Myles Coverdale
The Right Reverend Myles Coverdale | |
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Puritan " in his later life. |
Myles Coverdale, first name also spelt Miles (1488 – 20 January 1569), was an English ecclesiastical reformer chiefly known as a
Life to end of 1528
Regarding his probable birth county, Daniell cites John Bale, author of a sixteenth-century scriptorium, giving it as Yorkshire.[2][note 1] His birth date is generally regarded as 1488.
Coverdale studied philosophy and theology at
Coverdale probably met
First exile, 1528
From 1528 to 1535 Coverdale spent most of his time in continental Europe, mainly in Antwerp. Celia Hughes believes that upon arriving there, he rendered considerable assistance to William Tyndale in his revisions and partial completion of his English versions of the Bible.[7]: 100 [note 4] In 1531, Tyndale spoke to Stephen Vaughan of his poverty and the hardships of exile, although he was relatively safe in the English House in Antwerp, where the inhabitants supposedly enjoyed diplomatic immunity.[8] However, in the spring of 1535 a "debauched and villainous young Englishman wanting money" named Henry Phillips insinuated himself into Tyndale's trust. Phillips had gambled away money from his father and had fled abroad. He promised the authorities of the Holy Roman Emperor that he would betray Tyndale for cash. On the morning of 21 May 1535, having arranged for the imperial officers to be ready, Phillips tricked Tyndale into leaving the English House, whereupon he was immediately seized. Tyndale languished in prison throughout the remainder of 1535 and despite attempts to have him released, organised by Cromwell through Thomas Poyntz at the English House, Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake in October 1536. Meanwhile Coverdale continued his work alone to produce what became the first complete English Bible in print, namely the Coverdale Bible. Not yet proficient in Hebrew or Greek, he used Latin, English and German sources plus the translations of Tyndale himself.
Coverdale's translation of the Bible, 1535
In 1534 Canterbury Convocation petitioned Henry VIII that the whole Bible might be translated into English. Consequently, in 1535, Coverdale dedicated this complete Bible to the King.
Further translations, 1537–1539
In 1537 the Matthew Bible was printed, also in Antwerp, at the expense of Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch who issued it in London.[9]: 1058 It comprised Tyndale's Pentateuch; a version of Joshua 2 and Chronicles translated from the Hebrew, probably by Tyndale and not previously published; the remainder of the Old Testament from Coverdale; Tyndale's New Testament from 1535. It was dedicated to Henry VIII who licensed it for general reading. "Thomas Matthew", the supposed editor, was an alias for John Rogers.
The Matthew Bible was theologically controversial.[11] Furthermore it bore evidence of its origin from Tyndale. If Henry VIII had become aware of this, the position of Cromwell and Cranmer would have been precarious. Consequently in 1538 Coverdale was sent to Paris by Cromwell to superintend the printing of the planned "Great Bible".[note 8] François Regnault, who had supplied all English service books from 1519 to 1534, was selected as the printer because his typography was more sumptuous than that available in England.[2] According to Kenyon, the assent of the French king was obtained.[11] In May 1538 printing began. Nevertheless, a coalition of English bishops together with French theologians at the Sorbonne interfered with the operations and the Pope issued an edict that the English Bibles should be burned and the presses stopped. Some completed sheets were seized, but Coverdale rescued others, together with the type, transferring them to London.[note 9] Ultimately, the work was completed in London by Grafton and Whitchurch.[note 10]
Also in 1538, editions were published, both in Paris and in London, of a diglot (dual-language) New Testament. In this, Coverdale compared the Latin Vulgate text with his own English translation, in parallel columns on each page.[12][13][note 11]
An injunction was issued by Cromwell in September 1538, strengthening an earlier one that had been issued but widely ignored in 1536. This second injunction firmly declared opposition to "pilgrimages, feigned relics, or images, or any such superstitions" whilst correspondingly placing heavy emphasis on scripture as "the very lively word of God". Coverdale’s Great Bible was now almost ready for circulation and the injunction called for the use of "one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume" in every English church.[14][15] However at the time insufficient Great Bibles were actually printed in London so an edition of the Matthew Bible that had been re-edited by Coverdale started to be used.[note 12] The laity were also intended to learn other core items of worship in English, including the Creed, the Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments.[6]: 406
In February 1539, Coverdale was in Newbury communicating with Thomas Cromwell.[16] The printing of the London edition of the Great Bible was in progress.[2] It was finally published in April of the same year.[17] John Winchcombe, son of "Jack O'Newbury", a famous clothier, served as a confidential messenger to Coverdale who was performing an ecclesiastical visitation. Coverdale commended Winchcombe for his true heart towards the King's Highness and in 1540, Henry VIII granted to Winchcombe the manor of Bucklebury, a former demesne of Reading Abbey.[18] Also from Newbury, Coverdale reported to Cromwell via Winchcombe about breaches in the king's laws against papism, sought out churches in the district where the sanctity of Becket was still maintained, and arranged to burn primers and other church books which had not been altered to match the king's proceedings.
Sometime between 1535 and 1540 (the exact dates being uncertain), separate printings were made of Coverdale's translations into English of the psalms. These first versions of his psalm renditions were based mainly or completely upon his translation of the Book of Psalms in the 1535 Coverdale Bible.
In the final years of the decade, the conservative clerics, led by
Second exile, 1540–1547
In April 1540 there was a second edition of the Great Bible, this time with a prologue by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Cranmer. For this reason, the Great Bible is sometimes known as Cranmer’s Bible although he had no part in its translation. According to Kenyon,[11] there were seven editions in total, up until the end of 1541, with the later versions including some revisions.
Before leaving England, Coverdale married Elizabeth Macheson (d. 1565), a Scotswoman of noble family who had come to England with her sister and brother-in-law as religious exiles from Scotland.[2] They went first to Strasbourg, where they remained for about three years. He translated books from Latin and German and wrote an important defence of Barnes. This is regarded as his most significant reforming statement apart from his Bible prefaces. He received the degree of DTh from Tübingen and visited Denmark, where he wrote reforming tracts. In Strasbourg he befriended Conrad Hubert, Martin Bucer's secretary and a preacher at the church of St Thomas. Hubert was a native of Bergzabern (now Bad Bergzabern) in the duchy of Palatine Zweibrücken. In September 1543, on the recommendation of Hubert, Coverdale became assistant minister in Bergzabern as well as schoolmaster in the town's grammar school. During this period, he opposed Martin Luther's attack on the Reformed view of the Lord's Supper. He also began to learn Hebrew, becoming competent in the language, as had been Tyndale.[2]
Return to England, 1548
Edward VI (1547–53) was only 9 years old[19] when he succeeded his father on 28 January 1547. For most of his reign he was being educated, whilst his uncle, Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford, acted as Lord Protector of the Realm and Governor of the King's Person. Immediately upon receiving these appointments he became Duke of Somerset. Coverdale did not immediately return to England, although the prospects looked better for him. Religious policy followed that of the chief ministers and during Edward's reign this moved towards Protestantism. However in March 1548 he wrote to John Calvin that he was now returning, after eight years of exile for his faith. He was well received at the court of the new monarch. He became a royal chaplain in Windsor, and was appointed almoner to the queen dowager, Catherine Parr. At Parr's funeral in September 1548, Coverdale delivered what would later be said to have been his "1st Protestant sermon".[20]
On 10 June 1549, the
Bishop of Exeter, 1551
Coverdale spent Easter 1551 in Oxford with the Florentine-born Augustinian reformer
Third exile, 1553–1559
Edward VI died of
On 24 October 1558, Coverdale received leave to settle in Geneva.[24][2] Commenting on his contribution to the Geneva Bible (the exact details of which are scarce), Daniell says: "Although his Hebrew, and ... now his Greek, could not match the local scholars' skills, Coverdale would no doubt have special things to offer as one who nearly two dozen years before had first translated the whole Bible ... the only Englishman to have done so, and then revised it under royal authority for the successive editions of the Great Bible." On 29 November 1558 Coverdale was godfather to John Knox's son. On 16 December he became an elder of the English church in Geneva, and participated in a reconciling letter from its leaders to other English churches on the continent.[citation needed]
London, 1559–1569
In August 1559, Coverdale and his family returned to London, where they lodged with the Duchess of Suffolk, whom they had known at Wesel.[2] He was appointed as preacher and tutor to her children. He wrote to William Cole in Geneva, saying that the duchess had "like us, the greatest abhorrence of the ceremonies" (meaning the increasing reversion to the use of vestments).[note 16]
His stance on vestments was one of the reasons why he was not reinstated to his bishopric. However Hughes believes that it is likely that in his own opinion, he felt too elderly to undertake the responsibility properly.
Legacy
Coverdale's legacy has been far-reaching, especially that of his first complete English Bible of 1535. For the 400th anniversary of the Authorised King James Bible, in 2011, the Church of England issued a resolution, which was endorsed by the General Synod.[26] Starting with the Coverdale Bible, the text included a brief description of the continuing significance of the Authorised King James Bible (1611) and its immediate antecedents:
- The Coverdale Bible (1535)
- The Matthew Bible (1537)
- The Great Bible (1539)
- The Geneva Bible (1557, the New Testament; 1560, the whole Bible)
- The Bishops' Bible (1568)
- The Rheims-Douai Bible (1582, the New Testament; 1609-1610, the whole Bible)
- The Authorised King James Bible (1611)
As indicated above, Coverdale was involved with the first four of the above. He was partially responsible for Matthew's Bible.[2][note 17] In addition to those mentioned above, he produced a diglot New Testament in 1538.[7]: 101 He was extensively involved with editing and producing the Great Bible. He was also part of the group of "Geneva Exiles" who produced the Geneva Bible[2] – the edition preferred, some ninety-five years later, by Oliver Cromwell's army and Parliamentarians.
Coverdale's translation of the
Miles Coverdale was a man who was loved all his life for that ‘singular uprightness’ recorded on his tomb. He was always in demand as a preacher of the gospel. He was an assiduous bishop. He pressed forward with great work in the face of the complexities and adversities produced by official policies. His gift to posterity has been from his scholarship as a translator; from his steadily developing sense of English rhythms, spoken and sung; and from his incalculable shaping of the nation's moral and religious sense through the reading aloud in every parish from his ‘Bible of the largest size’.
David Daniell, ‘Coverdale, Miles (1488–1569)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, October 2009 accessed 15 February 2015.
Coverdale is honoured, together with
Works
- Remains of Myles Coverdale: Containing Prologues to the Translation of the Bible, Treatise on Death, Hope of the Faithful, Exhortation to the Carrying of Christ's Cross, Exposition Upon the Twenty-Second Psalm, Confutation of the Treatise of John Standish, Defence of a Certain Poor Christian Man, Letters, Ghostly Psalms and Spiritual Songs. (1846)
- Writings and Translations of Myles Coverdale: The Old Faith, A Spiritual and Most Precious Pearl, Fruitful Lessons, A Treatise on the Lord's Supper, Order of the Church in Denmark, Abridgment of the Enchiridion of Erasmus (1844)
- Memorials Of The Right Reverend Father In God Myles Coverdale, Sometime Lord Bishop Of Exeter; Who First Translated The Whole Bible Into English: Together With Divers Matters Relating To The Promulgation Of The Bible, In The Reign Of Henry The Eighth (1838)
- The Letters Of The Martyrs: Collected And Published In 1564 With A Preface By Miles Coverdale (1838)
See also
Notes
- Coverdale, a hamlet in North Yorkshire, but neither is this elsewhere substantiated. Daniell says that no details are known of his parentage or early education, so simply Yorkshire is the safest conclusion.
- ^ Daniell states "BCL according to Cooper, BTh according to Foxe." At the time, such students had to gain proficiency in both subjects.
- ^ But Trueman also says that Barnes was incorporated BTh in Cambridge university in 1522-3, followed in 1523 by the award of a DTh., so Barnes' return from Louvain was probably in about 1522.
- ^ Hughes cites four twentieth century authors in support of this view, having said that some older biographers discount the suggestion. Daniell states firmly that Coverdale and Rodgers were with Tyndale in Antwerp in 1534, whilst discounting the account of Foxe (1563) that Coverdale travelled to Hamburg to assist Tyndale in planned printing work.
- ^ The colophon of the bible itself states this exact date.
- ^ In his dedication to King Henry, Coverdale explains that he has ‘with a clear conscience purely and faithfully translated this out of five sundry interpreters’. Daniell explains that this means Tyndale, Luther, the Vulgate, the Zürich Bible, and Pagninus's Latin translation of the Hebrew.
- ^ The following is Guido Latré's citation for: ... it was Coverdale's glory to produce the first printed English Bible, and to leave to posterity a permanent memorial of his genius in that most musical version of the Psalter which passed into the Book of Common Prayer, and has endeared itself to generations of Englishmen. Darlow,T.H. & Moule,H.F., Historical Catalogue of the printed Editions of Holy Scripture in the Library of the British and Foreign Bible Society, 2 vols., London and New York, 1963 (1st ed. 1903) p.6
- ^ The description ‘Great Bible’ is justified, since it measured 337 mm by 235 mm.
- ^ A further detail, possibly apocryphal, is that additional sheets were re-purchased as waste paper from a tradesman to whom they had been sold. Foxe (1563) wrote that they had been proffered as hat linings
- ^ A special copy on vellum, with illuminations, was prepared for Cromwell himself, and is now in the library of St. John’s College, Cambridge.
- ^ General Note (by Bodleian Library): English and Latin in parallel columns; the calendar is printed partly in red; this edition repudiated by Coverdale on account of the faulty printing.
- ^ Rychard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch finally printed the London large folio edition of the Great Bible in 1539. Coverdale compiled it, based largely on the 1537 Matthew’s Bible, which had been printed in Antwerp from translations by Tyndale and Coverdale.
- ^ A later writer recalled that ‘none of the clergy were ready to risk life with Russell's expedition but old Father Coverdale’ (A Brieff Discours, cited by Daniell, p. 232). On the field at Woodbury Windmill, Coverdale ‘caused general thanksgiving to be made unto God’ (Mozley – see Daniell, 15).
- ^ Her reign was dated from 24 July.
- ^ In November 1553 and April 1554 both Peter Martyr and the king of Denmark refer to him as having been a prisoner.
- ^ Daniell cites Mozley, 23, in support of this detail, which is useful in illustrating how, by that time, Coverdale's theology had developed beyond the accepted mainstream of the Elizabethan reforms.
- ^ According to Daniell, the second half of the Old Testament of the Matthew's Bible was Coverdale's translation.
- ^ Still used as Hymn No. 153 of the English Hymnal – "Come Holy Ghost, our souls inspire, ..." (NEH No. 138) with English words by Bishop Cosin, music by Thomas Tallis. See The English Hymnal – With Tunes, First ed. Ralph Vaughan Williams, London: Oxford University Press, 1906.
References
- ^ George Oliver, Lives of the Bishops of Exeter, p.272
- ^ doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/6486. Retrieved 17 February 2015. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ^ Anon. "Early Printed Bibles – in English – 1535–1610". British Library – Help for Researchers – Coverdale Bible. The British Library Board. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
- ^ required.)
- ^ Salzman, L.F. (ed.). "'Friaries: Austin friars, Cambridge.' A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 2 pp287-290". British History online. London: Victoria County History, 1948. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
- ^ ISBN 0-300-05342-8.
- ^ ISSN 0301-102X. Retrieved 29 March 2015.
- required.)
- ^ ISBN 0-19-211655-X.)
{{cite book}}
:|last1=
has generic name (help)CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link - ^ Latré, Guido. "The Place of Printing of the Coverdale Bible". Tyndale org. K. U. Leuven and Université Catholique de Louvain, Belgium, 2000. Retrieved 7 April 2015.
- ^ a b c Kenyon, Sir Frederic G. "The Great Bible (1539–1541) – from Dictionary of the Bible". Charles Scribner’s Sons, New York, 1909. Retrieved 14 March 2015.
- ^ Anon. "English Short Title Catalogue – New Testament, Latin, Coverdale, 1538. Original title – The New Testamen [sic] both in Latin and English after the vulgare texte, which is red in the churche translated and corrected by Myles Couerdale". British Library. British Library Board – Original publishers: Paris :Fraunces Regnault ..., prynted for Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch cytezens of London, M.ccccc.xxxviii [1538] in Nouembre. Cum gratia & priuilegio regis. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ Coverdale, Myles. "The newe testamente [electronic resource] : both Latine and Englyshe ech correspondent to the other after the vulgare texte, communely called S. Ieroms. Faythfully translated by Myles Couerdale. Anno. M.CCCCC.XXXVIII. Coverdale, Miles". SOLO – Search Oxford Libraries Online. Printed in Southwarke : By Iames Nicholson. Set forth wyth the Kynges moost gracious licence, 1538. Retrieved 14 April 2015.
- ^ required.)
- ^ Rex, Richard, "The Crisis of Obedience: God’s Word and Henry’s Reformation", The Historical Journal, V. 39, no. 4, December 1996, pp. 893–4.
- ^ King, Richard John. "Berkshire History: Biographies: Miles Coverdale (1488–1569)". Berkshire History. David Nash Ford. Archived from the original on 5 November 2012. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
- ^ Anon. "English Short Title Catalogue – Full View of Record – Uniform title – English Great Bible". British Library. British Library Board – Original publisher Rychard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch, Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum, April 1539. Retrieved 16 March 2015.
- ^ Ditchfield, P H; Page, W. "'Parishes: Bucklebury.' A History of the County of Berkshire: Volume 3, pp291 – 296". British History Online. London: Victoria County History, 1923. Retrieved 10 March 2015.
- ^ ISBN 9780191726514. (entry Edward VI).
- ^ Murray, John (1872). A Handbook for Travellers in Gloucestershire, Worcestershire, and Herefordshire. Gloucestershire: J Murray. pp. 162–163.
- ^ Eamon Duffy, The voices of Morebath: reformation and rebellion in an English village, New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, p. 133.
- ^ The Church of England – A Christian presence in every community. "A Church Near You". St Andrew, Sampford Courtenay. © 2015 Archbishops' Council. Retrieved 7 May 2015.
- ^ Somerset to Sir Philip Hobby, 24 August 1549. In: Gilbert Burnet, The history of the Reformation of the Church of England, ed. Nicholas Pocock, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1865, vol. V., pp. 250–151. Cited in: Roger B. Manning, "Violence and social conflict in mid-Tudor rebellions," Journal of British Studies, vol. 16, 1977, pp. 18–40 (here p. 28)
- ISBN 978-0-19-861412-8. (Subscription or UK public library membershiprequired.)
- ISBN 0-684-84747-7. p. 180.
- ^ Anon. "Diocesan Synod Motion – Confidence in The Bible – 11/04/2011" (PDF). Church of England. Church of England General Synod. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
- ^ Marlowe, Michael D. "Coverdale's Psalms". Bible Research – Internet Resources for Students of Scripture Online since February 2001. Michael D. Marlowe, 2001 – 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2015.
- ^ Peterson W S and Macys V. "Psalms – The Coverdale translation" (PDF). Little Gidding: English Spiritual Traditions – 2000. Authors. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
- ^ Leaver, Robin A. (1982). "A Newly-Discovered Fragment of Coverdale's Goostly Psalmes". Jahrbuch für Liturgik und Hymnologie. 26: 130–150.
External links
- Stephen, Leslie, ed. (1887). . Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 12. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
- Pollard, Albert Frederick (1911). . In Chisholm, Hugh (ed.). Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 7 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 343–344.
- Coverdale Bible online
- Myles Coverdale at Find a Grave
- Royal Berkshire History: Miles Coverdale (1488–1569)
- Works by Myles Coverdale at Post-Reformation Digital Library
- Works by Myles Coverdale at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks)