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The Life of Miles Coverdale sometimes Bishop of Exester, who died Anno Christi 1568.
* 1.1MIles Coverdale was born in the North of England, and from his childhood was much given to learning, and by his diligence and industry profited exceed∣ingly therein; so that in the reign of King Henry the eighth, he was one of the first that professed the Gospel in England.* 1.2 He was very well skilled in the Hebrew, and translated the Bible into English, and wrote sundry Books upon the Scriptures; which Doctrine being new and strange in those daies, he was much hated and persecuted for it,* 1.3 especially by the Bishops; whereupon he was forced to fly into the Low-Countries. There he printed the Bibles of his Translation, and by sending them over, and selling them in Eng∣land he maintained himself. But John Stokesly Bishop of London, hear∣ing thereof, and minding to prevent their dispersing in England, enqui∣red diligently where they were to be sold, and bought them all up, sup∣posing that by this means no Bibles would be had; but contrary to his expectation it fell out otherwise; for the same money which the Bishop gave for these Books, the Merchant sent over to Miles Coverdale, by which means he was enabled to Print as many more, which he also sent into England. This caused the Bishops to pursue him with such eager∣ness,* 1.4 that he was forced to remove himself out of Flanders into Germany, and to settle himself under the Palsgrave of the Rheine, where he found much favour. At first he taught children for his subsistence; but ha∣ving learned the Dutch language, the Prince Elector Palatine gave him a Benefice at a place called Burghsaber, where he did much good by his Ministry and holy life; maintaining himself partly by his Living, and partly by the liberality of Thomas Lord Cromwell, who was his good Lord, and relieved him very much.
At length, when by the happy coming in of King Edward the sixth, Religion was altered in England, and the Gospel had a free passage, he returned into his native Countrey,* 1.5 where he did very much good by Preaching.
At the time of the commotion in Devonshire for Religion, he was appointed to go down as Chaplain with the Lord Russell, who was sent to suppresse the same;* 1.6 and after the work was over, for his excellent learning and godly life he was made Bishop of Exester, being conse∣crated