by the old school. He had learnt also of this incident in sufficient time for him to lay down at the press, one copy of his corrected New Testament, on vellum. Beautifully printed, with illuminations, it was bound in blue morocco, and the Queen's name, in large red letters, equally divided, was placed on the fore-edges of the top, side, and bottom margins: thus, on the top, ANNA; on the right margin fore-edge, Regina, and on the bottom, ANGLIE-Anne Queen of England.

The Translator, when he put forth his first edition, in that spirit which Christianity alone inspires, sunk his own name; and would have done so afterwards, but for the character and writings of his amanuensis, Roye; and this year the interference of Joye; but here he does so once more. Even his name is withdrawn, and with great propriety, all prefatory matter is omitted. Tyndale was no sycophant. There is no dedication, no compliment paid, as there never ought to be, to any human being, along with God's most holy Word. The history of this beautiful book, since it was handled by Anne Boleyn, above three hundred years ago, would have interested any reader; but all that can here be stated is, that the last private individual into whose possession it had come, was the late Rev. Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode. After his death, in April 1799, the volume came into its proper place, when, with his large and valuable library, it was bequeathed to the British Museum.

The Scriptures, as translated by Tyndale, were now coming more freely into England, and were reading in various places with all eagerness. No man was now molested abroad, as Mr. Harman had been, nor was any man to be tormented at home, for selling or buying, possessing or reading them, as had been the fashion too long. For the moment at least, the storm was changed into a comparative calm, and it is curious to contrast all this, with the doings of the Convocation, which sat in November and December. By their own journal, it appears that they addressed the King before rising.22 This was on the 19th of December, aud exhibited a striking proof of a house divided against itself. Their resolution passed both Houses of Convocation, in which they all agreed that Cranmer should make instance, in their names, to the King, that his Majesty

22 Journal of the Convocation, fol. 60.

would vouchsafe, for the increase of the faith of his subjects, to command that all his subjects in whose possession any books of suspected doctrine were, especially in the vulgar language, imprinted beyond or on this side the sea, should be warned, within three months to bring them in, under a certain pain, to be limited by him! And that, moreover, his Majesty would vouchsafe to decree, that the Scriptures should be translated into the vulgar tongue by some honest and learned men, to be nominated by the King, and to be delivered to the people according to their learning!

The first request exhibits the influence of Gardiner and Stokesly in the Convocation, the latter that of Cranmer; and it seems to be evident that the two parties must have come to a compromise, for the sake of each party securing, if possible, its favourite request; or this might be a feeler, put forth to ascertain more precisely the existing state of their master's mind. At all events, the two requests exhibit glaring inconsistency, since the books of suspected doctrine might be made to include all the Scriptures ever yet printed. How Cranmer acquitted himself with the King, is not upon record. There was, however, no interdict, no collecting of books; but the reader must not fail to observe next year, when Cranmer comes to attempt a translation of the New Testament, by actually employing these Bishops, what was the result, and how they wrangled.

Meanwhile, dreaming, as some of these men in this Convocation were, about the Scriptures being translated, for it was but a dream; what a singular contrast is presented in the editions of Tyndale printed this year, and the vindication of Harman, by the Queen herself, for importing them eight years ago! And now, if at last, after such long and vigilant pursuit, Tyndale himself was about to be betrayed into the snare so basely laid for him, his seizure will only add renewed vigour to the press. Besides the Testament by Joye, we have already mentioned Tyndale's own corrected edition finished only in November; but their year ran on to the 25th of March, and before that day we have not fewer than three impressions all dated in 1534. The books being nearly of one size, rather less than Tyndale's own, may be mistaken for the same edition, but there are various points of distinction.

I. "The Newe Testament, Anno MDXXXIIII." printed within an ornamented compartment; at the top, Jesus preaching an the Mount; on the right side, the brazen Serpent; on the left, Moses with the two tables, and at the bottom G. H. on a shield, perhaps the initials of the printer; the name, if found out, will appear in our list. II. "The Newe Testament, Anno MDXXXIIII." also in black letter, but not in a compartment, nor having any such initials affixed. These two books have been compared. The first is in the collection of Earl Pembroke at Wilton house, the second is in that of Lea Wilson, Esq. They are in the same type, but the folios of the first are paged throughout, the second is not paged at all; and there are various characteristic differences, both in the orthography and the disposition of the pages. III. "The New Testament, Anno MDXXXIII." also in a compartment with G. H. &c. This edition, imperfect, is in the Bodleian, and as described by Herbert p. 1543, and Dr. Cotton p. 131, might be mistaken for the first mentioned. But this book, though the numbering of the folios be often incorrect, runs from Matt. fol. i.-ccclx. falsely numbered ccclxii.; whereas the Testament at Wilton-House runs only from Matt. fol. i.-cccxlvii. This third book, however, owing to what Dr. Cotton has said, we have ranked under 1535, (see p. 455,) though perhaps the above might have been also placed there.

Besides these, there is in the Bristol Museum a Newe Testament in quarto, dated on the back 1534-certainly ancient, but the title-page is gone. Dr. Gifford thought it might have been printed in Scotland, as Lewis did, of one in 1536; but an acquaintance with the interesting state of Scotland, as about to be given, precludes every such conjecture.23

In justification of the anxiety felt by Tyndale respecting the reprints of his translation by others, it deserves notice, that in both the Testaments first mentioned, there is an omission which unfortunately became parent of the same mistake in not a few subsequent editions. It is in 1 Cor. xi. The words"This cup is the New Testament in my blood" are left out! The omission, though significant at such a time, could scarcely be intentional, as it could answer no end; but it occasioned the leaf to be reprinted in various instances afterwards.

Thus the contrast between the Convocation held in England and these busy men abroad, furnishes one of the most observable features of the time. It was like a flag of defiance hoisted in Antwerp, to signalize the moment, or the consequences, of Tyndale's apprehension.

23 With reference to these Testaments dated in 1534, it should here be observed, that in describing Lord Pembroke's copy, Lewis (pp. 79, 80,) has confounded it with the edition by Joye, already mentioned; and Lowndes, apparently thus misled, has attached to it the widow of Endhoven as the printer, thus representing another New Testament as coming from the same press, in the same month of the same year, with that of George Joye! Until another copy be found, that of Joye's in the Grenville Library must be regarded as unique. There is no such book at Wilton-House, in the Bristol Museum, or St. Paul's Library.

SECTION XII.

TYNDALE'S APPREHENSION AT ANTWERP-IMPRISONMENT IN THE CASTLE OF VILVORDE-DISTINCT INFORMATION CONVEYED TO CRUMWELL AND CRANMER-THE STRENUOUS EXERTIONS OF THOMAS POYNTZ-RISKING

HIS OWN LIFE, BUT IN VAIN-TYNDALE'S PROGRESS IN PRISON-STATE OF ENGLAND-KEY TO ITS COMMOTION-HENRY'S SUPREMACY-FISHER AND MORE FALL BEFORE IT-THE ODIUM ENSUING THE VISITATION OF MONASTERIES-CRANMER AND THE BISHOPS-CRANMER AND GARDINER IN COLLISION-THE LATTER OFFENDING HIS DEXTERITY OR ADDRESSHE IS TRANSLATING LUKE AND JOHN-GARDINER AND POLE-SPAINFRANCE GERMAN STATES, AND BARNES AS ENVOY-THE BISHOPS APPLIED TO FOR A TRANSLATION OF THE NEW TESTAMENT-A FRUITLESS ATTEMPT AND IN CONTRAST ONCE MORE, WITH FRESH EDITIONS OF TYNDALE'S TRANSLATION, PRINTED AND IMPORTING THIS YEAR.

THE last year turned out to be nothing more than a brief respite, or a transient gleam of sunshine. The present was distinguished throughout, by the imprisonment of Tyndale abroad; by the agitation and perplexity of public men, as well as by cruelty and bloodshed at home. The former was an exhibition of enmity to the truth on the part of its opponents; the latter, gave decided proof of fear for the safety of the throne. But before adverting to the peculiar state of affairs in England, we first proceed, as in previous years, to enquire respecting the Translator of the Scriptures.

After a thorough investigation of this period, there can remain no hesitation in ascribing the apprehension of Tyndale, to the influence and authority of the old party in England, in alarm at the steady progress of the "new learning." "A plan was laid," says Foxe, "for Tyndale being seized in name of the Emperor." By the name of the Emperor, as now mentioned, could be meant nothing more than the authority of the persecuting decrees he had sanctioned; but from any share in this plan, Henry, in the first instance, must be entirely exonerated; as the chief agents employed will turn out to have been as great enemies to the King of England, and his royal progress, as they were to Tyndale and his providential one. For years, it is true, Tyndale had been deemed a man of such importance, that he had enjoyed the dis

tinction of having been pursued by the agents of Wolsey the Cardinal, and of the King himself-of Sir Thomas More the Lord Chancellor, and even Crumwell, the future vicegerent; but in the final seizure, his Majesty had no concern whatever; though at last he will certainly come in for his full share in the guilt of Tyndale's death. In the concealment of this plot from Henry before it commenced or succeeded, we descry, not improbably, the existing powerful influence of the Queen, Anne Boleyn. Had she been apprised of it, and moved the King, this might have proved fatal to the scheme.

Up to this hour, it has all along been generally supposed, that there was only one man hired to apprehend our Translator; but there was a second, of far greater note as to character, joined with him, both in counsel and action; and so, says Halle, “he was betrayed and taken, as many said, not without the help and procurement of some Bishops of this realm." The help, partly consisting in money, of which we shall find, presently, there was no lack, is to be traced, therefore, to this source. The Bishops, in 1527, had leagued together under Warham, and contributed to the strange and fruitless project of buying up the New Testaments to burn them; and now, though Warham be gone, several survivors of the same temper, were still more eager to consign the Translator himself to the flames. That Stephen Gardiner, the Bishop of Winchester, who had succeeded against Fryth, was in the secret, and deeply concerned in the intrigue, there will be little or no doubt presently; but if so, he may have been the chief, for such was the well known temper of the man." Unless," says Bonner, who knew him well, "unless he was the only and chief inventor of any matter, he would have thwarted it.” Tutored and bred up under Wolsey, though the King and the Cardinal, Sir Thomas More and Crumwell, had not succeeded, and though abroad neither Hackett or West, Sir Thomas Elyot or any other agent, had been able to apprehend Tyndale; yet intimately acquainted with all circumstances, with persons and places, and of great address, there was no man now alive, who excelled Gardiner in gaining his end, by secret and circuitous methods. As his strength and skill lay in fetching a compass, like the gyrations of a hawk before pouncing on its prey, so was he much more likely to succeed in ensnaring Tyndale than any one who had previously