Divinitv Libra Esn^s /y Z y ¦^ y' -^ -^ ;-'>//% " ^x// '' x«^ ^; // 'Y^ILE'WIMir^EI^Sflinf- DIVINITY SCHOOL TROWBRIDGE LIBRARY [NroRJVtA-i:. oxj'rXiiN"K series.] SHORT HISTORY THE ENGLISH BIBLE WITH BRIEF NOTICES OF THE TRANSLATORS BY J. M. FREEMAN, D.D. " Believers should ascertain for themselves the matters of their faith by hav ing the Scriptures in a language which they fully understand." — Wycliffe " If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the I^ow to know more of the Scriptures than the priests do." — Tyndale NLW AND REVISED EDITION NEW YORK: HUNT &» BATON CINCINNATI: CRANSTON Gfi STOW E l8qt L YiOE DlVlNnY sa ^ kr 1 u ( {,.<)j Copyright, 1891, by HUNT & EATON, New Yobk. PREFATORY NOTE. rpHE various efforts made to give to the English -^ people the word of God in their own language make Jl story of romantic and tragic interest. The nar rative is one of toil, trial, persecution, and martyrdom, followed by glorious triumph. Such a narrative ought to be familiar to all who speak the English language. The design of this work is to give, in condensed form, the prominent facts relating to this subject, seeking to point the way to more elaborate works rather than to supersede them. Those who wish to investigate the subject more thoroughly will find in the list of "Au thorities " given on page '/ the names of a number of books of this description. As a merely literary production, the English Bible is • well worth the attention of the student: while as a -.i5_ faithful exponent of the word of God, which has come ,^ down to us from prophets and apostles in other tongues ^ than ours, it has a special interest for all believers in 'divine revelation. a) _^~' The increasing attention given of late years to the 2 study of the Bible and of collateral subjects is one of ~^ the most hopeful signs of the times. "Our Sunday-school oteaehei'S and advanced scholars, as well as many not lA. engaged in Sunday-school work, are seeking for helps 6 PiiKFAToRY Note. of all kinds to an intfUigent and systematic study of the Scriptures. To aid them .somewhat in this laudable effort this book has been written. It is arranged to meet the wants of the student, as well as of the general reader, and therefore takes its place in the "Normal OuTiJNB Seeiks." a careful study of the contempo raneous history, to which brief reference is given in vari ous chapters, will help very much to a comprehensive understanding of the subject, revealing hidden influences and agencies which do not appear on a superficial read ing. The Synoptical Statement at the close of the book may be found helpful to those who wish to fix in mind the principal features of the history. It is hoped that a study of the subject may result in a higher appreciation of our noble English Bible, and in an increased thankfulness to God for the labors of the honored men through whose efforts and sacrifices ita possession has been made possible. MoERiSTOWtr, N. J., June 10, 7.879. Another edition of this little book being called for, the author has re-written Chapter XV, changing the title from "The Proposed Revision" to "The Anglo-American Revis ion," and adapting it to the historic facts which the change indicates. He has also made numerous corrections in other parts of the work. It is gratifying to notice the continued increase of interest in our Euglish Bible. In a number of the literary institutions of this country it has been introduced as a text-book in the course of study. It is to be hoped that while its literary excellences attract the mind its spiritual teachings will beneflt the heart. J. M. F. MoKRisTOWN, N. J., November 1, 1891. AUTHORITIES CONSULTED IN THE PREPARATION OF THIS WORK. In addition to various histories, biographies, and cyclopedias, the fol lowing works have been specially consulted : — Andehson, Christophek — ^The Annals of the English Bible. Two volumes. London, 1845. Baber, Ret. Henry, M.A. — An Historical Account of the Saxon and English Versions of the Scriptures Previous to the Opening of the Fifteenth Century. [Prefixed to his reprint of Lewis' edition of WyclifEe's New Testament.] London, 1810. Bagsteb — An Historical Account of the. English Versions of the Scriptures in Connection with the Progress of the Eeformation ; with Biographical Notices of various Translators. [Preface to Hexapla.] London, 1841. Bible Revision, Anglo-American. — By Members of the Ameriftan Revision Committee. New York, 1879. Cotton, Rev. Henry, D.O.L. — Editions of the Bible and Parts Thereof in English, from the year MDV to MDOCCL. Oxford, 1852. Dabney, J. P. — [Edition of Tyndale's New Testament, with Biog raphy.] Andover, 1837. Davidson, SAMUBi, D.D., LL.D. — English Versions. [Article in Kitto's " Cyclopedia of Biblical Literature."] Philadelphia, 1866. DoRB, J. R. — Old Bibles; or, An Account of the Various Versions of the English Bible. London, 1876. Eadie, John, D.D., LL.D. — The English Bible. Two volumes. Loudon, 1876. ELLioorr, C. J., D.D., Bishop of Glougester and Bristol — Con siderations on the Revision of the English Version of the New Testa ment. New Tork, 1873. Pry, Francis, F.S.A. — A Description of the (Jreat Bible, 1539, and the six editions of Cranmer's Bible, 1 540 and 1 541, printed by Graf ton & Whilchiirch ; also of the editions in large folio of the Author- 8 Authorities. ized Version of the H.ly Scriptures, printed in the years lull, 1613, 1617, 1634, 1640. Loudon, 1865. Lewis, John, M.A.— A Complete History of the Several Transla tions of the Holy Bible and New Testament into English. London, 1739. Ltghtpoot, j. B., D.D., Canon of St. Paul's— On a Fresh Revision ofthe PJnglish New Testament. New York, 1873. M'Clintook & Strong — Cyclopsedia of Biblical, Theological, and iOoclesiastioal Literature, Articles, " Authorized Version, and English Versions." New York, 1867, 1870. MnuLTON, Ret. W. F., M.A., D.D. — The History of the English Bible. London, 1878. Plumptre, Rev. Edward Hayes, M.A. — Version, Authonied. [Article in Smith's "Dictionary ofthe Bible."] Boston, 1863. Sohaff, Philip, D.D. — On the Revision of the English Bible. [In troduction to Essays by Lightfoot, Trench, and Ellicott.] New York, 1873. Sohaff, Philip, D.D. — Historical Account of the Work of the American Committee of Revision. New York, 1885. Sohaff, Philip, D.D. —A Companion to the Greek Testament and the Euglish Version. [Third edition.] . New York, 1888. Scrivener, Ret. F. A., M.A., LL.D. — The Cambridge Paragraph Bible. [Introduction.] Cambridge, 1873. Stevens, Henby — Bibles in the Caxton Exhibition, MDCCCLXXVIt Loudon, 1878. Stoughton, John, DD. — Our English Bible : Its'Translaiions and Translators. London, 1878. TowNLEY, Ret. Jambs, D.D. — Illustrations of Biblical Literature. Two volumes. New York, 1852. Trench, Richard Chenevix, D.D., Archbishop of Dublin — On tlie Aulh'Orized Version of the New Testament, in connection with some recent Proposals for its Revision. New York, 1873. "Wbstcott, Brooke Fos.s, D.D. — A General View of the History o{ thr- English Bible. London, 1872. Wycliffe, John — The New Testament in English, translated^ by Jolai Wycliffe circa MCCCLXXX. Now first printed from a cootem- por.ineous Manuscript, formerly in tlie Monastery of Sion, Mididlesex, tafe in the coUeotiou of Lea Wilson, F.S.A. London, 1848. CONTENTS, L Peeliminaey: — 1. Early Christianity in Britain 11 2. Principal versions of the Scriptures previous to the first printed English Testament 11 3. Facilities for studying Hebrew and Greek 13 4. Means of learning scriptural truth 15 II. Early Paraphrases and Versions 17 III. Wycliffe's Bible 19 IV. An Interval of Nearly a Century and a Half 21 V. Tyndale's Translations; especially his New Testa ment <.. 24 VI. Coverdale's Bible 28 VII. Matthew's Bible 31 VIIL Taverner's Bible 34 IX. The Great Bible: — 1. The Edition of 1539 35 2. The Subseqnent Editions 37 X Whittingham's New Testament 40 XI. The Genevan Bible 42 XII. The Bishops' Bible 44 XIII. The Rheims and Douay Version 46 XIV. The Authorized Version 48 XV. The Anglo- American Revision 68 10 Contents. Pjloi XVI. Peculiar Bibles: — 1; Priority in Publication 62 2. Singular Renderings 63 3. Typographical Errors 65 XVII. Specimens op the Different VERSiONa 67 XVIII. Synoptical Statement 76 Index 81 'i..£::^<:3-J> A SHORT HISTORY THE ENGLISH BIBLE. I. PRELIMINARY. 1. ^arly OkrUUanity in Britain. Chbistianitt was carried to Britain in the second century, and numerous flourishing Churches were established among the converts from paganism. In the fifth century the Saxons, Angles, and Jutes invaded the island and brought back bar barism and idolatry, though the Christian religion retained its hold in a few places. In the year 596 Pope Gregory tlie Great sent Augustine and other missionaries to Britain, and succeeded in making many converts, among them Ethelbert, the King of Kent, and chief of the Saxon monarchs. Other Saxon kings, also, were converted, and large numbers of the people. The remnant of the British Church which had out lived persecution and invasion was compelled to submit to the authority of the Church of Rome, which Church retained its supremacy in Britain for a thousand years. 2. Principal versions of the Scriptures previous to the first printed Bnglish Testament. Greeh — The most important Greek translation of the Old Testament, and the oldest in any language, is the Septuagint, made in Alexandria, in Egypt, in the third century before Christ. By whom it was made is not certainly known. In the third century a careful revision of the Septuagint was made by Origen. It was first printed in folio in 1518 at Venice. 12 A Short Histoet op thb English Bible. Chaldee, or Aramaic. — By reason of the Babylonish captiv. the Jews became more familiar with the Aramaic langua;! than with the Hebrew. About the time of Christ a transh'!! tion of the Pentateuch was made from Hebrew into Aramaic \ Other parts of the Hebrew Scriptures were afterward trans ' lated, or, more correctly speaking, paraphrased. These ver- • sions or paraphrases are called Targums. They are ten in number, the most important being the Targum of Onkelot. It was flrst printed in 1609 at Venice. Syriac. — The most important of the Syriac versions is called the Pesliito. It was probably translated by Christianized Jews, somewhere about the second century. Latin. — The most celebrated of the early Latin versions of the Bible is called the Yetus Itala, or Yetus Latina. The old Testament was translated from the Septuagint. This version ia supposed to have been made in Africa in the second century. In the fourth century the Yetus Itala was revised by Jerome ; but, being dissatisfied with the translation, lie prepared a new one, translating the Old Testament from tbe original Hebrew. Jerome's translation is known as the Yulgate. It was several hundred years after his death before its authority was recog nized. It has had several revisions by direction of diflEerent Popes, and has been for centuries the standard Bible of the Church of Rome. It was first printed in Mentz, by Gutten- berg, without date, but somewhere between 1450 and 1455. This is the first book printed with movable types. German. — Portions of the Bible were translated into Ger man as early as the latter part of the ninth century. These translations increased in number until the invention of print ing. Five undated editions were issued before 1477, all of them from the Vulgate. The first of these is thought to have been printed as early as 1466 in Strasburg. Between 1477 and 1533 nine other editions followed, besides translations of de- 1 ached portions. Luther's New Testament appeared in 1523. It was pub lished at Wittemberg iu two folio volumes. In 1534 the whole Bible, with the exception of the prophetical books, was pub lished in three folio volumes at Nuremberg. Luther's Bible was translated from the original languages. The Ziiricli Bible was published shortly after Liithei's, and Missing Page Missing Page Pkeliminabt. 15 4. Means of lea/ming scriptural truth "before the time of the first printed English Teatcmient. For raany years there was but little opportunity of learning the contents of the Bible save by the instruction of the priests. Manuscript translations were of necessity costly, and could not be read save by those who understood Latin. As early as the sixth century Saxon monks made copies of the Latin Scriptures. In 1339 the Council of Toulouse prohibited the laity read ing the Scriptures,' and this prohibition was repeated by sub sequent Councils. When, in the latter part of the thirteenth century, paper began to be used for manuscripts, the expense was reduced, but was still very large, and the masses of the people were sunk in ignorance. The religious dramas of the Middle Ages were one means by which the common people obtained crude notions of Bible history and doctrine. Their origin is not definitely known, but they flourished extensively from the eleventh century to the fifteenth." They were known, at different periods, by the names of "Mysteries," "Miracle Plays," and "Moral ities." Priests and laymen alike engaged as actors, and im mense crowds attended the representations. The Biblia Pamp&rvm,, or " Bible of the Poor," was at one time a very popular means of religious instruction. Some writers claim for it an origin as early as the ninth century. All copies of it were in manuscript until the early part of the fifteenth century, when editions were issued printed from wooden blocks. Even after the invention of printing by movable types this work continued to be printed in its old form. It consists of pictures representing scenes in Bible ' Dr. Townley translates the prohibition as follows : " We also for bid the laity to possess any of the books of the Old or New Testaments, except perhaps some one, out of devotion, wishes to have the Psaltoi or Breviary for the divine offioes, or the Hours of the Blessed Virgin. But we strictly forbid them having any of these books translated into the vulgar tongae." ^-IUustrations, vol. i, p. 352. ' They have, indeed, continued quite down to our own times, as wit ness the celebrated " Passion Play," performed once in every ten years, at Ober-Ammergau, in Bavaria. 16 A Short History op the English Bible. history or narrative, with explanations in Latin. The text needed a teacher, but the pictures spoke for themselves to the common mind. Resembling the "Bible of the Poor" was the Speculum Sahationis. or "Mirror of Salvation." There are manuscript copies which are said to have been written in the twelfth century. Many copies were printed in the fifteenth century. The work consists of engravings of Scripture-scenes and ex planatory texts in Latin. Though printed in Holland, some copies of it found their way to England. There was, also, the Legenda Aurea, or "Golden Legend," written in 1393 by James de Voragine, a Dominican friar, who afterward became Archbishop of Genoa. Originally written in Latin, it was translated iuto French in the four teenth century, and into English in the fifteenth. Mingled with many legendary absurdities concerning the lives of the saints, there are translations of portions of the Pentateuch and ofthe Gospels. Caxton printed the flrst English edition as early as 1483. The work, whether in manuscript or printed, was very popular for many years. Stevens says: "It was, no doubt, read in churches, and, tluuigh the text is mixed with much pi-iestly gloss and dross, it nevertheless contains, in almost a literal translation, a great portion of the Bible." ' A number of Saxon and English versions of portions of Scripture were prepared at dififereut times, and circulated iu manuscript form. These will be especially noticed in the next chapter, and the manuscript translation of the Bible by Wycliffe in the chapter following. The art of printing reduced materially the cost of Bibles. Printed Bibles were sold in England as early as 1480, but they were iu Latin, and were of no service to the common people. It will thus be seen how meager were the opportunities uf studying the word of God. For nearly eight hundred years after the preaching of Augustine the people had no complete Bible in their own tongue, and for about a hundred and flfty years more they were dependent on a manuscript Bible, copies of which were necessarily expensive. ' The Bible, etc., p. 58. Early Pae.4.piirases and Versions. 17 [I. EARLY PARAPHRASES AND VERSIONS. The earliest recorded attempt at rendering any part ol the Bible into the vernacular was made by Cffidmon, a Benedict ine monk, who lived in the seventh century, at Whitby. He paraphrased, in Anglo-Saxon verse, different portions of Script ure. Caedmon died about 680. Aldhelm, Bishop of Sherborne, (b. 656, d. 709,) translated . the Psalms into Anglo-Saxon. Guthlac, a hermit of Croyland, near Peterborough, (b. 667. d. 714,) also rendered the Psalms into Anglo-Saxon. The Venerable Bede, of Jarrow, (b. 675, d. 735,) translated the Gospel of St. John into Anglo-Saxon. ' He finished the translation while dying. He then began to chant the Gloria Patri, and expired while uttering the last vvords of this ancient doxology. Alfred the Great (b. 849, d. 901) made a paraphrase of some parts of the Bible, notably of the Ten Commandments, which he called "Alfred's Dooms." He was engaged on an Apglo-Saxon version of the Psalter at the time of his death. Another Anglo-Saxon Psalter, by an unknown translator, was written in the ninth century. About the year 680 Eadfrith, Bishop of Landisfarne, wrote the four Gospels in Latin. About 950 a priest named Aldred made an interlinear translation of it, word for word, in Anglo- Saxon. This work is known as the "Durham Book," as it once belonged to the dean and chapter of Durham. It is also sometimes called the " Cuthbert Gospels," because the manu script is said to have been used by St. Cuthbert ; and it has likewise been called the "Landisfarne Gospels," from the see of the bishop who wrote the Latin. About the snme time appeared a similar interlinear trans lation, now known as the "Rushworth Gloss," from the name ' Bede probably translated other portions of the Bible, but of this there is no positive proof. 18 A Short Histort cf the English Bible. of one of its owners in the sevci.ceenth century. TheXatin text was written by an Irishman named Mac Kegol ; hence the work is sometimes called the " Gospel of Mac Regol." The gloss, or interlinear translation, was written by two priests ol Harewood, named Farmen and Owen. The book is said to be, to a considerable extent, a copy of the "Durham Book." .ailfric,' near the close of the tenth century, made para phrases and translations of many portions of the Bible. Parts of the books from which he translated, however, he omitted, and other parts he abridged. In the twelfth century there was an Anglo-Norman version of the Psalms written. Later in the twelfth, or early in the 'thirteenth century, an Augustine monk named Orm, orOrmin. wrote a versified paraphrase of the Gospels and Acts of the Apostles, which he called the "Ormulum."" About the same time a metrical paraphrase of the Old and New Testaments was written by an unknown author. It bears the name of Salus Animcs, or Sowlehele, [Soul-health.] There is, also, a metrical version of Genesis and Exodus, which was probably written about the middle of the thirteenth century. About 1335 William de Schorham, vicar of Chart-Sutton, in Kent, made a prose translation of the Psalms. Another version ofthe Psalms was written about the same time, or a few years later, by Richard Rolle, a chantry priest, who lived in seclusion near Hampole, where he died in 1349. lie wrote also a metrical paraphrase of the Book of Job and of the Lord's Prayer. Referring to his Psalms, he says, "In this werke I seke no strange ynglys, but lightest and com- raunest, and swilk is most like unto the Latyne, so that thai that knowes noght the Latyne be the ynglys may come ic many Latyne wordis." ' There were two eminent ecolesiaBtios and scholars of this nams. who were contemporaries. Authorities differ as to their identity ano writings. " The reason for the name is thus given : " Thiss boc iss nemmnedd Orrmulum Forrthi thatt Ormm itt wrohhte." — White's OnrmAum. Preface, lines 1 and a. The orthographj- ie very peculiar throughout the work. Wycliffe's Bible. 19 III. WYCLIFFE'S BIBLE. Jons Wtclii'fb, ' born 1334; died 1384. Contemporan'ous with the foUowiru} : — Z^m; John XXII., 1.316-1334; BenedictXn.,1334r-1342; Clement VL, 1342-1332; Innocent VL, 13.52-1362; Urban V., 1362-1370 ; Gregory XI., 1370-1378,^ At the great " Schism of the West," in 1378, Urban VI. was acknowledged in England, and Clement VII. in France, Spain, and Scotland. Kings of JBhgland: Edwar.l IIL, 1327-1377; Eichard IL, 1377-1399. Mngs ef Scotland : David IL, 1329-1371; Eobert IL, 1371-1390. Literary Celebrities: Barbour, b, 1326, d. 1396; Chaucer, b. 132S, d. 1400 ; Gower, b. 1327, d. 1408. Concerning the early life of Wycliffe we have no certain in formation. The year 1334 is given as the probable time of his birth, and a little village in Yorkshire as the place. He was one of the first students iu Queen's College, Oxford, on its foundation by Queen Philippa, in 1340, and afterward held a number of important offices in connection with the University of Oxford. He took orders as a priest, and soon became popular. About 1360 he opposed the mendicant friars, who were overrunning the land." He also, in his preaching, insisted on the superior authority of Scripture. He was appointed one of the chaplains to Edward III., and frequently lectured on divinity to the students at Oxford. In 1365 he opposed Pope Urban V. in his demand for tribute from the English crown, the arrears being for thirty-three years at a thousand marks a year. In 1374 he was one of six commissioners sent by Edward III. to Bruges in Nether- ' Also spelled Wickliffe, Wicliffe, Wyclif, Wielif. There are said to be about twenty different forms of the word. Sometimes the prefix de is added. 'There were four orders of these: 1. Dominicans, or Black Friars; 2. Franciscans, or Gray Friars ; 3. Carmelites, or White Friars; 4. Au gustine, or Austin Friars. They roamed at large, subsisted by begging, and In many instances led aoandalous lives. Chaucer and Gower both denounced them in their poems. 2 20 A Short History of the English Bible. lands to confer with delegates from Pope Gregory XL, con cerning questions of ecclesiastical authority in England. By reason of his frequent attacks on the pretensions of the papacy he was, in February, 1377, tried for heresy before a con vocation of the clergy called by Archbishop Courtney, in St. Paul's, London, where he was defended by John of Gaunt and Henry Percy. In May, of the same year. Pope Gregory XI. issued four bulls, by which he was cited to appear before a synod in Lambeth, in 1378. He escaped condemnation, however, by the intervention of the queen-mother, and by the distractions resulting from the great papal schism. He became very influential, and sent his disciples all over the country, preaching liis doctrines. He had for a long time advocated the translation of the Scriptures into English, and, after the labor of years,' in 1380 he completed his translation of the New Testament, and copies were soon multiplied and circulated. A version of the Old Testament followed about two years later. In 1381 lie lectured in Oxford against tran substantiation. For this he was condemned by a synod of twelve doctors, and forbidden by the king, Richard II., to lecture any further in Oxford. He retired to his living at Lutterworth, where he jireached and wrote until the close of 1384, when he was struck with paralysis while performing divine service, ant! after two days' illness he died. Wycliffe's Bible was tbe first translation of the entire Bible into English. It was rendered from the Latin Vulgate, and prepared for the common people, and not for the educated few. He began with the Apocalypse, then took the Gospels, and afterward the remaining books of the New Testament. The Old Testament was not entirely his work. It was begun by an intimate friend, Nicholas de Hereford, who proceeded as far as the middle of Baruch," and then stopped, as is supposed, because he was cited to appear before Archbishop Arundel to answer a charge of heresy. Wycliffe probably began the work where his friend left off, and completed it. ¦ There are said to be indications of his having worked at this trans- lation thirty years before his death. See Geike, " The English Refor mation," p. 44. ' This apocryphal book was, in Wycliffe's Bible, immediately before Ezekiel. Wycliffe's Bible. 21 Copies of this Bible were multiplied as rapidly as the pens of scriveners could do the work. They were eagerly sought by all classes of people. Some were written in folio, some in quarto, and many in smaller size, for greater convenience in daily use. Though printing was invented less than a hundred years after Wycliffe's death, no part of his translation was printed until Dr. Clarke, in 1833, published his comments on Solo mon's Song, to which he prefixed Wycliffe's translation of that book. Wycliffe's New Testament was published by Lea Wilson in 1848, aud the entire Bible in four quarto volumes by For- shall & Madden, Oxford. 1850, nearly flve hundred years after the translation was made. A revised translation was completed about the year 1388, the work of John Purvey, a friend of Wycliffe, assisted by Nicholas de Hereford and others. It was an improvement on Wycliffe's version. It was flrst printed by Lewis, in 1731 ; then by Baber, in 1810 ; in Bagstir's Hexapla in 1841 ; and in Forshall&Madden's Wycliffe's Bible, in 1850. For many years Purvey's revision was supposed to be Wyc liffe's original translation, and is so noted in three of the works just mentioned. The fourth, however, has both trans lation and revision. IV. AN INTERVAL OF NEARLY A CENTURY AND A HALF. Ddrino the long interval between the death of Wycliffe and the publication of Tyndale's New Testament the English peo ple were mainly dependent on copies of Wycliffe's Bible for their knowledge of Scripture. It was a period of history crowded with events too numerous to be detailed here. A rapid glance at some of the most important is all that can be given. Of kings, Scotland had Robert III., and James I., IL, III., rv., and V. England had Henry IV., V., VL ; Edward IV. and V. ; Richard IIL, and Henry VIL and VIH. From 1450 to 1471 the country was convulsed with the " Wars of the Roses." 22 A Short History of the English Bible. Two of the greatest events in this period are the invention of printing, in the middle of the fifteenth century, and the discovery of America in 1493. Of Popes there were more than twenty, sometimes two at a time, and in one instance there were three different claimants for the tiara. The great "Schism of the West" ended in 1429, after lasting for fifty years. There were two important ecumenical councils held. At the Council of Constance, 1414^1418, John Huss and Jerome of Prague were condemned to be burned to death. The doctrines of Wycliffe were also condenined by this council, and he was formally declared a heretic. It was ordered that his bones be taken from the place of burial, cast upon a dung hill, and then, with his writings, be burned. His bones, however, remained undisturbed for thirteen years more, when, by command of Pope Martin V., they were taken from the grave where they had quietly lain for forty-four years, and were burned, and the ashes thrown into a neighboring brook. In 1431-1443 the Council of Basle was held. This C(mncil declared that a "general council is superior to a Pope," a proposition which had been previously discussed in the Coun cil of Constance. In 1453, by the collapse of the Eastern Empire, the scholars of Greece being driven away, settled in different parts of Europe, especially in Italy. They taught Greek, and thus began the revival of learning by means of which half a cent ury later English scholars became acquainted with the lan guage of the New Testament. In England, after Wycliffe's death, his doctrines became more popular. The "Lollards," as his disciples were called, went every- where, teaching the Scriptures and denouncing the superstitions of Rome. They met, however, with much oppo sition. In 1390 an attempt was made to suppress the manu script Bible by act of Parliament, but it was defeated. In 1395 the Lollards petitioned Parliament for a general re form from the corruptions of the Romish Church, but they failed. Persecution followed. In March, 1401, William Saw- tro, a priest, was burned alive. He had dared to say, "In stead of adoring the cross on which Christ suffered, I adore Christ, who suffered on it." He was really the flrst martyr to Interval of a Century and a Half. 23 Protestantism, though he suffered more than a hundred years before that word became famous. In 1408, at a Convocation of the Province of Canterbury, held in Oxford, under Archbishop Arundel, a decree was passed forbidding the translation or the use of " any books of this kind composed lately in the time of John Wycliffe, or since his death." In the Parliament of 1414 a law was passed prohibiting evei-y one from reading the Scriptures in English under penalty of forfeiting " land, catel, lif, aud goods, from rtieyr lieyres for ever." In spite of these restrictions copies were multiplied and read. Some bought, others borrowed. Sometimes poor people united their means and purchased a book, which they owned in common. The entire manuscript Bible cost five marks, equal to over two hundred dollars of our money, so that many had to be satisfled with small portions of the book. They were ready to suffer persecution and even death for the possession of God's word. This opposition to the reading of the Bible was especially violent in the early part of the flfteenth century. The years 1509 to 1517, and above them all the year 1531, were partie- < ularly noted for bitter persecution. Still the people read. There were reading associations called "Brothers in Christ," meeting chiefly in London, but also at different places in the Counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk, and Buckingham. They owned various parts of the manuscript Bible, which they read at their meetings. During the interval we are considering Bibles were printed in German and in other languages,' so that other nations had the Scriptures in print years before the English people. Cax ton printed the "Golden Legend" in 1483, but the Script ure it contained was mingled with romauce." The first portion of the Bible ever printed in English consisted of the penitential psalms, on which Bishop Fisher prepared seven sermons in 1505. It was called, "The Fruytful Saynges of Davide in the seven penitential Psalmes; devyded in seven sermons." As we get nearer to the time for the appearing of the flrst "See pp. 12, 13. 'See p. 16. 24 A Short History of the English Bible. printed English Testament we flnd on every side tokens of the coming Reformation, of which Wycliffe has been very ap propriately called "the Morning Star." In 1517 Luther published his ninety-five theses; and in 1531 he was summoned to the Diet of Worms. Melanchthon, Erasmus of Rotterdam, Ulric Zwingle, Farel, and other re-' formers were in the field. V. TYNDALE'S TRANSLATIONS; ESPECIALLY HIS NEW TESTAMENT. William Tyndale, born 1484,' died 1536. Principal Contemporaries: (Some have already been named in the preceding chapter, and are not repeated here.) I^es: Innocent VIIL, 1484-1492; Alexander VL, 1492-1503; Pius III., 1503; Julius IL, 1503-1513; Leo X., 1513-1522; Adrian VL, 1522 ; Clement VII., 1523-1534; Paul III., 1534^1550. Cardinal: Wolsey, 1515-1529. Kings of JBrtgland : Henry VIL, 1485-1509; Henry VIII., 1509-1547. Kings of Scotland: James IV., 1487-1513; James V., 1513-1542. Eeformers: In Germany, Luther, b. 1483, d. 1546; Melanchthon, b. 1497, d. 1560 ; in Switzerland, Zwingle, b. 1434, d. 1531 ; Farel, b. 1489, d. 1565 ; in France, Lefever, b. 1455', d. 1536 ; in England, Bilney, b. 1500, d. 1531 ; Cranmer, b. 1489, d. 1556 ; Latimer, b. 1470, d. 1555; Eidley, b. 1500, d. 1555. Literary Celebrities : Colet, b. 1466. d". 1519 ; Erasmus, b. 1467, d. 1536; More, b. 1480, d. 1535; Warham, b. 1450, d. 1532; Linaore, b. 1460, d. 1524; Lilley, b. 1466, d. 1523; Grocyn, d. 1519. Tyndale was born either at North Nibley, or at Slymbridge, near Berkeley, in Gloucestershire, 1484. About 1500 he went to the Umversity at Oxford, in 1510 to Cambridge, drawn thither, as some suppose, to hear lectures on Greek from Erasmus. In 1531 he became a tutor in the family of Sir John Walsh, of Sodbury, in Gloucestershire. It was while here that, in controversy with a learned divine, he uttered his famous prediction: " If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plow to know more of the Scriptures than the priests do." » This is the date given as probable by the best authcrities, though 4e precise year is not known. Some place it as early as 1477. Tyndale's Translations. 25 The date of his ordination to the priesthood is not known. He came to London probably in 1533. Receiving no encour agement from Bishop Tunstall, to whom he applied for em- ])loyment, he found a home in the family of Humphrey Mon mouth, a friendly merchant, with whom he remained a year. In May, 1534, he went to Hamburgh. It is maintained hy some writers that he spent a part of this year with Luther at Wittenberg, but of this there is no positive evidence. The raost that can be said is, that it might have been. He visited different cities on the continent. Worms, Cologne, Antwerp, Sind probably learned Hebrew of the ,Tews in some of tliese towns. To translate the Bible into English had long been his great desire. In 1535 the New Testament was ready for Ihe press. He began to print secretly a quarto edition in Cologne, at the press of Peter Quentel, but, being accidentally discovered by Cochlaeus, a Romish priest, he and William Roye, his aiuiinu- ensis, fled up the Rhine to Worms, carrying with them the slieets already printed. In Worms an edition in octavo was printed by Peter Shoeffer, in the early part of 1536, and, shortly after, the quarto edition, which had been begun at Cologne, was finished at the same press. Of each of these editions three thousand copies were printed. Tyndale was not at first known as the translator, as his name did not ap pear on the title.' The authorities in England had been warned by Cochlaeus and others of the probable attempt to circulate the book, and endeavored to prevent it. In this, however, they failed, for in the spring or early summer of 1536 the precious volumes were brought over to London concealed in grain and other merchandise consigned to pious merchants, and were sold as stealthily as they had been imported. The way for their re ception and use had been prepared by the "Brothers in Christ" mentioned in the preceding chapter.' The common people welcomed these volumes, though the price of one was e(iual to two weeks' wages of a laboring 1 There is only one small fragment of the 4to. edition of 1525 now known to be in existence. There are but two copies of the 12mo. edi tion, and neither of them perfect. ' See page 23. 26 A Short History of the English Bible. man; but those in authority opposed their circulation. In the fall of 1526 Bishop Tunstall issued his orders forbidding the use or the posscsssion ofthe book, and directing all copies to be delivered within thirty days to his vicar-general for de struction. In 1526, 1537, and 1538, three surreptitious edi- Uons were issued at Antwerp. Bishop Tunstall, through au agent, bought up all of these he could, and on the 4th of May, 1530, publicly burned them in St. Paul's church-yard. Three weeks later a Convocation of the king and bishops issued an order forbidding the use of the "pernicious books." This document manifested the same spirit shown thirteen years later, when the Parliament, in 1543, passed an act di recting "that all manner of bokes of the olde and newe Test ament, in English, of this [Tyndale's] translation, should be by authoritie of this act cleerly and utterly abolished, extin guished and forbidden to be kept and used in this realme, or els where in anie the king's dominions.'" In 1537 Tyndale left Worms and went to Marburg, in Hesse Cassel, where he stayed nearly four years. Here, in 1530, he issued, in an octavo volume, the Pentateuch, in En glish, each of the flve books having a separate title-page. In the year following he published, probably at Antwerp, a translation of Jonah. It was about this time, also, that he is supposed to have translated the Old Testament from Joshua to 3 Ohronioles inclusive, though this part of his work was not published during his lifetime. In 1534 he issued in Ant werp his revised edition of the New Testament, with certain selections from the Old Testament, called "Epistles." In May, 1535, Tyndale, betrayed by one whom he had ben efited, was arrested at Antwerp, on a charge of heresy, no doubt at the instigation of his enemies in England, and con veyed to Vilvorde, a castle about eighteen miles from Brussels, Here he remained until October 6, 1536, when he was stran gled, and his corpse burned. At the moment before his death he prayed, "Lord, open the eyes of the King ,of England ! " Tyndale's qualifications for his work are beyond question. The oft-repeated story that he translated the New Testament » Cited by Townley, vol. ii, p. 107. Tyndale's Translations. 27 from Luther's German version, or from the Vulgate, is un true.' As his Old Testament translations were directly from the Hebrew, so he translated the New Testament directly from the Greek, using the second and third editions of Eras- mus', Greek Testament, though he doubtless consulted the Vulgate, the Latin translations of Erasmus, and the German of Luther. His English is idiomatic and racy. His diction differs from that of the literature of his day, even from his own controversial works, and equally differs from the ordi nary style, of colloquial discourse, though by its simplicity admirably adapted for popular use. It stands by itself, peculiar to the sacred volume. The best features of our present version are derived from it, and "thus that remark able work has exerted, directly and indirectly, a more power ful influence on the English language than any other single production between the ages of Richard IL and Queen Elizabeth." ' In Tyndale's _New Testament there were no divisions, ex cepting those of chapters and paragraphs. The edition of 1535 added to these for the flrst time headings to the chap ters. Before the year of his death there were in all fifteen editions issued, seven of them, however, being surreptitious. In 1536, the year of his death, there were eight editions printed, one of them being remarkable as the first English Testament piinted on English soil. It was published in Lon don by Thomas Berthelet. After 1538, when one edition was published, there was no edition of his New Testament printed for six years. Nineteen editions were issued between 1544 and 1566, after which it ceased to be printed. There were altogether more than forty different editions published. The arrangement of the books in Tyndale's Testament differs somewhat from that of our present version, being an exact copy of Luther's German Testament. As far as the , Epistle to Philemon the order is the same as that of the pres ent version; after that it is as follows: 1 and 3 Peter; 1,,3, and 3 Jbhu ; Hebrews ; James ; Jude ; Revelation. ' For a thorough discussion of this subject, see Eadie's "English Bi ble," cliaps. viii and ix. » Marsh's " Lectures on the English Language," p. 113. 28 A Short History op the English Bible. VI. COVERDALE'S BIBLE. Miles CoTBRDi.LB, born about 1488, died 1569. PrincipaX Ooii,temporarie.s. See under Ttnbale, p. 24, and add: Popes: Julius IIL, 1550-1555; Marcellus II., 1555; Paul IV., 1555- 1559; Pius IV., 1559-1566; Pius V., 1566-1572. Smereigns of Enqland: Edward VI., 1547-1553; Jane Grey, 1553; Mary, 1553-1558; Elizabeth, 1558-1603. Saoerelgns of Scotland: Mary, 1542-1567; James VL, 1567-1603. In the latter year the English and Scottish crowns were united. Secretary of State: Thomas Cromwell, 1534^1540. Archbishops of Canterbury: Cranmer, 1533-1556; Pole, 1556-1559; Parker, 1559-1576. Reformers: In England, Rogers, b. 1500, d. 1555; Hooper, b. 1495, d. 1555 ; and many others. In Scotland, Knox, b. 1505, d. 1572. In Switz erland, Calvin, b. 1509, d. 1564; Beza, b. 1519, d. 1601. Literary Celebrities : Gascoigne, b. 1535, d. 1577 ; Sidney, b. 1554, d. 1586 ; Stowe, b. 1527, d. 1605; Asoham, b. 1515, d. 1568. 1540, Society of Jesus, or Jesuits, organized. 1545-1563, Council of Trent. Coverdale was born about the year 1488 in the North Riding of Yorkshire. He was educated at Cambridge, being attached to the convent of Augustinian monks there, and in 1514 was admitted to priest's orders. As early as 1537 he enjoyed the favor of CromweU and More. About this time he left the convent, and commenced preaching against the mass, the con fessional, and image-worship. In 1539 he went to the Ccm-^ tinent, probably to escape persecution. Some suppose that while here he helped Tyndale translate the Pentateuch, but, though possible, it is not proven. His residence between the years 1539 and 1535 is unknown, but he was probably, at least during the latter part of this period, at Antwerp, work ing on his translation. In 1585 this Bible was printed. The place of its printing was for many years a mystery, a half dozen different continental cities being mentioned by as many different writers. Mr. Stevens, however, m.akes Out a clear case in favor of Antwerp as the place, and Jacob Van Meteren Coverdale's Bible. 29 as the printer.' The sheets, type, etc., were afterward sold to Nicholson, of Southwark, England. In 1538 Coverdale aided in bringing out the " Great Bible," of which an account will be given in a succeeding chapter. In 1540 he went to Germany, where he remained for eight years teaching and preaching. On his return to England, in 1548, he was made one of the chaplains to Edward VI. In 1551 he was appointed Bishop of Exeter, but on the accession of Mary, in 1553. he was deprived of his see, and probably would have suffered martyrdom but for the 'persistent intercession of the King of Denmark, Christian III., who asked his release as a personal favor. Coverdale, on his release, in 1555, went to the Continent, where he remained until the accession of Elizabeth, when he returned to England. He died In 1569, at the age of eighty-one years. It is an interesting fact that this long lifetime covered the period of greatest activity in translating the Bible into English. Coverrlale lived long enough to see all of the versions, from Tvndale's New Testa ment to the Bishops' Bible ; in all of them his influence is more or less manifest, and his name deserves to be honorably men tioned for his labors. In 1530, after Tyndale's New Testament had been pro scribed, King Henry VIIL, to soothe the people, had prom ised that h# would have the New Testament faithfully trans lated. In December of the same year Latimer boldly reminded Henry of his promise. In 1534 a Convocation, over which Cranmer presided, petitioned the king to have the Bible translated into English. While these acts did not originate Coverdale's Bible, tbey doubtless helped prepare the way for its favorable reception. The idea of an English translation also found favor, because of the rupture between the king and the Pope. Thus Coverdale felt free to dedicate his trans lation to the king," and in the quarto edition of 1537 he had the privilege of placing on the title-page, " Set forth with the kynges moost gracious licence." In his preface " Vnto the Christen reader," Coverdale gives the reason for his work: "It greued me y' other nacyos » See his interesting statement in his BibUs, etc., pp. 36-42, and 68-72. « Stevens, however, thinks this dedication was added after Nicholson purchased the edition.— .BiWes, etc., p. 69. so A Short History of the English Bible. shiilde be more plenteously prouyded for with ye Scripture in theyr mother tongue than we." Thus, moved by patriotism and religion, he began his labors. It is a point in contro versy whether Coverdale made his translation directly from the Hebrew and Greek, or from other translariona. The weight of evidence is in favor of the latter opinion. In the title he states that it was "translated out of Douche and Latyn." In his dedication to the king he says that he has " with a clear conscience purely and faithfully translated out of five sundry interpreters." He alludes to the same fact in his preface. These five "interpreters" were, probably, Lu ther's German Bible, the Vulgate, the Latin of Pagninus, the Euglish translations of Tyndale, and the Ziirich Bible. This last appears to have been the principal dependence for the Old Testament, while his New Testament is mainly based on Tyndale's.' In three quarters of the Old Testament Cover- dale's was the first printed Englisli version, and the entire work is remarkable for being the first collection of the sacred writings in English published in a single volume. It included the Apocrypha. The flrst edition was in folio; with the fol lowing title: — Biblia | The Bible, that [ is, the holy Scripture ofthe ( Olde and New Testament, faith- | fully and truly translated out | of Douche and Latyn | in to Englishe 1 M.DXXXV. | The colophon is : — Prynted in the yeare of oure Lorde M.D.XXXV. | and fynished the fourthe daye of October. | The books are arranged into five parts:" 1. The Penta teuch ; 3. The second part of the Old Testament, [from " .losua " to " Salomons Balettes ;"] 3. All the prophets in English; 4. Apocrypha; 5. The New Testament, [in the order of Luther and Tyndale.] There are no headings to the chapters, and no verses, the various divisions of the chapters being designated by capital letters in the margin. There are numerous wood-cuts in the text, and at the end of Deuteronomy there is a rude map » On this whole subject, see Westcott, pp. 168-176 ; Eadie, vol. i, pp. 879-297. « Westcott, p. 174. Eadie (vol. i, p. 268) gives six parts. Coverdale's Bible. 31 representing " the lande of promes, called Palestina, Canaan, or the holy lande." Though the first edition was published without royal sanc tion, it was not suppressed, and in 1537, as already noticed, the regal license was obtained. In the same year another edition was printed in folio. In 1538 three editions of a Latin-English New Testament were published, the Latin being the Vulgate, and the English Coverdale's. Two editions of his Testament, in English only, were published the same year, and two others in 1539. After this there was no issne for ten years, when an edition of the Testament was published ; in 1550 two of the Testament and one of the Bible; in 1553 one edition of the Bible, the last printed. . In 1546 Coverdale's Bible was prohibited by a stringent law, and all copies of it were ordered to be delivered and burned ; but one of the first acts of Edward VI. was an aboli tion of all restrictions on the Bible. VH. MATTHEW'S BIBLE. John Rogers, born (?) 1500, died 1555. For principal contemporaries, see under Coverdale, page 28. John Rogers, the real editor of the Bible commonly known as Matthew's, was born about the year 1500, in a hamlet which lias long since been absorbed by the city of Birming ham. He was educated at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, where he was graduated in 1535. About the same time he entered into, holy orders. In 1533 he became rector of a Church in London. In 1534 he left England and went to Antwerp, where he was appointed chaplain to the "Merchant Advent urers,'" an old cprpw-ation of that city. Here he became acquainted with , Tyndale, and, probably, with Coverdale. Here, also, his reformatory opinions were developed, and, as evidence of hia entire breaking off from Rome, he married, probably about the year 1537. It was in this year that the Bible of " Thomas Matthew " 32 A Short History of the English Bible. appeared. There is no question that Rogers was the real editor, but why the name of Thomas Matthew should be placed on the title is one ot the mysteries of literature. Con jectures are various, but it is useless to repeat them. To add to the mystery, the initials "I. R." are boldly placed in large capitals at the bottom of "An exhortacyon to the study of the holy Scrypture," showing that " lohn " Rogers had no wish to conceal his identity. It was probably printed, in part, at least, at Antwerp by the printer of Coverdale's Bible, Jacob Van Meteren, who was related to Rogers by marriage.' When tbe work had ad vanced as far as Isaiah. Grafton and Whitechurch, the Lon don printers, seem to have become interested in the matter, and to have purchased the material, either finishing the work in Antwerp, or transferring it to London for completion. AVhen the book was printed the English printers gave copies to Cranmer, and, also, to Cromwell, through whoso iufluenoe the royal sanction was obtained. This, it will be noticed, was in the same year that the license was given to Coverdale's Bible. Which received the royal sanction flrst is not definitely known. Orders were likewise issued directing the public reading of the Bible iu the churches. Shortly alter the publication of this Bible Rogers went to Wittenberg, where he took charge of a German congregation. On the accession of Edward VI. he returned to England, where he was appointed successively to several ecclesiastical positions. On the accession of Mary, in 1553, Rogers was one of the flrst to feel the change. He was arrested, and, after an imprisonment of two years, steadily refusing to acknowl edge the papal creed and authority, he was condemned to death, and was burned at Smithfield, on February 4, 1555, being the first of the many martyrs ^ of the Marian perse cution. The work was not so much a translation as a revision of the translations of others. It was a compilation of the transla tions of Coverdale and Tyndale, the whole of the New Tcsta- ' Stevens, pp. 89, 75. 2 In four years two hundred and eighty-six were burned, and sixty- eight perished in prison. See table in Perry's " History of the CJiuroh of England," p. 251. Matthew's Bible. .SS ment, and a considerable portion of the Old being Tyndale's work,' and the rest Coverdale's. It is a singular fact that King Henry VIIL, who, in 1530, forbade the use of Tyndale's New Testament, should, in 1537, give it his royal sanction under another name. Matthew's Bible is specially valuable for matters outside of the text, for Rogers was a flue scholar, and his work shows advanced learning. It has numerous marginal notes and comments ; ^ an " exhortacyon tothe study of the Holy Scrypt ure ; " a brief system of theology called the " Summe and con tent of all the Holy Scripture ; " an address to " the Chrysten readers ; " and a " Table of the pryncipal matters conteyned in the Byble." This last is a sort of dictionary and concordance combined, one of the earliest in our language, and taken chiefly from the French Bible of Olivetan. The books of the Old Testament are arranged in the follow ing order: Genesis — Ballet of ballets, [Song of Songs;] the Prophets: Isaiah^Malachi ; the Apocrypha. The New Test ament has the same order of books as Tyndale's. The title is as follows: — The Byble, | which is all the holy Scrip- | ture : In whyoh are oon- tayned the | Olde and Newe Testament truly | and purely translated into Eu- I glysh by Thomas Matthew. Esaye. j. 5^" Hearokeu to ye heauens and 1 thou earth geaue eare : For the | Lorde speaketh | M, D. XXXVII, I Set forth with the kynges most gracyous lyoece. | The volume is printed in black letter, and adorned with seventy-eight wood-cuts. The Canticles are printed in red and black. The last edition was issued in 1551, and the Bilile remained popular for many years. It became the foundation of the text of the Authorized Version. ' See a full discussion of this matter in Eadie, vol. i, pp. 315-325. ' Ouo of these notes is worth reproducing. It is cited by Dore, p. 38. In oommenting on 1 Pet. iii, 6, Eogers says : " He dwelleth wyth his wyfe a loording to knowledge, that taketh her as a neoessarye heidper and not aa abonde seruaunte or boude slave. And yf she be not obe dient, and healpfull unto him endeuoureth to beate the feare of GoJ into her heade, that tliereby she maye be compelled to learne her duitie, aud do it." Let us charitably hope that the oommentatouueant-a. _ metaphorical, and uot a literal, beating. ,^<^'^^Vvf 8tT^y '^'f / 84 A Short History of the English Bible. VIH. TAVERNER'S BIBLE. Richard Taverner, born 1505, died 1575. Fw principal contemporaries see under Coverdale, p. 28. Taverner was born in Brisley, Norfolk, in 1505, and was educated at Cambridge and Oxford. He was one of the young men who were imprisoned in the cellar of one of the college buildings in Oxford for reading Tyndale's New Testa ment. He studied law, and was admitted to the Inner Tem ple. In 1534 he obtained, through the influence of Cromwell, an official position in the service of the Government. In 1539 he published his edition of the Bible. After the fall of Crom well, in 1540, he was imprisoned for a short time because of his labors on the Scriptures. Taverner was really a learned man, though very pedantic. He vvas fond of quoting Greek, even in his legal pleadings. Iu 1553 Edward VI. licensed bim to preach, though a layman; tbe reason of tbe license being the scarcity of preachers.' He was peculiar in dress as in every thing else, sometimes ap pearing in the pulpit dressed in a damask gown, velvet bon net, and gold chain, with a sword by his side 1 In 1569 he was made high-sheriff of the county of Oxford, and still con tinued his preaching. It is said that ou one occasion, while preaching to students, this high-sheriff began his discourse by saying: "I have brought you some fine biscuits, baked in the oven of charity, carefully conserved for the chickens of the Church, the sparrows ofthe Spirit, and the sweet swallows of salvation ! " This learned and eccentric lay preacher died July 14, 1575, at the age of seventy. In spite of his oddities his Bible gives evidence of sound scholarship, though it bears marks of his mental pecijliar- > The license begins : " Whereas y» people are ignorant through the slackness ol ^aalors." —£agster' s Hexapla, p. 95. Taverner's Bible. 85 iliea. He aimed at vigorous and idiomatic language. His Old Testament is that of Matthew, with some variations: his New Testament is Tyndale's, with numerous changes in the translation. He retained many of the notes in Matthew's Bible, and added some valuable original comments. Under the patronage of Lord Oroniwell, and dedicated to the king, three editions were sold in the flrst year of issue, 1539, and two editions of the Testament. One of the Bibles was in folio and two in 4to. ; one of the Testaments was 4to., ani the other 12mo. In 1549 an edition was published in ISmo. in flve volumes or parts, especially for the poor. The title of the flrst folio edition is as follows : — The Most I Sacred Bible, | Which is the holy scripture, con- | teyning the old aud new testament, ] translated into Euglish, and newly | rec ognized with great diligence | after most faythful exem- j plars. By Eychard | Taverner. | Prynted at London [etc.] M.D. XXXIX. The arrangement of the books is the same as in Matthew'a Bible. IX. THE GREAT BIBLE. 1. The Edition of 1539. Thomas Cromwell,' born 1490, died 1540. For prvruApal contemporaries tee under Covbkdalk, page 23. Cromwell, though neither translator nor editor, deserves mention here because he was the prime mover in the prepara tion and publication of this work. He was bom at Putney about 1490, of humble parentage. , He was employed by Car dinal Wo.3ey, and, after the fall of that official, Heni-y VIII. took him into his service, and from that time his promotion was rapid. In 1531 he was knighted; in 1533 appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer; 1534, principal Secretary of State; 1535, vicegerent; 1536, a baron, and Master of the Rolls; 1537, the garter iind the Deanery of Wells were given • Sometimes spelled Crurawell. 3f)' A Short History of the English Bible. lo him : April 17, 1540, created Eari of Essex; July 38, of the same year, beheaded for treason. Though not noted for piety, Cromwell was a friend of the Reformation. He broke up the monasteries, which had be come nests of corruption. He persistently opposed the papal supremacy, working, however, for political, rather than re ligious, ends. He was shrewd, ambitious, proud, unprinci pled, and a man of great courage and flrmness. With all his worldliness, he professed a deep veneration for the Script ures. He was the early friend and patron of Covei-dale, and used his influence for him when he published his translation of tbe Bible. He interceded with the king for the royal per mission to publish Matthew's Bible, and patronized Taverner in his publication. When at his highest position he was the most powerful subject in the kingdom. Vicar-general and vicegerent, he represented the king as the head of the Church, and presided in Convocation, much to the disgust of the learned bishops, who looked upon him as "an ignorant lay man." Living in bloody times, he was a man of blood, and at last went to the ax, where he had sent so many others. Though sometimes called Cranmer's Bible, the edition of 1539 was Cromwell's sole enterprise, Cranmer having nothing to do with it. It was a revision of Matthew's Bible, which, in turn, was a compilation of the translations of Coverdale and Tyndale. In 1538 Cromwell directed Coverdale and Grafton to put the work through the press, the former as editor, the latter as printer. Coverdale had previously pre pared tbe work in England, but the printing was to be done in Paris, because better materials and workmanship could be obtained there than in England. For this purpose Henry VIII. obtained permission from Francis I. After the work was partly completed an order came from the Inquisition, forbid ding its prosecution, and commanding that all copies be seize 1 and destroyed. Two thousand flve hundred copies were accordingly burned, but, through the cupidity of the official who had charge of the burning, "four great dry vats" of them were sold to a haberdasher to lay caps in. Tliese were afterward bought for Grafton, and, with the types, presses, and workmen, were safely taken to England. In April, 1539, the Bible WI.3 published. It was called "great," because of its The Great Bible. 87 size, the pages being fifteen inches by- nine, and larger than those of any other Bible. It had no dedication, unless the remarkable wood-cut sur rounding the title can be coisidered auch. In this the king ia repreaented as sitting on his throne, and giving the Bible to Cromwell and Cranmer, and they, in turn, giving it to clergy and laity, who surround them. At the bottom is a preacher addressing a crowd. From the mouths of the chief personages are labels with various brief speeches, while from many in the crowd comes the shout, ^^Yivat Hex." Above the king is a representation of the Almighty speaking from the -clouds. This cut is said to have been designed by the celebrated Hans Holbein. In the center of this engraving ia the title, as follows: — The Byble in | Englyshe, that is to say the con- | tent of all the holy Scrypture, bothe | of y«olde and newe testament truly | translated after the veryte of the | Hebrue and Greke textes, by y» dy- | lygent studye of dyuerse excellent j learned men expert in the forsayde | tongues. | Prynted by Eychard Grafton & | Edward Whitchurch. | Cum priui- legio ad irapriraen- | dum solum, j 1539. j The books are arranged in the order to which we are ac customed in the "Authorized Version." It was originally intended to have notes, or "certen godly annotacyons, " in an appendix, and the texts thus to be anno tated were indicated by a |]^"; but as there was not time for the "oversyght and correccyon of the sayde annotacyons," they were omi.tted until "more convenient leysour" was found for their preparation; but the "leysour" never came. To denote words which were rendered from the Vulgate, but which were not in the original, smaller type was useil. By the authority of the king an injunction was issued to the clergy requiring that each parish should be provided with a copy of the Bible to be set up in a convenient place within the church, and the people were to be urged to read it. 3. The Subsequent Editions. Thomas Cranmer, born 1489, died 1556. For principal contemporaries see under Covebdale, page 28. Cranmer was born in Aslacton, Nottinghamshire, July 2, 1489. He was educated at Oxford, where he stood high in 38 A Short History op the English Bible. scholarship, and in 1510 was made a Fellow. In 1533 he took the degree of Doctor of Divinity, and became a lecturer in the college. In 1538 an opinion which he had expressed concerning the proposed divorce between Henry VIII. and Catherine of Arragon came to the ears of the king, who sent for him and made him write it down, as it auggested a plan by which the desired divorce might be obtained. He was appointed chaplain to the king, and in 1539 was one of the embassadors from the king to the Pope. He attached him self closely to the fortunes of the king, and iu 1533 was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury. He seems to have coincided with the royal views in reference to the numerous m.atrimonial alliances in which the king indulged. He took a prominent part in all the movements which culminated in the separation of England from the Church of Rome. At the deatli of Henry, in 1547, Cranmer was made one of the regents. In 1548 he was at the head of a commission of twelve divines who were appointed to prepare a liturgy for the Cliurch of England. The work was finished in 1553. On the death of King Edward VL, in 1553, Cranmer swore allegiance to Lady Jane Grey, as queen, and when Mary attained to the throne he was arraigned, with many other prelates and miu- isters, on charges of treason anil heresy. Refusing to sub scribe to the papal dogmas, he was excommunicated in No vember, 1555, and in February, 1556, was formally degraded. His courage failing him in view of certain death he wrote six' recantations, but these did not save his life. On the day of his execution, March 31, 1556, his fortitude returned to him, and in the presence of an immense crowd he expressed regret for his recantations, and reaflSrmed his opposition to the pa pacy. He was led to the stake, where he displayed remark able firmness, holding out his right hand for the flames to consume, because with that he had written what was contrary to his heart. He cried out, "This unworthy hand! Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Cranmer has been called the Me lanchthon of the English Reformation. He was learned, mild, and amiable, but lacked flrmness and courage to keep him steadfast in the midst of opposition and of danger. Cranmer early identified himself with movements for the translation of the Scriptures. In December, 1534, nearly a The Great Bible. 39 year before the appearance of Coverdale's Bible, he proposed to Convocation a plan for the translation of the Bible, and the work was actually divided among nine or ten of the bish ops and other learned men, but the project for some reason was never pushed to completion. As soon as Matthew's Bible came into the country, in 1537, he showed a deep interest in it. No wonder, then, that he exhibited a similar interest in tbe Great Bible issued under the patronage of Cromwell. In April, 1540, there appeared a second edition of the Great ' Bible, with this title : — The Byble | in Englyshe, that is to sayo, the con- | tst of al the holy soryptures, both | of y* olde and newe testatnet, with | a prologe therinto, made by | the reverende fatlier in | God, Thomas, archbysshop of Can tor- I bury. 1 This is the Byble npoynted | to the vse ofthe churches. This Bible was printed in London by Parisian workmen, and with Parisian type. It was merely a revision of the first edi tion, Coverdale still being editor. The prologue was writtea by Cranmer, and, through CromweU, received the approbation of the king. Hence this Bible and the five subsequent edi- tiona are known by the name of " Cranmer'a Bibles." These editions were severally issued April, 1540. July, 1540, Novem ber, 1540, May, 1541, November, 1541, December, 1541. In the edition of November, 1540, the arms of Cromwell, which had appeared under his figure in the engraving on the title- page, were removed, and a suggestive blank space tells the story of his fall. The index hands, which had been intended to refer to the notes, had they been written, were also seen no more. The editions of November, 1540, and November, 1541, have on the title-page the names of Bishops Tunstall and Heath, who were appointed by the king to oversee the work, because they belonged to the party opposed to (!rom- well. Thus the credit of the book was supposed to be con firmed.' In May, 1540, the king, by proclamation, again commanded that Bibles should be provided for public reading, since many parish churches were still destitute of them. Bonner, who had lately been appointed Bishop of London, and who afterward became so infamously known in the persecutions 1 See Westcott, p. 79. 40 A Short History of the English Bible. under Mary, set up six Bibles in St. Paul's, chaining them to tbe pillars that were by the desks on whicb the books were placed. The joy of the people at this opportunity of reading the Bible was very great. In May, 1541, another similar proclamation was issued, and in 1543 the curates of the parish churches were directed to read the Bible in English, publicly, in course. The Great Bible became very popular. "From 1539 to 1541 so large was the demand that it is supposed not fewer than twenty- one thousand copies were piinted." ' In 1543 the disposition of the king seemed to waver, for at his suggestion Parliament passed an act prohibiting the use of Tyndale's translations, ordering the destruction of all anno tations and preambles, and forbidding certain classes, such as apprentices, mechanics, farmers, servants, and laborers, to read any part of the Bible, either in public or in private. Cranmer's Bible was not issued after 1541 until 1549. It was issued, at intervals, for twenty years after, sometiniea in folio, sometimes in 4to., and in one instance (1566) an edition was printed in 8vo., and was very popular because of its con venient size. WHITTINGHAM'S NEW TESTAMENT." William Whittingham, born 1524, died 1579. For principal contemporaries see vmder Coveedaie, page 28. Whittingham was born in 1534, in Lanchester, near Durham. He was educated in Oxford, and afterward spent many years in foreign travel. He returned home in 1553, only a few weeks before the death of Edward VL, but soon left again for the Continent. In 1554 he preached to an English congrega tion in Frankfort. In 1555 he married Catherine Jaqne- mayne, of Orleans, the sister of Calvin's wife. In 1556 lie was 1 Fry : "A Description of the Great Bible," etc. P. 1. ^Though Whittingham's name does not appear anywhere in the booli, he elsewhere " distinctly identifies himself as the "editor." Eadie, ii, f> ' Whittingham's New Testament. 41 appointed to succeed John Knox as pastor of the English refugees iu Geneva. In 1557 his New Testament was pub lished by Conrad Badius in Geneva. In 1558 on the accession of Queen Elizabeth, he returned to England, and in 1563 was made Dean of Durham, which position lie held until his death in 1579. He was a man of great learning and ability, and strongly devoted to the Protestant cause. Whittingham's Testanu'Ut was the only one published duringthe reign of Mary, and necessity compelled its publica tion in a foreign land. During the reign of Edward (1547- 1553) the restrictions which Henry had placed on Bible read ing in the latter part of his reign were all removed. Cotton enumerates fifteen editions of the Bible and thirty-two of the New Testament, besides numerous fragments of Scripture which were published during the reign of Edward VI. But Mary prohibited the printing and circulating of the Scriptures. Many Protestants, some of them very eminent, who saw the storm of persecution coming, escaped to various continental towns.' Among these was Whittingham, and it was during his voluntary exile, and while he was pastor of the English Church in Geneva, that he prepared this Testament. This has sometimes been called the Genevan Testament and has been represented as a part of the Genevan Bible, published in 1560. This, however, is an error. The Testament in the Genevan Bible was not Whittingham's, his being an independ ent work. After the issue of the Genevan Bible no edition of Whittingham's Testament was published. The Testament issued in 1560 and properly called the Genevan Testament was taken from the Genevan Bible. Whittingham's Testament was a revision of other transla tions, especially of Tyndale's, collated with the Great Bible. It bad a large number of marginal notes, explanatory of the text. It was the first English Testament in which Italic type was used to designate words not rendered from the originals. Sebastian Munster, in his Latin version ofthe Old Testament, published in 1534, is said to have been the flrst to employ this device. Theodore Beza, also, made use of it in his Latin New Testament of 1556. Whittingham was, also, the flrst to • Eadie, vol. ii, p. 3, places the number of these refugees at eight hundred. 42 A Short History of the English Bible. break up the text into verses, and to use numerals to distin guish them. Before this our English Bibles had in the margin capital letters from A to D, to facilitate tbe flnding of pas sages. Instead of referring to chapter and verse, it was chapter and letter, each letter taking in about as much space as six of our verses. Robert Stephens introduced numerals instead of letters in his Greek and Latin Testament published at Geneva in 1551, but he placed the numerals in the margin. Whitting ham changed this to the plan we now. have.' Whittingham's Testament is beautifully printed in Roman type instead of black letter, in ]3mo., with this title: — The I Newe Testa- | ment of ovr Lord le- | sus Christ. | Conferred diligently with the Greke, and best ap- | proued translations. | With the arguments, aswel before the chapters, as for euery Boke | & Epis tle, also diversities of readings, and moste proffitable | annotations of all harde places : whereunto is added a copi- | ous Table | At Geneva \ Printed By Conrad Badius | M. D. LVII. | XI. THE GENEVAN BIBLE. Three years after Whittingham's Testament, appeared the Genevan Bible, a beautiful small 4to. volume in Roraan type. Tbis Bible was the joint production of a number of the scholarly and pious English refugees in Geneva, among whom was their pastor, Whittingham, already noticed. John Bod- leigh. Miles Coverdale, Thomas Cole, Anthony Gilby, Chris- » The books of the Hebrew Bible are supposed to have been divided into verses in the ninth century, but these were not at first numbered. The division into chapters in both Old aud New Testaments was made about the year 1250, by Cardinal Hugo de Sancto Oaro, to help him in the preparation of a concordance to the Vulgate Bible. He also, for the same purpose, subdivided the chapters into parts designated by marginal letters from A to D. About 1440 Eabbi Nathan, in preparing a Hebrew con cordance, numbered every verse in the He'orew Bible, and adopted the cardinal's divisions into chapters. In 1528 Pagninus' Latin Bible, published at Lyons, was arranged after the Eabbi's manner, both in chap ters and in verses. Stephens modified this plan by making the verses of his Testament shorter than those in the New Testament of I'ngninus's Bible. Stephens's were of the length of those we now have. The Genevan Bible. 43 topher Goodman, John Knox, John Pullain, Thomas Sampson, and William Whittingham have been named as the co-laborers in this work; but some of them could have had very little, if any thing, to do with it. The work seems mainly to have devolved, especially in the flnishing, on Whittingham, Gilby, and Sampson, all of them able scholars and divines. They are supposed to have had help from a number of French scholars, among them Calvin and Beza. Tbe work was begun in January, 1558, and in April, 1560, the Bible was published, with the following title : — The Bible | and | Holy Scriptvres | Conteyned in | the Olde and Newe I Testament, | Translated Aceor- j ding to the Ebrue and Greeke, and conferred With | the best translations in diners langages. | With moste profitable Annota- | tions vpon all the hard places, and other things of great | importance as may appeare in the Epistle to the Reader. | At Ge neva. I Printed by Eovland Hall, j M.D.LX. | The basis of the Genevan Bible was, in the Old Testament, the Great Bible, and in the New Testament, Tyndale's trans lation, vfith the help of Beza.' As the result of the scholarly labor bestowed upon it the Genevan Bible ia more correct than any of its predecessors. It is enriched with notes, many of them original, and some of them translations from the writ ings of Calvin and of Beza. The greater part of the marginal notes in Whittingham's Testament were transferred to the Genevan Teatament. This was the flrst English Bible printed in Roman type; the flrst broken up into verses, after the plan of our present ver sion ; the flrst to use Italics to represent words supplied by the translators ; the flrst to omit the Apocrypha, although it was retained in some of ita editions ; and the flrat printed in the leign of Queen Elizabeth, to whom it was dedicated. It was also the flrst Bible ever printed in Scotland, the New Testament being printed in 1576, though not published until the Old Testament was completed, in 1579. The flrst edition of the Genevan Bible printed in England was in 1576," after which frequent editions were issued. 1 See this subject fully discussed in Westcott, p. 231, el seq. ' In this year also Laurence Tomson issued in London his translation ot Beza's Latin New Testament. It became so popular that it was after ward published in many editions of the Genevan Bible. 44 A Short History of the English Bible. From the time the edition of 1560 appeared in England it be came populir, and this popularity lasted many years. Its small size was in its favor, and its notes and comments, many of them deeply spiritual, gave it increased value with the Puri tans. It outlived its contemporaries, the Great Bible and the Bishops' Bible, and for a long time was a powerful rival of the Authorized Version of King James. During the reign of Charles I. it gradually sank into disuse. Cotton gives 1644 as the date of the last Genevan Bible published ; yet even long alter this its notes occasioually appeared in connection with the text of the Authorized Version. . XII. THE BISHOPS' BIBLE. Matthew Parker, born 1504, died 1575. For principal contemporaries see under Covebdaxe, page 28. Parker was born at Norwich, August 6, 1504. He was edu cated at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, where he was noted for his studious habits. In 1537 he was ordained priest; 1533, appointed chaplain to Queen Anne Boleyn; 1535, Dean of the monastic college of Stoke-Clare, in Suf folk ; 1537, Chaplain to Henry VIIL ; 1538, made Doctor of Divinity; 1541, Prebendary in Cathedral of Ely; 1.543, Rector of Ashen, in Essex ; 1544, Rector of Birmingham, in Norfolk, and Master of Corpus Christi College, in Cambridge; 1545, Vice- Chancellor of the College, and Rector of Landbeach, in Cam bridgeshire; 1547, married the daughter of a Norfolk gentle man, and wrote "De Conjugio Sacerdotum," in defense of clerical marriages; 1553, Dean of Lincoln by appointment of Edward VI. ; 1553, deprived of all his preferments by Queen Mary; 1559, appointed Archbishop of Canterbury by Queen Elizabeth, and consecrated Dec. 17 without the usual popish ceremonies; 1568, issued the "Bishops' Bible," which has sometimes been called "Parker's Bible," because of his prominence in its preparation ; 1575, May 17, died. The two principal Bibles in use during the early part of The Bishops' Bible. 45 Elizabeth's reign were the Great Bible and the Genevan. Archbishop Parker, deaiiing a more satisfactory version, di vided the work among twelve or fifteen learned men; and, as most of the revisers were bishops, the book, on its comple tion, received the name of the " Bishops' Bible." Neither the actual number nor the names of all the revisers are known, though many of tbem are recognized by their initials attached to the books they revised. The archbishop took upon him self, besides the prefaces and other miscellaneous matter, the books of Genesis and Exodus, the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and all of the Pauline Epistles, excepting First Co rinthians. In addition to this he exercised an editorial super vision over tbe work of the others, though from his numer ous other duties he could not give the work that careful con sideration which its importance demanded and for which his scholarship amply qualified him. Hence the great fault of the Bishops' Bible is affirmed by critics to be a want of homogeneity in the work, such as an editor, careful as well aa competent, might have given to it. After three or four years' labor the work was completed, and a copy presented to the queen on October 5, 1568. The title is brief and simple :— The I holie | Bible | conteyning the Olde Testament and the newe. | These words are in a narrow border, the rest of the page being occupied with a copperplate engraving, in the center of which is an oval, containing a half-length portrait of Queen Elizabeth. There is no formal dedication, perhaps the por trait of the queen being intended to auggeat one. There are, including mapa and portraits, one hundred and forty-three engravings. The system of verses in the Genevan Bible is followed, but with this is united the old system of alphabet ical divisions in the margin. The Bishopa' Bible is mainly a reyiaion of the Great Bible, though in the New Testament are many original and vigorous -renderings from the hand of Lawrence, one of the best Greek scholars of his day.' The volume is enriched with numerous notes, many of them from the Genevan version, which the archbishop affected to despise. The books of the Bible are > Westcott gives illustrations of these, p. 247, et seq. 46 A Short History of the English Bible. strangely classified into "legal," "historical," "sapiential," and "prophetic." Passages not considered suitable for reading in public are marked, so that they may be omitted. The Bishops' Bible never received the royal sanclion. It waa not until 1577, two yeara after Parker'a death, that an edition was printed "set forth by authoritie," and then it was episcopal, not royal, authority. Convocation, however, made special enactments in its favor. In 1571 it was ordered that a copy should be placed in every cathedral, and, as far as possible, in every church. Every archbishop and eveiy bishop was also directed to have one in the hall or dining- room of hia houae, so as to be accessible to servants and strangers. Though provision was thus made for its use, it never became popular. For many years it was read in public service, but it never replaced the Genevan for family and private use. Tbe last edition was issued in 1606, while the Genevan continued to be published many years later, compet ing, indeed, for a time, with the Authorized Version. It is estimated that more than four times aa many Genevan Bibles were printed as ofthe Bishops'. The majority of the editions of the former were in quarto and octavo, while those of the latter were mainly, like the first edition, in folio. XHI. THE RHEIMS AND DOUAT VERSION. In 1568 a seminary waa established by English Roman Cath olics, at Douay, in Flanders, for the education of young English men for the priesthood, that they might do missionary work in their native land. In 1578 this seminary was removed to Rheims, but returned to Douay in 1593. The chief founder of the institution was William Allen, or Allan, afterward made cardinal, in 1587, and archbishop, in 1588. One of the instructors in this school was Gregory Martin, who, educated in St. John's College, Oxford, was a distinguished Hebrew and Greek scholar. While thus engaged he translated the Bible into English from the Vulgate. Though he was the principal translator, he had a number of aaaistants, among The Rheims and Douay Version. 47 them Dr. Allen, Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Bristow, or Briatol, and Dr. Worthington. The two last mentioned are supposed to have written the notes, which were bitterly controversial. This version was prepared to check the influence of the English versions then in use, especially the Genevan. In the preface the translators avow, among other reasons, that they have done their work, not because tliey believe, "1 of neces- sitie, that tbe holy Scriptures should alwaies be in our mother tongue, or 3 that they ought, or were ordained by God, to be read indifferently of al, or 3 couhl be easily vnderstood of euery one that readeth or heareth them iu a knowen lan guage." They admit that their work is a special one, forced upon them by " the present time, state and condition of our countrie, vnto which, diners things are either necessarie, or profitable, or medicinable now, that otherwise in the peace of the Church were neither, much requisite, nor perchance w holy tolerable."' They further speak of the other English versions as "heretical translations of the Scriptures, poison ing the people vnder color of diuiiie authoritie." The New Te.stament was published at Rheims in 1583, in one volume, 4to., with the following title: — The New Testament of Jesus Christ, translated faithfully into En glish out ofthe .iuthentical Latin, according to the best corrected copies of the same, diligently conferred with the Greek and other editions in diuers languages, with Argvments of bookes and chapters. Annotations and other necessarie helpes, for the better vnderstanding of the text, and specially for the diaooverie of the Corruptions of diuers late trans lations, and for cleering the controuersiea in religion of these daies: in THE EiroLisH College o;r Ehemes. [A verse from the Psalma, and a long quotation from Augustine, each of them in both Latin and in En glish, follow.] Printed at Ehemes, by John Eogny, 1582, Cvni Priv- Jegio. The Old Testament was afterward published at Douay, in two volumes, 4to., but not until 1609, about thirty years after it was translated. Want of means is assigned by the editors, who were not the translators, for this long delay. The title is similar to that of the New Testament. The complete work was reprinted at Rouen in 1635, and 1 Cited by Eadie, vol. ii, p. 118, where see long and interesting ex tracts from this Preface. 48 A Short History of the English Bible. then not again for one hundred and fifteen years, when Dr. Cballouer, in 1750, published in Limdon a revised edition in four octavo volumes. Thia is the basis of the later editions. The style of the Rheims and Douay Versiim is remarkable for its use of Liitinized English, and of some words which the translators have not attempted to render into English. The student of our language will be interested in noticing that many of the words which on their first appearance were de nounced as barbarous and intolerable, have long since found a place among recognized English words. Among these are abstracted, acquisition, allegory, calumniate, ciitechize, co operate, condign, evangelize, gratis, issue, prescience, resusci tate, victims. There can be no question that the translators of our Authorized Version derived a number of their render ings from thia Version. On the other hand, there are words in the Rheims and Douay Version wdiich have never been natur alized, such as dominical, denary, pasche, azymes, odible, coinquination, acception, correption, exprobatc, obsecration, scenopegia, impudicify, exinamite, contristate, agnitition, and many others. XIV. THE AUTHORIZED VERSION. October 34, 1603, James I. ordered a conference of certain bishops and clergy, and other prominent men in the Church, to be held in Hampton Court Palace, "forbearing and for the determining things pretended to be amiss in the Church." This conference was called in answer to a petition from the Puritan party of the Church. It waa held January 16-18, 1604. So far as the special object of its giithering was con cerned it amounted to nothing; but in reference to another matter, which was introduced in a merely incidental way, its results were most momentous, for in this Hampton Court Con ference originated the Authorized Version of the English Bible. Among the bishops, deans, ecclesiastical lawyers and learned divines assembled to harmonize the divisions in the Church The Authorized Version. 49 was Dr. John Reynolds," President of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, one of the most learned men of his time, and a recog nized leader among the Puritan party iii the Church. During the second day, the conversation having turned on some dis puted passage in the Apocrypha, Reynolds suggested to the king that there ought to be a new translation of the Bible, because of the errors in exiating translations. The sugges tion did not meet with any special notice from those present, and the subject was soon dropped; but it had entered deeply into the thoughts of the king, who was fond of theological matters, and the result was that in a few months the monarch had matured his plans for the work. He appointed fifty-foui of the moat learned men of the realm to make the revision, among whom, very properly, was Dr. Reynolds. The names of only forty-seven of these are now known. They were to raeet in various companies in Westminster, Oxford, and Cam bridge, under tbe presidency of the Dean of Westminster and the two Hebrew professors of the universities. Tbree years, however, passed before the translators began their work. The precise cause of this delay is not known. In the interval some changes in the list were made necessary by death and othi^r causes. The tran.slators were divided into six companies, two of which met at each of the above-named places. To the flrst company at Westminster (ten in number) were assigned the Old Testament as far as 3 Kings ; the second company (seven in number) had the Epistles. The flrst company at Cam bridge (numbering eight) had 3 Chronicles to Ecclesiastes; the second company (numbering seven) had the Apocryphal books. To the flrst Oxford company (seven in number) were assigned the prophetical books, from Isaiah to Malachi ; to the second (eight in number) were given the four Gospels, Ihe Acts, and the Apocalypse. We notice a fe.w of the principal men among these learned translators : — Dr. Launcelot Andrewes, Dean of Westminster, presided ovfer the Westminster company. Fuller says of him: "The world wanted learning to know how learned this man was, > Variously spelled Eainolds, Eeinolds, Kaynolds. 50 A Short History op the English Btble. so skilled in all (especi.illy Oriental) languages, that some conceive he might, if then living, almost have served as an interpreter-general at the confusion of tongues.'" He became successively Bishop of Chichester, Ely, and Winchester. Born 1555, died 1636. Dr. Edward Lively, Regius Professor of Helirew at Cam bridge, and thus at the head of the Cambridge company, was eminent for his knowledge of Oriental languages, especially of Hebrew. He died in 1605, having been professor of He brew for twenty-five yeara. His death was a great loss to the work which he had helped to begin. Dr. John Overall was made professor of divinity at Cam bridge in 1596, and in 1604 was Dean of St. Paul's, London. He was considered by some the beat acholaatic divine in En gland. In 1614 he waa made Bishop of Litchfleld and Cov entry. He was transferred to the see of Norwich in 1618. Born 1559, died 1619. Dr. Adrian de Saravia ia said to have been the only foreigner employed on the work. He was born in Artois, France ; his father was a Spaniard, and his mother a Belgian. In 1583 he was professor of divinity at Leyden ; in 1587 came to En gland. He became prebend of Canterbury, and afterward Canon of Westminster. He was noted for his knowledge of Hebrew. Born 1531, died 1612. William Bedwell, or Beadwell, was one of the greatest Arabic scholars of his day. At his death he left unfinished MSS. of an Arabic Lexicon and also of a Persian Dic tionary. Dr. Laurence Chadderton was for thirty-eight years raaster of Emanuel College, Cambridge, and well versed in Rabbin ical lore. He was one of the Puritan divines among the translators. Born 1537; died 1640, at the advanced age of one hundred and three. Dr. John Reynolds, of whom mention has been already made, was a man of great attainments in Hebrew and Greek, and of an extraordinary memory. He died before the revis ion was completed, but worked at it during his sickness as long aa his strength permitted. Born 1549, died 1607. ' at. by Townley, vol. ii, p. 397. The Authorized Version'. 5i Dr. Richard Kilbye, Oxford Professor of Hebrew, was reck oned among the flrst Hebraists of his day. Died 1620.' Dr. Miles Smith had been a student of claasic authors from his youth, was well acquainted with the rabbinical gloshss and commentators, and well versed in Hebrew, Chaldee, Byriac, and Arabic. He was called a "walking library." Bnrn about 1568, died 1634. John Boyse, or Bois, at six years old could write Hebrew elegantly. He was for twelve years chief lecturer in Greek at St. John's College, Cambridge Bishop Andrewea, of Ely, gave him a prebend in hia church in 1615. He was one of the most laborious of all the revisers. Born 1560, died 1643. Sir Henry Saville was warden of Merton College, Oxford, for thirty-six years. He devoted his fortune to the encour agement of learning, and waa himaelf a flue Greek scholar. Born 1549, died 1623. Dr. Thomas Holland was Regius Professor of Divinity in Exeter College, Oxford, and also master of his college. He was considered a prodigy in all branches of literature. Born 1539, died 1612. To guide the revisers in their work the following rules were drawn up, probably by Bancroft, Archbishop of Canterbury, at command of the king. 1. The ordinary Bible read in the Church, commonly called the Bishops' Bible, to be followed, and as little altered as tbe truth of the original will permit. 2. The names of the prophets and the holy writers, with the other names of the text, to bo retained, as nigh as raay be, acoordiugly as Ihey were vulgarly used. 3, The old ecclesiastical words to be kept, namely, the word church not to be translated congregation, etc. 4. When a word hath divers significations, that to be kept which hath been most commonly used by the most of the ancient fathers, ¦ Shortly after the new translation appeared, Dr. Kilbye, on a visit to Derbyshire, went to the parish church on Sunday, and heard the young clergyman give a long discourse containing three reasons why a certain wordsho-jld have been differently translated. Afterward, on being in troduced to the preacher. Dr. Kilbye told him that while he had three reasons against the translation of this word, the translators had consid ered them all, and had foupd thirteem stronger reasons for the rendering they had adopted. 4 52 A Short History of the English Bible. being agreeable to the propriety of the place, and tlie analogy of the faith. 5. The division of the chapters to be altered either uot at all, or aa little as raay be, if necessity so require. 6. No marginal notes at all to be affixed, but only for the explanation of the Hebrew or Greek words, which cannot without some circumlo cution so briefly aud fitly be expressed in the text. 7. Such quotations of places to be marginally set down as shall ^ei ve for the fit reference of one Scripture to another. 8. Every particular man of each company to take the same chapter or chapters; and, having translated or amended them severally by him self where he thinketh good, all to meet together, confer what they have done, and agree for their parts what shall stand. 9. As any one company hath dispatched any one book in this manner, they shall send it to the rest, to be considered of seriously and judi ciously ; for his M.ajesty is very careful in this point. 10. If any company, upon a review of the book so sent, doubt or dif fer upon any place, to send them word thereof, note the place, and withall send the reasons ; to which if tliey consent not, the differ ence to be compounded at the general meeting which is to be of the chief persons of each company, at the end of the work. 11. When any place of special obscurity is doubted of, letters to be directed by authority to send to any learned man iu the land for his judgment of such a place. 12. Letters to be sent from every bishop to the rest of his clergy, ad monishing them of this translation in hand, and to move and charge as many as, being skillful in the tongues, and having taken pains in that kind, to send his particular observations to the company either at West- miuster, Cambridge, or Oxford. 13. The directors in each company to be the deanes of Westminster and Chester, for that place, and the king's professors in the Hebrew or Greek in either university. 14. These translations to be used, when they agree better witli the text than tlie Bishops' Bible: Tyndale's, Matthew's, Coverdale's, Whit church's,' Geneva. 15. Besides the said directors before mentioned, three or four of the raost ancient and grave divines in either of the universities, not em- plcyed in translating, to be assigned by the vice-chancellor upon con ference with the rest of the heads, to be overseers of the translations, as well Hebrew as Greek, for the better observation of the fourth rule above specified. Some authorities give but fourteen rules, and add the fif teenth as a by-law, while others asiert that the number was finally reduced to seven. - By this was meant the Great Bible, Whitchurch being one of tha printers. He married the widow of Archbishop Cranmer The Authorized Version. 53 How far these rules were observed it is impossible now to say. They were, doubtless, followed in the main, but there is reason to believe that some latitude was allowed. When the translators had dcme their work a copy each waa sent from Oxford, Cambridge, and Westminster to London, where two from each place, six in all, gave another revision, and Dr. Miles Smith, and Bishop Bilson, whose name does not appear among the forty-seven, superintended the work as it passed through the press. The former wrote tbe Preface, which ia entitled "The Tranalatora to the Reader." The expenses of the work were borne, not by the king, who pleaded poverty, and apparently with good reason, but by voluntary contributions from bishops and others who had fat livings; at least such was his majesty's desire, as expressed in a circular issued by his order, though it seems that the responses were not very generous. The king, however, re warded the translators by bestowing good livings on them when vacancies occurred, and by ecclesiastical promotion. The work waa given to the public in 1611, in a folio vol ume, printed in black letter, and with the title na follows: — The I HOLT | BIBLE, | Conteyning the Old Testament, | AND THE NEW, I Newly Translated out of the Originall | tongues : & with the former Translations | diligently compared and revised by his | Maiesties epeoiall Comandement. | Appointed to be read in Churches | Imprinted at London by Eobert | Barker, Printer to the Kings | most exoellent Maiestie | Anno Dom. 1611. The same year the New Testament, in 13mo.,was issued, and in 1612 the entire Bible, in 8vo.. and in Roman type. The printing of the Bishops' Bible, an edition of which had ap peared in 1606, waa never reaumed, though the New Teata ment of that Bible continued to be printed as late aa 1619. The Genevan Bible, however, had a firmer hold on the popu lar favor, and it required the life-time of a whole generation to displace it. A. very singular fact about this "Authorized Veraion" ia, that it never was authorized by royal proclamation, by order of Council, by act of Parliament, or by vote of Convocation. Whether the words "appointed to be read in churches" were used by order of the editors, or by the will of the printer, is now unknown. The popularity which the version so soon 54 A Short History or the English Bible. achieved is, however, sufficient proof that it was "author ized " in the best sense of the term. The original manuscript of thia version is supposed to be lost, no traces of it having been seen since 1655. This great work is not strictly a translation, but a revision of all the English Bibles which preceded it, so that one who should read Tyndale's Testament of 1535, or Coverdale's Bible of 1535, would flnd a substantial agreement with our own, though, of course, frequent verbal differences. Tbe original Scriptures uaed by tbe revisers were not so varied in their sources as those now at hand. It is hard to tell what Hebrew text they followed, as the differences be tween early printed Bibles are not numerous. Bomberg's Rabbinical Bible was most likely used. In the New Te.sta- ment they are supposed to have depended mainly on Beza's Greek Testament, fourth edition, 1589. Besides this they had the Greek Testaments of the Complutensian Polyglot, of Erasmus and of Stephens.' They also made use of the Rhem- ish version, and of the Spanish, French, Italian, and German translations. The employment of italic words' by our translators is wor thy of notice. Dr. Scrivener " arranges the instances of their use under six general heads: — 1. When words to complete the sense are introduced from parallel passages. 3. When the extreme conciseness of the Hebrew requires an additional word in English to express the meaning. 3. Where words are necessary to clear up the use of the grammatical flgure known as the zeugma. ¦ 4. Where a word or two is necessary to mark tbe abrupt transition from the oblique to the direct form of speech. 5. Where it is necessary to indicate that a word or a clause is of doubtful authority as a matter of textual criticism. This, however, is extremely rare. 6. Where words supplied are essential to 1 Bishop Ellicott, in speaking of the dependence of both Beza and Stephens on Erasmus, says: "In the fourth edition of Erasmus we r'ially have the mother-text of our own Authorized Version." — Con- lidtratioTis, etc., p. 35. " In the oarly editions the words now in italics were designated by Eoraan letters of a smaller size than the type iu the body of the book, ¦< The " Cambridge Paragraph Bible."— J»*. % iii. The Authorized Version. 55 the English sense, though not necessary to the Hebrew or the Greek. Dr. Scrivener further gives fourteen rules, which seem to have guided the translators in the use of italics. Though the rules are well enough, there seems to have been in their application a want of system, which has led, in some in stances, to confusion.! The punctuation of our version was at first very scanty, af fording but little help to one who wished to read aloud. The edition of 1611 abounds in parentheses, which have since been supplanted by commas. The note of exclamation is rare, the interrogation point usually standing in its place. The marginal notes are intended to give a more literal rendering, or an alternative rendering, or to explain proper names, or to give various readings. In tbe original edition these numbered in the Old Testament 6,687, and in the New Testament 765 ; 473 have since been added. While in some of these notea the reading suggested may be better than in the text, in many it ia not so good, and in some there are serious errors. Dr. Scrivener ¦' affirms that the raost of these errors in the Old Teatament are to be traced to the infiuence of the Latin Old Testament of Tiemelliua and Juniua, which the translators, no doubt, used ; while those in the New Testament plainly show the influence of the Latin version of Beza. The translators did not make any historical or chronological notes. These have been added since their day. The marginal references to parallel passages at flrst were comparatively scanty. In tbe Old Testament_tliere were 6,588, and in the New, 1517, making a total of 8,105. Later editions have added to these, until they are numbered by tens of thousands, and there is one edition which claims to have half a million! The chapter headings are said to have been prepared by one of the forty-seven translators and one other person. Aa originally made there were many errors in them, and many mistaken n(itions. They have been materially changed by different editors since then, and in some of the best Bibles now printed are entirely left out. » Dr. Eadie (vol. ii, p. 280, et seq.) gives numerous illu.strations. • "Cambridge Paragraph Bible." — Int., pp. xxvi and xxxi. 56 A Short History of the English Bible. One singular and interesting fact bas been brought to light within a few years, and that is, that in the year 1611 tlieie were two distinct folio editions of this Bible published, hav ing marked differences. There are some copies extant where the sheets from the two are combined; and some, where the title-page of 1611 is prefixed to later editions. The two edi tions of 1611 had distinctive titles, though it is said that income cases these were interchanged; one being a wood-cut which had been used before iu tbe Bishops' Bible, edition of 1603, and tbe other an elegant copperplate. The wood-cut initials are frequently different in tbe two. Each of them has also errors and readings peculiar to itself. One edition has, for instance, "Judaa" instead of "Jesus" in Matt, xxvi, 36; the other lias a part of the verse repeated in Exod. xiv, 10, making what printers call "a doublet." In Gen. x, 16, one copy reads the "Emorite, " and the other the "Amorite." One has in Ruth iii, 15, " He went into the city ; " the other has, " She went into the city." This has led Mr. Stevena ' to des ignate them, somewhat humorously, as the great He Bible, and THE GREAT Shis Bible. Which of these two editions is really the earlier is a ques tion in dispute. Mr. Stevens and Mr. Francis Pry, both of whom have given great attention to the subject, maintain that the He Bible is the original, while Dr. Scrivener, equally good authority, as stoutly affirms the reverse. Into thia dia- cussion it is beyond the province of this work to enter. The style of the version is peculiar. The translators did not give the English of their day, either written or spoken. 'In deed, one distinguished writer asserts that the dialect used was not at any period " the actual current book, language nor the colloquial speech of the English people." ' Be that as it may, we must go back of the time of the translators to find the origin of the style of our present version. We can trace it through all the various versions up to Tyndale's, and then, coming down from one to another, we can see how each succeeding reviser has improved by the labors of his predecessors, until our own version combines many of the excellencies of them all?' 1 " The Bibles," etc., p. 109. " " Lectures on the EngUsh Language." By George P. Mai'sh. Lect ure 28. 'On Tyndale's style, see page 27. The Authorized Version. 57 Several of the most important editions of the Authorized Version may properly claim a brief attention. In 1629 there was published afc Cambridge an edition of great beauty, and revised with great care. In it some of the errors in the Italic words were rectified, and additions were for tbe first time made to the parallel texts, wbich were, also, greatly improved in accuracy. The editors did not append their names, and who they were is now unknown. In 1638 another Cambridge Bible was issued having still greater accuracy. The editors were Dr. Goad, of Iladlcy, Dr. Ward, Mr. Boyse, Mr. Mead, and other learned men, who are said to have performed tbeir work at the command of King Charles I. Dr. Cotton' says this was, probably, the Bible concerning which the whole of Cambridge was chal lenged "to find any literal fault in it." Yet it was not per fect, as will be seen in a subsequent chapter.'' In 1701 was issued the first Bible containing dates and chronological notea. These were taken from the Annales Yeteris et Novi Testamenti, published in 1660-1664, by Arch bishop Usher. Their introduction is due to Bishop Lloyd, who supervised this edition of the Bible. He increased the number of marginal references to 39,466. In 1763 a Cambridge Bible waa published, edited by Dr. Paris. In this the marginal notea, and, also, the chronolog ical notes, were greatly increased. This was the first Bible in which the apostrophe was used to denote the possesaive case. In 1769 appeared at Oxford, under the editorial care of Dr. Blayney, an edition of the Bible in which the greatest care was taken to secure accuracy. Errors of former editions were carefully corrected, and additional notes and references were made, the latter to the number of 64,983. Though not entirely free from errors, it waa ao much better than any of its predecessors that it was hmg regarded as a standard. In 1847 the American Bible Society appointed a committee of seven to prepare a collated edition of the Bible, which should be as nearly accurate as it could be made in every respect. They finished their work in 1851, aud tbe Board of Managers adopted it, and began using it as their standard ; > " Edi*-ions ofthe Bible," etc., page 69. ^ See page 65. 58 A Short History of the English Bible. but in 1853 they rescinded their action on the ground of want of constitutional authority. Probably the most accurate edition, in all respects, of the Authorized Version ever published is tbe one issued at Cam bridge in 1873, under the careful editorship of the Rev. P. H. Scrivener, LL.D. Its Introduction is especially valuable for the information it gives on various important points ccn- r.erning the early editions of this version. XV. THE ANGLO-AMEEICAN REVISION. Schemes for revisions and for new translations have been presented from time to time since our Authorized Version appeared, but we have not space even to raention them heie.' They have been of all degrees of merit, from tbe scholarly suggestions of eminent linguists to the farcical attempts of such men as Harwood, who in bis "Liberal Translation of 'he New Testament," London, 1768, begins the parable of the prodigal son with, " A gentleman of splendid family and op ulent fortune had two sons." Liberal, indeed I Imagine the entire Testament in such stilted style. During the flrst half of the present century the revision of the Authorized Ver.sion was a frequent subject of discussion among biblical scholars, but no practical plan was matured. Ill 1856 the subject was brought before the Lower House of Convocation of the Province of Canterbury by Prof. Selwyn, but with no result. An effort was also made to have a Royal Commission appointed by the House of Commons, but this likewise failed. In February, 1870, both Houses of Convocation of Canter bury unanimously passed a resolution appointing a committee to confer with a similar committee to be appointed by the Convocation of York to report on the desirableness of a revis ion of the Authorized Version of the Bible. The Northern ' Professor Plumptre has an account of them in his article on the Authorized Version, in Smith's "Dictionary of the Bible," vol. iii, pp. 1678-1680. The Anglo-American Revision. 59 Province declining to co-operate, the Committee appointed by the Convocation of Canterbury acted by themselves, and in May presented a report recommending a revision on the prin ciple of departing as little as possible from the general style and language of the existing veraion. Acting on this report, the Convocation appointed a committee of eight members of - each house to undertake the work of revision, with the privi lege of inviting "the cO-operation of any eminent for scholar ship, to whatever nation or religious body they may belong." We give here a complete Hat of all who at any tirae took part aa membera of this commission in the work of revision : Old Testament Company.— The Right R6v. E. II. Browne, D.D., Bishop of Winchester; The Right Rev. Lord A. C. Hervey, D.D., Bishop of Bath and Wells; The Right Rev. A. OUivant, D.D., Bishop of Llandaff; ¦ The Right Rev. C. Thirwall, D.D., Bishop of St. David's; i The Right Rev. C. Wordsworth, D.D., Bishop of Lincoln ;2 The Very Eev. J. J. S. Perowne, D.D., Dean of Peterborough ; The Very Rev. E. H. Plumptre, D.D., Dean of Wells ; 2 The Very Rev. R. P. Smith, D.D., Dean of Canterbury ; Th'i Ven. B. Harrison, M.A., Archdeacon of Maid stone ; The Von. II. J. Rose, Archdeacon of Bedford ; ' The Eev. W. L. Alexander, D.D., Edinburgh; R. L. Bensly, Esq., Cambridge; The Eev. John Birrell, St. Andrews, Scotland; Frank Chance, M.D., Lon don; Thomas Chenery, Esq.,' London; The Rev. T. K. Cheyne, 0.x- ford ; The Rev. A. B. Davidson, D.D., Edinburgh ; The Rev. B. Davies, D.D., LL.D.,1 London; The Rev. G. Doughis, D.D., Glasgow ; The Rev. S. R. Driver, D.D., Oxford ; The Eev. C. J. Elliot,' Windsor ; The Rev. P. Fairbairn, D.D.,' Glasgow; The Rev. F. Field, M.A., LL.D., Cam bridge; The Rev. J. D. Goden, Manchester; The Rev. C. D. Ginslmrg, LL.D., Berks; The Rev. F. W. Gotch, D.D., LL.D., Bristol; The Rev. J. Jebb, Canon of Hereford; 2 The Eev. W. Kay, D.D., Chelmsford; The Rev. S. Loathes, D.D., London; The Rev. J. E. Lumby, D.D., Cambridge ; The Eev. Professor McGill,' St. Andrews, Scotland ; The Rev. A. H. Sayce, Oxford ; The Rev. W. Selwyn, D.D., Canon ot Ely ; ' The Rev. W. R. Smith, LL.D., Cambridge ; The Rev. D. H. Weir, D.D.,' Glasgow ; W. Wright, LL.D., Cambridge ; W. A. Wright, Esq., Cam bridge — 37. New Testament Company.— The Right Eev. C. J. Ellicott, D.D., Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol ; The Right Rev. S. Wilberforcc, D.D., Bishop of Winchester ; ' The Most Eev. E. C. Trench, D.D., Archbishop of Dublin; The Right Rev. J. B. Lightfoot, D.D., LL.D., Bishop of Durham; The Eight Rev. G. Moberly, D.C.L., Bishop of Salisbury; The Eight Kev. C. Wordsworth, D.C.L., Bishop of St. Andrews; The ' Died while the work was in progress. * Resigned. 60 A Short History of the English Bible. Very Eev. H. Alford, D.D., Dean nf Canterbury;' The Very Eev. E. Bickerateth, D.D., Dean of Lielitield ; The Very Eev. J. W. Blakesley, B.D., Dean of Lincohi; The Very Eev. C. Merivale, D.D., Dean of Ely ;2 The Very Eev. E. Scott, D.D., Dean of Eochester ; The Very Eev. A. P. Stanley, D.D., Duan of Westminster;' The Viry Eev. C. J. Vaughan, D.D., Dean of Llandaff ; The Veu. W. Lee, D.D., Archdeacon of Dublin;s The Yon. E. Palmer, D.D., Archdeacon of O.xford; The Rev. J. Angus, D.D., London; The Eev. D. Brown, D.D., Aberdeen; The Eev. J. Eadie, D.D., LL.D.,' Glasgow; The E.!V. F. J. A. Hoit, D.D., Cambriilge; The Eev. W. G. Humphrey, B.D., London; The Eev. B. 11. Kennedy, D.D., Canon of Ely ; The Kev. W. Milligan, D.D., Aberdeen; The Eev. W. F. Moulton, D.D., Cambridge; The Eev. S. Newth, D.D., London; The Eev. A. Roberts, D.D., St. Andrews, Scot land; The Eev. F. II. A, Scrivener, LL.D., D.C.L., London ; The Rev. G. V. Smith, D.D., Carmarthen, Wiiles ; S. P. Tregelles, LL.D.,' Fal mouth ; The Eev. B. F. Wcstdtt, D.D., Cambridge ; The Eev. J. Trout- beck, London — 30. Members in both companies, 67. The flrst meeting of the English New Testament Company took place June 22, 1870. Before entering on their work they joined in the Holy Communion in Henry VII's Chapel, West minster Abbey. The Old Testament Company met for the flrst time on the 30th of June, 1870. Each of these companies held separate sessions in the Deanery of Westminster four days in every month, occupying the celebrated .Terusalcm Chamber. When they occasionally held a joint meeting they assembled in the Chapter Library. Soon after beginning their work the Committee invited the co-operation of distinguished American scholars, by the aid of Dr. Philip Schaff, of the Union Theological Seminary, New York. In 1873 the American company was formed. The fol lowing are the names of all who took part in its proceedings : Old Testament Company. — The Eev. W. H. Green, D.D., LL.D., Princeton, N. J. ; The Eev. G. E. Day, D.D., New Haven, Conn. ; The Rev. C. A. Aiken, D.D., Princeton, N. J. ; The Eev. T. W. Chambers, D.D., New York; The Rev. T. J. Conant, D.D., Brooklyn ; The Rev. J. De Witt, D.D., Ntw Brunswick, N. J. ; The Rev. G. E. Hare, D.D., LL.D. , Philadelphia, Pa. ; The Rev. C. P. Kraulh, D. D., LL.D.,' Philadel ¦ - Died wiiile the work was in progress. 2 Resigned. 2 Died after the wovk on the New Testament wa-s finished, but before the completion ot the work on the Old Testament. The Anglo-American Revision. 61 phia, Pa. ; Tayler Lewis, LL.D.,' Schenectady, N. Y. ; The Eev. C. M. Mead, D.D., Andover, Mass.; The Euv. H. Osgood, D.D., LL.D., Eochester, N. Y.; The Eev. J. Packard, D.D., Alexandria, Va. ; The Rev. C. E. Stowe, D.D., Hartford, Conn. ; James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., Madison, N. J. ; The Eev. C. V. A. Van Dyek,' D.D., M.D., Beirut, Syria— 15. New Testament Company. — The Eev. T. D. Woolsey, D.D., LL.D., New Haven, Conn. ; The Eev. J. H. Thayer, D.D., Cambridge, Mass. ; Charies Short, LL.D., New York; Ezra Abbot, D.D,, LL.D., a Cam bridge, Mass. ; The Eev. J. K. Burr, D.D. ,3 Trenton, N. J. ; Thomas Chase, LL.D., Haverford, Pa. ; The Eev. G. E. Crooks, D.D. ,2 Madison, N. J. ; The Eev. II. Crosby, D.D., LL.D., New York ; The Eev. T. Dwight, D.D., New Haven, Conn. ; J.imes Hadley, LL.D.,' New Haven, Conn. ; The Rev. H. B. Hackett, D.D., LL.D.,' Rochester, N. Y. ; The Eev. C. Hodge, D.D., LL.D.,' Princeton-, N. J. ; The Eev. A. C. Ken- driok, D.D., LL.D., Eochester, N. Y. ; The Right Eev. A. Lee, D.D., LL.D., Bishop of the Protestant Epi.icopal Diocese of Delaware; The Eev. M. B. Eiddle, D.D., Hartford, Conn.; The Eev. P. SchafF, D.D., LL.D., New York; The Eev. 11. B. Smith, D.D., LL.D.,' New York; The Eev. W. F. Warren, D.D.,2 Boston, Mass. ; The Rev. E. A. Wash burn, D.D., LL.D. ,3 New York— 19. - In both companies, 34.* The flrst meeting of the American Committee was held Oc tober 4, 1873,= in Dr. Schaff's study, Room No. 40, Bible House, New York city. The meetings were afterward held monthly in rooms 43 and 44 of the same building. The following general principles were laid down at the out set to direct the reviaers, both English and American : 1. To introduce as few alterations as possible into the text of the Au thorized Version consistently with faithfulness. 2. To limit, as fur as passible, the expression of such alterations to the language of the Authorized and eariier English versions. ' Died while the work was in progress. 2 Resigned. 3 Died after the work on the New Testament was finished, but before the completion of the work ou the Old Testament. * The losses by death and resignation both in England and America were made up from time to time by t^lie appointment of new membere. The total number employed on the revision, fora longer or shorter period in both countries, is 101 ; namely, 52 on the Old Testament Company and 49 on the New Testament Company. - 6 This was the first meeting for active work. A meeting for temporary -organization, and for adopting a constitution, had been previously held, Dceeiiibcr7, 1871, in Dr. SchafF » study. 62 A Short History op the English Bible. 3. Each corapany to go twice over the portion to be revised, once pro visionally, the second time finally, and on principles of voting as herein after is provided. 4. That the text to be adopted be tliat for which the evidence is de cidedly preponderating, and that when the text so adopted differs from that from which the Authorized Version was made, the alteration be in dicated in the margin. 5. To make or retain no change in tlie text, on the second final revis ion by each company, except two thirds of those present approve of the same; but on the fii-st revision to decide by simple miijorities. 6. In every case of proposed alteration that niiiv have given rise to dis cussion, to defer the voting thereupon till the next meeting, whensoever the same shall be required by one third of those present at the meeting, such intended vote to be announced in the notice for the next meeting. 1. To revise the headings of chapters, pages, paragraphs, italics, and punctuation. 8. To refer on the part of each company, when considered desirable, to divines, scholars, and literary men, whether at home or abroad, for their opinions.' The reasons assigned for the necessity of a revision were numerous and weighty. The "Authorized Version," though unquestionably the best English version ever made, has many defects which, it was justly thought, the advanced scholarship of the present day is abundantly able to remedy. Among these are: doubtful renderings of words; incorrect renderings; un necessary distinctions made; real distinctions effaced; faults of grammar; faults of lexicography; treatment of proper names, official titles, etc. ; archaisms ; defects in English ; errors of the press. ^ The object of the revision is to remedy these difficulties ; to revise orthography, jjunctuation, use of capitals, italics, mar ginal references, chronology, and headings of chapters and of columns; to combine, witb the old division into chapters and verses, an arrangement of the prose in paragraphs, and of the poetry in meter; and to use a more correct Greek text than it was possible for the revisers of 1611 to obtain. The New Testament was issued on the 17th of May, 1881, ' "The Revision ofthe English Version," etc., Int., p. xi. 2 It is impossible, within the space allotted to this work, to give a list of these defects here. They are treated at length by Eadie, vol. ii, pp. 336^80; l>y Lightfoot, Trench, Ellicott, and Schaff in their essays men tioned in the List of Authorities on page 7 of this book ; aud in "Anglo- American Bible Revision." Peculiar Bibles. 63 in England, and on the 30th of May, 1881, in America. The excitement in New York and other cities was intense, and lasted for a number of days. It is supposed tbat half a million of copies were given to the American public on the flr.st day of publication. Copiea were sold, not only in book-.'»tores and at news-stands, but in public conveyances; and many were hawked about the streets. The daily press publii-hed extracts and criticisms. The entire volume was telegraphed from New York to Chicago for early publication in two of the daily papers of the latter city. It is estimated by some that 3, 000, 000 copies of the New Testament were sold in England and America within the flrst year of its publication. ' The work of Old Testament revision was completed in 1884, and the volume containing the flnished Bible was given to the public in May, 1885, being four years after the publication of the New Testament. As was to be expected, its appearance did not create the excitement which accompanied the issue of the New Testament. Large editions were, however, put upon the market and found a ready sale. XVI. PECULIAR BIBLK3. It may interest our readers to learn something of English Bibles, or parts of Bibles, which have become more or less famous because of priority in publication, or by reason of cer tain peculiarities either iu the translation or in typographical errora. A volume might be fllled with an account of these ; we give a few specimens. 1. Priority in Publication. The flrst manuscript English New Testament was that of Wycliffe, 1380, followed about two years later by the flrst manuscript Old Testament. The first printed New Testament was that of Tyndale, Co logne and Woi-ms, 1535, 1536. ' For a very interesting account of the exoitement incident to its issue in New York city, see Schaff's " Companion to the Greek Testament and English Revision," pp. 406-411. 64 A Short History of the English Bible. The flrst printed Bible was that of Coverdale, Antwerp, 1535. The first portion of Scripture printed in England was the Seven Penitential Psalms, by Bishop Fysher, London, 1505.' The first New Testament printed in England was Tyndale's, London, 1536. The flrst Bible printed in England was Coverdale'a, Soulh- wark, 1537. The first New Testament printed in Scotland was the Gene-- van, Edinburgh, 1576. It was not published until 1579, when the Old Testament was issued with it. The first New Testament of the Authorized Version printed in Scotland was in Edinburgh, 1638. The first complete Bible of the Authorized Version printed in Scotland was in Edinburgh, 1633. The first Bible printed in Ireland was the Authorized Ver sion, Dublin, 1714. The flrst portion of Scripture printed in America, and the first book of any kind, was what is usually called The Bay Psalm Boole, being a metrical version of the Psalms. Cam bridge, Mass., 1040. The flrst New Testament printed in America was the Au thorized Vershin, Boston, 1742. (This book has a London imprint.) The flrst Bible printed in America was the Authorized Ver sion, Boston, 1753. (This, also, has falsely a London imprint.) The first Bible printed in America and having an American imprint was tbe Authorized Version, Philadelphia, 1782. The first English translation from the Septuagint was by Charles Thompson, Philadelphia, 1808. 2. Singular Renderings. The Bug Bible. This is Matthew'a Bible, 1551, and is so called because of the rendering of Psalm xci, 5. Instead of, "Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night," as in our version, it has, "So that thou shalt not nede to be afrayed ' Bishop Fysher's Pialms was the first portion of Sciipture printed as such; though, as noted on page 16, The Golden Legend, whicb was printed in 1483, had scriptural translations mingled with its lives of the saints. Peculiar Bibles. 65 for any Bugges by night." Dore suggeata that "probably the word means bogies or boggarts, and not the objectionable little insect which is a terror to most people."' Coverdale and Taverner have the same rendering. The word bug once signified something frightful, the same as bugbea/r. The Breeches Bible. The Genevan Bible, 1560, renders Gen. iii, 7, " They sewed flg-leaves together and made themselves breeches.''' Wycliffe, 1382, had the same ; so there was a "Breeches Bible" before the Genevan. The Golden Legend, 1483, also made the same rendering. The Treacle Bible. This is tbe Bishops' Bible, 1568. It has, in Jer. viii, 33, "Is there no tryacle in Gilead ?" The Basin Bible. The Dcmay Version, 1610, has, in Jer. viii, 33, " Is there no rosin in Gilead ? " An Lmproved Yersion. In 1754 there was published in London. Genesis, the first Chapter by way of Essay towards an Lnterpretation ofthe whole Pentateuch. Cotton ' quotea froip the "Gentleman's Magazine" for August, 1754, the following as a specimen: 1. ".Elohim, beginning, created lucide and illucide matter. 2. And tbe illucide, void of co-adjunct cohesion, was unmodified, and distinguishableneas was nowhere upon the face of the chaos: And tbe Buctch of .^lohim emanated over the periphery of the fluctuation. 3. Until ..Elohim said that jEther should coallesce to the production of light. 4. And .SIlohim saw the light was good, when it was become a separation from obscurity. 5. And .Elohim deemed this daylight, and thie obscurity was yet as night, which was light, and obacuration the consummation of the first day." This is truly a very " lucide" rendering. The Knave Bible. — A popular writer,' who has brought to light many hidden literary treasures, says, "In an old ver sion of the Bible we read, ' Paul, a knave of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,' etc., Rom. i, 1." This statement has been made by various writers at different times for two hun dred yeara at least, but no one has yet found the "old ver sion." The Duke of Lauderdale, a prominent liobleman in the days of Charles II. , had heard the story, and offered a reward for a copy of the book. A certain Captain Thornton, ' " Old Bibles," p. 36. » " Editions," etc., p. 04, note. "Dr. Brewer, " Dictionary of Phrase and Fable," s. v. Knave. 66 A Short History op the English Bible. famous for knavish tricks, took a copy of Matthew's Bible of the date of 1537, and pasted a piece of paper over the worda "theaervant" in the text named. He then cut from dif ferent parta of the book the lettera a,K,n,e,a,w, e, and pasted them on the paper, thus making the text read "Paul, a Kiieawe," etc. The date in the title-page being MDXXXVII, he erased XVII. leaving the date MDXX. He had the vol ume rebound, and lettered on the back "Holy Bible, 1530." He took it to the old duke, who was delighted with hia prize, and gave the captain seventeen guineas for it. Thia is the only "Knave Bible" of which there is any authentic ac count.' Where the knave was, is easily seen. 3. Typographical Errors. Cotton Mather tells of a Bible printed before 1702 in which David is made to say in Psalm cxix, 161, '¦'•Printers have per secuted me without a cause.'"' Probably every raodern writer can affirm the truth of this. The printers have made sad havoc with the Bible, as witness the following : — The beautiful Cambridge Bible, of 1629, already referred to,' has, in spite of the care bestowed on it, at least one eiror, which ran through many subsequent editions. In 1 Tim. iv, 16, Paul says, "Take heed unto thyself and to the doctrine." Tbis book has, instead, "iAj/ doctrine." The edition of 1638, though more correct even than the former, has in it one famous error, which was serious in its day because ofthe disputes between Ihe Independents and the Episcopalians. In Acts vi, 3 it baa "whom ye may appoint," instead of " whom we may appoint," which latter is correct. In 1653 an edition of the Authorized Version vvas printed in London, in which 1 Cor. vi, 9 was made to read, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of God ? " A noted example of the omission of the negative is found in an Oxford Bible of 1711, in which we read in Isaiah Ivii, 12, "I will declare thy righteousness and thy works, for they shall profit thee." In an Oxford Bible of 1792, in Luke xxii, 34, the Saviour is ' See "Account of Lord Oxford's Bibles," cit. by Lewis, in "A Com plete History," etc., p. 47. "Stevens, p. 115. s See p. 57. Peculiar Bibles. 67 represented aa telling Philip that he should deny him thrice before cock-crowing. Another Oxford Bible of 1804 makes Paul say in Gal. v, 17, "For tbe flesh lusteth after the Spirit." Still another Oxford Bible of 1807, has in Heb. ix, 14, "Purge your conscience from good works," instead of dead works. A Genevan Bible, published in 1563, has two singular errois. In the chapter heading of Luke xxi are the worda, "Chri.st condemneth the poor widow,'' inatead of commendeth. In. Matt. V, 9, instead of "Blessed are the peace-makers," it haa, "Blessed are the joZizce-maiers," which rendering would, doubt less, flnd acceptance with office-seekers. The famous Vinegar Bible is an editi(m of the Authorized Version published in Oxford in 1717, by J. Baskett. In the running title of Luke xx, instead of The Parable of the Vine yard, it bus The Parable of the Vinegar. This Bible, issued in two folio volumes, ia remarkable for its beautiful typograph ical appearance, but so numerous are the mistakes in it that a punster of the day declared that it was " a Bashett-fnW of printer's errors." Another famous Bible is called the to remain Bible. It is a Cambridge Bible of 1805. In examining the proof-sheet con taining Gal. iv, 39, in which are the words "persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now,'' the proof reader is said to have had a doubt about leaving the comma after the word Spirit. He sent a query to tbe editor, who wrote on the margin of the proof tbe words "to remain," meaning that the comma was to be retained. The compos itor, iu correcting the proof, found these words written in the margin, and, mistaking them for a correction, deliberately took out the comma, and substituted the intrusive words, so that it reads "persecuted hira that was born after the Spirit to remain even so it is now." This strange error waa repeated in at least two subsequent editions. But the worst of all errors is found in the celebrated Wicked Bible. This is an edition of the Authorized Version printed iu London, by Barker & Lucas, in 1631. In Exod. XX, 14 the negative particle is left out of the seventh com mandment, making it read, "Thou shalt commit adultery." 5 68 A Short History op the English Bible. Archbishop Laud having informed King Charles I. of this serious blunder, the king directed that the whole editiim of one thousand copies be called in, and the printers fliied three hundred pounds. Tbe flne, or a part of it, was appropriated to the purchase of a font of Greek type, to be used for such purposes as tbe Government might direct. There are said to be only four copies of this unique volume now in existence. Strange to say, exactly one hundred years after this, in 1731, a German Bible was piinted in Halle, containing the same error, so that there is a German "Wicked Bible," as well aa an Engliah one. Copies of these rare, remarkable, and remarkably wicked Bibles may be seen, side by side, in the Lenox Library, New York. XVII. SPECIMENS OF THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS. 1. The Durham Book, about Q50. See page 17. We give the Lord's Prayer from this book : ' Fader uren tliu arth in heofnum, sie gehalgud noma thin, to cymeth ric thin; sie willo thin suaela in heofue & in eortho; hlaf userne ofer wistlic sel us todseg: & forgef us scylda usna ause use forgefon scyldgum usum: & ne inlsed usih in costunge uh gefrig usich from yfle. 2. The Ormulum, about 1235. See page 18. John i, 35-37. Thseraffterr onn an otherr dagg [day] Stod Sannt Jolian Bapptisste, Tweggen [two] stodenn thser witbtli himm Off hise Leorninngcnihlitess, [disciples] He sahh ure Laferrd [Lord] than, And seggde [said] tliuas withth worde; Loc here, thiss iss Godess Lamb. Ta [those] twa Leorninngcnihhtess, Herrdenn [beard] thatt word, and gedenn [went] forti Affterrwarrd [behind] ure Laferrd." ' Cited by Stoughton, p. 14. "White's Ormulum, Vol. 2, p. 88. Specimens op the Dipperent Versions. 69 3., Salus Aninm, or '¦^Sowlehele," about 1335. See page 18. Mabt at the Cross. Our ladi and hire sustur stoden under the roode. And seint John, and Marie Magdeleyn with wel sori moode , Ur Ladi biheold hire sweete son ibrouht in gret pyne. For mounes gultes nouthen her and nothing for myne. Marie weop wel sore, and bitter teres leet. The teres fullen uppon the aton doun at hire feet.' 4. Bichard BoTle, of Hampole, about 1335. See page 18. The Twenty-thibd Psalm. Our lord gouerneth me and nothynge to me ahal wante ; stede of pasture thar he me sette. In the water of the hetyng forth he me brougte; my soule he turnyde. He ladde me on the stretis of rygtwisuesse : for his name. For win gif I liadde goo in myddil of the shadewe of deeth ; I shal not dreede yuelea, for thou art with me. Till geerde and thi ataf ; thei haue coumfortid rae. Thou hast greythid in my sygt a bord ; agens hem that angryn rae. Thou fattide myn heued in oyle ; and my chalys drunken- gug what is cleer. And thi mercy shal folewe me ; in alle the days of my lyf. And that I wone in the hous of oure lord in the lengthe of dayes." 5. Wycliffe, IZHd. See page 19. Matt, vi, 24-25. No man may serue to two lordis, forsothe outher he schal hate the toon and lone the tother, outher he schal susteyne the toon, and dispise the tother. Yee mowne not serve to god and richessis. Therefore I seye to you, that yee be not bisie to your liif what yee schulen ete, other to youre body with what yee schulen be clothide. Wher youre liif is not more than mete, and youre body more than clooth ? ' ' Stoughton, p. 12. 'Baber, "Historical Account," etc., iu his 'Wyclitre's New Tesfament- Preface, p. Ixvii. 'Lea Wilson's "Wycliffe's Testament," in loco. 70 A Short History op the English Bible. 6. Purvey, 1388. See page 21. Matt, vi, 24, 25. No man may serve twey Lordis for either he achall hate the toon and love the tother: either be achal susteyne tbe toon, and despise the tother; ye moun not serve god and richesse. Therfore I sey to you that ye be not besy to youre lyf, what ye schull ete neither to youre bodi with what ye scliul be clothid. whether lyf is not more than mete, and the body more than the cloth ? ' 7. Tyndaleh Pentateuch, 1530." Gen. xliii, 11, 12. Than their father Israel sayde unto the. yf it must nedes be so now : than do thus, take of tbe best f rules of the lande in youre vesselles, aud brynge the man a present, a curtesie bawlme, and a curtesie of bony spyces and myrre, dates and almondes. And take as mocb money more with you. And the money Ihat was brought agayne in youre aackea, take it agayne with you in youre handes, peradventure it was some oversyghte. 8. Coverdale's Bible, 1535. Then sayde Israel thoir father unto the: yf it must nedes be so, then do this: take of the best frutes of the lande in youre sackes and brynge the man a present: a curtesy balme, and bony, and spyces, and myrre, and dates, and almondes. Take other money with you also, and the money that was brought agayne in youre sacke mouthes, cary it agayne with you : peradventure it was an oversight. 9. Matthew's Bible, 1537. Than their father Israel sayd unto tbem : Yf it must ned be so now: than do thus, take of the best frutes of the lande in youre veaselles and brynge the ma a present, a curteaye bawlme, and a curtesye of bony, apices & myrre, dates and alioodes. And take as moche money more with you. And ' Baber's " Wycliffe's [Purvey's] Testament," in loco. " The rest of these " specimens " we have copied from Cotton's "Editions ofthe Bible," cti" , page 235, et seq. Specimens op the Dipperent Versions. 71 the money that was brought agayne in youre aackea, take it agayne wyth you, peradventure it waa aome oversyghte. 10. The Great Bible, 1539. And their father Israel sayd unto the: If it must nedis be 80 now: than do thus. Take of the best frutes of the lade in youre vesselles and brynge the man a present, a curtesye bawlme, and a curtesye of bony, spices and myrre, nottes & almondes. And take dubble money in youre hande. And the money that was brought agayne in yottre sackes, take it agayne with you lest peradventUre it was some oversyghte. 11. Taverner's Bible, 1539. Then theyr father Israel said unto them. Yf it must nedes be so now, then do thus, take of the best frutes of the lande in your vessels, and carry the man a present, a quantitie of bawlme and a porcion of hony, spyces and myrre, dates and almondes. And take as mocb money more with you. And the money that was brought agayu in your sackes, take it agayn with you, peradventure it was some oversygt. 12. Genevan Bible, 1560. 11 Then their father Israel said unto them. If it must nedes be so nowe, do thus: take of the best frutes of tbe land in your vessels, and bring the man a present, a little rosen and a little honie, spices and myrre, nuttes and almondes: 12 And take double money in youre hand, and the money that was brought againe in your sackes mouthes: carie it againe in your band, lest it were aome oueraight. 13. The Bishops' Bible, 1568. 11 And their father Israel aayde unto them: if it must nedes be so, nowe then do thus. Take of the best fruites of the lande in your vesselles, and bryng ye man a present, a curtsie of bawme, and a curtsie of hony, spyces and mirre, nuttes and almondes. 12 And take double money in your hande, & the money that was brought agayne in your aackes, take it agayne with you, peradventure it waa some oversight. 72 A Short History of the English Bible. 14 Bouay Bible, 1609. 11 Therefore Israel their father said to them: If it must nedes be so, do tbat you wil: take of the best fruites of the land in your vessels, and carie to the man for presents, a courtesie of rosen, and of honey, and of incense, of mirlie, of terebinth, and of almondes. 12 Duble money also carie with you : and recarie that you founde in your sackes, lest perhaps it was done by an errour. 15. Tyndale, 1535. Maek xiv, 1-3. After two dayes folowed ester and the dayes of swetebreed. And the bye prest and scryb sought meanes howe they myght take hym by crafte and putt hym to deeth. Butt they sayde : nott on the feaste daye, leest eny busynes aryse amonge the people. When he was in bethania in the housse off Simon the leper, even as he sate att meate, there cam a woma with an alablas- ter boxe of oyntment, called narde, that was pure and costly, and she brake the boxe ad powred it on bis heed. ' 16. Coverdale, 1535. And after two dayea waa Eaater and the daies of swete bred. And ye hye prestes & scrybes sought how they might take bim with disceate, & put bim to death. But they sayde: Not in the feast daye, lest there be an uproure in the people. And when he was at Bethanye, in the house of Symon the leper, and sat at the table, there came a woman, wbich had a boxe of pure and costly Nardua oyntment. And she brake y« boxe & poured it upo his heade. 17. The Great Bible, 1539. After two dayes was Easter, and tbe dayes of swete breed. And the hye Prestes and the Scribes sought, how they myghte take bim by crafte, & put bim to deeth. But they aayde : not in the feaat daye, leest any busynes aryse amoge the people. And whan he was at Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, even as he sate at meate, ther cam a woma hauyng Specimens op the Dipperent Versions. 73 an alabaster boxe of oyntmet, called Narde, that waa pure and coatly : & she brake the boxe, & powred it on hia heed. 18. Taverner, 1539. After two dayes folowed Ester, and the dayes of swete breed. And the hygh preeatea and the Scrybes sought howe to take hym by gyle and put hym to deth. But they sayd : not in the feest daye, leest any rore aryse amonge tbe people. When he was in Bethani, in the house of Symon the leper, as he sate at meate, there came a woman, havyiige an ala baster boxe of oyntmente called narde, that was pure and costly, and she brake the boxe and powred it on his heed. 19. Whittingham, 1557. And after two dayea folowed the feast of Easter, and of unlevened bread : and the hie Priestes, & Scribes soght how Miey myght take hym by craft, and put him to death. 2. And they sayd. Not in the feast day, lest any busynes aryse among the people. 3. And when he waa in Bethanie, in the houae of Simon the leper, even as he sate at meat, there came a woman hauing an alabaster boxe of oyntment called spikenarde, that was verie costly, & she brake the boxe and powred it on his head. 30. Geneva, 1560. 1. And two dayes after followed the feast of the Passeovcr, and of unleavened bread: and the hie Priests, and Scribes soght how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. 2. But they said. Not in the feast day, lest there be any tumult among the people. 3. And wben he was in Bethania in the house of Simon the leper, as he sate at table, there came a woma having a boxe of ointment of spikenarde, verie coatlie, and she brake the boxe, and powred it on his head. 21. Bishops', 1568. 1. After two dayes was [the feaste] of the Passeover & ot unlevened brea^. And tbe hye priestes and the scribes, 7-i A Short History op the English Bible. sought how they rayght take him by craft, and put hym to death. 3. But they sayde: not in the feast day, lest any busiues arise among the people. 3. And wben he was at Bethanie, in the house of Simon the leper, even as he sate at meate, there came a woman bavyng an alabaster boxe of very precious oyntment, [called] Narde pistike, and she brake the boxe and powred it ou bis head. 22. Rhemish, 1583. And the Pasche was and the Azymes after two daies: and the cheefe Priests and the Scribes sought how they might by some wile lay hands on bim and kil him. For they said. Not on the festival day, lest there might be a tumult of the people. And when he was at Bethania in the house of Simon the Leper, and sate at meate, there came a woman having an ala- baater-boxeof ointment, of pretiousspike-nanle: and breaking tbe alabaster-boxe she powred it out upon his bead. 33. Tyndale, 1525. 1 CoK. XV, 29. Other els what do they which are baptised over the deed, if tbe deed ryse not at all ? why are tliey baptised over the deed ? And why stode we i ieoperdy every houre ? by oure reioysynge which I have in Christ Jesu oure lorde, I deye dayly. That I have fought with beastes alt Ejihesus after the mauer of me, what avantagetb it rae, yf the deed ryse not agayne? Lett us eate ad dry like, to morowe we shall deyt. 34. Coverdale, 1535. Or els what do tbey wbich are baptised over ye deed, yf the deed ary.se not at all ? Why are they then baptysed over the deed ? And why stonde we in ioperdy every houre ? By oure reioysinge which I have in Christ Jesu o Lordb, I dye dailye. That I have foughte with beestes at Ephesus after y« nianer ol men, what belpeth it me yf the deed ryse not agayne: Lei us eate and drynke, for tomorow we shal dve. SpECIMfiNS OF THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS. 75 25. The Great Bible, 1539. Els what do they, which are baptised over tbe dead, yf the deed ryse not at all ? Why are they the baptised over the ? Yee and why atode we all waye then in ieoperdy ? By oure rejoysinge which I have in Christ Jesu our Lorde, I dye dayly. Tbat I have fought with beastes at Ephesus after yo maner of rae, what av.auntageth it me, yf the deed ryse not agayne: Lett us eate and dryncke, for to morow we sball dye. 26. Tamemer, 1539, Either els what do they whiche are baptised over the deed, yf the deed ryse not at all ? Why are they then baptized over the deed ? ye, and why atande we in ieoperdye every houre ? —That I have fought with beestes at Ephesua, after the maner of raen, what avauntageth it me, yf the deed ryse not agayne? Let ua eate and drynke, to morow we sball dye. 37. Whittingham, 1557. 29 Eia what shal they do which are baptized for dead ? yf the dead ryse not at all, why are they then baptized for dead? 30 Why are we in ieoperdy every houre ? 33 If I have foght with beastes at Ephesus after the maner of men ; what avantagetb it me, yf the dead be not raised up ? let us eat arid dryncke : for to raorow we shal dye. 38. Genevan, 1560. 29 Els what shal they do which are baptized for dead ? if the dead rise not at all, why are they then baptized for dead ? 30 Why are we also in ieoperdie everie houre ? 82 If I have foght with beastes at Ephesus after tbe maner of men, what avatageth it me, if the dead be not raised up ! let ua eat & drinke : for to morowe we shall dye. 29. Bishops', 1568. 29 Els what shall they do, wbich are baptized for the dead, yf tbe dead ryse not at all? 30 Why are they then baptized for them ! and why stande we in ieopardie every home? 33 If I have fought with beastes at E|)hesus after the maner of men, what avauntageth it me, yf the dead ryse not 76 A Short History op the English Bible. agayne ? Let us eate and drynke, for to morowe we shall dye. 30. Rhemish, 1583. 29 Otherwise what shal they do tbat are baptized for the dead, if the dead riae not againe at al ? 30 Why also are they baptized for tbem ? why also are we in danger every houre? 32 If (according to man) I fought with beasts at Ephesus, what doth it profit me, if tbe dead rise not againe ? 3?. Let us eate and drinke, for to morow we shal die. 81. The '-Bay Psalm Book,"' 1640. See p. 63. PSALM xix. 1 The heavens doe declare the majesty of God: Also the firmament shews forth his handy-work abroad. 2 Day speaks to day, knowledge night hath to night declar'd. There neither speach nor language is where their voyce is not beard. 3 Through all the earth their line ia gone forth, and unto the utmost end of all the world their speaches reach also : 4 A Tabernacle bee in them pitclit for tbe Sun, Who Bridegroom like from's chamber goes glad Giant's-race to run. 5 From heaven's utmost end, his course and compassing; to ends of it, and from the heat thereof is hid nothing. 'This version was at flrst commonly called " The Bay Psalm Book ; " but afterward " The New England Version ofthe Psalms." Its title is, "The Whole | Booke ol Psalmes | Faithfully Translated into English | Metre. | Whereunto is prefixed a discourse de- | daring not only the lawfuUness, but also | the necessity of the Heavenly Ordinance | of singing Scripture Psalmes in | the Churches of | God. | [Then follow qucitations from Col. iii, 16, and James v, 13.] Imprinted | 1640. 1 Synoptical Statement. 77 XVIH SYNOPTICAL gfATEMENT. [This is added to aid the memory of those who may wish to uso this woi-li a& a Text-Boole.] 1. Preliminary. I 1 Early Christianity in Britain. 2. Principal versions previous to first printed Testament : 1.) Greek — Septuagint. 2.) Chaldee or Aramaic. 3.) Syriac. 4.) Latin — Vetus Itala; Vulgate. 5.) German — Latter part of ninth centuiy; five undated printed editions before 1477 ; nine others between 1477 and 1522; 1522, Luther's New Testament; 1524, Luther's Bible; Zurich Bible, shortly after. 6.) Other Languages. 7.) 1502 to 1522. Complutensian Polyglot. 3. Early facilities for studying Hebrew and Greek. 1.) Hebrew — 1087-1100, Hebrew in Oxford. 1290, Hebrew MSS. among the monks. 1310, Hebrew in Paris and Oxford. 1320, Hebrew lectureship in Oxford. 1488, First Hebrew Bible printed at Soucino, Italy. 1494, Hebrew Bible printed at Brescia, Italy. 1503, First Hebrew Gram mar at Basle. Switzerland. 1506, Reuchlin's Hebrew Lexicon. 1518, Bomberg's first Rabbinical. 1522, Complutensian Polyglot. 1525, Bomberg's second Rabbinical. 2.) Greek — 1360, Greek ciiair iu Florence. 1458, Greek in Paris. 1476, First Greek Grammar. 1478, First Greek Lexicon. 149], Greek in Oxford. 1509-1514, Erasmus in Cambridge. 1516, Erasmus' first Greek Testament. 1517, Greek lectureship in Oxford. 1519, Wolsey's chair in Oxford. 1522, Complutensian Polyglot. 4. Early means of learning scriptural truth. 1.) Manuscripts, on parchment, and then on paper. 2.) Religious dramas. 3.) "Bible of the Poor." 4.) "Mirror of Salvation." 5.) "Golden Legend." Pp. 11-16. 2. Early Paraphrases and Versions. 1. Cffidmon. 2. Aldhelm. 3. Guthlae. 4. Bede. 5. Alfred the Great- 6. Anglo-Saxon Psalter. 7. Durham Book. 8. Rushworth Gloss. 9. ^Ifric. 10. Anglo-Srorraan Psalter. 11. The "Ormu- Jum.'' 12. "Sowlehele." 13. Metrical version of Genesis and Exodus. 14. De Schorham's Psalter.' 15. Belle's Psalter. [All the above before the middle ofthe fourteenth century.] Pp. 17, 18. 78 A Short History of the English Bible. 3. Wycliffe's Bible. 1. The translator au early Reformer, b. 1324, d. 1384. 2. Trans- . lated from the Vulgate. 3. The labor of many years. 4. Assisted by Nicholas de Hereford. 5. The first translation of the entire Bible into English. 6. New Testament finished iu 1380. 7. Old Testament about two yeara later. 8. This entirely a manuscript Bible. 9. Not printed until the nineteenth century: Solomon's Song, 1823; N|iv Testameut, 1848; entire Bible, 1850. 10. A revised translation made by John Purvey about 1388, and first priuted iu 1731. Pp. 19-21. 4. The Interval. 1. People mainly dependent on Wycliffe's Manuscript Bible. 2. Council of Constance, 1414-1418. WyoHffe's doctrines condemned and hia bones ordered to be burned. 3. Council of Basle, 1431-1443. Supremacy of General Council asserted. 4. The revival of learning. 5. The Lollards, laboring and persecuted. 6. Scripture translation and use prohibited by Convocation. 1. The Bible still read. 8. Per secutions. 9. " Brothers in Christ" Pp. 21-24. 5. Tyndale's TranslaUons. 1. William Tyndale, b. 1484, d. 1536. 2. Hia work done chiefiy on the Continent 3. New Testament printed in part at Cologne, 1525. 4. Tyndale compelled to leave Cologne. 5. Went to Worms, where, in 1526, the work was finished. 6. In the same year the volumes secretly sent to England. 7. Their use forbidden by Bishop Tun stall. 8. Public burning May 4, 1530, in St Paul's Church-yard. 9. Use forbidden by king and bishops. 10. Pentateuch published in 1530. 11. Jonah in 1531. 12. Translations from Joshua to 2 Chron icles probably made about the same time. 13. Revised edition of New Testament in 1534. 14. Tyndale's translations were all from the original Hebrew and Greek. 15. Tyndale a martyr; strangled and burned at Vilvorde, near Brussels, Oct. 6, 1536. Pp. 24-27. 6. Coverdale's Bible. 1. Miles Coverdale, b. 1488, d. 1569. 2. Bible printed, In 1535, at Antwerp. 3. A controverted point, whether translated from Hebrew and Greek, or from other languagea. 4. The latter probably the fact 5. His five " interpreters." 6. The Ziirich Bible his main dependence for the Old Testament. 7. The New Testament chiefly based on Tyn dale's. 8. The first printed English Bible. 9. Royal license given in 1537. 10. Prohibited in 1546, and all copies ordered burned. 11. Restriction removed by Edward VL, 1547. Pp. 27-31. Synoptical Statement. 79 7. Mattheio's Bible. 1. John Rogers, the editor, b. 1500, d. 1 555. 2. Why eaUed " Mat thew's" not known. 3. Printed in 1537. 4. Begun at Antwerp, and finished either there or in London. 5. Royal license given. 6. .V revision of other translations. 7. Especially valuable for matters outside the text 8. Directed to be publicly read in the churches. 9. Rogers burned February 4, 1555. Pp. 31-33. 8. Taverner's Bible. 1. Richard Taverner, b. 1505, d. 1575. 2. A lawyer and a lay preacher of eccentric habits. 3. His Old Testament a revision of Matthew's. 4. Hia New Teatament a revision ot Tyndale's. 5. The notes a combination of Matthew's and his own. 6. The Bible issued under the patronage of Lord Cromwell, and dedicated to the king Pp. 34, 35. 9. The Great Bible. Edition of 1539.— 1. Issued by direction of Thomas Cromwell, Secretary of State, b. 1490, d. 1540. 2. A revision of Matthew's un der the editorial supervision of Coverdale. 3. Begun in Paris, but interrupted by order of Inquisition. 4. Many copies burned, but others aaved and taken to London, where the work was finished. 6. Called "Great" because of ita size. 6. Remarkable wood-out ou title-page. 7. Notes originally intended, but never inserted. 8. Its public use ordered by the king. Pp. 35-37. Subsequent Editions. — 1 . By direction of Thomas Cranmer, Arch bishop of Canterbury, b. 1489, d. (burned) 1556. 2. In 1540 issued a revised edition of the Great Bible. 3. Printed in London by Paris ian workmen, and with Parisian type. 4. Coverdale still editor. 5. Prologue written by Cranmer. 6. Hence this and the five subse qnent editions known as " Cranmer's Bibles." 7. In 1540 royal proc lamation commanding that Bibles be provided for public reading. 8. Similar proclamations in 1541 and 1542. 9. In 1543 those proc lamations modifled. 10. The Great ii ble very popular. Pp. 37-40. 10. Whittingham's New Testament. 1. William Whittingham, b. 1524, d. 1579. 2. One of nuraerous refugees from England to the Contineiit during the Marian persecu tion. 3. His New Testament published in Geneva in 1557. 4. The only portion of Scripture published in English during the reign of Queen Mary. 5. Sometimes incorrectly called the " Genevan Testa ment." 6. A revision of other translations, especially of Tyndale's, 80 A Short History op the English Bible. and collated with the New Testament of the Great Bible. 7. Had many marginal notes. 8. The first English Testament in which italic type was used. 9. The fir.st in which the text was broken up into verses, distinguished by numerals, as at present Pp. 40^2. 11. The Genevan Bible. 1. Issued in Geneva, 1560. 2. The joint production of a number of English refugees, 3. Supervised by Whittingham, Gilby, and Samp son. 4. Based on the Old Testament of the Great Bible, and on Tyn dale's New Testament 5. More correct than any of its predecessors. 6. Enriched with numerous notes and comments. 7. The first En glish Bible priuted iu Roman type, the first broken into verses, and tlie first to use italics. 8. Very popular for many years. Pp. 42-44. 12. The Bishops' Bible. 1. Under supervision of Matthew Parker, Archbishop of Canterbury, b. 1504, d. 1575. 2. Published iu 1568. 3. Soraetimes called "Park er's Bible." 4. The work of twelve or fifteen learned men, most of them bishops. 5. Mainly a revision of the Great Bible. 6. Numer ous notes, many of them from the Genevan. 7. Never received the royal sanction. 8. In 1571 copies ordered by Convocation to be placed in churches and iu lialls of bishopa. 9. Though in public use, it never became popular. Pp. 44-46. 13. Tlie Rheims and Douay Version. 1. Seminary of English Roman Catholics at Douay and at Rheims. 2. Gregory Martin, one of the instructors, assisted by a number of learned Catholics, translated the Bible into English from the Vulgate. 3. Prepared to check the influence of other English^ versions, espe cially the Genevan. 4. Accompanied by numerous notes of a con troversial character. 6. The New Testament published at Rheims in 1 582. 6. The Old Testament at Douay in 1609. 7. The complete work reprinted at Rouen in 1635. 8. A revised edition by Dr. Cliallonor, in London in 1750. 9. The style of the version remarkable for use ol Latinized English. Pp. 46-48. 14. The Authorized Version. 1. Conference at Hampton Court Palace January 16-18, 1604. 2. Suggestion of Dr. Reynolds, which led King Jaraes I. to arrange for a revised version of tlie Bible. 3. Fifty-four translators, divided into aix companies. 4. Fifteen rules for their guidance. 5. Expense of the work borne by voluntary contributions. 6. The version never Synoptical Statement. 81 ofBoially " authorized." 7. The manuscript now lost. 8. The work a revision of all preceding English Bibles. 9. The Hebrew text used by them not known, probably Bomberg's Rabbiuioal Bible. 10. The Greek text they followed mainly is supposed to have been Beza's. 11. Italic words were used for several purposes. 12. Punctuation, at first, very scanty. 13. Four uses for marginal notes. 14. No histor ical or chronological notes. These have been added since. 15. Mar ginal references not so numerous as now. 16. Two distinct editions in 1611. 17. The style peculiar. 18. Various important editions since 1611. Pp. 48-58. 15. The Anglo-American Revision. 1. Fruitless efforts of 1856. 2. Resolution of Convocation of Can terbury, February,. 1870. 3. Committee of sixteen appointed with power to add. 4. The whole number, fifty-two. 5. First meeting of the New Testament Company, June 22, 1870. 6. First meeting ofthe Old Testament Company, June 30, 1870. 7. Co-operation of Araer ican scholars through Dr. Schaff. 8. The American Company formed in 1872, and its first meeting held October 4. 9. Not designed to make a new translation, but only a revision. 10. General principles for the guidance of the revisers. 11. Numerous reasons for a revis ion. 12. Pubhcation of the Revised New Testament 13, Publica tion of the completed volume. Pp. 58-62. INDEX jElfkio, 18. Aldhelm, 17. Aldred, 17. Alfred the Great, 17. Allen, Dr. William, 46, 47. Andrewes, Dr. Launcelot, 49. Badius, Conrad, 41. Bancroft, Archbishop, 51. Bay, Psalm Book, 64, 76. Bede, The Venerable, 17. Bedwell, William, 50. Beza, Theodore, 41, 43, 54. Bible : A. v., '44,46,48,58. Bishops', 44, 51, 52, 53, 56, 65, 71, 73, 75. Bomberg's Eabbinioal, 14, 54. Chaldee, 12. Coverdale's 28, 29, 36, 52, 54, 70, 72, 74. Genevan, 42, 45, 46, 47, 52, 53, 65, 67, 71, 73, 75. German, 12. Great, 29, 35, 87, 41, 43, 44, 45, 62, 71, 72, 75. Hebrew, 13, 14. Latin, 12. Matthew's, 81, 35, 36, 39, 52, 64, 66, 70. Eheims and Douay, 46, 65, 72 74, 76. Taverner's, 34, 36, 71, 73, 75. WyelifTe's, 19, 69. Bible reading encouraged, 31, 32, 37, 39, 40, 46. Bibles : Cambridge, 57, 58, 66, 67. Fir.st Printed, 63, 64. Bibles : Manuscript, 15, 16, 21, 23, 63. Oxford, 57, 66, 67. Peculiar, 63. Biblia Pauperwm, 15. Bilson, Bishop, 53. Bodleigh, John, 42. Bonner, Bishop, 39. Boyse, John, 51. " Breeches " Bible, 65. Bristow, Dr., 47. " Brothers in Christ," 23, 25. "Bug" Bible, 64. CSDMON, 17. Calvin, John, 43. Cambridge University, 24, 81, 34, 44, 49, 50, 51, 53. Chadderton, Dr. Laurence, .50. Chapter headings, 55. Christianity, Early, in Britain, 11. Coclilasus, 25. Cole, Thomas, 42. Committees ou Proposed Revision, 59, 60. Conference, Hampton Court Palace, 48. Convocation : 1408, 23. 1534, 29, 39. 1571, 46. 1856, 58. 1870, 58. Cost of Bibles, 23, 25. Council of Basle, 22. Constar.ce, 22. Toulouse, 15. Coverdale, Miles, 28, 36, 42. ' Authorized Version. Index. 83 Cranmer, Archbishop, 82, 37, 39. CromweU, Thomas, 32, 85, 37, 39. Cuthbert, Gospels, 17. Dkamas, Eeligious, 15. Durham Book, 17, 68. Eadfbith, 17. Editions of A. V., Important, 67. Edward VL, 81, 32, 34, 41, 44. Elizabeth, Queen, 43, 44, 45. Ernsmus, 14, 24, 54. Errors, Typographical, 66. Expenses of A. V., how provided, 53. FisiiEE, Bishop, 28. Francis I., 36. Friars, Mendicant, 19. GiLBT, Anthony, 42. Goodman, Christopher, 43. Gospel of Mac Eegol, 18. Grafton, 82, 36, 37. Grammar, First Hebrew, 14. Greek, 14. Greek, Study of, 14. Grey, Lady Jane, 88. Guthlae, 17. " He " Bible, 56. Heath, Bishop, 89. Hebrew, Study of, 18. Henry VHI.,' 29, 38, 85, 36, 87, 88, 39, 40, 41, 44. Holbein, Hans, 37. Holland, Dr. Thomas, 51. Huss, John, 22. James I., 48, 49, 51, 53. Jerome, 12. Jerome of Prague, 22. Kilbye, Dr. Eichard, 51. " Knave " Bible, 65 Knox, John, 41, 43. Landisfarne Gospels, 17. Learning, Eevival of, 22. Legend, Golden, 16, 23. 6 Lexicon, flrst Hebrew, 14. Greek, 14. Lively, Dr. Edward, 50. Lollards, 22. IVIabtin, Gregory, 46. Martyrs : Cranmer, SB. During reign of Mary, 32. Rogers, 32. Sawtre, 22. Tyndale, 26. Mary, Queen, 32, 38, 44. Matthew, Thomas, 31. " Mirror of Salvation," 16. Monasteries broken up, 36. Munster, Sebastian, 41. Notes in A. V. : Chronological, 55, 57. Historical, 55, 57. Marginal, 55. Opposition to the English Bible, 1 5, 22, 23, 25, 26, 40. " Ormulum," 18, 68. Overall, Dr. John, 50. Oxford University, 19, 24, 34, 37, 40, 46, 49, 51, 53. Parker, Archbishop, 44. Persecutions, Papal, 22, 25, 26, 29, 32, 34, 88, 41, Polyglot, Complutensian, 18, 14, 54. Popery, Opposition to, 19, 20, 22, 28, 81, 86. Prohibition of Scriptures, 15, 23,31, 41. Psalms, Anglo-Normim, 18. Psaltery, Anglo-Saxon, 17. Pullain, John, 43. Punctuation of A. V., 56. Purvey, John, 21, 70. Quentel, Peter, 25. Eeferenoes, Marginal, 55. Eeformation, Protestant, 24, 81, 86. Eefugees, English, iu Geneva, 41, 43. 84 Index. Revision, Anglo-American, 68. Committees on, 59, 60. Seasons for, 61. Eules for, 61. Reynolds, Dr., 47. Reynolds, Dr. John, 49, 50. Rogers, John, 31. KoUe, Eichard, 18, 69. " Rosin " Bible, 65. Roye, Williiim, 25. Eules for preparing A. V., 51. Eushworth Gloss, 17. Sampson, Thomas, 43. Saravia, Dr. Adrian de, 50. Siiville, Sir Henry, 51. Sawtre, William, 22, Schorham, William de, 18. Scriptures, Original, that were used in A. v., 54. Seminary, Eoman Catholic, in Flan ders, 46. Septuagint, 11. "She" Bible, 56. Shoeffer, Peter, 25. Smith, Dr. Miles, 51, 58. " Sowlehele," 18, 69. Specimens of different Versions, 68. Statement, Synoptical, 77. Stephens's Greek Testament, 42, 54. Style of A. V., 56. Tyndale, 27. Syriac Version, 12. Targums, 12. Taverner, Richard, 34. Testament, New : Genevan, 41. Greek, 14, 42, 54. Latin, 41, 42. Rheims, 47, 74, 76. Tyndale's, 26, 80, 36, 41, 52, 54, 72, 74. Whittingham's, 40, 43, 73, 75. Testament, Old : Douay, 47, 72. "To remain" Bible, 67. Translation, " Liberal," 58. Translations, Early, 16, 17, 68, 69. In other languages, 11, 12, 13. Tyndale's 0. T., 26, 36, 52, 70. Translators of A. V., 49. " Treacle " Bible, 65. Tun.stall, Bishop, 25, 26, 39. Tyndale, William, 24. Type, Italie, Use of, 41, 54. Van Meteren, Jacob, 28, 82. Verses, distinguished by letters, 42. Numerals, 42. Ver.'^ion, Authorized, 48. Improved, 65. P'etvs Itala, 12. " Vinegar " Bible, 67. Vulgate, 12, 46. Westminster, 49, 63. Whitchurch, 32, 37, 52. Whittingham, William, 40, 43. " Wicked " Bibles, 67, 68. Wolsey, Cardinal, 14, 35. Worthington, Dr., 47. Wycliffe, John, 19, 22, 24. r/ P