale."
Strype mentions Coverdale as preaching in different
parts of the West, and particularly that he made a
thanksgiving sermon after the victory."
We find the following note in the register-book of
the council, King Edw. VL MS. Kennet : — " Anno
" 1550, 20 JuUi. Ordered 40 lb to be given to
' Stry. Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. p. 168.
» MSS. Inner Temple Libr. No. 638, vol. 47.
• Troubles at Frankfort, p. 196. (1576).
• Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. p. 169.

144 MEMORIALS OF
" Myles Coverdale, preacher, as a reward from the
" King.'"
The council, in their wish for an uniforraity in
religion, had determined to put down all Anabaptists
and others, who would not conforra to the rites and
cereraonies of church worship, as settled and deter
mined on in the book of coraraon prayer ; and as the
ecclesiastical courts were not thought sufficient for
this purpose, a special commission had been issued
on the 12th of April, 1549, directed to the arch
bishop of Canterbury and others, authorizing them
to search after and examine all Anabaptists, heretics,
or contemners of the book of comraon prayer. They
were to reclaira them if possible, to impose penance
on them ; or if they were obstinate, to imprison and
excommunicate them, and give thera over to the
secular power. In their proceedings they were not
bound by the ordinary forms of trial, and any sta
tutes or acts that might restrain them in the execu
tion of the commission, were to be considered as of
no effect with regard to thera.*
It is painful to see how zeal will sometimes lead
even good men to cruelties in raatters of religion ;
for under this commission, a woman, named Joan
Bocher, or Joan of Kent, who differed fi-om what
was considered the orthodox belief with regard to
the incarnation of our Saviour, was conderaned to the
flaraes ;" and when the young king Edward refiised

•" Wood's Athen. Oxon. vol. ii. col. 762. n. C. Bliss's edition.
» Rym. Feed. » Stry. Cramn. p. 181.— Buriiet.

MYLES COVERDALE. 145
to sign the warrant, that mild and excellent man,
Cranmer, undertook to persuade him to do it. This,
after some importunity, he succeeded in; the king,
however, telling him that if any wrong were done,
the fault would be entirely his.
This commission was renewed, or rather a fresh
one given out, on the 18th of January, 1551," and
Coverdale was named as one of the commissioners.
Under this latter commission another victim was
burnt, a Dutchman, by name Van Parre, or Van
Paris, for the heresy which is now called arianism.*
Hume expresses in strong language his sense of these
proceedings, which he says arose solely from the
incurable bigotry of theologians.'^
Whether Coverdale took an active part or not, as
one of these comraissioners, we cannot ascertain ; but
we think we may fairly presume he did not, judging
from his character, and from the whole tenor of his
life, which would necessarily point him out as one of
the last men who would put a fellow-creature to a
painful and lingering death, raerely because he could
not convert him to his own way of thinking, on
some of the most confessedly obscure and perplexing
points of religion.
On the 7th of March, 1551,'' Lord Wentworth,
who had been lord charaberlain to the king, was
buried at Westminster in an honourable manner, and
Coverdale preached the funeral sermon.
' Rym. Feed.— Wilk. Cone. » Stiy. Cranm. p. 181.— Burnet.
' Hist, of Engl. ch. xxxiv.
'' Strype says in 1550, but lie evidently means thc old style.
L

146 MEMORIALS OF
Coverdale had given so much satisfaction during
the time he was down in the west, that when a
coadjutor was wanted for Veyzy, bishop of Exeter,
he was appointed to that office. Veyzy was old,
seldora resided in his diocese, and was moreover
opposed to all the changes in religion that had taken
place. Now this diocese having been the seat of a
rebellion, which was indeed quelled, but which
might again break forth from the heated and dis
affected state of the common people worked upon by
the priests; sorae wise, active, and bold person seemed
necessary to inspect the clergy, check disorder, and,
by vigorous and prudent raeasures, restore all to
peacefulness and obedience.
Veyzy was accordingly prevailed on, partly by
raenaces (as it was afterwards said),° and partly by
allowing him to dispose of large portions of the tem
poralities of the see, to resign, on the pretext of old
age; and Coverdale was appointed bishop in his
stead. Coverdale had been spoken of as the person des
tined to fill this bishoprick, as early as the June in
the preceding year ; as we may learn from a letter
addressed by P. Martyr, who was then staying at
Oxford, to his friend BuUenger ; ^ and he adds this
commendation of our bishop, which we cannot omit
to give, coming as it does from a quarter in which
' It was alleged that he was threatened to be proceeded against for
taking a part in tlie rebellion ; but of his having done so, there seems
to be no proof.
.'' Printed in Burnet's Hist. Reform.

MYLES COVERDALE. 147
praise was so valuable, — " laudari ab illo laudato
" viro ; " — "that he thought nothing could tend more
to the restoring true religion in the country, than if
men like Coverdale were generally intrusted with the
administration of the church."
Hoker, speaking of Veyzy, says, that " of xxii.
" Lordships and manners, which his predecessors had,
" and left vnto hira, of a goodlie yeerelie reuenewe,
" he left but three, and them also leased out. And
" where he found xiiii. houses well furnished, he left
" onelie one house bare, and without furniture, and
" yet charged with sundrie fees and annuities ; and
" by these meanes, this Bishoprike, which sometimes
" was counted one of the best, is now become in tem-
" porall lands, one ofthe raeanest: and a place scarse
" left for the Bishop to laie and rest his bed in." ^
This bishoprick had been estiraated in 1534 to be
of the clear annual value of ^61566 14s. 7^d. ; and
it was now diminished to <£500 a-year only. The
alienations that Veyzy had raade were obliged to be
connived at, or rather expressly allowed, in order to
induce him to give up the bishoprick quietly ; and
Coverdale, who had no preferment, and was not in
very good circumstances, had no objection to the
bishoprick, as it may well be supposed, merely
because the income was reduced from what it
formerly had been.
The king nominated Coverdale to the see of Exeter

Catal. Bps. Exon.
l2

148 MEMORIALS OF
on the 14th of August, 1551. On the foUowing
day he directed his letters to the archbishop of Can
terbury, informing hira that he had done so, and
desiring the archbishop to consecrate him, according
to custom.
Strype says, that although now bishop elect of
Exeter, he had to wait at court, in order to manage
two matters : the one, that being a poor man the
king would excuse him his fiLrst-fruits ; and the
other, the doing his homage. " But such at that
' time were the great and urgent affairs of the state,
' or the secret hinderers of the gospel, that he found
' nothing but delays ; so that he was forced to
' apply hiraself unto his friend the archbishop, to
' forward his business ; who forthwith sent his
' letters to secretary Cecil, making Coverdale him-
' self the bearer, intreating him to use his influence
' to get this bishop dispatched, and that with speed ;
' urging this for his reason (becoraing his paternal
' care over his province) ; that so he might -without
' fiirther delay go down into the western parts,
' which had great need of him ; and also because he
' was minded, on the 30th of August, to consecrate
' him and the bishop of Rochester (Scory) according
' to the king's mandate." ''
This matter being at last accomplished, Coverdale
was, on the 30th of August, 1551, consecrated bishop
of Exeter, at Croydon, by archbishop Cranmer,
* Stry. Cranm. p. 367.

MYLES COVERDALE. 149
assisted by Nicolas, bishop of London, and John,
suffragan of Bedford, " all with their surplices %
" copes, I Coverdale so habited also." '
In September, he had his license of preaching; and
on the 10th of the same month, he had a license for
himself and Elizabeth his wife, and any five or six
guests at his table, to eat meat on the fast days.*
It would appear from a hint given by Castellio, in
his dedication to king Edward of his translation of
the Bible into Latin, that Bucer's death in this year
put a stop to a design which that prince had, of having
the English translation of the Bible reviewed and
corrected; for which purpose, it would appear that
he had actually appointed some learned men.' The
year before (1550) Coverdale's Bible had been re
printed, and also two editions of his New Testament.
The Bible was put forth again, with a reprinted title-
page, almanac, &c., in 1553, and that was all the
editions it ever had.'"
And before we go any further, a singular mistake
must be remarked, into which almost all those, who
have in any way mentioned Coverdale, have fallen.
In stating his promotion to the bishoprick, they say
that it was made, as might be seen in the patent,
" on account of his extraordinary knowledge in
" divinity, and his unblemished character ; " — " prop-
" ter ejus singularem sacrarura literarura doctrinara,
' Stry. Cranm. p, 271.
' Pat. 5 Edw. 6. p. 2. m. 35.— Rym. Feed.
' Lewis's Transl. Bible, p. 180. — Strype also mentions this design.
" See, however. Art. 9 and 10 in the List of Works, post.

150 MEMORIALS OF
" quam mores honestos et probatissimos ; " — but they
seera never to have suspected that these were mere
words of course, and that the same were indiscri
minately inserted in the other bishops' patents.
In 1549 it had been enacted, that the king might
appoint certain spiritual and temporal men to revise
the body of ecclesiastical laws, and compile a new
set. Accordingly, on the 6th of October, 1551, a
commission was issued out to this effect, to eight
bishops, eight divines, eight civU, and eight common
lawyers. Coverdale was one of the bishops named ;
and Strype tells us they worked hard at this task all
the winter; and lest they should not have time
enough (for the original power given to the king was
only for three years), the parUament further enlarged
the time ; and the council then accordingly directed
a new coraraission to be made out, on the 2nd of
February, 1552, to those engaged in the work.
" This," says Strype, " was a very noble enterprise,
" and well worthy the thoughts of our excellent
" archbishop ; who with indefatigable pains had
" been, both in this andthe last king's reign, labour-
" ing to bring this matter about : and he did his
" part, for he brought the work to perfection. But,"
adds Strype, " partly through business, and partly
" by enemies," the king's ratification of it was
delayed." It would seem that the king's death after
wards occurring, this project fell to the ground.
And now to come to how Coverdale filled the sta-
" Life of Cranin. p. 271.

MYLES COVERDALE. 151
tion of bishop. We have the account of Hoker,
who was a contemporary of his, and at one time
chamberlain of the city of Exeter, and on the
authenticity of which we may therefore fairly rely.
And as he is the only one who gives us any mention
of this part of the life of Coverdale, except the
writer of a very meagre account, evidently borrowed
from Hoker, in a MS. in the Harleian collection,"
we shall raake no apology for giving it at length, in
Hoker's own words; particularly as it has apparently
escaped the notice of all of his biographers.
He says, that shortly after the suppression of the
rebellion in Devonshire, Coverdale was appointed
bishop of Exeter, and " most worthilie did performe
" the office comraitted vnto him, he preached con-
" tinuallie vpon euerie holie daie, and did read most
" coraraonlie twise in the weeke, in sorae one church
" or other within this citie.^ He was after the rate
" of his linings, a great keeper of hospitalitie, verie
" sober in diet, godlie in life, freendlie to the godly,
" Iiberall to the poore, and curteousto aU men; void
" of pride, full of hurailitie, abhorring couetousnes,
" and an enimie to all wickednesse, and wicked
" men : whose companies he shunned, and whom he
" would in no wise shrowd, or haue in his house and
" companie. His wife a raost sober, chast, and
» Cod. 6037.
f This would he reckoned very diligent now ; hut it was doubly so at
that time, when, as we are informed by Edward's Injunctions, those
who had the cure of a parish, were only obliged to preach a sermon
twice in the year : and from its heing mentioned in the Injunctions, it
may be very reasonably inferred that some of them did not even do that.

152

MEMORIALS OF

" godlie matrone ; his house and houshold, another
" church, in which was exercised all godlinesse and
" vertue. No one person being in his house, which
" did not from time to time, giue an account of his
" faith and religion, and also did line accordinglie :
" and as he had a care for the good successe in reh-
" gion, so had he also for the direction of the gouem-
" ment in ecclesiasticall causes : and bicause he was
" not skilfuU therein, neither would be hindered from
" his godlie studies, and be incombred with such
" worldlie matters, which neuerthelesse he would
" haue be doone in all vprightnes, iustice, and equitie,
" he sent to Oxford for a learned man, to be his Chan-
" cellor, and by the ministerie of the writer hereof,
" he procured and obteined one Maister Robert
" Weston, Doctor of the ciuill lawe, and afterwards
" Lord Chancellor of Ireland,' vnto whom he com-
" mitted his consistorie, and the whole charge of his
" ecclesiasticall iurisdiction ; allowing vnto him, not
" onelie all the fees therevnto apperteining, but also
" lodged and found him, his wife, familie, horse, and
" man, within his owne house, and gaue him a yeerelie
" pension of xl. pound. And surelie the Bishop was
" no more godlie and carefull of his part, conceming
" preaching, but this man also was as dUigent and
" seuere in dooing of his office, without reproch of
" being affectionated or corrupted. And notwith-
" standing this good man, now a blamelesse Bishop,
" and lined most godlie and vertuous, yet the com-
1 Dr. Weston's name docs not occur in Le Neve's History of
Chancellors.

MYLES COVERDALE. 153
" mon people, whose old bottels would receiue no
" new wine, could not brooke nor digest him, for no
" other cause, but bicause he was a preacher of the
" Gospell, an enimie to papistrie, and a married
" man. Manie deuises were accompted against him,
" for his confusion ; sometimes by false suggestions,
" sometimes by open railings, and false libelles ;
" sometimes by secret backbitings ; and in the end
" practised his death by impoisoning, but by the pro-
" uidence of God, the snares were broken and he
" deliuered.'"^ Whilst Coverdale was thus attentive to the duties
of his sacred character, he still found time for other
occupations also. He attended every day regularly in
the House of Lords, during the session of parliament.
The first meeting of parliament, after his accession
to the episcopal bench, was on the 23rd of January,
1552, audit continued sitting until the 15th of April,
when it was dissolved. He was only absent two
days during the whole time." A new parhament
was summoned, and opened on the 1st of March,
1553, and dissolved on the 31st of the same month.
Coverdale attended every day, with the exception of
one only.' This was the last parliament in Edward's
reign. Coverdale did not long enjoy his bishoprick; for
in 1553, king Edward died, and Mary coming to the
throne, the religion was again changed, and those

Catal. Bps. Exon. (Lond. 1584.)
Lords' Journals. ' Lords' Journals.

154

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.

who had been deprived in the late reign were rein
stated. Coverdale was turned out of the see of
Exeter, and Veyzy restored ; because, as it was said,
he had before resigned only out of fear."
" Reg. Eccl. Cant, quoted in Stry. Cranm. p. 310. — Veyzy was
reinstated 28th September, 1653. Le Neve's Fast. Eccl. Angl.

CHAPTER XL

ACCESSION OF QUEEN MART.  COVERDALE DEPRIVED OF HIS
BISHOPRICK  AND SUMMONED BEFORE THE COUNCIL.  IN
TERPOSITION OF THE KING OF DENMARK IN HIS FAVOUR.
 HIS LETTERS ON THE SUBJECT.  CO-VERDALE, AFTER
MUCH DELAY, PERMITTED TO DEPART INTO DE17MARK 
FROM WHENCE HE PROCEEDS INTO GERMANY.  IS REIN
STATED IN HIS FORMER BENEFICE AT BERGZABERN. 
AFTER-VTARDS JOINS THE CONGREGATION AT GENEVA.

PoLYDORE Virgil tells us " that on the accession
of Queen Mary, aU ecclesiastics who were married and
would not put away their wives, or who were at aU
opposed to papistical doctrines, were indiscriminately
thrust out from their places. Some were clapped up
in prison, under the pretence of preaching without
hcence, or of owing the queen for firstrfruits, or tenths,
or of using king Edward's service book, &c. ; so that
the prisons in London were full of them.*
On the 22nd of August, a letter was sent to Cover-
dale for his undelayed repair to the court, then being at
' Page iii. ed. 1570, copied verbatim in Godw. Ann. p. iii. ed. 1616.
' Stry. Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 140.

156 MEMORIALS OF
Richmond, and there to attend the council's pleasure.
On the 31st, Coverdale appeared in obedience to this
summons, and on the 1st of September he was
directed to wait the council's further pleasure."
It -vvould not appear that Coverdale was committed
to prison at all; or if he was, it was only for a short
time, as Fox intimates that in April, 1554, he was
about on sureties.''
Probably the council could get nothing to allege
against him, except his difference of opinion on re
ligious matters ; and they had not then determined
on the plan of persecution, which they afterwards
adopted. But his danger on this account, was not
the less imminent, the moment it should please his
enemies to attack him.
A public disputation on certain articles of beUef
had been held at Oxford, in which Cranmer, and
Latimer, and Ridley had been the champions for the
reformers ; but so little of fair play had been shown
to them, that the rest of the imprisoned divines made
a protestation against submitting to a disputation at
the universities, except on certain conditions : be
cause, as they alleged, among other things, " Some
" of them having been in prison these eight or nine
" months, where they had no books, no paper, no
" pens, no ink, or convenient place for study, they
" thought they should do evU thus suddenly to de-
" scend into disputation." They however drew up a
declaration of their belief to accompany the protesta-
<¦ Minutes of Pri^y.•Counc. MSS. Cecil, vol. i. p. 177-8.
¦* Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. iii. p. 181.

MYLES COVERDALE. 157
tion, which they all signed ; amongst the rest. Cover-
dale, thus : " To these things abovesaid, do I Myles
" Coverdale, consent and agree with these mine
" affUcted brethren being prisoners, mine own hand.'"
In the raean time, exertions were being made to
procure Coverdale's pardon. Dr. J. Macchabseus
Alpinus, who was related to Coverdale, as we have
before mentioned, through his wife, prevailed with
his sovereign, king Christian of Denmark, to write
a letter to queen Mary, in Coverdale's behalf, which
that monarch accordingly did, on the 25th of April,
1554.-^ In this letter he stated, that he had heard that a
certain Myles Coverdale, lately raade bishop of
Exeter in the last king's reign, was in great danger
of his life ; and that being assured he was perfectly
innocent of the charges raade against him, and being
moreover importuned by one of his subjects, whom
he much esteemed, (Dr. John Macchabseus, a man of
great learning and piety, who was bound to this
Coverdale, not less by the ties of relationship than by
his excellent qualities), he could not but earnestly beg,
relying firmly, as he did, on the good understanding
which had always existed between theirtwo kingdoms,
that the queen, tendering as well her own character
for clemency as his request, should pardon this man.
But if, on account of the times, he could not con
veniently be permitted to reraain in England, that
then he and his should be sent over in safety and
' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. iii. p. 102.
t Id. p. 182.

158 MEMORIALS OF
unharmed to Denmark. He would take this, he
added, as a great favour, and if ever her majesty
should require any thing from him, she might rely that
he would do all in his power in return to oblige her.
He says very clearly in this letter, in the following
passage, that he understands a participation in the
recent rebellion to be the crime of which Coverdale
was accused, but of which, he says, Macchabseus
had testified to him that he was perfectly innocent :
" Exposuit is (Macchabseus) nobis, in hac recenti
" perturbatione ac motu regni Anglise (quem ex animo
" evenisse dolemus, & nunc indies in melius verti
" speramus) quendam nomine Milonem Coverdalum,
" nuper dicecesis Exoniensis, pise lauditissimseque
" meraoriae proximi Regis Serenitatis vestrse fratris,
" consanguinei itidem nostri chariss. auctoritate con-
" stitutum Episcopum, nunc in tristissimas calami-
" tates, carcerem, ac periculum vitae, nuUa atrocioris
" delicti culpa, sed Ula fatali temporum ruina, inci-
" disse." It seems curious that Christian should really think
that this was the cause, when Coverdale was known
to have been in trouble, as early as September, 1553,
before the insurrection took place : but it might be
merely a statagera to force the queen either to declare
Coverdale innocent, or else to allege some ground of
complaint against him. However this may be. Chris
tian seems in this letter to have had great fears of
Coverdale's safety, and alraost intimates an appre
hension that he raay have been proceeded against,
before this letter could reach her : " Moveraur pro-

MYLES COVERDALE. 159
" fecto non temere illius viri^ (cui suo merito imprimis
" benevolumus) coramiseratione, ejusque maxime tes-
" tunonio de captivi Antistitis innocentia atque inte-
" gritate : de qua quidem est, ut eo melius speremus,
" quod multis jam morte mulctatis sontibus, de ipso
" integrum adhuc Deus esse voluit."
Her majesty, it would appear in her answer to this
letter, said that Coverdale was not charged with any
such matter as that mentioned by king Christian, but
only for a certain debt due to her treasury : that
nevertheless Coverdale should feel the good effects of
his raajesty's interposition in his behalf: and as she
desired nothing more than in this and every other
transaction to cultivate the best possible understand
ing between their majesties and between their re
spective kingdoms ; so his majesty need not fear but
that on every just occasion, she would show the
cleraency and moderation which ought ever to
accompany the sword of a monarch.
She, however, took no steps one way or the other
with regard to Coverdale, and his friends began to
be alarmed, lest this doubtful conduct might not fore
bode his destruction. They prevailed on Christian
to write another letter to queen Mary in Coverdale's
favour, dated the 24th of Septeraber.*
In this second letter, he says that it had given him
much pleasure to hear that Coverdale was only
charged with a debt to her majesty, and not with
any graver offence ; for he could not but feel certain
e Scilicet; " Macchabsei."
^ Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. iii. p. 182.

160 MEMORIALS OF
that her majesty would now readily coraply with his
request. He would not reiterate it to her ; but he
could only assure her how great the obligation would
be, if Coverdale himself should be permitted to appear
before him, to assure him in person of his safety.
He further adds, that relying on her royal promise
that his interposition should be of avail in Coverdale's
favour, he had not hesitated to confidently assure
his relations, who were sorrowing for him, of his
perfect safety. He begged her majesty to believe
that he never for an instant doubted her clemency,
and that he felt sensibly the many flattering expres
sions, in which her majesty had conveyed her desire
for the increase of their friendship and mutual good
understanding, which, on his part, he would do exevy
thing to promote.
The whole of this letter is artfully written, as if
the king did not for an instant doubt that queen Mary
would pardon Coverdale ; but on the contrary, that
he construed her last letter as a proraise to do so.
And he there tells her in other words, that, as by her
own stateraent, Coverdale only stood charged with a
debt, her raajesty could not for an instant refuse so
sraall a boon as his pardon, to a monarch whose friend
ship she professed to wish to preserve. The conse
quence was, that the queen found herself obliged,
either to send Coverdale over to Denmark, according
to Christian's request; or else to put an affront on
that raonarch, which he could not well be expected
quietly to bear.
She, however, delayed her answer for sorae time,

MYLES COVERDALE. 161
as if undetermined how to act ; but at last finding
that she had no choice left, but that she must, how
ever loth she might be, permit Coverdale to depart in
safety, since the king had raade such a point of his
request, that a refusal raight endanger the good
understanding between the two kingdoms, she re
luctantly suffered him to go, and wrote an answer to
the king, dated the 18th of February, 1555.'
In it she says, that having received his majesty's
letters, and having understood therefrom, the desire
that he had, that Coverdale should be allowed to
depart from her kingdom to go to his, she had granted
it. " And although he is our natural born subject,
" and is not yet freed from a debt of certain monies,
" which by law he was bound to pay to our treasury ;
" yet we held that a greater weight was to be given
" to your request, than to our debt." And this letter
like the former, concluded with obliging expressions
of good-will and amity.
Coverdale was accordingly allowed to go over to
Denmark,* and fortunate it was for hira, that he had
such zealous instances raade in his favour ; for shortly
after, the persecutions for which queen Mary's reign
is so justly detested, comraenced, and it is impossible
to think but that he would have been amongst its
earliest and raost illustrious victiras.
The bigotry of the queen no doubt raade her look
on the raan, who had been raainly instrumental in
' Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. iii, p. 183.
¦¦ He had his passport granted for himself, and two servants, on the
19th of February, 1555. M

162 MEMORIALS OF
putting forth the Bible, no matter how blameless his
life might have been, as an arch-heretic. And as we
are told, that it was only through the persuasions of
the raore moderate of her council, that she was
induced for so long a time to refrain from giving vent
to her religious zeal, by aU the horrors of persecution ;
we may reasonably presurae, that Mary's long delay
in complying -with Christian's request, arose from a
disincUnation to allow so great an offender to escape
the punishment, which she was meditating on all
those, who had so far wandered from what she con
sidered, the orthodox faith. AUuding to the nar
rowness of this escape of his, FuUer figuratively
says : ' " He was as a fire-brand plucked out of the
burning." The reader is no doubt well acquainted with the
atrocities committed in this reign under the influence
of a fanatical zeal for the interests of reUgion, mixed
up -with more objectionable and more sordid motives:
it would be unnecessary, therefore, and it is not the
purpose of this work, to undertake the painful task of
recapitulating them. We shaU accordingly foUow
Coverdale abroad, without thinking it necessary to
state that nothing of course was done in this reign
towards setting forth the Bible ; but, on the contiary,
every thing that could be devised to suppress it and
prohibit its use, under the raost severe penalties.
When Coverdale arrived in Denmark, he was re
ceived with the joy and welcome with which those
' Church Hist. b. ix. p. 04, ed. 1655.

MYLES COVERDALE. 163
are greeted by their friends, who have unexpectedly
escaped from great danger ; for the time that had
elapsed before the queen's answer was given, was
such as must naturally have inspired the most painful
forebodings. He was received with open arms by Macchabseus,
to whom we are told " affinitate (& quod gravius est)
" pietatis, eruditionis, ac morum similitudine, tanquara
" frater devinctus erat ; " and the good king Christian
no doubt rejoiced to see the man, in whose behalf he
had so interested himself
After staying there some while he proceeded to
Wezel, where he officiated as preacher to the English
J* tn
renigees. It is said that the king of Denmark was very loth
to part -with him, and offered hira a benefice in Den
mark ; but this good man preferring his duty to all
other considerations, as he did not know the Danish
tongue, would not remain where he could be of little
or no use. With that pure and enthusiastic spirit of
rehgion, which distinguished sorae of the early re
formers, he believed himself called upon, like the
apostles of old, never to rest ; but to go about continually
preaching the truth of the gospel. And raore par
ticularly did he feel hiraself called upon, when those
who followed the true spirit of our Saviour's injunc
tions, were persecuted and driven frora their home,
"' Troubles at Frankf. p. 184. Strype intimates that Coverdale was
there in 1654. — Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 147; but in page 152, he
tacitly contradicts himself, by mentioning the queen's letter of February,
1555.
M 2

164 MEMORIALS OF
their family, and their friends, to wander poor and
neglected in a foreign country, exposed to the greatest
miseries and to the greatest privations. There could
be no more sacred duty he felt, than for those who
had been the means of planting the belief in their
hearts, now to strengthen it by their advice and
example, and not to suffer them to be utterly cast
down by the weight of their calamity. Words of
consolation and comfort were now doubly necessary
to those, whose prospects in this world were so forlorn
and cheerless. Coverdale accordingly preferred this
sacred mission, attended with difficulties and hard
ships as it was, to remaining as he might have done,
in comparative ease in Denmark, whilst his fellow-
Christians were in misery and want.
He however, had not been long at Wezel, when
Wolfgang, Duke of Deux-Ponts, in whose dominions
he had resided before, sent for him and offered him
again his former benefice of Bergzabern, which he
accordingly accepted : for he found that he could here
be of service, being well able, as we have before
stated, to preach in the German language.
And another reason that may have weighed with
him to accept this charge, was, that almost all the
congregations of reformers that were assembled at
the different cities in Germany, were tom with in
ternal dissension ; some following one preacher, and
sorae another, who differed from each other in some
slight minutiae of ceremonial or doctrine, which they
advocated with an acrimony and bitterness, alike un
worthy of the matter itself and discreditable to their

MYLES COVERDALE. 165
character as Christians. Coverdale was himself
averse to entering into disputes of this kind, (which
had he j oined these congregations he must have done ; )
for he saw that they only thus afforded a handle to
their enemies, who had always raaintained that such
would be the consequences of a departure frora the
Roman Catholic faith; and that men who once
renounced the belief in which they had been brought
up, would never afterwards be settled in any particular
doctrine, but veering about, first one way and then
the other, would occasion interminable disputes, and
throw the whole state of civil society into confusion ;
and moreover, to a man of his character, strife and
contention of any kind, were highly disagreeable.
He therefore preferred retiring to a place where he
could enjoy tranquillity, and discharge his duties as
a Christian, and a minister of God, in the peace and
quietness so congenial to him.
But when the new edition of the Bible was being
brought out at Geneva, and his assistance became of J
much importance, he directly proceeded thither ; and
he had the less reluctance to do so, since the congre
gation at Geneva, was the best ordered of any that
had assembled any where abroad; and the most
celebrated for piety and learning of the reformers
were amongst its merabers.
At what time he went to Geneva, we cannot ascer
tain exactly ; but we find his name subscribed to a
letter, from the ministers of the church at that place,
to those at Frankfort, written the 15th day of Decem
ber, 1558, of which the purport was to congratulate

166 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.
them on the accession of Queen Elizabeth, and to
desire that all private dissensions betwixt them,
concerning forms and ceremonies, might be laid aside ;
seeing, as they there said, that the papists could wish
nothing more than that such should exist."
» Troubles at Frankf. p. 187.

CHAPTER XII.

ACCESSION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.  COVERDALE RETURNS INTO
ENGLAND.  OFFICIATES AT THE CONSECRATION OF ARCH
BISHOP PARKER.  DOES NOT RESUME HIS BISHOPRICK, FROM
RELIGIOUS SCRUPLES.  GRINDAL's LETTER ABOUT COVER-
DALE NOT HAVING MET WITH DUE PREFERMENT.  HE IS
HOWEVER AFTERWARDS PRESENTED TO THE LIVING OF ST.
MAGNUS, WHICH HE DOES NOT ENJOY LONG.  HIS LETTERS
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE CONCERNING HIS INABILITY
TO PAY FIRST-FRUITS.  IS ADMITTED TO THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF DIVINITY ' PER GRATIAM,' BY THE UNIVERSITY
OF CAMBRIDGE.  HIS DEATH.  EPITAPH.

The accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne
was a joyful event to all the reformers. That
princess had been early brought up in the new
opinions, and men had seen with fear and concem, the
dangers to which she had been exposed during the
late reign. Though PhUip had always interposed in
her favour, to procure her the unmolested exercise of
her own religion ; yet it was impossible to foresee to
what lengths the bigotry of Mary, increased by old
age and disease, might have carried her.
On all sides, discontents had manifested themselves
against the Spanish alliance ; and raen feared from

168 MEMORIALS OF
what they had already experienced, that England
might become a mere appanage to the crown of Spain.
They therefore saw with increased delight a young
princess, who had hitherto shown so rauch prudence
and moderation, mount the throne, which they prog
nosticated she would fill to the honour and prosperity
of the kingdom.
During the late reign, the kingdom had been
solemnly and formally reconciled to the pope, and
received once more into the bosom of the holy church.
The most rigid conformity was exacted with a spirit
of the most unrelenting persecution ; and the only
alternative for those of the reformed tenets was to flee
the country, or to unhesitatingly comply with what
ever was asked of them.
In this manner, the whole nation was brought into
an acquiescence with the established form of worship.
When, therefore, the death of Mary called Elizabeth
to the throne, she had a very delicate part to play ;
and great caution was necessary to be used in bringing
about a change in so important a matter, as that of
the public religion of a country. She accordingly
proceeded slowly and gradually, and she took par
ticular care to restrain the breaking out of any ill-
timed zeal in those of her own party. For fear of
causing any apprehension of a violent change, she
continued some of her sister's ministers in their posts ;
but she took care to add to them several who were of
the reformed opinions, with whom she consulted as to
the proper raeasures for restoring the protestant
religion.

MVLES COVERDALE. 169
They represented to her, that the greater part of the
nation, ever since her father's time, had inclined to
the reforraed religion ; and although in the preceding
reign the severities that had been used, had brought
the nation to a conformity with the Catholic form of
worship, yet that such conformity was only seeraing,
and not real. As yet, they said, men scrupled little
to follow the belief which their princes adopted ; and
it was easy for her, by bestowing all offices of honour
and emolument on those of her own persuasion, to
gradually lead her subjects, without any of the severe
methods used in the late reign, to a conformity with
her own tenets.
By their advice, accordingly, she deterrained to
patiently await the opening of her parUaraent, in order
to alter the present establishraent ; but, in the mean
time, she took care that men should see generally
that she was well disposed to the reformed doctrines.
She liberated all those who were in prison, and re
called all those who were in exile, on account of their
religion ; and exerting a power which hadbeen before
exercised by her predecessors, she inhibited all but
the most moderate of her own party from preaching.
On the news of Elizabeth's accession, all those
who had fled from England, on account of persecution
for religion, returned home ; except a few who remained
at Geneva, to superintend the completion of the Bible,
which was published in 1560, in a quarto volume."

-Copies: Lambeth.— Balliol Coll.— St. John's Coll. Oxf.— Mr. Her-
bert.— Rev. Dr. Bliss.— Rev. H. Cotton.

170 MEMORIALS OF
It was dedicated to Queen Elizabeth, and had a
long epistle to the reader. It was for many years a
most popular translation in England ; as the numerous
editions of it may testify. And although after the
appearance of King James's translation, the use ofit
declined ; yet its notes were in raany instances used
for a long time afterwards. As Coverdale's share in
the authorship of this Geneva translation of the
Bible is unknown, we wUl not give a further descrip
tion of it ; but those who are desirous may find one
in Cotton's list of Bibles.
In 1557, a translation of the New Testament*
alone had been published at Geneva, and was reprinted
in 1560; but it does not appear that Coverdale had
any hand in it ; and indeed it is to be remarked,
that the translation is different to that contained in
the whole Bible, 1560.
Many editions of the Bible were now printed,
chiefly of Cranmer's and the Geneva ; and raany also
of the New Testament of various translations.
Coverdale was not one of those who remained at
Geneva, to superintend the publication of the Bible,
as we find him on the 12th of November, 1559,
taking his turn as preacher at Paul's Cross."
The refugees had been supported during their
exile, partly, by the profits arising frora the sale of
tracts and other reUgious books, which notwithstand
ing the prohibitions, they contrived to iraport into
' Copies: Brit. Mus.— Bodleian.— Lambeth.— Balliol Coll.— Bapt.
Mus. Brist. — Dr. Coombe.
' Stry. Grindal, p. 27.

MYLES COVERDALE. 171
England ; and partly, by sums of money sent them
over by their friends ; and partly, by the assistance
which those of the reformed religion in Germany
afforded them. Their situation was, notwithstanding,
but very bad ; for even their friends, in sending them
money, ran much danger as supporters of heretics :
for not content with issuing a proclaraation on the
13th of June, 1555,'' forbidding all these books that
had been imported, and amongst the rest all books of
Coverdale, the late government had also sent out
articles of inquiry on the following day, to the
wardens of every company in the city of London ; to
know whether they had seen or heard of any of these
books which had come from Zurich, Strasbourg,
Frankfort, Wezel, Embden, and Dimsberg (at which
places were English refugees) ; and also as to whom
they knew or suspected to be, carriers of letters or
money, from hence to those places.
Coverdale himself, notwithstanding the friends he
had, was in no very enviable condition, if we are to
look to what Bale says of him, alraost in a tone of
pity, in a new edition of his work, printed at Basle, in
the beginning of 1559 : " Claruit episcopus Exces-
" triensis sub regeEdvuardo sexto, anno Dora. 1552,
" nunc autera in Gerraania pauper ac peregrinus
" manet." It would appear that Coverdale on his return to
England, was looked upon and treated as a bishop,
although he had been deprived in the late reign : for
'' Stry. Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 250. — Fox's Acts and Monuments,
vol. iii. p. 271.— Wilk. Cone.

172 MEMORIALS OF
we find that he assisted in that character, at the
consecration of Matthew Parker, archbishop of Can
terbury, on the 17th December, 1559.
But he had, with many of the reformers, taken so
great a dislike to habits and ceremonies, which they
considered as so raany concomitants and ingredients
of idolatrous worship, that on this occasion he would
only wear a plain black gown, whilst the rest wore
surplices." This ordination was objected to afterwards, because,
it was said, it was necessary by law that three bishops
at the least should be present at the consecration of
an archbishop : whereas it was contended that on this
occasion there was not even one present; for that
Barlow, Scory, Coverdale, and Bale, and the suffra
gans of Bedford and Thetford, who alone were there,
had been deprived in Mary's reign, and had not since
been restored, therefore they were not bishops at all.
They aUeged also, as another ground, which was
nothing more than a scandalous falsehood, maliciously
invented ; namely, that the ceremony had been per
formed at a tavern, over their wine.-'' The intention
with which this objection and this falsehood were
urged, was obvious enough ; for as Parker was the
first protestant archbishop in this reign, all who were
afterwards made bishops, derived their title from
consecration given at his hands ; and if he were not
properly consecrated, of course none who came after
him could be so : and on this ground it was after-
' Stry. Parker, p. 57.— Ann. of Reform, vol. i. p. 405.
/ Stry. Parker, p. 50, and seq.

MYLES COVERDALE. 173
wards contended, that none of the protestant bishops
had any right to that character.
And now with regard to the restoration of the
bishops, who had been deprived in the late reign.
Queen Elizabeth proceeded with a prudence and
¦wisdom, that were much praised by all politicians.
She did not on her accession directly issue a commis
sion to deprive in their turn those who were then
filling the sees, and to restore the former bishops,
because she was unwilling to do any thing to agitate
the public mind ; but she waited until her parliament
had assembled and had passed a law, obliging every
person to take an oath acknowledging the queen's
supremacy, or on refusal, rendering them incapable of
holding any office whatever.^ Of course the bishops,
who had been presented in the late reign, refused to
take this oath ; and they were all, with the exception
of one, the bishop of Landaff, who consented, con
sequently deprived.
Coverdale's biographers are much at variance, with
regard to whether or not, his old bishoprick was now
offered to him. It would seem most probable that it
was ; for it may be asked in what character did he
appear at the consecration of archbishop Parker,
except as a bishop, who had been unrightfully de
prived of his see, but who was still bishop of it in
equity "? For if the government meant to say he had
been rightfully deprived in Mary's reign, then he was
not a bishop at all, and therefore had no business at
the consecration of Parker ; but, if on the contrary,
« 1 Eliz. c. 1.

174 MEMORIALS OF
they meant to say he had been unlawfuUy dispos
sessed, although for reasons of policy they might not
think fit to immediately turn out the bishop then
installed, yet when he once was so, there was no
excuse or reason for not offering the bishoprick back
to Coverdale. Besides, he was a man eminent alike
for his piety and his learning, and whose nomination
would have given much satisfaction to the reformers.
But it may be said, if it was offered to him, why did
he not accept if? Because, it may readUy be an
swered, the parliament had at the same time passed
the Act of Uniformity ; * and Coverdale's scruples not
allowing him to conform to a strict observance of some
of the forms thereby required, the govemment, how
ever wUling, could not dispense in the case of a bishop,
(whose example would of course direct all the clergy
in his diocese) with any non-observance of the enact
ments of the bill, which they would thus have ren
dered a dead letter.
TurbervUle, who was the then bishop of Exeter,
was deprived in the beginning of January, 1560; and
on the refusal therefore, as we may presume, of Cover-
dale, the bishoprick was conferred on WiUiam Alley.
on the 9th of June, in the same year. The conge
d'elire was dated on the 27th of AprU."
Coverdale thus remained without any preferment,
notwithstanding all that he had done, and all that he
had suffered for the refomied religion.
In 1563, Strype teUs us,* that notwithstandmg his
great years he fell sick of the plague, but recovered
* 1 Eliz. c. '.?. ' Lc Neve"- Fast. Eccl. .\iigl. Stry. Grind, p. 91.

MYLES COVERDALE. 175
from it, " as though God had some more work for
" him to do in the Church, before his death."
In the mean time, however, it would appear fi-om
the same author,' that Grindal, bishop of London,
wrote a letter to the queen's secretary, recommending
Coverdale to the bishoprick of Landaff, when .that
see was vacant ; telling the secretary, that he thought
it not well that Coverdale, who was one of the oldest
reformers, " qui ante nos omnes fuit in Christo,"
should, in his old age, be without stay of living.
He intimates his doubt, however, if, in the dilapi
dated state of the revenue, of which the last incum
bent had been the cause, there was sufficient to live
on ; and he hints that it would be well, if any means
could be found, that things wickedly alienated fi-om
that see might be restored to it. Strjrpe, however,
does not seem to have been able to discover, what
was done in consequence of this letter. From this
it would appear, that either Grindal was not aware of
Coverdale's scruples concerning forms and ceremo
nies ; or else thought that in the case of so eminent a
man, they ought to be dispensed with.
Grindal appears to have entertained a high respect
for Coverdale, and to have much interested himself
to procure him some preferment. He complained
that Coverdale was not taken that notice of, that was
due to him : and he once said, " I cannot excuse us
" bishops ;" but in justification of himself, he averred,
that he had offered him divers things, which never
theless he thought not raeet for him to accept of"
' Stry. Grind, p. 91. '" Id. ibid.

176 MEMORIALS OF
However, we find that on the 3rd of March, 1563,
Grindal collated him to the living of St. Magnus,
close to London Bridge." But as a proof of how
" Newe. Eccl. Hist. Lond. vol. i. p. 398. In a note he says, that
he supposes that this Coverdale is a son of that Myles Coverdale, who
was made bishop of Exeter, in the time of Edward the Sixth.
The parishioners of St. Magnus have lately erected a monument to the
memory of Myles Coverdale. The following inscription is in a hand
some architectural compartment of white marble, on a black slab, to the
right of the altar. An open book is above it, with " The Holy Bible,"
written on one of its leaves. The bishop's mitre at the top marks the
rank of the deceased.
TO THE MEMORY OF MILES COVERDALE :
WHO, CONVINCED THAT THE PURE WORD OP GOD OUGHT TO BE THE
SOLE BnLE OP OtJR PAITH AND GUIDE OF OUE PRACTICE,
LABOURED EARNESTLY POR ITS DIFFUSION ; AND WITH THE
VIEW OF APPOKDING THE MEANS OP READING AND
HEARING, IN THEIR OWN TONGUE, THB WONDERFUL
WORKS OP GOD, NOT ONLY TO HIS OWN COUN
TRYMEN, EUT TO THE NATIONS THAT SIT IN
DARKNESS, AND TO EVERY CREATURE
WHERESOEVER THE ENGLISH LAN
GUAGE MIGHT BE SPOKEN, SPENT
MANY YEARS OP HIS LIFE
IN PREPARING A TRANS
LATION OP THE
SCRIPTURES.
ON THE IV OP OCTOBER, MDXSXV.
THE FIRST COMPLETE ENGLISH PRINTED VERSION OF
THE BIBLE
WAS PUBLISHED UNDER HIS DIRECTION.
THE PARISHIONERS OF ST. MAGNUS THE MARTYR,
DESIROUS OF ACKNOWLEDGING THE MERCY OF GOD,
AND CALLING TO MIND THAT
MILES COVERDALE
WAS ONCE RECTOR OF THEIR PARISH,
ERECTED THIS MONUMENT TO HIS MEMORY A.D. MDCCCXXXVII.
" HOW BEAUTIFUL ARE THB PEET OP THEM THAT PREACH THE GOSPEL
OP PEACE, AND BEING GLAD TIDINGS OF GOOD THINGS!" Isaiah Hi. 7.

MVLES COVERDALE. 177
poor Coverdale at this time was, it may be men
tioned, that though he had obtained the benefice, he
could not raise money enough to pay the queen her
first-fruits, which amounted to .^60 16*. lOd., and
was, therefore, obliged to petition her to excuse him
the payment.
He wrote to the archbishop on this subject (as
well as to others about the court), praying him to
set his age and his poverty before the queen, and join
with the bishop of London in procuring that the
payment of his first-fruits raight be forgiven him,
seeing how destitute he had been of a competent
living ever since his bishoprick had been taken vio
lently frora him ; " I being," said he, " compelled to
" resign. And how I never had pension, annuity, or
" stipend of it these ten years and upwards ; how
" unable also I ara to pay the first-fruits, or long to
" enjoy the said benefice, going upon my grave, as they
" say, and not like to live a year : her Majesty, at the
" contemplation of such reverend, honourable, and
" worthy suitors, will most graciously grant me her
" warrant and discharge for the first-fruits of the said
" benefice. And as I ara bold raost hurably to crave
" your grace's help herein, so ara I fully persuaded,
" God willing, to shew rayself again as thankful, and
" in my vocation during my short time as fruitful and
" as quiet as I can. 29 Jan. new year.
(Signed) Myles Coverdale quondam Exon." *¦
He wrote also on the same subject in the begin-
f -MSS. cccc. A^ol. Epist. Princip. quoted in Stry. Parker, p. 149.
N

178 MEMORIALS OF
ning of February, to CecU, to beg hira to be a
means to the queen, to remit him the first-fruits of
the said St. Magnus ; " which the bishop of London
" had gently granted him the pastoral office and
" benefice of That heretofore (he praised God
" for it) his honour had ever been his special help
" and succour in all his rightful suits : and that if
" now (that poor old Myles might be provided for)
" it would please him to obtain this for him ; he
" should think this enough to be as good as a feast.
" And so beseeching him to take this his boldness iu
" good part, he committed him and all his to the
" gracious protection of the Almighty. From Lon-
" don, 6 Feb." Subscribing,
" Myles Coverdale, quondam Exon." '
Coverdale wrote, a month or two afterwards, to
the archbishop again, signifying that the Lord Robert
Dudley had sent him a message, informing him that
the queen had granted him his first-fruits.'
We may perceive hereby, that although no prefer
ment had been hitherto given to Coverdale, yet he
was held in some estimation, when no less persons
than the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishop of
London, the earl of Leicester, and the secretary of
state, interested themselves for him in this matter.
It must not be thought that in accepting this pre
ferment, Coverdale at all compromised those prin
ciples, which we have represented as making hint
' MS. Cecil, quoted in Stry. Parker, p. 149.
¦¦ Stry. Parker, p. 149.

MYLES COVERDALE. 179
refuse the bishoprick three years before; since it
appears from Strype,' that he was not obliged to
strictly observe the regulations as to habits, &c.,
but that his neglect in this respect, as well as that of
several other eminent divines of the same party, was
connived at.
In 1563, also, he was admitted to a doctor's degree
in divinity, per gratiam, by the university of Cam
bridge; and at the same time, Barkley, bishop of
Bath and Wells, took a similar degree.'
In 1564, Grindal, bishop of London, being desi
rous of taking his doctor's degree in divinity, wrote
to the vice-chancellor of Cambridge, requesting him
either to admit him himself, or to depute some one
else to do so. Accordingly, the vice-chancellor gave
power and authority to Coverdale, to admit the
bishop. This instrument was dated the 10th of
April, 1564. In pursuance of this power. Cover-
dale did adrait him on the 15th of the same month,
at his palace at London ; Grindal having first taken
the oaths before hira." This is another proof that
Coverdale was not the less thought of because he
was old and poor.
Sorae of the more zealous of the reformers, who
wished for the simplicity of a primitive church, were
much dissatisfied with the queen's measures. For
Elizabeth had framed the liturgy as much as possible
to include both parties ; she had removed all parts
• Stry. Parker, p. 243.— Grindal, p. 116.
' Ant. Brit. Eccl.
" Stry. Grindal, p. 95.
n2

180 MEMORIALS OF
that could be offensive to the Roman Catholics, and
they accordingly did not hesitate to frequent the
churches. Nay, we are told, that if it had not been
to gratify the wishes of her own party, she would
have retained most of that pomp and ceremony, for
which the Roman Catholic religion is so celebrated ;
but to which, as much as to any thing in the doctrine,
some of the reformers had taken a most unconquer
able aversion.
Hitherto, as we have just remarked, a certain
degree of non-conformity had been allowed ; but the
governraent afterwards determining to enforce a more
strict observance of the liturgy, several preachers
who would not comply, were deprived in the course
of the year 1566.
Coverdale resigned his li-ring in this year ; " whe
ther only on account of infirraity and old age, or
because he was told that he must either do that or
conforra, does not appear ; although the latter is the
raore probable of the two, as we find that he con
tinued afterwards to preach, which he would hardly
have done had the former been the case.
" After the deprivation of the London ministers,"
says Strype," " for seven or eight weeks, their hearers
" either came to the churches, and heard the con-
" formable preachers, or went no whither. Many
" of them ran after father Coverdale, who took that

" In the list of presentations to St. Magnus : " John Young, S.T.B.
" 24th September, 1566, per res. Coverdale." Newe. Eccl. Hist. Lond.
vol. i. p. 398.
" Life of Parker, p. 241-2.

MYLES COVERDALE. 181
" occasion to preach the more constantly ; but yet
" with rauch fear, so that he would not be known
" where he preached, though many came to his
" house to ask where he would preach the next
" Lord's day. This it is likely he did, because he
" did not care for tumultuous raeetings, lest he inight
" give offence to the government."
Coverdale did not live long afterwards. He died
in February, 1569, at the advanced age of 81 years,
and was honourably buiied in St. Bartholomew's
church, behind the Exchange, on the 19th of that
month.' His body was attended to the grave by vast
crowds of people, who admired and loved him.*
He was interred in the chancel, and on " a fair
" plated stone" on the ground, was engraved the
following epitaph : —
HIC TANDEM REQUIEMQUE
PERENS PINBMQ. LABORUM,
OS8A COVERDALI
MOHTUA TUMBUS HABET,
EXONi.a: QUI PR.s;suL
ERAT DIGNISSIMUS OLIM,
INSIGNI8 VIT.iE
VIR PROBITATB SU^.
OCTOGINTA ANNOS
GRAND.EVUS VIXIT, ET UND-M,
INDIGNE PASSUS
S.ffiPirS EXILIUM.
SIC ILLUM VARUS
JACTATUM CASIBUS, ISTA
EXCBPIT GREMIO
TERRA BENIGNA SUO.
' Reg. of Burials. — See Note L.
y Neal's Hist, of Puritans, vol. i. p. 185.
• Fuller's Ch. Hist, book ix., p. 64-5, ed. 1655.— Stow's Surv. fol.
191, b. ed. 1633. This stone was destroyed, with the greater part of
the church, at the fire of Loudon.

182 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.
We have now, as far as our scanty materials would
allow, endeavoured to trace the principal events of
the life of Coverdale; and we cannot conclude
without expressing our admiration of his character.
Living in difficult and changeful tiraes, his conduct
and his writings were moderate, firra, and consistent
throughout. Actuated by the purest sense of duty,
principle, religion, he never allowed himself to be
carried away by the prevaUing spirit of fanaticism.
It is impossible to read much of his writings, with
out being touched by the unaffected tone of benevo
lence, in which they are expressed. As one of our
early reformers he ought to stand high in our estima
tion, particularly for the zeal which he always showed
in setting forth the Bible in the English tongue. But
what we think ought to make us more particularly
esteem Coverdale, is his freedom from that stem,
gloomy spirit of religion, bordering raore or less on
fanaticisra, which unfortunately characterised most
of the leading reformers of that day. We have only
to regret, that the materials handed down to us,
though diligently sought after, have not been suffi
cient to give more than this, at best, very imperfect
account of so celebrated and excellent a man.

NOTES.

Note A. p. 20.
There seems to be some doubt as to when this occurrence took place,
although the only parties, who could of their own knowledge affix a
date, have related it as of the year 1529. Halle, who wrote about 1546,
gives that date. Fox, who wrote in 1563, copies from Halle; Burnet
also gives the same date. But Lewis and Collier have determined,
that it took place in 1526, or shortly afterwards, (Hist. Transl. Bible, p.63,
incorrectly numbered as p. 79, — Eccl. Hist. vol. ii. p. 22) for the following
reason ; namely, that Sir Thomas More, in his Dyaloges, which were
finished at the press in June, 1629, speaks of the burning of the New
Testament ; nay, that even Tyndal himself mentions it, in his preface to
" The parable of the wycked Mammon," published on the Sth of May,
1 527 ; and that, as they take it for granted that this buying the testaments,
must have preceded the burning them, the former event could only
therefore have occurred prior to May, 1527. But, in this assumption,
they seem evidently to have forgotten the prohibition of Tonstal's, that
he issued in 1526, and under which, the burning of the books alluded
to hy More and Tyndal, might have taken place.
Halle, however, who is much better authority, than the deductions or
inferences of Mr. Lewis or Mr. Collier, clearly states this occurrence to
have taken place, as we have before said, in the year 1529; and as if to
put the matter beyond a doubt, in the following year, 1530, he tells us :
" In this yere in Maye, the bishop of Londo caused al his newe Testa-
inetes which he had bought with many other bokes, to be brought into
Paules churchyarde in London, and there was openly burned." — Chron.
fol. 192. b. ed. 1548. Lewis, however, has here made a curious error,
for he has copied out this last paragraph from Halle, and gives it as of
the year 1531 ; thereby necessarily making it the act of Stokesly instead

184 MEMORIALS OF
of Tonstal, and also stating it to be done in pursuance of certain measures,
of which it was entirely independent
Besides, the buying of these books is stated to have taken place, when
the bishop was at Antwerp. Now this could only be in 1529, on his
return from his embassy at the treaty of Cambrai.
We should not have thought of taking so much pains to show that
Lewis and Collier are wrong in the date they have affixed to this tran
saction, were we not aware, that, from what Halle says, it might be
fairly asserted he was speaking of the first edition of the New Testa
ment in 1526 ; and that the presumption would be that the bishop would
not have tried the experiment of suppressing heresy, by buying up the
books containing it, when he found that the impression had already pro
ceeded as far as two or three editions ; and when it therefore seemed
evident to any one, that as soon as those already published were sold,
there would be a new edition to supply the demand.
It may be observed, however, in answer to the first objection, that
Halle was not a describer of books, but of events, and might probably
have forgotten when the first edition was published (and we know that
so well were the orders for its suppression obeyed, that there is only one
perfect copy now extant) ; but still have perfectly recollected the year
and the circumstance ; and then again, the first translation of the New
Testament was published without any name attached to it, as we may
learn from Tyndal himself, in his preface to " the parable of the wycked
" Mammon," where he says, " The cause why I set my name before
" this little treatise, and have not rather done it in the New Testament,
" is that then I folowed the counsell of Christ, which exhorteth men
" to do their good deedes secretly," &c. ; and Halle might not be
aware that the subsequent editions, published with his name, were only
reprints of the first, that was anonymous ; and indeed the words he uses
may appear to give some colour to this supposition, when he says that
" William Tyndale had newly translated," as if there had been other
translations before. In answer to the second objection, it may be m-ged,
that the bishop in the first instance might not like to spend the money,
when he thought he could effect the same purpose by an injunction ;
but that afterwards, finding all his injunctions of no avail, and being
on the spot, and having the opportunity, his zeal led him to hope he
would thus get possession of all these testaments before they could get
into England; and perhaps he had reason to believe that the sale would
be so small, in consequence of the regulations against tliem in England,
that another edition would not be ventured on ; but that tliey would
keep their money, and not hazard it again. More, however, had greater
foresight than he, when he tried to dissuade hiin from it.

MYLES COVERDALE. 185
It remains only to be mentioned that Hoker, in his life of Coverdale
(Catal. of Bishops of Exon) has eiToneously related this story as of
Coverdale and his edition of the Bible.
Note B. p. 24.
An eminent living bookseller, however, is of opinion that this Bible
was printed at Francfort, most probably by Christian Egenolph. This
opinion he founds upon the fact, that the identical wood-cuts, which
are to be seen in Coverdale's Bible, occur amongst others in two books
he has of that printer. The first of these works bears the date of 1533,
the other of 1539 ; the one being thus two years before the date of Cover-
dale's translation, the other just four years after. Thence follows
the presumption, that if these same wood-cuts were used at Francfort
in 1633, and again in 1539, that they were also there in the intermediate
years. And this view, namely, that Coverdale's Bible was printed at
Francfort, is strengthened by the resemblance that exists between the
type used in the first of these books, and that in Coverdale's Bible.
Through the kindness of the gentleman above alluded to, the titles
of these works are here given verbatim.
The first is : " fflibltfd) t)i|toncn; gigflvlid) ffltgcbiltiet, Surd) ten
" ttJOlberflmptcn ©cbalb SScljem t)on Slflremberg," The artist's device
" IB." This in a wood-cut border. Beneath, " gu grancEfurt/ om
" solemn, aSei (51)rtjtian Sgcnolp^." At the end, the date "MDXXXIIJ."
The other is : " Biblicae historiae, magno artificio depictsB, d utilitatis
" publicae causa latinis Epigrammatibus a Georgio ./Emylio illustratae."
The same artist's device. In the same wood-cut border. Beneath,
" Cum Caes. Maiestatis priuilegio, Francoforti Christianus Egenolphus
" excudebat." At the end, the date, " MDXXXIX."
He also has another book of the same printer, in which some of the
wood-cuts, used in Coverdale's Bible, occur, of the date of 1561. It is
entitled, " Biblia veteris Testamenti," &c.
Whether or not the foregoing proofs are sufiicient to set at rest the
question of where Coverdale's Bible was printed, it must be left to the
reader to decide.
Note C. p. 33.
Collier, in his Ecclesiastical History, finds fault with Fox for assigning
the date of 1531 to this instrument, when it clearly states itself that it
was made in 1530, not only mentioning the year of the king's reign,
but also the year of the archbishop's consecration, and even the year of
the accession of the pope to the papal chair, as if to put the matter

186 MEMORIALS OF
beyond the possibility of a doubt. Lewis, however, in his history of the
translations of the Bible, contends that Fox is right, and Collier wrong;
for this reason : " that among the persons present, is Sir Tho. More,
" knight, great chancellor of England, and it is known that he was not
"so till October 25, 1630." He does not, however, attempt to explain,
why the instrument is dated in May, 1530, if it was not made till 1531.
Unfortunately for Mr. Lewis's reasoning, the fact happens to be that
the date of Sir Thomas More's accession to the chancellorship, was the
25th of October, 1529, and not 1530. For an account of how this mis
take probably arose, see a suggestion by the present writer in the
Gentleman's Magazine for June, 1837.
Note D. p. 38.
Fox, in his quaint language says : " We may see and rather marvel
" at in the said letter, the great boldness and divine stoutness in this man ;
" who, as yet being no bishop, so freely and plainly without all fear of
" death, adventuring his own life to discharge his conscience, durst so
" boldly, to so mighty a prince, in such a dangerous case, against tlie
" king's law and proclamation, set out in such a terrible time, take upon
" him to write and admonish that, which no councillor durst speak unto
" him in defence of Christ's gospel." Fox's Acts and Monuments,
vol. iii. p. 480. It is, however, to be remarked, that Henry, bold and
open himself, was not regardless of these qualities in another, when
accompanied by the most implicit deference to his own authority and
will; and as, in Latimer's letter, the whole blame of the matter is
thrown upon the bishops, Henry, perhaps, was not altogether displeased
at a time when he was making acquisitions to his own authority iu
ecclesiastical matters, that the bishops should see that their safety lay
principally in his countenance and favoui-, and should therefore yield a
willing compliance to all his demands. Latimer, indeed, so far from
suffering for his interference, obtained rather the thanks and good-will
of his prince ; in token of which, he was shortly afterwards made bishop
of Worcester.
Note E. p. 41.
Lewis gives no autiiority for this statement, and wc have looked
through the proceedings of the convocation, given by Hevlin, (printed
iu Wilk. Cone. M.B.) for this year, without being able to find any tliiug
of the sort. Strype, that laborious compilator, who would not have
allowed such an important resolution as tliis lo pass by him unnoticed,
makes no mention of it in his life of Cranmer, wlio came to the Archi-

MYLES COVERDALE. 187
episcopal throne in 1533, (he was confirmed by the Pope's Bulls on the
21st of February, 1633,) and under whose rule, if at all, this decree
would most probably have been made. It therefore seems likely, that
this is an error of Mr. Lewis's ; but it has been inserted in the foregoing-
pages, as he may have had some authority for it, which we have not
been able to discover.
Note F. p. 48.
It seems to be a matter of some doubt, however, whether this story
of Stokesly, and this letter of Gardiner's do not belong to a much later
period, than the one at present assigned. It is veiy probable, that
they may have some connexion with the Bibles of 1539 and 1540; as
Cranmer is known to have taken a great interest in them, and it is not
unlikely therefore, that he may have had something to do with the trans
lation. This, however, is merely matter of conjecture ; and therefore
the order in which Strype and Lewis have respectively placed this
occurrence, has been followed in the present work. Stokesly died the
Sth of September, 1539.
Note G. p. 68.
It may seem a curious piece of negligence not to have reprinted the
last page, as well as the preliminary pieces, to make them consistent the
one with the other. But prayer-books may be seen, in which " King
William and Queen Adelaide," are printed in the proper places, aud
yet the date in the title page still remains of 1828. See the large
octavo, used in the churches, printed by Samuel Collingwood at the
University press, " cum privilegio.''
Note H. p. 78.
In some annotations to a translation of the New Testament, recently
published by Mr. Penn, that gentleman says, " In 1535, Coverdale
" printed an English translation of the Old Testament, to which he
" annexed Tyndal's revision of the New, probably revised by himself."
Any discussion of this assertion, that Coverdale's is a mere reprint of
Tyndal's New Testament, probably revised by himself, would be un
called for and unnecessary, now that a reprint of both these editions
vvill be in the hands of those curious and willing to follow out the
search. In the mean time, we can only give the following three or four
examples from those, which Mr. Penn adduces, to prove that hitherto
there has been no direct English translation from the Greek, but only
through the medium of thc Latin, with occasional references to tlic

188 MEMORIALS OF
Greek text; and in these examples, it will be found that Coverdale, un
like Wyclif, Tyndal, and the vulgate, has translated direct from the
Greek, and not through the medium of any interpretation whatever.
Mark v. 30. Cov. : " And forth with Jesus felt in himself the power
that was gone out of him."
 Penn : " And Jesus immediately knowing in himself that
power had gone out from him."
Here, says Mr. Penn, the Greek being " dvvafiLv,'" the Latin " virtu-
tem," and Wyclif and the vulgate " virtue," it is clear they translated
from the Latin. ^
John vii. 35. ' Cov. : " Wyl he go amoge the Grekes that are scatred
abrode, and teach the Grekes ? "
 Penn : "Will he go to the dispersed among the Greeks
and teach the Greeks ? "
Here, again, the Greek is " rwv 'WCKr)viDv,'' the Latin " dispersionem
Gentium," and the vulgate, " the dispersed among the Gentiles."
John x. 16. Cov. -. " And I haue yet other shepe, which are not of this
folde, and those same must I brynge also, and
they shal heare my voyce, and there shalbe one
flocke and one shepherde."
 Penn : " And other sheep I have, which are not of this
fold: them also I must bring, and they will
hearken to my voice; and they shall be one
flock, and one shepherd."
Mr. Penn says, " In John x. 16," our version twice renders "fold,"
for the Greek words " oiiXi;," and " iroifivt],'" because Wicliff had twice
rendered " foolde" from the Latin, which has twice " unum ovile ;" but
" TTOijuvj)'' does not signify a " fold," but a " flock."
2 Cor. iii. 6. Cov. -. " which hath made vs able, to be mynisters."
 Penn : " who also hath qualified us to be ministers."
Here the Greek is " oc iKdvinaev ii/iaa StaKovovg," the Latin " qui
idoneos nos fecit ministros," and the vulgate, " vvho made us able
ministers." In the Appendix, No. 7, will be found parallel passages, from tlie
Pentateuch, by Tyndal, and the Bible by Coverdale ; and in No. 8
and 9, will be found parallel passages, from the first printed ti-anslations
of the New Testament, and the Latin text of Coverdale's editions.

MVLES COVERDALE. 189
Note I. p. 111.
There are two copies of this proclamation in existence, which have
been treated as two separate proclamations. One is a draft copy, corrected
in Henry's own hand-writing, in the Cott. MS. Cleop. E. v. fol. 340, b.
without any date, and the other is given in Fox's Acts and Monuments,
vol. ii. p. 439, and is there said to be issued in the year 1639. Anyone
who compares these two proclamations together, will not hesitate for an
instant in pronouncing them to be one and the same. Fox's is in effect,
only a condensed form of the other, with the addition of a clause for
abolishing St, Thomas a Becket's canonization, and the keeping his day.
Strype, however, in his life of Archbishop Cranmer, p. 34, Oxf. ed.
says he does not know what date to affix to the proclamation in the Cotton
MS. unless it be that of 1534 ; but in page 98, of the same work, he says
the date of it certainly ought to be 1538 ; and he gives a part of it
concerning the marriage of priests, without citing any authority, as
being of the date of I6th of November, 1538. This last no doubt, is
taken from the Cott. MS. Titus. B. I, which is printed in Burnet's
History of the Reformation, in the Appendix. Wilkins, in his Cone.
M. Brit, gives, most likely, on the authority of Strype, the date of 1534,
to this MS. copy ; and also gives Fox's abridged form of it separately,
as a distinct proclamation, under the date of 1539.
Fox himself does not mention any other proclamation of the year
1534, of a similar nature, or of any other year ; and we do not
think it can well be doubted but that these two proclamations
are one and the same ; and the only question then is, what date
shall we assign to them. This difficulty is easily and satisfactorily
set at rest by Grafton's letter from Paris, dated December the 1st;
which, although there is no year affixed to it, contains abundant
internal evidence to prove that it was written in 1538. (Cotton MSS.
Cleop. E. V, fol. 329). In it he says : " And the daye before this present
" came there a post, named Nycolas which brought yo' lordshipes letters
" to my lorde of harfforde, with thewhich was bounde a certen inhibi-
'' cion for pryntynge of bookes, and for addynge of these wordes Cum
" priuilegio. Then assone as my lorde of harfforde had receaued yt, he
" sent ymedyatle for Mr. Coudale and me, readynge the same thynge
" vnto vs, in thewhich is expressed, that we shuld adde these wordes (ad
'^ i-mprimendu solum) which -wordes we neuer heard of before.'' &c.
This sufficiently fixes the date of this proclamation in November, 1538 ;
although, if it were necessary, there is not wanting further evidence in
support of it.
Note J. p. 112.
Concerning these letters patent, the editor of the State Papers makes

190 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.
the following remark, vol. i. p. 590 ; that although Rymer " assig-ns the
date of 1539," to that document, " the 14th of November, 1538, is more
" likely to be the true date of it, for it would then precede (as it probably
" did) all the editions of Cranmer's Bible." This reasoning in the first
place is far from conclusive, and in the second place, Rymer did not
" assign'" a date, but took the instrument from the patent rolls for that
year, the authenticity of which we see no reason for doubting.
Note K. p. 142.
It is amusing sometimes to see how mistakes arise and are adopted.
Tanner, in his life of Coverdale, says : " Anno 1547 in Ecclesia S. Pauli
" London. prEedicabat, cum multi Anabaptistse palinodiam canebant.
" Stow, Hist. p. 696." (Biblioth. Brit. Hib.) The author of the article
Coverdale, in Chalm. Bio. Diet, (evidently copying from Tanner, for
he gives the error of the date also,) translates the above passage in the
following curious manner, highly complimentaiy however to Coverdale's
persuasive powers. " In 1547, we find him preaching at St. Paul's vvith
" such effect against certain Anabaptists, that they are said pi have
" recanted their opinions.'"
Note L. p. 181.
It is extraordinary to observe the different dates given of Coverdale's
death. Strype says he died 20th May, 1565, (Ann. of Ref. vol. i. pt. ii. p. 43,
Oxf. ed.) although elsewhere he speaks of him as heing alive in 1566.
Neal says the 20th May, 1567, (Hist, of Pur. vol. i. p. 185.)
Fuller says the 20tli of January, 1668 (Church Hist, book ix. p. 65,
ed. 1655), and " Anno 1588," in his Worthies of England, p. 198, ed.
1662." The writer, in Chalmer's Bio. Diet, says the 19th of February, 1568,
but then he has evidently forgotten the distinction between the old style
and the new. The following is an extract from " the Register of
" Burials in the parish church of St. Bartholomew's, by Ihe Exchange."
" Miles Coverdall, doctor of divinity was buried ano 1568, the 19th of
" February." That the person thus mentioned in the register is Myles Coverdale,
Bishop of Exeter, there can be no doubt ; since the epitaph inscribed
on the tomb-stone, copied in Stow's survey, clearly states him to be so.
It is perhaps unnecessary to observe, tliat tlie date, mentioned in the
extract is the old style, and therefore according to our present computa
tion, he died the 19th of February, 1569.

APPENDIX.

APPENDIX.

No. I.
LETTER FROM COVERDALE TO CROMWELL.
Most syngular good Maister. With dew humylyte I beseche unto
your Mastyrschype all godly comforth, grace, and prosperus health.
For so mych as your goodnesse is so great towarde me, your poore
chylde, only thrugh the plenteusnesse of your favour and benyvolence,
I am the booldyr of your goodnesse, in thys my rude style, yf yt lyke
your favour, to revocate to your memory the godly communication,
which your Mastyrschype had with me, your oratour, in Mastyr Moorys
howse, upon Easter Eve, amongst many and dyverse frutefull exhorta
tions, specyally of your syngular favour, and, by your most comfortabyll
wordys, I persave your gracyus mynde towarde me. Wherefore, most
honorabyll Mastyr, for the tendyr love of God, and for the fervent zeall,
that yow have to vertu and godly study, cordis genibus provolutus, I
humbly desyre and beseche your goodnesse, of your gracyus helpe.
Now I begyne to taste of Holy Schryptures ; now (honour be to God) I
am sett to the most swete smell of holy lettyres, with the godly savour
of holy and awncyent Doctoures, unto whose knowlege I can not
attayne, without dyversyte of bookys, as is not unknowne to your most
excellent wysdome. Nothyng in the world I desyre, but bookys, as
concernyng my lernyng ; they onse had, I do not dowte, but AUmyghty
God schall perfourme that in me, whych He, of Hys most plentyfull
favour and grace, haith begone. Morover, as tuchyng my behavour
(your Mastyrschypes mynde onse knowne) wyth all lowlynes I offer my
self, not only to be ordred in all thynges, as schall pleyse your wysdome,
but also as concernyng the education and instruction of other, alonly to
ensewe your prudent cowncell; nam quicquid est in te concilij, nihil
non politicum, nihil non divinum est; quicquid enim agis, nihil incon-
O

194 MEMORIALS OF
suite agis, nusquam te primum phUosophum prebes. De rore autem
celi summam (more Jacob) suiTepuisti benedictionem. De tuo ipso
torrente maximo potari exopto, fe quia coram alloqui non mediocriter
cupio. Vale, decus literarum, conciliorum, omnium denique probita-
tum. From the Augustyns, this May Day.
Your chyld and beedman in
(superscribed) Jesu Chryst,
Vnto the ryzt wyrschypfull, and hys Frere Myles Cov'dale.
most syngulare good Mastyr, Master
Cromwell, thys be delyveryd, with
dew maner.
The foregoing letter is in the Chapter House, at Westminster,
Bundle C, and is printed in the State Papers, vol. i. p. 383. The
date there is wrongly assigned to 1531.

No. n,
A LETTER FROM GRAFTON TO CROMWELL.
Moost humbly besechynge yo' lordship to vnderstand that acco'dynge
to yo' request I haue sent yo' lordship vj bybles, which gladly I wolde
haue brought my selfe, but because of the sycknes which remayneth in
the cytie. And therfore I haue sent them by my sunt which this daye
came out of fflaundyrs, requyrynge yo' lordship yf I maye be so bolde
as to desyer you to accept them as my symple gyfte, geuen to you for
those most godly paynes, for which the heuenly father is bounde euen of
his Justice to reward you w' the eiilastynge kyngdom of god. ffor
yo' lordship mouynge o' moost gracyous piynce to the alowance and
lycensynge of soche a worke, hath worought soche an acte worthy of
prayse as neu vvas mencyoued in any cronycle in this realme. And as
my lorde of Cantorbury sayde, Tlie tydynges tlierof dyd hym more
good then the gyfte of ten thousand pounde. Yet certen there are vvhich
beleue not that yt pleased the kynges grace to lyceuce yt to go fortii.
Wherfore yf yo' lordshippes pleaso' wore soche that vve myght haue yl
lycensed vnder yo' prcuy scale, yt shuld be a defence at this present

MYLES COVERDALE. 195
and in tyme to come for all enemyes and adusaryes of the same. And
for as moche as this request is for the mayntenaunce of the lordes
worde, vvhich is to mayntaye the' lorde him selfe. I feare not but that
yo' lordship wilbe ernest therin. And I am assewred that my lorde of
Canto'bury, Worsetter and Salsbury, will geue yo' lordship soche thankes
as in them lyeth. And sewre ye maye be that the heuenly lorde will
rewarde you for the establysshynge of his gloryous truthe. And what
youre lordshipes pleaso' is in this request, yf it maye please yo' lordship
to enforme my sunt, I and all that loue god hartely are bound to praye
for yo' pseruacyon all the dayes of o' lyfe. At london the xxviij
daye of this present monetli of August 1537.
(Superscribed) Yo' Orato' whyle he lyueth
To the honorable lorde Rychard grafton groce.
piyvaye Seale.
This letter is an original in the Cotton. MSS. Cleop. E. v. fol. 330.

No. III.
A LETTER FROM COVERDALE AND GRAFTON TO
CROMWELL.
After moost humble and hartie commendacions to Your good Lord
ship. Pleaseth the same to understand, that we he entred into your
worke of the Byble, wherof (accordynge to our moost bounden dutie)
we have here sent unto your Lordship 2 ensamples ; one, in parchement,
wherein we entende to prynt one for the Kynges Grace, and another for
your Lordship; and the second, in paper, wherof all the rest shalbe
made ; trustynge, that it shalbe not onlye to the glorye of God, but a
synguler pleasure, also, to your good Lordship the causer therof, and a
generali edefyenge of the Kinges subjectes, accordynge to your Lord
shipes moost godlye request. For we folowe not only a standynge texte
of the Hebrue, with the interpretacion of the Caldee, and the Greke,
but we set, also, in a pryvate table, the dyversite of redinges of all
textes, with such annotacions, in another table, as shall douteles deluci-
date and clear the same ; as well without any singularyte of opinions,
o2

196 MEMORIALS OF
as all checkinges and reprofes. The prynt, no doubt, shall please your
good Lordship. The paper is of the best sorte in France. The charge
certaynly is great ; wherin, as we moost humbly requyer your favourable
helpe, at this present, with whatsoever yt shall please your good Lord
ship to let us have, so trust we, (yf nede requyer) in our just busynes,
to be defended from the Papistes by your Lordshipes favourable letters ;
which we most humbly desyer to have (by this berer, Wyllyam Graye,)
ether to the [Bysshop of Wynchester, or to some other, whome your
Lordship shall thinke moost expedyent. We be dayly threatened, and
looke ever to be spoken withall, as this berer can farther enforme
your Lordship ; but how they will use us, as yet we knowe not. Never
thelesse, for our farther assewraunce,where thorough we maye be the abler
to performe this your Lordshipes work, we are so moche the bolder of
your good Lordship ; for other refuge have none, under God and our
Kynge, whom, with noble Prynce Edward, and all you, their most
honorable Councell, God Allmightie preserve, now and ever. Amen.
Wrytten at Parys, the 23 daye of Juyn, by Your Lordshipes assured and
daylye Oratours, (Signed) Myles Coverdale.
(Superscribed) (Signed) Rychard Grafton, Groce.
To the Right Honorable, and their
singuler good Lorde, the Lorde
Cromewell, and Lorde Prevaye
Seale.
This letter is an original in the Chapter House, Westminster,
Bundle C, printed in the State Papers, vol. i. p. 675. Date assigned
(1638).

No. IV.
A LETTER FROM COVERDALE, GRAFTON, AND GREY
TO CROMWELL.
After moost humble and due salutacion to Your good Lordship.
Pleaseth the same to understand, that your worke going forward, we
thought it oure moost bounden dutie to sende unto your Lordship cer-

MYLES COVERDALE. 197
tayne leaves therof, specially seynge we had so good occasyon, by the
returnynge of your beloved servaunt, Sebastian. And as they are done
so will we sende your Lordship the residue, from tyme to tyme. As
touchynge the maner and order, that we kepe in the same worke,
pleaseth your good Lordship to be advertised that the merke 33- in the
text, signifieth, that upon the same (in the later ende of the booke)
there is some notable annotacion ; which we have writen without any
pryvate opinion, onlye after the best interpreters of the Hebrues, for
the more clearnesse of the texte. This marke <^ betokeneth, that upon
the same texte there is diversitie of redynge, amonge the Hebrues,
Caldees, and Grekes, and Latenystes ; as in a table, at the ende of the
booke, shalbe declared. This marke 0-U» sheweth that the sentence,
written in small letters, is not in the Hebrue, or Caldee, but in the
Latyn, and seldome in the Greke ; and that we, neverthe lesse, wolde
not have it extinct, but higlye accept yt, for the more explanacion of
the text. This token -f, in the Olde Testament, geueth to understand,
that the same texte, which foloweth it, is also alledged of Christ, or of
some Apostle, in the Newe Testament. This (amonge other oure
necessarie laboured is the waye that we take, in this worke ; trustynge,
verely, that as God Allmightie moved youre Lordship to set us unto yt,
so shall it be to His glorie, and right welcome to all them, that love to
serve Him, and their Prince, in true faithfull obedyence. As is onlye
knowen to the Lorde of Heaven, to whom we moost hartely praye for
your Lordshipes preservacion. At Parys, the 9 daye of August 1538,
by your faithfull Oratours, (Signed) Myles Co-vdale.
(Superscribed) (Signed) Richard Grafton.
To the Right Honorable and their (Signed) Willm Grey.
synguler good Lorde, Lorde
Prevye Seale, be this delyverd.
This letter is an original in the Chapter House, atWestminsler,
Bundle C, printed in the State Papers, vol. i. p. 678.

198 MEMORIALS OF

No. V.
A LETTER FROM COVERDALE AND GRAFTON TO
CROMWELL.
After most humble and due salutacions to Your moost honorable Lord
shippe. Pleaseth the same to understand, that we are instantly desyred
of oure hoste, (whose name is Fraunces Reynold, a Frenchman) to make
supplication for him, unto your Lordshippe. Where as, of long tyme,
he hath bene an occupier in to England more then 40 yere, he hath
allwayes provyded soche bookes for England, as they moost occupied ;
so that he hath a great nombre, at this present, in his handes, as
Prymers in Englishe, Misseles, with other soche like, wherof now (by
the Company of the Booksellers in London) he is utterly forhydden to
make sale, to the utter undoyng of the man. Wherefore moost humbly
we beseke your Lordshippe, to be gracious and favourable unto him,
that he maye have lycence to sell those, which he hath done aUready ;
so that, herafter, he prynte no moo in the English tong, onlesse he have
an English man, that is lerned, to be his correctour, and that is the
man well contented withall. He is also contented, and hath promised
before my Lord Elect of Harfford, that yf there be founde any
notable faute in his bookes, he will put the same out, and prynte the
leafe agayne. Thus are we bolde to wryte unto your Lordshippe, in
his cause, (as doth also my Lord Elect of Hertford) beseching your
Lordshippe to pardon oure boldnesse, and to be good lorde unto this
honest man, whose servaunt shall geve attendaunce upon your Lord
shippes most favorable answere, Yf your Lordshippe shewe him this
benefyte, we schall not fare the worsse in the readynesse and due
expedicion of this your Lordshippes worke of the Bible, which goeth
well forwarde, and, within few monethes, will drawe to an ende, by
the grace of Allmightie God, who preserve Your good Lordshippe, now
and evermore. From Parys, the 12th daye of Septembre,
(Superscribed) (Signed) Myles Covdale.
To the Right Honorable, and (Signed) Rychard Grafton.
their syngular good Lorde, the
Lorde Prevye Seale,
This letter is an original in Coverdale's hand-writing, and is iu the
Chapter House at Westminster, Bundle C, printed in the State Papers,
vol. i. p. 688. Date assigned (1538).

MYLES COVERDALE. 199

No. VI.
A LETTER FROM COVERDALE TO CROMWELL.
Right honorable and my syngular good lorde (after all dew saluta
cions) I humbly beseche youre lordshippe, y' by my lorde electe of
herdforde, I maye knowe youre pleasure, cocernyng the Annotacions of
this byble, whether I shall proceade therin or no — Pitie it were, y' the
dai-ck places of y° text (vpon y° which I haue allwaye set a hande 83-)
shulde so passe vndeclared. As for anye pryuate opynion or contencious
words, as I wyll utterly avoyde all soche, so wyll I offre y° annotacions
first to my sayde lord of herdforde ; to y" intent y' he shall so examen
y° same, afore they be put in prynte, yf it be y' lordshippes good plea
sure, y' I shall so do. As concernyng y° new Testamets in english 5
latyn, wherof yo' good lordshippe receaued lately a boke by yo' seruaunt
Sebastian y" cooke, I besech yo' 1 to consydre y° grenesse therof, which
(for lack of tyme) can not as yet be so apte to he bounde, as it shulde
be : And where as iny sayde lord of hardforde is so good vnto us as to
convaye this moch of y° Bible to yo" good lordshippe, I humbly beseche
y" same, to be y' defender 5 keper therof: To f intent y' yf these mc
proceade m their cruelnesse agaynst us 5 cofiscate the rest, yet this at
y" leest may be safe by y' meanes of youre lordshippe, whom god
y" allmightie eueiTuore preserue to his good pleasure. Ame. Written
somwhat hastely, at Pai-ys the xiii day of decembre.
(Superscribed) Yo' 1 humble 5
To my moost syngular good lorde faitlifull seruito'
and imister, y' lorde Cromwell Myles CoiSdale.
lorde prevye seale. this delyi^.
This letter is an original in Hari. MSS. cod. 604. p. 98, and is
printed in the Gentleman's Magazine, vol. Ixi., p. 416. The date
assigned (1538).

200 MEMORIALS OF

No. VII.
PARALLEL PASSAGES
From tlte Pentateuch by Tyndal, in 1530, and the Bible by Coverdale,
in 1636.
GENESIS.
the second chapter. Pent. Tynd., 1530.
Thus was heave (J erth fynished wyth all their apparell : ad i y*
seueth daye god ended hys worke which he had made 5 rested in
y' seuenth daye fro all his workes which he had made. And God
blessed y" seuenth daye, and sanctyfyed it, for in it he rested from all
his workes which he had created and made. Bible, Cov., 1636.
^ Thus was heaue 5 earth fynished with all their boost,
and thus in the seuenth daye God ended his worke, which
Exo. 20. b. he had made, I rested in the seuenth daye from all his
lleb. 4, il. workes which he had made : And blessed the seuenth
daye, (J sanctified it, because y' in it he rested from all
his workes, which God created S made.

EXODUS.
THE SECOND CHAPTER. Pent. Tynd., 1630.
And there wet a ma of the house of Leui ad toke a doughter
of Leui. And the wife coceaued ad bare a sonne. And whe she
sawe that it was a propre childe, she hyd him thre monethes
longe. And whe she coude no longer hyde him, she toke a basket of
bulrusshes ad dawbed it witli slynic ad pytche, ad layde the childe
therin, ad put it in tho flagges by the riuers brynke. And his sister
stode a ferre of, to vvete vvhat wolde come of it.

MYLES COVERDALE. 201
Bible, Cov., 1635.
Exod. 6. c. ^ -Ajid there wente forth a man of the house of Leui, and
* Act. 7. c. toke a doughter of Leui. *And the wife conceaued and
¦ ¦ bare a sonne. And whan she sawe y' it was a proper
childe, she hyd him thre monethes. And whan she
coude hyde him no longer, she toke an Arke of redes, and
dawbed it oner with slyme and pitch, and layed the childe
therin, and set it amonge the redes by the waters brynke.
But his sister stode a farre of, to wete what wolde come of
him.

LEVITICUS.
THE SECOND CHAPTER. Pent. Tynd., 1630.
Yf any soule will offer a meat offrynge vnto the Lorde, his offerynge
shalbe fine floure, and he shall poure thereto oyle ad put frankencens
theron and shall bringe it vnto Aarons sonnes the preastes. And one of
them shall take thereout his handful! of the floure, and of the oyle
with all the frankences, ad hume it for a memorial! apo the altar : an
offryng of a swete sauoure vnto the Lord. And the renaunt of the
meat offerynge shalbe Aarons ad his sonnes, as a thinge most holye of
the sacrifices of the Lorde. Bible, Cov., 1535.
fi Whan a soule wyll offre a meat offerynge vnto the
Leui. 6. b. LORDE, then shal it be of fyne floure, and he shal poure
tmd 9. 0. pyjg vpon it, and put frankencense theron, tJ so brynge it
vnto Aarons sonnes the prestes. Thenshaloneof them take
his handefull of the same floure, and oyle with all the frank-
ecense, and burne it for a remembraunce vpon the altare.
This is an offeringe of a swete sauoure vnto the LORDE.
Leui. 10. d. ¦*As for y" remnaunt of the meat offerynge, it shalbe
Aarons aud his sonnes. This shalbe y° most holy of the
offerynges of the LORDE.

202 MEMORIALS OF
NUMERI.
THE SECOND CHAPTER. Pent. Tynd., 1530.
And the Lorde spake vnto Moses and Aaron sayenge : The childern of
Israel shall pitch : euery man by his owne standert vvith the armes of
their fathers houses, a waye from the presence of the tabernacle of
witnesse. Bible, Cov., 1536.
^ And y* Lorde spake vnto Moses and Aaron, j sayde :
The childre of Israel shal pitch rounde aboute y' Taber
nacle of wytnesse, euery one vnder his banner 5 tokens,
after their fathers houses.

DEUTERONOMIUM.
THE SECOND CHAPTER. Pent. Tynd., 1630,
Theu we turned and toke oure iumey in to the wUdemesse, euen the
waye to the red see as the Lord comaunded me. And we compassed
the mountayns of Seir a loge tyme. The the Lorde spake vnto me
saienge: Ye haue copassed this mountayns loge ynough, turne you
northwarde. And warne the people sayenge : Bible, Cov., 1535.
^ Then turned we vs, and toke oure iourney to the wUder-
nesse, euen the waye to the reed see (as the LORDE sayde
vnto me) and compassed mount Seir a longe season. And
y" LORDE saide vnto me : Ye haue copassed this mountayne
loge ynough, turno you Northwarde, and commaude the
people, and saye :

MVLES COVERDALE. 203

No. VIII.
PARALLEL PASSAGES
From t/te first printed translations of tlte New Testament, taken from the
second chapters of the Gospels according to St. Matthew, St. Mark, St.
Luke, and St. John.
THE GOSPELL OF ST. MATHEW.
Test. Tynd., 1526.
When Jesus was borne in Bethleem a toune of Jury, in the tyme of
king Herode. Beholde, there cam -wyse men from the est to Jerusalem
saynge : where is he that is borne kynge of the Jues ? we have sene his
starre in the est, and are come to worship hym.
Herode the kynge, after he hadd herde thys, vvas troubled, and all
Jerusalem with hym, and he sent for all the chefe prestes and scribes
off the people, and demaunded off them where Christ shulde be home.
They sayde vnto hym : in Bethleem a toune of Jury. For thus it is
written be the prophet : And thou Bethleem in the londe of Jury,
shalt not be the leest as perteyninge to the princes of iuda. For out of
the shal come a captaine, whych shall govern my people israhel.
Test. Tynd., 1534. Emperour, Antw.
^ When Jesus was home at Bethleem in Jury, in the
tyme of Herode the kynge. Beholde, there came wyse
me from the eest to Jerusalem saynge : Where is he y' is
borne kynge of y" Jues ? We have sene his starre in y"
eest, d are come to worship him.
When Herode y° kynge had herde thys, he was trou
bled, and all Jerusalem with hym, and he gathered all y"^
chefe Prestes and Scribes of the people, and axed of
them where Christ shulde be borne. And they sayde
Miche. V. vnto hym : at Bethlee in Jury. For thus it is written by
the Prophet. And thou Bethleem in the londe of Jury,
Joa. vij.f. art not the leest concernynge the Princes of Juda. For
out of the shall come the captayne, that shall govern my
people Israhel.

204 MEMORIALS OF
Bible, Cm., 1535.
H When Jesus was borne at Bethlee in Jury, in the tyme
of Herode the kynge, Beholde, there came wyse men from
the east to Jerusale, saynge: Where is the new borne
kynge of the Jues ? We haue sene his starre in the east,
and are come to worship him.
When Herode y' kynge had herde thys, he was trou
bled, 5 all Jerusale with hym, and he gathered all the
bye Prestes and Scribes of y" people, 5 axed of them,
where Christ shulde be borne. And they sayde vnto hym :
at Bethleem in Jury. For thus it is written by the Pro-
JMich. 5. a. phet: And thou Bethleem in the londe of Jury, are not
Johan. 7. d. the leest amonge the Princes of Juda. For out of y* shall
come vnto me the captayne, that shall goueme my
people Israel. Test. Lat. and Eng. Cov., 1638. Nicholson.
^ Whan Jesus therfore was borne in Bethlee of Jewry in
the dayes of Herode the kynge. Beholde, ther came
wyse men from the east to Jerusalem, sayenge : Where is
he that is borne kynge of the Jewes ? For we haue sene
hys starre in the east, d are come to worshippe hym.
But Herode the kynge hearyng, was vexed, (J al Jerusa
lem wyth him. And he gatherynge together aU the
princes of the prestes (S scrybes of the people enquired of
the, where Christ shulde be borne. And they sayd vnto
hym : In Bethleem of Jewrye, for so is it wrytten by the
Mich. 5, a. prophete. *And thou Bethleem in the lande of Jewry
Joh. 7, d, art not the least amonge the princes of Jewry : *For out
of y' shal ther come forth a captayn, whych shal goueme
my people Jsrael. Test. Lat. and Engl., Cov., 1538. Paris.
fi Whan Jesus therfore was home in Bethleem of Jewry
in the dayes of Herode the kynge, Beholde, ther cam wyse
men from the east to Jerusale, sayenge : where is he that
is borne kynge of the Jewes ? For we haue sene hys starre
in the east, and are come to worshippe hym. But herode
the kynge hearing it, vvas vexed, (J all Jenisalem wyth
him. And he gatheryd together all tho princes of thc
prestes d scrybes of the people, 5 enquired of them, where

MYLES COVERDALE. 205
Christe shulde be borne. And they sayd vnto hym : In
bethlee of Jewrye, for so is it wrytten by the prophete :
Mich. V. a. *And thou Bethleem in the lande of Jewry art not the
loh. vii. d. least amonge the princes of Jewry. *ror out of the shal
ther come forth a captayn, whych shal goueme my people
Israel. Test. Lat. and Engl,, Hollyh. 1638. Nicholson.
This is the same as the foregoing by Nicholson, with differences in
the orthography. Bible, Matthews, 1637.
Thisis the same throughout as in the Testament of Tyndal of 1534,
with the exception of some slight difference in the spelling, and one or
two notes in the margin. We therefore do not give any extracts
from it.

THE GOSPELL OF S. MARKE.
Test. Tynd., 1526,
After a feawe dayes he entred into Capernaum againe, and it was
noysed that he was in a housse : and anon many gaddered togedder, in
so moche that nowe there was no roume to receave them ; no, nott in
places aboute the dore. And he preached vnto them. And there cam
vnto hym that brought wone sicke off the palsey, borne off fower men :
and be cause they coulde not com nye vnto hym for preace: They
opened the rofe of the housse where he was. And when they had
broken yt open, they lett doune the heed where in the sicke of the
palsey ley. When Jesus sawe their fayth, he sayde to the sicke of the
palsey, sonne thy synnes are forgeven the.
Test, Tynd., 1534. Emperour, Antw.
Mat. iv. a. g[ After a feawe dayes, he entred into Capernaum agayne,
Luke V. d. (J it was noysed that he vvas in a housse. And anone
many gadered to geder, in so moche that now there was no
roume to receave them : no, not so moche as a bout the
dore. And he preached the worde vnto them. And there
Palseye. came vnto him that brought one sicke of the palsie, borne
of fower men. And because they coulde not come nye

206 MEMORIALS OF
vnto him for preace, they vncovered y' rofe of the housse
where he was. And when they had broken it ope, they
let doune y" beed where in y' sicke of the palsie laye.
^Mien Jesus sawe their fayth, he sayde to the sicke of the
palsie, Sonne thy sinnes are forgeven the. Bible, Cor., 1535.
^ And after certayne dayes he wente agayne vnto Caper-
Mat. 9. a. naum, and it was noysed that he was in y' house. And
Joha. 5. a. immediatly there was gathered a greate multitude, in so
moch that they had no rowme, no not without before the
dore. And he spake the worde vnto the. And there
came vnto him certaine, which brought one sicke of the
palsye borne of foure. And when they coude not come
nye him for y' people, they vncouered y' rofe of y' house
where he was. And when they had made a hole, they
let downe the bed (by coardes) wherin the sicke of \' palsy
laye. But when Jesus sawe their faith, he sayde vnto the
sicke of the palsye : My sonne, thy synnes are forgeuen
the. Test. Lat. and Engl., Cov., 1538. Nicholson.
fi And after certayne dayes he entred agayne into Caper-
Math. 9. a naum, and it was herd that he was in the house, d imme-
uc. 5. c diatlye ther came many together, insomuch that they
coulde not be coteyned, nother at the dore, and he spake
the word vnto the. And ther came some vnto hym
bryngyng one sycke of the palsy, which was boren of
foure men. And whan they could not brynge the same
vnto hym for y" people, they vncouered the thacke where
he was, and openynge they let downe the bed, wherin the
sycke of the palsye laye. But whan Jesus sawe theyr
fayth, he sayde vnto the sycke of the palsye : 5Iy sonne
thy synnes are forgeuen the.
Test. Lat. and Engl., Cor. 1538. Paris.
Mat. ix. a, g[ And after certayne dayes he eutred agayne into Caper-
tT '^ a ' naum, and it vvas herd that he was in the house, d imme-
diatlye Hier came many together, insomuch that thev
had no rowme (no not at thc dore) and he spake the vvord
vnto them. And ther came some vnto hym bryngyng one
.sycke of the palsy, whych was borne of foure men. And

MYLES COVERDALE. 207
whan they could not bryng hym vnto hym for the people,
they vncouered the looffe of the honse where he vvas, and
opened it, and let downe tlie bed, wherin Hie sycke of the
palsye laye. Whan Jesus sawe theyr fayth, he sayde vnto
the sycke of the palsye : My sonne, thy synnes are for
geuen the. Test. Lat. and Engl., Hollyb., 1538. Nicholson.
^ And after eyghte dayes he entred agayne into Caper-
Math. 9. a naii, and it was herde that he was in the house, d imme-
Luce 5 c diatly ther cam many together insomuch that they coulde
not be coteyned, nother at the dore, d he spake the worde
vnto them. And they came vnto hym bryngyng one sycke
of the palsye, whyche was boren of foure. And whan
they coulde not brynge the same vnto hym for y people,
thev vncouered the roofe where he was, and openynge,
they let downe the bed, wherin the sycke of tlie palsye
lay. But whan Jesus had sene theyr fayth, he sayde vnto
the sycke of the palsye : (My) sonne, thy synnes are for
geue the.

Johan. 5. a

THE GOSPELL OF S. LUKE.
Test. Tynd., 1526.
Hit folowed in thoose dayes: that there went oute a commaund-
meut from Auguste the Emperour, that all the woorlde shulde be
valued. This taxynge was fyrst executed when Syrenus was leftenaunt
in Siria. And every man went in to his awne shyre toune, there to be
taxed. And Joseph also ascended from GalUe, oute of a cite called
Nazareth, vnto iewry : in to a cite of David, which is called bethleem,
because he was of the housse and linage of David to be taxed with
Mary his wedded wife, which was with childe.
And it fortuned whUl they there were, her tyme was come that she
shulde be delyvered. And she brought forth her fyrst begotten sonne.
And wrapped hym in swadlynge cloothes, and layed hym in a manger,
be cause there was no roume for them vvith in, in the hostrey.
Test. Tynd., 1634. Emperour, Antw.
3 And it chaunced in thoose dayes : y' ther went oute a
comaundment from Auguste the Emperour, that all the

208 MEMORIALS OF
wooride shuld be taxed. And this taxynge was y' fyrst
and executed when Syrenius was leftenaut in Syria. And
every man went vnto his awne citie to be taxed. And
Joseph also ascended from Galile, oute of a cite called
Nazareth, into Jurie : vnto y* cite of David which is
called Bethleem, because he was of the housse and linage
of David, to be taxed with Mary his spoused wyfe which
vvas with chylde.
Christ is And it fortuned why!! they were there, her tyme was
borne. come that she shuld be delyvered. And she brought forth
her fyrst begotten sonne, and wrapped him in swadlynge
cloothes, I layed him in a manger, because ther was no
roume for them within in the ynne, Bible, Cov., 1636.
fi It fortuned at the same tyme, that there wete out a
comaundement fro Augustus the Emperoure, that the
whole worlde shulde be taxed. And this taxynge was the
first that was executed, whan Syrenius was leftenaunt in
Siria. And they wente all, euery one to liis owne cite to
be taxed. Then Joseph gat him vp also fro Galile, out of
the cite of Nazareth, into Jewry, to y' cite of Dauid,
) Reg. 15, *which is called Bethleem, (because he was of y' house
16. a. 20. b. ^jj(j lynage of Dauid) that he might be taxed w' Mary his
spoused wife, which was w' childe.
And it fortuned whyle they were there, y' tyme was
Mat. 1. c. come, that she shulde be delyuered. And she brought
forth hir first begotte sonne, d wTapped him in swadlinge
clothes, and layed him in a maunger : for they had els no
rowme in the ynne.
Test. Lat. and EngL, Cor., 1538. Nicholson.
fi And it befell in those dayes that ther wente out a
comaundement from Augustus the Emperoure that the
whole worlde shulde be taxed. Thys taxynge was fyrst
made vnder Cyrinus the debite of Syria. And they
wente all to be taxed, euery one in hys cytie. And
Joseph also wente vp from Galile, out of the cvtie Na-
1. Reg. 15. zareth into Jewry to the citie of Dauid, -^whych is
16. 0. 20. b called Bethlee because that he was of the house and
lynage of Dauid, that he myghte be taxed wyth Mary hys
M\th. l.c spoused vvvfe beynge wyth chylde. *Aiid it fortuned

MYLES COVERDALE. 209
whyle they were there, that the dayes that she shulde
brynge forth were fulfilled: And she brought forth hyr
fyrst begotten sonne, d she wrapped hym in clothes, and
layd hym in a maunger ; for ther was no rowme for them
in the inne. Test. Lat. and EngL, Cov., 1538. Paris.
S And it befel! in those dayes, y' ther wente out a
comaudemet fro Augustus the Emperoure, y' the whole
worlde shulde be taxed. Thys taxinge was fyrst made
vnder Cyrin' the debite of Syria. And they wete al! to
be taxed, euery one to his owne cytie. And Joseph wete
vp fro Galile, out of the cytie Nazareth, into Jewry to the
l.Regu. XV. citie of Dauid, -^which is called Bethleem: because he
XVI. a. XX. . ^^ ^j ^^ jio^ge and lynage of Dauid : that he myghte
be taxed wyth Mary hys spoused wyfe, beynge wytli
Mat. 1. u. chylde. *And it fortuned that whyle they were there, the
dayes were come, that she shulde be delyuered. And she
brought forth hyr fyrst be gotten sonne, and wrapped hym
in clothes, and layd him in a maunger : for she had no
rowme in the inne.
Test. Lat. and EngL, Hollyh., 1638. Nicholson.
% And it befell in those dayes (that) ther went out a
comaundement from Augustus the Emperoure that the
whole worlde shulde be taxed. Thys taxynge was fyrste
made of Cyiinus the debite of Syria. And they wente all
to be taxed, euery one in hys cytte. And Joseph also
wente vp from Galile, out of the cytie Nazai-eth into
l.Regu. 15. Jewry to the cytie of Dauid, *which is called Bethlee,
16. a. 20. b because that he was of the house and lynage of Dauid,
that he myghte be taxed wyth Maiy hys spoused wyfe
Math. 1. i; beyng wyth chylde. *Ajid it fortuned whyle they were
there, that the dayes that she shulde brynge forthe were
fulfylled: And she brought forth hyr fyrst begotten sonne,
d she wrapped hym in clothes, and layd hym in a maun
ger : for they had no rowme in the inne.

210 MEMORIALS OF
THE GOSPELL OF S. JHON.
Test. Tynd., 1526.
And the thyrde daye, was there a mariage in Cana a citie of Galile.
And Jesus mother was there. Jesus was called also and his disciples
vnto the mariage. And when the wyne fayled, Jesus mother sayde
vnto hym : they have no wyne. Jesus sayde vnto her : woman, what
have I to do with thee? myne houre is not yett come. His mother
sayde vnto the ministers : whatsoever he sayeth vnto you, do itt. There
were stondynge sixe water pottes of stone after the maner of the puri-
fyinge of the iewes, contaynynge two or thre fyrkyns a pece.
Jesus sayde vnto them : Fyl! the water pottes with water, and they
fylled them vp to the harde brym. And he sayde vnto them : Drawe
outt now, and beare vnto the govemer of the feaste. And they bare
itt. When the ruler off the feast had tasted the water that was turned
vnto wyne, nether knewe whence it was (Butt the mynisters which drue
the water knew) He called the brydegrome, and sayde vnto hym : All
men att the begynnynge, sett forth goode wyne. And when men be
dronke, then thatt which is worsse : Butt thou hast kept backe the
goode wyne hetherto. Test. Tynd., 1534. Emperour, Antu:
'B. And the thryde daye was ther a mariage in Cana a cite
A mariage in of Galile : and tlie mother of Jesus was there. And Jesus
was called also d his disciples vnto the mariage. And
when the wyne fayled, the mother of Jesus sayde vnto him :
they have no wine. Jesus sayde vnto her : woman, what
have I to do with thee ? myne houre is not yet come.
Hismother sayde vnto the ministres: whatsoever he sayeth
vnto you, do it. And therwere stondynge theare, sixe
waterpottes of stone after y" maner of the purifyinge of y"
Jewes, contaynynge two or thre fyrkins a pece,
J3 And Jesus sayde vnto them : fyl! the water pottes with
water. And they fylled them vp to the brym. And he
sayde vnto them: drawe out now, and beare vnto the
governer of the feaste. And they bare it. ^^Tien the
Water into ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was turned vnto
wyne. wyne, and knewe not whence it was (but the ministres
which drue the water knew) He called the brydegrome,
and sayde vnto him. All men at the beginnynge, set fortii
good wyne, and when men be dronke, then that which is
worsse. But thou hast kept backe the good wyne, vntvll

AIYLES COVERDALE. 211

Bible, Cov., 1535.
fi And vpon the thirde daye there was a mariage at Cana
in Galile, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also
and his disciples was called vnto y° mariage. And whan
the wyne fayled, the mother of Jesus saide vnto him :
Luc. 2. g. They haue no wyne. Jesus sayde vnto her : ""Woma,
what haue I to do w' the ? Myne houre is not yet come.
His mother sayde vnto y" mynisters : Whatsoeuer he
sayeth vnto you, do it. There were set there sixe vvater
pottes of stone, after y" maner of y" purifienge of y' Jewes,
euery one coteyninge two or thre measures.
Jesus sayde vnto the : Fyll the water pottes with water.
And they fylled the vp to y' brymme. And he sayde
vnto the : Drawe out now, d brynge vnto the Master of
the feast. And they bare it. Wha the master of y' feast
had taisted y' wyne which had bene water, and knewe not
whence it came (but the mynisters that drue y' water,
knewe it) the Master of the feast called the brydegrome,
and sayde vnto him : Euery man at the first geueth the
good wyne : d whan they are dronken, the that which is
worse. But thou hast kepte backe the good wyne vntyll
now. Test. Lat. and EngL, Cov., 1538. Nicholson.
^ And vpon the thyrde daye ther was a weddynge in Ghana
of Galile, and the mother of Jesu was there Jesus was also
called to y' weddyng and hys disciples. And the wyne
faylynge, Jesus mother sayd vnto him : They haue no wine.
Luce. 2. g. And Jesus said vnto her. * Woman, what haue J to do
wyth the ? myne houre is not yet come. Hys mother sayd
vnto the mynisters: What soeuer he sayeth vnto you, do
it. Ther were syxe waterpottes of stone set there, accord
ynge to the purifyenge of the Jewes, conteynynge euery
• Metreta; is one two or thre * measures. Jesus sayd vnto them : Fyll
a measure of tjjg waterpottes wyth water. And they filled the to the
al e a yr -en, j,j.,,jQjjjg ^^^^ Jesus sayde vnto them : Drawe nowe, and
so that euery ^ , /. » i
potcontevned brynge it to the mayster of the feaste. And they dyd
a fyrke or a beare it. But whan the mayster of the feaste hadde taysted
fyrken and a ^^ vvater that was made wyne, and knewe not whence it
was, (but the mynisters that hadde drawen the water
knewe it,) the mayster of the feaste calleth the brydegrome.

212 MEMORIALS OF
and sayetii vnto hym : Euery man at the fyrste setteth the
good wyne, and whan they are dronke, than it fhat is
worse : But thou hast kepte the good wyne hetherto.
Test. LaL and EngL, Cov., 1538. Paris.
fi And vpo the thyrde daye ther was a weddynge in
Chana of Galile, and the mother of Jesu was there.
Jesus also was called to the weddyng d hys disciples.
And whan the wyne fayled, Jess mother sayeth vnto hym :
Luc. ii. g. They haue no wyne. And Jes' sayeth vnto her: *Woman,
what haue I to do wyth the ? myne houre is not yet come.
Hys mother sayeth vnto the mynisters : What soeuer he
sayeth vnto you, do it Ther were syxe waterpottes of
stone set there, accordynge to the purilyenge of the Jewes,
* Metreta is conteynynge euery one two or thre *measures, Jesus say-
a measure of eth vnto them : Fyll the waterpottes wyth water. And they
halfe a fyrlze, ^ jj^^ ^j^g ^^ ^j^g brymme. And Jesus sayeth vnto them :
so that euery •' •' /. , j.
pot conteyned Drawe now, and bringe it to the master of the leaste,
afyrlyen, oraAnd they dyd beare it. But whan the master of the
fyrlzen and a ^^^^^ taysted the water y' was turned to wyne, and knewe
not whence it was, (but the mynisters y' hadde drawen the
water, knewe it,) the master of the feast calleth the bryde
grome, and sayth vnto hym : Euery man at the fyi-st settest
forth the good wyne : and whan they are dronken, than it
that is worse : But thou hast kepte the good wyne hetherto.
Test. Lat. and Engl., Hollyb., 1538. Nicolson.
fi And vpon the thyrde daye ther was a weddynge in
Chana of Galile, and the mother of Jesu was there : Jesus
was also called to the weddyng and hys disciples. And
the wyne faylyng, Jesus mother sayeth vnto hym : They
Luce. 2. g haue no wyne. And Jesus sayeth vnto her : * Woma,
what is it to me and the ? myne houre is not yet come.
Hys mother sayeth vnto y° mynisters : AVhat soeuer he
sayeth vnto you, do it. Ther were syxe waterpottes of
stone set there, accordynge to the purifyenge of the Jewes,
* Metreta, is conteyning euery one two or thre ¦(¦ measures. Jesus sayde
halfafvrken- ^^^° them: Fyll the waterpottes wyth water. And they
so that euerye fylled them to the brymme. And Jesus sayeth vnto the
pot conteyned Drawe nowe, and brynge it to tlie mayster of the feaste.
fyrken and a ^'^^ ^^^ '^^^ beare it. But whan the mayster of the
halfe. feaste had taysted the water that was made wyne, and

MYLES COVERDALE. 213
knewe not whence it was, (but the mynisters that had
drawen the water dyd knowe it,) the mayster of the feaste
calleth the brydegrome, and sayeth vnto hym: Euery man
at the fyrste setteth the good wyne, and whan they are
dronke, than it that is worse. But thou haste kepte the
good wyne hetherto.

No. IX.
THE LATIN TEXTS OF COVERDALE'S TESTAMENTS.
Test. Lat. and EngL, Cov., 1538. Nicolson.
Mathevs Capvt. II.
Cvm ergo natus esset lESVS in Bethleem ludse, in diebus Herodis
regis, ecce Magi ab oriente uenerunt Hierosolimam, dicentes : Vbi est
qui natus est rex ludseorum ? uidimus enim stellam eius in Oriente, et
uenimus adorare eum. Audiens autem Herodes rex, turbatus est, et
omnis Hierosolyma cum illo. Et congregans omnes principes sacerdo
tum et scribas populi scicitabatur ab eis ubi Christus nasceretur. At
ilii dixerunt ei : In Bethleem ludae : sic enim scriptum est per pro
pheta : Et tu Bethleem terra Iuda, nequaquam minima es in pricipibus
Iuda : ex te enim exiet dux qui regat populu meum Israel.
Marcvs Capvt. II.
Et iterum intrauit Capernaum post dies, et auditum est quod in domo
esset, et confestim conuenerunt multi, ita ut non caperent, neq ; ad
ianuam, & loquebatur eis uerbum. Et uenerunt ad eum ferentes para-
lyticum, qui a quatuor portabatur. Et cum non possent offerre efi ilii
prs turba, nudauerunt teotii ubi erat, et patefacientes submiserunt gra-
batum, in quo paralyticus iacebat. Cum autem uidisset lESVS fidem
illorum, ait paralytico : Fill, dimittuntur tibi peccata tua.

214 MEMORIAL.S OF

LvcAS. Capvt. II.
Factum est ante in diebus iUis, exiit edietum a Cssare Augusto, ut
describeretur uniuersus orbis. Hepc descriptio prima facta est a praeside
S viiae Cyrino. Et ibant omnes ut profiteretur, singuli in suam ciuitatem.
Ascendit autem et Ioseph a Galilaea de ciuitate Nazareth in ludsam
ciuitatem Dauid, qus uocatur Bethleem, eo quod esset de domo et fa
milia Dauid, ut profiteretur cum Maria desponsata sibi uxore prjegn-
ante. Factum est ante cum esset ibi, impleti sunt dies ut pareret.
Et peperit filium suum primogenitum, et pannis eum inuoluit, et recli-
nauit eum in prtesepio : quia non erat eis locus in diueisorio.
loANNEs. Capvt. II.
Et die tertia nuptiae facts sunt in Chana Galilss, ^c erat mater
lESV ibi : uocatus est autem i.: lESVS i: discipuli eius ad nnprias.
Et deficiente uino, dicit mater lESV ad eii : Vinti non habent. Et dicit ei
lESVS : Quid mihi N: tibi est mulier ? nondum nenit hora mea. Dicit
mater eius ministris : Quodcunque dixerit nobis, faeite, Erant autem
ibi lapidss hydris sex posits secundum purificationem ludsorum.
capientes singuls metretas binas uel temas. Dicit eis lesus : Implete
hydrias aqua. Et impleuerunt eas usque ad summum. Et dicit eis
lesus : Haurite nunc, 5c ferte architriclino. Et tulerunt, Vt autem
gustasset architriclinus aquam uinum factum, Nr non sciebat unde
esset : (ministri autem sciebant qni hauserant aquam), uocat sponsum
architriclinus, & dicit ei : Omnis homo primum bonum uinum ponit, Sc
cum inebriati fuerint, tunc id quod deterius est. Tu ante seruasti bonum
uinii usque adhuc. Ttsl. Lat. and Eng., Cor.. 1638. Paris.
The Latin version in this edition is exactly the same as in the fore
going, with differences in the orthography ; except where in the latter
end of the extract from Luke, instead of " quia non erat eis-," it is in the
Paris ed. " quia non erat ei" — and in the extract from John, instead of
" Vt autem gustasset, it is " Vt autem giista-iiit."
Test. Lat. and EngL, Hollyb. IS'i^. Ni4^kon.
The Latin version in this edition is also the same as in the above,
except instead of iu Mark, "intrauit Capernaum post dies, et auditum,"
&e. it is "inti-auit Capemaum post dies odo et auditum," Vc. ; and
instead of "dicil ci> lesus: Implete," S:e., "dijcil ci-^ lesus: Implete,"

MYLES COVERDALE. 215

No. X.
A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL LIST AND NOTICES OF THE
SEVERAL EDITIONS OF COVERDALE'S WORKS.
N.B. The title /,v copied verbatim frotn the authority gi-ven between
the h-ackets.
1. The Supper of the Lord, after the true meaning of the vi. of
John, and the xi. of the 1 Cor. and incidentally is confuted, tlie
letter of Mr. More, against John Fryth. Bl. L. 12mo. 1533.
\_Watls' BibL Brit.]
2. " A worke entytled of y" Olde God d the Newe, of the olde faythe
d the newe, of the olde doctryne and y" newe, or orygynal!
begynnynge of Jdolatrye. — Reade most gentel reader, for many
d diuers causes this moost goodly boke, excellent and notable in
doctryne d lernynge: that thou mayst knowe wheruto thou
oughtest to torne y°, what to beholde, what to beleue in this so
greate dyssencion of all chrystendome, and in this so vnquiet d
troblous estate of comen weales, ' Fare well in our lorde.' " On the
last page : — " Here endeth y° boke of y' olde god d the newe, of
the olde fayth and the nevve, or y° orygynal begynnynge of
Jdolatrye. Vive le roi. Jmprynted at London in Fletestrete
by -me Johan Byddell, dwelling at y" sygne of our lady of pite,
next to Flete brydge. M.v.C.xxxiiij. y" xv. day of June. Cum
priuilegio Regali. Fyrste reade, and then judge." 8vo. 1534.
[Dibdin's Ames, vol. 3, p. 386.] " The above title is embordered with
pieces. On the back begins a kind of ironical prologue, the writer of
it assuming the character of a translator, who had ' taught it to speke
latyne :— For there are some men, whiche haue more delyte — in latyne
workes : and as for the workes made in the vulgare tong they do litle
sette by,' &c. It concludes, ' Fare well good reader d loke wel vpo
this worke : for thy piofyte d behofe it is made, y" xxiiii. daye of Feb-
rnarye in the yere of our lorde god. A thousande fiue C. twenty and
thre.' In this book is cited much ecclesiastical history, relating to the

216 MEMORIALS OF
bishops of Rome; showing that as the riches of tiie church increased,
so did vital religion decrease. It contains sig. R, in eights." Herbert,
p. 483.
Mr. Wilbraham and the late Mr. Heber had copies ; so had Herbert.
There is a copy in the public Library at Cambridge. The sole autho
rity for attributing this work to Coverdale, is the fact of its being found
under his name in the list of prohibited books, in Fox's Acts and Mo
numents, p. 574, 1st ed. But there is no mention made of it by Bale;
and as far as can be judged from a few extracts, the style and senti
ments are unlike those of Coverdale.
3. " ^ A Paraphrasis, vpon all the Psalmes or Dauid, made by
Johannes Campesis, reader of the Hebrue lecture, in the vniuer-
site of Louane, and traslated out of Latyne into Englyshe. 1535."
24to. 1535.
^Herbert, p. 1646.] " The above in a compartment with CE. at
bottom. On the back is a cut of David and Bathsheba. Then, an
epistle ' Vnto the Reader.' After the psalmes is ' The table of the
Psalmes, after the olde translacyon. — IT Here foloweth the boke of
Solomon called Ecclesiastes.'" Herbert, p. 1545. The above work is
attributed to Coverdale by Bale, as one of those translated by him, and
is thus described, " Psalterium Joannis Campensis."
This same work was published in Latin in the preceding year, printed
" Paris per Franciscum Regnault Expensis honestissimi viri Thome Ber-
" theleti Londonensi thipographii regii Anno 1534."
4. " The Concordance of the New Testament, most necessary to
be had in y* handes of all soche as the comunycacion of any place
contayned in y' new Testament. . Anno 1536. • Cum Priui
legio." Svo. 1635.
[Copy in St. Paul's.l The above in a wood-cut compartment. At
the end, " Cum Priuilegio Regali," with the mark T. G. on the sides of
a cut afterwards used by John Day, with this motto, "Horum Cha-
ritas." This work is attributed to Coverdale on the authority of Bale,
who has given in his list of works, " Noui Testamenti Concordanti.e."
But Ames, vvho describes this work, p. 186, says, that although pub
lished anonymously, we may learn from an intimation in the epistie to
the reader, that Gybson, who was the printer of it, was also himself the
collector or compiler of it. This however, seems to be a mistake of Mr.
Ames, for no such iudmation can well be gathered from the preface.

MYLES COVERDALE. 217
at least from that in the copy in St. Paul's Library. It may be, indeed,
that Ames's copy was of a different edition to the one above described,
or had, perhaps, what was very common at that period, a reprinted
title-page and epistie ; and then the epistie may have contained, what
he states it to have done : and this view- seems to be the more likely, as
the titie-page, as given by him, varies from the one above, although but
sUghtly, The following is a copy of it :
" The concordance of the new testament, most necessary to be had
" in the handes of all soche, as desire the communicacion of any
" place contayned in the new testament. Imprynted by me Thomas
" Gybson, Cum privilegio regali ; with the mark T. G. on the sides
" of a cut, afterwards used by John Day, with this motto, ' Sum horum
" charitas.' 12mo. 1536."
This work is also attributed to Coverdale by Gesner, but as he takes
his account from Bale, his authority is of no importance.
5. " Biblia The Bible, that is, the holy Scripture of the
Olde and New Testament, faithfully and truly translated out
of Douche and Latyn in to Englishe. m.d.xxxv. S. Paul. II.
Tessa. III. Praie for vs, that the worde of God maie haue fte
passage, and be glorified det S. Paul Col. III. Let the worde
of Christ dwell in you plenteously in all wysdome det. Josue I.
Let not the boke of this lawe departe out of thy mouth, but
exercyse thyselfe therin daye and nighte det." foL 1535.
[Copy in tlie British Museum.^ The above is printed in a compart
ment of wood-cuts. The one at the bottom represents the King seated
on his throne ; the Bishops on his right hand, and the Peers on the left,
kneeling. The Bishops are in the act of presenting the Bible to his
Majesty, which he graciously receives. The royal arms underneath.
A scroll on the Bishops' side with the text, " O how swete are thy
wordes vnto my throte: yee more then honey dc. Psal. 118." on the
other side a scroll, of which the Latin is, " Non enim erubesco Evan-
geliS, virtus enim dei est in salutem Rom. i."
" Of seven copies of this edition," says Mr. Cotton, " which I have
seen, that in the British Museum is the only one which has the titie-
page, and even that is made up from two copies. Of the others the
Bodleian copy is by far the finest." The above title page is not simply
made up from two copies of the same wood-cut, as Mr. Cotton would
thus lead us to infer ; but from two different wood-cuts of the same
design ; as in the one, the texts in the scrolls, as above described, are
m Latin, and in the other, in English.

218 MEMORIALS OF
On the reverse ofthe titie is, " The bokes of the whole Byble, how they
are named in Englysh and Latyn, how longe they are wrytten in the
allegacions, how many chapters euery boke hath, and in what leafe
every one begynneth." It contains however, only references to the first
four parts ; those to the Apocrypha and the New Testament, were pro
bably on another leaf, which is missing in this copy, (the Museum one.)
Then comes the dedication to King Henry the Vlllth; 6 pages.
Signed, "Youre graces humble subiecte and daylye oratour, Myles Co
uerdale." The Museum copy has " Quene Anne" in the dedication ;
Sion College has ".Queue Jane ;" Lambeth Library has a copy with
each; the Bodleian has " Quene Anne;" All Souls' College has neither;
Dr. Coombe has neither; The late Mr. Combes has "Quene Anne."
Then, "A prologe. Myles Couerdale Unto the Christen reader."
6 pages. Then, " The bokes of the hole Byble,'' &c., 2 pages. This is evi
dently part of another edition inserted in this copy (the Museum one) ;
or rather this set of preliminary pieces do not belong to this title page ;
since the same information is to be found printed on the reverse of the
title page.
The contents of " The first boke of Moses," 1 page.
" The first boke of Moses, called Genesis." then should come accord
ing to Herbert, a map of the holy land. The fonr other books of Moses
follow, with tables of contents prefixed to each ; in all, fol. i — xc.
Then comes a title page : " Tlie seconde parte of the olde Testament."
with the names of the books contained underneath. This in a compart
ment of wood-cuts. On the reverse, " The boke of Josua. Wlat this
boke conteyneth." Joshua to Hester, fol. ii — cxx. Tables of contents
at the commencement of each book.
" The boke of Job. table of contents : " The Prouerbes of Salomon."
table of contents : " Ecclesiastes.'' table of contents. From Job to
Salomons Balettes," fol. i — Iii.
Then comes another title page : " All the Prophetes in Englishe."
with the names of the books contained underneath. This in a com
partment of wood-cuts. On the reverse, the contents of " the Prophet
"Esay." The contents prefixed to each prophet. In all, fol, ii — cii.
Another title page: "Apocripha The bokes and treatises which
" amonge the fathers of olde are not rekeued to be of like authorite witii
" the other bokes of the byble, nether are they foude in the Canon of
"the Hebrue." Then follow the names of the books. At the bottom,
" Vnto these also belongeth Baruc, whom we haue set amoge the pro-
"phetes next vnto Jeremy, because he vvas his serybe, and in his tyme.''
" This in a compartment of wood-cuts. On the reverse, " The transla-

MYLES COVERDALE. 219
" toure -vnto the reader." containing some observations on the nature of
these books. Underneath, the contents of the first book. The contents
are prefixed to each book; except to "Certayne chapters of Hester."
" The songe of the iij children." " The story of Susanna " and
" The story of Bel," In all, fol. ii— Ixxxiii, falsely numbered Ixxxi.
Then the titie page, " The new testament," underneath, the books
named. Also in a compartment of wood-cuts. On the reverse, the
contents of " The gospell of S. Mathew." The contents before each
book. In all, fol. ii — cxiii.
On the reverse of the last leaf; " Prynted in the yeare of oure LORDE
" M,D.XXXV. and fynished the fourth daye of October."
At the beginning of Genesis are six cuts in wood, describing the six
days' work of the creation, and in different parts of the work, are other
cuts also in wood, some of them very spirited and well executed, repre
senting the history therein mentioned.
This Bible, as will be seen by the above description, is divided into
six parts. The type is an angular Swiss or German. The title page
and its reverse are in the same letter as the body of the text. But the
dedication, prologue, the names of " the bokes of the hole Byble," and
the contents of Genesis, are in a different character, and were most
probably printed over here, after the arrival of the volume in England.
There are a few marginal references, which are in Roman letters. On
fol. xli. of part 1, is a large wood -cut of the Tabernacle and its con
tents ; this is repeated on the reverse of fol. Ivi. The initial letter of
Genesis is a large flourished text capital. " The signatures run thus:
the first part of the Bible begins with a i, and ends with p vi, in sixes.
The second part commences with a aij, and ends with v v vi, in sixes.
The third begins with A a, and ends with J i iiij, in sixes. The fourth
begins with A a a ij, and ends with R r r vi, in sixes. The fifth begins
with a fresh set of signatures, A ij, to O v, in sixes ; and the sixth com
mences with A A ij, and ends with T T v, in sixes. A full page con
tains 57 lines.— See art. 6, 1 1, 12, 13, 36, and 42.

6. "Biblia, The Byble: that is, the holy Scrypture of the
Olde and New Testament, faythfuUy translated in Englyshe,
M.D.XXXVI. S. Paul. ii. Tessal. iii. Praye for vs, that the
worde of God maye haue fre passage d be glorified. S. Paul.
Colloss. iii. Let the worde of Christe dwell in you plenteously
in all wysdome, dc. Josue. i. Let not the Boke of this lawe
departe out of thy mouth, but exercyse thyselfe therin daye and

220 MEMORIALS OF
nyghte, y' thou mayest kepe and do euery thynge accordynge
to it that is wrytten therin." foL 1536.
[In tlie possession of Lord Jersey.] This is the same edition as the
foregoing, with a reprinted title page.
7. A faithful and true prognostication upon the year
MDXXXVI, translated out of high Gei-man. Svo. 1536.
[Tannen BibL Brit. Hib.] Herb. p. 747. Watt's BibL Brit. Tan
ner says it is among the prohibited books mentioned by Fox, 1st ed.
p. 673. See art. 29 and 30. Besides these editions, Herbert says it
was probably printed many times.
8. Psalm xxii. with an exposition, by Miles Coverdale. Southwark,
by J. Nicolson. 16mo. 1537.
[Cotton's list of Bibles, Si'c-] Copy in the Bodleian. See the follow
ing article.
9. M. Luther's exposition of the 23rd psalm, translated from the
German by Myles Coverdale. Southwark, M.DXXXVIL. 16mo, 1537.
[Herbert, p. 1448.] This is no doubt the same work as that in the
foregoing article, notwithstanding in the one it is called the 22nd
psalm, and in the other the 23i-d ; since what we now call the 23rd
psalm, "The Lord is my Shepherd," is the 22nd in order in the Latin
version, and the 23rd in the Hebrew. Herbert classes it under the
printer, James Nicholson's works. He takes his account of it solely
from Tanner, who speaks of it as " Psalm 22 or 23," beginning " The
Lord is my Shepherd." Tanner says it is in 12mo. Southwark, Bale,
ed. 1648, mentions it among Coverdale's ti-anslations, as "Lutherus
super, Dominus regit."
10. " How AND whither A Christen man ought to flye the
HORRIBLE PLAGE OF THE PESTILENCE. A SCrmoU, &C. By
Andrew Osiander." Translated by Miles Coverdale, &c. as in
art. 53. The tide in a neat architective compartment with a
cherubic head at top, and 1537 on the sell. Colophon ;
" Printed in Southwarke by me— for Jan. Gough Cum priui
legio.'' 16mo. 1637.

MYLES COVERDALE. 221
[Herbert, p. 1447.] Classed under the works of James Nicholson.
See art. 53.

11. "The Bvble, that is the holy Scrypture of the old and
NEW testamente, faythfully translated in Englysh, and newly
oversene and correcte m nxxxvii. S, Paul II. Tessa. III.
IT Pray for us, that the word of God may have free passage,
and be gloryfyed. S. Paul Coloss, III. Let the worde of Christ
dwel in you plentiouslye in al wysdome, Josue I. — Jmprynted
in Southwarke, in saynt Thomas hospitale, by James Nycolson.
Set forth -with the kynges moost gracious licence. Dedicated by
M. Coverdale to the king." 4to. 1537.
[A-mes, p. 472.] Herbert has added nothing, p. 1447, nor has Dib
din, vol. iii. p. 61. Lewis has not mentioned any thing of such a
bible. Cotton has curiously enough classed this, as " Matthew's
Bible," and yet has referred as his sole authority to the Typogra
phical Antiquities, where, as we may see from the above title, it is
clearly stated to be Coverdale's. The third text seems to have been
omitted in the above description, as the reference alone is given. The
existence of this edition (which would seem to be a reprint of that of
1535,) rests therefore on the testimony of Ames. See the following
article.

12. "The Byble, that is the oulde and newe Testamet faith
fully Traunslated into English and newly ouerseen and cor
rected.-!-. MDxxxvii. Josua. i. Let not the boke of this lawe
depart out of thy mouth but exercise thyselfe therein day and
night. Jmprinted in South warke in St. Thomas Hospital
by James Nicolso. Set foorth -with the Kyngs most Gracious
lycence." 4to. 1637.
[Herbert, p. 1447.] "The above in an architective compartment,
with a medallion at the top. On the back, ' The contentes of this boke.'
The book of Hester ends on fol. cc.xxx ; on the back of which begin
the apocryphal books, which end on fol. ccc.xxvii. ' The thyrd part,'
containing the poetic and prophetic books, ends on fol. c.lxxix." Her
bert, p. 1447. "This copy (in the possession of Mr. J. Denyer) the
only one I have met with," says Herbert, " contains only the old Testa
ment. So that this edition," he adds, "though of Coverdale's transla-

222 .MEMORIALS OF
tion, was printed without his dedication to the King," This is all the
account that Herbert gives, but Dr. Dibdin, in his Mies Althorpians,
p. 61, has this further description of this rare and curious work, a copy
of which is in the possession of Earl Spencer at Althorp. There is a
copy also in the library of Geo. Offor, Esq.
" The Byble, 5cc. Jmprynted in Southwarke in Saynt Thomas Hos-
'¦'¦pitale, hy James Nycolson. 1537. 4to.
"Second Edition, Although this be only a reprint of Coverdale's,
" I am not sure whether it be not even considerably rarer than its pre-
" cursor." — "It is clear that Herbert had never seen a complete copy
"of the impression. The one described by him wanted the New
"Testament; and as to the preceding article (article II) described
"as of the same date, I apprehend the whole to be erroneous, and
"that one and the same volume is by Herbert divided into two.
" However, whether this be the case or not, it is quite clear that that
" indefatigable bibliographer had never a perfect copy of the first reprint
"of Coverdale under his eye." —
"The arrangement of the Contents is as follows: "The '¦Contenti
" occupy the two pages immediately after the Title : at the bottom of
" which latter, in large lower case gothic, printed in red, we read, ' Sel
" 'forth -with the Kynge' s moost gracious licence.' The titie itself, compre-
" bending twenty lines, with an intermixture of red letters, is enclosed
" within an arabesque frame-work. Coverdale's address to the King,
"'and vnto the Christen reader,' follow the specification ofthe contents
"of the volume. Then two leaves of a Calendar. The sacred text
" immediately succeeds, numbered fol, i, and continues consecutivelv,
"including the Apocrypha, as far as fol. cccxxvii. We have next a
"fresh title, ornamented as before, called ' The thyrde part of the olde
" ' testa-mente, ^-c. Imprynted in Southwarke for James Nycolson.' The
" contents are on the back. This third part begins with a fresh set of
" numerals, with Joh, (the book of Joshua, Sec. being considered as the
"beginning of the second, and the Pentateuch that of the first part.)
"The text of Job is numbered fol. ii, and the numerals continue con-
"secutively, all through the Prophets, as far as fol. clxxix. ' The Neir
^'^ Testament — by 3Iiles Corerdale,' follows, with a fresh tide-page (as
"before) and a fresh set of numerals ; concluding at fol. cxxiiii. This
" is succeeded by two leaves of a ' Table for the Sondayes,' closing tiie
"volume at fol. cxxvi.
" The genealogy of tiiis copy," adds the Doctor, " is most respectable;
"it having been successively in the collections of Lord Oxford and Dr.
" Charies Chauncey. It was obtained by his Lordship of the gendeman

MYLES COVERDALE. 223
"who had purchased it at the sale of tiie latter — al a, sum by no means
"beyond its absolute v.alue."
Dr. Dibdin here says that, one and tiie same volume is by Herbert
divided into in-o ; but the reason that made Herbert give the title of the
work that he describes as a separate article, vvas because he found that
it differed from Ames's description. We must therefore either suppose
that Ames was in error, or diat there were two distinct title pages to
the same edition ; the latter supposition being by no means the most
unlikely of the two.
It is to be supposed, aldiough not stated so by Dr. Dibdin, that the
Althorp copy wants the title page ; or else why is it not given in die
above description?
13. " Biblia The Bvble that is the holy Scripture of the Olde
and New Testament faythfully translated in Englysh and
newly oversene d corrected. MDXXXVII S Paul II Tessa
III Praye for us, that the worde of God maye have fre passage
and be glorified. S Paul II Colloss III Let the worde of
Christ dvvell in you plenteously in al wysedome. Josue I Let
not the Boke of this lawe departe out of thy mouth, but exer
cyse thy selfe therin daye and nyglit, that thou mayest helpe
and do every thynge accordyng to it that is wrytten therin.
Imprynted in Sowthwarke for James Nycolson." fol. 1637.
[Copy in the Bapt. Mus. Bristol.] " After the leaf containing the
Title page, follows an address to 'the moost victorious Prynce and our
' moost gracyous soveraygne Lorde, kynge Henry the eyght.' This
occupies nearly five pages, and at the bottom of the last page occur
these words: 'your graces hnmble subjicte and daylye oratour Myles
Coverdale.' After this follows a Prologe to the Reader, of six pages.
The first two leaves of Genesis somewhat torn; the copy in other
respects seemingly perfect." From a description obligingly furnished
by the Rev. Mr. Crisp, of Baptist College, Bristol.
This edition is extremely rare, and apparently the only author who
was aware of its existence, is Tanner, who, in his Bibl. Brit. Hib.,
speaks of the Bible of 1536 being reprinted, ' fol. Southw. 1637,' with
the same dedicatory epistie and preface. Lewis, Ames, Herbert, Dib
din, mention nothing of such an edition. The only other copy known
is in Sion College, aud from it the following more minute particulars
are given. It is unfortunately imperfect at the beginning and at the
end.

224 MEMORIALS OF
It begins with the 19 ch. of Genesis, at the commencement of fo.
viij. and the numbers continue to the end of Ruth, fo. cxix., a table of
contents being prefixed to each book, when there comes on a separate
leaf, a map, entitled, " The descripcion of the londe of prom[es]." This
is imperfect.Then comes a title page ; " The seconde parte of the olde Testament."
with the names of the books underneath. In a compartment of wood
cuts, vvith a wood-cut border outside. On the reverse, " The fyrst boke
" of the kynges, otherwyse called the fyrst boke of Samuel. What this
boke contayneth." The contents prefixed to each book. From Kings
to Hester, fol. ii — c.
"The boke of Joh," table of contents: " IT The Psalter." "The
Prouerbes of Salomon." table of contents: "Ecclesiastes." table of
contents : " Salomons Ballettes." In all, fol. i — Ix.
Then a title page ; " IT All the Prophetes in Englishe." vrith the names
of the books underneath. In a compartment of wood-cuts. On the
reverse, " f The Prophet Esay. What Esay conteyneth." The con
tents prefixed to each book. In all, fol. ii — ciii.
Then another title-page ; " Apocripha The bokes and treatises," &c.
as in the edition of 1635. Underneath the names of the books. In a
compartment of wood-cuts, with a wood-cut border. The reverse the
same as in the edition of 1536. Tables of contents to each book, ex
cept to " Certayne chapters of Hester." " The songe of the thre
chyldren." " H The story of Susanna," and " The story of Bel :" In
all, fol. ii — Ixxxix.
Then a title-page; " IT The new testament." Underneath the books
named. — In a compartment of wood-cuts, exactiy similar to that in the
edition of 1635, with the addition of a wood-cut border. On the
reverse, " IT The gospell of S. Mathew What S. Mathew conteyneth."
The contents prefixed to each book. This copy extends no further than
to part of the x. chapter of Hebrews on the reverse of fo. cviij. There
are two leaves besides, containing part of the epistles of St. James and
of St. Jude, bound in at the end.
The signatures mn thus : the first part contains up to U iv, in sixes.
The second part begins A a ii, and ends on R r iv, in sixes. The third
part begins on A a a i, and ends on k K k vi, in sixes. The fourth part
begins on A a a ii, and ends R r r vi, in sixes, besides a leaf without
signature. From thence to the beginning of the New Testament P v,
in sixes. From the New Testament to where this copy is deficient,
that is to say, to the middle of the x ch. of Hebrews, s vi, also in sixes.
A full page contains 67 lines. The type closely resembles that used
in the preliminary pieces to the edition of 1535. It is to be remarked

MVLES COVERDALE. 225
that "The seconde parte" in this edition commences with Kings,
whilst that of 1535 commences vvith Josua; and that whilst " Baruc "
is given among the Prophets in the edition of 1535, it is in this edition
included amongst the Apocrypha. The wood-cuts used are mostiy
copies from those of the edition of 1536; but there are two or three
very curiously ornamented initials in this edition, chiefly in the Old
Testament, which do not occur in the former. It appears to be a ver
batim reprint of the edition of 1635, with some trifling alterations.
14. "Search the Scriptures," in a label, over a tablet, containing,
"The new Testament," then follows, "faithfully translated
and newly corrected by Myles Couerdale, with a true concord
ance in the Margent, and many neces-sary Annotacyons after
the Chapters, declarynge sundry harde places contayned in the
Texte. Prynted in the yeare ef oure Lorde ii.ccccc.xxxviit. Set
forth hy tlie Kynges Licence." 16mo. 1538.
[Herbert, p. 1549] The above title in black and red, without name
of printer or place. " Then, An Almanac for 18 years and Calendar,
in red and black An epistle to the reader, with a beautiful red initial.
' Prologe vnto the new Testament.' At the end of the gospels is a
blank page : ' Tlie Actes of tlie Apostles' in an ornamental tablet sup
ported on each side by a cherub, begins on a fresh set of signatures,
' The Gospell of St. John.' ending on y, in eights. ' The Epistle of the
Apostle Saynt Paul to the Romaynes.' begins ou I ij ; (there are two
signatures with this letter, I ; the former has only four, the latter eight
leaves ; upon which the epistie to the Romans begins ;) and the cut is
different and larger than that to the two episties to the Corinthians, the
epistle to the Ephesians, and the first epistie to Timothy, which may
also be distinguished, by his holding two keys and a book in his right
hand, and a sword in his left, from the other episties of St. Paul, where
he has only a sword in his right hand, and somewhat smaller: the
second to the Thessalonians and the second to Timothy, (both which have
at the beginning in the tablet as above, by mistake, ' The j. Epistle of
the Apostle') and Philemon, have no cut at all ; as also the epistles of
St.. Peter, second and third of St. John and St. Jude ; 1. St. John and
St. James have a small one. ' The Apocalipsis or Reuelacion' in a tablet
without cherubs, the same as before St. John's gospel, has many large
neat cuts; then ' The ende of the new Testament.'' over ^ Here folowe
the Epistles' in a tablet with the cherubs, under which ' of the olde
Testament, which are red in the church after the vse of Salisbury, vpon
certayne daves of the yeare.' Then follows ' ^ TJie Table wherein ye
Q

226 MEMORIALS OF
shall fynde the Episties and the Gospels, after the vse of Salisbury.'
The initial letters and running tides are all in red ; the whole printed
within red lines. The contents of the chapters are all set before their
respective books, as to Coverdale's Bible, 1635." Herbert, p. 1649.
" The Italic type," says Herbert, " is to notify the red, which I have
been able to do throughout, my copy being imperfect." He also
speaks of a copy in the collection of the late Mr. Bayntun. Cotton
mentions, pp. 90, 99, and 134, " A New Testament ; Coverdale's, 1638,
12mo. Antw.'' But this is clearly an oversight of his, the one he thus
refers to being Tyndal's.
16. " The yswE testament both Latine and Englyshe ech corres
pondent to the other after the vulgare texte, communely called
S. Jeroms. Faythfully translated by Myles Couerdale. Anno.
M.CCCCC.XXXVIII. Jeremie. XXII. Js not my worde lyke
a fyre sayeth the lorde, and lyke an hammer that breaketh
the harde stone? P-rinted in Southwarke by James Nicolson.
Set forth viyththe KyBgesraoost gracio-as licence." 4to. 1538.
[Copy in the British Museum.] The above title in red and black, in
an architective compartment, with a medallion of two heads at top.
Dedicated "IT To the moost noble, moost gracious, and oure moost
" dradde soueraigne lord Kynge Henry y° eyght, kynge of Englade
" and of Fraunce. dc. Defender of Christes true fayth, d vnder God
" the chefe and supreme heade of the churche of Englande, Jrelande.
" dc." and signed "Youre graces humble and faythfuU subiecte. Myles
" Couerdale." 3 pages. Then a preface " To the Reader." 3 pages.
Then "An Almanack /or. xviii, yeares." and a Kalendar of the twelve
mouths, in red and black. 4 pages. " In this calendar," remarks
Herbert, " the conception of the Virgin Mary is printed in black, whilst
her nativity, annunciation, purification, and assumption, are in red."
The Latin is printed on Roman ; the English, on black letter. Con
tains fol. 344, " which should be only 342," says Herbert, "as 167
and 168 are omitted : several leaves are misnumbered, but afterwards
accounted for." At the end, "11 A table to finde the Epistles and
" Gospels vsually red in the church after Salysbury vse," dc. And then,
" Here foUoweth y* table of y" Epistels d Gospels which are vsed to be
" red on diuerse sayntes dayes in the yeare." together 4 pages.
This edition is very rare. Mr. Herbert, who had a copy, mentions
p. 1449, as a reason of its being so, " that Coverdale seems to have had
it called in." Mr. Lewis was not even aware of tiie existence of this
edition. There is an imperfect copy in the Bodleian. Mr. Cotton

MYLES COVERDALE. 227
mentions copies in Trinity Coll. Cambridge, and in the possession of
R. Child, Esq. ; but whether of this, or of the edition mentioned in
article 17, he does not appear to have known. The dedication to the
King, no doubt was written by Coverdale ; but the preface to the reader,
although it would at first seem to be also by Coverdale, upon a more
attentive examination appears to be the work of some other hand. The
style and sentiments of the latter part are totally different from those
of Coverdale, and although portions of it are such as we might suppose
him to have written, yet as he never alludes to it in the Paris edition,
while he distincdy mentions the dedicatory epistle to the King, we may
fairly infer that it is wholly the work of some other hand. For extracts
from the dedication, see ante, pp. 94-8.
N.B. The words printed in Italic type in this article, are those which
are in red in the original.
16. "^ The new testament both in Latin and English after the -vul
gare texte : which is red in the churche. Translated and corrected
by Myles Couerdale : and prynted in Paris, by Fraunces Regnault.
M.ccccc.xxxmii. in Nouembre. Frynted for Richard Grafton
and Edward Whitchurch, cytezens of London. Cum gratia d
priuilegio regis." Svo. 1538.
[Copy in St. Paul's.] In an architective compartment in red and
black. The red in the original is marked in the above in Italic type.
After the dedication to Lord Cromwell, and tiie address to the reader,
from which considerable extracts are given, ante, pp. 99 — 103 ; there
comes " IT An Almanack for. xvii. yeares." beginning at " m.d.xxxix."
Then follows a calendar, having two months on a page, and very thin
of names. " In it," remarks Herbert, " ' S. Hilarii, S. Timothe,,Maiy
Magdale, Assump. of our lad., Nati, of our ladye, S, Edwarde, All
Soulen, Cone, of our lady.' are made red-letter dayes ; S. George and
S, Lawrence are in black; S. Nicholas and Inuencyon of the crosse
are omitted." p. 613. The Latin text is in a Roman type, the English
in black letter, with marginal references. It contains fol. cclxxiiij ;
besides the tables of the " Epistles and Gospels vsually red in the
church after Salysbury vse." Herbert had a copy of this edition,
which was printed on account of the incorrect one that had been put
forth by Nicholson, under Coverdale's name. See the foregoing article.
17. " The newe testament both in Latine and Englyshe eche
correspondente to the other after the vulgare texte, communely
called S. Jeromes. Faythfullye translated by Johan Hollyhushe.
q2

228 MEMORIALS OF
Anno. M.CCCCC.XXXVIII. Jeremie. xxxi. Js not my worde
lyke a fyre sayeth the Lorde, and lyke an hammer that breaketh
the harde stone. Prynted in Southwarke hy James Nicolson.
Set forth -wyth the Kynges moost gracious lycence." 4to. 1638.
[Copy in St. Paul's.] This titie, all in black, is in the same com
partment as in article 15. Copies at Lambeth, Christ-church, and
All-Souls' Coll. ; perhaps also at Trin. Coll. Cambr., and in the collec
tion of R. Child, Esq. ; Mr. Herbert had a copy. This at first sight
seems to be a reprint of article 16, or rather the same vvith a new titie-
page ; but on examination it will be found, that every sheet is newly
composed, and that both the Latin and English differ in some places.
The titie-page in the St. Paul's copy is supplied from a fac-simile.
There is no dedication or preface. It contains fol, 342 in Arabic nu
merals. The Latin text is Roman, and the English, black-letter.
Lewis erroneously treats this, as the edition of which Coverdale com
plained so much. From the difference between it and the edition in
article 16, it would seem most probable that it is a new edition, in which
some of the errors committed in the first, have been attempted to be
corrected ; and was very likely printed after the Paris edition described
in the foregoing article, had made its appearance. For if Nicholson
had printed this second edition to correct the first, before the Paris
edition appeared, surely that circumstance would have been mentioned
by Coverdale, when he speaks in the Paris edition, in extenuation of
fhe printer. The reason that Coverdale's name is not affixed to this
edition, is veiy obvious ; since persons having heard that Nicholson had
printed a translation, full of faults, of Coverdale's h-anslation, the
second edition if it had borne his name, would have been included in
the censure of the first.
18. " The new testamet both in Latin and English after the
vulgare text : which is red in the churche. ^ Traslated and
corrected by Myles Coverdale. 1539. IT Prynted by Richard
Grafton and Edward Whitchurch. ^ Cum privilegio ad im-
primendum solum. I am the way, y' trueth and y* lyfe.
Jo, xiiii. a." Svo. 1539.
[Cotton, p. 136.] The above title in black and red within four
wood-engravings. This edition is not mentioned in the Typogr. Ant.
A copy at Christ-church Coll., which Cotton describes. He says, " this
appears to be the Paris edition of 1538, with a repinted title and dedi-

MYLES COVERDALE. 229
cation," and he founds this opinion partiy on a typographical error. It
certainly seems probable that it is a part of that edition, with a reprinted
title : but qusre, whetiier the dedication is reprinted also, or whether it
would not be found on examination, to be the same as that in the edition
of 1538, Paris.
19. A confutation of a treatise which Io. Standish made, against
the protestation of D. Barnes. Printed beyond sea, 1540. in
Svo. Svo. 1540.
[Maunsell's catal. p. 39.] Dr. Watt says, " again Marp. 1541 and
1547, besides one without date." Tanner also and Berkenhout say,
" Marp. 1647." There is a copy in the Bodleian, in Svo. printed Marp.
1547. It does not seem probable that this was printed so early as in
1540, as Coverdale only saw the treatise of Standish, as he says in his
preface, in Dec. 1540 ; see art. 54. Maunsell has evidently proceeded
only on the time when the protestation of Dr. Barnes was made, which
was in 1540. See art. 54.
20. " The old fayth, an euydent probation out of the holy scripture,
that the christen fayth (which is the right true old vndoubted
faith) hath endured sens the begynnynge of the world. Herein
hast thou also a shorte summe of the whole Byble, and a
probation, that all vertuous men haue pleased God, and were
saued thorow the Christen faith 1541. By Myles Coverdale."
16mo. 1541.
[Herbert, p. 1662.] Bale says it is a translation from Hen. BuUen
ger. Herbert had a copy of a reprint of this work in 1647, and Watts
speaks of another reprint in 1684, in fol. Tanner refers to Fox A. & M.
1 ed. p. 573 ; by which he would seem to mean that it was prohibited by
the proclamation in 1638, and that there must therefore have been an
edition prior to this one. He says also, that it was reprinted in 1580.
He likewise mentions the following as if it were a separate work, when
it is in fact the same.
" An evident declaration out of the holy Scriptures, that
the Christian faith hath endured since the beginning of the
world, and that through it all virtuous men pleased God, and
were saved, cap. xi. Pr. pr. 'Like as the almighty eternal
God.' Pr. lib. ' I suppose plainly that many simple.' "
This he says, was printed at Lond. MDXLVII. in 8vo., and again
in MDCXXIV. in 4to. See art. 27 & 28.

230 MEMORIALS OF
21. ' Chiustian state of Matrimony, shewing the originall of wed
locke, when, where, how, and of whom it was instituted and
ordayned &c. Contrariwise how hurtefull and horrible a thing
whoredome is &c. Printed 1541. in 8vo.' Svo. 1641.
[Maunsell's cataL p. 39.] See art. 23.
22. " The Actes of the Disputation in the Councell of the Empire
holden at Rauenspurge, that is, all the articles agrede and not
agreed vpon, euen as they were propounded of the Emperour,
vnto the nobles of the Empire, to be iudged, delibred, d de
bated. Set forth by Mart. Bucer, d Phillip Melangton.
Translated by Miles Coverdale 1642." Svo. 1542.
[Maunsell's CataL p. 46.] See art. 60. " Pr. ded. M. Buceri,
' Whansoever any councell or.' " Tanneri Bibl. Brit. Hib.
23. " The christen state of matrimony, moost necessary d profit
able for all the, that entend to line quietly and godlye in the
Christe state of holy wedlock newly set forth in Englyshe.
Heb. xiii. Wedlock is honorable among al persons, and the
bed vndefiled. But whoremongers d aduouterers God shal
iudge." At the end : " 5f Jmprinted- — in tlie house of John
Mayler for John Gough. Anno Dnt. 1643. Cum priuilegio —
solum per septennium." Svo. 1643.
[Herbert, p. 497, 9.] " The above title," says Herbert, " in the same
compartment as Bishop Latimer's convocation seimon, 1537. On the
back are the following texts, Prouer. 5. 18 — 20. Pro. 12.4. Pro. 18. 22.
Pro. 19. 14." The preface to the book was written by Thos. Becon, as
may be ascertained from the general preface before his works. There
are several extiacts from it in Herbert, p. 498. " After this preface, on
16 leaves, is a short address from ' i^" The Author to the Christen
readers,' on two leaves. At the head of the first chapter is a cut of the
Alinighty taking Eve out of Adam's side. The treatise contains Ixxviii
leaves more,' besides the table at the end." Herbert, p. 499. This
book isi are. Herbert had a copy. It was written in High Dutch by
Hen. Bullenger, and only translated by Coverdale, as we may learn
from Bale. Herbert says that it seems that this liook had been printed
before, nnder the title of " The golden bok of Christen matrimony," to
vvhich the printei had annexed Becon's name, in order to promote the
sale. If we are to trust to Fox's account, however, A. & M. vol. ii.

MYLES COVERDALE. 231
p. 289, this was one of those prohibited in the 21 Hen. 8, 1529, and
must therefore have been printed long before the present edition.
Tanner speaks of this edition as being in 24to. See different editions
ofit, art. 21, 27, 38, 39, and 63. See some extracts from this work in
art. 63.
24. A SHORT Instruction to all Estates of Men in the world.
At the end of the book: An Exhortation to accustomable
Swearers. The Manner of saying Grace after the
doctryne of the holy scripture. 24to. 1543.
[Tan-neri Bibl. Brit. Hib.] "again Lond, 1675." From the con
fused arrangement of Tanner, it is rather doubtful, whether he means
that these three tracts were printed together in these two years, or each
separately. Bale mentions the third, in his ed. 1548, as " Actiones
Gratiarum ad mensam dicends." It appears to have been printed
again with some other tracts in 1647. See art. 27. For the second see
art. 27, 41, and 46, and for the three together, see art. 59.
25. " AsHORTE Recapitulacion OR abrigement of Erasmus En
chiridion, brefeley comprehendinge the summe and contentes
therof. Very Profitable and necessary to be rede of all trew
Christen men, Drawne out by M. Couerdale Anno. 1545
Timo. ij . Suffer afflitions, as goode and feathfuU sowdyars of
Jesu Christ, ij. Job. vij. Syeng the lyffe of man,ysbut Abattell
or werfare apon the erathe." Colophon : " ^ Jmprinted at
Ausborch by Adarm- Anonim-us Jn tlie moneth of May. Anno.
1545." 16mo. 1645.
[Copy in Sion College.] Herbert had a copy. The one in Sion
College is on yellow paper. On the reverse of the title two texts,
" Ephes. vi.— ij. Cor. x" Then " The summe of the prologe." And
then " The summe " of the different chapters. Finishes on the reverse
of E.iiij. in eights.
The following is an extract from " The summe of the .ij. chapter."
" Touchinge the heithan Poetes and Philosophers, yf we taist of them
" measurably, so that we waxe not olde ner dye in them, they are not
" utterly to be disalowed. Yea what soeuer they teach welle, ought
" nomore to be despysed, then was the counsail of Jethro whom Moses
" folowed. As for such as wryte vnclenly, we ought either not to touch
" the, or els not to loke to farre in the. To beshorte, al maner of
" lerninge shulde be taisted in due season ad measure, with good

232 MEMORIALS OF
" iudgmet and discretio, vnder the correctio of christes doctryne : so
" that the wisdome of god be aboue al other, oure best beloued, oure
" done, oure swete hert :" —
The following from " The .v. Chapter." " Now as we are hound
" .sureli to know what mocios we be most enclined vnto, so ought
" we to understod, that thorou right reaso (which is the power of gods
" holy sprete) the most violent of the maye either be refrayned, or els
" turned in to vertue Trueth it is, that as some ma is more prone
" vnto vertue the some, either bi reas5 of the influece of the celestial
" bodies, or els of oure progenitours, or els of the bringinge vp in youth,
" ar of the complexio of the body : Euen so some vices folowe the
" countrees, some the coplexio of the body, some the age of ma, some
" be appropriated vnto kynde. And some tyme an euel disease of the
" ma isrecopeced with another certayne cotrary good gifte or propertie.
" As for the vices that are nighest vnto vertues, we must amede the, ad
" turne ths in to that vertue which they most nighe reseble. For let a
" man that is soone prouoked vnto anger, refrayne his mynde, ad he
" shalbe nothing faynt herted, but bolde yea and fre of speach without
" dissimulacio. The nygarde, by the exercyse of reason, shalbe thrifftie
" and a good husband : The flatrer, shal thorow moderacion, be curteys
" and pleasaunt: The obstinate maye be constant: Solemnesse maye be
" turned to granite ; One ful of foolishe toyes maye be come a good
" copanyon. But in any wise must we beware, that we put not the
" name of vertue to anye maner of vice, as to cal crueltie, iustice ;
" envie, zeale. The waye the to felicite is first to know oure
" selues:" &c.
26. " The defence of a cert.wne poore Christen man : Who els
shuld haue bene condemned by the Popes lawe. Written in
the hye Allmaynes tonge by a right excellent and noble Prynce,
and traslated into Englishe by Myles Couerdale.'' Colophon:
" Printed at Nurenbergh, And translated owt of douche in to Eng
lishe by Myles Couerdale, in the yeare of our Lorde m.d.xlv. in
the laste of Octobre," 16mo. 1645.
[Herbert, p. 1669.] A copy in his possession. Contains E, in eights.
27. 1. The Christian Rule or state of all the World, from
the highest to the lowest.
2. The Christian State of Matrymonye, wherein husbands
and wyfes may learn to keep house together with love.

MYLES COVERDALE. 233
3. A Christian Exhortation to customable swarers.
4. The manner of sayenge grace, &c.
5. The Old Faith : an evident probacion out of the holy
scrypture, that the christian faith hath endured from the
beginnynge of the worlde. ]2mo. 1547.
[Berkenhout Biog. Lit. p. 133, 4.] In black letter, printed together.
Again, he says, in 1593, 4to. For the first, see art. 40 ; for the second,
see art. 21, 23, 38, 39, and 63 ; for the third, see art. 41 and 45 ; for
the third and fourth together, see art. 24 and 59 ; and for the fifth, see
the 20th, and the following art.
28. The old Faith, an evident Probation out of the H. Scripture,
that the Christen Fayth hath endured sens the beginnyng of
the world. [A translation from H. Bullinger.] Lond. 1547,
Svo. Svo. 1547.
[Biblioth. Bodleiana.] A copy in the Bodleian. Also another of a
reprint, Lond. 1624. See art. 20, and the preceding article.
29. " A FAITHFUL AND TRUE PROGNOSTICATION VPON THE YEARE
m.cccccxlviii, and perpetually after to the worldes end,
gathered out of the prophesies and scriptures of God," &c.
" Translated out of high Almaine by Miles Couerdale," Svo. 1648.
[Herbert, p. 747.] Classed under the printer, Richard Kele's works.
See art. 7 and 30.
30. "A FAYTHFULL AND TRUE PROGNOSTICATION VPON THE YEARE
M.ccccc.xlix. and perpetually after, to the worldes ende,
gathered out of the prophesies and scryptures of God, by the
experience and practyse of his workes, very comfortable for all
Christen. hertes; devided into seven chapters." Translated out
of high Almaine by Miles Couerdale. Svo. 1549.
[Herbert MS. quoted in Dibdin's Ames, vol. iv. p. 303.] Dr. Dibdin
says, that Herbert seems to have had a copy of this edition. " Printed by
Ri. Kele," according to Maunsell's catal. p. 39. Dr. Watt speaks of a
copy, without date, in 12mo. Tanner mentions a spiritual calendar, as
printed with this edition of 1649. Perhaps the same as that mentioned
iu art. 62. See art, 7 and 29,

234 MEMORIALS OF
31. " The New Testament, after the translation of M. Coverdale:
printed by ' Wylliam Tilly, dwellynge in St. Anne and Agnes
parishe at Aldrishgate,' 1549." 4to, 1549.
[Heihert. p. 764.] " From a copy in the possession of Dr, Gifford."
This is all the account that Herbert gives of this edition, and it appears
he vvas mistaken in supposing it to be of Coverdale's translation ; since
on reference to the copy to which Herbert alluded, then in the possession
of Dr. Gifford, and now with the rest of his books, deposited in the
Baptist Museum, Bristol, it is clearly ascertained to be of Tvndal's
translation. The titie page is wanting, but at the end is : " Jmprinted
at London wythin : Aldrechgate in the parisshe of Sayncte Anne and
Agnes by Wyllyam Tylle in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1548
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.'' Opposite to this Dr. Gifford
has written ; " Wylliam Tilly MDXLIX. dwellynge in St. Ann and
Agnes Parishe at Aldrishgate. Palmer 384."
The mistake of Herbert probably arose from this ; that some one has
written at the commencement of the volume, " Coverdale's Testament,
See Palmer's History of Printing, p. 384, and Ames's Typ. Ant p. 273,"
This he no doubt copied ; Dr. Gifford, however, has subjoined to this
paragraph the following remarks: "If the writer of the above had
" compared this Testament with Coverdale's, he would have heen fully
" convinced that it is quite a different Translation, e. g. Matth. i. 18. ;
" Matth. xxviii. 1 ; Luke i, 1. Besides its having a great many things
" which Coverdale's has not, e. g. all Tindal's prologes to the Episties,
" (and probably it had those to the gospels also at the beginning,) the
" marginal references and notes, as well as the same translation almost
" word for word, as Tyndal's 2nd edition, 1534, except that on 1 Jno. iv.
" Faith is the 1st, commandment and Love the 2nd, In this it is Faith
" that is the 2nd. and Love the 1st. as in the edition, 1536, mentioned
" by Lewis p. 85, vvhich perhaps was the edition from which this was
" printed." Dr. Gifford then refers to several epistles and gospels in
Tindal's 1534, such as on St. Andrew's day, St. Thomas the aposde, 5cc.
all which he says are left out of this, as in the later editions of the
Great Bible,
So much for the proof that the text is not of Coverdale's translation,
now with regard to whether it was ever put forth as snch. In the
library of Lea Wilson, Esq. is a copy of an edition of Tyndall's New-
Testament, 4to. printed by Wyllyam Tylle, the ride bearing die date of
1549, and the imprint at the end, that of 1548. Dr. Adam Clarke had
also a eojiy. Nmv although it is i|uitc possible that the same printer

MYLES COVERDALb:. 235
sluHild in the same year, in die same size, have printed both Coverdale's
and Tyndalc's translations of thc New Testament; yet as Herbert has
not mentioned at all this edition of Tyndale's testament, and as the
copy he mentions is clearly not of Coverdale's translation, wc may fairly
presume that the whole is an error, aiising from the MS. note in the
beginning of the volume, alluded to in the above account. And as a
further proof that the Baptist Museum copy is of the same edition as
those iu the libraries of Mr. Wilson and Dr. Clarke, out of several
similar instances the two following striking coincidences may be men
tioned; that in Philemon A. thc word Jesus is printed twice over in
both ; " thc Lorde Jesus Jesus Christe " ; and in Revel, ii. B. fourteen
lines are also printed twice over. For the flrst intimation that Herbert
was mistaken in his description of this hook, and for many of the fore
going particulars, the audior is indebted to the kindness of George Offor,
Esq. A description of the copy in the Baptist Museum, with Dr.
Gifford's notes, was obligingly furnished by the Rev. T. S. Crisp.
32. " The second tome or volume of the Paraphrase of Erasmus
v])ou the nowe testameni: conteynyug the Epistles of S. Paul,
and other the Apostles. Wherunto is added a Paraphrase vpon
the Reuelacion of S. John, .fniprientcd at London in Fletestrete
at the signe of the Sunne by Edwarde Whitchurche, the xm, daye of
Aug-ust, C^lm priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Anno do. 1649."
fol. 1549.
[Cdjiy in Sinn College.] Herbert had a copy, p. 546. This volume
begins widi a dedication to thc King in behalf of " the Translatours
and Printer of this right fruteful volume,'' and signed " Your Maiesties
most humble and faidifull subiecte Myles Couerdall." In this dedi
cation there is the following passage :
"Your liighnessc, as high and chiefe Admirall of the great nauy of
" the lord of hoostes amongst vs, Principali Captaine and gouernour of
" vs all vnder hym, the moste noble ruler of his shippe, euen our most
" comfortable Noah, whom the eternal god hath chose to be the bringer
" of vs vnto rest and quietnesse in him : your most Royall Maiestie
" (J say) going before in your Jmperiall office, d hauyng after you your
"most intieriy beloued vncle die Lord Prolectours grace wilh the
" residue of your highnes worthy counsailours, your nobilitie, your
" clargie, your deputies and officers in all estates, with al other youre
" louyng subiectes : liatii set vp your sayle already, and is so well
" forward on your most godlie iourney (die gracious wiiidc of tiic holy
" go.sl scruing you)" \e.
This dedication is on Iwo leaves. The leaves "f llic epistles, .Ve. arc

236 MEMORIALS OF
numbered separately, perhaps because, as we may learn from the epistle
of John Olde, one of the translatours, this work was required to be
published by a certain time, and therefore for expedition's sake may
have been printed at different presses, or published as fast as it was
printed. On the back of the last leaf is a cut of the woman clothed
with the sun, &c. as in Revelations, ch. xii. Coverdale seems only to
have translated the epistles to the Romans, Corinthians, and Galatians ;
the rest by others. See Strype's Eccl. Mem. vol. ii. p. 30.
33. " The New Testament. Diligentiy Translated by Myles Cover-
dale and conferred with the translacion of Willyam Tyndale.
with the necessary Concordances truly alleged. An. MD.XLIX."
In a wood-cut border. "Rein Wolf" with his rebus, at the
bottom.
[In the possession of the Duke of Sussex.] His Royal Highness's copy
contains only the 1st part. For the above copy of the title page, and
for the following description, the author is indebted to the kindness of
George Offor, Esq. " On the back of the title is an almanac for nine
" years, 1649 to 1657. Then a Calendar, with a neat wood-cut to each
" month, six leaves. For to knowe in what signe the Sonne is, &c. one
" page, reverse blank. Title, 1549. On back. To the Reader — Marke
" good gentle Reader. Prologue. The Grace of the Lorde Jesus
" Christe &c. five pages. Map of the Land of Promes. Ages from
" Adam vnto Christ, cut of the creation of Eve, five pages. A godly
" prayer for all suche as doo studye and reade the Newe testament, one
" page, with reverse blank. Mathew commences with a wood-cut on
" A. j. End of Jhon, a map. The Journey of Sainct Panle the Aposde,
'' Acts begins with a neat wood-cut on A,a.i. At the end of the Acts —
" Of Tymes, 4 pages. Finis. This edition is a totally distinct one from
" that in the Lambeth library. [See the following article.] It is the
" text of Coverdale, with various readings in the margin fr-om Tyndale's
" revised translation. These various readings are 499 — of these 499
" texts compared with the present authorized version of the New Testa-
" ment, 195 agree with Tyndale, 120 with Coverdale, and 184 do not
" agree with either."
34. " Thb Newe Testament. Diligently translated by Miles Coverdale,
and conferred with the translation of Wylliam Tyndale, With
the necessary Concordances ti-uly alleged. An. M.D.L."
Colophon: " Imprinted in London, at the signe of the Brasen
Serpent in Paules Churche yarde, by Reynolde Wolfe. Anno
1550. In June." 8vo 1550.

MYLES COVERDALE. 237
[Herbert, MS. q-uoted in Dibdin's Ames, vol. iv. p. 1.3-5.] The above
tide in red and black. The red is marked in the above by Italic type.
In a compartment with the figure of a man at the top, and at the
bottom a shield, in which is a serpent, wreathing round a pole, standing
on a globe ; the shield is supported by a fox and a wolf — over the fox's
back, in capitals, is the word ' Rein,' and over the back of the wolf, the
word ' Wolf.' In the next page an almanac for nine years, in red and
black. Then a calendar, also in red and black. Then follows : " For to
know in what Sign the Sonne is, — to find the newe moone." with the fol
lowing note : " In the New Testamente the Evangelistes have rekened
the hours after the manner of the Babiloiiians, begynnyng the day at the
rising of the sonne," After " The ende of the Actes of the Aposdes,
written by St, Luke, which was present at the doyinges of them," is the
following paragraph, " In as muche as certayn leaues being here
" vacant, and in fillinge the same, wolde with some convenient thinge
" profite the Reader, I haue therfore thought good to adde hereunto, a
" table describing thorder and tymes of things touched by Sainct
" Luke in the Actes of the Aposties, as ensueth." Then comes " The
Order of Tvmes," which is a short kind of chronological table, con
taining some of the principal matters, treated of in the Acts, After
the Apocalypse, comes a table of 9 pages, " By this fable, shall ye
" fvnde the Episdra and Gospels, for the Sondaies and other festiuall
" dayes," &c. On the last page is a wood-cut of the serpent twining
round a pole held by two hands issuing from the clouds, the usual
device of this printer.
A very frill description of this edition w-ill be found in Dibdin's ed. of
the Typ. Ant, in a letter from Mr. J. Thorpe to Dr, Ducarel, from which
the above descriptionis taken. It is briefly described by Maunsell and
Ames, and also somewhat more particularly by Lewis, Transl, of Bible,
p. 183. Copies : Lambeth : J. Thorpe, Esq., and Lea Wilson, Esq.
This is not the same edition as the former. Cotton says it is in 12mo.
36, " The newe Testament faythfully translated by Miles Couerdal.
Anno 1560," Then a wood-engraving of our Saviour within a
circle. Underneath : " Roma. xv. a. Whatsoeuer thinges are
wrytten afore tyme, are wrytten for oure learnynge." 16mo. 1550.
[Copy in the British Museum.] Without name of place or printer.
Contains fol. CCCCXLVI. in Roman cap. besides An Almanac in black
and red, 12 pages, and " IT A Table to fynde the Episties and Gospels "
for " the Sondaies," and another for " the Sayntes dayes," 9 pages. A
page containing six texts. And a table of contents to the " Gospel of

238 MEMORIALS OF
S Mathew.'' ^6 pages. These, together with the title-page, are in a
different type to the rest of the volume, which is of a secretary Gothic,
and was most likely printed abroad, with only a title-page, and without
any preliminary pieces, as the first page of the text commences with the
signature Aij, also numbered fol. IL, so that only one leaf, and that most
likely the title, preceded it. There are no tables of contents to any of
the other books. It contains signature K k vi, in eights. There are
references in the margin, and a few notes. A full page contains 26
lines. Cotton alone mentions this edition, and remarks, that the
translation more resembles Tyndal's, than Coverdale's.
36. "^The whole Byble. that is the holy scripture of the
Olde and Newe Testament faythfully translated into Eng
lyshe by Myles Couerdale, and newly oner sene and correcte.
M.D.L. Pray for vs that the worde of God maye haue free
passage d be glorified, ii. Tes. iii. Prynted for Andrewe Hester,
dwellynge in Paules churchyard at the sygne of the whyte horse,
and are tliere to he solde." In black and red, in an architective
compartment. Beneath : " Set fortii with the Kynges mooste gra
cious licence.'' At the end : " To the honoure and prayse of God,
was this Byble prynted and fynished in the yeare of oure
Sauoure Jesu Christ M.D.L. the xvj. daye in the moneth of
August." 4to. 1660.
[Copy in tlie British Museum.] Copies : Bodleian ; St. Paul's ;
Lambeth ; Brazen Nose Coll. ; Oriel CoU. ; E. Jacob, Esq, ; Mr. Her
bert This Bible is a reprint of that of 1635. Directiy after the titie-
page comes a leaf with " IT The bokes of the hole Byble how they, are
" named in Englyshe and Latyn," &c. On the reverse of this, the
dedication " ^ Unto the moost victorious Prince d our moost gracious
" soueraigne lorde, kynge Edwarde the syxte kynge of Englonde
" Fraunce, and of Jrlonde, dc. Defendour of the Fayth, and vnder
" God the chefe and supreme heade of the Church of Englonde.
" IT The riyght d iust administracyon of the lawes that God gaue vnto
" Moses and vnto Jostia: the testimonye of faythfulnesse y' God gaue
" of Daui : the plenteous abundaunce of wysdome that God gaue vnto
" Salomon : the lucky and prosperous age with the multipliacyon of
" seede whiche god gaue vnto Abraham and Sara his wyfe, be geuen
" vnto you moost gracious Prynce." This dedication is the same, witii
very trifling alterations, as that of the Bible of 1536, mutatis mutandis,
king Edward being substituted for king Henry; — on 4 pages. Then

MYLES COVERDALE. 239
the prologe : " Myles Couerdale, to the Christen Reader." 5 pages.
This seems to be a verbatim reprint of that of 1536. Then " The
kalender." and " An Almanacke for. xiiii. yeares" beginning at "M.D,1."
in red and black— 4 pages. Then commences " The fyrst boke of Moses
called Genesis." Beneath this title, and between it and the text is a
wood-cut, representing God taking Eve out of Adam's side. The Old
Testament continues without any break to " Fo. CCCCXCIIII" when
the New Testament, without any title-page, begins a new sel of num
bers, and ends on the reverse of " Fo. CXXI " Then " The Table
of the Sondayes." three pages, and a part of a fourth ; when com
mences " The Table for the Holy dayes." which ends on the fifth page.
This edition is in the same sort of type as that of 1535, only smaller
and shai-per. It is generally supposed to have been printed at the same
place as the edition of 1635, and that the preliminary pieces, which, as
in the edition of 1 535, are of a different type to that of the body of the
work, may very possibly have been printed in London. Herbert says,
p. 1568, that this Bible is mentioned in Skipton's Travels, among
Churchill's collection, vol. vi. p. 462, ed. 1746, as "printed at Zurich,
by Christopher Forshower, 16 August, 1550." Lewis, p. 183, says
there was another edition of this same Bible printed in this year, by
Edw. Whitchurch ; but Herbert, who had a copy in his possession, says
that Mr. Lewis was mistaken in supposing it was of Coverdale's trans
lation, p. 546. Dr. Watt, too, besides treating this edition as if it were
a reprint of the Old Testament only, speaks of another edition, " Lond.
fol. 1550," which he says also contained only the books of the Old
Testament The copy in the Museum is a fine one, and quite perfect.
That in St, Paul's wants the titie-page, and the tables and colophon
at the end. Mr. Herbert's wanted both the tide-page and the table of
the Episdes and Gospels with the colophon al the end, p. 568.
This edition was put forth again in 1663, with a reprinted tide-page,
and preliminary pieces. See art. 42.
37. "A spiritual and most precious perle," &c. as in art 58.
"A most fruitful treatise of behaviour in the danger op
DEATH.'' 12mo, 1550.
[Herbert, p. 787.] Classed under the books of John Cawood. This
edition, we are told, had a preface by Edw. Duke of Somerset, dated
6 May, 1650, who caused it to be imprinted, " after he in his. trouble
" had felt the commodity of it ; which was, that other might reape the
" like commodity by the same." Singleton's preface to a subsequent

240 MEMORIALS OF
edition. Herbert, p, 745, In the Duke's own preface he says: " Jn our
" greate trouble, which of late dyd happen vnto vs (as al the worlde
" doothe know) when it pleased God for a tyme to attempt vs with his
" scourge, d to proue if we loued him : Jn readyng this boke we did
" finde great comforte, &c. — And hereupon we have required hym, of
" whom we had the copy of thys boke, to sette il forth in prynt," This
preface referred to the first of these two works ; the second, although by
the same author, and usually printed together, being quite a separate
work, p. 787. Ames and Palmer were mistaken in their description of
this edition. See art 44 and 58, For the second of the above titles,
see art, 49,
38. " The Christen state of Matrymonye, wherein housebandes
and wyues mayel erne to kepe house together wyth loue, IT The
original of holy wedlock: wha, wher, how, and of whom it
was instituted d ordeined : what il is : how it ought to pro
ceade: what be the occasios, frute d commodities thereof.
Contrarye wyse: how shameful d honible a thig whoredom
and aduoutry is : How one ought also to chose him a mete d
conuenient spouse to kepe and increase the mutual loue, trueth
and dewty of wedloke : and how maryed folkes should bringe vp
theyr children in the feare of God. Set forthe by Myles Co
uerdale. ^ Wedlock is to be had in honoure amonge all men,
and the bed vndefyled. As for whore kepers and aduouterers,
God shall iudge them. Hebre. xiii." At the end ; "Anno
incarnationis Christi. M.D.LII, fl Jmprinted at London by
Nycholas Hyll for Abraham Vele." 16nio. 1652.
[Herbert, p. 709, 10.] He had a copy in his possession. " In this
edition," says he, " Becon's preface is omitted ; and the 7th, Sth, and
25th chapters have been added. Contains Fol, xci, and a table at the
end," He refers back to art 23, Some copies, he says, have " for
Robert Toy ; " others " for Rychard Kele." See the following article.
.¦?9. " The Christen state of Matrymonye, wherein housebandes
and wyues maye leme to kepe house together wyth loue, — Sel
forthe by Myles Couerdale." At the end; " m.d.lii. ^ Jm-
printed — by Nycholas Hyll" for Robert Toy. 16mo. 1552.
[Hei'hert, -p. 587.] Herbert says: "The same work seems also to
have been printed for Rich. Keele." Dr. Watt says it was printed
in folio, in Svo. besides 16mo. in this year. There is a copy in tiie

MYLES COVERDALE, 241
Bodleian in fol. and anodier in Svo, Tanner mentions another edition
of it in 1575, in 24to., and speaks of this edition of 155-2, as being in
24to, also. In another part, under the head of " Original of Wedlock
or matrimony," he says, " in Svo, 1552." See the preceding article;
and for different editions see art. 21, 23, 27 and 63.
40. " The christen rule, or state of the world from the
hyghest to the lowest ; and how every man should lyue to please
God in his caUynge." 16mo. 1552.
[Herbert, p. 710.] He does not state this work, which he classes
under the printer, Nicholas HiU's name, to be Coverdale's ; but Tanner
and Berkenhout assert that it is. Tanner says it was printed before
with the Christen state of Matrimony, 1541, Svo. See art. 27.
41. "A Christen exhortation to customable Swearers." 16mo. 1552.
[Herbert, p. 710.] In the possession of Dr. Lort. Classed under
the works of Nicholas Hill. Herbert does not state the work to be
Coverdale's. He refers to art. 59. See also art 24, 27, 45 and 59.
42. " The whole Byble, That is the holye Scripture, of the
olde and new Testament, faithfuUye translated into Eng
lyshe by Myles Couerdale, and newly ouersene and correcte.
M.D.LJJJ. ij. Tessa, iij, IT Praye for vs, dial the worde of God
may haue free passage and be glorifyed. fl Prynted at London
by Rycharde Jugge, dwellynge at tlie North dore of Powles, at tlie
sygne of the Byble." This in a wood-cut compartment. Un
derneath, " Set forth unth the Kinges moost gratious licence."
4to. 1553.
[Copy in St. Paul's^ Copies: King's Library, British Museum;
Balliol CoU. ; Exeter Coll. ; Dr. Coombe ; Bapt. Mus. Bristol ; Mr.
Offor. The title is in wood-cut compartments ; the one at the bottom
contains the printer's initials " R. I." in a medallion, with the motto
desvper omnia. After the tide-page comes, " The bokes of the whole
" Byble howe they are named " &c. Then the dedication " fl Unto
" the moost victorious Prince, and our most gracious soueraine Lorde
" Kynge Edward the syxt, Kynge of England, Fraunce, and of Jre-
" lande dc, Defendoure of the fayth, and vnder God the chiefe and
" supreme heade of the Churche of Englande." 4 pages. Then " A
" prologue to the Reader," 5 pages. Then " The Table and Kalender
R

242 MEMORIALS OF
" expressynge the ordre of the Psalmes and Lessons," &c. 4 pages.
Then " fl An Almanacke for xix, yeares." beginning at " M.d.lii." and
" The kalender," both in red and black. In all, 8 pages. The text is
the same as that in the edition of 1550. So is " The Table of the
" Sondayes,'' at the end, and the colophon. It is in fact, part of the
edition of 1550, with a new title-page and preliminary pieces, as may
be seen on comparing the two together. The St. Paul's copy has the
tide-page, but is imperfect at the end, breaking off at the 18th chapter
of Revelation ; whUst that in the King's Library has no title-page, but
is in other respects quite perfect. The latter has on this account been
classed as of the year 1650, because in the last page is " To the
" honoure and prayse of God, was this Byble prynted and fynished in
" the yeare of oure Sauoure Jesu Christ M.D.L. the xvj. daye in the
" moneth of August." the same as in the former edition ; but it Ls clearly
of the re-issue of 1553, for the dedication, prologue, &c. are all new com
posed, and the almanac for nineteen years commences with the year 1553.
The only reason that can be imagined for the leaving in of the date at
the end is, that as it foi-med part of the original impression in the
angular Swiss, it could not well be altered. At any rate, the matter
need not surprise us, vvhen we look at the inconsistency between the
title-page and the colophon in the Bible of 1535, see page 68, and
when we can find Prayer-books in our own day, and printed at the
Clarendon press, where King William and Queen Adelaide are men
tioned as King and Queen, and the date still remains in the tide page,
1828. The following is a specimen of the variations in the pre
liminary pieces. Edition of 1660.
" IT Ct)e bokes! of iht \)o\t 33pi)Ie
^oto tije^, are nameti iu dnclESje anD
JLatgn, anD |)oh) longe tljeg are
totjtten in tie aHegation?."
Edition of 1653.
" Cfee ftofeesi of i\)t iMftoIc <BpI)Ie
Ijotoe tjej ate nameti in dnclsaije anti latin, anD |)otoe
longe tl)ej ace totjtten in t\t aHeuationg."
Herbert had a copy of this re-issue of 1553.
43. "Certain most godly, fruitful, and comfortable letters of
such true Saintes and holy Martyrs of God, as iu the late bloodye
persecution here within this Realme, gaue tiieir lyues for the

MVLES COVERDALE. 243
defence of Christes holy gospel : written in the tyme of dieyr
alBietion and crucdl imprysonment Though they suffer payne
amonge men, yet is their hope full of immortalitie. Sap. ;?. .Im-
printrd at London by lohn Day, dweUing nm-r Aldersgate, beneath
Saint Blartines. 1564. Cumgratin d priuilegio Reg-ice Maie.s'tati.-,:"
4to. 1564.
[Copy in the British Mnsnun.] The above titie in a wood-cut com
partment. On tiie reverse a wood-cut representing the burnijig of die
martyrs. Above it, these two texts : " For thy sake are we put to deatii
" euery day, Psal. 44. And are couted as shepe appoynted to be
" slayne. Roma. 8." At die bottom, these four others: " How long O
"Lorde? Psalm. 13. Behold, I come shordye. Apoc. 22. Oh come
" Lorde lesu. Apoc. 22. He will come, and not tary. Abac. 2." Con
tains 689 pages, besides " A Table of the letters conteyned in thys
" booke, declaryng by whome and to whome they vvere written,'' A
copy in the Bodleian Library. Herbert had an iniperfect one in his
possession. These letters are introduced with an address from " Myles Couerdale
" vnto the Christian Reader," in which he sets forth how good a thing
it is to read of the behaviour of those who are God's servants, instead of
occupying our time with lying legends of false saints, or the trifling-
toys and forged fables of corrupted writers ; and also how much easier
we may arrive at an intimate knowledge of those we read of, by means
of letters, than by any other species of writing.
For " that noble Clarke Erasmus Roterodame, comendyng the booke
" of the Epistles or letters vvhich S. Augustine dyd write, sayeth thus :
" by some of Augustines bokes vve may perceaue, vvhat maner of man
" he was being an infant in Christ. By other some, we may knowe
" what maner a one he was being a young- man, and vvhat he was being
'' an olde man. But by thys onely booke (meaning die booke of the
" Episties or letters) thou shalt knowe whole Augustyne altogether.
" And why doth S. Hieroiue or Erasmus saye thus ? No doubt, euen
" because that in such vvrilynges, as in a cleare glasse, vve maye see and
"beholde, not onely what plentifull' furniture and store of heauenly
" grace, wisedome, knowledge, vnderstanding, fayth, loue, hope, zeale,
" pacience, mekenes, obedience, with the worthy fruites thereof,
" almighty god had bestowed vpon the same his most deare children :
" but also what a fatherlye care he euer hadde vnto them : how his
" mightye hand defended them : howe hys prouidence kept watch and
" warde ouer them : howe his louyng eye loked vnto Ihem : howe hys
" gracious eare heard their prayers: how he was alwaye myndfull of
R 2

244 MEMORIALS OF
" them, neuer forgat them, neither fayled them, nor forsoke them: how
" the armes of his mercye were streytched oute to embrace them, when
" soeuer they faythfullye tourned vnto hym : howe valiaunte also and
" slronge in spirite, howe ioyfull vnder the crosse, howe quyet and
" cheerefuU in trouble he made them : what victorye of their enemyes,
" what deliueraunce oute of bondes and captiuitie, what health from
" sicknes, what recouerye from plagues, what plentye from scarcenesse :
" to bee shorte, what helpe at all nede and necessity he gaue and
" bestowal vpon them.''
For, says he, if God had not thus watched over them and strength
ened them, how else was it possible, that men undergoing the afflictions
which Ihey did, " could be so patiet, so quiet of minde. so cherefuU
" and merye in aduersitie and straile captiuitie : some beyng throwne
" into dungeons, vgsome holes, darke, lothesome and stinking comers:
" other some lying in fetters and chaynes, and loaded wyth so many
" irons that Ihey could scarcely styre : some tied in the slocks wyth
" their heeles vpwarde : some hauyng their legges in the stockes d
" their neckes chayned to the walle wyth gorgets of iron : some both
" handes and legges in the stockes at once : sometimes both hands in,
" and both legges out : sometimes y° right hand with the left leg, or
" the left hand with the right legge fastened in the stockes wyth
" manicles and fetters, hauying neither stoole nor stone to sitte on, to
" ease their wofuU bodies withall : some standing in most painful
" engines of iron with their bodies doubled : some whypped d scourged,
" beale wilh roddes, d buffeted with fistes : some hauing their handes
" burned with a cadel to trie their patience, or force the to relente :
" some hunger pyned d most miserably famished."
And these letters and writings, he adds, we have to praise God for,
who has himself preserved and brought them to light, no doubt that vve
may be taught thereby to follow their example, and "end this our short
" course, lo his glory, to y" edifyeng of his church, to y' cofusion of
" Satan, to y' hinderaunce of al false doctrine, d to our own eternal
" cofort in the same our lord d alone Sauiour Jesus Christ To who
" wyth the father and y° holy ghost be all honour, al glory, al thankes
" and all praise, world without ende. Amen.''
This address occupies three leaves ; on the back of the last is a list
of, " Faultes escaped in the pryntyng.'' Il may be found reprinted at
length in the 6th volume of the works of the British Reformers. A re
print also of the whole work, witii introductory remarks by the Rev. E.
Bickersteth, has just been published; but we regret, (although after all
this is but a matter of taste) that the language in it has been modernized.
Strype says that this work was printed in 1563, Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p.

MYLES COVERDALE. 245
106, but he very likely alludes to this edition of 1664, as he is not very
particular with regard to dates.
44. A spiritual and most precious pearle, 1569. Printedby H-ugh
Singleton, 16mo. 1569.
[flerJeri, p. 741.] Maunsell's Catal. p. 39. Herbert refers to art 68.
45. "Exhortation to accustomable swearers, also what a right
and lawfull oath is ; when and before whom it ought to be.
Reprint, by lohn Awdley. 1576. in Svo. by Miles Couerdale."
Svo. 1575.
[Maunsell's Catal. p. 39.] Confirmed by Ames, p. 310. Tanner
says this was the second edition, and that the first was in 1543, 24lo.
" Pr, pr. ' In the Lord's vineyard, dear friend.' " See art. 24, 27,
41, and 59.
46. "The Hope of the faithfull, declaringe breefely d clearely
the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ past, and of our true
essentiall bodies to come : and playnely confuting the chiefe
Errors that have sprong therof out of the Scripture and Doctors.
With an euident probatio that there is an etemall life of the
faithfull, d euerlasting damnation of the wicked. Translated by
Miles Couerdale out of high Almaine." At the end: " Printed
at London, in Crede Lane — at the signe of the Golden Tunne.
Anno 1679. Cum priuilegio solum." 16ino. 1679.
[Dibdin's Ames, vol. iv. p. 293, 4.] Printer, Hugh Singleton. Con
tains Q. in eights. The last leaf blank. At the end Singleton's rebus.
In Herbert's MS. additions, he says, " I have an edition of this Hope
" of the Faithfull, wanting the title, which contains only P 7, in
" eights, the back page of which is blank, and has another blank leaf;
" so that it has neither rebus nor colophon. The size of the page 3i,
" by 2i inches, including the margin." This copy is now in the posses
sion of George Offor, Esq. The pages are numbered in Arabic figures,
233, besides the table of contents at the end. Strype says there was an
edition of this work printed in 1554, and he gives the following descrip
tion of il :
" The contents of this book were according as they are set down in
the first chapter, thus beginning : ' Considering that by the Evangelists
' and by the Aposties, there is nothing written more diligentiy, than

246 MEMORIALS OF
' touching the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, my purpose is
' somewhat more largely to talk of the same, and of the glorious as-
' cension of his body into heaven. Item, Of the resurrection and Ascen-
' sion of our own bodies; of the damnation of unbelievers; and of
' the hope and eternal life of the blessed.' Which subjects are indeed,
in this book, discoursed of closely and weU, first by apt places in Scrip
ture, and then by arguments, without any reflection on the Popish
religion. And I verily believe the work to be Coverdale's.'' Eccl.
Mem. vol. iii. p. 151-2.
The following is an extract from the copy of this work in the pos
session of George Offor, Esq. Speaking of the punishment of the
wicked, p. 178. " As for the maner, fashion, and measure of the
" damnacio, and how great the torment of hell is vpon vnbeleuers : J
" suppose no tunge is able to expresse the lerryble and vgesome payne
" and punishment therof. For Virgile the olde Poete, thoughe he
" were an heithen man, yet whan he had recited diuers and sondri
" vices, and what punishment is ordeyned for the of god, he sayd in
" hys sixte boke of the Eneydes.
" An hundreth tunges,
" And mouthes as mauy,
" Although J had,
" Wyth eloquence hie :
" And though my voyce
" All yron were
" Jn strength : yet could
" J not declare
" The vices of men,
" Nor yet can tell,
" What paynes therfore
" They suffer in heU."
It was written in German by Otho Wermylierus.
47. " A Godly treatise, wherein is proued the true Iustifica-
TioN OF a Christian man, to come freely of the mercie
OF God. And also how good workes ought to bee done, d vvhat
be true good works indeede. Whereunto is ioyned a conference
betweene the lawe and the Gospell : with a Dialogue of die
faithfull and vnfaithfull. Translated out of high Almaine by
Miles Couerdale." Reprinted by Hugh Singleton, 1579.
16mo. 1579.
[ Mnun.icirs Catal. p. 63.] The author was Otiio Werniylierus.

MYLES COVERDALE. 247
48. That justification is from God's free mercy, and not from
good works. From the German, 16mo. 1579.
[Tannei-i BibL Brit, Hib.] No doubt the same as the foregoing
article. 49. "The Booke of Death, or, howe a Christian man ought to
behaue himselfe in the danger of Death, and how they are to
be comforted, whose deare frendes are departed out of this
world, translated out of high Dutch, by Miles Couerdale."
printed by Hugh Singleton. 1579. 16mo. 1679.
[Maunsell's CataL p. 42.] The author vvas Otho Wermylierus. See
art. 37.
50. "Fruitfull Lessons vpon the Passion, Buriall, Resurrec
tion, Ascension, and of the sending of the holy Ghost :
Gathered out of the foure Euangelists : with a plain exposition
of the same. By Miles Couerdall. John 14 ; 6. I am the waie,''
&c. Thos. Scarlet's large device. " London printed hy him,
1593." 4to. 1593.
[Herbert, p. 1166.] A copy in his possession. " Contains Qq3,
in fours, besides the preface. Licensed." Herbert, p. 1165. Ames
speaks of an edition in 1 576, by this printer, but as Herbert observes,
this could not be, since Scarlet was not even bound apprentice so early
as that. Tanner mentions this book as printed at Marp. 1540-1547,
iu Svo. besides this edition in 1593. " Pr. pr. ' Since our human im
perfections.'" Tanneri Bibl. Brit. Hib.
WORKS WITHOUT DATE.
51. " GoosTLY PSALMES AND SPIRITUALL soNGEs drawen out of the
holy Scripture, for the comforte and consolacyon of soch as love
to rejoyse in God and his worde. Psalm cxlvi. O prayse the
Lorde, for it is a good thinge to synge prayses unto oure God.
CoUos, iii. Teach d exhorte your awne selves with Psalmes d
Hymns d spirituall Songes, Jaco. v. Yf eny of you be mery,
let him singe Psalmes," Colophon : " fl Imprynted hy me Johan
Gough, cum primlegio Regali." 4to.

248

MEMORIALS OF

[Cotton, p. 157.] On the first page is this address.
" To THE BOKE.''
" Go lytic boke, get the acquaintaunce
" Amonge the lovers of Gods worde
" Geve them occasyon the same to avaunce
" And to make theyr songes of the Lorde
" That they may thrust under the horde
" All other balettes of fylthynes
" And that we all with one accorde
" May geve ensample of godlynes
" Go lytle boke amonge mens chyldren
" And get the to theyr companye
" Teach them to synge y" comaundementes ten
" And other balettes of Gods glorye
" Be not ashamed I warande the
" Though thou be rude in songe and ryme
" Thou shalt to youth some occasion be
" In godly sportes to passe theyr tyme."
On the reverse, "Myles Coverdale Unto the Christen reader. It greveth
" me (most deare Reader) wha I consydre the unthankfulnesse of men,"
&c. &c. " Yee wolde God that oure mynstrels had none other thynge
" to playe upo, nether our carters d plowmen other thynge to whistie
" upon, save Psalmes, hymnes, and soch godly songes as David is occu-
" pied with all. And yf women syttynge at theyr rockes, or spynnynge
" at the wholes, had none other songes to passe theyr tyme withall, tha
" soch as Moses sister, Elchanahs wife, Debora, and Mary the mother
" of Christ have songe before the, they shulde be better occupied, then
" with hey nony nony, hey troly loly, d soch lyke fantasies. — Therfore to
" geve oure youth of Englonde some occasion to chaunge thevr foule
" d corrupte balettes into swete songes and spirituall Hymnes of Gods
" honoure, and for theyr owne consolacion in hym, I have here (good
" reader) set out certayne cofortable songes grounded on Gods worde,
" and taken some out of the holy scripture specyally out of the Psalmes
" of David, at who wolde God that oure musicians wolde Ierne to make
" dieyr songes: — As for the come sorte of balettes which now are used
" in y" world, I reporte me to every good mans cosciece what wycked
" frutes they brynge. — Alas the worlde is all to full of vicious and evell
" lyvers alredy. It is no nede to cast oyle in y' fyre. Oure owne
" nature provoketh us to vyces (God knoweth) all to sore. No man
" nedeth entysynge therto." —

MYLES COVERDALE. 249
" Now (beloved reader) thou seist the occasyon of this my small
" labour. Wherfore yf thou perceavest, that the very worde of God is
" y° master tiierof, I praye the accepte it, use it, and provoke youth unto
" y° same. And yf thou felest in thine hert, that all the lordes dealynge
" is very mercy d kyndnes, cease not then to be thakfull unto hym
" therfore : but in thy myrth be alwaye syngyng of him, that his
" blessed name may be praysed now and ever. Amen,"
This titie and address occupy iv leaves, with the signature »{«, Then
begin, " Goostiy Psalmes," &c. in various metres, with musical notes ;
fol. i. continued to fol. Ivi. ; on the reverse of the last, is a table of the
Songs contained : among them are, the Magnificat, Nunc dimittis, and
Psalms xi, ii, xlv, cxxiii, cxxxvi, cxxvii, 1, cxxix, xxiiii, Ixvii, xiii,
cxlvii, and cxxxiii. Coverdale did not versify the xixth psalm. The
type is Gothic. This work is without date, but it must have been
printed before 1538, if it is the same book as the " Psalmes and spirituall
songes drawen out of the holie Scripture," mentioned by Fox, as being
by Coverdale, and as one of the books prohibited by the injunctions of
the King in 1538, (there improperly described as of 1639,) A. & M.
p. 573, ed, 1663 ; but this list of books does not occur in the subsequent
editions, at least not in those of 1576, 1583, 1641, and 1684, nor is it
given in Wilkins' Cone. M, B, where the injunctions are reprinted. It
may very probably be alluded to by Bale, when he speaks amongst
Coverdale's works, of " AD omnem statum rhythmi." ed. 1548. For a
specimen of one of these psalms, see page 104. Cotton is die only one
who has mentioned this work, of which only a single copy seems to be
known to be extant, which is in Queen's Coll. Oxford,
52. 1. An Exposition upon Magnificat, from the Latin.
2. The Original and Spring of all Sects, from the German.
[Tanneri Bibl. Brit. Hib.] He says that these two works were
published in the time of Hen. viii., and quotes as his authority. Fox,
1st ed. p, 574, by which he would seem to mean, that they were prohi
bited by the proclamation of 1638, and therefore printed prior to that
date.
63. " fl How and whither a Chrysten man ought to fly the
horryble Plague of the Pestilence. A Sermon ont of the
Psalme. Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi, fl Translated out of
hie Almaine into EngUshe. fl Jmprinted at London hy Leonarde
Askell." This titie is in a compartinent witii Uie Queen's ai-ms at
lop, the Stationers' at bottom, and T. Purfoot's mark on each

250 MEMORIALS OF
side. It contains C, in eights, and the running title is, " A
sermon vpon the. xci. psalme." At the end of the sermon ;
" fl Translated by M. C. (MUes Coverdale) out of hye Almayne,
Anno. 1537."
Then, "A Comfort CONCERNING THEM that be dead, fl Howe Wyfe,
chyldren, and other frendes shalbe comforted, the husband being
dead." Colophon ; " fl Bnprinted — by Leonarde Askell for
Thomas Purfoote dwelling in Powles church yarde at the signe
of the Lucrece." Svo.
[Herbert, p. 593.] Herbert had a copy in his possession of the above
tracts, and he seems to speak of them, as if they had been printed
together, and as if the second as well as the first, vvas by Coverdale.
Tanner however, does not mention the second amongst the works of
Coverdale. Bale tells us that the first work was vvrilten by Coverdale,
as he mentions in his list of Coverdale's translations, the following:
Osiander super. Qui habitat. See article 10.
54. " A CONFUTACION OF THAT TREATISE, WHICH ONE JoHN StANDISH
made agaynst the proteslacion of D. Barnes in the yeare.
M.D.XL. Wherin, the holy scriptures (peruerted and wrested
in his sayd treatise) are restored to their owne true vnderstonding
agayne by Myles Couerdale. lacobi iij. Nolite gloriari, <l men-
daces esse aduersus veritatem." 12mo.
[Copy in the British Museum.] Herbert had a copy he says in Svo.
p. 1556. This is addressed " To all them that either reade or heare
" gods holy worde, and geue ouer them selues to lyue vnfaynedly acord-
" ing to the same," &c. The address begins thus : " The seventh daye
" of Decembre, was delyuered vnio me a certayne tieatyse, composed
" by one John Standish Felow of Whittington college in londo (so is
" the tyde of it) and prynted by Robert Redeman, Anno M.D.XL. iij.
" Nonas Octobris." He remarks, " there is now a wonderful diuersite
" in writing bokes and balates in England, one enueyenge agaynst
" another, one reuylinge and reprouyng another, one reioysinge al
" anodiers fall and aduersite. And not onely this, but also at the
" ende of euery balale or boke in maner (whether it be the better
" partye or worse) is set the Kynges priuUege. 'WTiich as it is agaynst
" the glorye of god that one shulde reuyle another, Js it not euen
" so agaynst the Kynges honoure (Yee the shame is it of all Englande)
" that vnder his priuilege anye erroneous, contentious, or slaunderous

MYLES COVERDALE. 251
" boke or papyre shulde be prynted? Men wonder in other contrees,
" that ther is so greate negligence of this matter, in a realme where
" so wyse and prudent a counsail is."
He then takes the sentences of Standish to whioh he objects, and
confutes them one by one, and examines each of the positions of
Barnes, which he supports and illustrates. This work is principally
on the doctrine of good works, which he says can do nothing of them
selves without faith ; and on the satisfaction that Christ made for us.
He says that Barnes in maintaining the first, did not mean to assert,
that therefore good works were not 'lo be perfoi-med, as Standish would
infer. In the conclusion of his work he exhorts the reader not to let the
number of those who are the enemies of God's word appal him ; for
that God, as he may learn from the Scripture, will always defend his
own, and he will find that at all times there have been persecutions
of those who worshipped God, and also lying and false prophets;
and that some part of the seed of Christ when sown, has always
fallen on stony ground, where it withered, or the thorns choked it np.
He therefore exhorts the reader to foUow the example of many godly
and holy men, which are before him, who have trod in the path of God's
word : but only to follow them as far as they followed Christ, and no
farther. " And as touchinge anye maner of doctryne, beleue no man
" without gods worde, acording as. S. Hierome counceleth the. Jn
" Epistolam ad Gal. ca. v. For certaine it is, that like as many tymes
" thou shalt spie euen great faultes in the conuersacio of gods electe,
" so readest thou of very few teachers sens the Apostles tyme, which
" haue not erred (and that grossely) in sondry thinges.
" AVherfore whom so euer thou hearest teach, preach or wryte, or
" whose bokes so euer thou readest, trye them by gods worde, whether
" they be agreable ther to or no. Whan thou knowest them (J saye)
" and art certayne and sure by Christes doctryne, that they are false,
" sedicious or abhominable, then hold them accursed, avoyde them
" utterly, eschue them in anye wise, and gene ouer thy selfe to the
" wholsome hearing and readinge of the scripture. But so, that thou
" be sober and discrete in the knowlege and vse therof. And that in
" confessing the true faith and beleue of Christ, thy hart mouth and
" dede go together, and that thou cosent to none opinion contrary to the
" same. That god maye haue the prayse, and thy neghboure be edified
" in all thy conuersacion. So doyng, thou shalt not onely stoppe the
" mouth of eueU speakers, but also allure and prouoke other men to be
" frutefuUy geue to faith and good workes, and to helpe (with such
" their vnfained faith and godly liuinge) that the tabernacle of god

252 MEMORIALS OF
" maye be set vp againe. The grace of our lorde Jesus Christ be with
" us all. Amen."
FuUer extracts from this work will be found in the 6th volume of the
works of the British Refonners.
It contains n 7, in eights. On the last leaf " lacobi.iij. Yf ye haue
" a bytter Zele, and there be contencions in youre hartes, make no
" boast, neither be lyars agaynst the trueth." The back blank. In an
angular Swiss or German type, similar to that of the Bible of 1660.
The extracts from Standish and Barnes, are in a larger and rather
different type. No date or name of place or printer. See art. 19.
65. 1. A Christian Catechism.
2. ' Cantus usuales Witebergensium.'
3. The Apology of the Germans against the Council of
Mantua.
[Bale, ed. 1548.] The last two he says were translations. They
must all however have been printed before 1548. We have no other
authority for them than Bale.
56. "Declaration of the Order that the Churches in Denmarke
and many other places in Germany do vse, not onely at the
holye Supper, but also at Baptisme. By Miles Couerdale.
Printed beyond sea." 12mo.
[Maunsell, CataL pp. 39 & 93.] Herbert p. 1763. He says in 16mo.
Perhaps this is the same work with the " ordo christianus ccen^ do
mini," mentioned in Bale in the edition of 1548, as one of Coverdale's
works, and caUed, " ordo rectus ccen* domini " in the edition of
1559 ; and if so, it must have been printed at least prior to 1548. See
the following article.
57. "A faythful and moost Godlye treatyse concernynge the
most sacret sacrament of the blessed body and blonde of oure
sauioure Christe, compiled by John Caluyne, a man of no lesse
lernyng and literature, then Godlye studye, and example of
liuynge. And translated into Latyne by Lacius, a man of like
excellencie. And nowe laste of all, translated into Englishe
by a faythfuU brother, no lesse desirous to profyt the weake
brothers then to exercise the talent of tiie Lorde to his honoure
and glorye. In declaration w/iei-eof, he hath set before this litle
hooke an Epistle to the readei- much more effectuous then in the

MYLES COVERDALE. 253
fyrst edicion. j^. ^^Tierennto the order that the Churche and
congregation of Christ in Denmarke doth vse at ihe receiuinge of
Baptisme, the Supper of the Lorde, and Wedlocke : is added. 83-
Myles Couerdale. Luke, xix. Chapter, Be doyng tOl J come,"
Contains F, in eights, " Imprinted — by John Day and Wyllyam
Seres — in Sepulchres Parish ^-c. Cum gratia d priuilegio —
solum." Svo.
[Herbert, p. 676-7.] " This book should contain 21 pages of an
address to the reader. The leaves are not numbered, but have signa
tures and catch-words." Dibdin, vol. iv. p. 173. Another edition, pro
bably the first, is without the printer's name or place : in the title of
which the words here marked in Italics are omitted. Herbert had a
copy of both editions. Mr. Heber had a copy of the first Berkenhout
says it is printed in 12mo. John Day, the printer, began printing in
1546, and his last book with date is in 1584. The work printed with it,
is the same as the one in the preceding article.
58. " A SPIRITUALL AND MOST PRECIOUS PERLE, teaching all men to
love and embrace the cross as a most sweet and necessary thing
unto the soul, dc, written for thy comfort, by a learned preacher,
Otho, Weemyliervs, and translated into English by Miles
Coverdale," At the end: hy Hugh Singleton, "at the Golden
Tunn in Creed-lane, near Ludgate. Cum Primlegio." 16mo,
[Ames, p, 261-2.] A copy in his possession. Mr. Herbert has added
nothing. There is a preface from the printer to the reader thus :
" Whereas (by the sinister dealing of some) this boke hath gone abroad,
" as imprinted by me, with mo and greater faultes then either hath or
" shall (I hope) be found by any boke imprinted by me, indeed I have
" thought it good to set it forth once againe, according to the tme copy
" of that translation, that I received at the hands of M, doctour Wilo
" Coverdale, at whose hand I received also the copyes of three other
" workes of O tho Wermulems, a German preacher in the city of Tiguri e,
" who wrote them in the Germain tongue, as he did certain bookes moe,
" which are not as yet turned into the Englishe tongue. The names of
" those bookes, which are translated, are these : the precious pearie,
" which the author caUeth, of affliction ; anodier of death ; the third of
"justification; and the fourth of die hope of the faithful. These I
" have imprinted witii as greate dUigence as I coulde, and I hope ac-
" cording to the copies, that I received from the translator of them, how-
" soever the same have been by others thrust out in my name, cormpdy

254 MEMORIALS OF
" enough to my great discredite, and some hindrance also, but with the
" greatest displeasure to the buyers. Mine hearty desire hath been (deare
" reader) alway to be so occupyed, that I might live by profiting othei-s,
" in such sort as that excellent prince, the late duke of Somerset, and
" uncle to good king Edward the sixte, wished this pearle to be im-
" printed, after he in his trouble had felt the commodity of it ; which
" was, that other mighte reape the like commodity by the same. Take
" therefore thys precious pearle, now brought to that brightness, that
" it had, when it first came oute impiynted by me, and use it to thy
" comforte in all thy disb-esses. And for the comforte, that thou shallt
" find therin, give God the vvhole prayse. Farewell, quod Hugh Sin-
" gleton." Then his mark and motto, Gon is my helper. "John
AUde printed one edition of this book for him without date.'' Dibdin,
Typ. Ant. vol. iv. p. 298. Watt says of this edition ; " Reprinted by
Singleton. Without date, but about 1588." For other editions, see
art 37 and 44.
Another translation of this or a similar work it would seem, was
printed by Berthelet. It was dedicated " To the right honorable,
" and his syngular good lorde and mayster. Lord Thomas Crumwel,
" Lord Priuy seale," The following is the title : " fl Of the pre-
" PARATiON TO THE CROSSE, and to Deathe, and of the comforte vnder
" die crosse and deathe, two bokes very fruictefuU for deuoute people
" to rede, translated from latyn to englysshe, by Rycharde Tracy."
In an architective compartment. On the sell " 1534." Colophon
" fl LoNDiNi in cedib-us Thomce Bertheleti typis impre.ts. Cum priuilegio
"ad imprimendum solum. ANNO. il.D.XL" This colophon is,
however, to a table of contents, which is in a different type to the rest
of the work. From a copy in Sion College, on yellow paper.
There is also a work entitled " An exhortacion to the carienge of
Chrystes crosse," vvhich has been considered by many writers as iden
tical with this " Precious Perle"; but they are evidentiy two distinct
works, as the latter is a translation from the German, and one edition
of it was published as early as in 1560, whilst the former is an original
work, and written by one of the exiles in Mary's time, and therefore
could not have been pubUshed before the end of 1553. Strype says
about 1554. It does not, however, follow from this, that the former
work may not also have been written by Coverdale, although we have
no particular reason for thinking so.
Through the kindness of George Offor, Esq. the author has been
favoured vvith the loan of this rare and curious litde tract. It is in a
small angular Swiss or Gernian type, vvithout name of place, printer, or
vear. It is thus entitled :

MYLES COVERDALE. 255
" An exhortaciou to the carienge of Chrystes crosse, wyth a true and
brefe confutacion of false and papisticaU doctryne. j^- BaS-
2. Timo. 3. SS" All, that wyll lyue godly in Chryste Jesu, must
suffer persecucyon. .s^a "
It contains K vi, in eights, and numbers 153 pages, besides the table
of the chapters, which occupy 3 more. Dibdin mentions it as printed
by Hugh Singleton, on vvhat authority we know not. Typ. Ant. vol.
iv. p. 300. A strain of sound and pertinent argument runs through this
little work, which is very fruitful in metaphors. Extracts are given by
Strype, Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 151, and we therefore only add the fol
lowing, from the 4di chapter, entitled " fl The crosse is commodyous
" and piofytable."
" No castigaeion or punishement is swete or ioyous for the present
" time, but greuous : neuer the les, afterwarde it bryngeth the quiet
" frute of rightuousnesse vnto them, whyche are exercised therin. As
" we see in medicynes : the more wholsome they be, the more vnplea-
" saunte often tymes is the taiste. As in purgacions, pilles and such
" like bitter thigs. Yet vpon the phisicians worde we wil gladly
" dryncke them, for the profit whych cometh of the. And, dearely
" beloued, although to lose lyfe, goodes or frendes, for gods gospels
" sake, seme a bitter and sower thynge : Yet, seeing our phisician,
" whych can not lye (Jesus Chryst J meane) telleth vs that it is veri
" wholsome, how so euer it be toothsome : let vs with good chere take
" y" cuppe at hys hande, and drynke it merely.
" Jf the cup seme vnpleasauut, and the drynke to bytter, let vs put
" some suger therin : eue a pece of that, whych Moses caste into the
" bytter water, and made it pleasaunt. J meane an vnce or quantitie
" of Chrystes affliccios and crosse, whych he suffred for vs,
" If we cal these to mynd, and cast of them into our cuppe (con-
" syderyng what he was, what he suffred, of whom, for whom, to what
" ende, and what came ther of) surely we can not lothe oure medicine,
" but wynke and drynke it lustely." p. 58, 9,
There is also a curious simUe in page 120, in vvhich the mass is
likened to a " maiimade, to amase and bewitche men, sayling in the
" seas of this life, to be enamored on her,"
69. "A CHRISTE EXHORTACION VNTO CUSTOMABLE SWEARERS, fl What
a righte and lawful othe is: whan, and before whom it ought to
be, fl Jtem. The manner of saying grace, or geuying thakes
vnto God. Whosoever heareth Goddes worde, beleue it, and do
thereafter, shall be saued." In a compartment frequentiy used
by this printer, Nicholas HUl, with a cherubic head at top, and

256 MEMORIALS OF
N. H. on the sell. At the end is; "A shorte instructio to
the worlde," in seven-lined stanzas; addressed to kings, judges,
counsellors, chamberlains, stewards, treasurers, controllers, and
priests. " fl Jmprinted — by Nicholas Hyll, for Abraham Vele.''
16mo.
[Herbert, p. 7 \1.] He had a copy in his possession. He says, "also
printed for Richard Kele. Contains E 4, in eights, the last blank."
See art 24.
60. "The actes of the disputation in the cowncell of the empyre,
holden at Regenspurg : that is to say, all the artycles concerning
the christen relygion, both agreed and not agreed upon, even as
they were propowiied of the emperour unto the nobles of the
empire, to be judged, delebered, and debated, dc. Translated
owt of Latyne into English, by Mylys Couerdale.'' Svo.
[Herbert, p. 1553.] " In this book are the names of all the states,
which are called Protestants." Ames had a copy. Printed also in 1642,
see art. 22.
61. " The supplication that the Nobles and Commons of Os-
tericke made vnto Kinge Ferdinandus, in the cause of
christian religion, with the Kings answere, dc." Translated by
Miles Couerdale.
[Maunsell, Catal. p. 39,] quoted by Herbert. From the titie as
given by Tanner, it would appear that "Ostericke" means "Austria."
62. A spirituall ALMANACKE. Printed in thiu 12mo. London, black
letter. 12mo.
[Berkenhout, Biogr. Lit.] Perhaps the same as that mentioned by
Tanner as printed with the Faithful Prognostication. See art. 30,
63. " The Christen state of Matrimonye. The orygenall of holy
wedlok : whan, where, how, and of whom it vvas instituted d
ordeyned : what it is : how it ought to proceade : what be the
occasions, frute and commodities therof Contrary wyse, how
shamefuU d horrible a thinge whordonie d aduoutry is : How
one oughte also to chose hym a mete and conuenient spouse
to kepe and increace the mutuall loue, trouth and dewtie of wed
loke : and how maried folkes shulde bring v^p their children in
the feare of god. Translated by Myles Couerdale," 12mo.

MYLES COVERDALE. 257
[Copy in the British M-useum.] There is no date to this edition, or
name of place, unless perhaps the former has been obliterated ; as there
are something like marks of such being the case at the foot of the
title page. After the tide-page comes an address of " The autor to
" the Christen Readers.'' in which he sets forth the many " greuous
" synnes" that exist, and how little they are thought of or condemned.
" For," says he, " no man is despised, reproued d resisted for quarel-
" ing, vsury, whordome, swearyng, lyeng, dronckenesse, glotony, vayne
" songes, wordes, talkynges and gestures. But yf a man speake of
" god, and reproue such conuersation for a vayne and vngodly lyuyng,
" or do synge of god, or medle with such songes as are made of the
" gracious work of y* holy gospell, agaynst falshode, ypocrisye, ydolatrye
" and vyce. He maye not be suffred, he shall soone be despysed as
" one that slaundreth honest folkes, and medleth with new straunge
" thynges." This address occupies 3 pages. Then the work itself Ixxviii, fol.
Then a table of contents, which is imperfect. In " The .xix. Chapter."
of this work, entitled " Of conuenient Carefulnes and iust keping of
the house lyke Cristen folke." is the following :
" What so euer is to he done without the house, that belongeth to
" the ma, d the woma to studye for thinges within to be done, and to
" se saued or spent conueniently whatsoeuer he bringeth in. As the
" birde fleeth to and fro to bring to the nest, so becometh it the ma to
" apply his vtward busynes. And as the damme kepeth the nest, hatch-
" eth the egges, d bringe forth the frute, so let them bothe Ierne to do of
" the vnreasonable fowles or bestes created of god naturally to obserue
" theyr sondrye propertyes." Fol. Ixiij. b.
He exhorteth to honest industry; " And yf thou (for all thy tme and
" iust dealinge) yet prosperoussest not, subiect to many euel chaiices,
" wherof the worlde isfuU, yet he thou contet with goddes wyll, for the
" pouertye of the rightwyse, sayth Solomon, is beter then the infinite
" tresurs of the vngodly. And a peese of bred or a messe of potage
" with quietnes, is better then a fat oxe with brawlinge." — Fol. Ixiiij.
" The wyues workynge place is wythyn her howse ther to ouersee
" and to set aU thinge in good order, and to beware that nothynge be
" loste, seldome to go forth, but when vrget causes calle hir forth. And
" therfore Phidias that ingenuouse workeman intendinge to descrybe
" an honest faithfull houswyfe, dyd set hir image vnder the shell of a
" snayle, signifyinge that she shulde euer more kepe hir owne howse.
" Necessarey it is that she knowe these comon sentences d leme the by
" hert. Thou must not regarde what thyng thou woldest fayne haue,
" but what thou cannest not lake. Strech out thine arme no farther
S

258 MEMORIALS OF
" then thy sleue wyll retche. What Soeuer thou nedest not, is to dear
" of a farthing. Who so spareth not the penye shall neuer come by
" the pownde. Sparinge is a ryche purse. A thing is soner spared
" then goten. Spare as though thou neuer shuldest dye, d yet as mor-
" tall spend mesurably. To spare, that thou mayest haue to spend in
" honestye for goodes saake, and in necessyte, is well done. Thy
" sparyng is but vayne when thou art come to the botome. Begynne
" euery thing in dewe eeason. What soeuer thou mayest do to nyght,
" dyferre it not tyll to morowe. That whych thou cannest do conue-
" nietiy thyselfe, commytte it not to another. Jf thou wilt prospere,
" then loke to euery thynge thy nowne self, let it not be lost that may
'¦ do any good in tyme to come. Sped nomore then thou wotest howe
" to gete if : when thyne expenses d receytes be a lyke, a lytle losse
" maye ouerthrow the. Spare for thyne age. Take payns in thyne
" yougth. Bye such thynge as thou nedest not to repent the therof.
" Uyle pedlary bringeth beggerye. Araye thy self honestlye. Holde
" thy chyldren in awe, d they shall haue the in reuerece. Mich spend-
" inge and many gyftes, make bare celars and empty chystes. Euell
" felowshyp and vayne pastyme maryeth pouertye and begettith a sonne
" called derision, lyueth gorgeously and costely in excesse and leaueth
" the a fare well, whose name is thys. Jn thyne age go a begginge :
" Suche and many mo godly d wyse sentences " &c. Fol. Ixvi.
As to the education of children ; " And her must ye chose out dis-
" Crete, lerned d godly masters for your chyldren, whych shall accord-
" ing to their capacities iently d wysely enstmcte them, as is contayned
" in their prymers in Englysh and dialoges as are ther made for them,
" whych when they can reade both prynted and wrytten letters, d can
" wel committe that thei haue lerned to memory saynig it distincly d
" perfecly by hert, the let them Ierne to wryte, to cast a compte, to
" cyfre, adde, subtrayc. d cet. And let the excersyse their pene d their
" tongues in recadyng diuerse printed bokes pertayninge to the holy
" scriptures, and come to d heare the trwe prechers of goddis worde d
" in anyewise let them not heare the papistike prechers, and when diey
" come home from any good sermone aske the what they haue borne
" awaye, d exhorte them to marke diligently a nother tyme and to
" reherse it when they come home. Let them saye the graces at the
" tables. Let the prepare the table d serue you thereat clenly and
" manerlye. Let the spende all the tyme in vertuws vses d neuer be
" idle," &c. — " be not to roughe nor to liastye with them, but so order
" your selues to tiiem that they maye bothe loue and feare you."
Fol. Ixx.
As to the bringing up of young maidens : " Let not your yog

MYLES COVERDALE. 259
" daughters be toproudly d costely appareld, but inodestiy d honestly,
" for thys gorgyouse apparel is not els but a minstrelsye pypynge vp a
" daunce vnto all lecherye." Fol. Ixxiij.
" As for ientle wemen d suche as are of noble byrthe, whether they
" may excede in lyght d wanton aparell, or in apparell to costiy. J wUl
" first aske them whether they be Christen d faythfuU wemen or vn-
" faythfuU ? Jf they be vnbeleuers then let them walke as they list,
'' And the more gorgyouse tenderlynges they be, the better shall they
" please their heade the deuyU. And seinge they haue wanto proude
" sprytes, they must nedes haue lyke garmentes to declare what they be
" within in hert and mynde, wyth these wemen, J wyll not wrestle.
" But yf they be Chrysten faythfuU wemen, they maye well knowe
" that the holy Apostles Peter and Paul haue wryte their exhortacyos
" for sober apparell, vnto them which haue suche ryche iewels, stones,
" gold d syluer, d not to poore women that haue them not Seing then
" that the worde of God is pryncipally spoken to you that be ientle
" wome of noble parentele whych haue these riches and Jewels to laye
" the awaye wyth all youre pope and pryde, d wylbe taken for Chrysten
" folkes, then folowe you the exhortations of the mynystres of Jesu
" Christ " Moreouer ye shulde remember what is the very nobilite, d what
" maketh ientle men and weme, that it is not apparell, but mekenes,
" iede behauyour, discrete conuersacyon, prudence, wysdome, lernynge
" d vertue." &c. Fol. Ixxiij— iiij.
See art 21, 23, 27, 38 & 39.
64. "A CONFUTATION OF A SERMON OF Dr, WeSTOn's at Paul's Cl'OSS,
20th Oct 1 663. MS. formerly in the possession of Jo, Fox, p.
MS.
[Tanneri BibL Brit Hib.] The reference is to the first edition of
Fox. This seiinon of Dr. Weston's was to desire the people to pray
for the departed souls, " who were neither in heaven nor hell, but in a
" place not yet sufficiendy purged to come to heaven, in order that they
" might be relieved by the devout prayers of the congregation,"
65, " A Letter in English, in the time of Queen Mary." Pr.
" It moch rejoyceth my poore heart." MS, in Emanuel Col
lege, Camb. amongst tho letters of die martyrs.
^ MS.
[Tanneri Bibl. Brit. Hib.]

260 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE,
There is a work seemingly by Coverdale, which we have however
hesitated to set down in the foregoing list. It is thus entitied : " A Brieff
" discours off the troubles begonne at Franckford in Germany Anno
" Domini 1554. Abowte the Booke off off common prayer and Ceremo-
" nies, and continued by the Englishe men theyre, to thende off Q,
" Maries Raigne, in the which discours, the gentle reader shall see the
" very originall and beginninge off all the contention that hathe hyn, and
" what was the cause off the same, by M. C." A text from " Marc. 4."
fol. Liter. Gotii. " R. G." witii his mark. " M.D.LXXV." Then comes
a preface signed " M. Couerdale." Great part of this work might
have been written by our bishop, and is very much in his style, and the
subject matter is such as he might be supposed to be well acquainted
with ; but then other parts are obviously by third parties, for at the end,
there is this concluding paragraph : " And it maie here also be noted,
" that the moste auncientest fathers of this oure owne countrie, as
" maister Couerdale, maister D. Tumer, maister Whithead, and many
" others, some dead some yet liuinge from whose mouthes and pennes, the
" vrgers of theis receiued first the light off the gospell could neuer be
" brought to yelde or consent vnto such thinges as arenow forced with
" so greate extremitie. Finis." The first and sometimes the third per
son are used by the writer. If we suppose that it was written by Cover-
dale, and published after his death, and perhaps edited by one or two of
his friends, who interspersed their own remarks, and added to his un
finished MS., we shaU yet flnd a difficulty in diis ; that in the preface
signed by Coverdale, allusion is made to things occurring in 1573, four
years after his death. If we suppose that he did not write it, and that
his name was put to it merely to obtain credit, it was but a shallow de
vice to insert a preface to which his name was affixed, and which it was
very clear he could not have written. We may then assume that this
M. Coverdale is a different person from our bishop, but we have not the
slightest grounds to support such an opinion, if we except a paragraph
in Lewis's history of the EngUsh translations of the Bible, in which he
states, that one of the same name was made a bachelor of canon law in
1530 ; but he quotes no authority, and we are inclined to think, from
the search we have made for one vvithout success, that Mr. Lewis made
a mistake in this assertion. We must leave this matter with the reader,
confessing ourselves unable to offer any satisfactory explanation. It is
rather curious that neither Strype nor any other, who have referred to
this book, have in any way aUuded to the author, but have treated it
apparently as if it were anonymous.

.1. Hiiler, I'linter, H, Bartholomew Closi', London.

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