126 LIVES 01' THE PURITANS. 1560, and dedicated to Queen Elizabeth. The translators say, " They were employed in the work night and day, with fear and trembling; and they protest from their con- sciences, and call God to witness, that in every point and word, they have faithfully rendered the text, to the best of their knowledge." But the marginal notes giving some offence, it was not suffered to be printed in England till after the death of ArchbishopParker ; when it was printed in 1576, and soon passed through twentyor thirty editions.. This translation of the Bible has been lately published, under the title of " The Reformers' Bible." During the rage of persecution in the reign of Queen Mary, every effort was made for the suppression of the reformation, and the re-establishment of popery. The frauds, and impositions, and superstitions of the latter being ashamed of an examination, the people were not allowed to read the writings of protestants. Therefore, in the year 1555, her majesty issued her royal proclamation for suppressing the books of the reformers. Among the works enumerated in this proclamation, were those of Luther, Calvin, Latimer, Hooper, Cranmer,and Coverdale.t Soon after the accession of Queen Elizabeth, Dr. Cover- dale again returned to his native country. His bishopric was reserved for him, and he was repeatedly urged to accept it; but on account of the popish habits and cere- monies retained in Use church, he modestly refused. He assisted in the consecration of Archbishop Parker, in Lam- beth chapel, December 17, 1559. The ceremony was performed in a plain manner, by the imposition of hands and prayer. Coverdale, on this occasion, wore only a plain black gown; and because he could not with a good con- science come up to the terms of conformity, he was neglected, and for some time had no preferment.t He had the plague in the year 1563, but afterwards recovered. He was commonly called Father Coverdale. But on account of the neglect with which hewas treated, and the reproach which it brought upon the ruling prelates, Grindal, bishop of London, said, " Surely it is not well that he, who was in Christ before any of us, should be now in his age without stay of living. I cannot herein excuse us bishops." Grindal therefore in the above year, gave him the living of St. Strype's Parker, p. 205, 206.--Nears Puritans, vol. ii. p. 88. + Fox 's Martyrs, vol. iii. p. 226. Strype's Parker, p. 58-60.-Annals, vol. i. p. 366.-Neal's Puritans, vol. i. p. 165.
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