Page:The New International Encyclopædia 1st ed. v. 03.djvu/48

BIBLE. dale (1488-1568), a clergjTiian of character and ability, at the suggestion of friends in high sta- tion, undertook a new translation. He began his task in November, 1534, finislied the translation in October, 15:)5, and in the same year published the first com])lete English iiible, including the Apocrypha. It was dedicated to Henry VIII. Coverdale evidently borrowed largely from the labors of others. His Xew Testament was little more than a superficially revised Tyndale. In the Old Testament he depended largely on Tyn- dale and on Luther's tierman translation. The work was |)rintcd on the Continent, but published in Kngh^nd. Succeeding editions in 1.537. 153!), 1550. and 1553 showed mucli care in revision. In 153, through the King's indirect permission, the way was opened for the wider circulation of Coverdale's and other versions, Tyndale's alone being strictly proscribed. In 1537 a large folio Bible, bearing the name of Thomas JIatthew as translator, appeared, dedicated to the King. It was, in reality, but a reprint, slightly changed, of Tyndale and Coverdale. In this Bible, Tyn- dale's translation of the Old-Testament books from Joshua to II. Chronicles appeared in print for the first time. The whole was, doubtless, the work of John Rogers, Tyndale's friend and literary executor. The printers, Grafton and Yhiteehurch, cleverly succeeded in obtaining the royal license, with its exclusive privileges for their publication. "Matthew's" Bible thus be- came, practically, the first authorized English Bible. In 153t) a revision of this Bible was prepared by Kichard Tavenier and ])ublished, the first complete Bible ever printed in England. Meanwhile, Thomas Cromwell was planning the publication of a Bible that might be formally au- thorized, and at the same time acceptable to all the clergy. Coverdale was one of several em- ployed by him to prosecute the work. The sheets were first print('<l in Paris. These were, however, seized and in ])art destroyed by the Inquisition. The presses, type, and otlicr material were then removed to Englan<l. where the work was pub- lished in 1530. Coi)ies of this Bible, which was called the 'Great' l?ible on account of its size, were ordered to be placed in the parish churches, so that any who desired might read. Until 151)8 this Bible held the position of an authorized ver- sion. The Scripture i)assages of the English Prayer-hooks of 1540-52 were taken from it. Its Psaiter is still in use in the English Church. During the last seven yenrs of Ilenry's reign, his influence and power were directed against any further efTorts to popularize the Bible. With the accession of Edward VI. (1547), the proscribed editions began to be reprinted and freely circu- lated. It is estimated that 75.000 copies of the Scriptures were printed during Edward's reign. Then came the reaction under Mary (1553-58), when the Scriptures were agiiin )>roscribed and the leaders of the liefornuition were persecuted, martyred, or coniiielled to flee to the Continent. Many of the refugees settled at Geneva, whore they published an English XowTestamentin 1557, and the whole Bible in ]5fiO. These were handy editions, in plain type, with chapters divided into verses and a marginal commentary. This Geneva Bible soon eclipsed all others in popularity. In 1508, under the leadership of .rchbishop Parker, the 'Bish<ip's Bible.' the joint labor of eight Eng- lish bishops, was jiublished. Though it thus be- came the authorized version, it was too exiiensive to be popular.

The Douai Version. — The strength of the Ref- ormation movement in England drove many English Catholics to France. At Rlicims and Douai English colleges were established by these refugees, for the purpose of educating young men fur the priesthood. In 1582 an English New Testament, with annotations, was published at Rheinvs, by .John Eogny. The work was completed by the publication of the Old Testament in 1000, at Douai. The English Bible used by Roman Catholics is thus known as the Douai Bible. It is ciiaract eristic of this translation that it was made from the Vulgate and not from the Greek and Hebrew originals. This was because of the decree of the Council of Trent making the Vul- gate the standard Bible of the Foman Church. The Rhemish Testament of 15S2 contains an elaborate preface .setting forth the value and pro'per use of a popular version, and defending the accuracy of the following translation. In the light of the preface one's judginent of the version >h(nild be charitable. It was a serioiis. conscien- tious attpm])t. hampered, indeed, by a comiuilsory dependence on the ^'u!gate, but not altogether blind to the necessity, at times, of falling back on the Greek. Its English is not so idiomatic as that of Tyndale's version. The renderings that have called forth ridicule, such as "the Pasclie and the Azymes" (Mark xiv. 1), "the justifica- tions of our Lord" (Luke i. 0), and the like, are not so numerous as is often implied ; nor were they the result of carelessness on the part of the transl.ators. In subsequent editions, such as those of Dr. Challoncr (London, 1752), and Dr. MacMahon (Dublin, 1701), and more modern reprints, these 'inkhorn' expressions are rare. In fact, the modern editions of the Douai Bibles show marked improvement over those of 1582 and 1000.

Anthorhed Version. — At the Hampton Court Conference, 1604, James 1. was petitioned to give the Genevan Bible preference over the Great and the Bishops' Bible, or else to authorize a new translation of the Scriptures. James was pleased with the latter proposition, and on Jul.v 22 directed the Archbishop ot (Canterbury (Ban- croft) to begin the undertaking. The work wa.s done by a conuiiission of fortv-seven members, following directions suggested l).v the King. In Kill the translation was completed and pub- lished, with a fulsome dedication to the King and a wholesome explanatoiv and hortatory preface in the reader. According to the preface, the translators, by a careful comparison of all pre- ceding versions, sought to make a better one than anj- of the many good ones then in use. The new Bible was in good demand at once. Five editions were issued in three years. It found, however, a formidable rival in popularity in the (Jenevan Bible; yet its manifest superiority gave it inside of fiftv vears the field, and it became the Bil)le universally used by English-speaking people. Its intluencp on the English language has been un- measurable.

The Revised Version. — From 1702 to 1870 many schemes for further revision were proposed, and many private translations of the whole or parts of the Bible were published. In 1870 the Convocation of Canterbury entertained a plan for the revision of the .Authorized Version of Kill. The work was done by two connnittees, the one British, the other .merican, the latter being advisory only. Each committee was divided into an Old-Testament and a New-Testament