this kingdom, but through all the world."

The great objection against Faber's translation was, that it promoted the Reformation in France, which had been begun by Luther in Germany; and which was characterized by the partizans of popery, with the epithet of Novelties. "These Novelties," says F. Simon, "were agreeable to the taste of some lords and ladies of the court. J. LE FEVRE, (Faber,) who edified the world by his exemplary life, gave great influence to these Novelties. His erudition was very great for the time in which he lived; and his amiable manners gained him the esteem and love of every one. Almost the only enemies he had, were his own confraternity, the doctors of Paris. The famous Noel Beda, the sworn enemy of the Belles Lettres, openly declared himself against him and Erasmus; and the faculty of theology at Paris was at that time so opposed to vernacular translations of the Bible, that in the same year, (1523,) they censured this proposition, 'Omnes Christiani, et maxime clerici sunt inducendi ad studium Scripturæ sanctæ, qnia aliæ doctrinæ sunt humanæ, et parum fructuosæ:'All Christians, but especially the clergy, ought to be persuaded to study the Holy Scriptures, because other learning is human, and productive of but little good.' This permission, said this faculty, would renew the errors of the Poor Men of Lyons, (Waldenses,) which had been already condemned. The following are the express terms of the censure, taken from the registers of the Sorbonne: "Hæc propositio secundum primam partem, laiços quoscumque ad studium sacræ Scripturæ et difficultatum ejusdem esse inducendos sicut et clericos, ex errore pauperum Lugdunensium deducetur." This decree was afterwards authorized by an edict of parliament in 1525, confirming a censure of these theologians, against a French version of the Office of the Holy Virgin. In this edict, it is expressly affirmed, (48) Simon, Lettres Choisies, IV, Lettre xv. p. 95.

that it is neither expedient nor useful for the Christian public, that any translations of the Bible should be permitted to be printed; but that they ought rather to be suppressed as injurious, considering the times. The terms in which the faculty of theology expressed the censure were these: "Post maturam omnium magistrorum deliberationem, fuit unanimi consensu dictum et conclusum, quod in sequendo conclusiones dudum per ipsam factas, neque expediens est neque utile reipublicæ Christianæ, imo visâ hujus temporis conditione potius perniciosum, non solum translationem Horarum, sed etiam alias translationes Biblicæ, aut partium ejus, prout jam passim fieri videntur, admitti, et quod illæ quæ jam emissæ sunt supprimi magis deberent." These doctors designed this censure to be retrospective, and to extend to those versions of the Scriptures which had been previously published; and as no French version had yet been published by the French Calvinists, these different edicts, when speaking of the unhappiness of the times, can only refer to what was regarded as the heresy of Luther. On this very account, the parliament of Paris, in a decree against the doctrine of Luther, made in 1525, subjoins these words: "The said court has ordained, and does ordain, that it shall be enjoined by the king's authority, that all persons who have in their possession the books of the Song of Solomon, the Psalms, the Revelation, the Gospels, the Epistles of St. Paul, and other books in the Old and New Testament contained in the Holy Bible, which have been lately translated out of Latin into French, and printed; and also a printed book, containing the Gospels and Epistles for Sundays, and other solemnities for the whole year, with certain Exhortations in French; shall bring them and deliver them up within eight days from the publication of this decree." This last work was supposed to be the production of Faber and his disciples; and the Exhortations were every where filled with declamations against

any thing being preached to the people but the Gospel. The work was designed for the use of the churches at Meaux.49

The exile of Faber, which had been occasioned by the persecution of the doctors of the Sorbonne, did not continue long; for although Francis I. was captive in Spain, he was informed, by his sister Margaret, of the treatment which Faber had received, and wrote in his favour to the parliament of Paris, by which means he was enabled shortly after to return again to France.50

This great man, who is usually called JACOBUS FABER STAPULENSIS, latinizing his name and the place of his birth, JACQUES LE FEVRE of Estaples, was born about A D. 1435. He travelled into foreign countries in quest of knowledge, and is said to have "seen not only Europe, but also Asia, and a part of Africa." Being chosen professor of the belles lettres and philosophy, in the university of Paris, he endeavoured, with some success, to introduce nto the schools, something more solid than the trifling studies of the scholastic doctors, especially an acquaintance with the learned languages. In 1517, he had a dispute with Erasmus, respecting the quotation from the second Psalm, in Hebrews. ii. 7, which Erasmus had translated Thou hast made him for a little time lower than the angels; but which Le Fevre contended ought to be translated, according to the Hebrew, Thou hast made him a little lower than God. As they were friends, the debate was carried on with some civility, and soon dropped; leaving their friendship undiminished. In 1523, he left Paris and went to Meaux, where William Briçonet, the bishop, a patron of learning and of learned men, chose him for his grand vicar. This prelate being suspected of favouring Lutheranism, and persecuted on that account, Le Fevre was obliged to quit his service, for fear of being

(49) Simon, Lettres Choisies, IV.Let. xv. pp. 95-107.

(50) Sleidan's Hist, of the Reformation, B. v. p. 98. Lond, 1689, fol

involved in the same calamity. After having spent some time in Germany, he returned to Paris, and became preceptor to Charles, duke of Orleans, the third son of Francis I. Margaret, queen of Navarre, sister to Francis I. honoured him with her protection, and invited him to Nerac in 1530, where he died in 1537.

Like Erasmus and some others, he continued in communion with the Church of Rome, whilst he seriously disapproved of her doctrines and practices. He is even said to have taken a journey to Strasburg by the queen of Navarre's order, to confer with Bucer and Capito, concerning the doctrines of the reformers. Some remarkable circumstances relative to his death, which have been told by Catholic historians and others, ought not to be omitted. On the day of his death, being apparently as well as usual, while dining with the queen and some learned men whom this princess frequently invited to spend the day with her, Le Fevre appeared pensive and melancholy, and was observed to shed tears. The queen desired to know what was the cause of his sadness; he answered, "I am distressed because of the enormity of my crimes. I am now a hundred and one years of age; and though I have lived a chaste life, and have been preserved from those excesses into which many are hurried by the violence of their passions, yet I have been guilty of this heinous offence-I have known the TRUTH, and have taught it to many who have sealed it with their blood, and yet I have had the weakness to hide myself in those places where the crowns of martyrs are never distributed." Having said this, he dictated his will vivá voce, went and lay down on his bed, and died in a few hours!

The translation of the New Testament into French, by Le Fevre (Faber,) was made from the Latin, and was the first Catholic French translation, in which the Sacred (51) Clarke's Bibliog. Dict. III. pp. 226–228.

Jortin's Life of Erasmus, I, pp. 90. 391; and II. p. 240.

Text was purely given, former ones being generally made, not from the Text, even of the Vulgate, but from Comestor's legendary Historia Scholastica. Le Fevre's translation was several times reprinted, and from the opposition of the Catholic doctors, was sometimes printed without either the author's or printer's name. Le Long supposes that the anonymous translations placed in the Index Librorum prohibitorum of 1551, were Le Fevre's. The titles are thus given under the head of French books, ab incertis auctoribus:

"Les saintes Evangiles de Jesus Christ;-et au commencement une Epistre exhortatoire qui sent la doctrine de Luther.

"Les saintes Evangiles de Jesus Christ;-au commencement il y a une Epistre Lutherienne."

Both his French PSALTER and NEW TESTAMENT were prohibited so early as 1528, by the provincial synod of Beziers, in France, in the following terms:

Moreover, this Synod decrees, that no books of the Lutheran heresy, or sectaries, nor any of the books of Scripture which have been translated out of Latin into the vernacular tongue, either of late, or eight (or rather five) years ago, shall be sold or bought, except they have been examined by the ordinary of the place, under pain of being punished as offenders."59 Such were the efforts of the Gallican clergy to prevent the circulation of the Word of God, in the language of their countrymen; and such has been the general policy of the Romish hierarchy, and such is still its practice,

While truths on which eternal things depend,
Find not, or hardly find, a single friend.

At this dark and melancholy period, ENGLAND presents a picture equally dreary with that of France. In a Ca talogue of the books belonging to Leicester abbey, in 1492, and which included what was, for that day, an extensive (52) Le Long, Biblioth. Sacra, I. cap. iv. p. 335. Paris, 1723.