The Apology of the Church of England

The Apology of the Church of England

The great interest of Jewels Apology lies in the fact that it was written in Latin to be read throughout Europe as the answer of the Reformed Church of England, at the beginning of Queen Elizabeths reign, to those who said that the Reformation set up a new Church. Its argument was that the English Church Reformers were going back to the old Church, not setting up a new; and this Jewel proposed to show by looking back to the first centuries of Christianity. Innovation was imputed; and an Apology originally meant a pleading to rebut an imputation. So, even as late as 1796, there was a book called An Apology for the Bible, meaning its defence against those who questioned its authority. This Latin book of Jewels, Apologia Ecclesi Anglicanwritten in Latin because it was not addressed to England onlywas first published in 1562, and translated into English by the mother of Francis Bacon, whose edition appeared in 1564. That is the translation given in this volume. The p. 6book has since had six or seven other translators, but Lady Ann Bacons translation was that which presented it in Queen Elizabeths time to English readers, and it had the advantage of revision by the Queens Archbishop of Canterbury, her coadjutor in the establishment of the Reformed Church of England, Matthew Parker. It was published, with no name of author or translator on the title-page, as An Apologie or answere in defence of the Churche of Englande, with a briefe and plaine declaration of the true Religion professed or used in the same. The book was prefaced by a letter, To the right honorable learned and vertuous Ladie, A. B. [Ann Bacon] M. C. wisheth from God grace, honoure, and felicitie, where M. C. signifies Matthew Cantuar, Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, whom Lady Ann Bacon had made her judge, and whose judgment, the letter says, her book had singularly pleased. Lady Ann Bacon was the second daughter of Sir Anthony Cooke, who was tutor to King Edward VI. Sir Anthony gave to his five daughters a most liberal education. His eldest daughter, Mildred, married Sir William Cecil, afterwards Lord Burleigh, while Ann became the second wife of the Lord Keeper, Sir Nicholas Bacon. Their p. 7father had made Mildred and Ann two of the most learned women in England. John Jewel was forty years old when he wrote the Apology. He was born in Devonshire in 1522, on the 24th of May, at the village of Buden, near Ilfracombe. He studied at Oxford, where he became tutor and preacher, graduated as B.D. in 1551, and was presented to the rectory of Sunningwell. At the accession of Queen Mary he bowed to the royal authority, but he was a warm friend and disciple of Peter Martyr, who had come to England in 1547, at the invitation of Edward VI., to take the chair of Divinity at Oxford. On the accession of Queen Mary, Peter Martyr (who was born at Florence in 1500, and whose family name was Vermigli) returned to Strasburg, and went thence to Zurich, where he died in 1562. Jewel, repenting of his assent to the new sovereigns authority in matters of religion, followed his friend Peter Martyr across the water, and became vice-master of a college at Strasburg. Upon the accession of Elizabeth, in 1588, Jewel came back, and he was one of the sixteen Protestants appointed by the Queen to dispute before her with a like number of Catholics. ......Buy Now (To Read More)

Product details

Ebook Number: 17678
Author: Jewel, John
Release Date: Feb 5, 2006
Format: eBook
Language: English

Contributors

Editor: Morley, Henry, 1822-1894

Translator: Bacon, Ann, Lady, 1528-1610