190 MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE. the following remark, vol. i. p. 590; that although Rymer "assigns the date of 1539," to that document," the 14th of November, 1538, is more likely to be the true date of it, for it would then precede (as it probably "did) all the editions of Cranmer's Bible." This reasoning in the first place is far from conclusive, and in the second place, Rymer did not assign" a date, but took the instrument from the patent rolls for that year, the authenticity of which we see no reason for doubting. NOTE K. P. 142. It is amusing sometimes to see how mistakes arise and are adopted. Tanner, in his life of Coverdale, says: "Anno 1547 in Ecclesia S. Pauli "London. prædicabat, cum multi Anabaptistæ palinodiam canebant. Stow, Hist. p. 596." (Biblioth. Brit. Hib.) The author of the article Coverdale, in Chalm. Bio. Dict. (evidently copying from Tanner, for he gives the error of the date also,) translates the above passage in the following curious manner, highly complimentary however to Coverdale's persuasive powers. "In 1547, we find him preaching at St. Paul's with "such effect against certain Anabaptists, that they are said to have "recanted their opinions.” NOTE L. p. 181. It is extraordinary to observe the different dates given of Coverdale's death. Strype says he died 20th May, 1565, (Ann. of Ref. vol. i. pt. ii. p. 43, Oxf. ed.) although elsewhere he speaks of him as being alive in 1566. Neal says the 20th May, 1567, (Hist. of Pur. vol. i. p. 185.) Fuller says the 20th of January, 1568 (Church Hist. book ix. p. 65, ed. 1655), and “Anno 1588," in his Worthies of England, p. 198, ed. 1662." The writer, in Chalmer's Bio. Dict. says the 19th of February, 1568, but then he has evidently forgotten the distinction between the old style and the new. The following is an extract from "the Register of "Burials in the parish church of St. Bartholomew's, by the Exchange." "Miles Coverdall, doctor of divinity was buried año 1568, the 19th of "February." That the person thus mentioned in the register is Myles Coverdale, Bishop of Exeter, there can be no doubt; since the epitaph inscribed on the tomb-stone, copied in Stow's survey, clearly states him to be so. It is perhaps unnecessary to observe, that the date, mentioned in the extract is the old style, and therefore according to our present computation, he died the 19th of February, 1569. APPENDIX. No. I. LETTER FROM COVERDALE TO CROMWELL. Most syngular good Maister. With dew humylyte I beseche unto your Mastyrschype all godly comforth, grace, and prosperus health. For so mych as your goodnesse is so great towarde me, your poore chylde, only thrugh the plenteusnesse of your favour and benyvolence, I am the booldyr of your goodnesse, in thys my rude style, yf yt lyke your favour, to revocate to your memory the godly communication, which your Mastyrschype had with me, your oratour, in Mastyr Moorys howse, upon Easter Eve, amongst many and dyverse frutefull exhortations, specyally of your syngular favour, and, by your most comfortabyll wordys, I persave your gracyus mynde towarde me. Wherefore, most honorabyll Mastyr, for the tendyr love of God, and for the fervent zeall, that yow have to vertu and godly study, cordis genibus provolutus, I humbly desyre and beseche your goodnesse, of your gracyus helpe. Now I begyne to taste of Holy Schryptures; now (honour be to God) I am sett to the most swete smell of holy lettyres, with the godly savour of holy and awncyent Doctoures, unto whose knowlege I can not attayne, without dyversyte of bookys, as is not unknowne to your most excellent wysdome. Nothyng in the world I desyre, but bookys, as concernyng my lernyng; they onse had, I do not dowte, but Allmyghty God schall perfourme that in me, whych He, of Hys most plenty full favour and grace, haith begone. Morover, as tuchyng my behavour (your Mastyrschypes mynde onse knowne) wyth all lowlynes I offer my self, not only to be ordred in all thynges, as schall pleyse your wysdome, but also as concernyng the education and instruction of other, alonly to ensewe your prudent cowncell; nam quicquid est in te concilij, nihil non politicum, nihil non divinum est; quicquid enim agis, nihil incon sulte agis, nusquam te primum philosophum prebes. De rore autem celi summam (more Jacob) surrepuisti benedictionem. De tuo ipso torrente maximo potari exopto, te quia coram alloqui non mediocriter cupio. Vale, decus literarum, conciliorum, omnium denique probitatum. From the Augustyns, this May Day. (superscribed) Your chyld and beedman in Vnto the ryzt wyrschypfull, and hys most syngulare good Mastyr, Master Cromwell, thys be delyveryd, with dew maner. FRERE MYLES COV'DALE. The foregoing letter is in the Chapter House, at Westminster, Bundle C., and is printed in the State Papers, vol. i. p. 383. The date there is wrongly assigned to 1531. No. II. A LETTER FROM GRAFTON TO CROMWELL. Moost humbly besechynge yo' lordship to vnderstand that acco'dynge to yo' request I haue sent yo' lordship vj bybles, which gladly I wolde haue brought my selfe, but because of the sycknes which remayneth in the cytie. And therfore I haue sent them by my sunt which this daye came out of fflaundyrs, requyrynge yo' lordship yf I maye be so bolde as to desyer you to accept them as my symple gyfte, geuen to you for those most godly paynes, for which the heuenly father is bounde euen of his Justice to reward you w the eulastynge kyngdom of god. ffor yo' lordship mouynge of moost gracyous prynce to the alowance and lycensynge of soche a worke, hath worought soche an acte worthy of prayse as neū was mencyoned in any cronycle in this realme. And as my lorde of Cantorbury sayde. The tydynges therof dyd hym more good then the gyfte of ten thousand pounde. Yet certen there are which beleue not that yt pleased the kynges grace to lycence yt to go forth. Wherfore yf yo1 lordshippes pleaso' were soche that we myght haue yt lycensed vnder yo' preuy seale. yt shuld be a defence at this present |