1549 Matthew’s-Tyndale Bible with Provenance of Mary Queen of Scots

The Byble, that is to say all the holy Scripture: In which are contayned the Olde and New Testamente, truly and purely translated into English, and nowe lately with greate industry and diligence recognised.

Description

General title page (1549) in red and black surrounded by a border comprised of 14 woodcuts. Second title page (1549) before Joshua, third title page before Psalms (1549), fourth title page before Apocrypha, and a New Testament title page (1549), each with four woodcuts and two ornaments. Two large half-page engravings before Psalms and Isaiah. Numerous woodcuts throughout the text. Text in black letter, double columns, with 65 lines to the full column. This Bible contains the famous note in 1 Peter 3: “And yf she be not obedient and healpfull unto hym endevevoureth to beate the feare of God into her heae, that thereby she maye be compelled to learne her duitie and do it.”

Collation

Aa^6 (-Aa2-6), Bb^6, Cc^8, D-R^6, S4 (First Part: Gen-Deut); Aa-Tt^6 (Second Part: Josh-Job); Aa-Gg^6, Hh^8, Ii-Zz^6, AAa^8 (Third Part: Psalms-Malachi); Aaa-Mmm^6, Nnn^4 (Fourth Part: Apocrypha); A-T^6, V^8 (Fifth Part: New Testament). Lacks five preliminary leaves, else complete with all titles.

Binding

Rebound in dark brown calf, tooled in blind to match its first binding. Spine with four raised bands. Paneled in blind with stamps around a double lined border. This book is accompanied by its earlier contemporary boards containing the signature of its original owner.

Condition

Generally clean with occasional staining; D2 (Gen 2) small repair to bottom edge with loss of one letter; L6, B2 of NT repaired closed tear to outer column without loss; Ff2 (Psalm 119) repaired closed tear to inner column without loss; Xx2 small lower corner piece torn with loss of few letters of sidenotes; T1, V4,5 (James 1) frayed to edges with loss of a few letters; T6 (Rev 8) lightly stained; U1, V6 (Rev 10) remargined; Ll-Mm worming to gutter; trimmed, infrequently reducing headlines.

Provenance

Early signatures of Alexander Livingston on accompanying boards, and at the end of the Old Testament. Laid in extensive handwritten genealogy stating that Alexander Livingston, fifth Lord Livingston was the original owner of the Bible (with his descendants and greater family tree through the 20th century). Mary, Queen of Scots, was born in 1542, the only surviving child of King James V of Scotland. After the untimely death of her father when she was just six days old, she ascended to the Scottish throne as an infant. Livingston, as part of a group of regents, was tasked with the upbringing and education of the young queen during a tumultuous period in Scottish history. This group was responsible for ensuring her safety and overseeing her early education during a time of political and religious upheaval. Alexander’s daughter Mary was chosen to become one of Queen Mary’s ladies-in-waiting and became known as one of the famous “Four Marys.” It is certainly possible that his Bible helped instruct the young queen.

Note

The Matthew's Bible (also referred to as the Matthew's-Tyndale Bible) was printed in 1537, 1549 (two editions), and 1551. Copies of the 1537 first edition are very difficult to find and rarely complete. The text was reprinted twice in 1549: one edition with the notes slightly revised by Edmund Becke and the "wife-beater" note at 1 Peter 3 (this copy), and the other edition being a straight reprint of the 1537 text without woodcuts and a notoriously bad printing.

This edition boasts numerous woodcuts in the text (especially the Pentateuch, the gospels, and Revelation). Copies at auction do appear reasonably regularly, but almost never complete (the other 1549 edition sees even fewer complete copies). The last complete copy was sold in 2006. Hutson and Willoughby conducted a worldwide census of 1549 Becke Bibles and located 10 complete copies out of the 59 copies in institutions.

John Rogers used Tyndale’s previously unpublished manuscript Old Testament work to create a Bible that is now two thirds Tyndale’s. Genesis through 2 Chronicles, the book of Jonah, and the New Testament comprise Tyndale’s translation work with this text generally considered to be the primary version of our English Bible. Thomas Matthew served as a pseudonym for John Rogers, allowing him to conceal his connection with William Tyndale. Despite this, Rogers ultimately became the first martyr under Bloody Mary’s reign.

References

Herbert 74; Harold H. Hutson and Harold R. Willoughby, "Decisive Data on Thomas Matthew Problems", Journal of Bible and Religion, Vol. 6, No. 2 (Spring, 1938), 77-82, 121-128.