did not appear in an English dress till the year 1530. In this year too, being now at leisure, Tyndale published his, " Answer unto sir Thomas More's Dialogue."

In 1534, a fourth Dutch edition of Tyndale's New Testament was printed, in 12mo, a copy of which is in lord Pembroke's library; and about three months after was published, his se cond edition of the New Testament, in the whole, the sixth, carefully corrected. Before this edition was quite printed, Tyndale was betrayed; and being apprehended by the of ficers of the emperor, was confined a close prisoner in the castle of Tilford, about eighteen miles from Antwerp, where he remained during a year and half. The English merchants exerted themselves to their utmost to release him; and letters from lord Cromwell and others, were dispatched from England to countenance and assist their endeavours; but by the activity of Philips, the agent of the catholics for that purpose, he was hurried to a trial, condemned, and publicly executed in 1536, being first strangled, and then burnt to ashes.

Several other editions of his corrected copy of the New Testament, were given to the public in the year of his martyrdom.

COVERDALE.

The next translator of the Scriptures was Miles Coverdale, a native of Yorkshire, who was subsequently professed of the house of Austin Friars, in Cambridge, of which Dr. Barnes, who was burnt for heresy, was prior. Having incurred danger by embracing the same heretical opinions, he fled his country, and employed himself with zealous diligence in the study and translation of the Scriptures. Accordingly, in the year 1535, a translation of the whole Bible appeared, dedicated to the king. In this dedication he tells his majesty, that "The blind bishop of Rome no more knew what he did when he gave him this title, 'Defender of the Faith,' than the Jewish bishop Caiaphas, when he prophesied that it was better to put Christ to death, than that all the people should perish; that the pope gave him

this title, only because his highness suffered him to burn God's word, the root of faith, and to persecute the lovers and ministers of it; whereas in very deed he prophesied, that by the righteous administration of his grace, the faith should be so defended, that God's word, the mother of faith, should have its free course thorow all Christiendom, but especially in his grace's realm; that his grace, in very deed, should defend the faith, yea even the true faith of Christ; no dreams, no fables, no heresy, no papistical inventions; but the uncorrupt faith of God's most holy word, which, to set forth, his highness, with his most honourable council, applied all study and endea vour."

In executing his version, Coverdale informs us, that he made use of five different interpreters, who had translated the Scriptures not only into Latin, but also into Dutch. He stiles it a "Special Translation," to distinguish It from the translations which preceded it. This will be most apparent by the comparison of a passage of this with the version of Tyndale,

Tyndale.

Gen. 29.

When the Lord saw that Lea was despised, he made her fruitful, but Rahel barren. And Lea conceived and bare a son, and called his name Ruben: for she said, the Lord hath looked upon my tribulation. And now my husband will love me.

Coverdale.

But when the Lord saw that Lea was nothing regarded, he made her fruitful, and Rachel barren. And Lea conceived and bare a son, whom she called Ruben, and said, the Lord hath looked upon mine adversity. Now will my husband love me.

There was another edition of this Bible, 4to. in 1550, republished with a new title in 1553, which are supposed by Lewis to be the only editions of this version.

The clergy affected not to approve this version of Tyndale and Coverdale; and accordingly, in a convocation of the province of Canterbury, held June 9th, 1536, they agreed upon a form of petition to the king, that he

would graciously 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 forthwith made for that end and purpose. Still there is reason to conclude that it was licensed by the king: for soon after it was finished, were published by lord Cromwell, keeper of the privy seal, and vicegerent to the king, for and concerning all his jurisdiction ecclesiastical within his realm, " injunctions to the clergy, by the authority of the king's highness," of which the seventh orders

"That every person or proprietary of any parish church within this realm, shall on this side the feast of St. Peter, ad vincula, Aug. 1, next coming, provide a book of the whole Bible, both in Latin, and also in English, and lay the same in the quire, for every man that will to look and read thereon: and shall discourage no man from the reading any part of the Bible, either in Latin or English, but rather comfort, exhort, and admonish every man to read the same as the very word of God, and the spiritual food of man's soul, whereby they may the better know their duties to God, to their sovereign lord the king, and their neighbour; ever gently and charitably Ff

VOL. I.