Birmingham.
CRANMER'S BIBLE.
Queries which I have heard at various times lead me to think that a Note on this interesting volume may be acceptable to many readers who possess or have access to it; and especially to those whose copies may be (as too many are) imperfect at the beginning and end. Under this impression I send you an extract from the late Mr. Lea Wilson's catalogue of his unrivalled Collection of English Bibles. As very few copies of this curious and beautiful work were printed, and not one, I believe, has been sold, it is probable that few of your readers are aware of the criteria which that gentleman's ingenuity and industry have furnished for distinguishing between the
various editions which are known under the title of The Great Bible, or Cranmer's Bible. He begins his description of the edition of April, 1539, thus:
"As this volume is commonly called the First Edition of Cranmer's or the Great Bible, I class it with the Six following; although in fact the Archbishop had nothing whatever to do with either the translation or publication. It was put forth entirely by Thomas Lord Cromwell, vide Herbert's Ames, p. 1550. vol. iii., who employed Coverdale to revise the existing translations. The first wherein Cranmer took any part is the large folio of April 1540, the text of which differs from this edition materially. The pages of this volume and of the four next following begin and end alike; and the general appearance of the whole five is so very similar that at first sight, one may be mistaken for another by those ignorant of the fact that they are all separate and distinct impressions: the whole of the titles, of which there are five in each Book, and every leaf of kalendar, prologue, text, and tables being entirely recomposed, and varying throughout in orthography, &c. The desire to make perfect copies out of several imperfect, has also caused extreme confusion, by uniting portions of different editions without due regard to their identity. These remarks apply equally to the editions of Nov. 1540, and Nov. 1541, of which, in like manner, each page begins and ends with the same words. Although the distinctive marks are very numerous, yet being chiefly typographical ornaments or arrangement, it is impossible to give here sufficient guides to ensure the integrity of each volume."—Page 12.
On the next page but one is added:
"The following lines of the forty-first chapter of Job differ in composition in all the seven volumes, and for the purpose of distinguishing the edition I have given them to each."
No. 1. April, 1539.
No mā is so cruell, that is able to stere him up. *Who is able to stande before me? Or ‡who hath geuē me anything afore hande, that I maye rewarde him agayne? All thynges un-