We are told by Archbishop Usher that a Saxon translation of the Evangelists was done by King Egbert ;1 and this manuscript in the Archbishop's day was in the possession of Mr Robert Bower. In the Cottonian Library is a Latin MS. of the four Evangelists, written by Egbert himself most exquisitely, with a Saxon version added by Aldred a priest. It is a fine specimen of Saxon caligraphy and decorations. Ethelwolf, his successor and son, did the illuminations, the capital letters, the picture of the cross, and the Evangelists, with the utmost labour and elegance, and BILFRID, the Anchoret, adorned it with gold and silver plates, and precious stones."

66

About A.D. 717 John, Archbishop of Seville, translated into the Arabic the Holy Scriptures, for the use of the Saracens and Moors. This is the first translation into that language at present known, unless we suppose the Arabic version of the Pentateuch mentioned by Mr Park as being in possession of the Mandingo Negroes to be older. They call it "TAURETA LA MOOSA." They have likewise a version of the Psalms of David, 'Zabora DawidI," and lastly the book of Isaiah, which they call, "LINGALI LA ISA," and are in very high esteem. These MSS. were purchased from the Moors by the Negroes, principally from the trading Moors; but their dates cannot be exactly known. The pious and wise ALFRED, surnamed the Great, is said by the old Chronicle of Ely, to have translated the whole Old and New Testaments into the Anglo-Saxon, or vulgar tongue. But it is more probable he only finished the Psalms, and some other portions, having died in Oct. A.D. 901, at the age of fifty-one, and a reign of thirty years and six months. Several fragments of this Bible have been published at different periods, by Foxe the Martyrologist, William Lisle, John Spelman, and others.4

The oldest version of the New Testament, in the SCLAVONIAN or ancient RUSSIAN, is a MS. written in the 10th century, in the time of the great Duke Waldimer; and the most ancient of the whole Bible is one in the Library of Moscow, which was written in A.D. 1499, unless it has been destroyed by the burning of that Capital in 1815. The oldest printed edition of the Russian Scriptures is one of the Pentateuch, in 4to, translated in 1519, by Francis Scorin, and printed at Prague. The book is disgraced by the representation of the Trinity, as an old man and three faces, and also angels combating with infernal spirits. The chapters are not divided into verses." Even in 1806 the ignorance of the Russians was so great, that it was calculated not one in a thousand could read.

5

7

The price of a Bible in England in A.D. 1274, was £30: while the pay of a labouring man at same time was only 1d. per day. The expense of building two arches of London bridge in 1240 cost only L.25, which may give some idea of the expense of procuring a Bible. It is no wonder, then, that ignorance and superstition universally prevailed.

RICHARD FITZRALPH, Archbishop of Armagh, who died A.D. 1360, is said to have translated the New Testament into Irish, and concealed it in the wall of the Church, where it was found in 1530, while the Church was repairing; but this story, although mentioned by several authors, appears very improbable.

RICHARD ROLLE, a hermit of Hampole, in Yorkshire, who died A.D. 1349, translated and wrote a gloss on the seven penitential Psalms. Lewis says he translated the whole Psalms.

JOHN WICLIF, WICLIFF or WICKLIFFE, a warden of Canterbury College, in 1380, translated the Bible from the Latin into the English tongue. The New Testament was printed in folio by the Rev. John Lewis, A.M., minister of Margate in 1731. And in 1809 it was printed in quarto, under the superintendence of the Rev. Henry Harvey Baber, M.A., Assistant-Librarian, British Museum. The New Testament is the only part of the translation that has yet been printed.

Amongst the Harleian MSS. in the British Museum are three very fair copies of Wicliff's translation of the New Testament; one of them is supposed to be his own handwriting, and the other two bear evident marks of

1 Egbert began to reign A.D. 827, and died 839. Travels of Mungo Park, chap. xxiv. p. 66. Edin. 1838. p. 250; Gray's Key to the Old Testament, p. 27. de St Petersbourg, p. 5 and p. 91. History of the English Translations of the Bible, p. 12.

2 Johnson's Hist. Acct. of Eng. Trans.

3 Life and

4 Fox's Acts and Monuments, vol. i. p. 160; Bibliog. Dict, vol. vi., 6 Bacmeister Essai sur la Bibliotheque, &c., de l'Academie des Sciences Dealtry's Vindication, &c. p. 29, 2d cdit. 7 Stowe's Annals, p. 416. $ Lewis's

being done in his time. We shall give a more particular account of this morning star of the Reformation in the lives of the translators of the Sacred Volume.

BISHOP BONNER had in his possession a Bible translated into English about the year 1395. We are indebted to Mr Lewis for the following:-1

"GHE SCHULN not make to GHOU A MAWMett and graven thing, ne tytles ghe schuln rere,

NE HUGE STONE GHE SCHULN PUTTEN IN GHOR ERTHE THAT GHE HONOUR IT," &c.

In a Saxon translation, Matt. v., RACA is rendered Fugh or Fogh, q.d., "I cannot endure thee." Between the years 1420 and 1435 was executed, in a sort of black letter, what was called The Biblia Pauperum, or POOR MAN'S BIBLE. It was an abridgment or sort of Catechism of the Bible, containing 40 leaves of a small folio. The cuts are 10 inches in length, by 74 in breadth. Each print contains three subjects, taken from the Scriptures, in separate compartments, and four half-length figures of prophets in smaller divisions, two at top and two at bottom. Latin inscriptions are intermixed by way of explanation.

But the first Bible, or book of any kind, ever printed from moveable metallic types, was a Latin Bible in two vols. folio, containing 1282 pages, printed at Mentz by John Guttemberg between the years 1450 and 1455, having no date. It is beautifully printed on a fine strong paper, and the ink has a peculiar lustre, which gives it an elegant appearance. Only eighteen copies of this work are known to exist, viz., four on vellum, and fourteen on paper. Two of the four vellum copies have found their way to this country. The other two are in the Royal Libraries of Paris and Berlin. Of the fourteen paper copies, ten have got safe to Britain; three being in the Public Libraries of Oxford, London, and Edinburgh, and seven in private gentlemen's collections. At the sale of the late Duke of Sussex's Library, one of the paper copies brought L.190 Sterling; and in 1827, one of the vellum copies was sold at L.504.3

Tyndale's New Testament.

4

At Antwerp, in Flanders, WILLIAM TYNDALE, with the assistance of the learned John Fryth, and Friar William Roye, who wrote for him and assisted in comparing the texts, finished and published his New Testament in 1526, in a middling 8vo vol., but without either calendar table, or name. All of this edition that could be found was called in by Bishop Tonstal and burned. The money enabled Tyndale to publish a more correct copy of his Testament. In 1530, he published an English translation of the Pentateuch from the original Hebrew, with ten wooden cuts. In 1531, he translated and printed the prophecy of Jonas. Genesis and Numbers were printed in the Dutch letter, and contain the one 76 leaves, and the other 67. The other three books, viz., Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, are printed in Roman letter, with now and then a black capital intermixed. At the end of a copy in Thoresby's Museum, is added, "Imprinted at Marlborow, in the land of Hesse, by me Hans Luft, The yere of our Lord MD.XXX. the XVII daye of January." There were several pirated editions of Tyndale's New Testament printed by Dutch printers in 12mo, and sold at thirteenpence a piece. Tyndale's own edition was sold at 3s. 6d. per volume. George Joye, an English refugee, who corrected the Dutch editions, received only 44d. per sheet, or 14s. for the whole labour. The dates of these editions were 1526, 1527, 1528-9. In 1534, TYNDALE published his second English edition of the New Testament, with the following title:

At the End

"The New Testament,

Dilligently Corrected and Printed in the Yeare

Of our Lord.

M.CCCCC.XXXIIII.
In November."

"Imprinted at Antwerp by Martin Emperour."

ANNO M.D.XXXIIII.”

1 Lewis's Hist. of Eng. Tran of the Bible. London 13.3. Octavo, page 25; Levit. chap. xxvi. 1. title of this curious work we have given as a frontispiece to this collation.

A fac-simile of the

3 Account of the Duke's sale, in newspapers at the

D

Another Edit. was printed in pretty broad 4to. Title

"The NEWE TESTAMENT YET ONCE AGAYNE,

CORRECTED BY WILLIAM.TYNDALE. PRINTED IN THE YERE OF OUR LORD GOD.

M.D.XXXVI."

This same year there was another edition of this English Testament printed in large quarto, very probably in Scotland, at least this is the opinion of most of the learned world.

Besides the editions above, Tyndale's New Testament was printed in 1530, 1531, 1534, in 16mo and 12mo; and a copy on vellum was also printed at Antwerp this year by EMPEROUR. In 1535-1536, both in 12mo and quarto, it was printed in London by T. Berthelet. In 1548 and 1549 it was published by Daye, Seres, and Copland. In 1550 three other editions were printed by Oswen, Daye, and Seres, and Wolfe and Jugge. In 1551 it went through several editions, and in 1552 and 1553 it was again reprinted, and also in 1562 and 1566. So late as 1836, Mr George Offor, Trinity Square, London, published au edition of Tyndale's New Testament, which does him great credit. The title is surrounded by small cuts of the Apostles, &c. And in the centre is the following Title :

In 1535, the first translation of the whole Bible ever printed in English was completed abroad, under the direction of Myles Coverdale, and is therefore called COVERDALE'S BIBLE. It was printed in folio and dedicated to Henry VIII. It is generally said to be printed by Christopher Froschover, at Zurich; but others are of opinion it was printed by Richard Grafton, at Antwerp, or Marsburgh.2 The Dedication is "Unto the Moost Victorious Prynce, and our Moost Gracyous Soveraygne Lorde, Kynge Henry the Eighth, Kinge of England and of France, Lorde of Ireland, &c. Defendour of the fayth, and under God the Chefe and Supreme heade of the Church of Englande, &c.

(Subscribed)

On the last page.

66

Your grace's humble subjecte and daylie oratour.

MYLES COVERDALE."

'Prynted in the yeare of OURE LORDE 1535, and fynished the 4th day of October." In September last, an article appeared in several newspapers that a copy, in every respect perfect, of Coverdale's Bible, bearing date 1535, had accidentally been found under the false bottom of an old chest, at Holkham Hall, Norfolk, the seat of the Earl of Leicester.

If this paragraph had been correct, some light had been probably thrown upon the history of this version, and I took the liberty to write the Earl on the subject, on the 20th September, and had the honour of an answer, stating "That the account given was incorrect, that the original Title was complete, but that a portion only of the prologue was remaining," &c.

That the original Title should be perfect, and the greater part of the prologue gone, is rather singular! but such it appears is the case. I was not favoured with a copy of the title-page as requested.

John Rogers' Bible.

Another noted edition of the Bible was printed in 1537, in folio, and is generally called MATTHEW'S BIBLE, from the name Thos. Matthew being affixed to it as editor. This fictitious name, Thomas Matthew, was adopted

by John Rogers from motives of prudence, as only two years before he had seen his friend Tyndale strangled and burnt by the influence of the wicked clergy, and for no other crime but translating and printing the New Testament in English. As this edition is in my possession, I shall describe it very minutely. The title at the beginning is wanting, but the kalendar is beautifully printed in black and red, and occupies nearly four pages. After the calendar follows an almanack for eighteen years, at the end of which is the following note :

“The yeare hath 12 moneths, three wekes, and one day, and it hath in all Thre hundred and sixty-six dayes and six houres."

Then follows in large black and red print—

"An Exhortacyon on the Studye of the Poly Scriptures gathered out of the Byble."

At the end of which is J. R. in fine ornamental letters, denoting John Rogers. On the next two pages are"The summe, and content, of all the Holy Scriptures, both of the Olde and Newe Testament."

This is also in red and black letter. Then follows the Dedication

"To the Moost Noble and Gracyous Prynce Kyng Henry the Eyght, Kyng of England and of Fraunce, Lorde of Irelande, &c., Defender of the faythe; and under God the Chefe and Supreme head of the Church of Engeland."

This address fills three pages of flattery to Henry, whom we are not now in the habit of looking upon as a saint; and concludes by wishing him, "at this present a Sonne by his moost gracyous wyfe QUENE JANE, and that he may prosperously reign, and follow the Godly stepes of his father."

"And Subscribes, Your Grace's faythfull and true Subject.

On the next folio is

“H. R.”

THOMAS MATTHEW."

"The names of all the Bokes of the Byble, and the content of the Chapters of every Boke, with the Nombre of the Leaffe wherein the Bokes begynne."

At the end

"All these thynges are the boke of lyfe, the Covenant of the HYEST, and the knowledge of the trueth." After follows

"A brief rehersal of the yeares passed sence the begynnyng of the Worlde unto this yeare of oure Lorde, M.CCCCC.XXXVII. both after the maner of the reckenyng of the Hebrews, and after the reckenynge of Eusebius and other Chronyclers."

On the other side of this leaf is a well executed frontispiece, engraven on wood, and placed to front the book of Genesis. Adam and Eve are seated between a large and a lesser tree, with animals of every description crowded around them. The sun and moon are both seen in the upper part of the picture, and rays of glory are breaking through a cloud, and part of an old man is seen, intended to represent the Deity. Upon the lesser tree, next Eve, a goat is climbing up eating the bark, and on the largest tree two monkeys have got up amongst the fruit; the male seems to be handing it to the female monkey a little below. Eve's eye appears to be fixed on them, and she is in the act of pointing them out to Adam.

This Bible is ruled with red lines throughout, and is ornamented, if I may use the expression, with 78 wooden cuts, representing the plagues of Egypt, the offering up of Isaac, &c., &c. At the beginning of the Psalms is a wooden cut 6 by 5 inches, that would not disgrace some of our present artists. The subject is

David sending away Uriah, with the letter to place him in the battle front. While taking leave, the horses seem to be held with difficulty, and the armies are seen in the distance engaged.

'Before the prophets is a title with a broad border, composed of sixteen of the wooden cuts joined together, and in the centre, which is only 4 by 3 inches, is

On the back of this title is a representation of the touching of Isaiah's lips with a live coal from the altar, and above is the ornamental initials of RICHARD GRAFTON, and below it E. W., for Edward Whitchurch, the other printer of this Bible.

The title to the New Testament is engraven upon one block of wood, 11 inches by 8. On one side Adam and Eve are eating the forbidden fruit; and opposite is a representation of Christ on the cross. Below Adam and Eve; Moses is shewing a man the books of the law, while a dead body is lying behind him; on the other side, a prophet is standing, and touching a man's shoulder, points out to him Christ on the cross. Below is an open tomb, out of which JESUS is rising and trampling death under foot. The centre of this frontispiece is 4 by 24 inches, and printed in alternate words of red and black.

"THE

Lewe Testament

OF OURE SAVYOUR

Jesu Christ,

Newly and dylygently translated

WITH

Annotacions in the Mergent

To help the reader to the understandyng of the Texte.

Pronted

IN THE YERE OF OURE LORDE GOD
M.D.XXXVII."

In the Apocalypse, the same wooden cuts are used which were used in the second Dutch edition of Tyndale's New Testament, and at the end of the Apocalypse is, "The end of the Newe Testament." Then follows "the table wherein ye shall fynde the Epistles and the Gospels, after the use of Salisbury."

This Bible is said by a number of writers, among which is Mr Christopher Anderson, in his Annals of the English Bible,1 lately published, that it was printed on the Continent by Richard Grafton. But although Grafton printed Tyndale's New Testament on the Continent, and also Coverdale's Bible, as formerly stated, he returned to London in 1537 and carried on printing in the dissolved house of the Grey Friars, along with Edward Whitchurch, and where they finished the Bible translated by John Rogers, under the borrowed name of Matthews. The letters of Grafton to Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, and of Cranmer to Cromwell, the Vicar-General of England, in our opinion are no better proof that this Bible was printed abroad, than the Dedication signed THOMAS MATTHEW proved that the Bible was translated by that fictitious character, while it was well known John Rogers was the real translator. It was not at all wonderful when John Fryth* and W. Tyn

2 Typographical

The

1 Annals of the English Bible, by Mr Christ. Anderson. London. Withem Pickering, 1815. Pascim. Antiquities, by T. A., Esq., of the Inner Temple. London. 1813, pp. 72-73: Walton's History of Printing, &c. sentence was "against John Rogers, priest, alios called Matthew." 41534. This yeare, Jhon Fryth, a younge man of exellent

wit and icarning, was prent in Smithfeld."— Grafton's Chron, of Eng, fol. 132. London, 1563.