Chap. iii. The New in 1540. The New Testament in the Great Bible of 1539 was subject to a revision before the edition of 1540 no less than the Old, and the revision was conducted on similar also revised principles. What Münster was for the Old Testament Erasmus was in a great measure for the New. How powerful his influence was in the original recension has been just seen, and the review shews additional traces of the sway which his judgment exercised over Coverdale. One or two examples may be quoted': Greater use of Erasmus. APRIL 1539. Rom. v. 15, which...was given APRIL, Nov. 1540. which...was of one man (quæ fuit unius hominis, Er.) i. 25, which is blessed for which is to be praised for ever ever. Phil. i. 23, is much better. Rev. xvi. 9, repented not. (qui est laudandus in secula, Er.) is much and far better (multo longeque melius est, Er.) repented not of their evil deeds (neque egerunt scelerum pœnitentiam, Er.) xxii. 6, the Lord God of the Lord God of the holy Saints and Prophets. Prophets (Dominus Deus sanctorum Er.) prophetarum No change perhaps is more remarkable than that in the difficult and famous passage of St James': 1 Pet. i. 14...lusts by which ye were led when as yet ye were ignorant of Christ (Erasm. quibus dum adhuc ignoraretis Christum agebamini). Col. i. 10...that in all things ye may please (Erasm. ut per omnia placeatis). Col. iii. 9...seeing that ye have put off (Erasm. posteaquam exuistis). The Latin New Testament of Erasmus was printed with the English of Mat thew in 1538. The English Testament of 1540, said to be from the Latin of Erasmus, I have not seen. Nearly all the examples given are taken from the list of variations in Mr Fry's treatise on the Great Bibles. By using these for the analysis all suspicion of partial selection is removed. See Fulke, Defence of the English Translations, pp. 559 f. (ed. P. S.). Vuigate. In other cases the revision follows the Vulgate (with of the Erasmus) where the original text had deserted it, as for example: APRIL 1539. Rom. iv. 25, for to justify us. APRIL, NOV. 1540. for our justification. Do I now persuade men or Eph. ii. 12, and had no hope having no hope and being and were without... without... Sometimes the turn given to the rendering appears to be original, as Rom. i. 6, that are called of... Phil. i. 10, as hurt no man's conscience. the elect of... as offend no man. plutensian But next to Erasmus the Complutensian edition of the Comcontributed most largely to the changes in the revision. Polygutt. Thus in the Revelation the following new readings are taken from this source: APRIL 1539. x. 6, omit (1). xi. 15, for evermore (2). xii. 4, the stars (3). APRIL, NOV. 1540. (and the earth and the things Chap. ii. of the Prayer Book taken from the Great Bible. xxi. 16, measured the city with measured the city with the xxii. 9, the sayings of this the sayings of (the prophay book (10). In one respect the Great this book'. Bible has an importa The Psalter and lasting interest for us: the Psalter which is inco porated in the Prayer Book is taken from it. In th first Prayer Book of Edward VI. reference is made the Great English Bible' for the numbers of the Psalm as appointed to be read in the daily services which wer necessarily taken from it, and from that time the Psalte used in churches has continued unchanged. No attempt seems to have been made to substitute the Psalter of the Bishops' Bible for that of the Great Bible; and when, upon the last revision of the Prayer Book (1662), it was directed that the other lessons from Scripture should be taken from the royal Version, a special exception was made in favour of the Psalter. The choirs and congregations had grown familiar with it, and it was felt to be smoother and more easy to sing".' 1 This list includes only a few very obvious differences, and makes no pretensions to completeness even in the chapters quoted. It is remarkable that all the readings are marked as Latin readings, though 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 are in the Greek text. Mr Offor has collected all the interpolations' (Latin readings) found in the Great Bibles in his MS. col lections for the history of the Bible (Brit. Mus. Add. 26, 670, pp. 209 ff.). For a fuller comparison of renderings of the New Testament in the different editions of the Great Bible, see Note A at the end of the Section. 2 The exception was not made without an effort. The bishops concede that the Psalms be collated with the former translation mentioned in Chap. iii. istics of this very slight comparison of the Psalter in the rer Book with that in the Bible will shew from this acknowledged smoothness springs. Apart Character the partial correction of errors in translation, the Psalter. version will be seen to be distinguished from the ier by a scrupulous fidelity to the Hebrew text. erdale, like Luther and the Zurich translators on ose model his style was formed, allowed himself conerable freedom in dealing with the shape of the ginal sentences. At one time a word is repeated to ing out the balance of two clauses: at another time. e number is changed: at another time a fuller phrase supplied for the simple copula, now a word is reElved, and again a particle or an adverb or a pronoun even an epithet is introduced for the sake of definiteess: there is in every part an endeavour to transfuse he spirit as well as the letter into the English rendering. The execution of the version undoubtedly falls far below he conception of it: the Authorised Version is almost h every case more correct: but still in idea and tone Coverdale's is as a whole superior, and furnishes a noble type for any future revision. of the two One or two examples will illustrate these general Comparison remarks. The materials for extending the comparison Psalters. are accessible to all, and nothing throws more light on the actual history of our Bible'. See p. 189 ff. For a collation of pas- rubr. [? Great Bible], and printed was taken. It contains the latest I have not ascertained from what text of the Great Bible the Psalter One general change in the PrayerBook Psalter is very greatly to be regretted, and was probably only an oversight. The insertions from the Vulgate (e.g. Ps. xiv. 5-7, &c.), which 3 There is neither speech nor language but their voices are heard among them. 4 Their sound is gone out' into all lands: and their words into the ends of the world. 5 In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun : which cometh forth as a bridegroom out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. 6 It goeth forth from the uttermost part of the heaven, and runneth about unto the end of it again and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. 7 The law of the Lord is an undefiled law, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord were distinguished from the other parts of the translation in the Great Bible, stand unmarked in the PrayerBook. Would it not be legitimate AUTHORISED VERSION. The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech: and night unto night shewah knowledge. There is no speech nor language: where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth: and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun : which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof. The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord to print the Prayer-Book Psalter with all these insertions in Italics? 1 Om. out Nov. 1540. |