are greeted by their friends, who have unexpectedly escaped from great danger; for the time that had elapsed before the queen's answer was given, was such as must naturally have inspired the most painful forebodings.

He was received with open arms by Macchabæus, to whom we are told "affinitate (& quod gravius est) "pietatis, eruditionis, ac morum similitudine, tanquam "frater devinctus erat ;" and the good king Christian no doubt rejoiced to see the man, in whose behalf he had so interested himself.

After staying there some while he proceeded to Wezel, where he officiated as preacher to the English refugees."

It is said that the king of Denmark was very loth to part with him, and offered him a benefice in Denmark; but this good man preferring his duty to all other considerations, as he did not know the Danish tongue, would not remain where he could be of little

or no use.

With that pure and enthusiastic spirit of religion, which distinguished some of the early reformers, he believed himself called upon, like the apostles of old, never to rest; but to go about continually preaching the truth of the gospel. And more particularly did he feel himself called upon, when those who followed the true spirit of our Saviour's injunctions, were persecuted and driven from their home,

m Troubles at Frankf. p. 184. Strype intimates that Coverdale was there in 1554.-Eccl. Mem. vol. iii. p. 147; but in page 152, he tacitly contradicts himself, by mentioning the queen's letter of February, 1555.

their family, and their friends, to wander poor and neglected in a foreign country, exposed to the greatest miseries and to the greatest privations. There could be no more sacred duty he felt, than for those who had been the means of planting the belief in their hearts, now to strengthen it by their advice and example, and not to suffer them to be utterly cast down by the weight of their calamity. Words of consolation and comfort were now doubly necessary to those, whose prospects in this world were so forlorn and cheerless. Coverdale accordingly preferred this sacred mission, attended with difficulties and hardships as it was, to remaining as he might have done, in comparative ease in Denmark, whilst his fellowChristians were in misery and want.

He however, had not been long at Wezel, when Wolfgang, Duke of Deux-Ponts, in whose dominions he had resided before, sent for him and offered him again his former benefice of Bergzabern, which he accordingly accepted: for he found that he could here be of service, being well able, as we have before stated, to preach in the German language.

And another reason that may have weighed with him to accept this charge, was, that almost all the congregations of reformers that were assembled at the different cities in Germany, were torn with internal dissension; some following one preacher, and some another, who differed from each other in some slight minutiæ of ceremonial or doctrine, which they advocated with an acrimony and bitterness, alike unworthy of the matter itself, and discreditable to their

character as Christians. Coverdale was himself averse to entering into disputes of this kind, (which had he joined these congregations he must have done;) for he saw that they only thus afforded a handle to their enemies, who had always maintained that such would be the consequences of a departure from the Roman Catholic faith; and that men who once renounced the belief in which they had been brought up, would never afterwards be settled in any particular doctrine, but veering about, first one way and then the other, would occasion interminable disputes, and throw the whole state of civil society into confusion; and moreover, to a man of his character, strife and contention of any kind, were highly disagreeable. He therefore preferred retiring to a place where he could enjoy tranquillity, and discharge his duties as a Christian, and a minister of God, in the peace and quietness so congenial to him.

But when the new edition of the Bible was being brought out at Geneva, and his assistance became of much importance, he directly proceeded thither: and he had the less reluctance to do so, since the congregation at Geneva, was the best ordered of any that had assembled any where abroad; and the most celebrated for piety and learning of the reformers were amongst its members.

At what time he went to Geneva, we cannot ascertain exactly; but we find his name subscribed to a letter, from the ministers of the church at that place, to those at Frankfort, written the 15th day of December, 1558, of which the purport was to congratulate

166

MEMORIALS OF MYLES COVERDALE.

them on the accession of Queen Elizabeth, and to desire that all private dissensions betwixt them, concerning forms and ceremonies, might be laid aside; seeing, as they there said, that the papists could wish nothing more than that such should exist."

" Troubles at Frankf. p. 187.

CHAPTER XII.

ACCESSION OF QUEEN ELIZABETH.

ENGLAND.

COVERDALE RETURNS INTO OFFICIATES AT THE CONSECRATION OF ARCH

BISHOP PARKER. — DOES NOT RESUME HIS BISHOPRICK, FROM RELIGIOUS SCRUPLES. GRINDAL'S LETTER ABOUT COVER

DALE NOT HAVING MET WITH DUE PREFERMENT. HE IS HOWEVER AFTERWARDS PRESENTED TO THE LIVING OF ST. MAGNUS, WHICH HE DOES NOT ENJOY LONG. HIS LETTERS TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE CONCERNING HIS INABILITY TO PAY FIRST-FRUITS. IS ADMITTED TO THE DEGREE OF PER GRATIAM,' BY THE UNIVERSITY

DOCTOR OF DIVINITY

That

THE accession of Queen Elizabeth to the throne was a joyful event to all the reformers. princess had been early brought up in the new opinions, and men had seen with fear and concern, the dangers to which she had been exposed during the late reign. Though Philip had always interposed in her favour, to procure her the unmolested exercise of her own religion; yet it was impossible to foresee to what lengths the bigotry of Mary, increased by old age and disease, might have carried her.

On all sides, discontents had manifested themselves against the Spanish alliance; and men feared from