MARPRELATE TRACTS: A series of seven publications which appeared in England under the pseudonym of "Martin Marprelate, Gentleman," between Nov. or Dec., 1588, and July, 1589. They were violent attacks upon the Church, episcopacy, and certain bishops in particular, impudent, personal, and scurrilous in ,passages, so that they were not approved even by the Puritans; but their keen and apt if somewhat broad and vulgar wit, their logical argument, and their evident sincerity made them effective for the ends for which they were intended. Their success occasioned numerous .imitations and more numerous and ponderous replies, giving rise altogether to "the greatest religious controversy of Elizabeth's reign." The tracts were printed surreptitiously, at first at East Moulsey (opposite Hampton Court), Surrey, afterward at hiding-places in Northamptonshire and Warwickshire. Extraordinary but unsuccessful efforts were made by the authorities to discover the author. It was suspected at the time, and has been generally believed since, that they were written by the Welshman John Penry (q.v.). Dr. Dexter's argument for Henry Barrow is not conclusive. It was Penry beyond question who superintended the printing and distribution. He had more or less help and encouragement from John Udall (q.v.); Job ThrockmOrton, a country gentleman of Hasely, Warwickshire; Robert Waldegrave, a London printer; Sir Richard Knightly, a Puritan squire of Fawsley, Northamptonshire; John Hales, of Coventry; and Robert Wigston, of Wolston, Warwickshire.

The titles of the tracts are very long; abridged they are: (1) An Epistle; (2) An Epitome; (3) Certain Mineral Conclusions; (4) Ha y' any Works for Cooper? (5) The Protestation; (6) Theses Martiniana; or Martin Junior; (7) The Censure of Martin Junior. Nos. 1, 2, and 4, with An Admonition to the People of England by Thomas Cooper, bishop of Winchester, prepared in reply to the Epistle, and two other anti-Martin publications, were reprinted with introductions and notes by John Petheram under the title of Puritan Discipline Tracts (London, 1843-17). Udall's Diotrephes, the Epistle, and Cooper's Admonition were reprinted with introductions by Edward Arber in the English Scholar's Inarary (London, 1879-82).

Bibliography: W. Ma6Wl, A History or the Afar(Xelat6 Controversy, London, 1845; M. Dexter, Congregationalism of as Last Three Hundred Years, pp. 131-202, New York, 1880; E. Arber, An Introductory Sketch to the Martin Marprelate Controversy, English Scholar's Library, no. 8, London, 1879; W. Law, Defence of Church Principles, 2d ed., ib. 1894; idem, Wholly for God the Christian Life, with Introduction, ib. 1894; G. H. Curteis, Dissent in its Relation to the Church of England, p. 76, ib. 1897; J. H. Overton, The Church in England, i. 474-478, ib. 1897; W. H. Frere, The English Church (1668-Ie0), pp. 249-254, ib. 1904; W. Pierce, An Historical Introduction to the Marpretats Tracts; a Chapter in the Evolution of religious and civil Liberty in England, New York, 1909.