The National Register.
London, England, 1816-06-03 00:00:00

v

No. 494.—V0L. IX.

4VCIENT PULPIT ELOQUENCE.

No. 1.
—.....-
REIGN OF EDWARD II?.

IT is an inquiry of no common interest to ascertain
the several gradations by which English Literature has
attained its present cultivated state: and, in particular,
to observe the progressive amelioration and settlement
of our language, from the rude stile of the middle ages,
to the refinement and perfection which arc now so much
admirod in the best English Orators. Our ancestors
ware not devoid of learning ; and many of the British
divines, even at a very early period, had much native
eloquence. This first began to be conspicuous during
the fourteenth century, and mare especially towards the
commencement of those furious contentions which ter-
minated. in the existilsion of Popery and the establish-
ment of the Protestant worship in these realms. About
this period, and particularly during the reigns of Mary
and Elizabeth, the discourses from the pulpit began to
display many brilliant scintillations of genius, great dis-
et of character, and much acuteness of reason-
ing ; and their language, though now antiquated, is
often interesting, sometimes sublime, To mcntion
the names of Cranmer, Latimer, Hooper, and Rid-
ley, with those of others, who scaled by their blood their
sincerity for the Protestant Faith, is to demand applause
a- an union of ardour and of natural talent which hare
seldom been surpassed.
Almost the earliest specimens of British eloquence
that we are acquainted with are found in a manuscript
written on vellum, and in the old English character in
use about the reign of Edward the Third. It is en-
TIIE MIRROUR Or SERMONS VCR THE WHOLE
YEAR," and is contained amongst the Ilarleitm MSS. in
the British Museum. These sermons commence with
the first Sunday in Advent, are adapted in explanation
of the Epistle or Gospel of every successive Sunday
throughout the year. The language. when divested of.
the peculiar ortimgrnphy of the day, tbr in oral delivery
this peculiarity csmid not he observable, is touch more
pure and easy of coiarehensim than that of most wri-
tings of the same period. The stile is indeed unequal,
and in several of the sermons are inserted the most in-
credible legends and stories ; but when due allowance is
made for the unenlightened age in which they were
written, they must, in many particulars, be allowed to
possess no inconsiderable share of merit.
The following are extracts merely corrected in ortho-
graphy, and without any alteration of the peculiar words
that are used. The first passage is inserted for the pur-
pose of spewing the stile of translation of the Scriptures
at that period.
ON TIIE HEALING OF THE LErni. AND TIIE CEN-
TURION'S SERVANT.
Matt. viii. r. 1-13.

nnIcTNAL.

EXTLAWATTOY.

" And when he had descended " And when he had descended
of the mountain, many companies from the mountain, ninny com-
followed him. And see a mesa panics followed him. And behold
came and adored him and said. a leper came and adored him, and
Lord if thou wilt thou may make mid. Lord if thou wilt thou
roe whole. And Jesus spread out mutest make me whole. And
his hand and touched him and said, J.-sus spread out his hand and
I will, be thou whole. And anon witched him and said. 1 will. he
his meselrie Unlade whole- And thou whole. And intmetliately
Jesus said to him look that thou his leprosy is made whole. And
may this thing to no man. Ac Jesus said to him. see that thou
go. .hew thee to the priest and tell this thing to no man. But
othT the gift that Moses command- go, chew thyself to the priest. and
ed, in witness to them. And when olibr the gift that Moses command-
hit had etitered to Capernaum, a ed, in witness to them. And when
Centurion appmched to him, they ha I entered into Cap ernaum.
veinal him and Lord, my &Centurion approached him, pray-
shi7d lieth in the house paralytic ing him and saying : Lord, my
and evil totmented. And .terns child lieth, in the house pantlytic
said to him. 1 shall come and 1 and evil tonncntd. And Jesus
shall heal hint. And Centurion I,alll to him, 1 will come and will
answered hint and s.dd, I.ord I heal him. And the Centurion
am nought worthy that thou enter answered him and said, Lord. 1
under mine house. Ac say only am not worthy that thou enter
in word, and my elikl shall ben under mine &nue. But say only
wlade. For leh am a rash under in word, and my child shall be
port that have knights mulct met whole. For 1 am a man under
and 1 ray to this go, and he rah, authority. th;.t have servants =-
bad to another come, and lie nom- der nit : and I say to this go. and
ash ; and to my servant e.o this, he gaeth, and to another come,
and he it loth. And Jews, when and he cometh r and to my set-
he heard was awondital, and rant do ti is, and lw doeth it. And
said to them that fullowed ; For- Jeans, when he heard this, was
aeodt I say to you, I ne found Gianni:lnd, and said to them that
nought so 'Melia fait!: in Israel. follow : Futsooth, I say to you I
And I say to you, that many ahall hate not fotmil so notch fault in
come from the coat and from the Is:ael. And I sty you. that many
west, and shall liggen with Abra. shall come from th, east and front
hut.., Itaar. and Jacob, in the th..: west. end shall lip dos u with
kingdom of heavens: and the Ablaham, Isaac, and .hvaib, in
sons of the kingdom shall be the kimolom of hefty, II: and the
nott ip the ferrast dusjczebt, t4e.re wn of the kinstletn 114. be cast