1589 Folio Parallel New Testament of Rheims and Bishops’ Versions – William Fulke

The Text of the New Testament of Jesus Christ, Translated out of the vulgar Latine by the Papists of the traitorous seminarie at Rhemes. With arguments… whereunto is added the translation … used in the Church of England, with a Confutation… by William Fulke, Doctor in Divinitie.

Summary

Scarce first edition of Fulke’s New Testament with the Rheims translation and the Bishops’ version side by side in parallel columns. An important edition that predates the printing of the King James Bible, upon which it had a significant influence.

Description

General title page (1589) with architectural border. Fifty-six lines to the column. Twenty-three preliminary leaves. Text in two columns with the Rheims translation in Roman type and the Bishops’ version in italics. All of the marginal notes, chapter arguments, and annotations of the 1582 Rheims are reprinted, and interspersed with the Confutations. Woodcut initials, head and tailpieces.

Collation

*^4, A-Y^6, Aa-Yy^6, Aaa-Yyy^6, Aaaa-Vvvv^6, Xxxx^4.

Binding

Rebound in modern calf decorated in blind. Spine with five raised bands, blind stamps to compartments and gilt-line black morocco label with the words “Text of the New Testament – William Fvlke” lettered in gilt. All edges lightly red.

Condition

Very clean with good margins throughout; Aaaa2 small marginal repair to foot not impacting text; Infrequent light soiling; Bookplate of Brian E Fortune to front pastedown.

Note

Gregory Martin (1542-1582), translator of the Rheims New Testament, and William Fulke (1536-1589), Protestant apologist, had been engaged in debate since 1582 when Martin published A Discovery of the Manifold Corruptions of the Holy Scriptures by the Heretics. Fulke had answered twenty-one Roman Catholic works since 1558 and issued a response to Martin (A Defense) the following year in 1583. Fulke was described by a contemporary as “that profound, ready, and resolute doctor, the hammer of heretics, the champion of truth”. He was fully committed to the idea that the Pope and the Church of Rome were the Antichrist and much of his work involves point-by-point unpicking of Catholic theology. Fulke’s ultimate response to Martin’s claims was the parallel New Testament or Confutation against the Rheims’ text with many annotations. To accomplish this work, he lodged with two assistants for nine months in 1587. The resulting controversy between Fulke and Martin brought the Rheims text into the limelight and to the notice of the committee of translators for the King James Bible.

References

Herbert 202; STC 2888; not in USTC.