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1560, and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. The translators say, "They were employed in the work night and day, with fear and trembling; and they protest from their consciences, and call God to witness, that in every point and word, they have faithfully rendered the text, to the best of their knowledge." But the marginal notes giving some offence, it was not suffered to be printed in England till after the death of Archbishop Parker; when it was printed in 1576, and soon passed through twenty or thirty editions.* This translation of the Bible has been lately published, under the title of "The Reformers' Bible.”

The

During the rage of persecution in the reign of Queen Mary, every effort was made for the suppression of the reformation, and the re-establishment of popery. frauds, and impositions, and superstitions of the latter being ashamed of an examination, the people were not allowed to read the writings of protestants. Therefore, in the year 1555, her majesty issued her royal proclamation for suppressing the books of the reformers. Among the works enumerated in this proclamation, were those of Luther, Calvin, Latimer, Hooper, Cranmer, and Coverdale.+

Soon after the accession of Queen Elizabeth, Dr. Coverdale again returned to his native country. His bishopric was reserved for him, and he was repeatedly urged to accept it; but on account of the popish habits and ceremonies retained in the church, he modestly refused. He assisted in the consecration of Archbishop Parker, in Lambeth chapel, December 17, 1559. The ceremony was performed in a plain manner, by the imposition of hands and prayer. Coverdale, on this occasion, wore only a plain black gown; and because he could not with a good conscience come up to the terms of conformity, he was neglected, and for some time had no preferment. He had the plague in the year 1563, but afterwards recovered. He was commonly called Father Coverdale. But on account of the neglect with which he was treated, and the reproach which it brought upon the ruling prelates, Grindal, bishop of London, said, "Surely it is not well that he, who was in Christ before any of us, should be now in his age without stay of living. I cannot herein excuse us bishops." Grindal therefore in the above year, gave him the living of St.

Strype's Parker, p. 205, 206.-Neal's Puritans, vol. ii. p. 88.

+ Fox's Martyrs, vol. iii. p. 226.

Strype's Parker, p. 58-60.—Annals, vol. i. p. 366.—Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 165.

Magnus, at the Bridge-foot. But he being old and poor, petitioned Secretary Cecil and others, to be released from paying the first fruits, amounting to upwards of sixty pounds, adding, "If poor old Miles might be thus provided for, he should think this enough and as good as a feast." This favour was granted.*

Coverdale continued in the undisturbed exercise of his ministry a little more than two years;+ but not coming up to the terms of conformity, he was driven from his flock, and obliged to relinquish his benefice. Though he was laden with old age and infirmities, he did not relinquish his beloved work. He still continued preaching as he found an opportunity, without the habits; and multitudes flocked to hear him. They used to send to his house on a Saturday, inquiring where he was to preach on the following sabbath, and were sure to follow him. This, however, giving offence to the ruling prelates, the good old man was, at length, obliged to tell his friends, that he durst not any more inform them of his preaching, through fear of offending his superiors. He, nevertheless, continued preaching as long as he was able; and died a most comfortable and happy death, January 20, 1568, aged eighty-one years. He was a man of most exemplary piety, an indefatigable student, a great scholar, a celebrated preacher, a peaceable nonconformist, and much admired and followed by the puritans; but the Act of Uniformity brought down his grey hairs with sorrow to the grave. His remains were honourably interred in the chancel of St. Bartholomew's church, behind the Exchange, London; when vast crowds of people attended the funeral procession. A monumental inscription was afterwards erected to his memory, of which the following is a translation :]

IN MEMORY

of the most reverend Father,

MILES COVERDALE,
who died, aged eighty years.
This Tomb

contains the mortal Remains of COVERDALE,
who having finished his labours,
now lies at rest.

He was once the most faithful

and worthy Bishop of EXETER,

a man remarkable for the uprightness of his life.

Strype's Grindal, p. 91.-Parker, p. 148, 149.-Annals, vol. i. p. 367.

+ Newcourt's Repert. Eccl. vol. i. p. 398.

Strype's Parker, p. 149.

Stow's Survey of London, b. ii. p. 122.

◊ Parte of a Register, p. 25.

He lived to exceed the age of eighty years,
having several times

been unjustly sent into banishment;
and after being tossed about, and
exposed to the various
hardships of life,

the Earth kindly received him into
her bosom.

His WORKS.-1. The Christen Rule or State of all the Worlde from the highest to the lowest: and how every Man shulde lyve to please God in his Callynge, 1547.-2. The Christen State of Matrimonye, wherein Husbands and Wyfes maye lerne to keepe House together with Love, 1547.-3. A Christen Exhortation to customable Swearers. What a ryght and lawfull Othe is: when, and before whom it oughte to be, 1547.-4. The Maner of sayenge Grace, or gyvyng Thaukes to God, after the Doctrine of Holy Scrypture, 1547-5. The old Fayth: an evident Probacion out of the Holy Scrypture, that Christen Fayth (which is the ryghte, true, olde, and undoubted Fayth) hath endured sins the beginyng of the Worlde, 1547.--6. A faythful and true Prognostication upon the year M.CCCC.XLIX. and perpetualy after to the Worlde's Ende, gathered out of the Prophecies and Scryptures of God, by the Experience and Practice of hys Workes, very comfortable for all Christen Hertes.-7. A Spiritual Almanacke, wherein every Christen Man and Woman may see what they oughte daylye to do, or leave undone.-8. A Confutation of John Standish. -9. A Discourse on the Holy Sacraments.-10. A Concordance to the New Testament.-11. A Christian Catechism.-12. Several Translations from Bullinger, Luther, and others.-The version of the Psalms in the Book of Common Prayer, is taken from Coverdale's Bible.*

WILLIAM TURNER, M. D.-This distinguished person was born at Morpeth in Northumberland, and educated in the university of Cambridge, where he became famous for his knowledge in philosophy, physic, and divinity. He was a most learned and pious nonconformist, an avowed enemy to all the abominations of popery, and a most zealous promoter of the reformation. Beholding the deplorable ignorance of the people, and the great scarcity of useful preachers in every part of the kingdom, he renounced all thoughts of preferment, though he had the most flattering prospects, and became a zealous and constant preacher, in cities, towns, and villages, through most parts of the country. As he could not with a good conscience, submit to the ceremonies required in the ordination of ministers, he generously employed his talents in preaching the gospel without ordination. Having continued in these ministerial

* Churton's Life of Nowell, p. 394. note.

labours for some time, he at length settled at Oxford, where he enjoyed the advantage of learned men and books. There he continued preaching, not without hopes of gaining learned men to espouse the reformation, till he was cast into prison; and after close confinement for a considerable time, he was banished from the country. Such was the effect of bigotry and popish cruelty!

During his banishment, he travelled into Italy; and at Ferrara, being much admired for his great learning, he was created doctor of physic. Towards the close of the reign of Henry VIII. he lived at Cologne and other places in Germany. In the reign of Edward VI. he returned home, when he was greatly esteemed among our pious and learned reformers. Upon his return he was made prebendary of York, canon of Windsor, and dean of Wells, and incorporated doctor of physic at Oxford. Having obtained a license to preach, he renewed his former ministerial exercises; and, at the same time, practised physic among the nobility and gentry, and was chosen both chaplain and physician to the Duke of Somerset, lord protector. Upon the accession of Queen Mary, and the commencement of her bloody persecution, he fled from the storm, and retired first into Germany, then to Rome, and afterwards settled, with others of his fellow exiles, at Basil in Switzerland.+ Upon the accession of Queen Elizabeth, he returned a second time to his native country, when he was restored to his deanery, being highly esteemed both as a physician and divine, but especially on account of his numerous learned writings.‡

He was author of a work, entitled "A New Herbal," the first original work on the subject in the English language, and afterwards the foundation of Gerard's celebrated work on the same subject. It is said, the first publisher of an original Herbal in our tongue, Dr. William Turner, informs us, that botany, or the knowledge of simpling, was fallen into such neglect, that in King Henry's reign, he found not a physician in the university of Cambridge, who could inform him of the Greek, Latin, or English names of any plants he produced, as he gathered them to compile

* Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 136.

+ Bishop Ridley, during his imprisonment, writing to Grindal, then an exile at Frankfort, made the most affectionate and honourable mention of Turner, Lever, Sampson, and other worthy exiles.-Fox's Martyrs, vol, iii. p. 374.

Wood's Athene Oxon. vol. i. p. 120, 121.
Strype's Cranmer, p. 274.

VOL. I.

K

his first Latin skeleton of his Herbal. The learned Dr. John Kaius, enumerating the celebrated men who have written on this subject, asks, "And who shall forget the most worthy Dr. William Turner? whose learned acts I leave to the witty commendations, and immortal praise, of Conradus Gesnerus. Yet his book of herbs will always grow green, and never wither, as long as Dioscorides is had in mind among us mortal wits." He wrote with great zeal and strength of argument against the superstitions and errors of popery. It is observed, that in his book entitled "The Hunting of the Romish Fox," he has " unanswerably proved, that those who labour to advance and bring in the canon law, labour to advance and usher in the pope."+

September 10, 1559, Dr. Turner preached the sermon at Paul's cross; and, as he was a person universally beloved, and a most popular preacher, his audience, consisting of courtiers, citizens, and people from the country, was uncommonly large. He was a decided nonconformist, and refused subscription and the habits. Mr. Strype observes, that in the year 1565, he enjoined a common adulterer to do open penance in the priest's square cap, and thus discovered his contempt of the clerical garments. For this flagrant crime, Archbishop Parker complained of him to Secretary Cecil. And, as our historian adds, he used to call the bishops, white coates and tippet gentlemen. He also contemned their office, by asking, "Who gave them more authority over me, than I over them, either to forbid me preaching, or to deprive me, unless they have received it from their holy father the pope?" This was certainly bold language for those times of severity. without attempting to vindicate the claim here expressed, or inquiring from whom their authority was derived, their lordships ventured to exercise this authority upon Dr. Turner, and caused him, with many of his brethren, to feel the weight of their outstretched arms. For upon his refusal to wear the surplice, and use the Book of Common Prayer, he was sequestered and deprived, with nearly forty other London ministers.§

But

It has been generally, but improperly supposed, says Mr. Middleton, that Mr. Cartwright was the first noted dissenter from the etsablished church. Dr. Turner, dean of Wells,

* Biog. Britan. vol. iii. p. 2, 6. Edit. 1778.

+ Huntley's Prelates, p. 39.

Strype's Annals, vol. i. p. 136.

Strype's Parker, p. 151.-Neal's Hist. of New Eng. vol, i. p. 50.

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