1582 Rheims New Testament – First Roman Catholic NT in English

The New Testament of Jesus Christ, Translated Faithfully into English out of the Authentical Latin according to the best corrected copies of the same, diligently conferred with the Greeke and other editions in diuers languages; with Arguments of bookes and chapters, Annotations, and other necessarie helpes, for the better understanding of the text, and specially for the discoverie of the Corruptions of diuers late translations, and for clearing the Controversies in religion, of these daies…

Summary

The editio princeps of the Roman Catholic New Testament in English. Clean and complete New Testament text with arguments and annotations. Beautifully rebound in period style and suitable for daily use.

Description

Text in single column Roman font with 41 lines to the column. Annotations follow each chapter of Bible text. Fifteen preliminary leaves with title in facsimile (1582). Each chapter begins with a floriated initial; head- and tailpieces throughout.

Collation

a-c^4 (-ai, title), d^2, A-Z^4, 2A-2Z^4, 3A-3Z^4, 4A-4Z^4, 5A-5D^4 (-4B-4D), 5E^2 (-5E). New Testament text complete. Lacks title page and the final Tables.

Binding

Rebound in period style black calf. Boards with central panel with floral rolls surrounded by a blind rolled border. Spine with four blind-lined raised bands and the words “New Testament” and “Rhemes 1582” lettered in gilt. Plain endpapers.

Condition

Overall clean and bright; first two extant leaves frayed, stained to edges with loss; b4 coming loose; xx small circular stain; trimmed, infrequently reducing headlines; Xxx-Zzz small stain to lower gutter; 4A2-4 upper small, closed tear without loss; 4V4 small hole with loss to a few letters. A well-preserved example of an important New Testament text.

Provenance

“C. Butler” on C4 of preface; “Charles Butler his book 1723” to A1 verso.

Note

The editio princeps of the Catholic Bible in English, translated primarily by Gregory Martin from the Vulgate. A great number of English Bibles and English versions were available by the end of the sixteenth century, yet none were acceptable to Catholics. With priests hard to come by, and many fellow Englishmen who knew their Bible well, a need arose for an English Bible that would be acceptable to Rome and allow adherents to refute the errors around them. Gregory Martin, an Oxford scholar, began the work in 1578 and it would take him four years. He translated about two chapters per day from Latin into English, leaving a heavily Latinized translation. His work was submitted for review to William Allen, the first president of the college at Douai. The New Testament was printed in 1582. The work was used by the translators of the King James Bible, who borrowed quite freely from the Catholic New Testament text.

References

Herbert 177; STC 2884; ESTC S102419; Daniell, David. “The Rheims New Testament, 1582.” The Bible in English: Its History and Influence, Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 2005.