dale had so lately suffered martyrdom, that concealment in translating or printing the Bible was considered necessary. And it is highly probable that, notwithstanding these letters, the work was going on privately in London. Is it at all likely that both GRAFTON and his servant would have come to England with seven copies, and leave the whole of a valuable edition, excepting these, on the Continent? But there is another point upon which I cannot agree with Mr Anderson, namely, that Tyndale translated before his death the whole of the Bible, and that John Rogers had nothing to do but print it after Tyndale's death, and make some slight alterations. That this was not the case we think the following quotations from Bishop Bale and Richard Grafton are conclusive. BISHOP BALE, who was born in 1495, and died at Canterbury in 1563, and also intimate with both, tells us "that John Rogers, having followed Tyndale very faithfully, translated into the vulgar tongue the great work of the Byble from the beginning to the end, from the first of Genesis to the last of Revelations; having recourse to the Hebrew, Greek, Latin, German, and English copies; and that this laborious work, with the addition of useful prefaces and annotations from Martin Luther, he dedicated to Henry the Eighth in an epistle written in the name of Thomas Matthew." Indeed it is put beyond a doubt that Tindale only translated the New Testament, from the following extract from Grafton. Anno 1535. "William Tyndale, which translated the New Testament into the English tonge, by the crueltie of the clergie of Loveyne was brent besides Bruxelles in Brabant." Below is a copy of a letter from the Archbishop of Canterbury2 to Cromwell the vicar-general of England. It certainly is highly complimentary to the edition of 1537 translated by John Rogers. Another edition of the Bible in folio was printed and published by J. Nycholson, Southwark, this same year 1537, with the following title, "The Byble, that is the Oulde and Newe Testament, faithfully translated into English and newly oversene and corrected M.D.XXXVII." Dedicated to Henry VIII. and his Queen Jane. "And sett forth wyth the Kyng's most gracious licence," In 1538. The New Testament was printed by Redman, London, in 4to., Latin and English; the Latin after Erasmus, and the English John Rogers' translation, but said to be by Thos. Matthew in the prologue, no doubt for concealment. 1538. Another copy of the New Testament, in Latin and English, was printed in 1538 by J. Nycholson, Southwarke. Said in the title to be faithfully translated by John Hollybushe. Printed in Southwark by James Nycholson, 1538. 1538. Coverdale's New Testament was printed at Antwerp this year by M. Cromer in 12mo. 1538. 1 Grafton & Chronicle of England. London, 1563, fol. 132, unnumbered side. Richard Grafton, the author of this Chronicles of England, was the printer of Coverdale's Bible, and also of Rogers', along with Edward Whitchurch. He was on the Continent along with Tyndale uril the time of his death, and afterwards printed Coverdale's Bible before he came to England; so that the above extract from his Chronicle is sufficient, we should think, to satisfy the impartial reader, not to mention Bishop Bale, who is still more particular, and equally worthy of credit. 2 My Special Good Lord, After most hearty commendations unto your Lordship, these shall be to signify unto the same, that you shall receive by the bringer thereof a Bible, both of a new translation and of a wow print, dedicated unto the King's Majesty, as farther appeareth by a pistle unto his Grace in the beginning of the book, which, in mine opinion, is very well done; and, therefore, I pray your Lordship to read the same. And as for the translation, so far as I have read thereof, I like it better than any other transiations heretofore made; yet not doubting that there may, and will be found some fan't therein,-as, you know, no man ever did, or can do so well but it may, from time to time, be amended. And forasmuch as the Book is dedicated unt the King's Grace, and also great pains and labour tal en in setting forth the same, I pray you, my Lord, to exhibit the Book unto the King's Highness, and obtain of his Grace, if you can, a license that the same may be sold and READ of EVTRY person, without danger of ent act, proclawvation, or ordinance korrtofor, granted to th: confrery, until such time that we, the bishops, shali set foril. a better translation, which I think will not le till a dog oför domosday. And if you continue to take such pains for the setting forth of God's Word as you do, although in the mean scason you suffer some snubs, and many slanders, lies, and reproaches for the same, yet one day He will requite altogether. And the same Word, as St. John saith, which shall judge every man at the last day, must needs show favour to them that now do favour it. Thus, my Lord, right heartily fare you well. Your assured ever, At Forde, the 4th day of Aug. 1537. f T. CANTUARIEN.” Cromwell's Corr. Chapterhouse, Original Government State Papers, vol. i., p. 561. 1538. John Rogers' New Testament was again printed by Treveres in 4to., 1538. 1538. "The New Testament in Latin and Englishe after the vulgar Texte, by Miles Coverdale," in 4to. Printed by Nycholson, Southwark, 1538. 1538. The New Testament in Latin and English. Red and black title. and dedicated to Lord Cromwell by Coverdale. Printed at Paris by Regnault, 8vo, 1538. "The New Testament," with a true Concordance in the Margent. Printed in the year of our Lorde M.CCCCCXXXVIII. 1539. Archbishop Cranmer got printed in large folio John Rogers' translation of the Bible with the following title: “The Byble in Englyshe, THAT IS TO SAY, The Content of all the Holy Scriptures BOTH OF THE Olde and Newe Testaments, Truly Translated after the veryte of the Hebrue BY RICHARD GRAFTON & EDWD. WHITCHURCH. M.D.XXXIX. Cum Privilegio ad Imprimendum Solum." The ornamental part of this title is said to be by Hans Holbein, and cut in wood. "The Newe Testament in Englyse. The ende of the New Testament and of the whole Byble, finished in Apryll. Anno. 1539. Printed by T. Petyt, London, 4to. 1539. The New Testament of our Saviour Jesu Christ; Tavernors. A perfect copy of this Bible is in the British Museum, printed by Edward Whitchurch, under 1540. A reprint of Rogers' Bible by Redman, London, in folio, also appeared this year. 1540. The Byble in Englyshe, (Cranmer's.) Printed in folio by Richard Grafton. 1540. The Byble in five parts (Rogers' translation), was printed this year in 16mo. by Redman, London. 1540. "The Newe Testament in English" from the Latin of Erasmus. Printed in 4to. by Grafton and Whitchurch. 1541. The Bible was printed again in large folio, with the following title in black and red ink alternately : "The Byble, In Englyshe, of the largest and greatest volume, auctorised and appointed by the commandment of oure most redoubted Prynce and Soverayne Lorde, Kynge Henrye the VIII., supreme Head of this his Churche and realme of England; To be frequented and used in every churche within this his sayd realme, accordynge to the tenoure of his former injunctions given in that behalfe. PRYNTED BY RYCHARDE GRAFTON. Cum Privilegio ad Imprimendum Solum.” At the end of the New Testament "The end of the Newe Testament and of the whole Byble." A. DNO FACTUM EST ITUD."1 A. DOMINO 1541. "THE BYBLE IN ENGLYSHE, Anno Dom. M.D.XL, finished in December M.CCCCC.XLI. FACTUM EST ISTUD. This is the Lorde's doynge. This Bible is printed by Richard Grafton from Cranmer's Bible. 1544. Mr Anderson in his annals mentions a New Testament printed this year at Antwerp by Van Loe? with wood cuts in the Gospels, Acts, and Revelations, No. 428 of the Harleian catalogue, 32mo size; being a reprint of Tyndale's. 1546. The "Newe Testament" dated IX day of October, M.D.XLVI. Printed in London by Richard Grafton in 12mo. 1547. The New Testament was printed in English after Rogers' Translation, and the Latin after Erasmus. Printed by William Powel. This New Testament being from the edition of 1538, was reprinted several times. 1548. Was published an edit. of Tyndale's New Testament, with notes by John Rogers. 1549. In August, was finished a new edition of Tavernor's English Bible with the following title :— "The Byble, That is to say, all the Holy Scriptures; in which are contayned the Olde and New Testament truly and purely Translated into English, and nowe lately with greate industry and diligence Recognised. Esave E. 'Hearken to ye Heavens, and thou Earthe give eare: For the Lorde Speaketh.' Imprenteb At London by JHON DAYE, dwelling at Aldersgate, and WILLIAM SERES, dwelling in Peter College Cum gratia et privilegio, ad imprimendum Solum. XVII. day of August 1649." In October, this year, was finished a new edition of John Rogers', or Matthew's Bible, with this title : "The Byble, whych is all the Holy Scriptures: In whych are contayned the Old and Newe Testament, truly and purely translated into Englyche by THOMAS MATTHEWE. M.D.XXXVII. And now Imprynted in the yeare of our Lorde 1549. Esape 1. 'Hearken ye Heavens and give eare,' &c. IMPRYNTED at London by Thomas Raynold and William Hyl, dwelling in Paules Churche yard." I The following extracts will show bar sen ation occasioned by the translation of the Scriptures inte the English language, and also the changeable state of the wind of those who were in anti ority in these days. July 1541. At thys tyme by Proclamation the Deoliste Byble was commanded to be had in every Parishe Churche, redey for all portes of meu to resort unio, nt tyres eonvenient.”— Grejto is Chronicle of Eng? and, Lon. 1763, jo! 136, 2 1 1742, March 13th. At a radi va tudi st 2 in' kah, the Commissioners met after the Parliament was broken up, and declared "What it should be lawfa for Every one dish con!! rer 1, to me the English Trai slution of the Byble, until the Prelates should publish one more correct.”– Sportisoode 1st. of the Chorel, and State of Scotiand. Leidon, fol. 1667, p. 72. 1588. The common people were in thys ycare, by Acte of Parliament, restruyned from the reading of the Byble in Englyshe." Crofton's Ohrov, Lon. 1558, p 137. At the end of the New Testament "To the honoure and prayse of God was this Byble prynted and fynished, in the year of oure Lord God M.D.XXXVII. And now agayne accordingly imprynted and fynished the last daye of Octobre in the yeare of our Lord God 1549. By Wylliam Hill and Thomas Reynoldes, Typographers. GOD SAVE THE KYNGE. Cum Privilegio." In this edition, the former was revised and corrected, and the Notes altered, as may be seen by comparing the two on Matt. xvi. In December that same year (1549) was finished another edition of the Bible, printed from the copy of 1541 by Edward Whitchurch. (Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.) The one in my possession, printed that year, appears to be different from any of the above, as it has no printer's name, but is beautifully printed in black letter and good paper. The translation is John Rogers'; indeed there is little variation in any of the Bibles printed about this time. At the beginning of the Bible is an address unto the reader by W. T. Then follows the prologue. At the beginning of Exodus is a "Prologue upon the seconde boke of Moyses, called Exodus," of four fol. pages; before Leviticus is one of five pages, and before the book of Numbers one of six pages folio. Deuteronomy has only two pages of a prologue, and none of the following books have any prologue until we come to the Prophecy of Jonah, which has eleven pages of prologue, by William Tyndale, and the book of Jonah is probably by Tindale, as he translated it shortly after his New Testament was printed, as mentioned formerly. Before the Prophets is the following title. "The Prophets in English. Esay, Jeremy, Ezechiel, Daniel, Oseas, Joel, Amos, Abdy, Jonas, Micheas, Naum, Abacuc, At the end of Malachi is "The ende of the Prophecy of Malachy, and consequently of al the prophetes.” Before the Apocrypha is this title, “The Volume of the Bokes called Apocrypha, Contayned in the common translation in Latine, which are not founde in the Hebrue, nor in the Chaldea. The Registre thereof. "The thyrde boke of Esdras. "The fourth boke of Esdras," &c., &c. Then follows an address to the reader. There is no plates or wooden cuts in this volume, but the title to the New Testament is engraven in a very superior manner, 10 inches by 6 inches. In the upper part, in the centre, is the Hebrew word ' surrounded by a glory. On the right hand side is placed Adam and Eve, with 1 I am well aware that the greater part of my intelligent and learned subscribers require no commentary of mine to explain the four Hebrew letters in this title-page corresponding to J II V II in our alphabet. But if only ten in a thousand do not properly understand them, I trust I shall be pardoned for saying a few words in explanation. The TETRAGRAMMATON, or word of four letters, as it is generally termed by the Jews, will form no sound, unless we supply the vowels or points; but if the three vowels E () A are put between them, we have the name JEHOVAH, which imports self-existence, and is expressive of the incommunicable nature of the DIVINE BEING. The Jews, therefore, forbid it to be read or spoken; and, instead of it, substitute ADONAI, or Lord, a term denoting authority or dominion; and in the Septuagint, Kyrios is used, a word of similar import. The apostles, in writing the New Testament, have so far followed the example of their countrymen, that they have never introduced the name JEHOVAH into any part of it. Even the translators of our present version have conformed to this practice, and in the whole of the Old Testament the word JEHOVAH occurs only four times. In all the other places the same word is rendered THE LORD. We cannot but regret that any other word has been substituted, as otherwise it would have clearly identified the person of the Redeemer with the INCOMMUNICABLE NAME, and shown more clearly the GODHEAD of our blessed Saviour. a tree behind, round the branches of which a serpent has twisted himself, with his head close to Eve's ear, and below their feet is a tablet, upon which is engraven Genesis ii., and upon a scroll coming out from the glory towards them is the Almighty command in Latin concerning the forbidden fruit, Genesis ii. On the left a scroll also proceeds from the glory with a Latin inscription from Matt. xvii, 5, "Hic est filius," &c., where Christ stands holding a cross and pointing up to heaven, on a tablet is marked Matt. xxviii; he stands upon three figures, meant to represent sin, death, and hell. On one side of the space for the title is a representation of Moses receiving the law on the mountain of Sinai, and Ezra reading the law to the people, and on the other side is Christ giving the charge to his disciples, Mark xvi. 15, and from Acts ii. verse 3. Below, the King is seated on his throne in his royal robes, with a sword in his hand and a crown on his head, above which is a canopy, and below his feet the shield of England. He is in the act of receiving the Bible from three bishops, in their canonicals, kneeling on his right, and a number of lords with their robes and coronets, are in the same posture on the left. Behind these, on the right, David is playing upon his harp, with a Latin extract from the Psalms, and in the opposite corner, on the left, is a representation of St Paul, with an extract from Romans i. The printed title in the middle is as follows: "The Newe Testament OF Oure Saviour Jesu Christ, Newly and diligently translated into English: WITH Annotations in the Margent, To helpe the reader to the understandynge of the Texte. Before the Acts of the Apostles is this title : "The ACTES OF THE APOSTLES wrytten by SAYNCTE LUKE THE EVANGELYST, whych was present at the doinges of them." Prefixed to the Romans is a prologue of seven and a half pages folio, closely printed. This Bible wants all after the first epistle to the Thessalonians. "A table of the principal matters contayned in the Byble" is at the end, but most likely it had originally been at the beginning. The New Testament and Bible about this time were printed by a great many different hands, but as they varied very little, or were merely reprints of Coverdale and Rogers' translations, it is needless to enter into particulars, only I shall describe one which was the property of the late Right Reverend and learned Samuel Horsley, Bishop of St Asaph, and at present in my possession. It is elegantly bound in Russia, and titled on the back TINDALE'S BIBLE, by BECKE, 1551. Four old heads of Tyndale were collected by the Bishop and inserted before the title. I shall give a particular description of it, as I trust we shall be able to show it is merely a reprint of John Rogers' translation, with a few words altered by Becke. "The Byble, That is to say, all the Holy Scripture, in which are contayned the Olde and New Testament truly and purely translated into English, and nowe lately with greate industry and diligence recognised. Gsare I. 'Hearken to y heavens, and thou earthe give eare, for the Lorde speaketh.' Imprynted At LONDON by JHON DAYE dwelling at Aldersgate, and WILLIAM SERES dwelling in Peter College. E |