CHAP him therein." It is quite clear that such an infini X tesimal collection of authorities, and those of no A.D. 1538 more weight than the Vulgate and Luther's transla tion, would not produce an English version that could be approved of by learned and critical men.' So much discussion, indeed, arose on the subject, not only among learned and critical men, but among Cranmer's others also, that Cranmer was obliged to indite a warning cautionary declaration respecting it, which was issued ignorant as a Royal Proclamation in 1538, and accompanied by an order that it should be read publicly by all the parochial clergy : respecting contro versy "If at any time," this declaration said, "by reading, any doubt shall come to any of you touching the sense and meaning of any part thereof; that then, not giving too much to your own minds, fantasies, and opinions, nor having thereof any open reasoning in your open taverns or ale-houses, ye shall have recourse to such learned men as be or shall be authorized to preach and declare the same.' It appears to have become more and more evident for these and similar reasons that a properly authorized version must be set forth, which should command the respect of the learned, and offer itself as a trustworthy guide to the ignorant. In April 1539, therefore, a new translation was printed, of which the following is the title : In some editions of Tyndale's New Testament there is what must be regarded as a wilful omission of the gravest possible character, for it appears in several editions, and has no shadow of justification in the Greek or Latin of the passage. It is, in the printing of 1 Peter ii. 13, 14, "Submit yourselves unto all manner of ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether it be unto rulers as unto them that are sent of him. .. ." Here the words "whether it be unto the king, as chief head," which appear in other editions, are altogether left out. Such an error was quite enough justification for the suppression of Tyndale's translation. [See edd. of 1531 and 1534, Douce B. 226, 237, Bodl. Lib., the first an extremely rare copy.] 4 Jenkyns' Cranmer, iv. 272. X The Bible in English, that is to say, the content of all the CHAP Holy Scripture, both of the Old and New Testament, truly translated after the verity of the Hebrew and Greek texts, by the diligent study of divers excellent learned men, expert in rized Verthe foresaid tongues. Printed by Richard Grafton and Edward sion of A.D. 1539 Whitchurch. Cum Privilegio ad imprimendum solum." It cannot be reasonably doubted that the "divers excellent learned men" who made this translation from the Hebrew and Greek texts, were those who had "sent to Lambeth their parts corrected" in 1535. The long interval between then and 1539 was probably occupied in revision of their work; though, of course, many months must be allowed for that of the printer. Autho in A.D. Cranmer This Bible was reprinted by Edward Whitchurch Reprinted in April 1540, with a "prologue" or preface by 1540, with Archbishop Cranmer. In this preface Cranmer preface by warns the people against the "inordinate reading, indiscreet speaking, contentious disputing," and "licentious living," by which some did "slander and hinder the Word of God most of all other, whereof they would seem to be greatest furtherers." It is thus again made evident that there was much which might make good men shrink and hesitate before they sowed the vernacular scriptures broadcast among the people. It was determined, however, for use in fully to supply the parish churches, and several churches 5 St John's College, Cambridge, possesses a fine copy of this Bible, printed on vellum, illuminated, and having Cromwell's arms on the frontispiece. • A magnificent copy of this, also printed on vellum and illuminated, is in the British Museum. It is bound in three volumes, and has on the fly-leaf the following 7 Jenkyns' Cranmer, ii. 104. parish CHAP printers were employed for the purpose of quick multiplication of copies. X printed in In the very same month, April 1540, another Editions edition was printed "by Thomas Petyt and Robert A.D. 1540 Redman, for Thomas Berthelet, printer unto the King's Grace;" and towards the end of 1539 another edited by Richard Taverner, a student or canon of Cardinal College. In July of the same year appeared another printed by Richard Grafton, and also having on the title-page "This is the Bible appointed to the use of the Churches." In November of the same year there was printed by Whitchurch (but not published for some months) another edition "Overseen and perused at the commandment of the King's Highness, by the Right Reverend Fathers in God, Cuthbert, Bishop of Duresme, and Nicolas, Bishop of Rochester;" that is, Tunstal and Heath. The title-page of this calls it "The Bible in English of the largest and greatest volume authorized and appointed by the commandment of our most redoubted Prince and Sovereign Lord King Henry the VIII., supreme head of this his Church and realm of England: to be frequented and used in every church in this his said realm, according to the tenor of his former injunctions given in that behalf." In May 1541 there was another edition of Cranmer's volume printed by Whitchurch; in November of the same year a second edition by Grafton of that "overseen" by Bishops Tunstal and Heath and in December another edition, also printed by Grafton, of Cranmer's. This large supply of nine editions of "Great," or folio, Bibles (some being nearly identical with others) X sale of Bibles at a was partly placed in the hands of the "haberdasher," CHAP Anthony Marler, referred to in a note on a previous page, who appears to have been what we should now A.D. 1541 call the "publisher" officially appointed for their sale. At a Privy Council held at Greenwich on April 25, 1541, "It was agreed that Anthony Marler, of License for London, merchant, might sell the Bibles of the Great Great Bible unbound for ten shillings sterling; and fixed price bound, being trimmed with bullions, for twelve shillings sterling :" sums equal to £6 and £7 of modern money. But shortly afterwards Marler writes to the council complaining that the books remain unsold, and that he shall be "undone" if the parishioners are not compelled to provide themselves with copies of the Bible for use in every parish. church in the kingdom. A proclamation to this effect was, therefore, issued on May 6, 1541, imposing a fine on those who failed to comply with the order before November 1st of the same year.1 Cran- Cranmer mer, like other learned men, was, however, still dis- takes steps satisfied with the version provided. On January 27, proved 1541-2, he addressed the newly-elected Convocation on the general question of reformation, and ended by declaring "that in the translations both of the Old and New Testaments there were many points which required correction, and that it was, therefore, his wish that the prolocutor and clergy should retire to the Lower House, and come to an agreement on the proper method for examining the books mentioned." After this the business was vigorously carried on for some weeks, and there seemed good hope that an authorized version of the Scriptures would be pro1 Wilkins' Concil., iii. 856. Ibid., 860. 8 Acts of the Privy Council, p. 181. • Ibid., p. 186. 2 for an im translation X A. D. 1541-2 Great Bible to be CHAP vided such as would meet all requirements. As soon as the Archbishop had committed it to the consideration of the Lower House of Convocation, he laid it also before the Upper House, taking a vote whether or not the "Great Bible" of the previous year could be retained without scandal to the learning of the clergy. It was decided by a majority of the bishops corrected that it should not be retained, but that it should be examined and amended "according to that Bible which is usually read in the English Church," that is, the Vulgate, as it stood in the Sarum Breviary and Missal, where nearly the whole of it was to be found in the Lessons, Gospels, and Epistles, &c.3 Eventually it was decided to distribute the New Testament first among fifteen bishops for "perusal," the Old Testament being put into the hands of the members of the Lower House. Commit tees ap still more revision About ten days afterwards, on February 13th, the pointed for Lower House of Convocation sent up to the archthorough bishop and bishops a list of passages which they considered to require better translation: and the Upper House having generally come to a similar conclusion, joint committees of the two houses were appointed to consult as to the best means to be 3 It was not until later than St. Matthew....Archbishop Cranmer Wakeman, Bp. of Gloucester St. Luke..... Gardiner, Bp. of Winchester [Fuller's Church Hist., ii. 107, ed. St. John........Goodrich, Bp. of Ely 1837.] 5 Bishop Gardiner handed in a list of Latin words which he had |