118 LIVES OF THE PURITANS. a new translation. In the year 1535, (some by mistake say 1532,) Tindal and Coverdale translated and published the whole Bible, the first that was ever printed in the English language. It was printed at Hamburgh, by Grafton and Whitchurch, when Mr. John Rogers, aftefwards the proto- martyr, corrected the press. This first English translation was called Matthew's Bible, a fictitious name, and was dedicated by Coverdale to King Henry.+ The form of dedication is preserved by Mr. Strype ;# in which our reve- rend author expressed himself in the following manner : " Unto the moost victorious prynce and our moost gra- " cyous soverygne lorde Kynge HENRY eyghth, kynge of " Englande and of Fraunce, lorde of Irelande, &c. defen- " dour of the fayth ; and under God the chefe and suppreme " heade of the church of Englande. The ryght and just " administracyon of the lawes that Godgave unto Moses and " Josua : the testimonye of faythfulness that Godgave to " David : the plenteous abundaunce of wysdome that God " gave unto Solomon : the lucky andprosperous age with " the multiplicacyon of sede which God gave to Abraham " and Sara his wyfe, be given unto you, moost gracyous " prynce, with your dearest just wyfe and moost vertuous " pryncesse Quene Jane. Amen. " Your graces humble subjecte and daylye oratour, " MYLES COVERDALE." In this dedication he tells his majesty, that the blind bishop of Rome no more knew what he did when he gage this title, Defender of the Faith, than the Jewish bishop Caiaphas when he taught, that it was better to put Christ to death, than that all the people should perish : that the pope gave him this title, only because his highness suffered his bishops to burn God's word, and to persecute the lovers and ministers of it ; whereas, he openly declared, that by the righteous administration of his majesty, the faith ought to be so defended, that God's word, the mother of faith, should have its free course through all christendom, but especially in these realms : and that his majesty should, indeed, defend the faith; yea, even the true faith of Christ, not dreams,not fables, not heresy, not papistical inventions, but the uncor- rupt faith of God's most holy word, to set forth which, his highness, with his mosthonourable council, applied all study and endeavour. 4. Fox's Martyrs, vol. ii. p. + Ibid. p. 434. 4 Annals, vol. ii. Appen. p. 43.
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