which God gave unto Abraham and Sara his wyfe, be geven unto you, moost gracyous prynce, with your dearest just wyfe and moost vertuous pryncesse quene Jane. Amen. This dedication is thus subscribed,

Your grace's humble subjecte and daylye oratour, Myles Coverdale." In this dedication he tells his majesty that "The blynd bishop of Rome no more knew what he did when he gave him this title, defender of the faith, than the Jewish bishop, Capyhas, 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 because his highness suffered his bishops to burne God's word, the root of faith, and to persecute the lovers and ministers of it, where in every deed he prophecyed, 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 christendome, but especially in his grace's realme: that his grace in very deed should defende the faith, yea even the true faith of Christ, no dreames, no fables, no heresye, 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 studie and endeavour."

He also takes notice of the intolerable injuries done unto God, to all princes, and the commonalities of all christian realms, since "they who should be only the ministers of God's word became Lords of the world, and thrust the true and just princes out of their rooms." This he imputes to "the ignorance of the scripture of God, and to the light of God's word being extinct, and God's law being clean shut up, depressed, cast aside, and put out of remembrance." But he adds, that "By the king's most righteous administration it was now found again; and that his majesty, like another Josia, commanded straitly, that the law of God should be read and taught unto all the people."

The following extract is from a little manuscript Manuel of Devotions, which, according to the tradition of the family in which it is preserved, was the present of queen Anne Boleyn to her maids of honour:-" Grante us, most mercyful father, this one of the greatest gyftes that ever thowe gavest to mankynde, the knowledge of thie holy wille and gladde tidinges of oure saluation, this greate while oppressed with the tyrannye of thy adversary of Rome and his fautors, and kepte close undre his Latyne Lettres, and now at length promulgate, publyshed, and sette at lybertye by the grace poured into the

* Copies of bishop Coverdale's version of the Bible are preserved in the following libraries, viz., of the British museum and Sion college, in London; of his grace the archbishop of Canterbury, at Lambeth; in the public library, at Cambridge; in the library at all soul's college, and in the Bodleian library, at Cambridge; and in the library of the baptist academy at Bristol.

A fragment of this Bible (an entirely perfect copy is not known to exist) was offered in a trade catalogue,

1837, for £18 18s.

harte of thy supreme power our prince, as all kinges hartes be in thie hande, as in the olde lawe dydest use lyke mercye to thie people of Israell by thie hie instrument, the good king Josia, which restored the temple decayed to his former beawtie, abolyshed all worshippynge of images and ydolatrye, and sette abrode the lawe by the space of many hundred yeres befor clean oute of remembraunce."

1535. Died, JoDOCUS BADIUS, surnamed ASCENSIUS, one of the most eminent printers of this century, or that France ever produced. He was a Fleming, a native of Asc, (in argo Bruxellensi,) whence he was denominated Ascensius. He is supposed to have been born anno 1462, to have received the rudiments of his education in a religious house at Ghent: and after continuing his studies at Brussels to have visited Ferrara, where he became a scholar of Baptista Guarino. He afterwards became a professor of humanity, as some accounts say, at Paris, but according to others, at Lyons; where he read public lectures upon the Latin poets. At the last mentioned city Badius commenced his typographical career as a corrector of the press in the establishment of Jean Treschel, a German, cujus stipendiis utebatur," as Guagin said: but probably this employment was not incompatible with the duties of his literary professorship. After the death of Treschel, he married his daughter Thelif, and removed to Paris.

He became so great a proficient in the art of printing, that the learned Robert Gaguin, general of the Trinitarian order, who was perfectly well acquainted with his merit, wrote a letter to him, desiring he would undertake the printing of his works. This, with some other invitations of the learned, brought Badius to Paris about 1499, where he designed to teach the Greek tongue, and where his last endeavour, after he had furnished himself with fine Roman characters, was to explode the old gothic; both in his works and by his example. Accordingly, he printed the Philobiblion of that great encourager of learning, Richard Bury, lord high chancellor of England, bishop of Durham, and founder of the Oxford library, towards the middle of the 14th century; which book was sent to him by Dr. Bureau, bishop of Cisteron, and confessor to the French king, in order to be printed by him, which was in 1500. The name of Ascensius first occurs as a printer in a book of the year 1497.

Badius was no less skilful in restoring corrupt manuscripts, than careful in printing them with the greatest accuracy; so that some of his erratas have contained but five words. In printing the work of any living author, he always followed face to his edition of Angelus Politianus, that the copy exactly; and he informs us in his prehe endeavoured to imitate the laudable diligence of Aldus Manutius, and to print from his copies with the utmost exactness. This made not only the learned very ambitious to have their works printed by him, but the most eminent booksellers of Paris courted his acquaintance, and endea

voured to cultivate it, in order to secure their business from his press. John Petit, sworn bookseller to that university, and one of the most famous of that age, caused several noble editions to be printed by him; as the Calepini Dictionarium Octo Linguar. 1516.

Amongst the works which issued from this prolific press, we find almost every important Latin classic author, generally exhibited in a large size, and having the pages filled with notes, or explanations, by Badius himself and

other commentators.

Badius was a Libraire Jure of the university of Paris, under which character he was specially employed by the doctors of the Sorbonne in printing their censuras, &c. His claims to the character of erudition were so far from contemptible, that Trithemius praises him extravagantly; and Erasmus has spoken well of his Latinity; and the famous Henry Stephans compliments him highly on his abilities as a printer. So attached was Badius to the typographical profession, that he married his three daughters to three of the most eminent printers in Paris. Petronilla became the wife of Robert Stephans, and mother of Henry Stephans the second, and of two other sons, Robert and Francis. Badius gave the second, Johanna, to John Roigny, and the youngest Catherina to Michael Vascosanus.

Jodocus Badius had a brother named John, and a son named Conrad, who both exercised the same profession. The latter is found subsequently as a refugee for the sake of religion at Geneva, and labouring in his profession there conjointly with Robert Stephans. Badius was succeeded in his business by his son-in-law John de Roigny.

The insigne or mark of Badius is the representation of an ancient printing press, beneath which is sometimes found the words Prelum Ascensianum. He occasionally subjoined this sentence, Era merent.

1536. Died, JOHN RASTELL, a celebrated printer of London, where, according to several authorities he was born; that he was educated in grammar and philosophy; afterwards studied at Oxford, and probably brought up to the law. In 1517, he commenced the art of printing, which, at that time, was esteemed a profession fit for a scholar or ingenious man. Being distinguished for his piety and learning, he became intimate with Sir Thomas More, whose sister Elizabeth he married; he was a zealous defender of the catholic cause, and a great opposer of the proceedings of Henry VIII. There is not any information to be gained of Rastell's instructor, and it is known only, that he resided at the sign of the "Mermaid at Powls gate, next Cheapside." Rastell's works are, Natura Naturata; Canones Astrologici ; three dialogues, one of which is on purgatory, and which was answered by John Frith; this produced from Rastell an Apology against John Frith; who also followed it by a second reply, which is said to have ended in his opponent's conversion to Protestanism. Rastell likewise wrote the Rules of a good Life; and the

celebrated Anglorum Regum Chronicon; or, Pastimes of the People; beside which seven Latin tracts are attributed to him, on the following subjects: Concerning good Works; Of Speaking; Upon Indulgences; On the Brotherhood of the Rosary; the Abasement of Popery; Words of the English Law; or, les Termes de la Ley; and the Indexes of Anthony Fitzherbert. The books printed by John Rastell are thirty in number. He left two sons, William and John; the former of them succeeded his father as a printer, and the latter was in the commission of the peace, who had a daughter named Elizabeth, the wife of Dr. Robert Laugher, chancellor of the diocese of Exeter.

Like the devices of some of the other early printers, Rastell's principal mark was formed from the sign of his dwelling-house, the mermaid, of which a representation is here given.

There were, it is probable, two families of the Rastell's about this time, which makes it difficult, in many places, to distinguish one from the other. It is plain, that William Rastell, of St. Bride's parish in London, in the year 1530, and in the lifetime of John, was a very noted printer of law books. This family existed some time before the Rastells mentioned by Wood.

1536. John Hertford endeavoured to revive the art of printing at St. Albans, half a dozen books, executed within the space of four years, are all which are known to have proceeded from its reestablishment. In 1538, Hertford finding it not to answer his expectation, removed to Aldersgate-street, London. This second interruption, says Dr. Cotton, is easily accounted for, in the total dispersion of the inmates of religious houses by command of king Henry VIII.

1536, July 12. Died, ERASMUS, who occasionly assumed the prænomen of Desiderius. This learned Dutchman was born at Rotterdam in 1467. He was a singing boy in the cathedral of Utrecht till his ninth year, then entered the school at Deventer, where he displayed such brilliant powers that it was predicted that he would be the most learned man of his time. Alexander Hegins was his master, and Adrianus Florentius, afterwards pope Adrian IV. was his school fellow.

After the death of his parents, whom he lost

When this translation was imported into England, the supporters of the church of Rome became very much alarmed; William Warham,* archbishop of Canterbury, and Cuthbert Tonstall, bishop of London, issued their orders and monitions to bring in all the New Testaments translated into the vulgar tongue, that they might be burnt. But this illjudged policy only took off many copies which lay dead upon Tindall's hands, and supplied him with money for another and more correct edition, printed in 1534, while the first edition was in the mean while printed twice, but not by the translator. Of Tonstall's singular purchase, we have given an anecdote at page 235 ante. the following fact is also related:"sir Thomas More being lord chancellor, and having several persons accused of heresy, and ready for execution, offered to compound with one of them, named George Constantine, for his life, upon the easy terms of discovering to him who they were in London that maintained Tindall beyond sea. After the poor man had got as good security for his life as the honour and truth of the chancellor could give him, he told him it was the bishop of London who maintained Tindall, by sending him a sum of money to buy up the impressions of his Testaments. The chancellor smiled, saying that he believed he said true. Thus was the poor confessors life saved." John Tindall, our authors brother, was prosecuted, and condemned to do penance. Humphrey Monmouth, his great patron and benefactor, was imprisoned in the tower, and almost ruined. In 1529, sir Thomas More published A Dyaloge, in which he endeavoured to prove that the books burnt were not New Testaments, but Tindall's or Luther's Testaments; and so corrupted, as to be quite another thing. In 1530, Tindall published an answer to this dialogue, and proceeded in translating the five books of Moses, from the Hebrew into English; but happening to go by sea to Hamburgh, to have it printed there, the vessel

*William Warham, archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Oakeley, in Hampshire, about the year 1458. He was high in favour both with Henry VII. and Henry VIII.; and was successively master of the rolls, lord keeper, lord chancellor, chancellor of the university of Oxford, and archbishop of Canterbury. He died August 23, 1532, and

was buried in his cathedral. He was succeeded in the archbishopric of Canterbury by Cranmer.

+ Cuthbert Tonstall, bishop of Durham, was successively master of the rolls, prebendary of York, dean of Sarum, bishop of London, and lord privy seal. He was an able negotiator, and a good critic. He was deprived by Edward VI. but was restored by Mary, and appointed one of her ecclesiastical commissioners. In that odious office he distinguished himself by his mildness and humanity. He was again deprived by Elizabeth, but so highly esteemed was he, even by protestants, that he found an asylum in the family of archbishop Parker, with whom he resided till his death, which took place November 18, 1559, and was buried in Lambeth church.

From Hamburgh he returned to Antwerp, and was there betrayed into the hands of his enemies. Henry VIII., and his council employed one Henry Philips on this disgraceful commission. He got the procurator general of the emperor's court at Brussels, and other officers, to seize him, and convey him to the castle of Villefort, where he remained a prisoner a year and a half. Tindall was at length brought to trial, where he pleaded his own cause. None of his arguments, however, being admitted, he was condemned, and being brought to execution in 1536, he was first strangled and then burnt. His last words were "Lord, open the king of England's eyes." Thus perished one of the best men and ablest writers of his time.

Speaking of Tindall-It is a common thing with grateful people to erect statutes, and embellish monuments with florid inscriptions in honour of those who have done service to their country; but, surely he who devoted his time to the translating of the scriptures, and became a martyr in the cause of religious liberty, deserves a more lasting remembrance than pyramids of stone or marble.

Tindall's principal theological and controversial tracts were collected together, and printed with the works of John Fryth, and Barnes, in one volume, fol. by John Day, 1572.

1536. In this year, three hundred and seventysix monasteries were abolished, and their revenues, amounting to £32,000 per annum, confiscated to the king's use, in addition to a vast quantity of plate and other valuable property, computed at more than £100,000. As the monks had all along shown the king the greatest resistance, he resolved to deprive them of future power to injure him. He accordingly empowered Thomas Cromwell, who was now made principal secretary of state, to send commissioners into the several counties of England to inspect the monasteries, and to report with rigorous exactness the conduct and deportment of those who were resident there.* This employment was readily undertaken by some creatures of the court, who are said to have discovered monstrous disorders in many of the religious houses. The accusations, whether true or false, were urged with

A book was kept by the English monasteries, in which a detail of the scandalous enormities practised in religious houses were entered, for the inspection of visitors under Henry VIII., in order to blacken them, and hasten their dissolution. It was termed the Black Book, Hence the vulgar phrase, "I'll set you down in my black book."