The Holy Bible: Containing the Old Testament and the New [King James Bible, 1638]

The Holy Bible: Containing the Old Testament and the New. Newly translated out of the original Tongues: and with ye former Translations diligently compared and revised, by His Majesties Special Command. Appointed to be read in Churches. Printed by Tho: Buck, and Roger Daniel, Printers to the University of Cambridge. [1638.] BOUND WITH an Incomplete Book of Common Prayer at front, and incomplete Sternhold and Hopkins Psalter at back.

Bound in a later full calf binding with faint gilt tolled panelling to boards, re-backed, with original gilt tooled spine relaid. Corners and edges bumped. Marbled end papers, and private bookplate to inside of front board. Title page verso with later inscription. Gutter of E5 with tear affecting a small area of text. Leaves 2P3-5 (Psalms) and 3S3 (Apocrypha – Baruch) are torn with loss. There is a spill-burn on 3T6 (I Maccabees), and 3U6 is shaved at the foot. In the New Testament, A4 is chipped at the upper inner corner, while A5-6 are lacking. B4 has a small section of loss at the foot and an extensive closed tear with old repairs. C5 and I5 are also torn with loss. The final leaf (R6) has a corner loss affecting the headline. Later lower marginal paper repairs one some pages throughout. All edges gilt. Otherwise a good copy of a historically important Bible.

“In this edition, the work of correction begun in the Cambridge Bible of 1629 was carried further. The revisers took special pains to render uniform the use of italics and they also introduced a number of new renderings such as Matthew 22:23, 1 John 5:12. Here also first occurs the famous reading in Acts 6:3, Whom ye may appoint, rather than Whom we may appoint. This alteration has often be ascribed to the Puritans, (known for their anti-monarchy interference in the church) and was reputed to have cost Cromwell a bribe of £1000; yet here it is found in 1638, in a Bible prepared under royal sanction.”

It was revised by Samuel Ward, Joseph Meade, and various other Puritans and remained the standard text of King James Bible until the edition by Dr Paris in 1762.

DMH 520. Authorised (King James) version. Folio, 33x20cm. Roman letter text in double columns. With Apocrypha.