it (as I before noted) and what they did had been printed Anno 1532. The whole was finished and printed Anno 1535, with a Dedication to King Henry the 8th, by Miles Coverdale (Tyndal being then in Prison) and was called Coverdale's Bible. The Year following, viz. 1536. Cromwell, the King's Vicegerent, publifhed his Injunctions to the Clergy; the Subftance of the Seventh was, That every Parfon or Proprietor of a Church, fhould provide a Bible in Latin and English to be laid in the Choir, for every one to read at their Pleafure. But here they were to precaution the People againft falling into Controverfy about difficult Paffages. They were to exhort then to Modefty and Sobriety in the Ufe of this Liberty; and where they found themfelves intangled, to apply to Perfons of Learning and Character. After this, a fecond Impreffion was defigned, but before it could be finished, Tyndal was put to Death in Flanders for his Religion; and his Name then growing into Ignominy, as one burnt for an Heretick, they thought it might prejudice the Book, if he fhould be named for the Tranflator thereof, and fo they used a feigned Name, calling it Thomas Matthews's Bible, though Tyndal, before his Death, fome fay, had finished all but the Apocrypha, which was tranflated by Rogers, but others fay, he had gone no farther than the End of Nehemiah. Bale fays, Rogers tranflated the Bible into English, from Genefis to the End of the Revelations, making Ufe of the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, and English (i. e. Tyndal's) Copies. He added Prefaces and Marginal Notes out of Luther, and dedicated the whole Book to King Henry the 8th, under the Name of Tho. Matthews, by an Epiftle prefixed, minding to conceal his own Name. In this Edition there was a fpecial Table collected of the Common Places in the Bible, and Texts of Scripture for proving the fame; and chiefly the common Places of the Lord's Supper, the Marriage of Priefts, and the Mafs, of which it was there faid, that it was not to be found in Scripture.

When Grafton had finished this Work, he prefented it to the Lord Cromwell and the Archbishop, who liked very well of it. Cromwell at the Archbishop's Requeft, prefented it to the King, and obtained that the fame might be both bought and ufed by all indifferently; for which the Archbishop was full of Gladness and Gratitude, and wrote two Letters to him foon after one another, affuring him, That, for his Part, it was fuch a Content to his Mind, that he could not have done him a greater Pleafure, if he had given him a Thousand Pounds. Grafton alfo writ his Letter of Thanks for the Countenance and Affiftance he gave to this pious Work all along, and those that were concerned and imployed in the doing of it, and for procuring the King's gracious Licence, which was thought fit to be fignified in the Title Page in Red Letters, thus, Set forth with the King's most gracious License: But feveral would not believe that the King had licenfed it, and therefore he defired further of Cromwell, that he would get it licenfed under the Privy-Seal, which would be a Defence for the prefent, and for the future. And as the Printer had addrefled to Cromwell for the Privy-Seal, fo he apprehended now a farther Need of the Corroboration of Authority, upon another Account: For fome obferving how exceedingly acceptable the English Bible was to the common People, were defigning to print it in a lefs

Volume,

Volume, and a smaller Letter, whereby it would come to pafs that Grafton would be under-fold, and fo he and his Creditors would be undone: And befides, it was like to prove a very ill Edition, and very erroneous, because the Printers here were generally Dutchmen, that could neither fpeak nor write tolerable English; nor, for Covetoufnefs, would they allow any learned Man any thing at all to overfee and correct what they printed. Therefore he defired one Favour more of the Lord Cromwell, viz. to obtain for him of the King, that none fhould print the Bible for three Years but himself. And for the better and quicker Sale of his Books, he defired alfo, that by his Command, in the King's Name, every Curate might be obliged to have one, that they might learn to know God, and inftruct their Parishioners; and that every Abby fhould have Six, to be laid in feveral Places of the Convent.

The Holy Bible was now published, and appointed to be had in every Parish Church, by Cromwell's Injunctions published Anno 1538. The fame Year.the Church of Hereford being vacant by the Death of Fox, Granmer held a Vifitation in it, where he left fome Injunctions to all Parfons, Vicars, and other Curates, by which they were enjoined to have by the first of August a whole Bible in Latin and English, or at the leaft a New Teftament in the fame Languages: That they should every Day study one Chapter of the faid Bible or New Teftament, conferring the Latin and English together; to begin at the Beginning of the Book, and fo continue to the End. That they fhould not difcourage any Lay-men from reading the Book, but encourage them to it, and to read it for the Reformation of their Lives, and Knowledge of their Duty.

But herein the Waywardness of the Priefts was obfervable; they read confusedly the Word of God, and the Injunctions fet forth, and commanded by them to be read; humming and hawing, and hauking thereat, that scarce any could understand thein. They bad their Parifhioners, notwithstanding what they read, being compelled fo to do, That they should do as they did in Times paft; to live as their Fathers; and that the old Fashion is the beft; and other crafty and feditious Sayings they gave out among them.

Notwithstanding this, it was wonderful to fee with what Joy this Book of God was received not only among the learneder Sort, and thofe that were noted for Lovers of the Reformation, but generally all England over, among all the vulgar and common People; and with what Greedinefs God's Word was read, and what Refort to Places where the reading of it was. Every body, that could, bought the Book, or bufily read it, or got others to read it to them, if they could not themfelves, and divers more elderly People learned to read on Purpose.

After this fecond Edition, Grafton, and the rest of the Merchants concerned in the Work, thinking they had not Stock enough to fupply all the Nation, and this being of a Volume not large enough; and confidering the Prologues, and Marginal Notes gave Offence to fome; and being put on by thofe that favoured the Gofpel, that as many as could be might be printed, for difperfing the Knowledge of Chrift,

and

and his Truth, they refolved to print it again, which they intended fhould be of a larger Volume than before; and therefore it was called, when it came forth, The Bible in the large or great Volume. They intended alfo, in order to this Edition, to have the former Tranflation revised, and to omit feveral Prologues and Annotations. Miles Coverdale was the Man now that compared the Tranflation with the Hebrew, mended it in divers Places, and was the chief Overfeer of the Work: But though they left out Matthews, that is, Rogers's Notes, yet they refolved to make Hands and Marks on the Sides of the Book, which meant, that they would have particular Notice to be taken of those Texts, being fuch as did more especially ftrike at the Errors and Abuses of the Romill Church.

Grafton refolved to print this Bible in Paris, if he could obtain Leave, there being better Paper, and cheaper, to be had in France, and more dextrous and good Workmen, for the ready Dispatch of the fame. For this Purpose the Lord Cromwell, who ftood by him in this Enterprize, procured Letters of the King to the French King, to permit a Subject of his to imprint the Bible in English, within the University of Paris, because of the Goodness of his Paper and Workmen. The King at the fame Time wrote unto his Ambaffador, who was then Edmund Bonner, Bishop of Hereford, lying in Paris, That he should aid and affift the Undertakers of this good Work, in all their reasonable Suits. Banner did not only prefent this Letter to the French King, and obtain with good Words the Licence defired, and had the French King's Letters Patents for the printing this Bible, and being finished, to bring the Impreffion fafely over; but fhewed great Friendship to the Merchants and Printers, and fo encouraged them, that the Work went on apace, and with good Succefs. And to fhew how well affected he was to the Holy Bible, he caused the English there in Paris, to print the New Teftament in English and Latin, and took off a great many of them, and diftributed them amongft his Friends. But the Principle that moved Bonner in all this was, that he might the better curry Favour with Cromwell, and recommend himself to him; who being the great Favourite now with the King, was the fitteft Inftrument for his Rife. Cromwell loved him very well, and had a marvellous good Opinion of him; and fo long as Cromwell remained in Authority, fo long was Bonner at his Beck, a Friend to his Friends, and an Enemy to his Enemies. But as foon as Cromwell fell, no good Word could Bonner speak of him, but the lewdeft, vileft, and bittereft that he could, calling him the rankeft Heretick that ever lived: And then fuch as he knew to be in good Favour with Cromwell, he could never abide their Sight.

But notwithstanding the French King's Licence, fuch was the overfwaying Authority of the Inquifition in Paris, that by an Inftrument dated September the 17th, 1538, the Printers were had up into the faid Inquifition, and charged with certain Articles of Herefy. The Englishmen likewife that were at the Coft and Charges thereof, and the Corrector Coverdale, were fent for. And then great Trouble arole. But before this happened, they were gone through, even to the laft Part of the Work. The Englishmen having fome Warning what would

follow,

follow, and finding it not fafe to tarry any longer, fled away as faft as they could to fave them felves, leaving behind them all their Bibles, the Impreffion confifting of 2500 in Number, which were feized, and the Lieutenant Criminal caufed them to be burnt, as heretical Books; only a few efcaped, the Lieutenant for Covetoufnels felling them for wafte Paper to a Haberdafher, to lap Caps in, being about four dry Fats full, and thefe were bought again.

However, not long after, the English that were concerned in this Work, by the Encouragement of Cromwell, went back to Paris again, and got the Preffes, Letters, and Printing Servants, and brought them over to London, and fo became Printers themfelves, which before they never intended, and printed out the faid Bible in London. When it was finished, it was prefented to the King, and by him committed to divers Bifhops of that Time to perufe, of which Stephen Gardiner was one. After they had kept it long in their Hands, and the King was divers Times fued unto for the Publication thereof; at the laft being called for by the King himself, they delivered the Book; and being demanded by the King, What was their Judgment of the Tranflation, they anfwered, That there were many Faults therein; Weil, faid the King, but are there any Herefies maintained thereby? They answered, There were no Herefies that they could find maintained thereby. If there be no Herefies, faid the King, then, in God's Name, let it go abroad among our People. According to this Judgment of the King and the Bishops, Coverdale in a Sermon at Paul's Crofs, defended his Tranflation, upon occafion of fome flanderous Reports, that then were raifed against it, confeffing, That he did now himself efpy fome Faults, which if he might review once over again, as he had twice before, he doubted not but to amend; but for any Herefy, he was fure there was none maintained by his Tranflation.

This was publifhed Anno 1539, and is that which is called the Great Bille. Strype, in his Memorials of Archbishop Granmer, p. 444. fays, it was published in the Year 1538, or 1539, but as if this was a Miftake of the Prefs, in the Errata it is 1537, or 1538; whereas I have one that bears Date 1539, and in it the Table for Eafler for 19 Years, begins with that Year. And at the End of all it fays, it was finifhed in April 1539. This has the Frontifpiece before it, which Strype fays was before Cranmer's Bible of 1540, and explains it at large; but hath neither Coverdale's nor Cranmer's Preface, only a Defcription of the Succeffion of the Kings of Judah and Jerufalem; and a Direction with what Judgment the Books of the Old Testament are to be read: In the Titlę Page, Cum Privilegio ad imprimendum folum.

When our Liturgy was firft compiled, and afterwards revifed and altered, in the Reign of Edward the 6th, the Epiftles, Gofpels, Pfalms, and Hymns put into thofe Liturgies, were all according to this Tranf lation; and fo continued till King Charles the 2d's Reftoration, when the Old Tranflation being found Fault with by fome Men, the Epiftles and Gofpels were inferted after the laft Tranflation, but the old Pfalter was ftill continued. The Bifhops and Clergy did, it feems, prefer this Tranflation, before any other in the Englifb Tongue.

7

Injunc

Injunctions were given out in the King's Name by Cromwell, to all Incumbents to provide one of these Bibles, and fet it up publickly in the Church, in fome convenient Place where the Parishioners might refort to the fame, and read it. None were to be difcouraged from reading or hearing of it; but, on the contrary, exhorted to perufe it, as being the true lively Word of God, which every Chriftian ought to believe, embrace, and follow, if he expected to be faved.

The fame Year a Parliament was fummoned, which made the terrible Act of the Six bloody Articles: Great Triumphing there was on the Papifts Side, for now they hoped to be revenged on all those who had hitherto fet forward a Reformation.

There was nothing could fo much fupport the Spirits of the Party which now was clouded, as the free Ufe of the Scriptures; and though these were fet up in Churches, yet Cranmer preffed, and now this Year procured Leave for private Perfons to buy Bibles, and to keep them in their Houfes. So this was granted by Letters Patents November the 13th, directed to Cromwell, the Subftance of which was, That the King was defirous to have his Subjects attain the Knowledge of God's Word, which could not be effected by any Means fo well, as by granting them the free and liberal Ufe of the Bible in the English Tongue, which, to avoid Diffention, he intended should pass among them only by one Tranflation. Therefore Cromwell was charged to take Care, that for the Space of Five Years, there fhould be no Impreffion of the Bible, or of any Part of it, but only by fuch as fhould be affigned by him: Gardiner Bishop of Winchester oppofed this all he could.

With this Bible the Enemies of the Reformation were offended; and as God of his Goodness had ráifed up the Archbishop and the Lord Cromwell to be Friends and Patrons to the Gofpel; fo, on the other Side, Satan, (who is an Adverfary and Enemy to all Goodnefs) had his Inftruments, by all Wiles and fubtle Means, to impeach and put back the fame. Upon Cromwell's Fall, Gardiner, and thofe that followed him, made no Doubt but they fhould quickly recover what they had loft of late Years: So their greateft Attempt was upon the Tranflation of the Scriptures. Accordingly the next Year, 1540, there was a Convocation, wherein one of the Matters before them, was concerning the procuring a true Tranflation of the New Testament, which was indeed intended not fo much to do fo good a Work, as to hinder it. For having decried the prefent Tranflation on purpose to make it unlawful for any to use it, they pretended to fet themselves about a new one, but it was merely to delay and put off the People from the common Ufe of the Scriptures, as appeared plainly enough, in that the Bifhops themselves undertook it, and fo having it in their own Hands, they might make what Delays they pleafed. For in the third Seffion a Propofition was made for the Tranflation, and the feveral Books were divided among the Bifhops, viz. Archbishop Cranmer had Matthew; Langland Bishop of Lincoln, Mark, Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, Luke; Goodrick Bifhop of Ely, John; Heath Bifhop of Rochester, Acts; Sampfon Bishop of Chichester, Romans; Capon Bishop of Sa um, ist and 24 Corinthians; Barlow Bishop of St. David's, Galatians, Ephefians, Co ffiens; Bell Bishop of Worcester, 1st and 2d Theffalonians; Parfew Bi

fhop