in Lambeth Library, wherein are contained fourteen Homilies, several other Treatifes, the Lord's Prayer, the Apoftles' Creed, with large Explanations, in a Dialect very different from the old Saxon, but fomewhat near to our prefent English, as it was fpoken after the Norman Invafion: And he looks upon thofe various Readings collected from four Manuscripts, which Spelman published with Alfred's Pfalter, to be fo many different Tranflations.

Bale, Script. Brit. cent. 2. c. 27. relates how King Athelstan caused the Holy Scriptures to be tranflated out of the Hebrew, into the English Saxon Tongue by certain Jews, who ('tis probable) had been converted to Chriftianity, and quotes Malmesbury for a Witness. This Archbishop Uber places to the Year 930.

Elfric or Elfred Abbot of Malmesbury, and afterwards Anno 995. Archbishop of Canterbury, tranflated the Pentateuch, Joshua, Judith, Part of the Books of Kings, Hefter, and Maccabees; he dyed 1006. He hath a Preface before the Book of Genefis, in which he answers that common Objection against tranflating the Scriptures, taken from the evil Use unlearned and ignorant Perfons may make of them. And although the Latin Tongue was then generally ufed in Divine Offices, yet the Tyranny of the Romish Church had not then fo far prevailed, as to detain the People in a brutish Ignorance; but that the whole Order of Divine Service might be understood by all, the Miffal was published with Latin on one Side, and English (that is the Saxon) on the other, one of which is preserved in Ben'et College Library in Cambridge. The Five Books of Mofes, Jofbua, Judges, of Elfric's Tranflation, Primate Uber tells us, are preferved in Cotton's Library; as there is alfo a Pfalter with feveral Hymns of the Old and New Teftament, with the Apoftles' and Athanafian Creed, with an English Interlineary Tranflation. The Book was written Anno 1049, as it is noted at the latter End of it.

Certainly, whatever the Romanifts may imagine, the Tranflation of the Scriptures, and their Offices, were no lefs neceffary to the Clergy, than the common People. The Priefts Lips, fay they, fhould keep Knowledge, and the People fhould feek the Law at his Mouth; depend upon him with an implicit Faith, and a blind Devotion: But what if the Priest neither understands the Scriptures nor his Prayers? Then, if ever, the Blind leads the Blind. At this Time Learning was at a very low Ebb, as is manifeft from King Alfred's Letter to Bishop Wulffig in Mx. Wharton's Auctarium. Indeed (fays he) Knowledge is fo entirely vanished from the English, that there are very few of the Clergy on this Side of the Humber, that can either tranflate a Piece of Latin, or fo much as understand their common Prayers, fo as to give the Meaning of them in their Mother Tongue. Nay, they were fo few that he could not find one that could do it on the South of the Thames when he began to reign. And Matthew Paris in the Life of the Conqueror fays, Clerici quoque Ordinati adeo literatura carebant, ut cateris effent fupori, qui Grammaticam didiciffent. To this Degree of Ignorance they were funk, that the Latin was become an unintelligible Language.

Long before Wickliff's Tranflation fome Hundred Years, (as Tho James conjectures, Car. Fa. p. 225.) came forth a Tranflation of the

whole

whole Bible in English, whereof they have three Copies in Oxford, one in the Publick Library, one in Christ Church Library, and the other in Queen's College. This Archbishop Uber places to the Year 1290. Before it is a large Preface, and in it the Tranflator treats of the Authority and Ufe of the Holy Scriptures, reckons the Canonical Books according to the Hebrews; tells us how he had compared several Copies, confulted the Expofitions of the Fathers, and the Glofles of learned Men; recommends the Study of them to all, both Men and Women, to the Learned and Unlearned; and laments the Obftinacy of the Clergy, in oppofing it: He fays, they dote that condemn the tranflating the Scriptures into the Mother Tongue, fince they were written for our Learning, and Chrift commanded that the Gospel should be preached to all Nations; and there had been innumerable Translations made in most of the known Languages. This Tranflation Mr. Wharton in his Audarium ab Anno 1290 believes to be erroneously adfcribed to Wickliff, in all the Manufcripts that he had seen, those Inferiptions, he judges, were after added by unwary Readers, who meeting with an anonymous Tranflation, immediately fathered it upon Wickliff, whofe Name was famous amongst the English Interpreters; and rather thinks it belongs to Trevifa. About the Year 1340 Richard Hampole made an English Tranflation of the Pfalms, and commenting upon those Words of the Pfalmift, And take not the Word of thy Truth utterly out of my Mouth, Pfal. cxix. 43. declared his Judgment concerning the Neceflity of the Scriptures in the Vulgar Language.

Richard Fitz-Ralph, commonly called Armachanus, is faid to have tranflated the Bible into Irish: He was firft Archdeacon of Litchfield, then made Chancellor of Oxford, and afterwards promoted to the Archbishoprick of Armagh in Ireland, Anno 1347, and died Anno 1360. About the fame Time John Thursby Archbishop of York, a Prelate of great Piety and Learning, published a Manual in English for the Inruction of his Diocefe; it is an Expofition upon the Creed, the Lord's Prayer, and Ten Commandments; wherein he condemns the Prelates and Clergy, who then began to withhold the Ufe of the Scriptures from the People. He died Anno 1373.

John Trevifa, Vicar of Berkley in Cornwall, at the Defire of his Patron the Lord Berkley, tranflated the Old and New Teftament into the English Tongue. This Archbishop Uber places to the Year 1360, but Mr. Wharton, with better Reafon, to 1387. This did not bring him under any Perfecution; for notwithstanding he lived almoft Ninety Years, we do not find him difturbed for any Singularities of Opinion, as they were then counted. He died 1397.

God alfo ftirred up Wickliff to tranflate the fame again out of the Latin of St. Jerom, into the English of thofe Times, about the Year 1380, the Saxon Tongue being not then commonly understood. He fet a large Preface before it, in which he reflected feverely on the Corruptions of the Romish Clergy, and condemned the worshipping of Saints and Images, denied the Corporal Prefence of Chrift's Body in the Sacrament, and exhorted all People to the Study of the Scriptures. His Bible, with his Preface, was well received by a great many, who were led into thefe Opinions rather by the Impreflions which common

Senfe and plain Reafon made on them, than by any deep Speculation or Study.

Wickliff, commonly called the Apostle of England, was one of the moft eminent Divines of his Time, fays Knighton, Professor of Divinity in Oxford, and preferred to the Wardenthip of Canterbury College, by the Founder Archbishop flip, but was afterwards turned out by Archbishop Langham, who alfo got an Order from King Richard the 2d. to the University to banifh him, which it complied with. Wickliff being thus perfecuted, and his Doctrines condemned by a Synod at London, went into Bohemia, but afterwards returned into England, and lived the Remainder of his Time, and died undisturbed at his Parish of Lutterworth in Leicestershire, Anno 1384. His Bones were dug up Forty Years after, and ordered to be burnt, by a Decree of the Council of Conftance, and his Afhes caft into the next River Anno 1428, thinking. thereby to damn and obliterate his Memory.

Against this Tranflation (after it had been ordered to be burnt) Butler, a Francifcan, wrote his Treatife Anno 1401, wherein he alledges, that the promifcuous Ufe of the Scriptures hath been a great Occafion of Errors and Herefies, and therefore they ought to be withheld from the People. About the fame Time one Sillby preached a Sermon at Paul's Crofs before the Bishop of London on this Subject: He was oppofed by fome, who objected to him the Authority of many learned Men; among the rest of Hampole before mentioned. They alfo applied to him that Saying of St. Paul's to Elymas the Sorcerer, Acts xiii. 10. O full of Subtlety and all Mischief, thou Child of the Devil, thou Enemy of all Righteoufness, wilt thou not ceafe to pervert the right Ways of the Lord?

Fox, in his Preface before his Edition of the Saxon Gofpels, printed Anno 1571, tells us; that in a Parliament in the Reign of Richard the 2d. a Bill was brought in for prohibiting all Bibles in the English Tongue, but was thrown out: John Duke of Lancaster, a Favourer of Wickliff, inveighed tharply againft it, faying, We will not be the Dregs (the Tail) of all Mankind, feeing other Nations have the Law of God (which is the Rule of our Faith) in their own Tongues; which (with an Oath) he faid he would maintain against thole that brought in the Bill. Others added, that if the Gofpel in the English was the Caufe of Errors and Herefies in the World; let them confider that there were more Hereticks amongst the Latins, than amongst thofe that used any other Tranflation; for the Popes Decrees reckon up Sixty-fix Hereticks that ufe the Latin. This Frimate Ufher places to the Year 1390.

Anno 1394, Ann Sifter to Wenceslaus King of Bohemia, and Queen to Richard the 2d. King of England, died; at whofe Funeral Thomas Arundel, at that Time Archbishop of York, made her Funeral Oration; in this he especially commended her, for that the, though a Foreigner, (a Bohemian) conftantly ftudied the Four Gofpels, which the read in the English Tongue, with fome learned Comments thereon.

It feems there were then extant various Tranflations of the Bible, and that feveral others befides Wickliff had undertaken that Work. then it is no Innovation to tranflate the Scriptures; and lefs to fuffer thofe Tranilations to be promifcuoufly read by all Sorts of People. It VOL. III.

E

was,

was, we know, feverely imputed to the Scribes and Pharifees by our Saviour, that they took from the People the Key of Knowledge, by their falfe Gloffes and Interpretations, Luke xi. 52; but they never attempted what hath been fince practifed by the Church of Rome, to take away the Ark of the Teftament itself, and cut off not only the Efficacy, but the very Poffeffion of the Word of God from the People; as if they were fo afraid they fhould understand them, that they dare not suffer them fo much as to be acquainted with them. For in the Year 1407, fays Archbishop Usher, 1406, fays Archbishop Parker, 1408, fays Linwood and Collier, Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury, in a Synod held at Oxford to give a Check to the Progrefs of the Lollards, decreed in these Words, Can. 7. It is a dangerous Thing, as St. Jerom affures us, to tranflate the Scriptures, it being very difficult in a Verfion to keep close to the Senfe of the Infpired Writers; for by the Confeffion of the fame Father, be had mistaken the Meaning of feveral Texts. We therefore conftitute and ordain, that from hence-forward, no unauthorized Perfon shall translate any Part of Holy Scripture into English, or any other Language, under any Form of Book or Treatife; neither shall any fuch Book, Treatife, or Verfion, made either in Wickliff's Time, or fince, or which hereafter shall be made, be read either in Whole or in Part, Publickly or Privately, under the Penalty of the Greater Excommunication, till the faid Tranflation fhall be approved either by the Bifop of the Diocefe, or a Provincial Council, as Occafion fhall require. And whosoever shall do contrary hereunto, fhall be punished as an Encourager of Herefies and Errors. Whereupon enfued grievous Perfecutions.

The Words feem to intimate, that there were English Translations of the Bible more ancient than that of Wickliff, and that the Use of them had never been by any Law prohibited before. Gascoign in his Dictionary makes this Obfervation on the Manner of Arundel's Death; that he was feized with a Diftemper in his Tongue, fo that he could neither fwallow nor fpeak for fome Days before he died, which many looked upon as a Judgment upon him for not fuffering the Scriptures

to be read in his Time.

The reading of Wickliff's Tranflation was prohibited, as appears by this Canon, not fimply as a Verfion in the Vulgar Tongue, but as difapproved by the Church, because the Tranflator was not thought to have rendered the Original faithfully; and according to the full Import and true Meaning of the Text, or at least because it was not a Work of Authority, it being not thought convenient to allow every private Perfon the Liberty of tranflating the Scriptures. Archbishop Arundel, one would think, could not be of Opinion that it was fimply unlawful to render, or to read the Holy Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue; because he had justly applauded Queen Ann for reading them (as was before obferved) and in thofe very Conftitutions which prohibit the reading of Wickliff's Books, or any other Verfion by Perfons unauthorized, it is declared this Prohibition fhould only continue in force till fuch Tranflation fhould be approved by a Provincial Council, or the Bishop of the Diocefe; which fuppofes in the Judgment of that Prelate, there might be Reafon why fuch Tranflation fhould be approved, when faithfully done, and by Perfons duly authorized to that End.

About this Time Pope Alexander the 5th condemned all Tranflations

of

of the Scriptures in the Vulgar Tongue, of whom it was prophefied, that in the Year 1409 one fhould arife that should perfecute the Gospel, Epiftles, and Faith of Chrift.

Stow records, that Reginald Peacock, Bishop of Chichester, spent many Years in tranflating the Scriptures into English, for which (amongit other Heretical Opinions) he was profecuted by the Bishops, and deprived of his See Anno 1457. But Mr. Wharton in his Auctarium, p. 444. fays, this is a manifeft Miftake, whereas there is no Mention of any thing of this in the Catalogue of his Writings, publifhed by himfelf a little before his Death. Neither doth any thing of this appear in the Articles exhibited against him, which would not have been omitted, it being a Crime condemned in the Synod at Oxford, in the Beginning of this Century, by Archbishop Arundel. Nevertheless he thought they ought to be tranflated for the Ufe of all, as appears from several Places in his Writings; that they are a Privilege and Right of every Member of the Chriftian Church, which cannot, without Impiety to God, and Injuftice to it and them, be taken away and impeached, though fome fhould make a wrong Ufe of them; and exhorts all to the diligent Reading of them.

Men and Women were now frequently delated (amongst other Articles) for reading the New Teftament in English, condemned by the Church, and delivered over to the Secular Magiftrate to be punished. But this did not produce the defired Effect. This Cruelty was looked on as an Evidence of a weak Caufe; this Method wrought only on People's Fears, and made them more cautious and referved, but did not at all work on their Reafons or Affections. The Corruptions of the Church of Rome in her Worship and Doctrine were fuch, that a very fmall Proportion of Common Senfe, but with a tranfient Look on the New Teftament, difcovered them, and laid open the Impostures with which the World had been abufed.

On the fpreading of Luther's Doctrine in the Reign of King Henry the 8th, William Tyndal, alias Hickins, bred firft in Oxford, then in Cambridge, being molested and vexed by the Romish Priests upon the Account of Religion, was forced to leave the Realm, and travelled into the farther Parts of Germany, where he converfed with Luther and other learned Men of thofe Parts. After fome Time he came down into the Netherlands, and fixed at intwerp; where, confidering with himself how to reduce his Brethren and Country-men of England to the fame State and Understanding of God's Holy Word and Truth, which the Lord had endued him withal, thought no Way or Means more likely to conduce thereunto, than if the Scriptures were tranflated into the Vulgar Tongue, that the poor People might alfo read and fee the plain Word of God. Whereupon he began with the New Testament, and with the Help of one John Fryth, tranflated it out of the Greek Original, Finished, Printed, and Published it; to which he added fome short Gloffes. Fryth was bred at Cambridge, where he made a confiderable Proficiency in the Latin and Greck Languages. His Parts and Improvements made him taken Notice of by Cardinal Wolfey, who defigned him, with fome other Perfons of Eminence, for his new Foundation of Chriff's Church in Oxford; but in July 1552, he was burnt in Smith

E 2

field