COVERDALE. 119 He next observes to his majesty, that as the word of God is the only truth that driveth away all error, and discovereth all juggling and deceit ; therefore, is the Salaam of Rome so loath to have the scriptures known in the mother-tongue, lest by kings and princes becoming acquainted with them, they should again claim and challenge their due authority, which hath been falsely usurped for many years ; and lest the people, being taught by the word of God, should renounce their feigned obedience to him and his disguised apostles, and observe the true obedience commanded by God's own mouth, and notembrace his painted religion. As to the present translation, Coverdale observes here, and in his epistle to the reader, that it was neither his labour nor desire to have this work put into his hand, but that being instantly required to undertake it, and the Holy. Ghost moving other men to be at the cost thereof, he was the more bold to take it in hand. He consideredhow great pity it was, that the English should want such a translation so long, and called to his remembrance the adversity of those, who were not only endowed with right knowledge, but would, with all their hearts, have performed that which they had begun, if no impediment had been in the way. Therefore, as he was desired, he took the more upon him, as he said, to set forth this special translation, not as a reprover or despiser of other mens labours, but lowly and faithfully following his interpreters, and that under correction. Of these, he said, he made use of five different ones, who had translated the scriptures, not only into Latin, but also into Dutch. He made this declaration, that he had neither wrested nor altered so much as one word, for the maintenance of any manner of sect, but hadwith a clear conscience, purely and faithfullytranslated out of the foregoing interpreters, having only the manifest scriptures before his eyes. This translation was divided into six tomes or parts, and Coverdaleprefixed to every book the contents of the several chapters, and not to the particular chapters, which was done afterwards. It is adorned throughout with wooden cuts, and in the margin are scripture references. In the last page it is said, " Prynted in the yeare of our Lorde ai.o.xxxv. and fynished the fourth day ofOctober." This Bible was reprinted in 1550, and again in 1553.. In the year 1537, the Bible was published a second time in English, entitled " The Bible, which is all the Holy Lewis's Flirt. of Translations, p. 23-25.
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