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was this: how that he was at the place where the stake was pight, where he should be burned, which (as he thought in his dream) was at the town's end where the butts! stood, which was so indeed; and also he dreamed that he met with his father, as he went to the stake, and also that there was a priest at the stake, which went about to have him recant. To whom he said (as he thought in his dream), how that he bade him away false prophet, and how that he exhorted the people to beware of him and such as he was, which things came to pass indeed. It happened that William made a noise to himself in his dream, which caused M. Higbed and the others to awake him out of his sleep, to know what he lacked. When he awaked, he told them his dream in order as is said.

Now when it was day, the sheriff, M. Brocket called on to set forward to the burning of William Hunter. Then came the sheriff's son to William Hunter, and embraced him in his right arm, saying, William, be not afraid of these men, which are here present with bows, bills, and weapons, ready prepared to bring you to the place, where you shall be burned.' To whom William answered, I thank God I am not afraid; for I have cast my count, what it will cost me, already. Then the sheriff's son could speak no more to him for weeping.

Then William Hunter plucked up his gown, and stepped over the parlour grounsel, and went forward cheerfully, the sheriff's servant taking him by one arm, and his brother by another; and thus going in the way, he met with his father according to his dream, and he spake to his son, weeping, and saying, God be with thee, son William;' and William said, 'God be with you, good father, and be of good comfort, for I hope we shall meet again, when we shall be merry. His father said, 'I hope so, William,' and so departed. So William went to the place where the stake stood, even according to his dream, whereas all things were very unready. Then William took a wet broom faggot, and kneeled down thereon, and read the 51st psalm, till he came to these words, 'The sacrifice of God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and a broken heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.'

But

Then said Master Tyrell of the Bratches, called William Tyrell, Thou liest,' said he; thou readest false, for the words are, "an humble spirit." William said, 'The translation saith "a contrite heart." "Yea,' quoth Mr Tyrell, the translation is false; ye translate books as ye list yourselves, like heretics.' 'Well,' quoth William, 'there is no great difference in those words.' Then said the sheriff, 'Here is a letter from the queen: if thou wilt recant, thou shalt live; if not, thou shalt be burned.' 'No,' quoth William, I will not recant, God willing.' Then William rose, and went to the stake, and stood upright to it. Then came one Richard Pond, a bailiff, and made fast the chain about William.

Then said Master Brown, Here is not wood enough to burn a leg of him.' Then said William, 'Good people, pray for me; and make speed, and dispatch quickly; and pray for me while ye see me alive, good people, and I will pray for you likewise.' 'How!' quoth Master Brown, 'pray for thee? I will pray no more for thee than I will pray for a dog.' To whom William answered, Master Brown, now you have that which you sought for, and I pray God it be not laid to your charge in the last day; howbeit, I forgive you.' Then said Master Brown, I ask no forgiveness of thee. Well,' said William, if God forgive you not, I shall require my blood at your hands.'

6

Then said William, 'Son of God, shine upon me!' and immediately the sun in the element shone out of a dark cloud so full in his face, that he was constrained to look another way, whereat the people mused, because it was so dark a little time afore. 1 Archery butts.

Then William took up a faggot of broom and embraced it in his arms.

Then this priest which William dreamed of, came to his brother Robert with a popish book to carry to William, that he might recant, which book his brother would not meddle withal. Then William, seeing the priest, and perceiving how he would have showed him the book, said, 'Away, thou false prophet! Beware of them, good people, and come away from their abominations, lest that you be partakers of their plagues.' Then, quoth the priest, Look how thou burnest here, so shalt thou burn in hell.' William answered, 'Thou liest, thou false prophet! Away, thou false prophet! away!'

Then there was a gentleman which said, I pray God have mercy upon his soul.' The people said, Amen, Amen.'

Immediately fire was made. Then William cast his psalter right into his brother's hand, who said, William, think on the holy passion of Christ, and be not afraid of death.' And William answered, 'I am not afraid.' Then lift he up his hands to heaven, and said, Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit!" And casting down his head again into the smothering smoke, he yielded up his life for the truth, sealing it with his blood to the praise of God.

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Oxford, completing it by a residence of considerable duration at Paris, where he enjoyed the friendship of many learned men. Leland was one of the earliest Greek scholars in England, was acquainted with French, Italian, and Spanish, and studied, what few then gave any attention to, the Welsh and Saxon. Henry VIII. made him one of his chaplains, and bestowed sundry benefices upon him. Having a strong natural bent to antiquities, he obtained from the king a commission to inspect records, wherever placed, and, armed with this, he proceeded upon a tour of the whole kingdom, at once to visit the remains of ancient buildings, tumuli, and other objects surviv

ing from an early age, and to make researches in the libraries of colleges, abbeys, and cathedrals. In six years, he collected an immense mass of valuable matters, some of which he deposited in the king's library. The writings which he subsequently composed, with reference to his favourite pursuits, convey a most respectful impression of his diligence, and of the value of his labours; but they present little attraction, except to readers of peculiar taste. Some are in Latin; but the most important is in English, namely his Itinerary,-an account of his travels, and of the ancient remains which he visited, together with a catalogue of English writers. Leland was for the two last years of his life insane, probably from enthusiastic application to his favourite study, and died in London in 1552.

GEORGE CAVENDISH.

*

divers times in the year, at which time there wanted no preparations, or goodly furniture, with viands of the finest sort that might be provided for money or friendship; such pleasures were then devised for the king's comfort and consolation, as might be invented, or by man's wit imagined. The banquets were set forth with masks and mummeries, in so gorgeous a sort and costly manner, that it was a heaven to behold. There wanted no dames or damsels, meet or apt to dance with the maskers, or to garnish the place for the time with other goodly disports. Then was there all kind of music and harmony set forth, with excellent voices both of men and children. I have seen the king suddenly come in thither in a mask, with a dozen of other maskers, all in garments like shepherds, made of fine cloth of gold, and fine crimson satin paned, and caps of the same, with visors of good proportion of visnomy; their hairs, and beards, either of fine gold wire, or else of silver, and some being of black silk; having sixteen torch bearers, besides their At this time lived GEORGE CAVENDISH, gentle- drums, and other persons attending upon them, with man-usher to Cardinal Wolsey, and afterwards em- visors, and clothed all in satin, of the same colours. ployed in the same capacity by Henry VIII. To the And at his coming, and before he came into the hall, former he was strongly attached, and after the prelate's fall, he continued to serve him faithfully till ye shall understand that he came by water to the watergate, without any noise, where, against his comhis death. Cavendish himself died in 1557, leaving, were laid charged many chambers, and at his ing, in manuscript, a Life of Cardinal Wolsey, in landing they were all shot off, which made such a which, while he admits the arrogant disposition of rumble in the air, that it was like thunder. It made his old master, he highly extols his general charac- all the noblemen, ladies, and gentlewomen, to muse ter.t Mr S. W. Singer has printed, for the first time, what it should mean coming so suddenly, they sitting Metrical Visions by Cavendish, concerning the for- quietly at a solemn banquet. Then, immetunes and fall of some of the most eminent per- diately after this great shot of guns, the cardinal desons of his time. Respecting the Life of Wolsey, sired the lord chamberlain and comptroller to look he observes: There is a sincere and impartial what this sudden shot should mean, as though he adherence to truth, a reality, in Cavendish's narra- knew nothing of the matter. They thereupon looking tive, which bespeaks the confidence of his reader, out of the windows into Thames, returned again, and and very much increases his pleasure. It is a showed him, that it seemed to them there should be work without pretension, but full of natural elo- some noblemen and strangers arrived at his bridge, as quence, devoid of the formality of a set rhetorical ambassadors from some foreign prince. composition, unspoiled by the affectation of that Then quoth the cardinal to my lord chamberlain, ‘I classical manner in which all biography and history pray you,' quoth he, show them that it seemeth me of old time was prescribed to be written, and which that there should be among them some noblemen, often divests such records of the attraction to be whom I suppose to be much more worthy of honour to found in the conversational style of Cavendish. * sit and occupy this room and place than I; to whom Our great poet has literally followed him in several I would most gladly, if I knew him, surrender my passages of his King Henry VIII., merely putting place according to my duty.' Then spake my lord his language into verse. Add to this the historical chamberlain unto them in French, declaring my lord importance of the work, as the only sure and authen- cardinal's mind; and they rounding him again in tic source of information upon many of the most the ear, my lord chamberlain said to my lord cardiinteresting events of that reign; and from which nal, Sir, they confess,' quoth he, that among them all historians have largely drawn (through the secon- there is such a noble personage, whom, if your Grace dary medium of Holinshed and Stow, who adopted can appoint him from the other, he is contented to Cavendish's narrative), and its intrinsic value need disclose himself, and to accept your place most not be more fully expressed.' worthily.' With that the cardinal, taking a good advisement among them, at the last, quoth he, Me seemeth the gentleman with the black beard should be even he.' And with that he arose out of his chair, and offered the same to the gentleman in the black beard, with his cap in his hand. The person to whom he offered then his chair was Sir Edward Neville, a comely knight of a goodly personage, that much more resembled the king's person in that mask than any other. The king, hearing and perceiving the cardinal so deceived in his estimation and choice, could not forbear laughing; but plucked down his visor, and Master Neville's also, and dashed out with such a pleasant countenance and cheer, that all noble estates3 there assembled, seeing the king to be there amongst them, rejoiced very much. The cardinal eftsoons1 desired his highness to take the place of estate, to whom the king answered, that he would go first and shift his apparel; and so departed, and went straight into my

[King Henry's Visits to Wolsey's House.]

*

And when it pleased the king's majesty, for his recreation, to repair unto the cardinal's house, as he did

* 1. Assertio Inclytissimi Arturii, Regis Britanniæ. London:

1543. 4to.

2. Commentarii de Scriptoribus Britannicis. Oxford: 1709. 3. De Rebus Britannicis Collectanea. Oxford: 1715.

This work did not appear in print till 1641, when it was published under the title of The Negociations of Thomas Wolsey; but as the chief object of sending it forth was to reconcile the nation to the death of Archbishop Laud, by draw ing a parallel between the two prelates, the manuscript, before it went to the press, was greatly mutilated by abridgment and interpolation. A correct copy was, however, published in 1810 by Dr Wordsworth, in the first volume of his Ecclesiastical Biography;' and it has since been reprinted separately in 1825,

by Mr Samuel Weller Singer, along with a dissertation by the
Rev. Joseph Hunter, proving the author to have been George
Cavendish, and not his brother Sir William, as stated in the
Biographia Britannica, and later publications.

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lord's bedchamber, where was a great fire made and prepared for him, and there new apparelled him with rich and princely garments. And in the time of the king's absence, the dishes of the banquet were clean taken up, and the table spread again with new and sweet perfumed cloths; every man sitting still until the king and his maskers came in among them again, every man being newly apparelled. Then the king took his seat under the cloth of estate, commanding no man to remove, but sit still, as they did before. Then in came a new banquet before the king's majesty, and to all the rest through the tables, wherein, I suppose, were served two hundred dishes, or above, of wondrous costly meats and devices, subtilly devised. Thus passed they forth the whole night with banquetting, dancing, and other triumphant devices, to the great comfort of the king, and pleasant regard of the nobility there assembled.

the second time made another leap and a fell cry, and stepped forward a little; and the Englishmen removed not one foot. Thirdly again, they leaped and cried, and went forth till they came within shot; then they shot fiercely with their cross-bows. Then the English archers stepped forth one pace, and let fly their arrows so wholly and thick that it seemed snow. When the Genoese felt the arrows piercing through heads and arms and breasts, many of them cast down their cross-bows, and did cut their strings, and returned discomfited. When the French king saw them flee away, he said, 'Slay these rascals, for they shall let and trouble us without reason.' Then ye should have seen the men-at-arms dash in among them, and killed a great number of them, and ever still the Englishmen shot whereas they saw the thickest press; the sharp arrows ran into the men-at-arms and into their horses; and many fell horse and men among the Genoese; and when they were down, they could not relieve again; the press was so thick that one overthrew another. And also, among the Englishmen, LORD BERNERS, another favourite of Henry VIII., there were certain rascals that went on foot with great under whom he was chancellor of the exchequer, and knives, and they went in among the men-at-arms, and governor of Calais, is known chiefly as the author murdered many as they lay on the ground, both earls, of a translation of the French chronicler, Froissart. barons, knights, and squires, whereof the King of EngHis version of that fascinating narrative of contem-land was after displeased, for he had rather they had porary events in England, France, Flanders, Scot- been taken prisoners. land, and other countries,* was executed by the king's command, and appeared in 1523. It is an excellent sample of the English language of that period, being remarkable for the purity and nervousness of its style. Lord Berners wrote also The History of the Most Noble and Valiant Knight, Arthur of Little Britain, and other works, translated from the French and Spanish; he was likewise the author of a book on The Duties of the Inhabitants of Calais. From his translation of Froissart (which was reprinted in 1812), we extract the following

passages:

LORD BERNERS.

[Pattle of Cressy.]

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When the French king saw the Englishmen, his blood changed, and (he) said to his marshalls, Make the Genoese go on before, and begin the battle in the name of God and St Denis.' There were of the Genoese cross-bows about a fifteen thousand, but they were so weary of going a-foot that day, a six leagues, armed with their cross-bows, that they said to their constables, 'We be not well ordered to fight this day, for we be not in the case to do any great deed of arms; we have more need of rest.' These words came to the Earl of Alençon, who said, 'A man is well at ease to be charged with such a sort of rascals, to be faint and fail now at most need.' Also, the same season, there fell a great rain and an eclipse, with a terrible thunder; and before the rain, there came flying over the battles a great number of crows for fear of the tempest coming. Then anon the air began to wax clear, and the sun to shine fair and bright, the which was right in the Frenchmens' eyen, and on the Englishmens' back. When the Genoese were assembled together, and began to approach, they made a great leap and ery, to abash the Englishmen ; but they stood still, and stirred not for all that. Then the Genoese again

* Froissart resided in England as secretary to the queen of Edward IIL, from 1361 to 1366, and again visited that country in 1:35. On the former occasion, he paid a visit to Scotland,

where he was entertained by the Earl of Douglas. His history, which extends from 1326 to 1400, is valued chiefly for the view which it gives of the manners of the times, and the state of the countries and their inhabitants.

†There is a translation of Froissart in modern English-the

work of Mr Johnes of Hafod; but that of Lord Berners is de med its superior, not only in vigorous characteristic expression, but, what is more surprising, in correctness.

JOHN BELLENDEN.

Contemporary with Lord Berners was JOHN BELLENDEN, archdean of Moray, a favourite of James V. of Scotland, and one of the lords of session in the reign of Queen Mary. Besides writing a topography of Scotland, epistles to James V., and some poems, he translated, by the king's command, Hector Boece's History of Scotland, and the first five books of Livy. The translation of Boece was published in 1536, and constitutes the earliest existing specimen of Scottish literary prose. The first original work in that language was one entitled The Complaynt of Scotland, which was published at St Andrews in 1548, by an unknown author, and consists of a meditation on the distracted state of the kingdom. The difference between the language of these works and that employed by the English writers of the preceding century is not great. Bellenden's translation of Boece is rather a free one, and additions are sometimes made by the translator.* Another translation, published by Holinshed, an English Chronicler, in the reign of Elizabeth, was the source from which Shakspeare derived the historical materials of his tragedy of Macbeth. Two extracts from Bellenden's version, in the original spelling, are here subjoined:

[Part of the Story of Macbeth.]

Nocht lang eftir, hapnit ane uncouth and wounderfull thing, be quhilk followit, sone, ane gret alteration in the realme. Be aventure, Makbeth and Banquho wer passand to Fores, quhair King Duncane hapnit to be for the time, and met be the gait thre wemen, clothit in elrage and uncouth weid. Thay wer jugit, be the pepill, to be weird sisteris. The first of thaim said to Makbeth, Hale, Thane of Glammis! the second said, 'Hale, Thane of Cawder!' and the third said, 'Hale, King of Scotland!' Than said Banquho, Quhat wemen be ye, sa unmercifull to me, and sa favorable to my companyeon? For ye gaif to him nocht onlie landis and gret rentis, bot gret lordschippis and kingdomes; and gevis me nocht.' To this, answerit the first of thir weird sisteris, 'We schaw more felicite apparing to thee than to him; for

*An excellent reprint of it, along with an edition of the translation of Livy, appeared in Edinburgh in 1821.

thought he happin to be ane king, his empire sall end unhappelie, and nane of his blude sall eftir him succeid; be contrar, thow sall nevir be king, bot of the sal cum mony kingis, quhilkis, with lang progressioun, sall rejose the croun of Scotland.' Als sone as thir wourdis wer said, thay suddanlie evanist out of sicht. This prophecy and divinatioun wes haldin mony dayis in derision to Banquho and Makbeth. For sum time, Banquho wald call Makbeth, King of Scottis, for derisioun; and he, on the samin maner, wald call Banquho the fader of mony kingis. Yit, becaus al thingis succedit as thir wemen devinit, the pepill traistit and jugit thaim to be weird sisteris. Not lang eftir, it hapnit that the Thane of Cawder wes disherist and forfaltit of his landis, for certane crimes of lese majeste; and his landis wer gevin be King Duncane to Makbeth. It hapnit in the next nicht, that Banquho and Makbeth wer sportand togiddir at thair supper. Than said Banquho, Thow hes gottin all that the first two weird sisteris hecht. Restis nocht bot the croun, quhilk wes hecht be the thrid sister.' Makbeth, revolving all thingis as thay wer said be thir weird sisteris, began to covat the croun; and yit he concludit to abide quhil he saw the time ganand thairto, fermelie beleving that the thrid weird suld cum, as the first two did afore.

incontinent thairefter was drownit in ane fresche rever. Now I belief nane hos sic eloquence, nor fouth of langage, that can sufficient lie declare, how far we, in thir present dayis, ar different fra the virtew and temperance of our eldaris. For quhare our eldaris had sobriete, we have ebriete and dronkines; quhare thay had plente with sufficence, we have immoderat cursis [courses] with superfluite; as he war maist noble and honest, that culd devore and swelly maist; and, be extreme diligence, serchis sa mony deligat coursis, that thay provoke the stomok to ressave mair than it may sufficientlie degest. And nocht allenarliel may surfet dennar and sowper suffice us, above the temperance of oure eldaris, bot als to continew our schamefull and immoderit voracite with duble dennaris and sowparis. Na fishe in the se, nor foul in the aire, nor best in the wod, may have rest, but socht heir and thair, to satisfy the hungry appetit of glutonis. Nocht allenarly ar winis socht in France, bot in Spainye, Italy, and Grece; and, sumtime, baith Aphrik and Asia socht, for new delicius metis and winis, to the samin effect. Thus is the warld sa utterly socht, that all maner of droggis and electuaris, that may nuris the lust and insolence of pepill, ar brocht in Scotland, with maist sumptuus price, to na les dammage than perdition In the mene time, King Duncane maid his son Mal- of the pepill thereof: for, throw the immoderat glutcoline Prince of Cumbir, to signify that he suld ony, our wit and reason ar sa blindit within the preregne eftir him. Quhilk wes gret displeseir to Mak- soun of the body, that it may have no knawledge of beth; for it maid plane derogatioun to the thrid weird, hevinly thingis; for the body is involvit with sic promittit afore to him be thir weird sisteris. Noch- clowdis of fatnes, that, howbeit it be of gud comtheles, he thocht, gif Duncane wer slane, he had maist plexioun be nature, it is sa opprest with superfleu richt to the croun, becaus he wes nerest of blud thair-metis and drinkis, that it may nothir weild, nor yit to, be tennour of the auld lawis maid eftir the deith ouir the self; bot, confessand the self vincust, gevis of King Fergus, Quhen young children wer unabil place to all infirmiteis, quhill it be miserably deto govern the croun, the nerrest of thair blude sall stroyit. regne.' Als, the respons of thir weird sisteris put him in beleif, that the thrid weird suld cum als weill as the first two. Attour, his wife, impacient of lang tary, as all wemen ar, specially quhare thay ar desirus of ony purpos, gaif him gret artation to persew the thrid weird, that scho micht be ane quene; calland him, oft timis, febil cowart, and nocht desirus of honouris; sen he durst not assailye the thing with manheid and curage, quhilk is offerit to him be benivolence of fortoun; howbeit sindry otheris hes assailyeit síc thingis afore, with maist terribil jeopardyis, quhen thay had not sic sickernes to succeid in the end of thair laubouris as he had.

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Makbeth, be persuasion of his wife, gaderit his freindis to ane counsall at Innernes, quhare King Duncane happinit to be for the time. And because he fand sufficient oportunite, be support of Banquho and otheris his freindis, he slew King Duncane, the vii yeir of his regne. His body was buryit in Elgin, and eftir tane up and brocht to Colmekill, quhare it remanis yit, amang the sepulturis of uthir kingis; fra our redemption, MXLVI yeris.

The New Maneris and the Auld, of Scottis. Our eldaris howbeit thay war richt virtewis baith in weir and peace, war maist exercit with temperance; for it is the fontane of all virtew. Thay disjunit airly in the morning with smal refectioun, and sustenit thair liffis thairwith quhil the time of sowper; throw quhilk thair stomok was nevir surfetly chargit, to empesche thaim of uthir besines. At the sowpar thay war mair large; howbeit thay had bot ane cours. Thay eit, for common, flesche half raw; for the saup is maist nurisand in that maner. All dronkatis, glutonis, and consumers of vittalis, mair nor was necessar to the sustentation of men, war tane, and first commandit to swelly thair fowth3 of quhat drink thay plesit, and

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[Extract from the Complaynt of Scotland.]

There eftir I heard the rumour of rammasche3 foulis and of beystis that made grite beir, quhilk past beside burnis and boggis on green bankis to seek their sustentation. Their brutal sound did redond te the high skyis, quhil the deep hou cauernis of cleuchist and rotche craggis ansuert vitht ane high note of that samyn sound as thay beystis hed blauen. It aperit be presumyng and presuposing, that blaberand eccho had been hid in ane hou hole, cryand hyr half ansucir, quhen Narcissus rycht sorry socht for his saruandis, quhen he was in ane forrest, far fra ony folkis, and there efter for love of eccho he drounit in ane drau vel. Nou to tel treutht of the beystis that maid sic beir, and of the dyn that the foulis did, ther syndry soundis hed nothir temperance nor tune.. For fyrst furtht on the fresche fieldis the nolt maid noyis vitht mony loud lou. Baytht horse and meyris did fast nee, and the folis neckyr. The bullis began to bullir, quhen the scheip began to blait, because the calfis began till mo, quhen the doggis berkit. Than the suyne began to quhryne quhen thai herd the asse rair, quhilk gart the hennis kekkyl quhen the cokis creu. The chekyns began to peu when the gled quhissillit. The fox follouit the fed geise and gart them cry claik. The gayslingis cryit quhilk quhilk, and the dukis cryit quaik. The ropeen of the rauynis gart the cras crope. The huddit crauis cryit varrok varrok, quhen the suannis murnit, because the gray goul mau pronosticat ane storme. The turtil began for to greit, quhen the cuschet zoulit. The titlene followit the goilk, and gart hyr sing guk guk. The dou croutit hyr sad sang that soundit lyik sorrou. Robeen and

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the litil oran var hamely in vyntir. The jargolyne of the suallou gart the jay angil, than the meveis maid myrtht, for to mok the merle. The laverok maid melody up hie in the skyis. The nychtingal al the nycht sang sueit notis. The tuechitis cryit theuis nek, quhen the piettis clattrit. The garruling of the stirlene gart the sparrou cheip. The lyntquhit sang counterpoint quhen the oszil zelpit. The grene serene sang sueit, quhen the gold spynk chantit. The rede schank cryit my fut my fut, and the oxee cryit tueit. The herrons gaif ane vyild skrech as the kyl hed bene in fyir, quhilk gart the quhapis for flevitnes fle far fra hame.

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BALE.

BALE, BISHOP OF OSSORY in Ireland (1495-1563), must be esteemed as one of the most notable prose writers of this era. He was the author of many severe and intemperate tracts against Popery, both in Latin and English; but his most celebrated production is a Latin Account of the Lives of Eminent Writers of Great Britain, extending, as the title expresses it, from Japhet, one of the sons of Noah, to the year 1557. Bale left also many curious metrical productions in the English language, including several dramatic pieces on sacred subjects, which, to a modern taste, appear utterly burlesque. Among these are plays on John the Baptist's preaching; on the childhood, temptation, passion, and resurrection of Christ; on the Lord's Supper, and washing the disciples' feet, &c. All these pieces were doubtless performed in a grave and devout spirit; for Bale himself mentions that the first of them (which may be seen in the Harleian Miscellany), and his tragedy of God's Promises, were acted by young men at the market-cross of Kilkenny upon a Sunday. In 1544, he published A Brefe Chronycle concernynge the Examinacyon and Death of the Blessed Martyr of Christ, Sir Johan Oldecastell the Lorde Cobham, from which we extract the account of Cobham's death. He suffered in 1417, for supporting the doctrines of Wickliffe, and was the first martyr among the English nobility.

[Death of Lord Cobham.]

Upon the day appointed, he was brought out of the Tower with his arms bound behind him, having a very cheerful countenance. Then was he laid upon an hurdle, as though he had been a most heinous traitor to the crown, and so drawn forth into Saint Giles' Field, where as they had set up a new pair of gallows. As he was coming to the place of execution, and was taken from the hurdle, he fell down devoutly upon his knees, desiring Almighty God to forgive his enemies. Than stood he up and beheld the multitude, exhorting them in most godly manner to follow the laws of God written in the scriptures, and in any wise to beware of such teachers as they see contrary to Christ in their conversation and living, with many other special counsels. Then he was hanged up there by the middle in chains of iron, and so consumed alive in the fire, praising the name of God, so long as his life lasted. In the end he commended his soul into the hand of God, and so departed hence most Christenly, his body resolved into ashes.

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William Tyndale.

Gloucestershire, about the year 1477, a clergyman of great piety, learning, and gentleness of disposition. In the course of his labours he endured such persecution, that, in 1523, he found it necessary to quit England, and retire into Germany. He there visited Luther, who encouraged him in his laborious and hazardous undertaking. Wittemburg was the place where Tyndale's translation of the New Testament was first printed. It was speedily circulated, and eagerly perused in England, notwithstanding the severe persecution to which its possessors were exposed. Sir Thomas More distinguished himself as a most virulent opponent of Tyndale, against whom he published seven volumes of controversy, where such violent language as the following is employed:- Our Saviour will say to Tyndale, Thou art accursed, Tyndale, the son of the devil; for neither flesh nor blood hath taught thee these heresies, but thine own father, the devil, that is in hell.'-There should have been more burned by a great many than there have been within this seven year last past. The lack whereof, I fear me, will make more [be] burned within this seven year next coming, than else should have needed to have been burned in seven score. Ah, blasphemous beast, to whose roaring and lowing no good Christian man can without heaviness of heart give ear!' Tyndale translated also the first five books of the Old Testament, the publication of which was completed in 1530. Efforts were made by King Henry, Wolsey, and More, to allure him back to England, where they hoped to destroy him; but he was too cautious to trust himself there. His friend, John Frith, who had assisted him in translating, was more credulous of their promises of safety, and returning to London, was apprehended and burnt. Tyndale remained at Antwerp, till entrapped by an agent of Henry, who procured at Brussels a warrant to apprehend him for heresy. After some further proceedings, he was strangled and burnt for that crime at Vilvoord, near Antwerp, in September 1536, exclaiming at the stake, Lord, open the king of England's eyes!'

Tyndale's translation of the New Testament is, on the whole, admirable both for style and accuracy; and indeed our present authorised version has,

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