The Lives of Twenty-Two Eminent English Divines, Biography 2
The Life of Miles Coverdale sometimes Bishop of Exester, who died Anno Christi 1568.
His Birth and Breeding.MIles Coverdale was born in the North of England, and from his childhood was much given to learning, and by his diligence and industry profited exceedingly therein; so that in the reign of King Henry the eighth, he was one of the first that professed the Gospel in England. The Bible translated.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,His flight. his Bibles printed. 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 England he maintained himself. But John Stokesly Bishop of London, hearing thereof, and minding to prevent their dispersing in England, enquired diligently where they were to be sold, and bought them all up, supposing 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 eagerness,He removes into Germany. 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 having 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,His return into England. 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;He is made Bishop of Exester. and after the work was over, for his excellent learning and godly life he was made Bishop of Exester, being consecrated thereunto at Lambeth, by Tho. Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury, Anno Christi 1550.
He most worthily performed that Office that was committed to him. He preached constantly every Sabbath and Holy day,His diligence in his place. and most commonly twice in the week he read a Divinity Lecture in one Church or other within the City of Exester. Considering his Means, he was a great lover of Hospitality, and kept a very good house. He was sober and temperate in his diet, holy and blamelesse in his life;His character. friendly to the godly, liberall to the poor, courteous to all men, void of pride, full of humility, abhorring covetousnesse, and an enemy to all wickednesse and wicked men, whose society he shunned, and whom he would in no wise intertain or keep in his house or company. His Wife was a most sober, chast and godly Matron: His houshold another Church in which was exercised all godlinesse and Vertue. He suffered no one person to abide in his house,His care of his Family. who could not give an account of his faith and Religion, and who lived not accordingly. And as he was very carefull to promote Religion in his Diocess, so was he as ready to give direction for good Government in all Ecclesiasticall affairs: And because himself was not skillfull therein, neither would be hindred from his godly studies, nor encumbred with worldly matters; and yet judging it meet that the Government should be carried on with all uprightnesse, Justice and Equity, he sent to Oxford for a learned man to be his Chancellour; and by the assistance of his Friends, he obtained Mr Robert Weston Doctor of the Civil Law (and afterwards Lord Chancellour in Ireland) unto whose fidelity he committed his Consistory, and the whole charge of his Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, allowing him,His liberallity. not only all the Fees belonging thereto, but also lodged, and found him, his Wife, and Family, horse and man within his own House, and gave him a pension of 40lb per annum besides, which was a very great matter in those daies; so liberall was this good Bishop in the allowance which he made to this good Chancellor. And surely the Bishop was no more godly and carefull in performing his Office of preaching, then his Chancellor was diligent, strict and just in doing of his Office without the reproach of partiality or bribery. Yet notwithstanding that this godly Bishop lived most holily, painfully, and virtuously,He is hated by the Papists. the common people (whose old bottels were not capable of new wine) could not brook nor digest him; and when they could find no other cause, this was judged a crime sufficient, that he was a Preacher of the Gospel, an enemy to Papistry, and an honest married man. Hereupon many devises were set on foot for his disgrace, and removing him out of his place; sometimes by slie and false informations against him, sometimes by open railing and false libels; sometimes by secret backbitings; yea at last their malice proceeded so far that they practised his death by poysoning; but by Gods good providence the snares were broken,A special providence. and he was delivered.
Having thus continued Bishop about three years, it pleased God to take away that famous English Josiah, King Edward: and his sister Mary succeeding him, the face of Religion was soon altered, and this good Bishop amongst others was deprived,His imprisonment. and clapt up in Prison: And though the malice of the then Prelates and Arch-Papists against him was very great, who also had sworn his death; yet it pleased God most miraculously to preserve and deliver him out of their hands, which was effected by this meanes.
The good King Christian of Denmark, having formerly known him at his being in Germany, His deliverance.wrote divers times, and sued so earnestly and effectually to Queen Mary for him, that at last he was dismissed out of Prison, and suffered to go over into Denmark. There he staied a while,He goes into Denmark. and afterwards, with the leave of the King, went into Germany to his former worthy friend the noble Elector of the Rheine, who most willingly received him, and restored him to his former Benefice of Burghsaber. The reason why he staied no longer with his deliverer the King of Denmark, but chose rather to go into the Palatinate, was, because he could Preach in the Dutch language,To the Palatinate. but not in the Danish Tongue.
At Burghsaber he remained a faithfull and painfull Preacher all Queen Maries daies, till hearing of her death, and of the change of Religion under Queen Elizabeth, he once again returned into his native Country.
His return into England.His Bishoprick was reserved for him till his return, and then sundry times profered him, but he would by no meanes accept thereof, but chose rather to live a more private life, yet not out of action; for he continued in London, teaching and preaching the Gospel so long as the strength of his body would permit; and at length being very old and stricken in years,His death. he died comfortably and peaceably in the Lord, being about eighty years old, January 20. Anno Christi 1568. and was honourably buried under a fair Stone in the Chancel of Bartholomews Exchange in London, upon which Stone is engraven this Epitaph.
In obitum Reverendissimi Patris, Milonis Coverdale OGDO ASTICHON.
Hic tandem requiemque ferens, finem que laborum,
Ossa Coverdali mortua Tumbus habet:
Exoniae qui Praesul erat dignissimus olim,
Insignis vitae vir probitate suae.
Octoginta annos grandaevus vixit, & unus
Indignum passus saepius exilium.
Sic demum variis jactatum casibus ista
Excepit gremio terra benigna suo.