The treatie of the sacrament be Petir Martir. The ansuer to Johnne Calvynis epistle. Sangis of the bible in Frenche be Lancelote de la Carle. It is not improbable, but that the Royal Library had partially suffered from the devastation which had taken place, during the violent commotions of the kingdom, and the rage against monastic institutions, which is thus described by an old historian: "Bibliothecks destroied, the volumes of the fathers, councells, and other books of humane learning, with the registers of the church, cast into the streets, afterwards gathered in heapes, and consumed with fire."69 A new college having been erected in the university of St. Andrews, during this century, it was found, that after some time disorders had been suffered by Mr. Andrews, who had the charge of it, in 1597. The king, therefore, in order to correct the abuses, prescribed to every professor his subject of instruction, "appointing the First Master to read the COMMON-PLACES to the students, with the Law, and HISTORY OF THE BIBLE: the Second to read the NEW TESTAMENT: the Third the PROPHETS, with the Book of ECCLESIASTES and CANTICLES; and the Fourth the HEBREW GRAMMAR, with the PSALMS, the PROVERBS, and the book of JOB.70 Having thus conducted our inquiries respecting the progress of Biblical literature in the British Isles, to the close of the century, we may return to the Continent of Europe, to pursue our investigations respecting Germany, where we had paused at the death of Luther, the intrepid advocate of truth. (68) Dibdin's Decameron, III. pp. 245–248. (69) Spotiswoode's MS.-See M'Crie's Life of John Knox, I, notes p. 438. (70) Spotiswoode's Hist. of the Church and State of Sotland, I. B. vi. p. 449. Lond. 1677, fol, CHAPTER IX. SIXTEENTH CENTURY CONTINUED. German Bibles. Editors of German Bible. Lower Saxon Version. Polyglotts. Hebrew Versions. Tremellius. Junius. Vergerius. Persecutions in Germany and the Netherlands. Dutch Bibles. Danish, Icelandic, Swedish, Finnish, Hungarian, Bohemian, Lithuanian, Vandalic, Polish, and Slavonian Versions. TH HE death of Luther, which occurred in 1546, was universally and deeply regretted by the friends of the Reformation, especially in GERMANY, where his labours had been so singularly successful, in establishing and defending the truth. It was cause of gratulation, however, to the advocates of the Gospel, that the Allwise Disposer of events had prolonged his life, till the principles he had inculcated had gained a practical and extensive influence; and his excellent translation of the Bible had been completed and revised, and an immense number of copies of it dispersed throughout the Germanic empire. After his decease, the editions of his version of the Scriptures were still more rapidly multiplied, as we may perceive from the list of them contained in Adler's Biblical Catalogue of the Duke of Wurtemburg's library, which enumerates, betwixt the death of Luther and the end of the century, 47 editions in folio, of the whole, or separate parts of the Bible of his translation ; 20 editions in quarto; 31 in octavo; and 2 of the New Testament only in duodecimo; beside 3 in folio; 2 in * The virulence with which the adversaries of Luther attacked his character, and strove to render his memory odious to the people, is exemplified in the following quintuple acrostic, published by the ce quarto; and 7 in octavo, by others of the reformed; 4 Catholic editions in folio, of JOHN DIETENBERGER'S translation, and one Psalter in quarto: to which may be added several editions of the SAXON version of Luther's translation, viz. 11 in folio; 6 in quarto; 33 in octavo; and 4 in a smaller size.' In 1565, a new Latin translation of the Bible, or rather, a revised edition of the Vulgate, accompanied with Luther's German version was published, in 10 vols. 4to., by PAUL EBER, by the order, and at the expense of Augus lebrated French Jesuit, Andreas Frusius, in his Epigrammata, printed åt Cologne, 1582. "Elogium Martini LUTHERI, ex ipsius Nomine et Cognomine. Depinget dignis te nemo coloribus unquam; Magni crepus Mendax Morosus Morio Monstrum Ambitiosus Ridiculus Tabificus Atrox Astutus Apostata A gaso Impius Nycticorax Nebulo Inconstans Impostor Iniquus Ineptus Nugator Noxa Nefandus Ventosus Vanus Vilis Vulpecula Vecors Retrogradus Reprobus Resupinus Rana Virus Sacrilegus Satanas ANDREAS FRUSIUS was a native of Chartres, in France. He entered into the order of Jesuits, at Rome, in 1541; and distinguished himself by his learning and various accomplishments. His poetical talents were chiefly employed on subjects connected with the state of the Catholic church; his Epigrammata were directed against those whom he regarded as heretics, and were printed at different times at Cologne, Antwerp, Leyden, and other places. After filling the office of rector in several colleges, he died at Rome, in 1556. See Shoberl's Historical Account of the House of Saxony, pp. 87, 88. Lond. 1816, 8vo. and Ribadeneiræ Catalogus Scriptorum Religionis Societatis Jesu, pp. 16, 17. Antverp, 1613, 8vo. (1) Adleri Bibliotheca Biblica, Sereniss. Wurtenbergensium Ducis, olim Lorckiana, sec. 28, p. 22, &c. tus, elector of Saxony, with a preface by the editor, addressed to Alexander, duke of Saxony.* PAUL EBER was a native of Kitzingen, in Franconia, where he was born, in 1511. After having received the early part of his education at Anspach and Nuremberg, he was sent by the senate of the latter city to Wittemberg, where he took his master's degree, in 1536. His skill in penmanship induced Melancthon to employ him as his amanuensis, who, discovering in him talents of the highest order, placed the most unbounded confidence in him, and consulted him on all occasions. For some years he conducted a seminary in his own house, with an ease and effect peculiar to himself, and had the happiness of directing the studies of many who afterwards became eminent for piety and usefulness, both in the church and state. In 1541, he married, and in 1544, was raised to a professorship, in the university. On the death of the venerable Bugenhagius, in 1558, he was appointed to succeed him, as first pastor of Wittemberg; and received his doctor's degree the year following. After the death of Melancthon, he was regarded as the first of his disciples who, from adopting some of the views of the great reformer Calvin, were denominated Crypto-Calvinists, or "Secret-Calvinists." He died December 10th, 1569, in the 59th year of his age. Among his works are, “An Exposition of the Dominical Gospels," i. e. those read as the lessons on Sundays; a "History of the Jews, from their return from the Babylonish captivity to the last Destruction of Jerusalem;" and "Hymns," in the vernacular tongue, for the use of his church, where they long continued to be sung.3 A German translation of the NEW TESTAMENT is said to have been made about 1570; and accompanied with (2) Le Long, I. p. 385. Paris, 1723. (3) Melch. Adami Vit. Theolog. Germ. pp. 428-436. Chalmers' Gen, Biog. Dict. XIII. p. 9, Annotations, by WILLIAM XYLANDER, Greek professor at Heidelberg; but neither Le Long, nor Melchior Adam, who notice it, say where, or by whom, it was printed, though placed by the former in the list of printed editions.* WILLIAM XYLANDER, whose vernacular name was HOLZMAN, was born at Augsburg, December 26th, 1532, of poor but honest parents. The taste for learning which he discovered from his childhood, was encouraged by the patronage of Wolffgang Relinger, a senator of the city, who educated him at his own expense, till his progress in literature procured him admittance into the colleges, where a certain number of students were maintained by the citizens. In 1549, he was sent to the university of Tubingen; and in 1556, to that of Basil. His erudition having gained him extensive fame, he was invited to the Greek professor's chair, at Heidelberg, in 1558; and his logical acuteness caused him to be chosen as a suitable person to defend the doctrines of the Reformation, in several public disputations. He employed his profound knowledge of the Greek language, chiefly in translating Greek authors into Latin, among which are enumerated Dion Cassius, Marcus Antoninus, Plutarch, and Strabo. He was "a logician, poet, mathematician, musician, historian, and physician; and was deeply versed in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin languages. In his life and manners grave and chaste; in expression and familiar intercourse agreeable; patient of labour, candid, open, contented; and in all his actions, and the whole of his life, the truly Christian philosopher, who never lived to himself,' but to God, and for others." He died at Heidelberg, February 10th, 1576, in the 44th of his age. (4) Le Long, I. p. 404. year Melch. Adami, Vit. Germ. Philos. p. 290. Heidelberg, 1615, 8vo. (5) Melch. Adami Vit. Germ. Philos. ut sup. Chalmers' Gen. Biog. Dict. XXXII. pp. 389, 390. |