It was printed by Grafton
and Whitchurch in 1537, and the title runs: "The Byble, which is all
the holy Scripture: in which are contayned the Olde and Newe Testament
truely and purely translated into Englysh by Thomas Matthew." For
safety, Rogers assumed the name of Matthew, whence it is known as
Matthew's Bible. Seven hundred and fifty dollars have been paid for a
copy.
The third version of the Bible, known as Taverner's, was published
in 1539. Richard Taverner was a learned man who published many
translations during the sixteenth century. Horne says of his
translation, "This is neither a bare revisal of Cranmer's Bible nor
a new version, but a kind of intermediate work, being a correction of
what is called 'Matthew's Bible.'"
The first edition of Cranmer's Bible, the printing of which was begun
in Paris in 1538 and completed in London in 1540--the Inquisition
having interposed by imprisoning the printers and burning the greater
part of the impression--is excessively rare. Cranmer's Bible--or the
Great Bible, as it was called--is Tyndale's, Coverdale's and Rogers's
translations most carefully revised throughout. This was the first
sound and authorized English version; and as soon as it was perfected
a proclamation was issued ordering it to be provided for every parish
church, under a penalty of forty shillings a month. A second edition
of Cranmer's Bible appeared in 1560, a copy of which brought, at a
recent sale in England, the sum of $610.
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