it, and none other.' Withall he gave his caveat, (upon a word cast out by my lord of London,) 'that no Marginal Notes should be added, having found in them which are annexed to the Genevan translation, which he saw in a Bible given him by an English lady, some notes very partial, untrue, seditious, and savouring too much of dangerous, and traitorous conceits. As for example, the first chapter of Exodus, and the nineteenth verse, where the marginal note alloweth disobedience unto kings and 2 Chron. xv. 16, the note taxeth Asa, for deposing his mother only, and not killing her and so concluded this point, as all the rest, with a grave and judicious advice."

The parliament met soon after the Hampton-court conference, and with it the convocation of the province of Canterbury, which assembled March 20th, 1603, and continued to sit till the 9th of July following. During this time the several canons, &c. which had been formerly made, were collected together, with the addition of some new ones. Among the former, was the one made in the convocation of 1571, which enjoined, "If any parishes be yet unfurnished of the Bible, of the largest volume, the churchwardens shall, within convenient time, provide the same at the charge of the parish."

This injunction was, however, only temporary, for in 1604, the king commissioned fifty-four learned men of the two universities, and of other places to confer together, in order to make a new and more correct translation of the Bible into English. These were distributed into six classes, and were to meet at Westminster, Cambridge, and Oxford. Certain rules were prescribed by the king, for the direction of the translators, which by their excellency, and the sound judgment they displayed, were

(1) Barlow's (Dr. Wm.) Summe and substance of the Conference, &c. Lond. 1661, 4to, no pages.

(2) Lewis, p. 309.

highly creditable to the theological talents of his Majesty, and prove his character to have been generally underrated. They may be seen in Fuller's Church History of Britain. Cent. XVII. B. 10. Lewis's History of English Translations, ch. 5. Newcome's Historical View, p. 98. or Dr. A. Clarke's Commentary, Gen. Pref. The translators adopted the following method in translating; a certain part of the Bible was given to one most skilful in the tongue; they then met together, and one read the translation, the rest holding in their hands some Bible, either of the learned tongues, or French, Spanish, Italian, &c. If they observed any fault, they spoke; if not, he continued reading.3

The anxiety of the king to obtain as correct a version as possible, and at the same time to stimulate and reward the learned men who were engaged in the translation, was shown by letters addressed to the governors of the university, to further the work, and to the different prelates, to patronize such of the worthy translators as were without adequate livings, and recommended them to preferment. He also signified his pleasure to the vicechancellor of Cambridge, in a letter from the bishop of London, that there should be three or four eminent divines of the university, assigned by the vice-chancellor, with the advice of the heads of houses, to be overseers of the translations, as well Hebrew as Greek, and for the better observation of certain of the rules. The list which is subjoined contains the names of the Translators; the places at which they were to assemble; and the portions assigned for translation to the respective companies: but as there are only forty-seven mentioned in the lists given by Fuller, and Lewis, it is probable, either that seven were dead, or, that in the fifty-four were included the overseers to be appointed by the universities.

(3) Fuller, Cent, 17, p. 46.

Newcome, p. 114.

WESTMINSTER 10. viz. Dr. Lancelot Andrews, Dr. John Overall, Dr. Adrian a Saravia, Dr. Richard Clarke, Dr. John Layfield, Dr. Tighe, (miscalled Leigh,) Mr. Burleigh, Mr. King, Mr. Thompson, Mr. Bedwell.— Pentateuch to the end of 2 Kings.

CAMBRIDGE 8. Mr. Edward Lively, Dr. Richardson, Dr. Chaderton, Mr. Dillingham, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Spalding, Mr. Bing.-The rest of the Historical Books, and the Hagiographa, viz. Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Canticles, Ecclesiastes.

OXFORD 7. Dr. Harding, Dr. Reynolds, Dr. Holland, Dr. Kilby, Dr. Miles Smith, Mr. Brett, Mr. Fareclowe.-The Four Greater Prophets, with the Lamentations, and Twelve Lesser Prophets.

CAMBRIDGE 7. Dr. Duport, Dr. Branthwaite, Dr. Radcliffe, Mr. Ward, Eman. Mr. Downes, Mr. Boyse, Mr. Ward, Reg.-The Prayer of Manasses, and the rest of the Apocrypha.

OXFORD 8. Dr. Thomas Ravis, Dr. George Abbot, Dr. Eedes, Dr. Giles Thompson, Mr. Savile, Dr. Peryn, Dr. Ravens, Mr. John Harmar.-The Four Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, and Apocalypse.

WESTMINSTER 7. Dr. William Barlow, Dr. Hutchinson, Dr. Spencer, Mr. Fenton, Mr. Rabbett, Mr. Sanderson, Mr. Dakins.-The Epistles of St. Paul, and the Catholic Epistles.

The translation seems to have been begun in the spring of 1604, as it is said to have been retarded by the death of the great orientalist Mr. Edward Lively, in 1605, whose active labours had materially assisted the work. When the whole was finished, three copies were sent to London; one from Cambridge, a second from Oxford, and a third from Westminster. Two of each company were then selected to review and polish the translation; of whom those from Cambridge were, Mr. John Boyse, and Mr. Andrew Downes. These, with their fellow labourers, met VOL. III

In nine months

daily in the Stationers' Hall, London. they completed their important task, and during that time received £30 weekly, from the company of stationers, having previously received nothing. Afterwards, Dr. Bilson, bishop of Winchester, and Dr. Miles Smith, again reviewed the whole, and prefixed arguments to the several books; and the latter was ordered to write the Preface. The first edition of this translation was printed at London, by Robert Barker, in 1611, in folio.*

The highest eulogiums have been passed upon this version by the most competent critics, and “indeed," says Dr. Geddes, "if accuracy, fidelity, and the strictest attention to the letter of the text, be supposed to constitute the qualities of an excellent version, this of all versions must, in general, be accounted the most excellent. Every sentence, every word, every syllable, every letter and point seem to have been weighed with the nicest exactitude, and expressed either in the text, or margin, with the greatest precision."

Of the translators of this version, which continues to be the authorized one, unfortunately no complete biographical account has ever been published; it is therefore become extremely difficult, if not altogether impossible, to recover any certain notices of some of these valuable and learned men, to whom every pious Englishman is so deeply indebted. In a work similar to the present, detailed biography cannot be expected, but the following brief sketches of those of whom the writer has been able to obtain any account, will most probably be acceptable to the reader.

LANCELOT ANDREWS, D. D. was born at London, in 1555. His early proficiency in learning occasioned his election to the first of the exhibitions, founded at Pem

(4) Fuller's Church Hist. of Britain, Cent. 17, sec. 3, pp. 44-47. Lewis, ch. v. pp. 309–324.

Newcome, ch. i, sec. 7, pp. 93-112.

broke-Hall, Cambridge, by Dr. Watts, archdeacon of Middlesex. After he had been three years at the univer sity, he annually visited his parents at Easter, and usually applied himself during his visit to the attaining, with the assistance of a master, the knowledge of some language, or art, of which he was previously ignorant. By this unremitting attention to study, he rose to be one of the most learned men of the age in which he lived; so that Fuller, in his humourous way, says of him: "the world wanted learning to know how learned this man was, so skilled in all (especially Oriental) languages, that some conceive he might, if then living, almost have served as an interpreter-general at the confusion of tongues." In 1589, he was chosen master of Pembroke-Hall, Cambridge, but resigned the mastership, on being promoted to the see of Chichester, in 1605. He was translated to Ely, in 1609 and from thence to Winchester, in 1618. He was one of the Hampton-court conference, and a considerable writer, chiefly against the Papists. In the exercise of his episcopal dignity, he was the patron of learning; in his private character, generous and modest; and in his manner, grave and sedate; "his gravity," says Fuller, "in a manner awing King James, who refrained from that mirth and liberty, in the presence of this prelate, which otherwise he assumed to himself." He died in 1626, in the seventy-first year of his age, and was buried in the parish church of St. Saviour's, Southwark."

JOHN OVERALL, D. D. styled by Camden a "prodigious learned man," was born in 1559. He was educated at Cambridge; in 1596, was appointed regius professor of divinity; and about the same time, elected master of Catherine-Hall. In 1604, he was made dean of St. Paul's, London; in 1614, was promoted to the see of Lichfield and Coventry; and in 1618, translated to Norwich, (5) Chalmers' Gen, Biog. Dict. II. pp. 217-226.

Fuller's Church History, Cent. 17, p. 126.