Coverdale
MILES, the earliest translator of the Bible into English; was born in Yorkshire, England, in 1487. He was educated at Cambridge , and was ordained priest in 1514. He was led some years afterward to embrace the reformed doctrines, and, having gone abroad, assisted Tindall in his translation of the Bible. In 1535 his own translation of the Scriptures appeared, with a dedication to Henry VIII. Coverdale was almoner to Queen Catharine Parr, and officiated at her funeral, In 1551, during the reign of Edward VI., he was appointed Bishop of Exeter, but was ejected on the accession of Mary, and thrown into prison. After two years' confinement he was liberated, and proceeded first to Denmark, and subsequently to Geneva, where he was employed in preparing the Geneva translation of the Scriptures. On the Scriptures. accession of Elizabeth he returned to E gland, and held for a short time the rectory of St. Magnus, London Bridge.
He died in London, in 1568.