1541 Great Bible – Complete, Crisp, and Clean with All Titles

The Byble in Englyshe of the largest and greatest volume…

Summary

An early and taller folio of the fourth edition of the Great Bible with a complete Bible text and all five title pages. A scarce example of the first Authorized edition that is crisp, clean, and bright with woodcuts, chapter initials, and beautiful black letter text.

Description

Calendar printed in red and black. General title page (1541) also printed in red and black featuring Henry VIII above distributing his Verbum Dei to Cromwell and Cranmer, God barely squeezed in among the clouds at the top. Archbishop Cranmer on the left distributing the Bible to the clergy and the Cromwell on the right (whose coat of arms was now removed) is distributing the Bible to the nobility. Below the people are without Bibles (as the Great Bible was chained to pulpits) and proclaim only Vivat Rex aside from the few who are imprisoned on the bottom right. Text in two column black letter with 65 lines to the full column. The beginning of each chapter features a floriated or historiated woodcut initial, with occasional metal cast capitals. Title pages to the second, third, and fourth parts also printed in red and black bordered by the relevant woodcuts to that section. The New Testament title page (n.d.) in red and black like the general title. Concludes with The Table and colophon (November 1540).

Collation

*^6 (-*2, *5), a-i^8 (first part), A-N^8, O^4 (second part), Aa-Oo^8, Pp^4 (third part), Aaa-Hhh^8, Iii^6 (fourth part), Aa-Kk^8, Ll^6, Mm^6 (New Testament). Two preliminary leaves in good facsimile, but Bible text is complete with all titles.

Binding

Twentieth century full brown 0morocco in an older style. Boards paneled in blind and the spine with seven blind-lined bands. Endpapers renewed.

Condition

Rubbed. General title and other genuine preliminary leaves a bit soiled with a small marginal piece from the general title page lost and artfully restored; the second leaf (the first of The Kalender) and the fifth (the second of The Prologue) replaced in good facsimile. The fourth and sixth leaves are shorter than the bulk of the text and perhaps supplied from another copy; A6 (Joshua 13) lower corner loss of 16 lines of text. A few minor stains, but overall the text is crisp and clean, with very good margins throughout.   

Note

A landmark in the history of England and the English Bible, best understood through its striking title page. At the top, Henry VIII dominates the scene, symbolizing the replacement of papal authority with royal supremacy through the Act of Supremacy. Above him, God is barely visible among the clouds. To Henry’s left and right stand Archbishop Cranmer and Thomas Cromwell, who pass the Verbum Dei to the clergy and nobility. Yet, the common people do not receive the Bible directly as it is chained to pulpits. Nevertheless, the crowd below proclaims "Long Live the King" in Latin, while those who remain silent appear imprisoned in the lower right corner.

Just eighteen months after William Tyndale’s death, his prayer was answered in the publication of this monumental book. An impressive copy of the scarce Great Bible so called due to its imposing size. The tallest of the early folio editions. An impressive copy of the scarce Great Bible so called due to its imposing size. The tallest of the early folio editions and notably taller than the example recorded in Herbert’s catalogue. An unusually nice copy of a book that is scarce in any condition.

References

Herbert 60; STC 2072; Luborsky and Ingram 2072.