inct.]

[298] In the preceding narrative I have availed myself of the details
which Alesius has given us of his labours and sufferings in his
commentaries and lesser treatises, and especially in two of the smallest
of them, both published in 1533, the one bearing the title--"Alexandri
Alesii Epistola contra decretum quoddam Episcopor[=u] in Scotia, quod
prohibet legere Noui Testamenti libros lingua vernacula"; the other
"Alexandri Alesii Scotti Responsio ad Cochlei Calvmnias."

[299] [The nature of the arguments used by Alesius in this epistle may
be learned from the lengthy extracts quoted in Christopher Anderson's
Annals of the English Bible, 1845, ii. 430-437.]

[300] [This reply by Cochlaeus, which is dated 6th June 1533, is
entitled: "An Expediat Laicis, legere Noui Testamenti libros lingua
Vernacula? Ad Serenissimvm Scotiae Regem Iacobum V. Disputatio inter
Alexandrum Alesium Scotum, & Iohannem Cochlaeum Germanum. Anno d[=n]i
M.D. XXXIII." A beautiful copy of this very rare work was secured at the
Laing sale for the library of the Church of Scotland. There is also a
copy in the Signet Library. A few extracts may be found in Anderson's
Annals, ii. 439-441.]

[301] [A beautiful copy of this excessively rare tract was also secured
for the Church library at the Laing sale.]

[302] [For a translation by Dr Mitchell of that part of the Responsio
which relates to the opinions of Alesius, see Appendix E.]

[303] [Dr Mitchell possessed copies of several of the other tracts of
Cochlaeus, as well as of this: "Pro Scotiae Regno Apologia Iohannis
Cochlei, adversvs personatum Alexandrum Alesium Scotum. Ad Sereniss.
Scotor[=u] reg[=e]. M.D.XXXIIII." It ends: "Excusum Lipsiae apud
Michaelem Blum."]

[304] [Alesius says: "I was at Antwerp whan a contryman of myne, whose
name was John Foster, did send a somme of mony unto Cochleus by a
marchant from the Bisshop of S. Andrews, which geveth him yerely so long
as he liveth a certen stipend. And it chanced by the goodnes of God,
wherby He discloseth the wickednes of these hipocytes (_sic_), that a
pistle of Cochleus which he sent unto a certen bisshop of Pole came unto
my handes, wherin he complayneth that he hath gret losse and evel
fortune in setting forth of bokes, for as moch as no man wil wetesaue to
rede his bokes. And he beggeth a yerely stipend of the bisshops of Pole,
saing that he hath bene nobly rewarded of the King of Scottys and of the
Archbisshop of S. Andrews and