(Facsimiles are given by Mr. Anderson, in his ' Annals of the English Bible,' vol. i. p. 64.) At Worms, whither he proceeded on leaving Cologne, he commenced another edition of the N. T. in 8vo, without the prologue and glosses belonging to the 4to. A third edition was printed at Antwerp in 1526, a fourth at the same place in 1527, a fifth in 1529, a sixth in 1534, and three editions in 1535. In 1536, the year in which he was strangled at Vilvorde, there were ten or twelve editions. He also printed at different times the five books of Moses ; and in 1531, the book of Jonah, with an admirable prologue respecting the state of his coun try. In addition to the Pentateuch, he translated other parts of the O. T., at least as far as the end of Chronicles. The O. T. was made from the original, not from Luther's German version ; for there is no evidence to chew that Tyndale was ac quainted with German, or indeed that he ever saw Luther ; though there is abundant testimony of his skill in Hebrew. Besides, its internal character proves that it was made from the original Hebrew and Greek.
The excellence of this version, the basis of all subsequent English Bibles, has never been called. in question by candid and competent judges, notwithstanding the severe opposition it encoun tered during the life of the honoured Tyndale, and the peculiar circumstances in which he was placed. The language is pure, appropriate, and perspicuous. It is an astonishing monument of the indomitable zeal and great learning of the author. The N. T. part was printed in Bagster's Hexapla.
3. Myles Coverdale.—The English version of the whole Bible made by Coverdale is dated 1535, in folio. Where it was printed is matter of con jecture. In the title-page it professes to be faith fully and truly translated out of the ' Douche (German) and Latyn.' This Bible was imported into England in 1536 ; and various expedients were tried in the way of altering the title-page and the dedication, or of affixing a new title-page, in order to procure it the royal approbation. Another edition, in 4to, was issued in 1550, and in the same form reissued in 1553. This Bible certainly owed its origin to Lord Cromwell's pa tronage. Coverdale states, that he had five trans lations before him `to help him herein.' Although the author had the benefit of Tyndale's, his work must be reckoned inferior. In addition to the cul pable obsequiousness of Coverdale, he was not so well skilled in the original languages of the Scrip tures ; and had therefore to rely more on the German and Latin (Anderson, vol. i. p. 587). This translation has been reprinted by Bagster. [COVERDALE.] 4- Matthew's Bible.—Although this version is the same as Tyndale's previously described, yet it deserves to be separately spoken of. John Rogers,
an intimate friend of Tyndale, set about the super intendence of a new edition soon after the incar ceration of the latter at Vilvorde. Where it was printed cannot now be ascertained. Hamburg, Marburg, Paris, Antwerp, and Lubeck, have all been named. When Rogers had proceeded with the printing as far as Isaiah, Richard Grafton and Edward Whitchurch, the celebrated printers, un dertook to bring out the work as a matter of trade. The N. T. entire, and the Old as far as the end of Chronicles, are Tyndale's ; the remainder of the O. T. was done by Rogers himself, with the assist ante perhaps of Coverdale's sheets. The whole was finished in 1537. Why it bears the name of Thomas Matthew is not clear. It has been con jectured, however, that it may have been com menced at the request of a person of that name. Archbishop Cranmer, without any previous con nection with the undertaking, was applied to by Grafton to procure it royal patronage, which he happily effected though Lord Cromwell.
In the year 1538 another edition was begun at Paris, edited by Coverdale, which was interrupted by an order of the Inquisition. It was finished in London, in April 1539. This book was set forth and enforced by the highest authority in England.
5. 7'averner's Bible.—Richard Taverner, the editor of this work, was a learned layman. His Bible was published in London, 1539, folio. Two other editions of it were issued in quarto. It is not a new version, but a correction of Matthew's.
6. Crannzer's Bible.—The first great Bible, with a prologue, by Cranmer, was published in 1539, folio, printed by Whitchurch. Three subsequent editions had the archbishop's name affixed to the title-page. The N. T. is printed in Bagster's Hexapla. [Crux M ER. ] 7. Geneva Bible.—The N. T., in duodecimo, printed at Geneva, by Conrad Badius, in 1557, is properly a revision of Tyndale's from the Greek, by William Whittingham. It was merely preparatory, however, to the revision of the entire Bible by Whittingham and other exiles, which appears to have been begun in January 155S, and to have been continued till the loth April ,56o. Whit tingham had for his associates in the undertaking Anthony Gilby and Thomas Sampson. Its size is quarto. This was the first English Bible printed in Roman letter, and the first in verses. A patent relative to it was issued by Elizabeth in favour of John Bodeleigh. The work is a new translation from the original, not simply a revision of any for mer version. It is faithful and literal. The N. T. portion was reprinted by Bagster in the Hexapla.