he was brought before the Council; but, at first, difmifs'd: Upon a Second Appearance he was made a Prisoner to his own Houfe, and afterwards by Bonner, to Newgate, where for fome time he lay among the Felons. January 22. 1555. he had a Hearing before the Lord-Chancellor, and Council. He was charged with Preaching against the Queen, and for Reading his Lectures contrary to Command of Council: Both which he denied, nor do's it appear that they proved him Guilty of either. They examin'd him concerning the Sacrament, and Real-Prefence. He anfwer'd [that he was no meddler in that matter, that he was fufpected of his Brethren to differ from them, that if by [really and fubftantially] they meant [ corporally] they Err'd: By which, it fhould feem, he obferved a due medium; and as he could by no means admit of a Bodily Prefence, fo he kept himself from the other extreme, which makes the Sacrament a mere Symbol, as the Paffover was, and no more.

After feveral Hearings, when they found him proof against all their pretended Arguments, Sentence of Death was paffed on him by Gardiner then Lord-Chancellor. He was Condemnned by the Name of Rogers, alias Matthews, I fuppofe on the account of the English Bible, which he Printed under that Name.. !,,,

The 4th of February, 1555. in the Morning, he was warn'd by the Keepers Wife to prepare for Execution, at which time he was fo faft Alleep, that he was not eafily Wak'd. As he went on the way to Smithfield he rehearfed the Pfalm Miferere, fays Mr. Fox) that is, I fuppofe, the LI. He had a Pardon brought, on Condition he would Recant, and his Wife, whom Bonney had not a great while before admitted to fee him, met him by the way with Eleven Children, one whereof was at

the

the Breaft: And yet this Sight of his own Flesh and Blood could not fhake his Refolution. Woodroff, one of the Sheriffs, at the time and place of Execution, asked him [if he would Recant;] Rogers anfwer'd, (what I have Preach'd I will Seal with my Blood.] Woodroff replies, [Thou art a Heretick, and I will never Pray for thee.] [But I will Pray for thee, fays good Mr. Rogers. He faid very little at his Execution; only defired the People [to be true and conftant to their Profeffion.] He was the firft Martyr in Queen Mary's Reign.

Some Account of the

LIFE and DEATH

OF

Dr. MILES COVERDALE.

He was a

E was a Yorkshire-Man Born, and had fome time been Fryer of the Order of St. Auguftin: But being convinc'd of the Errors, and Superftition of that Church, and Fraternity, he goes to the Univerfity of Tubingen in Germany: In which Nation was the greateft Learning, and chief Strength of the Proteftant Caufe in that Age. He kept a Correfpondence with Mr. Tindall, and by Affignation met him at Hamburg, in order to Affift him in the Tranflation of the Bible. From hence he went to Antwerp, in purfuit of the fame defign. Before they had finished this Work Mr. Tindall was taken

b 4

up,

up, and put in Prifón: But the Translation muft have been almost ended, before this happen'd. For the whole was Publifhed in Folio before the end of October, 1535, as may be feen at the end of the Bible itself. And Mr. Tindall did not fuffer till the Year 1536, and was not more than a Year and a Half in Prifon before his Suffering, if we may believe Mr. Fox: So that Mr. Coverdale could not have above a Years time, and perhaps not half fo much (viz. if Tindall fuffer'd after October 1536.) both to finish what was wanting at the time of Tindall's being taken up, and to Print it. It may feem ftrange at first-fight, that fo plain and humble a Man as Dr. Coverdale, fhould make no express mention of Tindall's being concern'd in that Tranflation, either in his Epiftle Dedicatory, or Preface. That which feems moft probable is, that he apprehended it might Inflame Mr. Tindall's Enemies, and haften his Death, if the Bible had been Printed with his Name to it, during his Confinement on fufpicion of Herely; and that therefore he was willing to take to himself all the Ill-will, and Danger that attended this Enterprize: Therefore he thought it fufficient only to give a remote hint of his Friend Tindall's having been his Affiftant in this Work, as he does in his Preface in thefe Words, which contain his Reafon for Publishing this Tranflation, iconfider'd how great pity it was we should want it (the Eng lifh Bible) fo long, and called to my remembrance the Adverfity of them, which were not only of Ripe Know ledge, but also would with all their Hearts have perform ed what they begun, if they had not had Impediment, and that it could not fo foon be brought to an end, as our moft profperous Nation would have bad it, &c.] By the adverfity of them I fuppofe he means Mr. Tindall's Imprisonment; as 'tis not unufual to fpeak of one Man in the Plural Number, efpecially when we defire, not to be too well underflood.

But

But in the Year 1538, by which time King Henry the Eighth had not only difown'd the Supremacy of the Pope, but made fome other fmall fteps toward a Reformation, a Refolution was taken at Our English Court, to Have the former English Bible review'd, and Printed at Paris. Our King's Amballador in France procured Leave of that King for the performing of this Work: Grafton, and Whit church 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 muft have had a great Opinion of his Integrity, and Ability, when they trufted him in fo 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 Promifed, fo 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 fame 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 lefs than Two Years Queen Mary came to the Crown, and then no one that was fo Zealous, and eminent a Proteftant as Bishop Coverdale, could be fafe. He was taken into Cuftody, 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. Maccabæus, an Eminent Danish Divine, whofe Wife's Sifter Bishop Coverdale had Married, This Doctor did fo effectually Solicit his Brother-inLaw's Caufe with the King of Denmark, that he wrote very earnestly to the Queen, that he might be fet at Liberty, as he was accordingly, February

1555, but on condition, that he should leave the Kingdom: And this was counted a Privilege in thofe days. Indeed this was an excess of Favour, and a great ftrain of that Queen's Mercy, if I may fo 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 fo, might hope for a more favourable Treatment from Her. No doubt but Bishop Coverdale may be reckoned amongst the moft Learned English-men of that Age. In Queen Elizabeth's Reign he return'd home to England, but chofe to live a Private Life, He Died at London very Aged, and lies Buried in the Parish-Church of St. Bartholomew,