THE versions exemplified, their dates, and the editions from which they are copied, are as follows:

i. Lindisfarne Gloss. About 950 Surtees Society, 1854. ii. Rushworth Gloss. iii. Parker MS.

iv. 1st Wyclifite . v. 2nd Wyclifite.

vi. Tyndale vii. Tyndale viii. Coverdale

ix. Cranmer

x. Geneva.

xi. Bishops'

xii. Reims

xiii. Authorized

Xiv Revised.

About 950?

About 1050? Abp. Parker, 1571.

About 1380 Forshall and Madden, 1850.

. Bagster's English Hexapla, 1841.

I have used an uniform punctuation, and have changed the old English forms of the letters w and th in the first three versions: otherwise I have printed literatim from the above editions.

The reader will see how closely the translators of the Authorized Version followed the King's instruction to change the text of the Bishops' Bible as little as possible, and where change was needed to fall back where possible upon Tyndale, Coverdale, Cranmer, and the Geneva edition.* He will also see that the style of our version is due to Tyndale, and dates from 1525. Lest he should suspect that I have chosen for comparison a passage specially unfavourable to the

* To these was added Matthew's, which, however, was merely a reprint of Tyndale in the New Testament, and as far as Chr. in the Old, from which point Coverdale was copied, with a few alterations.

244

Appendix.

originality of the Authorized Version, have taken the first few verses of the narrative, beginning of course after the genealogy.

18. Lin lisfarne

Rushworth

Parker

MATT. i. 18-21.

cristes sothlice cynnreccnisse suæ wees. mith thy was biwoedded moder his,

Kristes sothlice kennisse thus was. tha the hio was bewedded his moder Maria Josefae, Sothlice thus was Cristes cneores. Tha thas Hælendes modor Maria was Iosepe beweddod, 1st Wyclifite Forsoth the generacioun of Crist was thus. Whane Marie his modir was spousid to Joseph,

2nd Wyclifite But the generacioun of Crist was thus. Whanne
Marie, the modir of Jhesu, was spousid to Joseph,
Tyndale, 1525 The byrthc Christ was on this wyse. When his
mother Mary was maried vnto Joseph,

Tyndale, 1534 The byrthe of Iesus Christ was on thys wyse.
When hys mother Mary was betrouthed to
Ioseph,

Coverdale

Cranmer

Geneva

Bishops'
Reims

Authorized

Lindisfarne

Rushworth

Parker

The byrth of Christ was on thys wyse. When
his mother Mary was maried to Ioseph,
The byrth of Iesus Christ was on this wyse. When
his mother Mary was maryed to Ioseph,
Now the byrth of Iesus Christ was on thys wyse.
When his mother Marie was betrouthed to
Ioseph,

The birth of Jesus Christe was on this wise. When
as his mother Marie was betrouthed to Joseph,
And the generation of Christ was in this wise.
When his mother Marie was spoused to Ioseph,
Now the birth of Iesus Christ was on this wise.
When as his mother Marie was espoused to
Ioseph,

aer thon hia gegeadradon, bigetten was in hrif
hæfde of halig gaste.

ærthon hiae toşomne cwoman, hio was gemoeted

in hire innothe hæbbende of them halgan gaste. ær hi to somne becomun, heo was gemet on innothe hæbbende of tham halegan gaste.

1st Wyclifite bifore that thei shulden come to gidre, she is foundun hauynge in the wombe of the Holy Gost. 2nd Wyclifite bifore thei camen togidere, she was foundun hauynge of the Hooli Goost in the wombe.

Revised Now the birth of Jesus Christ

thing

wiss

When his mother th been betrothed to lose fit, beton

-Appendix.

245

Tyndale, 1525 before they cam to dwell to geder, she was founde
with chylde by the holy goost.

Tyndale, 1534 before they came to dwell togedder, she was founde
with chylde by the holy goost.

Coverdale

Cranmer

Geneva

Bishops'

Reims

Authorized

Revised

19. Lindisfarne

Rushworth

Parker

before they came together, she was founde with
child by the holy goost.

before they came to dwell together, she was founde
with chylde by the holy goost.

before they came together, she was found wyth
chylde of the holy Gost.

before they came together, she was founde with
chylde of the holy ghost.

before they came together, she was found to be
with childe by the Holy Ghost.

before they came together, shee was found with
childe of the holy Ghost
before they came why Thost.
ogether, she was
child of

Joseph, cuthlice, uer hire, mith thy wæss sothfæst
and nalde hea gebrenge

Joseph, sothlice, hire wer, swa he was monn soth-
fæst and ne walde hie

Sothlice Iosep hyre- wertha he was rihtwis and
nolde hi gewidmærsian

1st Wyclifite Joseph, forsothe, hir husbond, when he was iust
man, and wolde not pupliche hir,

2nd Wyclifite And Joseph hir hosebonde, for he was rigtful, and
wolde not puplische hir,

Tyndale, 1525 Then her husbande Joseph, beinge a perfecte man,
and loth to defame her,

Tyndale, 1534 Then Ioseph her husbande, beinge a perfect man,
and loth to make an ensample of hir,

Coverdale

Cranmer

Geneva

Bishops'

Reims

Authorized

But Ioseph her huszbande was a perfect man, and

wolde not bringe her to shame,

Then Ioseph her husbande, because he was a
righteous man, and wolde not put her to shame,
Then Ioseph her housband, beyng a iust man, and
loth to make her a publike exemple of infamie,
Then Joseph her husbande, beyng a ryghteous
man, and not wyllyng to make her a publique
example,
Wherevpon Joseph, for that he was a iust man,
& would not put her to open shame,
Then Ioseph her husband, being a iust man, and
not willing to make her a publique exainple,

with

246

Appendix.

Lindisfarne ah he walde deiglice f'leitta hea..

Coverdale

Cranmer

Tyndale, 1525 was mynded to put her awaye secretly.
Tyndale, 1534 was mynded to put her awaye secretely.
but was mynded to put her awaie secretely.
he was mynded preuely to departe from her.
was mynded to put her a way secretly.
was mynded priuily to put her away.
was minded secretely to dismisse her.
was minded to put her away priuily.

Geneva

Bishops'
Reims
Authorized

1

20. Lindisfarne Thas sothlice the he thencende, tha cuom engel

Rushworth

Parker

drihtnes in suoefnu ætdeaude him,

Thendi he tha that thohte, henu engel drihtnes æteawde him in slepe,

Tha sothlice thas thing thencendum, drihtnes engel on swefnum ætywde,

1st Wyclifite Sothely, hym thenkynge these thingus, lo! theangel of the Lord aperide in sleepe,

2nd Wyclifite But, while he thougte thes thingis, lo! the aungel of the Lord apperide in sleep to hym,

Tyndale, 1525 Whyle he thus thought, beholde the angel of the
lorde apered vnto him in his slepe,

Tyndale, 1534 Whill he thus thought, behold, the angell of the
Lorde appered vnto him in a dreame,

Coverdale

Cranmer

Geneva

Bishops'

Reims

Authorized

Neuertheles, whyle he thus thought, beholde, the
angell of the LORD appered vnto him in a
dreame,

But, whyll he thus thought, beholde, the angel
of the Lorde appered vnto him in slepe,
Whyle he thus reasoned with him self, behold,

the Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a
dreame,

But, whyle he thought these thinges, beholde,
the Angell of the Lord appeared unto hym in
a dreame,

But, as he was thus thinking, behold, the Angel
of our Lord appeared to him in sleepe,
But, while he thought on these things, behold,

the Angel of the Lord appeared vnto him in a
dreame,