But in the Year 1538, by which time King Henry the Eighth had not only disown'd the Supremacy of the Pope, but made fome other fimall steps toward a Reformation, a Resolution was taken at Our English Court, to have the former English Bible review'd, and Printed at Paris. Our King's Ambassador in France procured Leave of that King for the performing of this Work: Grafton, and Whitchurch were again to be the Printers, and the Learned Mr. Coverdale had the Care and Overfight of it committed to him. Sure they who employed him must have had a great Opinion of his Integrity, and Ability, when they trusted him in so great a matter, though they knew him to be a Proteftant. But the French King knew not how to be true to his Word, and give them the Protection which he had Promised, so that they were forced to come to London in order to Finish this Edition. This was called [ the Bible in the largest Volume,) and in our Common Prayer Book, [the great Bible.]

He proceeded Dr. of Divinity at Tubingen, and was admitted to the same Degree in Cambridge. He was Confecrated Bishop of Exeter in the Month of August, 1551, and preferr'd to this Dignity [for his fingular Skill in Divinity, and his moft approv'd Life and Conversation :) But within less than Two Years Queen Mary came to the Crown, and then no one that was so Zealous, and eminent a Protestant as Bishop Coverdale, could be safe. He was taken into Custody, and there remain'd a confiderable time: But at last he procured the King of Denmark's Letter to Queen Mary in his behalf, by means of Dr. Maccabeus, an Eminent Danish Divine, whose Wife's Sister Bishop Coverdale had Married. This Doctor did so effectually Solicit his Brother-inLaw's Cause with the King of Denmark, that he wrote very earnestly to the Queen, that he might be set at Liberty, as he was accordingly, February 1555

1555, but on condition, that he should leave the Kingdom: And this was counted a Privilege in those days. Indeed this was an excess of Favour, and a great ftrain of that Queen's Mercy, if I may so call it; for he had been a Regular, and yet had Married, and 'twas her Rule to make Examples of all that did this, whereas a Secular Prieft who had done so, might hope for a more favourable Treatment from Her. No doubt but Bishop Coverdale may be reckoned amongst the most Learned English-men of that Age. In Queen Elizabeth's Reign he return'd home to England, but chose to live a Private Life. He Died at London very Aged, and lies Buried in the Parish-Church of St. Bartholomew,

1

A Short

VOCABULARY,

Giving the Signification of some Old English Words used in this Translation, but not commonly Spoke, or Written in this Age, at least not in that Sence in which our Tranflators took them.

:

BEA

EAST. Any living Creature, except Man; so the Latin word Bestia, from which this is derived: Witness that of Cicero Tufc. 5. Namque alias Bestias Nantes aquarum incolas esse voluit (viz. vis natura) alias Volucres, Cælo frui libero; Serpentes quasdam esse gradientes: Where he exprefly gives the Name of Beasts, to Fish, Birds, and Serpents. Not only our Tranflators, but Mr. Ainsworth, calls Serpents and Fish, Beasts, Gen. iii. 1. Pfal. civ. 25. And indeed our last Tranflators do the fame, which shews that the word was taken in this fence for above 60 Years after this Translation was made.

BLASPHEME, To speak Reproachfully either of God or Man : From the Greek Word Βλασφημέω, which is used in St. Jude's Ep. v. 8. Rom. iii. 8. Tit. iii. 2. in these and other places Men are faid to be Blasphem'd in the Greek. If we respect the Etymology only, 'tis more properly applicable to Men, than to God; for it properly signifies, to hurt the Fame, or Credit of another, Pfalm iv. 2.

BLASPHEMY. Reproach, or Slander, either against God, or Man. See Blafpheme. Pf. LXXIII. 8.

COMMUNE. To Discourse Familiarly, to Confer Notes. COUNSEL. Design, Device, Decree, or Resolution, as Confilium in the Latin; and not only Advice, or Direction, as it is now commonly taken, Pfal. xxxiii. 1o.

ESCHEW. Avoid, Shun, Decline.

FAINE. Glad, Merry, from the old English-Saxon rægen,

of the same signification. We now use it adverbially, viz.

4

I would

A

4

I would Faine, that is, Gladly: but we don't commonly use it as an Adjective, as our Ancestors did. See Pfal. lxxi. 21. FLITTING, A hasty Remove, or Flight. Tis used in this fence in some parts of England, Pfal. lvi. 8.

FLOOD, A River, or Stream. So plod-wæten among the Saxons fignified River, or Running-Water. See Pfal. Ixxii. 8. Ixxxix. 26. It should seem this Word retain'd this fignifi ⚫cation commonly in our Tongue at the beginning of the laft Century; for our last Tranflators use it in this fence, Josh. xxiv. 3. Pfal. xcviii. 8.

HEALTH, Safety, Protection, Power of Saving, Salvation both Spiritual and Temponal. Ite It evidently comes from the OldEnglish bæl, which had the very fame fignification. Thus in the Nicene Creed, in the Saxon Tongue, (in Wheelock's Bede) we have these words, re pop ur mannum 1 ron une haæl, who for us Men, and for our Saluation. So our Ancestors called Christ hælend, Saviour, in our present Language, Pfal. xxii. 1, &c. And our last Translators turn the Hebrew ישועה by this Word Health, Pfal. xlii. 11.

:

HELL, Not only the place of Torments, but the place, or state of Deceas'd Souls, or what we commonly call the other World. It is a place, or state, which all, even the best Men, come unto, says Mr. Ainsworth; and adds, that Jacob made account to go thither. See his Annotations on Gen. xxxvii. 35. which he accordingly tranflates, I will go down to my Son Mourning to Hell. So did our Saxon Ancestors turn this place, [Pepend ic rape to minum rune to hell] It seenis to come from bælan, to Cover, or or Hide, as the Greek "Adns likewise signifies, an obscure, or unknown place. I cannot but think that our Transflators did well to retain the Word in this fence, as they do, Pfal. xxx. 3. and often elsewhere: For this helps us to understand those words of our Christian Faith, He descended into Hell; whereas by lofing the ancient fignification of Words, the People are in danger to lofe, the fence and meaning of their Creed. Further, sometimes Hell fignifies Death only, as Pfal. xviii. 4. cxvi. 3. and fo the word also does fignify in the Islandick Tongue. See Dr. Hicks's Island-Dictionary. HOST, Army, or very great Company, very often. IMAGINE, To Contrive, Plot, Design: So it fignifies in the *: Statute of Treason, which makes it a Crime punishable with Death, to Imagine the Death of the King, &c. Pfal. ii. 1. and very often.

INSTANTLY, Importunately, Zealously, Pfal. lv. 18. We ftill say that a thing was done at the Instance, that is, the earnest Request of another. The Adjective Instant fignifies Impor

tunate

:

1

tunate, in our last Translation, Luke xxiii. 2. and in other places.

LEASING, Lying, Cheating, Dissembling, from the Saxon leare Falfe, Deceitful, and learunge, Lying, &c. Pfal. iv. 2. LUST, Not only Filthy, Carnal Defires, but any cagerness of Appetite, or violent, irregular Inclination, Pfal. x. 2. So to lust, and to lift fignify the same thing in this Translation, Pfal. lxxiii. 7. So Lurtan, and Lyrcan have the fame fignification in the Saxon Tongue.

MALICIOUS, Very Bad, Evil, &c. Pfal. lix. 45. Thus Malus & Malitia with the Latins. We now commonly understand by this word Spiteful, Envious; the Ancients did not fo.

J

NETHERMOSIT, Lowest, Pfal. Ixxxvi. 13. Nether is ufed for Lower by our laft Tranflators, Deut. xxiv. 6, &c. PLAGUE, Any Blow or Stroke, of Gods Correcting or Punishing Hand, Plal. xxxviii. 17. as the the Latin, Plaga, nor the Pef 1 estilence only. To plague, in common Difcourse, fignifies, to use any severe proceedings.

W

PORT, Gate, from the Latin, Porta. We ftill call him who keeps the Gate, Porter; the Saxons used Ponte in the same fence, and Ponte-gate for the Gate of a City, Pfal. ix.14. PREACHER, Not only he that discourses publickly of Religion, but any one that publishes or declares any thing, fo Preco in the Latin; tho' it is most probable, that this English Word comes immediately from the Saxon Presiden, by cafting out the second Syllable 81, and contracting the other two, and then twill fignify the fame thing, viz. One that de. clares at large, or plainly, from the Latin, Predico: And for the same reason, Preaching, from the Saxon P pedicunge, fignifies speaking at large, or Haranguing, Pfal. Ixviii. 11. lix. 12. So to Preach signifies to Publish, or Declare.

PREVENT, To Go, or Be Be before, this is the plain English of the Latin, Pravenio, the Greek φθάνω, the Hebr. There are two defigns which one may have in going before another, either to guide and be help, or, to hinder or stop: Accordingly the word fignifies two contrary things, viz. to help forward, and, to oppose, hinder, &c. In the Scripture and Liturgy, it for the moft part taken in the good fence, to Guide, help forward, assist, or be before-hand in Kindness, as Pfal. xxi. 3. Sometimes in the bad fence, to hinder, stand in one's way; &c. Pfal. xviii. 18. At other places barely, to go, or be before, as Pfal. cxix. Koph 4. and 1 Theff. iv. 15. QUICK, Alive, from the Saxon, Cpic, which has the very fame fignification; and so, to quicken, fignifies, to give or re

is

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