THE REVISERS OF A.D. 1568.
The twelve bishops who are mentioned as taking part with Archbishop Parker in this revision, are:
William Alley, Bishop of Exeter.William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester.Thomas Bentham, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.Nicholas Bullingham, Bishop of Lincoln.Richard Cox, Bishop of Ely.Richard Davies, Bishop of St. Davids (Menevensis).Edmund Grindal, Bishop of London.Edmund Guest (or Geste), Bishop of Rochester.Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester.John Parkhurst, Bishop of Norwich.Edwin Sandys, Bishop of Worcester.Edmund Scambler, Bishop of Peterborough.
William Alley, Bishop of Exeter.
William Barlow, Bishop of Chichester.
Thomas Bentham, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield.
Nicholas Bullingham, Bishop of Lincoln.
Richard Cox, Bishop of Ely.
Richard Davies, Bishop of St. Davids (Menevensis).
Edmund Grindal, Bishop of London.
Edmund Guest (or Geste), Bishop of Rochester.
Robert Horne, Bishop of Winchester.
John Parkhurst, Bishop of Norwich.
Edwin Sandys, Bishop of Worcester.
Edmund Scambler, Bishop of Peterborough.
The other church dignitaries who are mentioned are:
Andrew Pearson, Canon of Canterbury.Andrew Perne, Prebendary of Ely.Thomas Beacon, Prebendary of Canterbury.Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster.
Andrew Pearson, Canon of Canterbury.
Andrew Perne, Prebendary of Ely.
Thomas Beacon, Prebendary of Canterbury.
Gabriel Goodman, Dean of Westminster.
At the end of sixteen of the books are placed initials, which are evidently those of the revisers. These, with more or less of certainty, have been identified with names given in the above list.[147]They are as follows, and in the following order:
From a list of the revisers, enclosed in a letter from Parker to Cecil, dated October 5th, 1568, and now in the State Paper Office, we may further gather that the Catholic Epistles and the Apocalypse were revised by Bishop Bullingham, the Gospels of Luke and John by Bishop Scambler, and that the portions undertaken by Parker himself were Genesis, Exodus, Matthew, Mark, and the Epistles from 2 Corinthians to Hebrews inclusive.[149]
THE REVISERS OF 1611.
In the collection of Records appended to the Second Part of Bishop Burnet’sHistory of the Reformation of the Church of England, there is given a list of the Revisers of 1611, copied, as the writer tells us,[150]from the paper of Bishop Ravis himself, one of the number. The list is thus given:[151]
Westminster(1). Mr. Dean of Westminster, Mr. Dean of Pauls, Mr. Doctor Saravia, Mr. Doctor Clark, Mr. Doctor Leifield, Mr. Doctor Teigh, Mr. Burleigh, Mr. King, Mr. Tompson, Mr. Beadwell.Cambridge(1). Mr. Livelye, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Chatterton, Mr. Dillingham, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Spalding, Mr. Burge.Oxford(1). Doctor Harding, Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Holland, Dr. Kilbye, Mr. Smith, Mr. Brett, Mr. Fairclough.Cambridge(2). Doctor Dewport, Dr. Branthwait, Dr. Radclife, Mr. Ward (Eman.), Mr. Downes, Mr. Boyes, Mr. Warde (Reg.).Oxford(2). Mr. Dean of Christchurch, Mr. Dean of Winchester, Mr. Dean of Worcester, Mr. Dean of Windsor, Mr. Sairle, Dr. Perne, Dr. Ravens, Mr. Haviner.[152]Westminster(2). Dean of Chester, Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Spencer, Mr. Fenton, Mr. Rabbet, Mr. Sanderson, Mr. Dakins.
Westminster(1). Mr. Dean of Westminster, Mr. Dean of Pauls, Mr. Doctor Saravia, Mr. Doctor Clark, Mr. Doctor Leifield, Mr. Doctor Teigh, Mr. Burleigh, Mr. King, Mr. Tompson, Mr. Beadwell.
Cambridge(1). Mr. Livelye, Mr. Richardson, Mr. Chatterton, Mr. Dillingham, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Spalding, Mr. Burge.
Oxford(1). Doctor Harding, Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Holland, Dr. Kilbye, Mr. Smith, Mr. Brett, Mr. Fairclough.
Cambridge(2). Doctor Dewport, Dr. Branthwait, Dr. Radclife, Mr. Ward (Eman.), Mr. Downes, Mr. Boyes, Mr. Warde (Reg.).
Oxford(2). Mr. Dean of Christchurch, Mr. Dean of Winchester, Mr. Dean of Worcester, Mr. Dean of Windsor, Mr. Sairle, Dr. Perne, Dr. Ravens, Mr. Haviner.[152]
Westminster(2). Dean of Chester, Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Spencer, Mr. Fenton, Mr. Rabbet, Mr. Sanderson, Mr. Dakins.
Some difference of opinion has existed in reference to the date of this document. Its date is determined within comparatively narrow limits by internal evidence.
The writer, Dr. Ravis, describes himself as Dean of Christ Church; it must therefore have been writtenbeforeMarch 19, 1605, when he was consecrated Bishop of Gloucester. He also refers to the Dean of Worcester (Dr. Eedes), who died November, 1604, and hence he may be assumed to have written before that date also. The difficulty is that he describes Dr. Barlow, who is known to have taken part in the work, as Dean of Chester, and it must therefore have been writtenafterBarlow’s appointment of this office. This appointment, as stated by Cardwell, took place in December, 1604;[153]but the correctness of that date is open to some doubt.[154]
The names contained in the above given list have, with some few exceptions, been satisfactorily identified; namely, as follows:
FIRST WESTMINSTER COMPANY.
Dr. Launcelot Andrews, Dean of Westminster.[155]Dr. John Overall, Dean of St. Paul’s.[156]Dr. Adrian de Saravia.Dr. Richard Clark, Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge.Dr. John Layfield, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.Dr. Robert Tighe, Vicar of All Hallows, Barking.[Dr. Francis Burley, Fellow of King James’s College, Chelsea.]Mr. Geoffry King, Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge.[157]Mr. Richard Thomson, Clare Hall, Cambridge.Mr. William Bedwell, Vicar of Tottenham.
Dr. Launcelot Andrews, Dean of Westminster.[155]
Dr. John Overall, Dean of St. Paul’s.[156]
Dr. Adrian de Saravia.
Dr. Richard Clark, Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge.
Dr. John Layfield, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Dr. Robert Tighe, Vicar of All Hallows, Barking.
[Dr. Francis Burley, Fellow of King James’s College, Chelsea.]
Mr. Geoffry King, Fellow of King’s College, Cambridge.[157]
Mr. Richard Thomson, Clare Hall, Cambridge.
Mr. William Bedwell, Vicar of Tottenham.
FIRST CAMBRIDGE COMPANY.
Mr. Edward Lively,[158]Regius Professor of Hebrew, Cambridge.Mr. John Richardson,[159]Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.Mr. Laurence Chaderton, Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.Mr. F. Dillingham, Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge.Mr. Thomas Harrison, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.Mr. Roger Andrews.[160]Mr. Robert Spalding,[161]Fellow of St. John’s College, Cambridge.Mr. Andrew Byng, Fellow of Peter House.
Mr. Edward Lively,[158]Regius Professor of Hebrew, Cambridge.
Mr. John Richardson,[159]Fellow of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Mr. Laurence Chaderton, Master of Emmanuel College, Cambridge.
Mr. F. Dillingham, Fellow of Christ’s College, Cambridge.
Mr. Thomas Harrison, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Mr. Roger Andrews.[160]
Mr. Robert Spalding,[161]Fellow of St. John’s College, Cambridge.
Mr. Andrew Byng, Fellow of Peter House.
FIRST OXFORD COMPANY.
Dr. John Harding, Regius Professor of Hebrew, and President of Magdalen.Dr. John Rainolds, President of Corpus Christi College.Dr. Thomas Holland,[162]Regius Professor of Divinity.Dr. Richard Kilbye, Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford.Dr. Miles Smith,[163]Brasenose College, Oxford.Dr. Richard Brett, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.Mr. Richard Fairclough, Fellow of New College, Oxford.
Dr. John Harding, Regius Professor of Hebrew, and President of Magdalen.
Dr. John Rainolds, President of Corpus Christi College.
Dr. Thomas Holland,[162]Regius Professor of Divinity.
Dr. Richard Kilbye, Rector of Lincoln College, Oxford.
Dr. Miles Smith,[163]Brasenose College, Oxford.
Dr. Richard Brett, Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford.
Mr. Richard Fairclough, Fellow of New College, Oxford.
THE SECOND CAMBRIDGE COMPANY.
Dr. John Duport, Master of Jesus College.Dr. William Branthwaite, Master of Caius College.Dr. Jeremiah Radcliffe, Fellow of Trinity College.Mr. Samuel Ward, Fellow of Emmanuel College.[164]Mr. Andrew Downes, Regius Professor of Greek.Mr. John Bois, Fellow of St. John’s, and Rector of Boxworth.Mr. Ward, Fellow of King’s College.[165]
Dr. John Duport, Master of Jesus College.
Dr. William Branthwaite, Master of Caius College.
Dr. Jeremiah Radcliffe, Fellow of Trinity College.
Mr. Samuel Ward, Fellow of Emmanuel College.[164]
Mr. Andrew Downes, Regius Professor of Greek.
Mr. John Bois, Fellow of St. John’s, and Rector of Boxworth.
Mr. Ward, Fellow of King’s College.[165]
THE SECOND OXFORD COMPANY.
Dr. Thomas Ravis, Dean of Christ Church.[166]Dr. George Abbot, Dean of Winchester.[167]Dr. Richard Eedes, Dean of Worcester.[168]Dr. Giles Thomson, Dean of Windsor.Mr. Henry Saville,[169]Warden of Merton and Provost of Eton.Dr. John Perin, Fellow of St. John’s College.[Dr. Ralph Ravens, Fellow of St. John’s College.]Dr. John Harmer, Regius Professor of Greek.
Dr. Thomas Ravis, Dean of Christ Church.[166]
Dr. George Abbot, Dean of Winchester.[167]
Dr. Richard Eedes, Dean of Worcester.[168]
Dr. Giles Thomson, Dean of Windsor.
Mr. Henry Saville,[169]Warden of Merton and Provost of Eton.
Dr. John Perin, Fellow of St. John’s College.
[Dr. Ralph Ravens, Fellow of St. John’s College.]
Dr. John Harmer, Regius Professor of Greek.
To these, Wood, who does not mention the names of either Eedes or Ravens, in the list given in hisHistory of theUniversity of Oxford, adds the following two; they were probably appointed to take the places of some removed by death:
Dr. John Aglionby,[170]Principal of Edmunds Hall.Dr. Leonard Hutten,[171]Canon of Christ Church.
Dr. John Aglionby,[170]Principal of Edmunds Hall.
Dr. Leonard Hutten,[171]Canon of Christ Church.
THE SECOND WESTMINSTER COMPANY.
Dr. William Barlow, Dean of Chester.Dr. Hutchinson. (?)Dr. John Spenser, Chaplain to King James.[172]Mr. Roger Fenton, Pembroke Hall, Oxford.[Mr. Michael Rabbett, Rector of St. Vedast, Foster Lane.][Mr. Thomas Sanderson, Rector of All Hallows.]Mr. William Dakins, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
Dr. William Barlow, Dean of Chester.
Dr. Hutchinson. (?)
Dr. John Spenser, Chaplain to King James.[172]
Mr. Roger Fenton, Pembroke Hall, Oxford.
[Mr. Michael Rabbett, Rector of St. Vedast, Foster Lane.]
[Mr. Thomas Sanderson, Rector of All Hallows.]
Mr. William Dakins, Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge.
NOTE TOPAGE 117.
Dean Stanley(Historical Memorials of Westminster Abbey, p. 440) states generally that the Assembly of Divines removed from Henry VII.’s Chapel to the Jerusalem Chamber at the end of September. The exact date is, as stated in the text, October 2nd. In the Minutes of the Sessions of the Assembly, preserved in Dr. Williams’s Library, there occurs at the close of the sixty-fifth session the entry, “Adjourned to the Hierusalem Chamber on Monday, at ten o’clock,” and the following session, the sixty-sixth, is dated Monday, October 2nd. The permission to adjourn to the Jerusalem Chamber from Henry VII.’s Chapel, “on account of the coldness of the said chapel,” was granted by Parliament on September 21st, 1643.
A.Abbot, Dr. Ezra,115Ælfric’s Heptateuch,12,13Aiken, Dr. C. A.,115Ainsworth, H., his Commentaries,101Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne,11Alexander, Dr. W. L.,109Alexandrine Manuscript,83Alford, Dean,104,107,110,112,125Alfred, King,12Allen, Archdeacon,107Andrews, Dr. Launcelot,41Anglo-Saxon Gospel,12Angus, Dr. Jos.,110,125Authorized Version, first suggestion of,40—— ordered by King James,41—— a revision, not a translation,45—— rules followed by the revisers,42-44—— misprints in,54—— obsolete words in,57-59—— imperfect renderings of,62—— preface to,199—— list of its revisors,237B.Bancroft, Archbishop,41,45Barrow, Dr. John,104Bede,11Bensley, Mr. R. N.,111Bentley, Dr. Richard, his proposals for revised texts of the Greek New Testament and of the Vulgate,100Beza’s Codex,83Beza, Theodore, his edition of the Greek New Testament,84,86Biber, Dr. G. F.,103Bible, earliest form of,4—— Authorized Version of,39—— Bishops’,30,37,39—— Coverdale’s,18,36—— Douai,33,38—— Genevan,26,37,39—— Great,21,36—— Matthew’s,20—— Purvey’s,15,36—— Taverner’s,22—— Wycliffe’s,13,14,35Bickersteth, Dean,107,110,125Bilson, Bishop,49Birrell, Rev. J.,111Bishops’ Bible,30,37,39Bishops’ Bible, preface thereto,177—— translators of,235Blakesley, Dean,106n,107,110,125Bodley, John, bears the expenses of the Genevan Bible,30nBois, John,46,49Broughton, Hugh,92Brown, Dr. David,112,125Browne, Dr. E. H. (Bishop of Winchester),106n,107,109C.Chambers, Dr. T. W.,115Chance, Dr. F.,111Chenery, Professor,109Cheyne, Rev. T. K.,111Claromontane Manuscript,83Clergymen, Five, their revision of the Gospel of John,104Collation of Manuscripts,82Complutensian Polyglot,84Conant, Dr. T. J.,114Coverdale, first edition of his Bible,18—— his Prologue thereto,160—— prepares the Great Bible,21—— issues a second and other editions of the Great Bible,23—— a refugee at Geneva,27Cranmer, his opinion of Matthew’s Bible,20n—— his Prologue to the second edition of the Great Bible,23Cromwell, Thomas, patron of Coverdale,18—— promotes the preparation of the Great Bible,23Crooks, Dr. G. R.,115,116D.Davidson, Dr. A. B.,109Davies, Dr. B.,109Day, Dr. G. E.,114De Witt, Dr. J.,114Dort, Synod of,44,49Douglas, Dr. G.,111Downes, A.,49Driver, Mr. S. R.,111E.Eadie, Dr. J.,110,112Ellicott, Bishop,104,105,110,125Elliott, Rev. C. J.,112Ephraem Codex,83Erasmus, his editions of the Greek New Testament,85F.Fairbairn, Dr. P.,109Field, Dr. F.,109G.Geddes, Dr. A., his projected translation of the Bible,98Geden, Professor,112Gell, R., his essay upon the amendment of the Authorized Version,93Genevan Bible,26-30,37—— popularity of,32,52—— preface to,172Genevan Psalter,27Genevan New Testament,28,29Ginsburg, Dr.,109Gotch, Dr. F. W.,109Green, Dr. W. H.,114Gutenberg Bible,17nGuthlac of Croyland,11,12H.Hackett, Dr. H. B.,115,116Hadley, Dr. J.,115,116Hampton Court Conference,40Harding, Dr. J.,41Hare, Dr. G. E.,114Harrison, Archdeacon,109Harwood, E., his translation of the New Testament,97nHereford, Nicholas de,14Hervey, Bishop,107Heywood, James, his motion in the House of Commons for a new revision,103Hodge, Dr. C.,115,116Holbein, his design for title-page of Great Bible,22nHort, Dr. F. J. A.,110,120,125Humphry, Prebendary,104,110,125I.Itala, The,9J.Jebb, Dr. J.,106n,107,109Jerome, revises the old Latin version,9—— translates Old Testament,9Jerusalem Chamber,117,127,242Jessey, Henry, his attempted revision of Authorized Version,95Johnson, Anthony, his Historical Account,27nK.Kay, Dr. W.,106n,107,109Kendrick, Dr. A. C.,115Kennedy, Canon,110,125Kennicott, Dr. B.,100Kilbie, Dr. R.,47Krauth, Dr. C. P.,115L.Latin Versions,8,9Lawrence, T., his notes of errors in the Bishops’ Bible,32Leathes, Dr. S.,109Lee, Archdeacon,110,125Lee, Dr. A.,115Lewis, Dr. T.,115Lewis, John, his History of the English Bible,41,49nLightfoot, Dr. J., urges upon Parliament the revision of the English Bible,92Lightfoot, Dr. J. B. (Bishop of Durham),101,110,125Lindisfarne Gospels,12nLively, Ed.,41Lumby, Rev. J. R.,112Lyra, Nicholas de,17M.Mace, W., his Greek and English New Testament,96Marsh, Bishop, on the Authorized Version,102Manuscripts of the New Testament,80Mazarin Bible,17nMcGill, Professor,109Mead, Dr. C. M.,115Merivale, Dean,112,125Mill, Dr. J.,99Milligan, Dr. W.,110,125Moberly, Bishop,104,110,125Moulton, Dr. W. F.,111,125Münster, Sebastian,22,31N.Newcome, Archbishop, his revised New Testament,98Newth, Dr.,111,125O.Ollivant, Bishop,105,106n,107,109Ormulum, The,13Osgood, Dr. H.,115P.Packard, Dr. J.,115Pagninus, his Latin translation,19,31nPalmer, Archdeacon,112,125Parker, Archbishop, superintends the preparation of the Bishops’ Bible,30-32—— his letter to Cecil,30nPayne Smith, Dean,110Penn, Grenville, his revised text and translation of New Testament,99Perowne, Dean,110Plumptre, Dr. E. H.,110Printed Bible, the first,17Printing, invention of,17Psalter, Genevan,27—— Guthlac’s,11n—— Prayer Book,9n,39—— Rolle’s,13—— Schorham’s,13Purver, A., his translation of the Bible,97Purvey, John, Wycliffe’s friend and fellow-labourer,15Q.Quotations in early Christian Writings,87-89R.Rainolds, Dr. J., moves for a new revision,40Rainolds, Dr. J., appointed one of King James’s revisers,47—— works at the revision on his death-bed,47Revisers, the American,114,116—— of 1568,235—— of 1611,237—— of 1881,109-112Riddle, Dr. M. B.,115Roberts, Dr. A.,111Rogers, John, the probable editor of Matthew’s Bible,20Rolle, Richard,13Rose, Archdeacon,106n,107,110Rossi, J. B. de,100S.Sayce, Rev. A. H.,112Schaff, Dr. Philip,114,115Scholefield, Professor, on an improved translation of the New Testament,102Schorham, W. de,13Scott, Dean,111,125Scribes, primary function of,3Scrivener, Dr. F. H.,56,100,111,120,125Selwyn, Canon,103,107,110Septuagint Version,6Short, Dr. C.,115Sinaitic Manuscript,82Smith, Dr. G. Vance,111,125Smith, Dr. H. B.,115,116Smith, Dr. J. Pye, his testimony in favour of revision,101Smith, Dr. Miles,47,49Smith, Professor, W. R.,112Stanley, Dean,107,111,125Stephen, Robert, his editions of the Greek New Testament,85Stephen, Henry,86nStowe, Dr. C. E.,115Strong, Dr. J.,115Syriac Version,8,87T.Taverner, John,22nTaverner, Richard,22Testament, New, Genevan,28—— Rheims,33—— Tyndale’s,18—— Whittingham’s,25—— See“Bible”Thayer, Dr. J. H.,115Thirlwall, Bishop,105,106,110Tischendorf, Dr. C.,100Transcription, errors of,3Tregelles, Dr. S. P.,100,109nTrench, Archbishop,111,125Tyndale, W., his translations,18—— his Prologue to New Testament,137—— his Epistle to the Reader,152—— his Preface to the Pentateuch,154U.Ussher, A., his revised version,94nV.Vatican Manuscript,83Van Dyke, Dr. C. V. A.,115Vaughan, Dean,111,125Version, Æthiopic,87—— Armenian,87—— Gothic,87—— Italic,8—— Memphitic,87—— Old Latin,8—— Septuagint,6—— Syriac,8—— Thebaic,87Vulgate,9W.Wakefield, G., his translation of the New Testament,98Walker, Anthony, his Life of Bois,46n,49nWalton’s Polyglot,99Ward, Dr. S.,44nWard, T., his Errata to the Protestant Bible,33n,93Warren, Dr. W. F.,115,116Weir, Dr. D. H.,112Wemyss, T., his Reasons in favour of a new translation,102Westcott, Canon,22n,41n,111,125Whittingham’s New Testament,25—— his version and the Genevan compared,28,29Wicked Bible,54nWilberforce, Bishop,105,106,111,125Woolsey, Dr. T. D.,115Wordsworth, Dr. Christopher (Bishop of Lincoln),107,110Wordsworth, Dr. Charles (Bishop of St. Andrews),112,125Worsley, J., his translation of the New Testament,97Wright, Dr. W.,109n,112Wright, Mr. W. A.,110,113Wycliffe, John,13,14—— his Bible,16,35—— preface to his Bible,129Z.Zurich Bible,19
W. Brendon and Son, Plymouth.
Footnotes:
[1]From the Latin for seventy, this being the supposed number of the translators. It is referred to as the translation of the Seventy Elders so early as the middle of the second century. See Justin Martyr,Dialogue with Trypho, c. 68.
[2]See Philo Judæus,Life of Moses, book ii. Josephus,Antiquities, xii. ii. 5, 11, 12, 14. Eusebius,Eccl. Hist., v. 8. Josephus states that the translation was made by seventy-two elders in seventy-two days. The story as given in Eusebius is, that the seventy elders were placed apart in seventy different cells, that each translated the entire Scriptures, and that the seventy translations when compared were found to agree to a word.
[3]And this he gave, not by any formal enactment, but by using Jerome’s translation as the basis of his ownExposition of the Book of Job. (See Gregory’sLetter to Leander, forming the preface to that work.) The old version of the Psalms retained its ground apparently from its close connection with the music of the Church. From a like cause the old version of the English Psalms, which in fact was made from the Latin of the Vulgate, retains its place in the Psalter of the Prayer Book. It should however be noted that it is but the translation of the translation of a translation.
[4]Anglo-Saxon Chronicle,A.D.709.
[5]“I have seen a book at Crowland Abbey, which is kept there for a relic. The book is calledSaint Guthlake’s Psalter, and I weene verily that it is a copy of the same that the king did translate; for it is neither English, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, nor Dutch, but something sounding to our English; and as I have perceived since the time I was last there, being at Antwerp, the Saxon tongue doth sound likewise, and it is to ours partly agreeable.” The answer of John Lambert to the twenty-sixth of the Articles laid against him. (Foxe,Acts and Monuments, vol. v. p. 213.)
[6]The Chronicle of Florence of Worcester,A.D.699, andA.D.714.
[7]Many of the clergy were probably at this time unable to interpret the Latin Bibles used in the Church services. Several MSS. exist which have an English translation (gloss) inserted between the lines by writers of the ninth or tenth centuries. One of these, the “Lindisfarne Gospels,” now in the British Museum, is a most richly-adorned MS. It was written by one bishop of Lindisfarne, and ornamented by another, and was encased in jewelled covers. Over each Latin word is written its equivalent in English (Anglo-Saxon). This, as is explained by a note at the end, was done by one “Aldred, the priest,” and, as his handwriting shows, in the tenth century. It cannot be supposed that this was done for the benefit of ordinary readers. So valued a MS. would not be likely to come into any other hands than those of the clergy or the monks.
[8]There is no direct evidence for the existence at an earlier date of any translation of the entire Scriptures into any form of English. In an interesting tract (commonly assigned to the earlier part of the fifteenth century, and printed by Foxe in the first edition of hisActs and Monuments, 1563), entitled, “A Compendious Old Treatise, showing how that we ought to have the Scripture in English.” It is stated, “Also a man of London, whose name was Wyring, had a Bible in English, of northern speech, which was seen of many men, and it seemed to be two hundred years old.” (Foxe,Acts and Monuments, vol. iv. p. 674.) It cannot, however, be inferred from this statement that the volume referred to was a complete Bible.
[9]SeeAppendix A.
[10]As many as one hundred and fifty manuscripts, containing the whole or parts of Purvey’s Bible, are still in existence, and the majority of these were written within forty years from the time of its completion.—ForshallandMadden,Wycliffite Versions of the Holy Bible, Preface, p. xxxiii.
[11]No portion of the Wycliffe Bible was printed until 1731, when the New Testament, in the later of its forms, was published by the Rev. John Lewis, of Margate. This was reprinted in 1810, under the editorship of the Rev. Henry Baber. The complete Bible was not printed till so recently as 1850, in the splendid volumes issued from the University press of Oxford, and edited by the Rev. J. Forshall and Rev. F. Madden.
[12]The first work known to have been printed with moveable metal type is the Latin Bible, issued from the press of John Gutenberg at Maintz, 1450-55. This Bible is sometimes referred to as the Mazarin Bible, from the accidental circumstance that a copy of it was found about the middle of last century in Cardinal Mazarin’s library at Paris. (Hallam,Literature of Europe, vol. i. p. 210.) With more propriety it may be called the Gutenberg Bible.
[13]SeeAppendix C.
[14]Mr. Blunt, in his article “English Bible,” in theEncyclopædia Britannica, maintains that Coverdale translated directly from the Hebrew and Greek. But in order to this he has, first, forcibly to set aside the statement on the title-page as “placed there by mistake,” and then to represent Coverdale as including the Hebrew and Greek originals in the same category as Latin, German, and English translations, and as describing them all as “five interpreters” from which he had translated.
[15]This license seems to have been obtained from the king by Cromwell at Cranmer’s suggestion. (See Cranmer’s Letter to Cromwell, August 4th, 1537.Remains and Letters, p. 344. Parker Society.) In this letter Cranmer thus expresses his opinion of the book: “And as for the translation, as far as I have read thereof I like it better than any other translation heretofore made; yet not doubting but that there may be and will be found some fault therein, as you know no man ever did or can do so well, but it may be from time to time amended. And forasmuch as the book is dedicated unto the king’s grace, and also great pains and labour taken in setting forth of the same: I pray you, my lord, that you will exhibit the book unto the king’s highness, and to obtain of his grace, if you can, a license that the same may be sold and read of every person, without danger of any act, proclamation, or ordinance, heretofore granted to the contrary, until such time as we bishops shall set forth a better translation, which I think will not be till a day after doomsday.”