Слике страница
PDF
ePub

must have been made some time before the year 1384, when Wicliff died. Aug. Calmet says, it is not known that this translation was ever printed, but that there are several MSS. of it in England. The same learned Benedictine also informs us, that John Trevisa is supposed to be the first who translated the Bible into English, and that his translation was finished in the year 1357. This John Trevisa was vicar of Berkley in Gloucestershire; afterwards there was a revisal made of Wicliff's translation by some of his followers; or, as some think, a new version, with several corrections, And these are all the English translations of the whole Bible, (as far as I can find) that were made before the art of printing was invented, which art was first brought into England by William Caxton, about the year 1470, or very soon after, In the year 1526, William Tindal, a Welchman, but educated at Oxford, first printed his New Testament in English, in octavo, at Antwerp, where he then resided. This translation was not made, as the former ones had been, from the Vulgate Latin, but from the original Greek. About four years after this he published the Pentateuch in English, from the original Hebrew; and continued to translate several other books of the Old Testament, till the time of his death, which was at Tilford, or Wilford, near Bruxells, in the year 1536, where he was first strangled, and then publicly burnt. But the year before this, the whole Bible was translated into English by Myles Coverdale, a native of Yorkshire, but residing somewhere beyond sea, was published in folio, and dedicated to King Henry VIII. Of this Bible, it is said there were only two more editions, one in a large quarto, in 1550, and another in 1553. Some suppose this version was made partly by Tindal, and partly by Coverdale.

In 1537, Matthews's Bible, as it was called, was printed with the king's license; of which there was another edition in 1551. Mr. Lewis, (Hist. of Transl. of Bib. p. 111.) is of opinion, that this Thomas Matthews is a fictitious name, and that one John Rogers was the translator, or at least the publisher of that edition. This John Rogers was educated at Cambridge, and became acquainted with Tindal at Antwerp; but in Queen Mary's reign, (being then in England,) he was burnt on account of his printing that Bible.

In the year 1539, Matthews's Bible was published with some alterations and corrections, in a large folio, printed by Grafton and Whitchurch, which was called Cranmer's or the Great Bible; and the same year also, one Taverner published another edition of this Bible; in this edition

Jikewise some other corrections were made. Taverner was born at Brisley, a village in Norfolk, Anno 1505. He was, as Bayle expresses it, "Tam Græce quam Latine expertus, in operibus componendis et transferendis singulare donum habens."

The next revision and publication of the Bible was made under the care and direction of Archbishop Parker, and as several Bishops were employed in that revision, it is some times called the Bishop's Bible. This was printed by Richard Jugge, Anno 1568, in folio, and had several impressions afterward.

The Roman Catholics (that were English) 1582, made a translation of the New Testament in English, from what they call the authentical Latin (meaning the Vulgate,) and be cause it was printed at Rheims, a city of Champagne in France (where they then chiefly resided) it is usually called the Rhemish Testament; and in 1609, they also printed the Old Testament at Doway.

In the reign of King James I. a new, complete, and more accurate translation of all the holy scriptures was made by fifty-four learned men, appointed by royal authority for that purpose, and it was printed in folio in 1611, they having spent about three years in completing it.

Some English refugees, that fled to Geneva in Queen Mary's time, on account of their religion, made a translation of the New Testament into their native language; and that was printed at Geneva by Conrad Badius, in 1557, and was the first New Testament in English, with the distinction of verses by numeral figures. The division of the sacred books into chapters is ascribed to Hugo de Sancto Claro, a Dominican monk, who died in 1262. But this division into verses, marked by numeral figures, was first made by Robert Stephens, the learned and celebrated French printer, in a Greek Testament, which he printed in 1551; and four years after that the vulgar Latin Bible was divided in the same manner. But it was not till the year 1560, that the whole Bible was printed at Geneva, which edition is in quarto.

I have by me an edition of the Bible in English, containing the Old and New Testament and Apocrypha, which escaped the search of the diligent Mr. Lewis; it is a small 4to. divided into chapters, but not distinguished by verses. I know not where it was printed, it being defective at the beginning and end. But Mr. Ames, secretary to the society of Antiquaries, has one of the same edition, in his curious collection, that is complete. He informs me, his

was printed by R. Grafton, Anno 1553. Before this information was given me, I was of opinion, that mine had been printed somewhere abroad, because the paper is made yellow by some art; why it was so stained I can give no good reason, not having observed any books printed on paper of that colour, that I remember, in England.

All the critical essays, that I have seen upon our last translation of the Bible, appear to me upon the whole to be but trivial. Doubtless some passages might be better expressed; but I do not find, that it is charged with any essential, or even material fault; and therefore I look upon it as a true and good version, and that we shall not want another, till by length of time, the flux and change of language shall render it obscure or unintelligible.

Wandsworth, Feb. 24, 1758.

1758, March.

W. MASSEY.

IN

XXXIII. Account of the Translators of the Bible.

MR. URBAN,

your Supplement for 1764, a correspondent from Bath requests an account of the translators of the Bible now in use, who and what they were. As I have not yet seen an answer to this request, I take the liberty of sending you a copy of the order set down for the translating the Bible by King James, from the collection of records in the 2d. Vol. of Burnet's Hist. of the Reformation, p. 366, folio; and have added a few notes relating to some of the translators.

The places and persons agreed upon for the Hebrew, with the particular books by them undertaken, were as follow:

[blocks in formation]

(Dean of Westminster) Launcelot Andrews. He was born in London in 1565, was made Dean of Westminster in 1601, Bishop of Chichester in 1605, Bishop of Ely in 1609, Bishop of Winchester in 1618, and died in 1626. See Biogr. Dictionary.

+ (Dean of St. Paul's) John Overall. He was made Dean of St. Paul's in 1601, and Bishop of Norwich in 1618.

(Mr. King) was probably the same with John King, who was consecrated Bishop of London in 1611, and died in 1618, See Heylin's Help to English History.

(Mr. Tompson) Might not this be the same with Robert Tompson who was Dean of Westminster in 1617, and Bishop of Salisbury in 1620?

$ (Mr. Richardson) Dr. John Richardson was of Cambridgeshire. Magn. Brit. Vol. I. p. 263.

¶ (Mr. Brett) Dr. Richard Brett, the greatest linguist of his time, was rector of Quarendon in Buckinghamshire, and lies buried in the chancel there. Mag. Brit, Vol. I. p. 217.

Dr. Dewport
Dr. Braithwait
Dr. Radcliffe

Mr. Ward, Eman.
Mr. Downes

*Mr. Boyes

Mr. Warde, Reg.

CAMBRIDGE.

The prayer of Ma-
and the rest
of the Apocrypha.

>nesses,

The places and persons agreed upon for the Greek, with the particular books by them undertaken.

[merged small][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][merged small]

* (Mr. Boyes) This gentleman was born at Nettlestead in Suffolk, Jan. 3, 1560. His capacity was such, that at five years of age he read the Bible in Hebrew; and at fourteen was admitted of St. John's College, Cambridge. June 21st, 1585, he was ordained deacon, and the next day by virtue of a dispensation, priest. He was ten years chief Greek lecturer in his college, and read every day. On the death of his father, he succeeded him in the rectory of West Stowe. He performed not only his own part in the translation of the Bible, but also the part assigned to another, with great reputation, though with no profit, for he had no allowance but his commons. also one of the six who met at Stationers' Hall to revise the whole; which task they went through in nine months, having each from the company of Stationers, during that time, thirty shillings a week, In 1615 Dr. Launcelot Andrews, Bishop of Ely, bestowed on him unasked, a prebend in his church. He died Jan. 14, 1643 See Biogr. Dict.

He was

+(Dean of Winchester) George Abbot was born Oct. 29, 1562, at Guildford in Surry, was elected probationer fellow of Balliol College in Oxford in 1563, took his bachelor of divinity's degree in 1593, proceeded doctor in that faculty in 1597, and in the same year was elected master of University Col lege. In 1599 he was installed Dean of Winchester, the year following was chosen vice-chancellor, and a second time in 1603. In 1604 had his share in translating the Bible, the year following was a third time vice-chancellor, was consecrated Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry in 1609, the same year was translated to London; in 1610 to Canterbury, and died in 1633. Biog. Dict.

(Dean of Worcester) Rich. Edes, was probably a native of Bedfordshire, Magu. Britan. Vol. I. p. 150,

« ПретходнаНастави »