that he caused the said Englishmen to put in print a new Testament in english and latine, and himselfe tooke a great many of them, and payd for them, and gave them to his friends. And it chaunced the meane time, while the sayd bible was in printing, that king Henry the 8. preferred the said Boner from the said bishopricke of Hereford, to be bishoppe of London, at which time, the said Boner according to the statute law of England, tooke his othe to the king, knowledging his supremacie, and called one of the aforesaid Englishmen that printed the bible, whome he then loved, although afterward upon the change of the world he did hate him as much, whose name was Richard Grafton; to whome the sayd Boner said when he took his othe, "maister Grafton, so it is, that the kings most excellent majestie hath by his gratious gift presented mee to the bishopricke of London, for the which I am sorry, for if it would have pleased his grace, I could have been well content to have kept mine olde bishopricke of Hereford." Then said Grafton, "I am right glad to heare of it, and so I am sure will be a great number of the citie of London: for they yet knowe you not, yet they have heard so much goodnes of you from hence, as no doubt they will hartily rejoice of your placing.” Then said Boner, "I pray God I may do that may content them; and to tell you M. Grafton, before God (for that was commonly his othe) the greatest fault that I ever found in Stokesley, was for vexing and troubling of poore men, as Lobley the bookebinder and other, for having the scripture in English, and God willing he did not so much hinder it, but I will as much further it and I will have of your bibles set up in the church of Paules, at the

• In the church of Paules.] “Which also at his coming home, he performed, according to the king's proclamation set forth for the same.

"The bibles thus standing in Paules by the commandement of the king, and the appointment of Bonner the bishop, manie well disposed people used much to resort to the hearing thereof, especiallie when they could get any that had an audible voice to read unto them, misdoubting therein no danger toward them; and no more there was; so long as the daies of Cromwell lasted." Fox's Acts, p. 1101. Another zealous reformer has given a very unfavourable interpretation of Bonner's designs in the whole of this transaction. “He first set up bybles in Paules, not purposyng any christen erudicyon to the people, but as snares to catch them by. For immediately after, he set up a commaundement that God should give place unto the pope, and Christ unto anti-Christ. There shall be no readying' (sayth he) for the tyme of God's service.' As though their vayne, idle and blasphemous superstitions were only Gods service, and the byble readying no part thereof, but a very pro

least in sundry places six of them; and I will pay you honestly for them and give you hartie thankes." Which words hee then spake in the hearing of divers credible persons, as Edmund Stile grocer, and other. "But now M. Grafton at this time I have specially called you to be a witnesse with me that upon this translation of bishops sees, I must according to the statute take an othe unto the kings majestie knowledging his supreamacy, which before God I take with my heart, and so thinke him to be, and beseech almightie God to save him, and long to prosper his grace. Holde the booke sirah, and reade you the othe" (said he) to one of his chapleins, and he laide his hand on the booke and tooke his othe. And after this he shewed great friendship to the said Grafton, and to his partener Edward Whitchurch, but especially to Miles Coverdale, who was the corrector of the great bible.

Now after that the foresaid letters were delivered, the French king gave very good wordes, and was well content to permit the doing thereof. And so the printer went forward and printed forth the booke even to the last part; and then was the quarrel

phane thing. Upon thys polycie did he set them up there, to knowe whych were the busy byble men of London, that he might speak with them at laysure. For he had his spyes evermore, and hys Judases there at hand. Some hath already proved it, and also payde the harde pryce thereof. So that they which at his first commyng held up their handes unto God for their good byshop, doth nowe holde downe their heades, and can saye, that sathan hath shewed himself for all hys angelyk face." Yet a course at the Romyshe foxe, A disclosing or openynge of the Manne of Synne &c. by Johan Harryson (i. e. John Bale), fol. 93. A.D. 1543, printed at Zurick.

7 Take an othe.] The othe taken by Bonner is printed in Wilkins's Concil., vol. iii. p. 781, and in other places.

"Post electionis confirmationem, pessimo (quod tamen passim obtinuit ab anno 1535 ad ann. 1553) exemplo, commissionem quam vocant, seu licentiam episcopatum Londinensem administrandi a rege suscepit, 1539 Novemb. 12. in qua agnoscitur omnem jurisdictionem ecclesiasticam a Rege tanquam ab unico fonte oriri, et ipsum regis tantummodo vicarium esse: atque his præcipue verbis diplomatis vis compingitur. Tibi vices nostras committimus, teque licentiandum esse decernimus, ad ordinandum infra diocesin tuam Londinensem &c., vice, nomine, et auctoritate nostris &c. per presentes ad nostri bene placiti voluntatem duntaxat duraturas." Wharton De Episcopis et Decanis Londinensibus, p. 194. Compare also Wilkins's Concil., vol. iii. p. 797-9, and p. 810; and Harmer's Specimen of Errors, &c. p. 51-3, who shows, in opposition to Burnet, that such a licence was accepted, even by Cranmer in October, 1535. See also Wharton in Appendix to Strype's Life of Cranmer, p. 259.

Tosed to the printer, and he was sent for to the inquisitors' of Theth and there charged with certain articles of heresie. Then were sent for the Englishmen that were at the coste and charge thereof, and also such as had the correction of the same, which w Miles Coverdale: but having some warning what would , the said Englishmen posted away as fast as they could To save themselves, leaving behind them all their bibles, which were the number of two thousand five hundred, called the bibles of the great volume, and never recovered any of them, saving that the lieutenant criminall having them delivered unto him to burne in a place of Paris (like Smithfield) called Maulbert place, was somewhat moved with covetousnesse, and sold foure great drie fats of them to a haberdasher to lap caps in, and those were bought againe, but the rest were burned, to the great and importunate losse of those that bare the charge of them. But notwithstanding the said losse, after they had recovered some parte of the foresaid bookes, and were comforted and encouraged by the lord Cromwell, the said Englishmen went againe to Paris, and there got the presses, letters, and servants of the foresaid printer, and brought them to London, and there they became printers themselves (which before they never intended) and printed out the said bible' in London, and after that printed sundry impressions of them but yet not without great trouble and losse, for the hatred of the bishops, namely Steven Gardiner, and his fellowes, who mightily did stomacke and maligne the printing thereof.

Here by the way, for the more direction of the story, thou hast, loving reader, to note and understand that in those daies there were two sundry bibles in English, printed and set forth, bearing divers titles, and printed in divers places. The first was called

* Sent for to the inquisitors.] The order of the inquisition was dated Dec. 17, 1538. Lewis's Histor. Account of English Translations, p. 121.

• Printed out the said bible.] This was the bible commonly called Cranmer's or the great bible. The title was as follows: "The byble in Englyshe, that is to say the content of all the holy scripture bothe of the olde and newe Testament, truly translated after the veryte of the Hebrue and Greke textes by the dylygent studye of dyverse excellent learned men, expert in the forsayde tonges.

"Prynted by Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch, cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum. 1539." A correct description of this translation, with many particulars respecting its history, may be found in Lewis's History of the Translations of the Bible, edit. 1739, p. 119-29.

2

Thomas Mathews bible, printed at Hambrough aboun the yeare of our Lord 1532, the corrector of which print was then John Rogers of whom ye shall heare more. Christ willing, hereafter. The printers were Richard Grafton and Whitchurch. In the translation of this bible, the greatest doer was indeed Willam Tindall, who with the helpe of Miles Coverdale had translated all the bookes thereof, except only the apocripta, and certaine notes in the margent which were added after. But because the said William Tindall in the mean time was apprehended before this bitle was fully perfected, it was thought good to them which had the doing thereof, to change the name of William Tindall because that name then was odious, and to further it by a strange name of Thomas Mathew, John Rogers the same time being corrector to the print, who had then translated the residue of the apocripha and added also certaine notes thereto in the margent, and thereof came it to be called Thomas Mathewes table. Which bible of Thomas Mathew, after it was imprinted and presented to the Lord Cromwell, and the lord Cranmer archbishop of Caumurbury, who liked very well of it. the said Cromwell presented it to the king, and obtained that the same might freely passe to be read of his subjects with his graces Beence: so that there was printed upon the same booke, one line in red letters with these wordes ; Set fourth with the Kings most gratious licence.

The setting forth of this booke did not a little offend the derrie namely the bishops aforesaid, both for the prologues, and specialy because in the same booke was one speciall table collected of the common places in the bible, and the scriptures for the approbation of the same, and chiefely about the supper of the Lord and mariage of priests, and the masse which there was said not to be found in the scripture.

* About the yeare] The year was 1537.

This was the second time in which the whole bible was printed in Enghsh; the first copy (commonly called Coverdale being printed in 1535, of winch some mention was made above in the Life of Tindal. The title-page of tis second edition was as follows. The Bible, which is all the Holy Scripture, in which are contayned the Olde and Newe Testament, truely and purely translated into Englysh. By Thomas Matthewe.

64

Esaye 1. Hearken to ye Heavens, and thou earth geare eare: for the Lorde speaketh. 1537.

Set forth with the King's most gracyous Jycence.”

See Lewis's History, p. 105–112.

Furthermore, after the restraint of this foresaid bible of Mathew, another bible began to be printed at Paris, an. 1540. Which was called the bible of the large volume. The printers whereof were the foresaid Richard Grafton, and Whitchurch which bare the charges. A great helper thereto was the lord Cromwell. The chiefest overseer was Miles Coverdale, who taking the translation of Tindal, conferred the same with the Hebrue, and amended many things.

In this bible although the former notes of Thomas Mathew were omitted, yet sundry marks and hands were annexed in the sides, which ment that in those places should be made certaine notes; wherewith also the clergy was offended, though the notes were not made.

After this the bishops bringing their purpose to pass, brought the lord Cromwell out of favour, and shortly to his death: and not long after, great complaint was made to the king, of the translation of the bible, and of the preface of the same, and then was the sale of the bible commanded to be staied, the bishops pro

2 At Paris, an. 1540.] Rather, in the year 1538. For the mandate of the inquisition, directing the seizure of this Paris, edition was dated, as we mentioned before, Dec. 17, 1538, and the London edition, which was built upon it, came out in 1539.

3 Commanded to be staied.] By the act of parliament, A.D. 1542, it was commanded, "that all manner of bokes of the olde and newe Testament in English of Tindal's translation, should be utterly abolished, extinguished, and forbidden." It was also enacted, that "after the first day of October next ensuing, no person should take upon him to read openly to others in any church or public assembly, the bible or any part of scripture in English, unless by special appointment of the king, or by any ordinary. Provided, that the chauncellor of England, capitaines of the warres, the king's justices, the recorders of any city, borough, or town, the speaker of the parliament, &c. which heretofore have been accustomed to declare or teache any good, virtuous, or godly exhortations in anie assemblies, may use anie part of the bible or holie Scripture, as they have been wont: and that every nobleman and gentleman being a householder, may read, or cause to be read by anie of his familie servants in his house, orchardes, or garden, and to his owne familie any text of the bible or new testament: and also every merchant-man being a householder, and other persons, other than women, prentices, &c. might read to themselves privately the bible, &c. But no woman, except noblewomen and gentlewomen, who might read to themselves alone, and not to others any textes of the bible &c., nor artificers, prentices, journeymen, serving men, of the degrees of yeomen or under, husbandmen, nor labourers, were to read the bible or new testament in Englishe, to himself or to any