ued from it must needs be muddie. This moued S. Hierome a most
learned father, and the best linguist without controuersie, of his age,
or of any that went before him, to vndertake the translating of the Old
Testament, out of the very fountaines themselues; which hee performed
with that euidence of great learning, iudgement, industrie and faithful-
nes, that he hath for euer bound the Church vnto him, in a debt of
speciall remembrance and thankefulnesse.

Now though the Church were thus furnished with Greeke and Latine The tran
Translations, euen before the faith of CHRIST was generally embraced lating of

S. Hiero- in the Empire: (for the learned know that euen in S. Hieroms time, the

nym. Marcell. Zosim.

9.

the Scri

ture into

Consul of Rome and his wife were both Ethnicks, and about the same the vulg time the greatest part of the Senate also) yet for all that the godly- tongues. learned were not content to haue the Scriptures in the Language which 2. King. 7. themselues vnderstood, Greeke and Latine, (as the good Lepers were not content to fare well themselues, but acquainted their neighbours with the store that God had sent, that they also might prouide for themselues) but also for the behoofe and edifying of the vnlearned which hungred and thirsted after Righteousnesse, and had soules to be saued aswell as they, they prouided Translations into the vulgar for their Countreymen, insomuch that most nations vnder heauen did shortly after their conuersion, heare CHRIST speaking vnto them in their mother tongue, not by the voyce of their Minister onely, but also by the written word translated. If any doubt hereof, he may be satisfied by examples enough, if enough wil serue the turne. First S. Hieron. S. Hierome saith, Multarum gentiu linguis Scriptura antè translata, docet præf. in 4. falsa esse quæ addita sunt, &c. i. The Scripture being translated before Euangel. in the languages of many Nations, doth shew that those things that were S. Hieron. added (by Lucian or Hesychius) are false. So S. Hierome in that place. Sophronio. The same Hierome elsewhere affirmeth that he, the time was, had set forth the translation of the Seventy, suæ linguæ hominibus. i. for his countreymen of Dalmatia. Which words not only Erasmus doth vnderstand to purport, that S. Hierome translated the Scripture into the Dalmatian tongue, but also Sixtus Senensis, and Alphonsus à Castro (that we speake of no more) men not to be excepted against by them of Rome, doe ingenuously confesse as much. So, S. Chrysostome that liued in S. Hieromes time, giueth euidence with him: The doctrine of S. Chry- S. Iohn (saith he) did not in such sort (as the Philosophers did) vanish sost. in away: but the Syrians, Egyptians, Indians, Persians. Ethiopians, and Iohan.cap. 1. hom. I. infinite other nations being barbarous people, translated it into their (mother) tongue, and haue learned to be (true) Philosophers, he meaneth Theodor.5. Christians. To this may be added Theodorit, as next vnto him, both Therapeut. for antiquitie, and for learning. His words be these, Euery Countrey that is under the Sunne, is full of these wordes (of the Apostles and

Six. Sen.

lib. 4.

Alphon. à
Castro. lib.
I. ca. 23.

li. 12,

Chron.

tatur idem

Prophets) and the Hebrew tongue (he meaneth the Scriptures in the Hebrew tongue) is turned not onely into the Language of the Grecians, but also of the Romanes, and Egyptians, and Persians, and Indians, and Armenians, and Scythians, and Sauromatians, and briefly into all the Languages that any Nation vseth. So he. In like maner, pilas is reported by Paulus Diaconus and Isidor (and before them by Sozomen) P. Diacon. to haue translated the Scriptures into the Gothicke tongue: Iohn Bishop of Siuil by Vasseus, to haue turned them into Arabicke, about the yeere Chron. Isidor. in of our Lord 717: Beda by Cistertiensis, to haue turned a great part of Goth. Sothem into Saxon: Efnard by Trithemius, to haue abridged the French zom. li. 6. Psalter, as Beda had done the Hebrew, about the yeere 800: King cap. 37. Alured by the said Cistertiensis, to haue turned the Psalter into Saxon: Vaseus in Methodius by Auentinus (printed at Ingolstad) to haue turned the Scriptures into Sclauonian: Valdo, Bishop of Frising by Beatus Polydor. Hispan. Rhenanus, to haue caused about that time, the Gospels to be trans- Virg. 5. lated into Dutch-rithme, yet extant in the Library of Corbinian: histor. An Valdus, by diuers to haue turned them himselfe, or to haue gotten them glorum tes turned into French, about the yeere 1160: Charles the 5. of that name, de Aluredo surnamed The wise, to haue caused them to be turned into French, nostro. about 200. yeeres after Valdus his time, of which translation there be Auentin. many copies yet extant, as witnesseth Beroaldus. Much about that lib. 4. * Circa time, euen in our King Richard the seconds dayes, Iohn Treuisa annum translated them into English, and many English Bibles in written hand 900. are yet to be seene with diuers, translated as it is very probable, in that B. Rheage. So the Syrian translation of the New Testament is in most learned nan. remens Libraries, of Widminstadius his setting forth, and the Psalter in rum German.lib.2. Arabicke is with many, of Augustinus Nebiensis setting foorth. So Postel affirmeth, that in his trauaile he saw the Gospels in the Ethiopian tongue; And Ambrose Thesius alleageth the Psalter of the Indians, which he testifieth to haue bene set forth by Potken in Syrian characters. So that, to haue the Scriptures in the mother-tongue is not a quaint conceit lately taken vp, either by the Lord Cromwell in England, or by the Lord Radeuil in Polonie, or by the Lord Vngnadius in the Emperours Thuan. dominion, but hath been thought vpon, and put in practise of old, euen from the first times of the conuersion of any Nation; no doubt, because it was esteemed most profitable, to cause faith to grow in mens hearts the sooner, and to make them to be able to say with the words of the lingnes of Psalme, As we haue heard, so we have seene.

The vnwil

our chiefe

Aduer

saries, that the Scriptures

should be

di

Beroald.

Psal. 48. 8.

Now the Church of Rome would seeme at the length to beare a motherly affection towards her children, and to allow them the Scrip- dŵpov adwtures in their mother tongue: but indeed it is a gift, not deseruing to po KOUK ὀνήσιμον. be called a gift, an vnprofitable gift: they must first get a Licence in Sophocles.

writing before they may

vse

tongue, &c

vse them, and to get that, they must approue themselues to their uulged in the mothe Confessor, that is, to be such as are, if not frozen in the dregs, yet sowred with the leauen of their superstition. Howbeit, it seemed too See the ob- much to Clement the 8. that there should be any Licence granted to seruation haue them in the vulgar tongue, and therefore he ouerruleth and (set forth frustrateth the grant of Pius the fourth. So much are they afraid by Clemen. his autho- of the light of the Scripture, (Lucifuga Scripturarum, as Tertullian rity) vpon speaketh) that they will not trust the people with it, no not as it is set the 4. rule foorth by their owne sworne men, no not with the Licence of their of Pius the owne Bishops and Inquisitors. Yea, so vnwilling they are to com4. his makmunicate the Scriptures to the peoples vnderstanding in any sort, that they are not ashamed to confesse, that wee forced them to translate it into English against their wills. This seemeth to argue a bad cause, pag. 15. or a bad conscience, or both. Sure we are, that it is not he that hath ver. 5. Tertul. de good gold, that is afraid to bring it to the touch-stone, but he that hath the counterfeit; neither is it the true man that shunneth the light, but the malefactour, lest his deedes should be reproued: neither is it the plaine dealing Merchant that is vnwilling to haue the waights, or the meteyard brought in place, but he that vseth deceit. But we will let them alone for this fault, and returne to translation.

ing in the Index, lib. prohib.

resur. carnis.

Ioan. 3.20.

Hath the nurse
Hath the bread

this worke

Many mens mouths haue bene open a good while (and yet are not The speastopped) with speeches about the Translation so long in hand, or ches and rather perusals of Translations made before: and aske what may be the reasons, both of ou reason, what the necessitie of the employment: Hath the Church bene brethren, deceiued, say they, all this while? Hath her sweet bread bene mingled and of ou with leauen, her siluer with drosse, her wine with water, her milke with AduersaS. Iren. 3. lime? (Laɛte gypsum malè miscetur, saith S. Ireney,) We hoped that ries agains lib.cap. 19. we had bene in the right way, that we had had the Oracles of God deliuered vnto vs, and that though all the world had cause to be offended and to complaine, yet that we had none. holden out the breast, and nothing but winde in it? bene deliuered by the fathers of the Church, and the same proued to be lapidosus, as Seneca speaketh? What is it to handle the word of God deceitfully, if this be not? Thus certaine brethren. Also the Neh. 4. 3. aduersaries of Iudah and Hierusalem, like Sanballat in Nehemiah, mocke, as we heare, both at the worke and workemen, saying; What doe these weake lewes, c. will they make the stones whole againe out of the heapes of dust which are burnt? although they build, yet if a foxe goe vp, he shall euen breake downe their stony wall. Was their Translation good before? Why doe they now mend it? Was it not good? Why then was it obtruded to the people? Yea, why did the Catholicks (meaning Popish Romanists) alwayes goe in ieopardie, for refusing to goe to heare it? Nay, if it must be translated into English, Catholicks

1

A satisfaction to our : brethren.

aduers.

are fittest to doe it. They haue learning, and they know when a thing
is well, they can manum de tabulâ. Wee will answere them both
briefly: and the former, being brethren, thus, with S. Hierome, Damna- S. Hieron.
mus veteres? Minimè, sed post priorum studia in domo Domini quod Apolog.
possumus laboramus. That is, Doe we condemne the ancient?
In no Ruffin.
case: but after the endeuours of them that were before us, wee take the
best paines we can in the house of God. As if hee said, Being prouoked
by the example of the learned that liued before my time, I haue
thought it my duetie, to assay whether my talent in the knowledge of
the tongues, may be profitable in any measure to Gods Church, lest I
should seeme to haue laboured in them in vaine, and lest I should be
thought to glory in men, (although ancient,) aboue that which was in
them. Thus S. Hierome may be thought to speake.

And to the same effect say wee, that we are so farre off from
condemning any of their labours that traueiled before vs in this kinde,
either in this land or beyond sea, either in King Henries time, or King
Edwards (if there were any translation, or correction of a translation
in his time) or Queene Elizabeths of euer-renoumed memorie, that we
acknowledge them to haue beene raised vp of God, for the building
and furnishing of his Church, and that they deserue to be had of vs
and of posteritie in euerlasting remembrance. The Iudgement of
Aristotle is worthy and well knowen: If Timotheus had not bene, we Arist. 2.
had not had much sweete musicke; but if Phrynis (Timotheus his master) metaphys.
bad not beene, wee had not had Timotheus. Therefore blessed be they, cap. 1.
and most honoured be their name, that breake the yce, and giue th
onset vpon that which helpeth forward to the sauing of soules. Now
what can bee more auaileable thereto, then to deliuer Gods booke vnto
Gods people in a tongue which they vnderstand? Since of an hidden S. Epi-
treasure, and of a fountaine that is sealed, there is no profit, as phan. loco
Ptolomee Philadelph wrote to the Rabbins or masters of the lewes, as
witnesseth Epiphanius: and as S. Augustine saith; A man had rather be S. August-
with his dog then with a stranger (whose tongue is strange vnto him.) in. lib. 19.
Yet for all that, as nothing is begun and perfited at the same time, and de ciuit.
the later thoughts are thought to be the wiser: so, if we building vpon
their foundation that went before vs, and being holpen by their labours,
doe endeuour to make that better which they left so good; no man,
we are sure, hath cause to mislike vs; they, we perswade our selues, if
they were aliue, would thanke vs. The vintage of Abiezer, that strake
the stroake: yet the gleaning of grapes of Ephraim was not to be
despised. See Iudges 8. verse 2. Ioash the king of Israel did not Iudges 8.2.
satisfie himselfe, till he had smitten the ground three times; and yet 2. Kings
Aquila, of whom wee 13. 18, 19.
spake before, transla-

hee offended the Prophet, for giuing ouer then.

ted

antè citato.

Dei c. 7.

cap. 3.

ted the Bible as carefully, and as skilfully as he could; and yet he thought good to goe ouer it againe, and then it got the credit with the S. Hieron. Lewes, to be called κarà ȧкpíßeιav, that is, accuratly done, as Saint in Ezech. Hierome witnesseth. How many bookes of profane learning haue bene gone ouer againe and againe, by the same translators, by others? Of one and the same booke of Aristotles Ethikes, there are extant not so few as sixe or seuen seuerall translations. Now if this cost may bee bestowed vpon the goord, which affordeth vs a little shade, and which to day flourisheth, but to morrow is cut downe; what may we bestow, nay what ought we not to bestow vpon the Vine, the fruite whereof maketh glad the conscience of man, and the stemme whereof abideth for euer? And this is the word of God, Ierem. 23. which we translate. What is the chaffe to the wheat, saith the Lord? Tanti vitreum, quanti verum margaritum (saith Tertullian,) if a toy of Tertul. ad glasse be of that rekoning with vs, how ought wee to value the true Martyr. Sitanti pearle? Therefore let no mans eye be euill, because his Maiesties is vilissimum good; neither let any be grieued, that wee haue a Prince that seeketh

28.

vitrum, quanti pretiosis

simum Margari

tum:

Saluin.

the increase of the spirituall wealth of Israel (let Sanballats and Tobiahs doe so, which therefore doe beare their iust reproofe) but let vs rather blesse God from the ground of our heart, for working this religious care in him, to haue the translations of the Bible maturely considered of and examined. For by this meanes it commeth to passe, that Hieron. ad whatsoeuer is sound alreadie (and all is sound for substance, in one or other of our editions, and the worst of ours farre better then their autentike vulgar) the same will shine as gold more brightly, being rubbed and polished; also, if any thing be halting, or superfluous, or not so agreeable to the originall, the same may bee corrected, and the trueth set in place. And what can the King command to bee done, that will bring him more true honour then this? and wherein could they that haue beene set a worke, approue their duetie to the King, yea their obedience to God, and loue to his Saints more, then by yeelding their seruice, and all that is within them, for the furnishing of the worke? But besides all this, they were the principall motiues of it, and therefore ought least to quarrell it for the very Historicall trueth is, that vpon the importunate petitions of the Puritanes, at his Maiesties comming to this Crowne, the Conference at Hampton Court hauing bene appointed for hearing their complaints: when by force of reason they were put from all other grounds, they had recourse at the last, to this shift, that they could not with good conscience subscribe to the Communion booke, since it maintained the Bible as it was there translated, which was as they said, a most corrupted translation. And although this was iudged to be but a very poore and emptie shift; yet euen hereupon did his Maiestie beginne to bethinke himselfe of the good that might ensue by a new translation, and presently after