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BOOK- illud non inhumanum, in tam inimicam interpretationem non incidisset. Ego te e sublimi despicio? Peropportune mihi hic venit in mentem poetæ,

43

Quanquam animus meminisse horret, luctuque refugit,

sed moderate, ac ut debeo, respondeo, μn yévoiro. Sed ita est. Est nλÓTUTOS honor. Patere me (mi Domine) apud cordatum hominem sine fuco dicere. Equidem ad sublimes et honoratas sedes sic omnia afferuntur fœta adulationibus, ut nihil habeat fere neque locum, neque gratiam, neque venustatem, neque veniam, quod est sincerum et integrum. Sit homo ipse religiosus, prudens, sapiens, a solio ipso et dignitate multum est periculi. Utinam tibi cedant hæc omnia in lucrum. Et ex hiis intelligas, quid sit illud apostoli, τῷ πνεύματι ζέοντες. Non deerunt tibi unquam meæ preces; et scies olim melius, quem habueris honori tuo obsequentissimum.

Hæc potui per valetudinem impræsentia respondere: quæ sive probabuntur tibi, sive non probabuntur, sunt ab eo profecta animo, qui in xapdıwyvorov Dei misericordia et bonitate fæliciter conquiescit.

De Cartwrighto quod scribis, et lætor plurimum, et gratias ago, et quibus debeo officiis, utinam perpetuo referam. Superest, ut hoc unum adjiciam. Audio brevi habenda publica regni comitia, dumde hominibus religiosis et piis, et aliena potius culpa quàm sua, laborantibus, quod potes et debes, amicissime religiosissimeque cogita. Noli, per Deum rogo, noli peregrinos mores, in societatem cogitationum tuarum admittere. Tecum loquere. Te adhibe in consilium: tibi obtempera. Nemo est, qui tibi quam tu, melius consilium dabit. Nescio quid alunt monstri, qui infulata authoritate subnixi, sic ambulant, ut evangelium regni e sublimi despiciant. Cave, quæso, existimes me quemquam religiose pium, et episcopum perstringere. Quid dicam, scio, et cui loquar, intelligo. Id solum cupio, ut caveas ab iis qui sibi, non tibi blandiuntur.

Deus Opt. Max. cujus in misericordia et vivis et es, ad eam te erudiat spem vivam et insitam: ut dicas cum illo rega,

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Melior est misericordia tua quam vita: et hoc amore perfu- BOOK sus longa senectute perfunctus pie, dicas ad extremum, Cupio dissolvi et esse cum Christo. E cubiculo mane. 5 Aprilis,

1572.

Honori tuo deditissimus,
Edwardus Dering.

Number XXII.

Coverdale's epistle dedicatory to his edition of the Holy Bible, by him translated into the English tongue, anno MDXXXV.

Unto the most victorious prince, and our most gracious sovereign lord, king Henry VIII. king of England and of France, and under God the chief and supreme head of the church of England.

THE right and just administration of the laws, that God gave to Moses and unto Joshua, the testimony of faithfulness that God gave unto David, the plenteous abundance of wisdome that God gave unto Solomon; the lucky and prosperous age, with the multiplication of seed, which God gave unto Abraham and Sarah his wife; be given unto you, most gracious prince, with your dearest just wife, and most virtuous princess, queen Jane. Amen.

Caiaphas, being bishop of that year, like a blind prophet, not understanding what he said, prophesied, that it was better to put Christ to death, than that al the people should perish he meaning that Christ was an heretic, and a deceiver of the people, and a destroyer of the law: and that it were better therefore to put Christ to death, than to suffer him for to live, and to deceive the people, &c. Even after the same maner the blind bishop of Rome, &c. not understanding what he did, gave unto your grace this title, Defender of the faith, only because your highness suffered your bishops to burn God's word, the root of faith, and to persecute the lovers and ministers of the same. Where in very deed the blind bishop, though he knew not what he did,

BOOK prophesied, that by the righteous administration, and conI. tinual diligence of your grace, that faith should so be defended, that God's word, the mother of faith, with the fruits thereof, should have his free course through all Christendom, but especially in your realm, &c.

Then the writer went on to prove, that no priest or bishop is exempt from the obedience to his prince: and that from scripture.

Wherefore, most gracious prince, there is no tongue, I think, can fully express and declare the intolerable injuries which have been don unto God, unto all princes, and to the communalities of all Christen realms; since they which should be onely the ministers of God's word, became lords of the world, and thrust the true and just princes out of their realms. Whose heart would not pity it, yea, even with lamentation, to remember but only the intolerable wrongs don by the antichrist of Rome unto your graces most noble predecessor, king John; I pass by other; the pestilent picking of Peter pence out of your realm; the stealing away of your mony for pardons, in benefices and bishopricks; his deceiving of your subjects souls with the devilish doctrines and sects of his false religions: his bloudshedding of so many of your graces people for books of the scripture? Whose heart would not be grieved, yea, and that out of mesure, to call to remembrance, how obstinate and disobedient, how presumptuous and stubborn, that antichrist made the bishops of your realm against your graces noble predecessors, in time past, as it is manifest in the chronicles? I trust verily, there be none such now within your realm: 44 if there be, let them remember these words of scripture, Presumptuousness goeth before destruction; and after a proud stomac there followeth a fall.

What is now the cause of all these intolerable, and no more to be suffered abhominations? Truly, even the ignorance of the scripture of God. For how had it else been possible, that such blindness should have come into the world, had not the light of God's word been extinct?...... Only the word of God is the cause of all felicity. It bring

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eth all goodness with it: it bringeth learning: it gendreth BOOK understanding: it causeth good works: it maketh children of obedience: briefly, it teacheth all states their office and duty. Seeing then that the scripture of God teacheth us every thing sufficiently, both what to do, and what we ought to leave undon: whom we are bound to obey, and whom we should not obey therefore I see, it causeth all prosperity, and setteth every thing in frame. And where it is taught and known, it lighteneth all darkness, comforteth all sory hearts; leaveth no poor man unhelped; suffereth nothing amiss unamended; letteth no prince be disobeyed; permitteth no heresy to be preached; but reformeth all things; amendeth that is amiss, and setteth every thing in order. And why? Because it is given by inspiration of God, &c.

Considering now, most gracious prince, the inestimable tresure, fruit, and prosperity everlasting, that God giveth with his word; and trusting in his infinite goodness, that he would bring my simple and rude labour herein to good effect; therefore as the Holy Ghost moved other men to do the cost hereof; so was I boldened in God to labour in the same. Again, considering your imperial majesty, not only to be my natural, sovereign liege lord, and chief head of the church of England; but also, the true defender and maintainer of God's laws, I thought it my duty, and to belong to my allegiance, when I had translated this Bible, not only to dedicate this translation unto your highness, but wholly to commit it unto the same. To the intent, that if one thing therein be translated amiss, (for in many things we fail, even when we think to be sure,) it may stond in your graces hand to correct it, to improve it, yea, and clean to reject it, if your godly wisdom shall think it necessary.

And as I do with all humbleness submit my understanding and my poor translation, unto the sprete of truth in your grace, so make I this protestation, having God to record in my conscience, that I have nothing wrested nor altered so much as one word, for the maintenance of ony maner of sect; but have with a clear conscience purely and faithfully translated this out of five sundry interpreters :

BOOK having only the manifest truth of the scripture before mine I. eyes: trusting unto the goodness of God, that it shall be unto his worship, the quietness and tranquility of your highness, and a perfect establishment of all God's ordinances within your graces dominions; a general comfort to all Christen hearts, and a continual thankfulness both of old and young, unto God and to your grace, for being our Moses, and for bringing us out of this old Egypt, from the cruel hands of our spiritual Pharaoh.

Your graces humble subject and daily orator,

Myles Coverdale.

MSS. R.

ep. Elien.

Number XXIII.

Parkhurst, bishop of Norwich, to Mr. Thomas Fowle, Mr. John Handson, and Mr. John Grundye: for setting on foot the exercise of prophesy at Bury S. Edmonds.

SALUTEM in Christo Jesu. Forasmuch as the godly Johan nuper exercise of expounding the scriptures by way of prophesy is seen daily to bring no small benefit and furtherance to the 45 church of Christ, where the same is used within this dioces: and for that sundry godly and well learned persons, as well of the clergy as otherwise, neer adjoyning to the town of Bury S. Edmonds, have made request, that the like exercise might be erected and established at Bury aforesaid; I have thought good by these presents to appoint and authorize you there, that is to say, Mr. Thomas Fowle, Mr. John Handson, and Mr. John Grundye, to take the charge and order of this exercise upon you. That the whole clergy thereabouts may, by your order and direction, assemble themselves at Bury aforesaid, at such time and times, and in such place as by you there, two or one of you, shall be thought most meet and convenient. And if any of the said clergy shall, either of negligence, or wilful forwardness, shew themselves contrary and disobeying unto you in the premisses, then do I will and require you to signify the said disobedient persons unto my commissary: that by his authority the