THE TRANSLATORS TO THE READER

The best things have been calumniated Zeal to promote the common good, whether it be by devi ing anything o!r elve , or revi ing that which hath been labo!red by other , de erveth certainly m!ch re pect and e teem, b!t yet "indeth b!t cold entertainment in the world# $t i welcomed with ! picion in tead o" love, and with em!lation in tead o" than% & and i" there be any hole le"t "or cavil to enter 'and cavil, i" it do not "ind a hole, will ma%e one(, it i !re to be mi con tr!ed, and in danger to be condemned# Thi will ea ily be granted by a many a %now tory, or have any e)perience# *or, wa there ever anything pro+ected, that avo!red any way o" newne or renewing, b!t the ame end!red many a torm o" gain aying, or oppo ition, A man wo!ld thin% that civility, whole ome law , learning and elo-!ence, ynod , and ch!rch maintenance 'that we pea% o" no more thing o" thi %ind( ho!ld be a a"e a a anct!ary, and o!t o" hot . /, a they ay, that no man wo!ld li"t !p the heel0 no, nor dog move hi tong!e again t the motioner o" them# *or by the "ir t, we are di ting!i hed "rom br!te bea t led with en !ality0 by the econd, we are bridled and re trained "rom o!trageo! behavio!r, and "rom doing o" in+!rie , whether by "ra!d or by violence0 by the third, we are enabled to in"orm and re"orm other , by the light and "eeling that we have attained !nto o!r elve 0 brie"ly, by the "o!rth being bro!ght together to a parle "ace to "ace, we ooner compo e o!r di""erence than by writing , which are endle 0 and la tly, that the ch!rch be !""iciently provided "or, i o agreeable to good rea on and con cience, that tho e mother are holden to be le cr!el, that %ill their children a oon a they are born, than tho e n!r ing "ather and mother 'where oever they be( that withdraw "rom them who hang !pon their brea t 'and !pon who e brea t again them elve do hang to receive the pirit!al and incere mil% o" the word( livelihood and !pport "it "or their e tate # Th! it i apparent, that the e thing which we pea% o", are o" mo t nece ary ! e, and there"ore, that none, either witho!t ab !rdity can pea% again t them, or witho!t note o" wic%edne can p!rn again t them# 1et "or all that, the learned %now that certain worthy men .Anachar i with other / have been bro!ght to !ntimely death "or none other "a!lt, b!t "or ee%ing to red!ce their co!ntrymen to good order and di cipline0 and that in ome commonweal .e#g# Locri/ it wa made a capital crime, once to motion the ma%ing o" a new law "or the abrogating o" an old, tho!gh the ame were mo t pernicio! 0 and that certain .2ato the elder/, which wo!ld be co!nted pillar o" the tate, and pattern o" virt!e and pr!dence, co!ld not be bro!ght "or a long time to give way to good letter and re"ined peech, b!t bare them elve a aver e "rom them, a "rom roc% or bo)e o" poi on0 and "o!rthly, that he wa no babe, b!t a great cler% .3regory the Divine/, that gave "orth 'and in writing to remain to po terity( in pa ion peradvent!re, b!t yet he gave "orth, that he had not een any pro"it to come by any ynod, or meeting o" the clergy, b!t rather the contrary0 and la tly, again t ch!rch maintenance and allowance, in !ch ort, a the amba ador and me enger o" the great 4ing o" 4ing ho!ld be "!rni hed, it i not !n%nown what a "iction or "able ' o it i e teemed, and "or no better by the reporter him el" .Na!cler! /, tho!gh !per titio! ( wa devi ed55 namely, that at !ch a time a the pro"e or and teacher o" 2hri tianity in the 2h!rch o" Rome, then a tr!e ch!rch, were liberally endowed, a voice "or ooth wa heard "rom heaven, aying, 6Now i poi on po!red down into the ch!rch,6 etc## Th! not only a o"t a we pea%, a one aith, b!t al o a o"t a we do anything o" note or con e-!ence, we !b+ect o!r elve to everyone7 cen !re, and happy i he that i lea t to ed !pon tong!e 0 "or !tterly to e cape the natch o" them it i impo ible# $" any man conceit, that thi i the lot and portion o" the meaner ort only, and that prince are privileged by their high e tate, he i deceived# 6A the word devo!reth a well one a the other,6 a it i in Sam!el .8 Sam# 99&8:/0 nay, a the great commander charged hi oldier in a certain battle, to tri%e at no part o" the enemy, b!t at the "ace0 and a the %ing o" Syria commanded hi chie" captain to 6"ight neither with mall nor great, ave only again t the %ing o" $ rael6 .9 4i# 88&;9/0 o it i too tr!e, that Envy tri%eth mo t pite"!lly at the "aire t, and at the chie"e t# David wa a worthy prince, and no man to be compared to him "or hi "ir t deed , and yet "or a worthy a act a ever he did 'even "or bringing bac% the Ar% o" 3od in olemnity(, he wa corned and co""ed at by hi own wi"e .8 Sam# <&9</# Solomon wa greater than David55tho!gh not in virt!e, yet in power55and by hi power and wi dom he b!ilt a temple to the LORD, !ch a one a wa the glory o" the land o" $ rael, and the wonder o" the whole world# =!t wa that hi magni"icence li%ed o" by all, >e do!bt o" it# Otherwi e, why do they lay it in hi on7 di h, and call !nto him "or ea ing o" the b!rden

./& 6?a%e,6 ay they, 6the grievo! ervit!de o" thy "ather, and hi ore yo%e, lighter6, .9 4i# 98&@/ =eli%e he had charged them with ome levie , and tro!bled them with ome carriage # Here!pon they rai e !p a tragedy, and wi h in their heart the temple had never been b!ilt# So hard a thing it i to plea e all, even when we plea e 3od be t, and do ee% to approve o!r elve to every one7 con cience# The highest personages have been calumniated $" we will de cend to later time , we hall "ind many the li%e e)ample o" !ch %ind, or rather !n%ind, acceptance# The "ir t Roman emperor .2# 2ae ar, Aaccording toB Cl!tarch/ did never do a more plea ing deed to the learned, nor more pro"itable to po terity, "or con erving the record o" time in tr!e !pp!tation, than when he corrected the calendar, and ordered the year according to the co!r e o" the !n0 and yet thi wa imp!ted to him "or novelty, and arrogancy, and proc!red to him great oblo-!y# So the "ir t chri tened emperor .2on tantine/ 'at the lea twi e, that openly pro"e ed the "aith him el", and allowed other to do the li%e(, "or trengthening the empire at hi great charge , and providing "or the ch!rch a he did, got "or hi labo!r the name 6C!pill! ,6 a who wo!ld ay, a wa te"!l prince, that had need o" a g!ardian or over eer .A!rel# Dictor/# So the be t chri tened emperor .Theodo i! /, "or the love that he bare !nto peace, thereby to enrich both him el" and hi !b+ect , and beca! e he did not ee war b!t "ind it, wa +!dged to be no man at arm .Zo im! / 'tho!gh indeed he e)celled in "eat o" chivalry, and howed o m!ch when he wa provo%ed(, and condemned "or giving him el" to hi ea e, and to hi plea !re# To be hort, the mo t learned emperor o" "ormer time .E! tinian/ 'at the lea t, the greate t politician(, what than% had he "or c!tting o"" the !per"l!itie o" the law , and dige ting them into ome order and method, Thi , that he hath been blotted by ome to be an epitomi t55that i , one that e)ting!i hed worthy whole vol!me , to bring hi abridgment into re-!e t# Thi i the mea !re that hath been rendered to e)cellent prince in "ormer time , even, 2!m bene "acerent, male a!dire556"or their good deed to be evil po%en o"#6 Neither i there any li%elihood that envy and malignity died and were b!ried with the ancient# No, no, the reproo" o" ?o e ta%eth hold o" mo t age & 61o! are ri en !p in yo!r "ather 7 tead, an increa e o" in"!l men6 .N!m# ;8&9@/# 6>hat i that that hath been done, that which hall be done, and there i no new thing !nder the !n,6 aith the wi e man .Eccl# 9&F/0 and St# Stephen, 6A yo!r "ather did, o do yo!6 .Act G&:9/# His Majesty's constancy, notwithstanding calumniation, for the survey of the English translations Thi , and more to thi p!rpo e, Hi ?a+e ty that now reigneth 'and long, and long may he reign, and hi o"" pring "orever, 6Him el" and children, and children7 children alway 6 .6, , 6/( %new "!ll well, according to the ing!lar wi dom given !nto him by 3od, and the rare learning and e)perience that he hath attained !nto0 namely that who oever attempteth anything "or the p!blic 'e pecially i" it pertain to religion, and to the opening and clearing o" the word o" 3od(, the ame etteth him el" !pon a tage to be glo!ted !pon by every evil eye0 yea, he ca teth him el" headlong !pon pi%e , to be gored by every harp tong!e# *or he that meddleth with men7 religion in any part, meddleth with their c! tom, nay, with their "reehold0 and tho!gh they "ind no content in that which they have, yet they cannot abide to hear o" altering# Notwith tanding, hi royal heart wa not da!nted or di co!raged "or thi that colo!r, b!t tood re ol!te, 6a a tat!e immovable, and an anvil not ea y to be beaten into plate 6 .6 6/, a one .S!ida / aith0 he %new who had cho en him to be a oldier, or rather a captain, and being a !red that the co!r e which he intended made m!ch "or the glory o" 3od, and the b!ilding !p o" hi ch!rch, he wo!ld not !""er it to be bro%en o"" "or what oever peeche or practice # $t doth certainly belong !nto %ing , yea, it doth pecially belong !nto them, to have care o" religion0 yea, to %now it aright0 yea, to pro"e it Healo! ly0 yea, to promote it to the !ttermo t o" their power# Thi i their glory be"ore all nation which mean well, and thi will bring !nto them a "ar mo t e)cellent weight o" glory in the day o" the Lord Ee ! # *or the Script!re aith not in vain, 6Them that honor me, $ will honor6 .9 Sam# 8&;I/0 neither wa it a vain word that E! ebi! delivered long ago, that piety toward 3od . / wa the weapon, and the only weapon, that both pre erved 2on tantine7 per on, and avenged him o" hi enemie .E! ebi! lib# 9I cap# J/# The praise of the Holy Scriptures

=!t now what piety witho!t tr!th, what tr!th 'what aving tr!th( witho!t the word o" 3od, >hat word o" 3od 'whereo" we may be !re( witho!t the Script!re, The Script!re we are commanded to earch, Eohn :&;F, $ a# J&8I# They are commended that earched and t!died them, Act 9G&99 and J&8J58F# They are reproved that were !n %ill"!l in them, or low to believe them, ?att# 88&8F, L!%e 8@&8:# They can ma%e ! wi e !nto alvation, 8 Tim# ;&9:# $" we be ignorant, they will in tr!ct ! 0 i" o!t o" the way, they will bring ! home0 i" o!t o" order, they will re"orm ! 0 i" in heavine , com"ort ! 0 i" d!ll, -!ic%en ! 0 i" cold, in"lame ! # Tolle, lege0 tolle, lege, 6ta%e !p and read, ta%e !p and read6 the Script!re '"or !nto them wa the direction(, it wa aid !nto St# A!g! tine by a !pernat!ral voice .S# A!g! t# con"e # lib J cap 98/# 6>hat oever i in the Script!re , believe me,6 aith the ame St# A!g! tine, 6i high and divine0 there i verily tr!th, and a doctrine mo t "it "or the re"re hing o" men7 mind , and tr!ly o tempered, that everyone may draw "rom thence that which i !""icient "or him, i" he come to draw with a devo!t and pio! mind, a tr!e religion re-!ireth6 .S# A!g! t# de !tilit# credendi cap# </# Th! St# A!g! tine# And St# Eerome& Ama cript!ra , et amabit te apientia, etc# .S# Hieronym# ad Demetriad/, 6Love the Script!re , and wi dom will love thee#6 And St# 2yril again t E!lian& 6Even boy that are bred !p in the Script!re , become mo t religio! , etc#6 .S# 2yril# Go contra $!lian!m/# =!t what mention we three or "o!r ! e o" the Script!re, wherea what oever i to be believed or practiced, or hoped "or, i contained in them, or three or "o!r entence o" the *ather , ince who oever i worthy the name o" a *ather, "rom 2hri t7 time downward, hath li%ewi e written not only o" the riche , b!t al o o" the per"ection o" the Script!re, 6$ adore the "!lne o" the Script!re,6 aith Tert!llian again t Hermogene .Tert!l# adver # Hermo#/# And again, to Apelle , an heretic o" the li%e tamp, he aith, 6$ do not admit that which tho! bringe t in 'or concl!de t( o" thine own 'head or tore, de t!o( witho!t cript!re#6 .Tert!l# de carne 2hri ti#/ So St# E! tin ?artyr be"ore him& 6>e m! t %now by all mean ,6 aith he, 6that it i not law"!l 'or po ible( to learn 'anything( o" 3od or o" right piety, ave only o!t o" the prophet , who teach ! by divine in piration6 .E! tin protrept# proD ellhn# oion te#/# So Saint =a il a"ter Tert!llian, 6$t i a mani"e t "alling way "rom the "aith, and a "a!lt o" pre !mption, either to re+ect any o" tho e thing that are written, or to bring in '!pon the head o" them, epei agein( any o" tho e thing that are not written6 .S# =a il . #/# >e omit to cite to the ame e""ect, St# 2yril, bAi hopB o" Eer! alem, in hi *o!rth 2atache , St# Eerome again t Helvidi! , St# A!g! tine in hi third boo% again t the letter o" Cetilian, and in very many other place o" hi wor% # Al o we "orebear to de cend to later *ather , beca! e we will not weary the reader# The Script!re then being ac%nowledged to be o "!ll and o per"ect, how can we e)c! e o!r elve o" negligence, i" we do not t!dy them, o" c!rio ity, i" we be not content with them, ?en tal% m!ch o" eire iwnh .6 , , , , etc#60 an olive bow wrapped abo!t with wood, where!pon did hang "ig , and bread, and honey in a pot, and oil/, how many weet and goodly thing it had hanging on it0 o" the Chilo opher7 Stone, that it t!rneth copper into gold0 o" corn!copia, that it had all thing nece ary "or "ood in it0 o" Canace the herb, that it wa good "or di ea e 0 o" 2atholicon the dr!g, that it i in tead o" all p!rge 0 o" D!lcan7 armor, that it wa an armor o" proo" again t all thr! t and all blow , etc## >ell, that which they "al ely or vainly attrib!ted to the e thing "or bodily good, we may +! tly and with "!ll mea !re a cribe !nto the Script!re, "or pirit!al# $t i not only an armor, b!t al o a whole armory o" weapon , both o""en ive and de"en ive, whereby we may ave o!r elve and p!t the enemy to "light# $t i not an herb, b!t a tree, or rather a whole paradi e o" tree o" li"e, which bring "orth "r!it every month, and the "r!it thereo" i "or meat, and the leave "or medicine# $t i not a pot o" manna, or a cr! e o" oil, which were "or memory only, or "or a meal7 meat or two, b!t a it were a hower o" heavenly bread !""icient "or a whole ho t, be it never o great0 and a it were a whole cellar "!ll o" oil ve el 0 whereby all o!r nece itie may be provided "or, and o!r debt di charged# $n a word, it i a panary o" whole ome "ood again t "inewed tradition 0 a phy ician7 hop 'St# =a il calleth it( .6 #,6 S# =a il in C al# prim!m#/ o" pre ervative again t poi oned here ie 0 a pandect o" pro"itable law again t rebellio! pirit 0 a trea !ry o" mo t co tly +ewel again t beggarly r!diment 0 "inally, a "o!ntain o" mo t p!re water pringing !p !nto everla ting li"e# And what marvel, The original thereo" being "rom heaven, not "rom earth0 the A!thor being 3od, not man0 the $nditer, the Holy Spirit, not the wit o" the apo tle or prophet 0 the penmen !ch a were ancti"ied "rom the womb, and end!ed with a principal portion o" 3od7 pirit0 the matter, verity, piety, p!rity, !prightne 0 the "orm, 3od7 word, 3od7 te timony, 3od7 oracle , the word o" tr!th, the word o" alvation, etc#0 the e""ect , light o" !nder tanding, tablene o" per !a ion, repentance "rom dead wor% , newne o" li"e, holine , peace, +oy in the Holy 3ho t0 la tly, the end and reward o" the t!dy thereo", "ellow hip with the aint , participation o" the heavenly nat!re, "r!ition o" an inheritance immortal, !nde"iled, and that never hall "ade away# Happy i the man that delighteth in the

Script!re, and thrice happy that meditateth in it day and night# Translation necessary =!t how hall men meditate in that which they cannot !nder tand, How hall they !nder tand that which i %ept clo e in an !n%nown tong!e, A it i written, 6E)cept $ %now the power o" the voice, $ hall be to him that pea%eth a barbarian, and he that pea%eth hall be a barbarian to me6 .9 2or# 9@A&99B/# The apo tle e)cepteth no tong!e0 not Hebrew the anciente t, not 3ree% the mo t copio! , not Latin the "ine t# Nat!re ta!ght a nat!ral man to con"e that all o" ! in tho e tong!e which we do not !nder tand are plainly dea"0 we may t!rn the dea" ear !nto them# The Scythian co!nted the Athenian, whom he did not !nder tand, barbaro! .2lem# Ale)# 9o Strom#/0 o the Roman did the Syrian and the Eew 'even St# Eerome him el" called the Hebrew tong!e barbaro! , beli%e beca! e it wa trange to o many( .S# Hieronym# Dama o#/0 o the Emperor o" 2on tantinople .?ichael, Theophili "il#/ calleth the Latin tong!e barbaro! , tho!gh Cope Nicola do torm at it& .8 Tom# 2oncil# e) edit# Cetri 2rab#/0 o the Eew long be"ore 2hri t called all other nation LognaHim, which i little better than barbaro! # There"ore a one complaineth, that alway in the enate o" Rome, there wa one or other that called "or an interpreter .2icero :o de "inib! #/, o, le t the ch!rch be driven to the li%e e)igent, it i nece ary to have tran lation in a readine # Tran lation it i that openeth the window, to let in the light0 that brea%eth the hell, that we may eat the %ernel0 that p!tteth a ide the c!rtain, that we may loo% into the mo t holy place0 that removeth the cover o" the well, that we may come by the water, even a Eacob rolled away the tone "rom the mo!th o" the well, by which mean the "loc% o" Laban were watered .3en# 8F&9I/# $ndeed, witho!t tran lation into the v!lgar tong!e, the !nlearned are b!t li%e children at Eacob7 well 'which wa deep( .Eohn @&99/ witho!t a b!c%et or omething to draw with0 or a that per on mentioned by $ aiah, to whom when a ealed boo% wa delivered, with thi motion, 6Read thi , $ pray thee,6 he wa "ain to ma%e thi an wer& 6$ cannot, "or it i ealed6 .$ a# 8F&99/# The translation of the Old Testament out of the Hebrew into ree! >hile 3od wo!ld be %nown only in Eacob, and have hi name great in $ rael, and in none other place0 while the dew lay on 3ideon7 "leece only, and all the earth be ide wa dry0 then "or one and the ame people, which pa%e all o" them the lang!age o" 2anaan55that i , Hebrew55, one and the ame original in Hebrew wa !""icient .S# A!g! t# lib# 98 contra *a! t# c# ;8/# =!t when the "!lne o" time drew near that the S!n o" righteo! ne , the Son o" 3od, ho!ld come into the world, whom 3od ordained to be a reconciliation thro!gh "aith in Hi blood, not o" the Eew only, b!t al o o" the 3ree%, yea, o" all them that were cattered abroad0 then lo, it plea ed the Lord to tir !p the pirit o" a 3ree% prince '3ree% "or de cent and lang!age(, even o" Ctolemy Chiladelph, %ing o" Egypt, to proc!re the tran lating o" the boo% o" 3od o!t o" Hebrew into 3ree%# Thi i the tran lation o" the Seventy $nterpreter , commonly o called, which prepared the way "or o!r Savio!r among the 3entile by written preaching, a St# Eohn =apti t did among the Eew by vocal# *or the 3recian , being de iro! o" learning, were not wont to !""er boo% o" worth to lie mo!lding in %ing 7 librarie , b!t had many o" their ervant , ready cribe , to copy them o!t, and o they were di per ed and made common# Again, the 3ree% tong!e wa well %nown and made "amiliar to mo t inhabitant in A ia, by rea on o" the con-!e t that there the 3recian had made, a al o by the 2olonie , which thither they had ent# *or the ame ca! e al o it wa well !nder tood in many place o" E!rope, yea, and o" A"rica too# There"ore the word o" 3od, being et "orth in 3ree%, becometh hereby li%e a candle et !pon a candle tic%, which giveth light to all that are in the ho! e0 or li%e a proclamation o!nded "orth in the mar%et place, which mo t men pre ently ta%e %nowledge o"0 and there"ore that lang!age wa "itte t to contain the Script!re , both "or the "ir t preacher o" the go pel to appeal !nto "or witne , and "or the learner al o o" tho e time to ma%e earch and trial by# $t i certain, that that tran lation wa not o o!nd and o per"ect, b!t it needed in many place correction0 and who had been o !""icient "or thi wor% a the apo tle or apo tolic men, 1et it eemed good to the Holy 3ho t and to them, to ta%e that which they "o!nd 'the ame being "or the greate t part tr!e and !""icient(, rather than ma%ing a new, in that new world and green age o" the ch!rch55to e)po e them elve to many e)ception and cavillation , a tho!gh they made a tran lation to erve their own t!rn, and there"ore bearing a witne to them elve , their witne not to be regarded# Thi may be !ppo ed to be ome ca! e why the tran lation o" the Seventy wa allowed to pa "or c!rrent# Notwith tanding, tho!gh it wa commended generally, yet it did not "!lly content the learned55 no, not o" the Eew # *or not long a"ter 2hri t, A-!ila "ell in hand with a new tran lation, and a"ter him

Theodotion, and a"ter him Symmach! 0 yea, there wa a "i"th and a i)th edition, the a!thor whereo" were not %nown# The e with the Seventy made !p the He)apla, and were worthily and to great p!rpo e compiled together by Origen# Howbeit the edition o" the Seventy went away with the credit, and there"ore not only wa placed in the mid t by Origen '"or the worth and e)cellency thereo" above the re t, a Epiphani! gathereth .Epiphan# de men !r# et ponderib! #/(, b!t al o wa ! ed by the 3ree% *ather "or the gro!nd and "o!ndation o" their commentarie # 1ea, Epiphani! above named doth attrib!te o m!ch !nto it, that he holdeth the a!thor thereo" not only "or interpreter , b!t al o "or prophet in ome re pect0 and E! tinian the Emperor, en+oining the Eew hi !b+ect to ! e pecially the tran lation o" the Seventy, rendereth thi rea on thereo"& beca! e they were a it were enlightened with prophetical grace .S# A!g! t# 8o de doctrin# 2hri tian# c# 9:o# Novell# diata)# 9@</# 1et "or all that, a the Egyptian are aid o" the prophet to be men and not 3od, and their hor e "le h and not pirit . , $ a# ;9&;/0 o it i evident 'and St# Eerome a""irmeth a m!ch( .S# Hieron# de optimo genero interpret#/ that the Seventy were interpreter 0 they were not prophet # They did many thing well, a learned men0 b!t yet a men they t!mbled and "ell, one while thro!gh over ight, another while thro!gh ignorance0 yea, ometime they may be noted to add to the original, and ometime to ta%e "rom it, which made the apo tle to leave them many time , when they le"t the Hebrew, and to deliver the en e thereo" according to the tr!th o" the word, a the Spirit gave them !tterance# Thi may !""ice to!ching the 3ree% tran lation o" the Old Te tament# Translation out of Hebrew and ree! into "atin There were al o, within a "ew h!ndred year a"ter 2hri t, tran lation many into the Latin tong!e0 "or thi tong!e al o wa very "it to convey the law and the go pel by, beca! e in tho e time very many co!ntrie o" the >e t, yea o" the So!th, Ea t and North, pa%e or !nder tood Latin, being made province to the Roman # =!t now the Latin tran lation were too many to be all good, "or they were in"inite 'Latini interprete n!llo modo n!merari po !nt, aith St# A!g! tine( .S# A!g! tin# de doctr# 2hri t# lib# 8 cap# 99/# Again they were not o!t o" the Hebrew "o!ntain 'we pea% o" the Latin tran lation o" the Old Te tament( b!t o!t o" the 3ree% tream0 there"ore, the 3ree% being not altogether clear, the Latin derived "rom it m! t need be m!ddy# Thi moved St# Eerome55a mo t learned "ather, and the be t ling!i t witho!t controver y o" hi age or o" any that went be"ore him55to !nderta%e the tran lating o" the Old Te tament, o!t o" the very "o!ntain them elve 0 which he per"ormed with that evidence o" great learning, +!dgment, ind! try, and "aith"!lne , that he hath "orever bo!nd the ch!rch !nto him in a debt o" pecial remembrance and than%"!lne # The translating of the Scripture into the vulgar tongues Now tho!gh the 2h!rch were th! "!rni hed with 3ree% and Latin tran lation , even be"ore the "aith o" 2hri t wa generally embraced in the empire '"or the learned %now that even in St# Eerome7 time, the con !l o" Rome and hi wi"e were both Ethnic , and abo!t the ame time the greate t part o" the enate al o( .S# Hieronym# ?arcell# Zo im/0 yet "or all that the godly5learned were not content to have the Script!re in the lang!age which they them elve !nder tood, 3ree% and Latin 'a the good leper were not content to "are well them elve , b!t ac-!ainted their neighbor with the tore that 3od had ent, that they al o might provide "or them elve ( .8 4i# G&F/0 b!t al o "or the behoo" and edi"ying o" the !nlearned which h!ngered and thir ted a"ter righteo! ne , and had o!l to be aved a well a they, they provided tran lation into the v!lgar "or their co!ntrymen, in om!ch that mo t nation !nder heaven did hortly a"ter their conver ion, hear 2hri t pea%ing !nto them in their mother tong!e, not by the voice o" their mini ter only, b!t al o by the written word tran lated# $" any do!bt hereo", he may be ati "ied by e)ample eno!gh, i" eno!gh will erve the t!rn# *ir t, St# Eerome aith, ?!ltar!m genti!m ling!i Script!ra ante tran lata, docet "al a e e -!ae addita !nt, etc#0 i#e#, 6The Script!re being tran lated be"ore in the lang!age o" many nation , doth how that tho e thing that were added 'by L!cian and He ychi! ( are "al e6 .S# Hieron# prae"# in @# Evangel#/# So St# Eerome in that place# The ame Eerome el ewhere a""irmeth that he, the time wa , had et "orth the tran lation o" the Seventy !ae ling!ae hominib! , i#e#, "or hi co!ntrymen o" Dalmatia .S# Hieron# Sophronio#/ >hich word not only Era m! doth !nder tand to p!rport, that St# Eerome tran lated the Script!re into the Dalmatian tong!e, b!t al o Si)t! Senen i .Si)# Sen# lib# @/, and Alphon ! a7 2a tro .Alphon# a7 2a tro lib# 9 ca# 8;/ 'that we pea% o" no more(, men not to be e)cepted

again t by them o" Rome, do ingen!o! ly con"e a m!ch# So St# 2hry o tom, that lived in St# Eerome7 time, giveth evidence with him& 6The doctrine o" St# Eohn,6 aith he, 6did not in !ch ort655a the philo opher 7 did556vani h away0 b!t the Syrian , Egyptian , $ndian , Cer ian , Ethiopian , and in"inite other nation , being barbaro! people, tran lated it into their 'mother( tong!e, and have learned to be 'tr!e( philo opher 655he meaneth 62hri tian 6.S# 2hry o t# in Eohan# cap# hom# 9/# To thi may be added Theodoret, a ne)t !nto him, both "or anti-!ity and "or learning# Hi word be the e& 6Every co!ntry that i !nder the !n, i "!ll o" the e word 'o" the apo tle and prophet ( and the Hebrew tong!e 'he meaneth the Script!re in the Hebrew tong!e( i t!rned not only into the lang!age o" the 3recian , b!t al o o" the Roman , and Egyptian , and Cer ian , and $ndian , and Armenian , and Scythian , and Sa!romatian , and brie"ly into all the lang!age that any nation ! eth6 .Theodor# :# Therape!t#/# So he# $n li%e manner, Klpila i reported by Ca!l! Diacon! and $ idor 'and be"ore them by SoHomen( to have tran lated the Script!re into the 3othic tong!e .C# Diacon# liAbB# 98, $ idor in 2hron# 3oth, SoHom# liAbB# < cap# ;G/, Eohn, bi hop o" Sevil, by Da e! to have t!rned them into Arabic, abo!t the year o" o!r Lord G9G .Da e! in 2hron# Hi pan#/0 =eda by 2i tertien i , to have t!rned a great part o" them into Sa)on0 E"nard by Trithemi! , to have abridged the *rench p alter, a =eda had done the Hebrew, abo!t the year JII0 4ing Al"red by the aid 2i tertien i , to have t!rned the p alter into Sa)on .Colydor Dirg# : hi tor# Anglor!m te tat!r idem de Alvredo no tro/0 ?ethodi! by Aventin! 'printed at $ngol tadt( to have t!rned the Script!re into Slavonian .Aventin# lib# @#/0 Daldo, bi hop o" *ri ing, by =eat! Rhenan! to have ca! ed abo!t that time the go pel to be tran lated into D!tch rhythm, yet e)tant in the Library o" 2orbinian .2irca ann!m FII# =# Rhenan# rer!m 3erman# lib 8#/0 Dald! , by diver to have t!rned them him el" or to have gotten them t!rned into *rench, abo!t the year 99<I0 2harle the *i"th o" that name, !rnamed the >i e, to have ca! ed them to be t!rned into *rench, abo!t 8II year a"ter Dald! hi time, o" which tran lation there be many copie yet e)tant, a witne eth =eroald! # ?!ch abo!t that time, even in o!r 4ing Richard the Second7 day , Eohn Trevi a tran lated them into Engli h, and many Engli h =ible in written hand are yet to be een with diver , tran lated, a it i very probable, in that age# So the Syrian tran lation o" the New Te tament i in mo t learned men7 librarie o" >idmin tadi! hi etting "orth, and the p alter in Arabic i with many o" A!g! tin! Nebien i 7 etting "orth# So Co tel a""irmeth, that in hi travel he aw the go pel in the Ethiopian tong!e0 and Ambro e The i! allegeth the p alter o" the $ndian , which he te ti"ieth to have been et "orth by Cot%en in Syrian character # So that to have the Script!re in the mother tong!e i not a -!aint conceit lately ta%en !p, either by the Lord 2romwell in England, or by the Lord Radevile in Colony .Th!an#/, or by the Lord Kngnadi! in the emperor7 dominion, b!t hath been tho!ght !pon and p!t in practice o" old, even "rom the "ir t time o" the conver ion o" any nation0 no do!bt beca! e it wa e teemed mo t pro"itable, to ca! e "aith to grow in men7 heart the ooner, and to ma%e them to be able to ay with the word o" the C alm , 6A we have heard, o we have een6 .C # @J&J/# The unwillingness of our chief adversaries that the Scriptures should be divulged in the mother tongue, etc# Now the ch!rch o" Rome wo!ld eem at the length to bear a motherly a""ection toward her children, and to allow them the Script!re in their mother tong!e# =!t indeed it i a gi"t, not de erving to be called a gi"t55an !npro"itable gi"t . , Sophocle /0 they m! t "ir t get a licen e in writing be"ore they may ! e them, and to get that, they m! t approve them elve to their con"e or55that i , to be !ch a are, i" not "roHen in the dreg , yet o!red with the leaven o" their !per tition# Howbeit, it eemed too m!ch to 2lement the Eighth that there ho!ld be any licen e granted to have them in the v!lgar tong!e, and there"ore he overr!leth and "r! trateth the grant o" Ci! the *o!rth# .See the ob ervation ' et "orth by 2lement hi a!thority( !pon the "o!rth r!le o" Ci! the *o!rth hi ma%ing in the $nde), lib# prohib#, pag# 9:# ver# :#/ So m!ch are they a"raid o" the light o" the Script!re 'L!ci"!gae Script!rar!m, a Tert!llian pea%eth .Tert!l# de re !r# carni /( that they will not tr! t the people with it55no, not a it i et "orth by their own worn men0 no, not with the licen e o" their own bi hop and in-!i itor # 1ea, o !nwilling they are to comm!nicate the Script!re to the people7 !nder tanding in any ort, that they are not a hamed to con"e that we "orced them to tran late it into Engli h again t their will # Thi eemeth to arg!e a bad ca! e, or a bad con cience, or both# S!re we are, that it i not he that hath good gold, that i a"raid to bring it to the to!ch tone, b!t he that hath the co!nter"eit0 neither i it the tr!e man that h!nneth the light, b!t the male"actor, le t hi deed ho!ld be reproved .Eohn ;&8I/0 neither i it the plain5dealing merchant that i !nwilling to have the weight , or the meteyard bro!ght in place, b!t he that ! eth deceit# =!t we will let them alone "or thi "a!lt, and ret!rn to tran lation#

The speeches and reasons, both of our brethren and of our adversaries, against this wor! ?any men7 mo!th have been open a good while 'and yet are not topped( with peeche abo!t the tran lation o long in hand, or rather per! al o" tran lation made be"ore, and a % what may be the rea on, what the nece ity o" the employment# Hath the ch!rch been deceived, ay they, all thi while, Hath her weet bread been mingled with leaven, here ilver with dro , her wine with water, her mil% with lime, 'Lacte gyp !m male mi cet!r, aith St# $reney .S# $ren# ;# lib# cap# 9F#/#( >e hoped that we had been in the right way, that we had had the oracle o" 3od delivered !nto ! , and that tho!gh all the world had ca! e to be o""ended and to complain, yet that we had none# Hath the n!r e holden o!t the brea t, and nothing b!t wind in it, Hath the bread been delivered by the *ather o" the 2h!rch, and the ame proved to be lapido ! , a Seneca pea%eth, >hat i it to handle the word o" 3od deceit"!lly, i" thi be not, Th! certain brethren# Al o the adver arie o" E!dah and Eer! alem, li%e Sanballat in Nehemiah, moc%, a we hear, both the wor% and the wor%men, aying, 6>hat do the e wea% Eew , etc#, >ill they ma%e the tone whole again o!t o" the heap o" d! t which are b!rnt, Altho!gh they b!ild, yet i" a "o) go !p, he hall even brea% down their tony wall6.Neh# @&;/# 6>a their tran lation good be"ore, >hy do they now mend it, >a it not good, >hy then wa it obtr!ded to the people, 1ea, why did the 2atholic 'meaning popi h Romani t ( alway go in +eopardy, "or re"! ing to go to hear it, Nay, i" it m! t be tran lated into Engli h, 2atholic are "itte t to do it# They have learning, and they %now when a thing i well0 they can man!m de tab!la#6 >e will an wer them both brie"ly0 and the "ormer, being brethren, th! , with St# Eerome, Damnam! vetere , ?inime, ed po t prior!m t!dia in domo Domini -!od po !m laboram! .S# Hieron# Apolog# adver # R!""in#/# That i , 6Do we condemn the ancient, $n no ca e, b!t a"ter the endeavor o" them that were be"ore ! , we ta%e the be t pain we can in the ho! e o" 3od#6 A i" he aid, 6=eing provo%ed by the e)ample o" the learned men that lived be"ore my time, $ have tho!ght it my d!ty, to a ay whether my talent in the %nowledge o" the tong!e may be pro"itable in any mea !re to 3od7 ch!rch, le t $ ho!ld eem to labo!red in them in vain, and le t $ ho!ld be tho!ght to glory in men 'altho!gh ancient( above that which wa in them#6 Th! St# Eerome may be tho!ght to pea%# $ satisfaction to our brethren And to the ame e""ect ay we, that we are o "ar o"" "rom condemning any o" their labor that travailed be"ore ! in thi %ind, either in thi land or beyond ea, either in 4ing Henry7 time or 4ing Edward7 'i" there were any tran lation or correction o" a tran lation in hi time(, or L!een EliHabeth7 o" ever renowned memory, that we ac%nowledge them to have been rai ed !p o" 3od, "or the b!ilding and "!rni hing o" hi ch!rch, and that they de erve to be had o" ! and o" po terity in everla ting remembrance# The +!dgment o" Ari totle i worthy and well %nown& 6$" Timothe! had not been, we had not had m!ch weet m! ic0 b!t i" Chryni 'Timothe! hi ma ter( had not been, we had not had Timothe! 6 .Ari t# 8 metaphy # cap# 9/# There"ore ble ed be they, and mo t hono!red be their name, that brea% the ice, and give the on et !pon that which helpeth "orward to the aving o" o!l # Now what can be more available thereto, than to deliver 3od7 boo% !nto 3od7 people in a tong!e which they !nder tand, Since o" a hidden trea !re and o" a "o!ntain that i ealed there i no pro"it, a Ctolemy Chiladelph wrote to the rabbin or ma ter o" the Eew , a witne eth Epiphani! .S# Epiphan# loco ante citato/0 and a St# A!g! tine aith, 6A man had rather be with hi dog than with a tranger 'who e tong!e i trange !nto him(6 .S# A!g! tin# lib# 9F# de civit# Dei# c# G#/0 yet "or all that, a nothing i beg!n and per"ected at the ame time, and the later tho!ght are tho!ght to be the wi er0 o, i" we b!ilding !pon their "o!ndation that went be"ore ! , and being holpen by their labo!r , do endeavor to ma%e that better which they le"t o good, no man, we are !re, hath ca! e to mi li%e ! 0 they, we per !ade o!r elve , i" they were alive, wo!ld than% ! # The vintage o" AbieHer, that tra%e the tro%e, yet the gleaning o" grape o" Ephraim wa not to be de pi ed ' ee E!dge J&8(# Eoa h the %ing o" $ rael did not ati "y him el" till he had mitten the gro!nd three time 0 and yet he o""ended the prophet, "or giving over then .8 4i# 9;&9J59F/# A-!ila, o" whom we pa%e be"ore, tran lated the =ible a care"!lly and a %ill"!lly a he co!ld0 and yet he tho!ght good to go over it again, and then it got the credit with the Eew , to be called %ata a%ribeian, that i , 6acc!rately done,6 a St# Eerome witne eth .S# Eerome# in EHech# cap# ;#/# How many boo% o" pro"ane learning have been gone over again and again by the ame tran lator , by other , O" one and the ame boo% o" Ari totle7 Ethic , there are e)tant not o "ew a i) or even everal tran lation # Now i" thi co t may be be towed !pon the go!rd, which a""ordeth ! a little hade, and which today "lo!ri heth, b!t tomorrow i c!t down0 what may we be tow55nay, what o!ght we

not to be tow55!pon the vine, the "r!it whereo" ma%eth glad the con cience o" man, and the tem whereo" abideth "orever, And thi i the word o" 3od, which we tran late# 6>hat i the cha"" to the wheat, aith the Lord,6 .Eer# 8;&8J/ Tanti vitre!m, -!anti ver!m margarit!m, aith Tert!llian .Tert!l# ad ?artyr#/556i" a toy o" gla be o" that rec%oning with ! , how o!ght we to val!e the tr!e pearl,6 .Si tanti vili im!m vitri!m, -!anti pretio i im!m margarit!m, Hieron# ad Salvin#/ There"ore let no man7 eye be evil, beca! e Hi ?a+e ty7 i good0 neither let any be grieved, that we have a prince that ee%eth the increa e o" the pirit!al wealth o" $ rael# 'Let Sanballat and Tobiah do o, which there"ore do bear their +! t reproo"#( =!t let ! rather ble 3od "rom the gro!nd o" o!r heart, "or wor%ing thi religio! care in him, to have the tran lation o" the =ible mat!rely con idered o" and e)amined# *or by thi mean it cometh to pa , that what oever i o!nd already 'and all i o!nd "or !b tance, in one or other o" o!r edition , and the wor t o" o!r "ar better than their a!thentic v!lgar(, the ame will hine a gold more brightly, being r!bbed and poli hed0 al o, i" anything be halting, or !per"l!o! , or not o agreeable to the original, the ame may be corrected, and the tr!th et in place# And what can the %ing command to be done, that will bring him more tr!e hono!r than thi , and wherein co!ld they that have been et a wor%, approve their d!ty to the %ing,55 yea their obedience to 3od, and love to hi aint 55more, than by yielding their ervice, and all that i within them, "or the "!rni hing o" the wor%, =!t be ide all thi , they were the principal motive o" it, and there"ore o!ght lea t to -!arrel it0 "or the very hi torical tr!th i , that !pon the import!nate petition o" the C!ritan , at Hi ?a+e ty7 coming to thi crown, the con"erence at Hampton 2o!rt having been appointed "or hearing their complaint , when by "orce o" rea on they were p!t "rom all other gro!nd , they had reco!r e at the la t, to thi hi"t, that they co!ld not with good con cience !b cribe to the comm!nion boo%, ince it maintained the =ible a it wa there tran lated, which wa 'a they aid( a mo t corr!pted tran lation# And altho!gh thi wa +!dged to be b!t a very poor and empty hi"t, yet even here!pon did Hi ?a+e ty begin to bethin% him el" o" the good that might en !e by a new tran lation, and pre ently a"ter gave order "or thi tran lation which i now pre ented !nto thee# Th! m!ch to ati "y o!r cr!p!lo! brethren# $n answer to the imputations of our adversaries Now to the latter we an wer that we do not deny55nay, we a""irm and avow55that the very meane t tran lation o" the =ible in Engli h, et "orth by men o" o!r pro"e ion, '"or we have een none o" their o" the whole =ible a yet( containeth the word o" 3od, nay, i the word o" 3od# A the %ing7 peech, which he !ttered in Carliament, being tran lated into *rench, D!tch, $talian, and Latin, i till the %ing7 peech, tho!gh it be not interpreted by every tran lator with the li%e grace, nor peradvent!re o "itly "or phra e, nor o e)pre ly "or en e, everywhere# *or it i con"e ed that thing are to ta%e their denomination o" the greater part0 and a nat!ral man co!ld ay, Der!m !bi m!lta nitent in carmine, non ego pa!ci o""endor mac!li , etc# .Horace/556a man may be co!nted a virt!o! man, tho!gh he have made many lip in hi li"e6 'el e there were none virt!o! , "or in many thing we o""end all( .Eame ;&8/0 al o a comely man and lovely, tho!gh he have ome wart !pon hi hand55yea, not only "rec%le !pon hi "ace, b!t al o car # No ca! e there"ore why the word tran lated ho!ld be denied to be the word, or "orbidden to be c!rrent, notwith tanding that ome imper"ection and blemi he may be noted in the etting "orth o" it# *or whatever wa per"ect !nder the !n, where apo tle or apo tolic men55that i , men end!ed with an e)traordinary mea !re o" 3od7 pirit, and privileged with the privilege o" in"allibility55had not their hand, The Romani t there"ore, in re"! ing to hear, and daring to b!rn the word tran lated, did no le than de pite the Spirit o" grace, "rom whom originally it proceeded, and who e en e and meaning, a well a man7 wea%ne wo!ld enable, it did e)pre # E!dge by an e)ample or two# Cl!tarch writeth, that a"ter that Rome had been b!rnt by the 3a!l , they "ell oon to b!ild it again0 b!t doing it in ha te, they did not ca t the treet , nor proportion the ho! e in !ch comely "a hion, a had been mo t ightly and convenient .Cl!tarch in 2amillo#/# >a 2atiline there"ore an hone t man, or a good patriot, that o!ght to bring it to a comb! tion, or Nero a good prince, that did indeed et it on "ire, So by the tory o" EHra and the prophecy o" Haggai it may be gathered, that the temple b!ilt by Zer!bbabel a"ter the ret!rn "rom =abylon, wa by no mean to be compared to the "ormer b!ilt by Solomon '"or they that remembered the "ormer wept when they con idered the latter( .EHr# ;&98/0 notwith tanding, might thi latter either have been abhorred and "or a%en by the Eew , or pro"aned by the 3ree% , The li%e we are to thin% o" tran lation # The tran lation o" the Seventy di enteth "rom the original in many place 0 neither doth it come near it, "or per pic!ity, gravity, ma+e ty0 yet which o" the apo tle did condemn it, 2ondemn it, Nay, they ! ed it 'a it i apparent, and a St# Eerome and mo t learned men do con"e (, which they wo!ld not have done, nor by their

e)ample o" ! ing it o grace and commend it to the ch!rch, i" it had been !nworthy the appellation and name o" the word o" 3od# And wherea they !rge "or their econd de"ence o" their vili"ying and ab! ing o" the Engli h =ible , or ome piece thereo" which they meet with, "or that 6heretic ,6 "or ooth, were the a!thor o" the tran lation '6heretic 6 they call ! by the ame right that they call them elve 62atholic ,6 both being wrong(, we marvel what divinity ta!ght them o# >e are !re Tert!llian wa o" another mind& E) per oni probam! "idem, an e) "ide per ona , .Tert!l# de prae cript# contra haere e #/556Do we try men7 "aith by their per on , >e ho!ld try their per on by their "aith#6 Al o St# A!g! tine wa o" another mind, "or he lighting !pon certain r!le made by Tychoni! , a Donati t, "or the better !nder tanding o" the word, wa not a hamed to ma%e ! e o" them55yea, to in ert them into hi own boo%, with giving commendation to them o "ar "orth a they were worthy to be commended, a i to be een in St# A!g! tine7 third boo% Ao"B De doctrina 2hri tiana .S# A!g! t# ;# de doct# 2hri t# cap# ;I#/# To be hort, Origen, and the whole ch!rch o" 3od "or certain h!ndred year , were o" another mind, "or they were o "ar "rom treading !nder "oot 'm!ch more "rom b!rning( the tran lation o" A-!ila, a pro elyte 'that i , one that had t!rned Eew(55o" Symmach! , and Theodotion, both Ebionite 'that i , mo t vile heretic (55that they +oined them together with the Hebrew original, and the tran lation o" the Seventy 'a hath been be"ore igni"ied o!t o" Epiphani! ( and et them "orth openly to be con idered o" and per! ed by all# =!t we weary the !nlearned, who need not %now o m!ch, and tro!ble the learned, who %now it already# 1et be"ore we end, we m! t an wer a third cavil and ob+ection o" their again t ! , "or altering and amending o!r tran lation o o"t0 wherein tr!ly they deal hardly and trangely with ! # *or to whomever wa it imp!ted "or a "a!lt 'by !ch a were wi e( to go over that which he had done, and to amend it where he aw ca! e, St# A!g! tine wa not a"raid to e)hort St# Eerome to a palinodia or recantation, and doth even glory that he eeth hi in"irmitie .S# A!g# Epi t# F0 S# A!g# lib# Retractat#0 Dideo interd!m vitia mea, S# A!g# Epi t# J#/# $" we be on o" the tr!th, we m! t con ider what it pea%eth, and trample !pon o!r own credit, yea, and !pon other men7 too, i" either be any way an hindrance to it# Thi to the ca! e# Then to the per on we ay, that o" all men they o!ght to be mo t ilent in thi ca e# *or what varietie have they, and what alteration have they made, not only o" their ervice boo% , porta e , and breviarie , b!t al o o" their Latin tran lation, The ervice boo% !ppo ed to be made by St# Ambro e 'O""ici!m Ambro ian!m( wa a great while in pecial ! e and re-!e t, b!t Cope Hadrian calling a co!ncil with the aid o" 2harle the emperor, aboli hed it55yea, b!rned it55and commanded the ervice boo% o" St# 3regory !niver ally to be ! ed .D!rand# lib# :# cap# 8#/# >ell, O""ici!m 3regorian!m get by thi mean to be in credit, b!t doth it contin!e witho!t change or altering, No, the very Roman ervice wa o" two "a hion , the 6new6 "a hion, and the 6old655the one ! ed in one ch!rch, the other in another55, a i to be een in Cameli! , a Romani t, hi pre"ace be"ore ?icrolog! # The ame Cameli! reporteth o!t Rad!lph! de Rivo, that abo!t the year o" o!r Lord 98GG, Cope Nicola the Third removed o!t o" the ch!rche o" Rome the more ancient boo% 'o" ervice(, and bro!ght into ! e the mi al o" the *riar ?inorite , and commanded them to be ob erved there0 in om!ch that abo!t an h!ndred year a"ter, when the above5named Rad!lph! happened to be at Rome, he "o!nd all the boo% to be new 'o" the new tamp(# Neither were there thi chopping and changing in the more ancient time only, b!t al o o" late& Ci! L!int! him el" con"e eth, that every bi hopric almo t had a pec!liar %ind o" ervice, mo t !nli%e to that which other had0 which moved him to aboli h all other breviarie , tho!gh never o ancient, and privileged and p!bli hed by bi hop in their dioce e , and to e tabli h and rati"y that only which wa o" hi own etting "orth, in the year 9:<J# Now when the "ather o" their ch!rch, who gladly wo!ld heal the ore o" the da!ghter o" hi people o"tly and lightly and ma%e the be t o" it, "indeth o great "a!lt with them "or their odd and +arring, we hope the children have no great ca! e to va!nt o" their !ni"ormity# =!t the di""erence that appeareth between o!r tran lation , and o!r o"ten correcting o" them, i the thing that we are pecially charged with0 let ! ee there"ore whether they them elve be witho!t "a!lt thi way 'i" it be to be co!nted a "a!lt, to correct(, and whether they be "it men to throw tone at ! # O tandem ma+or parca in ane minori556they that are le o!nd them elve , o!ght not to ob+ect in"irmitie to other 6 .Horat#/# $" we ho!ld tell them that Dalla, Stap!len i , Era m! , and Dive "o!nd "a!lt with their v!lgar tran lation, and con e-!ently wi hed the ame to be mended, or a new one to be made, they wo!ld an wer peradvent!re, that we prod!ced their enemie "or witne e again t them0 albeit, they were in no other ort enemie than a St# Ca!l wa to the 3alatian , "or telling them the tr!th .3al# @&9</, and it were to be wi hed that they had dared to tell it them plainlier and o"tener# =!t what will they ay to thi , that Cope Leo the Tenth allowed Era m! 7 tran lation o" the New Te tament, o m!ch di""erent "rom the v!lgar, by hi apo tolic letter and b!ll0 that the ame Leo e)horted Cagnin to tran late the whole =ible, and bare what oever charge wa nece ary "or the wor% .Si)t! Senen #/, S!rely, a the

apo tle rea oneth to the Hebrew , that 6i" the "ormer law and te tament had been !""icient, there had been no need o" the latter6 .Heb# G&99, J&G/, o we may ay, that i" the old v!lgar had been at all point allowable, to mall p!rpo e had labo!r and charge been !ndergone, abo!t "raming o" a new# $" they ay, it wa one pope7 private opinion, and that he con !lted only him el", then we are able to go "!rther with them, and to aver that more o" their chie" men o" all ort , even their own Trent champion Caiva and Dega, and their own in-!i itor , Hieronym! ab Olea tro, and their own =i hop $ idor! 2lari! , and their own 2ardinal Thoma a Dio 2aietan, do either ma%e new tran lation them elve , or "ollow new one o" other men7 ma%ing, or note the v!lgar interpreter "or halting0 none o" them "ear to di ent "rom him, nor yet to e)cept again t him# And call they thi an !ni"orm tenor o" te)t and +!dgment abo!t the te)t, o many o" their worthie di claiming the now received conceit, Nay, we will yet come nearer the -!ic%& doth not their Cari edition di""er "rom the Lovaine, and Henteni! hi "rom them both, and yet all o" them allowed by a!thority, Nay, doth not Si)t! L!int! con"e , that certain 2atholic 'he meaneth certain o" hi own ide( were in !ch an h!mor o" tran lating the Script!re into Latin, that Satan ta%ing occa ion by them, tho!gh they tho!ght o" no !ch matter, did trive what he co!ld, o!t o" o !ncertain and mani"old a variety o" tran lation , o to mingle all thing that nothing might eem to be le"t certain and "irm in them, etc# .Si)t! :# prae"at# "i)a =iblii #/, Nay, "!rther, did not the ame Si)t! ordain by an inviolable decree, and that with the co!n el and con ent o" hi cardinal , that the Latin edition o" the Old and New Te tament, which the 2o!ncil o" Trent wo!ld have to be a!thentic, i the ame witho!t controver y which he then et "orth, being diligently corrected and printed in the printing ho! e o" Datican, Th! Si)t! in hi pre"ace be"ore hi =ible# And yet 2lement the Eighth, hi immediate !cce or, p!bli hed another edition o" the =ible, containing in it in"inite di""erence "rom that o" Si)t! 'and many o" them weighty and material(, and yet thi m! t be a!thentic by all mean # >hat i to have the "aith o" o!r glorio! Lord Ee ! 2hri t with 6yea and nay,6 i" thi be not, Again, what i weet harmony and con ent, i" thi be, There"ore, a Demarat! o" 2orinth advi ed a great %ing, be"ore he tal%ed o" the di en ion among the 3recian , to compo e hi dome tic broil '"or at that time hi -!een and hi on and heir were at deadly "e!d with him(, o all the while that o!r adver arie do ma%e o many and o vario! edition them elve , and do +ar o m!ch abo!t the worth and a!thority o" them, they can with no how o" e-!ity challenge ! "or changing and correcting# The purpose of the translators with their number, furniture, care, etc# =!t it i high time to leave them, and to how in brie" what we propo ed to o!r elve , and what co!r e we held in thi o!r per! al and !rvey o" the =ible# Tr!ly, good 2hri tian reader, we never tho!ght "rom the beginning, that we ho!ld need to ma%e a new tran lation, nor yet to ma%e o" a bad one a good one '"or then the imp!tation o" Si)t! had been tr!e in ome ort, that o!r people had been "ed with gall o" dragon in tead o" wine, with whey in tead o" mil%(0 b!t to ma%e a good one better, or o!t o" many good one , one principal good one, not +! tly to be e)cepted again t# That hath been o!r endeavor, that o!r mar%# To that p!rpo e, there were many cho en that were greater in other men7 eye than in their own, and that o!ght the tr!th rather than their own prai e# Again, they came or were tho!ght to come to the wor%, not e)ercendi ca! a 'a one aith( b!t e)ercitati, that i , 6learned, not to learn#6 *or the chie" over eer and !nder hi ?a+e ty, to whom not only we, b!t al o o!r whole ch!rch wa m!ch bo!nd, %new by hi wi dom, which thing al o NaHianHen ta!ght o long ago, that it i a prepo tero! order to teach "ir t and to learn a"ter, yea that to en , 6to learn and practice together,6 i neither commendable "or the wor%man, nor a"e "or the wor% . . #, $dem in Apologet#/# There"ore !ch were tho!ght !pon a co!ld ay mode tly with St# Eerome, Et Hebreae!m ermonem e) parte didicim! , et in Latino pene ab ip i inc!nab!li , etc#, detriti !m! #556=oth we have learned the Hebrew tong!e in part, and in the Latin we have been e)erci ed almo t "rom o!r very cradle#6 'St# Eerome ma%eth no mention o" the 3ree% tong!e, wherein yet he did e)cel, beca! e he tran lated not the Old Te tament o!t o" 3ree%, b!t o!t o" Hebrew#( And in what ort did the e a emble, $n the tr! t o" their own %nowledge, or o" their harpne o" wit, or deepne o" +!dgment, a it were in an arm o" "le h, At no hand# They tr! ted in him that hath the %ey o" David, opening and no man h!tting0 they prayed to the Lord, the *ather o" o!r Lord, to the e""ect that St# A!g! tine did& 6O let thy Script!re be my p!re Script!re be my p!re delight0 let me not be deceived in them, neither let me deceive by them6 .S# A!g# lib# 99# 2on"e # cap# 8#/# $n thi con"idence and with thi devotion did they a emble together0 not too many, le t one ho!ld tro!ble another, and yet many, le t many thing haply might e cape them# $" yo! a % what they had be"ore them, tr!ly it wa the Hebrew te)t o" the Old Te tament, the 3ree% o" the New# The e are the two golden

pipe , or rather cond!it , wherethro!gh the olive branche empty them elve into the gold# St# A!g! tine calleth them precedent, or original tong!e .S# A!g! t# ;# de doctr# c# ;# etc#/0 St# Eerome, "o!ntain .S# Hieron# ad S!niam et *retel#/# The ame St# Eerome a""irmeth, and 3ratian hath not pared to p!t it into hi decree, that 6a the credit o" the old boo% 'he meaneth o" the Old Te tament( i to be tried by the Hebrew vol!me , o o" the New by the 3ree% tong!e 'he meaneth by the original 3ree%( .S# Hieron# ad L!cini!m, Di t# F !t veter!m#/# $" tr!th be tried by the e tong!e , then whence ho!ld a tran lation be made, b!t o!t o" them, The e tong!e there"ore55the Script!re , we ay, in tho e tong!e 55we et be"ore ! to tran late, being the tong!e wherein 3od wa plea ed to pea% to Hi ch!rch by Hi prophet and apo tle # Neither did we r!n over the wor% with that po ting ha te that the Sept!agint did, i" that be tr!e which i reported o" them, that they "ini hed it in eventy5two day .Eo eph# Anti-# lib# 98#/0 neither were we barred or hindered "rom going over it again, having once done it, li%e St# Eerome55i" that be tr!e which him el" reporteth, that he co!ld no ooner write anything b!t pre ently it wa ca!ght "rom him and p!bli hed, and he co!ld not have leave to mend it .S# Hieron# ad Cammac# pro libr# adver # $ovinian#/550 neither, to be hort, were we the "ir t that "ell in hand with tran lating the Script!re into Engli h, and con e-!ently de tit!te o" "ormer help , a it i written o" Origen, that he wa the "ir t .prwtopeiroi/ in a manner that p!t hi hand to write commentarie !pon the Script!re , and there"ore no marvel, i" he over hot him el" many time # None o" the e thing 0 the wor% hath not been h!ddled !p in eventy5two day , b!t hath co t the wor%men, a light a it eemeth, the pain o" twice even time eventy5two day and more# ?atter o" !ch weight and con e-!ence are to be peeded with mat!rity, "or in a b! ine o" moment a man "eareth not the blame o" convenient lac%ne . , Sophoc# in Elect#/# Neither did we thin% m!ch to con !lt the tran lator or commentator , 2haldee, Hebrew, Syrian, 3ree% or Latin55no, nor the Spani h, *rench, $talian, or D!tch# Neither did we di dain to revi e that which we had done, and to bring bac% to the anvil that which we had hammered& b!t having and ! ing a great help a were need"!l, and "earing no reproach "or lowne , nor coveting prai e "or e)pedition, we have at length, thro!gh the good hand o" the Lord !pon ! , bro!ght the wor% to that pa that yo! ee# %easons moving us to set diversity of senses in the margin, where there is great probability for each Some peradvent!re wo!ld have no variety o" en e to be et in the margin, le t the a!thority o" the Script!re "or deciding o" controver ie by that how o" !ncertainty ho!ld omewhat be ha%en# =!t we hold their +!dgment not to be o o!nd in thi point# *or tho!gh 6what oever thing are nece ary are mani"e t,6 a St# 2hry o tom aith . , S# 2hry o t# in 8 The # cap# 8#/, and a St# A!g! tine, 6$n tho e thing that are plainly et down in the Script!re , all !ch matter are "o!nd that concern "aith, hope, and charity6 .S# A!g# 8# de doctr# 2hri t# cap# F#/0 yet "or all that it cannot be di embled, that partly to e)erci e and whet o!r wit , partly to wean the c!rio! "rom the loathing o" them "or their everywhere plainne , partly al o to tir !p o!r devotion to crave the a i tance o" 3od7 Spirit by prayer, and la tly, that we might be "orward to ee% aid o" o!r brethren by con"erence, and never corn tho e that be not in all re pect o complete a they ho!ld be, being to ee% in many thing o!r elve , it hath plea ed 3od in Hi divine providence, here and there to catter word and entence o" that di""ic!lty and do!bt"!lne , not in doctrinal point that concern alvation '"or in !ch it hath been vo!ched that the Script!re are plain(, b!t in matter o" le moment, that "ear"!lne wo!ld better be eem ! than con"idence, and i" we will re olve !pon mode ty with St# A!g! tine 'tho!gh not in thi ame ca e altogether, yet !pon the ame gro!nd(, ?eli! e t d!bitare de occ!lti , -!am litigare de incerti , .S# A!g li# J# de 3ene # ad liter# cap# :#/556it i better to ma%e do!bt o" tho e thing which are ecret, than to trive abo!t tho e thing that are !ncertain#6 There be many word in the Script!re which be never "o!nd there b!t once 'having neither brother nor neighbor . /, a the Hebrew pea%(, o that we cannot be holpen by con"erence o" place # Again, there be many rare name o" certain bird , bea t and precio! tone , etc#, concerning which the Hebrew them elve are o divided among them elve "or +!dgment, that they may eem to have de"ined thi or that rather beca! e they wo!ld ay omething than beca! e they were !re o" that which they aid, a St# Eerome omewhere aith o" the Sept!agint# Now in !ch a ca e, doth not a margin do well to admoni h the reader to ee% "!rther, and not to concl!de or dogmatiHe !pon thi or that peremptorily, *or a it i a "a!lt o" incred!lity, to do!bt o" tho e thing that are evident, o to determine o" !ch thing a the Spirit o" 3od hath le"t 'even in the +!dgment o" the +!dicio! ( -!e tionable, can be no le than pre !mption# There"ore a St# A!g! tine aith, that variety o" tran lation i pro"itable "or the "inding o!t o" the en e o" the Script!re .S# A!g# 8# De doctr# 2hri tian# cap# 9@#/0 o diver ity o"

igni"ication and en e in the margin, where the te)t i not o clear, m! t need do good55yea, i nece ary, a we are per !aded# >e %now that Si)t! L!int! e)pre ly "orbiddeth that any variety o" reading o" their v!lgar edition ho!ld be p!t in the margin .Si)t! :# prae"# =ibliae#/55which tho!gh it be not altogether the ame thing to that we have in hand, yet it loo%eth that way55, b!t we thin% he hath not all o" hi own ide hi "avorer "or thi conceit# They that are wi e had rather have their +!dgment at liberty in di""erence o" reading , than to be captivated to one, when it may be the other# $" they were !re that their high prie t had all law h!t !p in hi brea t, a Ca!l the Second bragged .Clat# in Ca!lo ec!ndo#/, and that he were a "ree "rom error by pecial privilege a the dictator o" Rome were made by law inviolable, it were another matter0 then hi word were an oracle, hi opinion a deci ion# =!t the eye o" the world are now open, 3od be than%ed, and have been a great while# . #/ They "ind that he i !b+ect to the ame a""ection and in"irmitie that other be, that hi %in i penetrable0 and there"ore o m!ch a he proveth, not a m!ch a he claimeth, they grant and embrace# %easons inducing us not to stand curiously upon an identity of phrasing Another thing we thin% good to admoni h thee o", gentle reader& that we have not tied o!r elve to an !ni"ormity o" phra ing, or to an identity o" word , a ome peradvent!re wo!ld wi h that we had done, beca! e they ob erve that ome learned men omewhere have been a e)act a they co!ld that way# Tr!ly, that we might not vary "rom the en e o" that which we had tran lated be"ore, i" the word igni"ied the ame thing in both place '"or there be ome word that be not o" the ame en e everywhere . /(, we were e pecially care"!l, and made a con cience according to o!r d!ty# =!t that we ho!ld e)pre the ame notion in the ame partic!lar word, a "or e)ample, i" we tran late the Hebrew or 3ree% word once by p!rpo e, never to call it intent0 i" one where +o!rneying, never travelling0 i" one where thin%, never !ppo e0 i" one where pain, never ache0 i" one where +oy, never gladne , etc55th! , to mince the matter, we tho!ght to avor more o" c!rio ity than wi dom, and that rather it wo!ld breed corn in the athei t than bring pro"it to the godly reader# *or i the %ingdom o" 3od become word or yllable , >hy ho!ld we be in bondage to them i" we may be "ree, ! e one preci ely when we may ! e another no le "it, a commodio! ly, A godly *ather in the Crimitive time howed him el" greatly moved, that one o" new"anglene called , 66 .6a bed60 Niceph# 2ali t# lib#J# cap#@8#/, tho!gh the di""erence be little or none0 and another reporteth that he wa m!ch ab! ed "or t!rning 66 'to which reading the people had been ! ed( into 6hedera6 .S# Hieron# in @# $onae# See S# A!g# epi t# 9I#/# Now i" thi happen in better time , and !pon o mall occa ion , we might +! tly "ear hard cen !re, i" generally we ho!ld ma%e verbal and !nnece ary changing # >e might al o be charged 'by co""er ( with ome !ne-!al dealing toward a great n!mber o" good Engli h word # *or a it i written o" a certain great philo opher, that he ho!ld ay, that tho e log were happy that were made image to be wor hipped, "or their "ellow , a good a they, lay "or bloc% behind the "ire0 o i" we ho!ld ay, a it were, !nto certain word , 6Stand !p higher0 have a place in the =ible alway ,6 and to other o" li%e -!ality, 63et ye hence0 be bani hed "orever,6 we might be ta)ed peradvent!re with St# Eame hi word , namely, 6To be partial in o!r elve , and +!dge o" evil tho!ght #6 Add here!nto, that nicene in word wa alway co!nted the ne)t tep to tri"ling, and o wa to be c!rio! abo!t name , too0 al o, that we cannot "ollow a better pattern "or eloc!tion than 3od Him el"0 there"ore, He ! ing diver word , in Hi holy writ, and indi""erently "or one thing in nat!re . 0M 0M to 0 ee E! eb# . # 98# e) Claton#/, we, i" we will not be !per titio! , may ! e the ame liberty in o!r Engli h ver ion o!t o" Hebrew and 3ree%, "or that copy or tore that He hath given ! # La tly, we have on the one ide avoided the cr!p!lo ity o" the C!ritan , who leave the old eccle ia tical word and beta%e them to other, a when they p!t wa hing "or bapti m, and congregation in tead o" ch!rch0 a al o on the other ide we have h!nned the ob c!rity o" the Capi t , in their aHime , t!nic, rational, holoca! t , praep!ce, pa che, and a n!mber o" !ch li%e, whereo" their late tran lation i "!ll55and that o" p!rpo e to dar%en the en e, that ince they m! t need tran late the =ible, yet by the lang!age thereo", it may be %ept "rom being !nder tood# =!t we de ire that the Script!re may pea% li%e it el", a in the lang!age o" 2anaan, that it may be !nder tood even o" the very v!lgar# ?any other thing we might give thee warning o", gentle reader, i" we had not e)ceeded the mea !re o" a pre"ace already# $t remaineth that we commend thee to 3od, and to the Spirit o" Hi grace, which i able to b!ild "!rther than we can a % or thin%# He removeth the cale "rom o!r eye , the veil "rom o!r heart , opening o!r wit that we may !nder tand Hi word, enlarging o!r heart 0 yea, correcting o!r a""ection , that

we may love it to the end# 1e are bro!ght !nto "o!ntain o" living water which ye digged not0 do not ca t earth into them with the Chili tine .3en# 8<&9:/, neither pre"er bro%en pit be"ore them with the wic%ed Eew .Eer# 8&9;/# Other have labo!red, and yo! may enter into their labo!r # O receive not o great thing in vain, O de pi e not o great alvationN =e not li%e wine to tread !nder "oot o precio! thing , neither yet li%e dog to tear and ab! e holy thing # Say not to o!r Savio!r with the 3erge ite , 6Depart o!t o" o!r coa t 6 .?att# J&;@/0 neither yet with E a! ell yo!r birthright "or a me o" pottage .Heb# 98&9</# $" light be come into the world, love not dar%ne more than light0 i" "ood, i" clothing be o""ered, go not na%ed, tarve not yo!r elve # Remember the advice o" NaHianHene, 6$t i a grievo! thing 'or dangero! ( to neglect a great "air, and to ee% to ma%e mar%et a"terward 6 .. . . /0 al o the enco!ragement o" St# 2hry o tom, 6$t i altogether impo ible, that he that i ober 'and watch"!l( ho!ld at any time be neglected6 .S# 2hry o t# in epi t# ad Rom# cap# 9@# orat# 8<# in . /0 la tly, the admonition and menacing o" St# A!g! tine, 6They that de pi e 3od7 will inviting them, hall "eel 3od7 will ta%ing vengeance o" them6 .S# A!g! t# ad artic# ibi "al o ob+ect# Artic# 9<#/# $t i a "ear"!l thing to "all into the hand o" the living 3od .Heb# 9I&;9/0 b!t a ble ed thing it i , and will bring ! to everla ting ble edne in the end, when 3od pea%eth !nto ! , to hear%en0 when He etteth Hi word be"ore ! , to read it0 when He tretcheth o!t Hi hand and calleth, to an wer, 6Here am $N here we are to do thy will, O 3od#6 The Lord wor% a care and con cience in ! to %now Him and erve Him, that we may be ac%nowledged o" Him at the appearing o" o!r Lord Ee ! 2hri t, to whom, with the Holy 3ho t, be all prai e and than% giving# Amen#