APPENDIX C.

BIBLIOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTIONS.

EDITIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

N. B. Editions of the whole Bible are first described; and afterwards, editions of detached portions.

1. Bible, Coverdale's. 1535. fol.

The title, within a wood-cut compartment, representing King Henry VIII. holding a sword in his right hand, and with his left hand delivering the Bible to some Bishops kneeling before him: (in different parts of the page are labels charged with sentences of Scripture, in English.) "BIBLIA. The Bible, that is the holy Scripture of the "Old and New Testament, faithfully & truly translated out of "Douche and Latyn in to Englishe, 1535." Below are three texts of Scripture. On the reverse of the title, "The bokes of the hole Byble, "how they are named, in Englysh and Latyn, howe longe they are "written in the allegacions (i. e. how they are abbreviated in the "marginal references) how many chapters every boke hath, and in "what leafe every one begynneth. The bokes of the first part (Genesis to Deuteronomy)—of the seconde part (Josua to Esther) "—of the thirde parte (Job to Salomon's ballettes)—The prophetes (Esay to Malachy)"-Then, without doubt, should follow another leaf containing the books of the Apocrypha and New Testament, with (perhaps) the contents of Genesis on the reverse. This leaf however is wanting, both in the Museum copy, and in every other which I have seen.

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These "bokes" are printed in the same character as the Text. The same names are reprinted, in a different letter, after Coverdale's address to the reader. Dedication to King Henry VIII., 5 pages; called, in the running title, "an Epistle unto the Kynges hygh"nesse," and signed (quite at the bottom of the page) "youre

graces humble subiecte and daylye oratour, Myles Coverdale.” This sheet bears the signature . except in those copies which have Queen Jane, where the signature is **.-"A prologe to the "Christen reader," 6 pages. "The bokes of the hole Byble:" 2 pages. "The contentes of the boke of "Genesis;" 1 page. The first book of Moses, &c. fol. i.-xc. A map of the Holy

Land; which map is extant in Lord Jersey's and Mr. L. Wilson's copies alone (as far as I have yet observed,) and is headed "The descripcion of the londe of promes called Palestina "Canaan, or the holy londe." "The second parte of the Olde "Testament." Josua, &c. to Hester, fol. ii-cxx. Job, &c. to "Salomon's balettes," (without any separate title,) fol. i—lii. on the last, "Fautes escaped in the pryntinge of this parte." "All the "Prophetes in Englishe," fol. ii-cii. "Apocripha," fol. ii-lxxxiii. falsely numbered lxxxi. Then follows a blank leaf. "The Newe "testament," fol. ii-cxiii. on the reverse of the last is " a faute "escaped in pryntinge the new Testament;" and below, " Prynted "in the yeare of oure LORDE M.D.XXXV. and fynished the fourth daye of October."

Round all the titles, except that to the third part, are borders cut in wood. Woodcuts are also at the beginning of Genesis, in several other parts of the O. T. and at the beginning of each book of the N. T. The letter of the Text is an angular Swiss or German. The running titles and signatures in the same. It should however be noted, that the Dedication, Prologue, and Contents of Genesis, in every copy which I have examined, are in a different character. There are a very few marginal references; these are in Roman letters. On fol. xli. of part i. is a large wood-cut of the Tabernacle and its contents; which is repeated on fol. lvi. The initial letter of Genesis is a large flourished text capital. A full page of Text contains 57 lines.

The singularity of the type at once distinguishes this edition from every other. The reimpression of 1550 is in a somewhat similar character, but smaller; and is in quarto, not folio.

2. The same edition, with Title dated 1536.

Lord Jersey's copy, formerly belonging to Mr. Fairfax, besides possessing the map, has the singularity that the title-page is dated not 1535, but 1536; and begins thus: "BIBLIA, The Byble: "that is, the holy Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faythfully translated in to Englyshe, M.D.XXXVI." (The figures are much larger than those of the original title.) The sentences of Scripture within the labels are in English, printed with a type which, though it differs from any which is found either in the preliminary matter or in the body of the work, yet exactly agrees with that on the map; thus apparently proving that at least these two belong to one and the same edition.-[9 March 1827. Spencer-house.]

3. Bible, Coverdale's, by Nicolson, 1537. fol.

Title, within a compartment representing the king on his throne, delivering the Bible, &c. "BIBLIA The Byble, that is the holy

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Scrypture of the Olde and New Testament, faythfully translated "in Englysh, and newly oversene & corrected M.D.XXXVII. "[Three texts of Scripture.] Imprynted in Southwarke for James "Nycolson." On the reverse is, "a Prayer prescribed by Nicolas Bysshoppe of Salisbury." "An Epistle unto the Kings hyghness," by Miles Coverdale, 5 pages. "Prologue to the Christen reader," 6 pages. "The bokes of the hole Byble," 2 pages. "The Con"tentes of Genesis," 1 page. [This sheet is signed **.] The text, beneath two woodcuts, illustrating the works of the six days of Creation, Genesis to Ruth, fol. i—-cxvi. (for cxvii.) Title, within a compartment of eight woodcuts, resembling that in the edition of 1535, "The seconde parte of the olde Testament," 1 Samuel to Hester, fol. ii-c. Without any title-page, Job to Canticles, fol. i-lx. with fresh signatures. Title, within the woodcut of edit. 1535, "All the Prophetes in Englishe," (in a different style of printing,) Isaiah to Malachy, fol. ii.-ciii. Within a woodcut border, "APOCRIPHA," &c. 3 Esdras to 2 Maccabees, fol. ii-lxxxix. One blank leaf. Title to the New Testament, same as in edit. 1535, with the border in addition, "The New Testament," S. Matthew to Revelation, fol. ii-cxix. Tables of Epistles and Gospels for Sundays and Saints' days, 4 pages. The Queen's name in the Dedication is JANE. Each book has its contents prefixed. There are a few woodcuts throughout the volume. Many of the running titles are in Latin. The words Jesus and Christ are printed in Roman capitals; and the word LORD, except in the Prophets and the Apocrypha; but not so the word God.

A full page contains 57 lines. Mr. Lea Wilson was of opinion that fol. xxxi. in the New Testament has been cancelled and reprinted as "it contains only 53 lines and 54: the columns are "two letters narrower; and the type is exceedingly spaced out." A beautiful and entirely perfect copy is in the Baptist Museum, Bristol, and another is said to be in the Cathedral Library at Lincoln.

4. Bible, Coverdale's, by Nicolson. 1537. 4°.

Title, in black and red, within a compartment having columns at the sides, and a medallion charged with two heads at the top, "The Byble that is the holye Scrypture of the Olde and Newe

"Testamente faythfully translated in Englysh and newly oversene "and correcte. M.V.XXXVII. [Three texts from Scripture.] Imprynted in Southwarke in Saynt Thomas Hospitale by James "Nycolson. Set forth with the kinges moost gracious licence.”— "The bokes of the hole Byble," 2 pages; Epistle to King Henry VIII. (with the name of Queen JANE,) and to the Christen reader, together 9 pages: Almanac, beginning 1537, and Calendar, 4 pages: The text, Genesis to Deuteronomy, fol. i-xcvii. Title," the "seconde part," &c. in the same compartment, Joshua to Esther, fol. cxviii. (for xcviii.)-ccxxvii.-Title, in the same compartment, and with the imprint, "The thyrd part," &c. on reverse "the "contentes," Job to Malachi, fol. ii-clxxix.-Title, in the compartment, but without the imprint, "The new testament faythfully "translated and lately correcte by Myles Coverdale,&c." On reverse, "the Contente of the newe testamente, &c." The Text, S. Matthew to Apocalypse, fol. ii-cxxiv. "A Table to find the Epistles and "Gospels after the use of Salisbury," reverse of fol. exxiv. to cxxvi.

The whole volume is printed in black letter. At the beginning of each book is a large woodcut initial: these letters contain spirited representations of the well-known "Dance of Death."

A full page contains 59 lines. (This collation is from the copy formerly belonging to Mr. Douce, now in the Bodleian.)

5. B. Matthew's. 1537. fol.

Title, "The Byble, which is all the holy Scripture: In which "are contayned the Olde and Newe Testament truely and purely "translated into Englysh by Thomas Matthew. Esaye 1. Hearcken "to ye heavens and thou earth geave eare: for the Lorde speak"eth. M,D,XXXVII." This title, in red and black, is within a fine wood-engraving which fills the page. At the bottom, in large characters, "Set forth with the Kinges most gracyous licece." A calendar and almanac for 18 years, beginning 1538, 4 pages. "An "exhortation to the study of the holy Scrypture," 1 page. At the bottom are large flourished text capitals I. R. [for John Rogers.] On reverse, "The summe and content of all the holy Scripture," 2 pages. Dedication to King Henry VIII. 3 pages. At the beginning and end are flourished text capitals. "To the Chrysten "readers;" and a "Table of the pryncipal matters conteyned in "the Byble;" together 26 pages. "The names of all the bokes "of the Byble," and "A brief rehersall of the yeares passed sence "the begynnynge of the worlde unto this yeare of oure Lord

"M.D.XXXVII;" together 1 page. On the reverse, a woodengraving of Adam and Eve in paradise, occupying the whole page. Genesis to Salomon's Ballet, fol. i-ccxlvii. "The Prophetes in Englysh." This title is in black and red, between 16 woodcuts, together filling the page. On the reverse, a large woodcut, between R. G. and E. W. [Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch,] in flourished text capitals. "Esay, &c. to Malachy, "fol. i-xciiii;” at the end of Malachi, W. T. [Wm. Tyndale,] in flourished text capitals. "The volume of the bokes called Apo"cripha, conteyned in the comen Transl. in Latyne, which are "not founde in the Hebrue nor in the Chalde. The Regestre "thereof. The thyrde boke of Esdras," &c. This title, also in red and black, is between 15 woodcuts; the reverse contains an address to the reader. Esdras, &c. to 2 Maccabees, fol. ii-lxxxi. One blank leaf. "The Newe Testament of oure savyour Jesu "Christ, newly and dylygently translated into Englyshe with an"notacions in the Mergent to helpe the Reader to the under"standynge of the Texte. Prynted in the yere [of] our Lorde "God M.D.XXXVII." This title, in red and black, is within the same wood-engraving as that to the O. T.; the reverse blank. St. Matthew to Revelation, fol. ii-cix. Tables of the Epistles and Gospels after Salsbury use, 5 pages, foll. cx. cxi. On the next and last leaf is, "The ende of the Newe Testament, and of the "whole Byble. To the honoure and prayse of God was this Byble "prynted and fynesshed in the yere of oure Lorde God a. "M.D.XXXVII."

It has marginal annotations: and 78 woodcuts, in several parts. Those in the Revelation are encircled with a double border of flowers. At the beginning of the Psalms and Proverbs is one, the whole breadth of the page. The Psalms are divided into five books. The Canticles are printed in red and black. The running titles, signatures, marginal notes, &c. are all in the Gothic letter. A full page contains 60 lines.

I have mentioned above, at p. 12, that it is still an unsettled point, at what place this elegant edition of the Bible was executed; and have offered there a conjecture on the subject. Mr. Lea Wilson has noticed, that some few errors and omissions occur in the Text, and that unfortunately these were continued in many subsequent editions.

6.-Bible, Taverner's. 1539. fol.

Title, within an architectural compartment; "THE MOST SACRED