The Old Testament and The New Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ, Conferred diligently with the Greeke, and best approoved Translations in divers Languages. Imprinted at London by Robert Barker, Printer to the King's most Excellent Majestie in 1611. [Together with] Two right profitable and fruitfull Concordances, or large and ample Tables Alphabeticall. The first containing the interpretation of the Hebrew, Caldean, Greeke, and Latine words... Collected by R.F.H, Imprinted at London by Robert Barker in 1611. [Together with] An incomplete Book of Psalms, undated but probably dated 1611 and certainly printed by Robert Barker in London.
AN ORIGINAL GENEVA "BREECHES" BIBLE FROM THE MOST IMPORTANT YEAR IN ENGLISH BIBLE PRINTING, 1611.
ONE OF THE LAST GENEVA BIBLES TO BE PRINTED IN ENGLAND BEFORE BEING BANNED BY KING JAMES UPON THE RELEASE OF THE KING JAMES BIBLE IN THE SAME YEAR.
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A very rare original 1611 "Breeches" Geneva Bible, so named for the reading in Genesis 3:7 describing Adam and Eve as having made "breeches" to cover their nakedness instead of "aprons" or "loincloths".
The Great Bible (named for its large page size and first ordered by Henry VIII in 1538) was restored to the churches after Elizabeth I’s succession halted persecution of Anglicans and Protestants, but the Geneva Bible, imported from Europe and not printed in England until 1576, quickly surpassed the Great Bible in public favour. The Geneva Bible was the first Bible in English to add numbered verses. It was also one of the first to include extensive commentary notes, which were later deemed “seditious” by King James when he banned the Geneva Bible not long after the publication of the King James Bible in 1611. Some sources say that the Geneva Bible was banned in 1611, and some say 1616, but in any event, this is one of the latest Geneva Bibles to be printed and is particularly remarkable for being an original Bible dated to one of the most important years in the history of Bible printing, 1611.
This is one of the only affordable opportunities to acquire a Bible dated to 1611, as the first edition of the King James Bible was printed in under 150 copies and most are held in museums etc, and when they do come to the market are correspondingly incredibly expensive! This example is in a beautiful restored binding, preserving some likely original components including the ironwork and boards, with the spine rebacked in April 1927 in Liverpool, England.
King James despised the revolutionary and “seditious” Geneva Bible. He thought the Geneva Bible’s study notes on key political texts threatened his authority, so he outlawed it and ordered a new translation of the Bible – the King James (Authorised Version). While the King James Version is an excellent translation, it was edited and authorised by the Government. The Geneva Bible was not. It was truly a Bible by the people and for the people.
The Geneva Bible is unique among all other Bibles. It was the first Bible to use chapters and numbered verses and became the most popular version of its time because of the extensive study notes. These notes were included to explain and interpret the Scriptures for the common people and laid the foundation for a Republican form of government. For nearly half a century these notes helped the people of England, Scotland, and Ireland understand the Bible and true God-ordained liberty.
When the Pilgrims arrived in America in 1620, they brought the Geneva Bible with them. You can see why this remarkable version with its profound study notes played a key role in the formation of the American Republic, and its influence on the development of Western thought, politics, government, society generally, and literature (the Geneva Bible is often called 'The Bible of Shakespeare' for example).
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Size: 18 x 23 x 8 cm (approx.)
Condition:
Lacks Old Testament title page as very common, and the first leaf of Genesis (A1), else the Old Testament is collated as complete. The New Testament is collated as complete (full collation provided below). Concordances collated up to R7, lacking final leaf, also bound with pp.9-pp.52 of a Book of Psalms bound in to the rear, undated but probably also 1611 given that all present dates in this book read 1611. Some remnants of A1 are partially present in the gutter. A2 with some stains and small holes with tears at its edge. Small hole at edge of F6 not affecting any text. III3, the final leaf of the Old Testament [Maccabees book two, Apocrypha], torn with some loss. F4 of the Concordances torn with some loss at the head. Some heavier dampstaining to a few leaves in the middle of the Concordances, around the end of gathering H through to the middle of I, thus affecting around 8 leaves total but not obscuring any text. Else the text block is generally much better than typically found, with some wear to leaf edges as typical and sporadic minor staining but generally internally very good. Very early ink ownership inscription of William Galleamoxe (?), almost certainly an early 17th century hand to the foot of ZZZ8, and another in the same hand but a different spelling to the foot of A6 of the Concordances of "William Gasleamor his book", and another different spelling to pp.19 of Psalms reading "William Gallimorse".
Spine rebacked in 1937, and very well executed, with a very nice tooled red morocco label to the spine. Joints fine with both boards securely attached, the binding secure and with a very slight shelf lean. Boards are probably near original or original with the ironwork also very early, but with the centre piece cleaned and polished and so appears brighter, but is probably not later. Some small and early wormholes to boards but without any worming through the text block. Some light rubbing and discolouration to the boards. Some restoration to the board edges with some loss at the board fore edge. Endpapers contemporary, replaced - presumably with the rebacking in 1937. Front endpaper with quite a lot of pencil writing identifying 1937 as the date of rebacking among some other details pertaining to the book, including attributing the ownership signature as "William Gallimore" despite the numerous different spellings.
Collation:
Old Testament: [A2-III3 complete - lacks only A1 and main title page]
[A2-A8, B1-B8, C1-C8, D1-D8, E1-E8, F1-F8, G1-G8, H1-H8, I1-I8, K1-K8, L1-L8, M1-M8, N1-N8, O1-O8, P1-P8, Q1-Q8, R1-R8, S1-S8, T1-T8, U1-U8, X1-X8, Y1-Y8, Z1-Z8, AA1-AA8, BB1-BB8, CC1-CC8, DD1-DD8, EE1-EE8, FF1-FF8, GG1-GG8, HH1-HH8, II1-II8, KK1-KK8, LL1-LL8, MM1-8, NN1-NN8, OO1-OO8, PP1-PP8, QQ1-QQ8, RR1-RR8, SS1-SS8, TT1-8, UU1-UU8, XX1-XX8, YY1-YY8, ZZ1-ZZ8, AAA1-AAA8, BBB1-BBB8, CCC1-CCC8, DDD1-DDD8, EEE1-EEE8, FFF1-FFF8, GGG1-GGG8, HHH1-HHH8, III1-III3]
New Testament: (complete)
[Title page (A1), A1-A4, KKK1-KKK8, LLL1-LLL8, MMM1-MMM8, NNN1-NNN8, OOO1-OOO8, PPP1-PPP8, QQQ1-QQQ8, RRR1-RRR8, SSS1-SSS8, TTT1-TTT8, UUU1-UUU8, XXX1-XXX8, YYY1-YYY8, ZZZ1-ZZZ10]
Concordances: [lacks only final leaf R8 else complete]
[A1-A8, B1-B8, C1-C8, D1-D8, E1-E8, F1-F8, G1-G8, H1-H8, I1-I8, R1-R7]
Book of Psalms: [lacks first 8pp and all after pp.52]
pp9-pp52
