122 LIVES OF TIIE PURITANS. that there were many faults in it. His majesty asked them whether it contained any heresies ; and when the bishops said they had found none, the king replied, " Then in the name of God let it go abroad among the people:** Coverdale's immense labours in publishing the various translations of the scriptures, exposed him to the wrath of the English bishops, by whom he was most severely perse- cuted for his pains: The angry prelates hunted him from place to place, which obliged him to flee from the storm, and continue many years in a foreign land. While in a state of exile, he printed the Bible, and sent it to be sold in England, by which means he obtained a comfortable support. This, however, could not long be concealed from the jealous eye of the Bishop of London ; who no sooner found what Coverdale was doing, than he inquired where the Bibles were sold, and bought them all up : supposing by this meanshe should be able to suppresstheir circulation. But God so ordered it, contrary to the prelate's expectations, that the merchant of whom the Bibles were purchased, sent the money to Coverdale ; whereby he was enabled to print more, and send them over to England.t This, indeed, roused the fury of the angry prelates, who, by their out- stretchedarms, reachedhim even in Holland; and toescape their potent malice, he was obliged to retire into Germany. He settled under the palsgrave of the Rhiene, where he found much favour. Here, upon his first settlement, he taught school for a subsistence. But havingafterw,ards learned the Dutch language, the Prince Elector Palatine conferred upon him the benefice of Burghsaber, where his faithful ministry and holy life were made a blessing to the people. During his continuance in this situation, he was maintained partly byhis benefice, and partly by Lord Cromwell, his liberal and worthy benefactont Upon the accession of Edward VI. the tyrannical cruelties of King Henry began immediately to relax ; the prison Strype's Cranmer, p. 444.-Burnet's list. Abridged, vol. iii. p. 31. 1 Clark's Lives, p.3. Coverdale was almoner to Queen Katharine Parr, the last wife of Henry VIII., and a great friend to the reformation. In the month of September 1548, he officiated at her funeral, and preached a sermon on the occasion; in which he declared, "That there shulde none there thinke, " saye, or spread abrode, that the offeringe which was there don anye thing " to proffyth the deade, bat for the poore onlye ; and also the lights which " were carried and strode abowte the corps, were for the honnour of the " person, and for none other intense nor purpose; and so wente throughe " with his sermonde, and made a godlye prayer," &e.-BiographicBriton. vol. iv. p.310, 311. Edit. 1778.
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