DESTY. IN THIS PLACE I LAY MY BONES; SPARE YOUR TEARS, DEAR HUSBAND AND DAUGHTERS, AND BELIEVE THAT IT IS FORBIDDEN TO WEEP FOR ONE WHO LIVES IN GOD. BURIED IN PEACE, ON THE 3RD BEFORE THE NONES OF OCTOBER, IN THE CONSULATE OF FESTUS.

The close of the last inscription, it should be remarked, is not a little at variance with the Romish doctrine of purgatory. So also are the following;-BOLOSA, MAY GOD REFRESH THEE, AMERIMNUS TO RUFINA, MY DEAREST WIFE, THE WELL-DESERVING. MAY GOD REFRESH THY SPIRIT. The expression, May God refresh thee,' appears, as Dr. Maitland suggests, to be explained by the next. NICEPHORUS, A SWEET SOUL, IN THE PLACE OF REFRESHMENT. Again :-LAURENCE, TO HIS SWEETEST SON SEVERUS, BORNE AWAY BY ANGELS ON THE 7TH BEFORE THE IDES OF JANUARY. The expression, "borne away by angels," applied by our Lord to blessed Lazarus, can scarcely be supposed to imply a conveyance to expiatory flames.' Nor can the following:-MACUS, (OR MARCUS) AN INNOCENT BOY. YOU HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TO BE AMONG THE INNOCENT ONES. HOW ENDURING IS SUCH A LIFE TO YOU. From these epitaphs, as well as from others scattered throughout, this work, it is evident that the modern Romish notions on this subject were entirely unknown to the ancient Christians.'

"

Should we not recognise the finger of God in the striking arrangement by which the primitive church of Rome may be said, in an important sense, to have been raised from the dead to protest against many of the doctrines and practices of modern Rome? There it stands, in the very palace of Popery, a silent witness—but eloquent in its silence-against the distinctive tenets of the church which pretends to have succeeded it. The inscriptions of pagan Rome, which now confront it in the corridor of the Vatican, hardly present a greater contrast than would be seen were they to be replaced by a selection of the epitaphs of papal Rome. But in vain is the contrast exhibited, and the protest uttered; for, if they believe not Christ and his apostles, neither will they believe though a church rose from the dead. Let such Protestants, as are impatient to be more catholic and apostolic' than the reformers, choose between the primitive and the papal church of Rome. Dr. Maitland's volume is eminently a book for the times. Protestant 1 Christians are under great obligations to him for the valuable lessons on Christian archæology which it contains, and for the seasonable practical application which he has made of them. Our only regret is- -an unusual one-that the book is not larger.

6

'II.

ANNALS OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE.

(Continued from vol. i. page 432.)

THE interval between the death of WYCLIFFE and the rise of WILLIAM TYNDALE was one of the most extraordinary periods in human history. It was a seed-time of which the harvest has scarcely yet been reaped. The downfall of the eastern empire contributed immensely to stimulate pursuits which various circumstances had previously revived. Letters were cultivated with a diligence scarcely, if ever, surpassed. A new power was brought to light capable of multiplying the resources of the inquirer to an indefinite extent. It is an interesting fact, that the very first book, to the multiplication of which the art of printing by moveable types was ever applied, was the BIBLE. This was at Mentz, between the years 1450 and 1455. Of this splendid volume the reader will find an interesting account in Mr. Anderson's first vol. p. lv. Before the end of that century 'the press was busy, in at least two hundred and twenty different places throughout Europe, and the number of printing presses was far above a thousand, and the Mentz had been followed by above one hundred editions of the Latin Bible.' (Vol. i. p. lx.) The press was first employed in England by William Caxton, at Westminster. His first publication is generally assigned to about the year 1474. Westminster was soon followed by Oxford, Cambridge, York, and other places of inferior note.

'About the year 1460, the disposition to acquire Greek and Latin, as well as to promote its [their?] cultivation, had been shown by William Selling, the man who afterwards introduced Linacre to Politian, at Bologna. On returning from Italy, he brought with him no inferior collection of Greek and Roman manuscripts, which he had there collected; though, to his regret, they were soon after accidentally consumed by fire at Canterbury. Cornelius Vitellius, an Italian from Tuscany, first taught Greek at Oxford, as a schoolmaster in Magdalen College. Grocyn, a native of Bristol, was his pupil, and after visiting Italy, where he perfected his knowledge of languages, he became, on his return to Oxford, the first voluntary lecturer in Greek. Before the year 1490, Linacre and William Latimer followed in the same course, and all the three taught, more or less, within the walls of Magdalen.'-Vol. i. p. 23.

In 1497 Erasmus reached England.

Elated with what he

'He had come to commence his studies in Greek. had found, when writing to a friend in Italy, in December of that year, he says, "Here I have met with humanity, politeness, and learning; learning not trite and superficial, but deep, accurate, true old Greek and Latin

learning; and in that so much of it, that, but for curiosity, I have no occa sion to visit Italy. In Grocyn I admire an universal compass of learning. Linacre's acuteness, depth, and accuracy, are not to be exceeded." Pursuing his study of Greek, under Grocyn, throughout 1498 and part of the next year, he was now acquainted with Thomas Wolsey, just appointed bursar or treasurer to Magdalen College, and Jortin asserts, with Thomas

More, now at Canterbury Hall. He then proceeded to Paris. (In 1506) he paid a visit to Cambridge, and in 1508 he went to Italy. Returning to Cambridge in 1509, he there became the first Greek preceptor in that university. Eight years afterwards, Richard Croke, who had been the pupil of Grocyn, succeeded as the regular professor of Greek in Cambridge. Ib. p. 23.

The revival of literary zeal thus generally prevalent throughout Europe, and early indicated in our own country, was not long before it communicated its influence to the original language of the Old Testament, as well as that of the New.

in England [?] as well as on the continent, the art of printing was applied to the (Hebrew) language as early as 1477; ... and in 1488, there was printed at Soncino, the first edition of the Hebrew Bible entire. Nay, within the compass of a single year, and that so early as 1494, there were published no fewer than four editions of the Hebrew Bible, which almost immediately disappeared, so great was the interest awakened for [in?] Hebrew learning. In short, by the year 1526, there had been published fourteen editions of the Hebrew Bible with and without points.'-Ib. p. 25.

The honour of giving the first edition of the Greek New Testament to the world is sometimes ascribed to Cardinal Ximenes, but it is justly due to Erasmus. The Complutensian Polyglott (of which the Greek New Testament forms the fifth volume) bears, indeed, the date of 1514, but it was not published until 1522; by which time Erasmus had issued no fewer than three separate editions, the first of which was printed by Froben, at Basel, in 1516.

We have somewhat anticipated the course of our 'Annals,' but our object has been to present the influences which were preparatory, under God, to the hazardous undertaking of the great man to whom we owe the English Bible in its present form. Mr. Anderson has rendered good service, though after a very prolix fashion, by the materials which he has accumulated upon the family, birthplace, and entire history of the person to whom this observation relates. WILLIAM TYNDALE was born in the county of Gloucester, and within the hundred of Berkley, but whether at Stinchcomb or at North Nibley is uncertain. We suppose we must admit that his 'family' was of ancient residence in those parts, and, moreover, of honourable fame. He was born either in 1484, 5, or 6. There is a very strong probability' that he was the son of Thomas Tyndale, by Alicia Hunt, of North Nibley. William 'was brought up from his earliest years at Oxford.' He received his education in St. Mary Magdalen's Hall, immediately joining the college of

that name. His residence at Oxford terminated in 1519, when 'he removed to the University of Cambridge.' Previous to his leaving Oxford he had been engaged as a public lecturer. Such a man was not likely to enjoy such privileges as, according to the accounts already given, Oxford then afforded, without diligently improving them. Before he left, there is reason to believe, that he had cordially embraced those sentiments which afterwards, so happily influenced his daring and immortal career. Tyndale having completed his university studies, returned to his native county, where he abode for two years in the manor-house of Little Sodbury. The house is still standing, and Mr. Anderson has adorned his pages with two wood-cuts, which give us a fair notion of its near and more distant appearance in 1839. Tyndale lived there in the capacity of tutor to the family of Sir John Walsh.

'This gentleman, says Foxe, as he kept a good ordinary, there resorted to him many times, sundry abbots, deans, archdeacons, with divers other doctors, and great beneficed men, who there, together with Master Tyndale, sitting at the same table, did use, many times, to enter into communication. Then Tyndale, as he was learned and well practised in God's matters, so he spared not to show unto them simply and plainly his judg ment, and when they at any time did vary from his opinions, he would show them in the book, and lay before them the manifest places of the sacred Scriptures to confute their errors and confirm his sayings.'-And. vol. i. p. 32.

In the course of the discussions Tyndale often waxed somewhat warm;' at any rate, he made no secret of his real sentiments. Of his devotion to literature, especially in its bearing on religion, we have evidence in his translation of Erasmus's 'Hand-book for the Christian Soldier.' This he dedicated to Sir John and his Lady: after they had read and well penned the same, the doctorly prelates were no more so often invited. . . . . This they marked; supposing the change to have arisen from Tyndale's influence, they refrained, and at last entirely withdrew.' (Foxe, ibid. pp. 32,33.)

Tyndale's sayings and doings at Sodbury soon brought him into trouble. In 1522 he was summoned before the chancellor of the diocese, Dr. T. Parker, He was, however, graciously permitted, this time, to escape the infliction of any penalty.

'It was not long after this that Tyndale, happening to be in the company of a reputed learned divine, and in conversation having brought him to a point from which there was no escape, he (the divine) broke out with the exclamation, "We were better to be without God's laws than the pope's." "I DEFY THE POPE," said Tyndale, " and all his laws, and if God spare my life, ere many years I WILL CAUSE A BOY THAT DRIVETH THE PLOUGH TO KNOW MORE OF THE SCRIPTURES THAN YOU DO!"-Vol. i. p. 36.

Fraught with this holy purpose, and being now convinced that he could not safely remain any longer at Sodbury, Tyndale parted

from Sir John and came up to London in 1523. His first and only attempt to procure a patron having failed, towards the close of the year he took up his abode with Mr. Humphrie Munmouth,' a wealthy citizen and a future alderman of the city; and

า

'so,' he says, 'in London I abode almost a year, and marked the course of the world, and heard our preachers, how they boasted themselves and their high authority; and beheld the pomp of our prelates, and how busy they were to set peace and unity in the world: though it be not possible for them that walk in darkness to continue long in peace: and saw things whereof I defer to speak at this time; and understood at the last, not only that there was no room in my Lord of London's (Tonstal's) palace to translate the New Testament, but also that there was NO PLACE TO DO IT IN ALL ENGLAND.'-Vol. i. p. 39.

In the beginning of the year 1524, Tyndale left his native country never to return again. His immediate destination was Hamburgh; there he abode for about twelve months; thence he departed for Cologne, where we find that he had actually committed a part of his New Testament to the press by September, 1525. For this fact we are indebted to the research of Mr. Anderson. The reader will find the matter fully argued in vol. i. pp. 53-63. It has hitherto been supposed that Tyndale's first edition appeared at Antwerp in 1526. That this, however, is a complete mistake, we conceive our author has satisfactorily proved on the authority of Cochlæus, who, when an 'exile'* at Cologne, in 1525,

heard that there were two Englishmen (Tyndale and Roye) lurking there, learned, skilful in languages, whom, however, he never could see. Calling, therefore, certain printers into his lodging, after they were heated with wine, one of them, in more private discourse, discovered to him the secret by which England was to be drawn over to the side of Luther, namely, that three thousand copies of the Lutheran New Testament, translated into the English language, were in the press, and already were advanced as far as the letter K in ordine quarternionum. (4to.) He went therefore to Herman Rinck, a patrician of Cologne, and disclosed to him the whole affair. might ascertain all things more certainly, sent another person into the house where the work was printing, and when he had understood he went to the Senate,

He, (Rinck) that he

t

from him that the matter was even so, and so brought it about that the printer was interdicted from proceeding farther. The two English apostates, snatching away with them the quarto sheets printed, fled by ship to Worms, there, by another printer, they might complete the work begun.-Cochlai. Comm. de Actt. et Scriptt. M. Lutheri, pp. 153-156 ap.' And. vol.i. pp. 58, 593

that

A genuine copy of these 4to sheets has recently been discovered. Its history is remarkable, and but for our space, we should like to transcribe it for the interest of our readers. At Worms, Tyndale

* Cochlæus was at Spire in 1526, and returned to Cologne in 1527, but not as an exile.