up,

character as Christians. Coverdale was himself averse to entering into disputes of this kind, (which had he joined these congregations he must have done;) for he saw that they only thus afforded a handle to their enemies, who had always maintained that such would be the consequences of a departure from the Roman Catholic faith; and that men who once renounced the belief in which they had been brought would never afterwards be settled in any particular doctrine, but veering about, first one way and then the other, would occasion interminable disputes, and throw the whole state of civil society into confusion; and moreover, to a man of his character, strife and contention of any kind, were highly disagreeable. He therefore preferred retiring to a place where he could enjoy tranquillity, and discharge his duties as a Christian, and a minister of God, in the peace and quietness so congenial to him.

But when the new edition of the Bible was being brought out at Geneva, and his assistance became of much importance, he directly proceeded thither and he had the less reluctance to do so, since the congregation at Geneva, was the best ordered of any that had assembled any where abroad; and the most celebrated for piety and learning of the reformers were amongst its members.

At what time he went to Geneva, we cannot ascertain exactly; but we find his name subscribed to a letter, from the ministers of the church at that place, to those at Frankfort, written the 15th day of December, 1558, of which the purport was to congratulate

166

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.

them on the accession of Queen Elizabeth, and to desire that all private dissensions betwixt them, concerning forms and ceremonies, might be laid aside ; seeing, as they there said, that the papists could wish nothing more than that such should exist."

"Troubles at Frankf. p. 187.

CHAPTER XII.

ACCESSION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.

ENGLAND.

COVERDALE RETURNS INTO OFFICIATES AT THE CONSECRATION OF ARCH

BISHOP PARKER. DOES NOT RESUME HIS BISHOPRICK, FROM RELIGIOUS SCRUPLES. GRINDAL'S LETTER ABOUT COVER

DALE NOT HAVING MET WITH DUE PREFERMENT. -HE IS
HOWEVER AFTERWARDS PRESENTED TO THE LIVING OF ST.
MAGNUS, WHICH HE DOES NOT ENJOY LONG.
TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE CONCERNING HIS INABILITY

HIS LETTERS

IS ADMITTED TO THE DEGREE OF PER GRATIAM,' BY THE UNIVERSITY

OF CAMBRIDGE. -HIS DEATH.

EPITAPH.

That

THE accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne was a joyful event to all the reformers. princess had been early brought up in the new opinions, and men had seen with fear and concern, the dangers to which she had been exposed during the late reign. Though Philip had always interposed in her favour, to procure her the unmolested exercise of her own religion; yet it was impossible to foresee to what lengths the bigotry of Mary, increased by old age and disease, might have carried her.

On all sides, discontents had manifested themselves against the Spanish alliance; and men feared from

what they had already experienced, that England might become a mere appanage to the crown of Spain. They therefore saw with increased delight a young princess, who had hitherto shown so much prudence and moderation, mount the throne, which they prognosticated she would fill to the honour and prosperity of the kingdom.

During the late reign, the kingdom had been solemnly and formally reconciled to the pope, and received once more into the bosom of the holy church. The most rigid conformity was exacted with a spirit of the most unrelenting persecution; and the only alternative for those of the reformed tenets was to flee the country, or to unhesitatingly comply with whatever was asked of them.

In this manner, the whole nation was brought into an acquiescence with the established form of worship. When, therefore, the death of Mary called Elizabeth to the throne, she had a very delicate part to play; and great caution was necessary to be used in bringing about a change in so important a matter, as that of the public religion of a country. She accordingly proceeded slowly and gradually, and she took particular care to restrain the breaking out of any illtimed zeal in those of her own party. For fear of causing any apprehension of a violent change, she continued some of her sister's ministers in their posts; but she took care to add to them several who were of the reformed opinions, with whom she consulted as to the proper measures for restoring the protestant religion.

They represented to her, that the greater part of the nation, ever since her father's time, had inclined to the reformed religion; and although in the preceding reign the severities that had been used, had brought the nation to a conformity with the Catholic form of worship, yet that such conformity was only seeming, and not real. As yet, they said, men scrupled little to follow the belief which their princes adopted; and it was easy for her, by bestowing all offices of honour and emolument on those of her own persuasion, to gradually lead her subjects, without any of the severe methods used in the late reign, to a conformity with her own tenets.

By their advice, accordingly, she determined to patiently await the opening of her parliament, in order to alter the present establishment; but, in the mean time, she took care that men should see generally that she was well disposed to the reformed doctrines. She liberated all those who were in prison, and recalled all those who were in exile, on account of their religion; and exerting a power which had been before exercised by her predecessors, she inhibited all but the most moderate of her own party from preaching.

On the news of Elizabeth's accession, all those who had fled from England, on account of persecution for religion, returned home; except a few who remained at Geneva, to superintend the completion of the Bible, which was published in 1560, in a quarto volume."

a

Copies: Lambeth.- Balliol Coll.-St. John's Coll. Oxf.-Mr. Herbert. Rev. Dr. Bliss.-Rev. H. Cotton.