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 confessedly 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 ability, 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 argu"ments, to seduce silly women and ignorant mechanics "into a belief of the most monstrous principles.""

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By however sanctioning this principle, they had tacitly acquiesced in the reasoning of those who supported the new religion, who contended that the word of God ought to be open to all; that the Scripture 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

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.'

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? Transl. of Bible, p. 91.

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 Cromwell, 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."

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Emboldened by the general opinion, which now seemed to be without any doubt, in favour of a translation 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 preparing 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 applications 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.

1

fallen into trouble, as he intimates that Tyndal himself 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 Cromwell, as on other occasions, so also on this, was one of his chief supporters, if indeed he were not the sole one.

E

CHAPTER IV.

COVERDALE PUBLISHES HIS TRANSLATION OF THE WHOLE BIBLE. DEDICATION 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 BORNE IN MIND, BETWEEN THE KINGLY OFFICE IN THOSE DAYS AND THE PRESENT. PROLOGUE TO THE READER.- COVERDALE EX

CUSES HIS OWN INSUFFICIENCY.
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

a

Copies: Brit. Mus.-Bodleian.-Public Libr. Cambr.-Sion Coll.All Souls Coll.-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.